Ronnocius
2016-03-05, 04:52 PM
I was looking through the back of the Monster Manual when I realized hat there were some pretty strange giant animals. I decided to analyse them and see if there was actually any practical use for them....
Giant Ape
Giant apes might seem sort of useful at first. However, when you look at their size (Huge) and their Challenge Rating, it makes you wonder what kind of crazy DM would send a behemoth ape at the players. I honestly don't really know why this would be used, aside from the D&D incarnation of King Kong.
Potential Uses:
Mason's Giant Traveling Circus comes to town, with the most exotic of animals captured from the hearts of rainforests and the middle of scorching deserts. Unfortunately, things go awry when the giant ape escapes its cage....
Deep in the Coconut Jungle, a massive ape rules over a tribe of lesser primates. The nearby villages plead for help when the monkeys steal their supply of fruit.
Verdict: This seems pretty pointless, I don't think I would ever use it, except as a joke.
Giant Badger
While a giant badger could have a handful of applications and uses, I still don't think it was really necessary. I was thinking it could be some sort of cool creature living in an abandoned den/cave the party needs access to, but it is very weak, so that's not happening.
Potential Uses:
An innovator is exploring the wilds when he suddenly finds a giant badger. Returning to his home, he starts a revolution. He decrees that the watch's hunting hounds and police dogs will no longer suffice, and are inferior to the possibilities of having creatures that can burrow. The captain of the watch asks the party to grab a few alive to tame them and test them in the field.
Enemies could use them as pets/tracking animals.
Verdict: Pretty useful, but would be better if they were stronger. Overall, the only use I can find for them is as pets/trackers, or maybe mounts for small creatures. I thought they could serve as a stand-in for an ankheg as a guardian for when the players explore a burrow or den, but they are very weak.
Giant Bat
Hmm. When I looked at this, a few ideas immediately went through my mind. They are pretty weak, but that's what I'd expect when I think of a giant bat.
Potential Uses:
Giant bats could be used for a variety of things. They can significantly add to a cave atmosphere, or can serve as a combat encounter. A colony of giant bats would be a terrifying encounter for a low-level party. An colony of bats fighting the party near drops (such as on a bridge over a chasm) could serve as an interesting fight, with the bats using hit-and-run tactics and grabbing players, tossing them down the chasm.
They could potentially be a pet/familiar of a villain, scouting for a larger army or spying on the party to report back to the villain.
Verdict: Very interesting, with a variety of uses and quite powerful in colonies on their preferred terrain.
Giant Boar
Not immediately interesting, but looking at its abilities it could serve as an interesting pet/helper of a villain, or as a solo encounter for low levels. Lots of possibilities as pets, even for players. I'm sure there would be plenty of shenanigans if a low-level party got their hands on a giant boar. :smalltongue:
Potential Uses:
The villagers of Georgia's Peak have spotted a giant boar. A nationwide hunt has started, with everybody trying to get a chance to kill the rare giant boar. Will the party attempt to find the elusive creature, or will they let a rival get the glory and fortune that comes with the boar's head?
The party hear from the local gossip that a giant boar was seen in the woods. Will they capture and tame it to get the edge they need on their enemy, or will they pass the opportunity up to get to the villain's lair that much faster?
Verdict: Actually very interesting and useful, despite my thoughts at first glance.
Giant Centipede
While wandering in the dark of the dungeon, the adventurer feels a slimy, wormy creature sliding up his leg before he is bitten with the giant centipede's poisonous bite. I can easily picture this creature. It's poisonous bite is interesting, and extremely deadly for a CR 1/4 creature. At low level a swarm of these monsters could easily send the party packing. While it seems more like a flavor monster than a combat one, its nice to have more things to populate your moist dungeons and stinky sewers with. They can also reside in woodpiles or under stones.
Potential Uses:
While following their enemy into the sewers, the adventurers bump into a squad of gigantic centipedes.
Minions of a carrion crawler/sewer creature.
To add to a sewer/gross atmosphere, or just found in a woodpile.
Verdict: A nice addition, but not terribly useful. Probably more useful as a device to set an atmosphere than a combat monster (even though it does have good combat abilities.) I think they did a good job with the poisonous bite ability.
Giant Constrictor Snake
This critter doesn't look too promising. It is a Huge creature, but only has a CR of 2. It seems to be a more powerful version of the giant poisonous snake, except with a Constrict attack and modified Bite attack. The regular constrictor snake is Large, which makes me think it is based after an anaconda.
Potential Uses:
In the ancient ruins of a long-lost jungle city, a humungous snake of incredible strength roams the crumbling dwellings, looking for a meal.
Could be a boss monster for low levels. Would be an interesting mini-boss, like a pet of the villain or the guardian of some ruins.
Verdict: Potentially useful, but really just a stronger version of the giant poisonous snake with a new attack. It's size either decreases or increases its usefulness, depending on its role in the adventure. It's constrict attack can be very interesting if the snake targets a lone party member. It is not very applicable, you would probably have to build a setting or adventure around it, not insert it into one, as it emits a "jungle" vibe to me. Overall, it can be interesting or useful, but only in certain situations.
Giant Crab
Is anything more disappointing than the giant crab? When I picture a giant crab, I think of a giant beast, like Cancer from mythology. Instead, we get a puny, Medium, CR 1/8 pipsqueak. Giant crabs could be very fun in many situations - guardians of a underwater temple, monster in the coral, pet of a underwater warlord or even a chuul's mount. Unfortunately, it cannot serve these functions very well. One issue I take with the giant crab is its size. When I picture a giant crab, I would picture a creature of Large size, not Medium. The crab's attacks are weak, doing very little damage and having only decent grapple save DCs. I would at least expect it to use multiattack! It's Armor Class is pretty low for a hulking crustacean. Its hit points are low too. I just don't know why the giant crab is so weak.
Potential Uses:
Recently a large number of local saltwater fishermen have gone missing. The marine biologists are frantically trying to discover the source of these disappearances. Will the party investigate?
The temple in Shoretown was once a prosperous place of worship and prayer. When a flood destroyed the town, the temple was not spared. It now lies at the bottom of the Aching Ocean, home to a cast of scavenging giant crabs.
Verdict: Personally, I find the giant crab very disappointing. I expected a Cancer-like creature of immense strength and size, but instead I found a small, weak CR 1/8 creature. They are still adaptable to any ocean encounter, but instead of a guardian brute they are individually weak monsters. Probably best used in groups.
I'd be interested in seeing other people's views/opinions on certain animals, as well as any feedback/criticisms you may have.
Inspired by this: http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?431996-Let-s-Read-The-Dungeons-and-Dragons-5e-Monster-Manual!
Giant Ape
Giant apes might seem sort of useful at first. However, when you look at their size (Huge) and their Challenge Rating, it makes you wonder what kind of crazy DM would send a behemoth ape at the players. I honestly don't really know why this would be used, aside from the D&D incarnation of King Kong.
Potential Uses:
Mason's Giant Traveling Circus comes to town, with the most exotic of animals captured from the hearts of rainforests and the middle of scorching deserts. Unfortunately, things go awry when the giant ape escapes its cage....
Deep in the Coconut Jungle, a massive ape rules over a tribe of lesser primates. The nearby villages plead for help when the monkeys steal their supply of fruit.
Verdict: This seems pretty pointless, I don't think I would ever use it, except as a joke.
Giant Badger
While a giant badger could have a handful of applications and uses, I still don't think it was really necessary. I was thinking it could be some sort of cool creature living in an abandoned den/cave the party needs access to, but it is very weak, so that's not happening.
Potential Uses:
An innovator is exploring the wilds when he suddenly finds a giant badger. Returning to his home, he starts a revolution. He decrees that the watch's hunting hounds and police dogs will no longer suffice, and are inferior to the possibilities of having creatures that can burrow. The captain of the watch asks the party to grab a few alive to tame them and test them in the field.
Enemies could use them as pets/tracking animals.
Verdict: Pretty useful, but would be better if they were stronger. Overall, the only use I can find for them is as pets/trackers, or maybe mounts for small creatures. I thought they could serve as a stand-in for an ankheg as a guardian for when the players explore a burrow or den, but they are very weak.
Giant Bat
Hmm. When I looked at this, a few ideas immediately went through my mind. They are pretty weak, but that's what I'd expect when I think of a giant bat.
Potential Uses:
Giant bats could be used for a variety of things. They can significantly add to a cave atmosphere, or can serve as a combat encounter. A colony of giant bats would be a terrifying encounter for a low-level party. An colony of bats fighting the party near drops (such as on a bridge over a chasm) could serve as an interesting fight, with the bats using hit-and-run tactics and grabbing players, tossing them down the chasm.
They could potentially be a pet/familiar of a villain, scouting for a larger army or spying on the party to report back to the villain.
Verdict: Very interesting, with a variety of uses and quite powerful in colonies on their preferred terrain.
Giant Boar
Not immediately interesting, but looking at its abilities it could serve as an interesting pet/helper of a villain, or as a solo encounter for low levels. Lots of possibilities as pets, even for players. I'm sure there would be plenty of shenanigans if a low-level party got their hands on a giant boar. :smalltongue:
Potential Uses:
The villagers of Georgia's Peak have spotted a giant boar. A nationwide hunt has started, with everybody trying to get a chance to kill the rare giant boar. Will the party attempt to find the elusive creature, or will they let a rival get the glory and fortune that comes with the boar's head?
The party hear from the local gossip that a giant boar was seen in the woods. Will they capture and tame it to get the edge they need on their enemy, or will they pass the opportunity up to get to the villain's lair that much faster?
Verdict: Actually very interesting and useful, despite my thoughts at first glance.
Giant Centipede
While wandering in the dark of the dungeon, the adventurer feels a slimy, wormy creature sliding up his leg before he is bitten with the giant centipede's poisonous bite. I can easily picture this creature. It's poisonous bite is interesting, and extremely deadly for a CR 1/4 creature. At low level a swarm of these monsters could easily send the party packing. While it seems more like a flavor monster than a combat one, its nice to have more things to populate your moist dungeons and stinky sewers with. They can also reside in woodpiles or under stones.
Potential Uses:
While following their enemy into the sewers, the adventurers bump into a squad of gigantic centipedes.
Minions of a carrion crawler/sewer creature.
To add to a sewer/gross atmosphere, or just found in a woodpile.
Verdict: A nice addition, but not terribly useful. Probably more useful as a device to set an atmosphere than a combat monster (even though it does have good combat abilities.) I think they did a good job with the poisonous bite ability.
Giant Constrictor Snake
This critter doesn't look too promising. It is a Huge creature, but only has a CR of 2. It seems to be a more powerful version of the giant poisonous snake, except with a Constrict attack and modified Bite attack. The regular constrictor snake is Large, which makes me think it is based after an anaconda.
Potential Uses:
In the ancient ruins of a long-lost jungle city, a humungous snake of incredible strength roams the crumbling dwellings, looking for a meal.
Could be a boss monster for low levels. Would be an interesting mini-boss, like a pet of the villain or the guardian of some ruins.
Verdict: Potentially useful, but really just a stronger version of the giant poisonous snake with a new attack. It's size either decreases or increases its usefulness, depending on its role in the adventure. It's constrict attack can be very interesting if the snake targets a lone party member. It is not very applicable, you would probably have to build a setting or adventure around it, not insert it into one, as it emits a "jungle" vibe to me. Overall, it can be interesting or useful, but only in certain situations.
Giant Crab
Is anything more disappointing than the giant crab? When I picture a giant crab, I think of a giant beast, like Cancer from mythology. Instead, we get a puny, Medium, CR 1/8 pipsqueak. Giant crabs could be very fun in many situations - guardians of a underwater temple, monster in the coral, pet of a underwater warlord or even a chuul's mount. Unfortunately, it cannot serve these functions very well. One issue I take with the giant crab is its size. When I picture a giant crab, I would picture a creature of Large size, not Medium. The crab's attacks are weak, doing very little damage and having only decent grapple save DCs. I would at least expect it to use multiattack! It's Armor Class is pretty low for a hulking crustacean. Its hit points are low too. I just don't know why the giant crab is so weak.
Potential Uses:
Recently a large number of local saltwater fishermen have gone missing. The marine biologists are frantically trying to discover the source of these disappearances. Will the party investigate?
The temple in Shoretown was once a prosperous place of worship and prayer. When a flood destroyed the town, the temple was not spared. It now lies at the bottom of the Aching Ocean, home to a cast of scavenging giant crabs.
Verdict: Personally, I find the giant crab very disappointing. I expected a Cancer-like creature of immense strength and size, but instead I found a small, weak CR 1/8 creature. They are still adaptable to any ocean encounter, but instead of a guardian brute they are individually weak monsters. Probably best used in groups.
I'd be interested in seeing other people's views/opinions on certain animals, as well as any feedback/criticisms you may have.
Inspired by this: http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?431996-Let-s-Read-The-Dungeons-and-Dragons-5e-Monster-Manual!