Dryaxes were massive, humanoid-shaped predators that inhabited the jungles of the planet Wayland. They possessed glowing [red](/article/color] eyes and shared characteristics with wolves. In the year 18 BBY, the clone troopers Omega and [Crosshair](/article/crosshair] encountered a dryax on Wayland while escaping from Tantiss Base. The creature emitted a loud roar in their direction, but subsequently engaged in combat with a group of lurca hounds dispatched from the mountain, which allowed the clones to get away.
Later, when Clone Force 99 journeyed to Wayland to rescue Omega from Tantiss Base, the former Imperial Admiral Edmon Rampart, who was assisting the clones, leaned against a dryax in the jungle that was sleeping, unaware of its true nature. The dryax then awoke, pursued Clone Force 99 into the jungle, and proceeded to attack a squad of TK stormtroopers who were searching for the clones.
Dryaxes were enormous predators that had a humanoid form, a reptilian head, and wolf-like traits. These creatures made their home in the jungles of Wayland. Each of their four lengthy limbs ended in a paw equipped with five sharp claws. They typically moved on all fours, but they could also stand upright on their hind limbs, reaching a height of 3.2 meters and a length of 4.4 meters.
The creatures were covered in smooth [gray](/article/color] skin and thick, greenish-brown feathers that provided camouflage in the jungle environment. These feathers covered their backs and the tops of their reptilian heads. A dryax's face featured glowing red [eyes](/article/eye], a wide snout, and a mouth filled with serrated [teeth](/article/tooth], with the lower jaw extending beyond the upper jaw. They communicated through grumbles, growls, and roars. Even a solitary dryax presented a significant threat due to its size and claws, which were capable of damaging Katarn-class commando armor.
Around 18 BBY, dryaxes roamed the wilderness outside the security perimeter of Tantiss Base. This secret Imperial facility was located in Mount Tantiss and overseen by Doctor Royce Hemlock on Wayland. The Imperials had trained a pack of lurca hounds to deter dryaxes and other predators, but these hounds struggled to survive beyond the perimeter. Hemlock considered anyone venturing beyond the perimeter, into the dryax-infested jungles, to be effectively dead.
After the clones [Crosshair](/article/crosshair] and Omega escaped from the mountain, they encountered a dryax while fleeing through the jungle towards sector four. The creature approached after Omega stumbled and fell, climbing over a fallen tree while growling. The dryax reared up on its hind legs and roared, prompting Crosshair to aim his DC-15A blaster carbine, but the dryax was distracted by the sound of approaching lurca hounds dispatched to hunt the escaped clones.
The dryax turned to face the approaching pack, swatting the first hound and the next attacker to the ground. Three more hounds leapt onto its back and head, causing it to tumble. Crosshair and Omega fled as the hounds were knocked off, the dryax tossing the last hound away and continuing to fight.
Omega was re-captured and returned to Tantiss Base, prompting her brothers in Clone Force 99 to launch a rescue mission, enlisting the help of former Imperial Admiral Edmon Rampart. Crosshair, Rampart, and the clones Wrecker and Hunter reached Wayland, crashing in the jungle after being intercepted by Imperial forces from Tantiss Base, and began their trek towards the base.
While traversing Wayland's jungles, they reached a cliff face and paused to discuss their approach. Rampart sat down to rest against what he mistook for part of the scenery, unaware that it was a sleeping dryax. As the dryax began to stir, Rampart realized his mistake and slowly backed away towards the clones. The dryax turned, stood up, and growled at them. Rampart urged the clones to shoot it, but Hunter refused to reveal their location to the Imperials.
Rampart fled as the dryax reared up, roared, and charged, forcing the clones to scatter. It pursued Hunter, swiping at him with its claws as he rolled out of the way. Crosshair struck the dryax's head with the butt of his sniper rifle, distracting it so Hunter could escape. Wrecker leapt at the creature, but it threw him off and slashed his chest, sending him crashing into a tree. The other two clones helped Wrecker up, and they fled, the dryax hindered by trees as it pursued them.
A group of TK stormtroopers from Tantiss Base spotted the clones and opened fire. Clone Force 99 returned fire as they fled past the stormtroopers, who remained focused on the clones until the dryax roared behind them. The [troopers](/article/trooper] turned as the creature charged and attacked, allowing Clone Force 99 to escape. Wrecker was injured and later admitted that attacking the dryax had seemed like a good idea at the time.
Dryaxes were first mentioned indirectly in "Confined," the opening episode of Star Wars: The Bad Batch's third season, which premiered on February 21, 2024. The creature itself debuted in "Shadows of Tantiss," the season's third episode, which aired on the same date. The name was confirmed in the episode's subtitles. Concept art for the dryax was created by Clinton Felker, who initially described it as "a massive bear/panther-like monster."