Monsters for new campaign

[lordhack]

Hey everyone. I'm a long time 3.5 DM who's never played 5e, and while trying to figure out what game we were going to play next, my group agreed they wanted to go ahead and try it. I'm perfectly happy to run it, however I don't have time to scour through the Monster Manual before we play, and while normally I'd just grab Goblins or something, I pitched a rather specific campaign. Mind Flayers have taken over the planet, and the characters are going to start as slaves to them. The first adventure will be escaping while their Mind Flayer owner is away, fighting off his enslaved guards. However, I don't want all the enemies to be humanoid, so I want to ask, what monsters are good to pair with Mind Flayers, as pets or minions? I'm especially interested in low CR monsters that are appropriate for the Underdark.

And speaking of CR, I wanted to know how accurate it is in 5e. Anecdotally, I've heard that Monsters of a higher CR than average party level tend to be very, very strong in this system. Obviously, I'd like to have them fighting Mind Flayers, the campaigns main villains, pretty soon, but I also want them to be overwhelmingly strong. So how soon is too soon for such an encounter? And is there any way to 'level down' monsters that works well? One of the few things I liked about 4e was how easy monster CR was to manipulate. As far as I can tell, the only way to change it in 5th is with class levels, which I like, but more options would be great.

Thank you for help in advance!

[Gastronomie]

Mind Flayers have taken over the planet, and the characters are going to start as slaves to them. The first adventure will be escaping while their Mind Flayer owner is away, fighting off his enslaved guards. However, I don't want all the enemies to be humanoid, so I want to ask, what monsters are good to pair with Mind Flayers, as pets or minions? I'm especially interested in low CR monsters that are appropriate for the Underdark.Mind Flayers may team up with Aboleths or other aberrations. I dunno about Beholders, them being solitary, but. Intellect Devourers will obviously also work as well, but I strongly advice you add "healing HP of the guy who lost his INT or brain will turn him back to normal" to the text - otherwise it's lethal for everyone of all levels.

Since they like enslaving creatures, you could add a lot of sentient creatures to their list of servants. Enslaved myconids that send messages through the slaves. Enslaved manticores, trolls, wyverns... Perhaps a Hydra they use to collect lots and lots of brains.


And speaking of CR, I wanted to know how accurate it is in 5e. Anecdotally, I've heard that Monsters of a higher CR than average party level tend to be very, very strong in this system.Actually, that's only at very low levels (pitching an Ogre against a level 1 party etc.). At mid to high levels, what's more strong in this system is "a large number of monsters with CR just a bit lower than the party's level".


Obviously, I'd like to have them fighting Mind Flayers, the campaigns main villains, pretty soon, but I also want them to be overwhelmingly strong. So how soon is too soon for such an encounter?I think first you need to set up a "theme" you're going for here. The image of the campaign. How it's gonna feel like.
If you want the characters to really fear the Mind Flayers, level 3 or something is a good start.
At level 5, they can probably hunt a single Flayer (perhaps at the loss of one or two party members if unlucky).
At level 11, they can fight two or three Flayers head-on.

I think one interesting idea would be to make the PCs like Kamen Rider, if you understand. In other words, the evil Mind Flayers experimented on their bodies (they were normal commoners prior to this), creating powerful humanoids (Fighter 11, Sorcerer 11, Monk 11 - these stuff exceed the limit of human abilities in most worlds). But before the Flayers can mind-control them, they escape, and plan rebellion against their "masters".


And is there any way to 'level down' monsters that works well? One of the few things I liked about 4e was how easy monster CR was to manipulate. As far as I can tell, the only way to change it in 5th is with class levels, which I like, but more options would be great.If you want to buff a monster, yes, adding class levels in one idea. Another is to improve its casting, give it an extra ability (this can be easily done with "experimented on by the Flayers"), or stuff like that.

It's probably much more difficult to level down monsters using a "template". Rather, taking a look at a pre-existing monster with the CR you want and creating a new monster so it would seem sorta similar to the pre-existing one in terms of power balance is probably the most efficient way.

Hope this helps.

[Sjappo]

I cannot really help you with picking out minions. I do have some experience with customizing monsters however.

Your DMG has some really helpful tables concerning expected monster HP, damage etc. per CR. So downgrading a monster is as simple as downgrading HP and damage to the next lower level. You might want to fiddle with AC and DC's a bit but HP an damage are the main things.

The hard part will be to make these lower level Squidheads feel different than normal Mindflayers. You might want to ditch the brain eating and psionics and exchange it for I dunno.

These Squidheads could essentially be Mindflayer larvae. So maybe they burrow into soft tissue to pupate? They grapple your face until you pass out from lack of oxygen. Then they rip through you intestines tot pupate. Sounds suitably gruesome for an aberration I think

[JellyPooga]

A Chuul can make for a hard fight for a bunch of level 1's.

A Choker or two is a great ambush hunter.

Take a look at beasts, too; there's some exotic critters in there without too many special rules to consider; flying snakes, death dogs, etc.

A Naga might be interesting as an ally to the Flayers.

I realise you don't want too many humanoids as foes, but you might want to look at the Gith('zerai or 'yanki) for inspiration for loyal guards; remnants of the races that stayed enslaved after the rebellion that separated the races.

Some ideas.