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View Full Version : Creatures that should become D&D Monsters



HealingWiseGuy
2011-03-29, 06:41 PM
This thread is basically to give new ideas to Wizards of the Coast about new monsters. Explain why you agree or disagree on monsters posted, or make some suggestions for new ones.

Gogmagog
Hydra
Typhon
Salvadori Monitor
Tokoloshe
Lambton Worm
Cetus
Leviathan
Sekhmet
Roc

Would these monsters have the potential to become "real?"

Urpriest
2011-03-29, 06:44 PM
Rocs and Hydras already have a long history as D&D monsters. Sekhmet is a goddess, so depending on edition that may constrain her stats. There was a Dragon with stats for Humbaba, which was pretty sweet.

AslanCross
2011-03-29, 06:44 PM
The Leviathan actually exists as a giant whale in Monster Manual II, and as an Elder Evil that encircles the planet in Elder Evils.

Aren't the Hydra and Roc already monsters in the core monster manual? (In both 3.5 and 4E)

Ravens_cry
2011-03-29, 06:51 PM
Yes (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/hydra.htm), they are. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/roc.htm)

Fax Celestis
2011-03-29, 07:30 PM
I am consistently disappointed with the focus of monsters in D&D. What about thunderbirds (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thunderbird_%28mythology%29)? Jackalopes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackalope)? Ahuizotl (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahuizotl_(creature))? Kallikantzaros (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kallikantzaros)? Dullahan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dullahan)? Chaneque (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaneque)? Chupacabra (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chupacabra)? Noooooo. Instead we need things like the clockroach, corrupture, and tomb spider. :smallannoyed:

LOTRfan
2011-03-29, 07:41 PM
Your link to Ahuizotl brings you to the Aztec ruler, not the legendary beast of the same name. :smalltongue:

I agree, though...

Hyudra
2011-03-29, 07:44 PM
Fey as a whole are either dumbed down to the point of being barely recognizable or are just flat out missing from D&D.

AtlanteanTroll
2011-03-29, 07:44 PM
Chupacabra (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chupacabra)?
He's in an old 3.5 edition of Dragon Magazine.

Dr.Epic
2011-03-29, 07:59 PM
Any of the creatures in Adventure Time or Avatar: Last Air Bender (I want to ride a flying bison and platypus-bear).

LOTRfan
2011-03-29, 08:05 PM
Any of the creatures in Adventure Time or Avatar: Last Air Bender (I want to ride a flying bison and platypus-bear).

Dr. Epic, I bring gifts (http://sites.google.com/site/avatard20/). :smallcool:

I have no idea who actually made it, though. Still, it seems pretty cool.

Dr.Epic
2011-03-29, 08:11 PM
Dr. Epic, I bring gifts (http://sites.google.com/site/avatard20/). :smallcool:

I have no idea who actually made it, though. Still, it seems pretty cool.

WHAT?!?!?!?

LOTRfan
2011-03-29, 08:18 PM
WHAT?!?!?!?

Um, did I do something wrong? :smallconfused:

I'm not as pleased with the Iconic Character builds, though. Most characters are Level 16+....

Urpriest
2011-03-29, 08:47 PM
I am consistently disappointed with the focus of monsters in D&D. What about thunderbirds (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thunderbird_%28mythology%29)? Jackalopes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackalope)? Ahuizotl_(creature) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahuizotl)? Kallikantzaros (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kallikantzaros)? Dullahan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dullahan)? Chaneque (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaneque)? Chupacabra (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chupacabra)? Noooooo. Instead we need things like the clockroach, corrupture, and tomb spider. :smallannoyed:

Pretty sure Thunderbirds and Ahuizotls exist somewhere. Lemme dig around a bit.

Edit: Ahuizotl is in Fiend Folio

Edit Edit: Thunderbirds don't appear to be in any of the MMs. I think they were covered in a Dragon article though. Maybe along with the Chupucabra?

Fax Celestis
2011-03-29, 08:54 PM
Oh, probably. I'm just generally disappointed that ICONIC CREATURES like THE PHOENIX had to wait until MMII to see the light of day.

Urpriest
2011-03-29, 08:57 PM
Oh, probably. I'm just generally disappointed that ICONIC CREATURES like THE PHOENIX had to wait until MMII to see the light of day.

Yeah, it depresses me further that the later MMs have barely any iconic mythical monsters, and are mostly filled with silly Gygaxian bull****. Then again, I thought the Ahuizotl was an example of this until seeing your handy little link. I mean seriously, who makes an otter with a hand on its tail?

AtlanteanTroll
2011-03-29, 09:00 PM
Gygaxian bull****.
Wait, what? Don't hate on TSR.

Fax Celestis
2011-03-29, 09:02 PM
Yeah, I know, tis a silly thing. Still, it's like, there are all these mythological creatures already existing, and yet we get giant vampire frogs instead. :smallannoyed:

Never get kitsune, never get tanuki, have to wait until MM-V for oni, never get thunderbird, couatls are some gygaxian ripoff instead of actually based on Quetzalcoatl, and you can forget about melusine and sirens... :smallsigh:

Urpriest
2011-03-29, 09:10 PM
Yeah, I know, tis a silly thing. Still, it's like, there are all these mythological creatures already existing, and yet we get giant vampire frogs instead. :smallannoyed:

Never get kitsune, never get tanuki, have to wait until MM-V for oni, never get thunderbird, couatls are some gygaxian ripoff instead of actually based on Quetzalcoatl, and you can forget about melusine and sirens... :smallsigh:

Sirens are MMII. Oni are MMI, they're just called Ogre Mages, and there's a bunch of them in Oriental Adventures too.

Curious
2011-03-29, 09:12 PM
Pathfinder got the Chupacabra, and some other sweet stuff like the Jabberwock.

Fax Celestis
2011-03-29, 09:15 PM
Sirens are MMII. Oni are MMI, they're just called Ogre Mages, and there's a bunch of them in Oriental Adventures too.

Yeah, yeah. They're knockoffs that disappoint me (aside from the OA Oni, I forgot about those). -_- In fact, flubbed monsters are 50% of the reason I got into homebrewing.

supermonkeyjoe
2011-03-30, 07:54 AM
I've always wanted the stats for a wendigo but can never seem to find anything that properly captures the lore behind them.

Also: WENDIGOOO (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQcNXitLAWE)

Eldan
2011-03-30, 07:59 AM
The Wendigo in Fiend Folio?

Mind, I don't really know the actual lore.

hamishspence
2011-03-30, 08:04 AM
Edit Edit: Thunderbirds don't appear to be in any of the MMs. I think they were covered in a Dragon article though. Maybe along with the Chupucabra?

I think thunderbirds are in Sandstorm.

some guy
2011-03-30, 08:58 AM
Any of the creatures in Adventure Time or Avatar: Last Air Bender (I want to ride a flying bison and platypus-bear).

I'm constantly thinking about making rules for a home-brew Adventure Time world. That would be mathimatical.

As for the Wendigo, CoC d20 has stats for Ithaqua. But that one doesn't have any turn-people-into-wendigo-mechanic. And I don't think you'd want to sic a CR25 Great Old One on your players.

Fhaolan
2011-03-30, 08:59 AM
Depending on how far back you're willing to go, Thunderbirds were in the 1e Dieties & Demigods book. :smallsmile:

Lord Raziere
2011-03-30, 09:12 AM
I'm gonna roll my eyes now and point out that I'd rather have something creative and interesting than just another ripped off myth. where is my race of winged bird-headed people who can walk and live on clouds?

Thinker
2011-03-30, 09:44 AM
I'm gonna roll my eyes now and point out that I'd rather have something creative and interesting than just another ripped off myth. where is my race of winged bird-headed people who can walk and live on clouds?

So you want tengu?

Frozen_Feet
2011-03-30, 09:53 AM
Each and every Pokemon. >=D

Fax Celestis
2011-03-30, 11:00 AM
I'm gonna roll my eyes now and point out that I'd rather have something creative and interesting than just another ripped off myth. where is my race of winged bird-headed people who can walk and live on clouds?


So you want tengu?

There's A Myth For That™.

Kurald Galain
2011-03-30, 11:04 AM
I would like to see stats for an ambiguous puzuma...

TheThan
2011-03-30, 01:27 PM
Pretty sure Thunderbirds and Ahuizotls exist somewhere. Lemme dig around a bit.

Edit: Ahuizotl is in Fiend Folio

Edit Edit: Thunderbirds don't appear to be in any of the MMs. I think they were covered in a Dragon article though. Maybe along with the Chupucabra?


Depending on how far back you're willing to go, Thunderbirds were in the 1e Dieties & Demigods book. :smallsmile:

FYI: Thunderbirds are in SandStorm. page 189.

Sipex
2011-03-30, 01:43 PM
Since this is a both edition thread I will update with relevant information:

4e has Thunderbirds, Rocs, Hydra and Oni all in the MM1.

I haven't read the MM3 or Monster Compendium but MM2 has a bunch of quality monsters and I've yet to run across anything which would make me facepalm. Anyone got examples?

Fable Wright
2011-03-30, 01:51 PM
I am consistently disappointed with the focus of monsters in D&D. What about thunderbirds (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thunderbird_%28mythology%29)?
Fiend folio No, wait, it was sandstorm...


Jackalopes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackalope)? Refluffed rabbit

Fax Celestis
2011-03-30, 03:00 PM
Refluffed rabbit
...is not a jackalope.


Legend also has it that female jackalopes can be milked as they sleep belly up and that the milk can be used for a variety of medicinal purposes. It has also been said that the jackalope can convincingly imitate any sound, including the human voice. It uses this ability to elude pursuers, chiefly by using phrases such as "There he goes! That way!"

Eldan
2011-03-30, 03:05 PM
Americanapunk had a Jackalope. Also a furry trout and a few others.

Golden-Esque
2011-03-30, 07:13 PM
I am consistently disappointed with the focus of monsters in D&D. What about thunderbirds (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thunderbird_%28mythology%29)? Jackalopes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackalope)? Ahuizotl (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahuizotl_(creature))? Kallikantzaros (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kallikantzaros)? Dullahan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dullahan)? Chaneque (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaneque)? Chupacabra (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chupacabra)? Noooooo. Instead we need things like the clockroach, corrupture, and tomb spider. :smallannoyed:

Chupacabra and possibly the Jackalope got their own stat line in the Pathfinder Bestiary 2 :P; I know Chupacabra is in and while I'm almost positive that the Jackalope is in it, I'm not 100% certain.

Dsurion
2011-03-30, 07:50 PM
I'm gonna roll my eyes now and point out that I'd rather have something creative and interesting than just another ripped off myth.Unfortunately, most of the non-mythical monsters in the Monster Manuals are neither interesting nor creative. A lot of it seems to be two completely unrelated creatures tacked onto each other. Oh, and they get some equally unrelated ability to shoot something (possibly a gooey and gross substance that hampers you somehow) out of some orifice.

Or they have extra limbs or are mutated versions of something else. Ooooohh :smallsigh:

Fax Celestis
2011-03-30, 08:04 PM
A lot of it seems to be two completely unrelated creatures tacked onto each other.
Squark, seacat, sealion, owlbear, bearhound, howler wasp (monkeybeeeeeees), wolf spider, owliphant, spiderhorse...


Or they have extra limbs or are mutated versions of something else.
Girallon, athach, giant vampire frog, giant slug, roving mauler, arrow demon...

Erom
2011-03-30, 08:24 PM
A lot of it seems to be two completely unrelated creatures tacked onto each other... Or they have extra limbs or are mutated versions of something else.
We call this "The Pokemon Effect".

Tiki Snakes
2011-03-30, 10:26 PM
Chupacabra and possibly the Jackalope got their own stat line in the Pathfinder Bestiary 2 :P; I know Chupacabra is in and while I'm almost positive that the Jackalope is in it, I'm not 100% certain.

Given that the jackalope is almost entirely harmless, I'm not really seeing much of a need for stats, really. I mean, it's not like you should expect to need to oppose one in any meaningful way, right?

Fax Celestis
2011-03-30, 10:27 PM
Given that the jackalope is almost entirely harmless, I'm not really seeing much of a need for stats, really. I mean, it's not like you should expect to need to oppose one in any meaningful way, right?

There are stats for rats, bats, and fish.

Tiki Snakes
2011-03-30, 10:34 PM
There are stats for rats, bats, and fish.

It's that kind of thinking that leads to the dreaded manslaying housecat situation, though. :smallwink:

The Tygre
2011-03-31, 02:43 PM
Yes, yes, Gygax and Wizards are the devil for not statting out vouivres and aspidochelon from day 1. Look, you have to understand. We've been doing this song and dance for nearly forty years now. D&D has its own mythology, with its own monsters. Granted, a lot of its just a reinterpretation of old mythology, but that's just how things are. Mythical dragons weren't organized by color. There were never any myths about cryo-hydras. Andro-sphinxes and gyno-sphinxes probably never met, much less mated. I am almost positive that the chimera didn't have an ankheg head. I am willing to state that mermaids did not wear chainmail and ride sharks. And barring some eastern example I've never heard of, I don't think krakens cast magic. My point being this; D&D has its own monsters and ways of telling them now. It's defined by classic chimeras, Lovecraftian horrors, Howard-esque pulp beasts, and mythical monsters all at once.

Fax Celestis
2011-03-31, 03:46 PM
My complaint is merely that there is a dearth of your final category in comparison to the other bizarreities we come across.

Archpaladin Zousha
2011-04-01, 05:41 PM
I am consistently disappointed with the focus of monsters in D&D. What about thunderbirds (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thunderbird_%28mythology%29)? Jackalopes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackalope)? Ahuizotl (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahuizotl_(creature))? Kallikantzaros (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kallikantzaros)? Dullahan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dullahan)? Chaneque (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaneque)? Chupacabra (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chupacabra)? Noooooo. Instead we need things like the clockroach, corrupture, and tomb spider. :smallannoyed:

The Dullahan was statted out for Pathfinder's Bestiary 2. And I think the Ahuizotl and Thunderbird have both gotten statted in both regular D&D and Pathfinder.

Kyberwulf
2011-04-02, 12:05 AM
I always wanted to see The Sangheili (Elites) from Halo, as both a Monsterous Race and/or maybe a PC Race.

From Magic, the Vizzerdrix always Raged in my mind for a spot on the D&D mat.

I suppose the Generic, Movie monster idoms. Preador, Critters, Aliens. And a Terminator.

DeltaEmil
2011-04-02, 12:18 AM
Keep in mind that the other Monster Manuals also need some stuff to "legitimize" being bought. If you bring all iconic monsters in the first books, then all you have in the later ones are a bunch of re-statted drow, lizardmen and ogres, like the Monster Manual 4 of 3.5 edition.

And what the Tygre said.