Mounts inDungeons & Dragonsaren’t just for travel—they can define a character’s style, provide advantages in combat, and even change the course of an adventure. The 2025 Monster Manual introduces updates to classic mounts and new creatures that players can ride into battle, each offering unique strengths.
Whether you need a reliable warhorse, a fearsome predator, or a flying beast for aerial combat, the right mount can turn the tide of an encounter. From grounded powerhouses to sky-soaring predators, these are some of the best mounts in the 2025 Monster Manual that every adventurer should consider.
7Riding Horse & Warhorse
Reliable And Time-Tested Companions
Riding horses and warhorses remain the most accessible and widely used mounts in D&D, providing speed and endurance for long-distance travel. A riding horse is a solid option for any adventurer needing a quick way to traverse vast landscapes, while a warhorse offers more durability and combat utility with its trampling charge and improved stats.
Any mount can wear armor thanks to the barding rules presented in the 2024 Player’s Handbook. Warhorses don’t come with armor equipped, even though their art suggests so.
While simple compared to magical or monstrous options, horses are practical, affordable, and don’t require special handling or magical bonds. They’re ideal for low-level characters or campaigns that emphasize realism, ensuring that even mundane mounts can play a crucial role in the journey.
6Allosaurus
A Dino-Flavored Change
If your campaign is set ina world with dinosaurs, then convincing your Dungeon Master to let you ride one isn’t as far-fetched as it might seem. While huge creatures like the tyrannosaurus rex are often off of the table, something like an allosaurus is reasonable even at early levels, since it isn’t that much stronger than a warhorse.
Of course, an allosaurus has far more health than a horse, but that is not as relevant when dealing with mounted combat. When fighting on its own, this dino can charge and knock enemies prone just like any trained warhorse can, making it a slight upgrade.
5Giant Scorpion
A Deadly Mount With A Sting
For adventurers looking for something more exotic, the giant scorpion offers both mobility and devastating combat abilities. This massive arachnid is a walking weapon, with powerful pincers to grapple foes and a venomous sting that can finish off weakened enemies. Its ability to restrain and poison enemies makes it one of the most fearsome combat mounts available.
The utility of such a mount depends on how the mounted combat rules work at your table. If they work with the rules as written, then the giant scorpion won’t be able to use its attacks while you mount it, so keep that in mind before running off to the desert to tame such a beast.
4Giant Bat
Speed And Aerial Maneuverability
The giant bat is one ofthe best flying mountsfor those who prioritize speed and mobility. While it lacks the raw strength of a griffon or hippogriff, its agility allows for quick repositioning, scouting, and surprise attacks from above. With a flying speed that makes it one of the fastest aerial mounts available, it’s ideal for adventurers who need a swift getaway or an airborne vantage point.
Giant bats work well for campaigns involving jungle exploration or lost civilizations, where flying over obstacles and spotting enemies from a distance can provide a significant tactical advantage. Though not built for heavy combat, its utility makes it a valuable companion.
3Hippogriff
A Balanced Mix Of Power And Flight
The hippogriff is one of the most well-rounded flying mounts in D&D, offering both aerial and land-based speed. These majestic creatures, with the front half of an eagle and the back half of a horse, are intelligent and fiercely loyal to those who earn their trust.
While not the strongest of the flying mounts, hippogriffs are far easier to obtain and train thanks to their tame nature. There are several flying creatures that will often aid the party, like giant eagles or pegasi, but since they are sentient celestials, they aren’t normally eligible as mounts.
2Nightmare
A Fiery Steed From The Lower Planes
For those with a dark or infernal streak, the nightmare is an elite mount that embodies raw power and fear. This fiendish, flame-wreathed horse can phase through dimensions with Ethereal Stride, making it one of the most unique and tactical mounts in D&D. Its Hooves attack deals fire damage, and its immunity to fire makes it ideal for adventurers who thrive in extreme environments.
Nightmares are often associatedwith fiendish masters, meaning they are rarely available as simple mounts. However, those who strike deals with dark forces—or earn the respect of such creatures—gain a fearsome companion capable of outpacing and outlasting most mundane mounts.
1Griffon
A Fearsome Hunter Of Land And Sky
Griffons are among the most iconic flying mounts in Dungeons & Dragons, blending the raw strength of a lion with the sharp vision and flight of an eagle. They are powerful hunters, making them ideal for riders who want a mount that can charge into battle both in the air and on the ground.
Unlike hippogriffs, griffons are more aggressive and require stronger bonds of trust before they accept a rider. Once trained, however, they provide exceptional aerial speed, making them a top-tier choice for warriors, knights, or adventurers who want a mount as fearsome as they are.
