Editing Ghoul (section)

==Dungeons & Dragons==
The most iconic form of ghoul in many eyes, D&D ghouls are undead who can spread through an infectious disease they carry in their fangs/claws, be created by [[necromancer]]s, or spontaneously arise from the bodies of cannibals or evil gluttons. They are faster, more agile and more intelligent than zombies, with at least a bestial level of intelligence, and a genuinely macabre and malevolent nature.

They are perhaps most infamous for their paralyzing touch, which lets them freeze your PC immobile so they can then eat them alive; this notoriously cheap ability has frustrated many players, especially because, traditionally, [[Mary Sue|elves are immune to its effects]] for no discernible non-fluff reason.

Ghouls also have more powerful versions, such as the Ghast (which is basically a leveled-up ghoul with a permanent stinking cloud aura who ''can'' paralyze elves) and - starting late 2e - the Ghoul Lord. From at least the 1e Monster Manual there's an aquatic version, the Lacedon.

The first ghoul-focused adventure was Wolfgang Baur's 2e "Kingdom of the Ghouls" (or "White Kingdom"), published Dungeon #70. Baur was well-versed in classic Weird, and sprinkles quotes from Lovecraft and Clark Ashton Smith throughout. This is an [[Underdark]] epic set on the north shore of no other than the Sunless Sea of ''[[D1-2-3: Drow Trilogy|Depths]]'' fame. Your job is to gather up the other Underdark races and to lead them on a multiracial crusade against something ''clearly'' anathema to all life - well, clearly except to opportunists like (here) the [[cloaker]]s.

5e attempts an origin-mythos. Here, Ghouls came to being in the Abyss, where an Elf worshiper of (who else) [[Orcus]] named [[Doresain]] turned from his people and feasted on humanoid flesh to honor his god. The Demonic Prince of Undeath, pleased with this development, made the elf into the first ghoul, and he happily created ghouls from the other servants of Orcus, until [[Yeenoghu]] robbed him of his domain. He turned to Orcus, who refused to help. Thus, he turned to the elven gods, who took pity on him and helped him escape. Ever since then, elves are immune to the ghouls paralyzing touch as thanks from Doresain for the Elf Gods saving him. Though he is not going to stop his servants from snacking on Elf meat as he never truly reformed.

<gallery>
Ghoul Greyhawk.jpg
Ghoul 1e.jpg
Ghoul Monster card.jpg
Ghoul MCV1.jpg
Ghoul lord MC Ravenloft 1.jpg
Ghoul MM 2e.png
ghoul dinner RQ1.jpg
Ghoul 3e.jpg
Ghoul 4e.jpg
Ghoul 5e.png
</gallery>

===Lovecraftian Ghoul 5e PCs===
In [[Sandy Petersen]]'s [[Cthulhu Mythos]] for 5e, the Lovecraftian Ghoul (discussed above) is presented as a playable race.

::Ability Score Increase: +1 Constitution, +1 Intelligence
::Size: Medium
::Speed: 30 feet
::Vision: Darkvision 60 feet
::Grave Nose: You have Advantage on Perception checks made using smell to detect or recognize corpses, decaying things, meat, and the [[undead]].
::Bite: You can make a Bite attack (1d4 piercing, Finesse weapon trait) as an Unarmed Strike.
::Claws: You can make a Claw attack (1d4 piercing, Finesse weapon trait) as an Unarmed Strike.
::Psychic Feast: When you feed on the flesh of a dead humanoid or monstrosity, so long as that creature has been dead a bare minimum of 25 hours, you can gain an insight; with the DM's permission, either gain one skill or tool proficiency possessed by the creature, or multiply a shared skill/tool proficiency by 1.5. You can maintain up to three "insights" at a time, and at the DM's permission, older corpses may grant more than one insight at a time. Feasting requires at least one minute of consuming the corpse.
::Inured to Disease: You are immune to nonmagical disease and have Advantage on saves against magical disease.
::Subrace: Choose whether you were Raised by Ghouls, [[Dwarves]], [[Elves]], [[Half-Elves]], [[Half-Orc]]s, or [[Human]]s.

''Raised by Ghouls''
::Burrower: You have a Burrow speed of 10 feet that applies to sand, earth, mud and ice. You can either leave a tunnel behind you as you dig (lets you dig indefinitely) or not (in which case you must hold your breath).
::::Scrounger: You have Advantage on Perception and Investigation checks made to find objects that have been hidden, particularly by being concealed in rubble or undergrowth, or by being buried.
::Bonus Language: Ghoul

''Raised by Dwarves''
::Dwarven Combat Training: You have proficiency with the Battleaxe, Handaxe, Light Hammer and Warhammer.
::Tool Proficiency: You have proficiency with either smith's tools, brewer's supplies or mason's tools.
::Stonecunning: Apply double your Proficiency bonus when making History checks relating to origin of stonework.
::Bonus Language: Dwarven

''Raised by Elves''
::Elven Influence: Choose one elf subrace. You gain all of that subrace's traits outside of its ability score increase.
::Bonus Language: Elfin

''Raised by Half-Elves''
::Skill Versatility: You have Proficiency in two skills of your choice.
::Bonus Language: Elfin

''Raised by Half-Orcs''
::Menacing: You have proficiency in Intimidation.
::Savage Attacks: When you land a critical hit with a melee weapon, add one bonus damage dice.
::Bonus Language: Orc

''Raised by Humans''
:Ability Score Increase: Two ability scores of your choice from the following list increase by +1 each - Strength, Dexterity, Wisdom or Charisma.