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So, in 5e Gnolls are apparently an insane hive-mind...
9 years ago
Not sure why but it looks like this edition WotC really wanted to utterly redesign gnolls. In older editions gnolls were a sentient hyena race, who the vast majority of whom decided to follow their demonic progenitor, but some of whom were independent and formed normal nomadic tribes that behaved more like true hyenas.
In 5e, gnolls dropped to int 6 (barely sentient) and are now a hive-mind to demons whose only thoughts are hunting and hunger. So... So much for being a gnoll.
In 5e, gnolls dropped to int 6 (barely sentient) and are now a hive-mind to demons whose only thoughts are hunting and hunger. So... So much for being a gnoll.
And many settings (Eberron and Exandria for starters) do away with that lore for gnolls even in core DnD.
BTW, Paizo had a few interesting Gnoll NPC's in their small source books, including a female Gnoll Bard in charge of of the rowers on a slaver galley pirate ship. Now that's evil. Using the bard's abilities to keep the slaves rowing for their lives in fear and maybe even healing them to keep them from dying too quickly.
Though personally I love playing above average intelligent Gnolls like my Gnoll Barbarian with an Intelligence of 16. My other players forgot that again and again and where so surprised when I reminded them about it during play.