new monsters for dungeons and dragons
published : 2014.12.22
Inventing monsters for Dungeons and Dragons takes some care. Many of the good ones are already there - the "ecosystem" is already pretty crowded with dangerous, interesting, or colorful creations. Also, it's not hard to screw up and make something dull or unbalanced.
One of my guiding ideas was to make a stable ecosystem after a fashion. With heavyweights like dragons seemingly behind every hill and cloud, this can be hard.
I've also collapsed a number of similar creatures, such as goblin/orc/bugbear in favor of single entry with variable hit dice. I've also repurposed some creatures such as the ankheg and owlbear so they make some kind of sense and add some color.
I've added some creatures from sci-fi, mostly because my medieval stasis world is also a post-apocalyptic sci-fi world. This includes demons, which are no longer "chaotic evil devils" because a) that's dumb and b) I don't have traditionally alignments. I've also injected a number of interesting ideas that I've found on the net.
And finally I've also dialed back the instant kill monsters (rot grubs, beholders) and eliminated petrification. Because I'm playing with kids and don't see the point.
dungeons and dragons monster: ankheg
2019.12.21
Something has taken ahold of the ankheg of Sppang. Acting in concert in swarms and attacking in rushes, they pose a new threat.
dungeons and dragons monster: krickler
2017.06
A silicate warrior species that look like walking humanoid rocks, these are non-aggressive but extremely reactive to trespass.
dungeons and dragons monster: nalek
2019.04.17
War will drive desperate people to do unforgivable things. According to the elves, the creation of the nalek was one such act of desperation.
dungeons and dragons monster: xenomorph pudding
2016.09
The xenomorph pudding is a slithering nightmare of acidic goo that consumes all animals and plants in its path. Except the green type, which is worse.
dungeons and dragons monster: zosk thaumaphage
2017.02.20
These appalling aberrations float above the battlefields, cities, and wizard’s towers of Sppang, consuming sources of magic such as magical items.
dungeons and dragons monster: xlid
2019.03.20
Xlid ply the skies of Sppang, using an unknown form of propulsion. Languid, leathery, and long-lived, these limber lunatics live on a diet of sunshine, strong winds, and stray birds.
dungeons and dragons monster: quoth raven
2017.10.19
The quoth ravens of Sppang are a merry lot, often in a tricky mood. Found in cooler climes, higher elevations, or high in the sky, these meter-tall birds readily approach humans and stir things up.
dungeons and dragons monster: ychnurc frog
2018.05.09
These querulous giant frogs are the bane of underground adventure. They are typically encountered in some numbers, holding forth on any variety of subjects with equal measures of ignorance and certainty.
dungeons and dragons monster: troll
2015.01.17
The trolls of Sppang are monsters that plague cool climates and underground locations and eat people. Or, that's the majority view.
dungeons and dragons monster: fire salamander
2017.02.10
The fire salamander is a trickster species that will deceive, defraud, and derange an adventurer party for laughs.
dungeons and dragons monster: yellow tongue
2017.02.12
A yellow tongue is a bipedal humanoid horror, possibly of other-world origin. They're quickly becoming a nuisance in the sewers of larger human cities across Sppang.
dungeons and dragons monster: flumph
2021.06.18
The flumph is a noble hunter, combing the deepest underground places of Sppang for a single enemy species.
dungeons and dragons monster: owlbear
2019.02.17
Forget what you’ve heard. The home-world of the owlbear is Sppang, where they occur naturally.
dungeons and dragons monster: xuuc
2017.02.12
In our D&D game setting, some encounters just confound.
dungeons and dragons monster: zombie mermaid
2022.03.28
The merfolk are gone but their legacy remains in the form of this undead nightmare.