Giant space hamsters are fictional creatures originating in the Spelljammer campaign setting for the Dungeons and Dragons roleplaying game. These creatures have achieved popularity among D&D fans due in part to their basis as such a humorous and ridiculous concept.
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Ecology
Tinker gnomes have a strong connection with the giant space hamsters. Hamsters are domesticated, used as both pets and livestock, and are also used to power gnome sidewheelers, an inefficient form of space ship that is powered by a series of gigantic hamster wheels. In combat, a giant space hamster will attack with its claws, and also attempt to swallow its opponents whole. They are, however, inclined to run away if given a chance.
Environment
Space.
Typical physical characteristics
Giant space hamsters are brown-bear-sized rodents with thick fur.
Alignment
As an animal type, the giant space hamster is always true neutral.
Society
History
Giant space hamsters were first discovered among the tinker gnomes, a race of highly technological creatures who primarily inhabit the world of Krynn. Tinker gnome civilizations are divided into guilds, who each research and develop a different technological field. It was the Animal Breeder's Guild that first bred the giant space hamster. Characteristically, the tinker gnomes did not stop there, and continued to breed many forms of hamster, including the sabre-toothed giant space hamster, the carnivorous flying giant space hamster ("a regrettable if understandable line of inquiry"), the fire-breathing phase doppelganger giant space hamster, and the miniature giant space hamster (a dwarf variant, the exact same size as ordinary hamsters).
Notable giant space hamsters
The most infamous (and to gnomes, feared) giant space hamster was "Wooly Rupert," the Tyranohamstersaurus of Ill Omen.
Giant space hamsters in other media
In the Baldur's Gate computer role-playing game, the NPC Minsc has a pet "miniature giant space hamster", which is the size of a normal hamster, called Boo.
