Underrated monsters

[Ronnocius]

What monsters do you guys think are underrated or not used as much as they should be? I think the tlincallis from Volo's Guide to Monsters are underused; I have never heard or read about them being used.

[HolyDraconus]

Tortles are underused... :tongue:

[Protato]

I like Nothics, creepy former magic-users corrupted by the very power they sought out, that can learn about a person or even cause them to rot just by looking at them.

[Chugger]

Owlbears ... just cuz someone had to say it. Sorry. I'll try harder next time.

[DarkKnightJin]

Nilbog.
Then again, none of the games I've seen so far haven't had regular Goblins either.

[Unoriginal]

Mephits.

I've never heard anyone use mephits in their games, even though elemental imps are great.

[mephnick]

Perytons. A great low CR monster with Flyby. I try to use them on as many parties of new players as possible as my "This is why you always bring a ranged weapon or learn to Ready." lesson.

[Anderlith]

Mephits.

I've never heard anyone use mephits in their games, even though elemental imps are great.

I used a handful of different ones protecting a hot springs the character stopped at. I like mephits, & i use them when i can.

I think actual animals are underused. When was the last time the heroes were hunted by wolves as they run low on provisions in the frozen north? Or stumble into a snake pit? How about coming face to face with a hungry lion after the ranger accidently steals his kill while foraging?

Its more likely to be winterwolves, lamias, & displacer beasts. Nature is scary too, maybe through in a monsterous/dire creature as a pack leader if the party is high level.

[mephnick]

When was the last time the heroes were hunted by wolves as they run low on provisions in the frozen north?

If perytons are my "ranged weapon/ready lesson", packs of wolves are my "nature be scary yo" lesson. Pack tactics, trips, fast movement speed, tracking and perception abilities. Harry a low level group with a large pack of wolves throughout a trip between cities. I've dragged off a few unconscious PCs for dog chow in the last few years. I think my players would rather take their chances with Displacer Beasts :smallamused:

[Sariel Vailo]

Rust monsters weak yet effective in groups and a warforged be scared

[ZorroGames]

Mephits.

I've never heard anyone use mephits in their games, even though elemental imps are great.

Fought fire, mud, steam, Ice (?) versions of the little ****s. One of the highly damaged by big Bads PCs was dropped to zero by a series of exploding Mephits occurring late in a battle. ROFLMAO - we won but the PC just rolled his eyes when it happened.

[DracoKnight]

Mephits.

I've never heard anyone use mephits in their games, even though elemental imps are great.

I've used mephits loads of times, and now my players are paranoid that any planar enemy they fight is going to explode. They're likely to knock it unconscious when it gets close to 0, and then shoot it from a distance, so that if an enemy does explode it doesn't hurt them.


If perytons are my "ranged weapon/ready lesson", packs of wolves are my "nature be scary yo" lesson. Pack tactics, trips, fast movement speed, tracking and perception abilities. Harry a low level group with a large pack of wolves throughout a trip between cities. I've dragged off a few unconscious PCs for dog chow in the last few years. I think my players would rather take their chances with Displacer Beasts :smallamused:

Note to self: use wolves.

[Dalebert]

Nilbog.
Then again, none of the games I've seen so far haven't had regular Goblins either.

I've used him twice, much to the frustration of my players. I like him so much, he inspired a PC. I made a lore bard goblin by that name. He was possessed by Nilbog and it left a permanent impression. He sincerely believes he's THE Nilbog.

[AshLake]

What monsters do you guys think are underrated or not used as much as they should be? I think the tlincallis from Volo's Guide to Monsters are underused; I have never heard or read about them being used.

Slimes are very underrated, no one has been using them in any campaign i have done.

[Potato_Priest]

I've used mephits loads of times, and now my players are paranoid that any planar enemy they fight is going to explode. They're likely to knock it unconscious when it gets close to 0, and then shoot it from a distance, so that if an enemy does explode it doesn't hurt them.


I too have fought and used mephits and magmins aplenty. At one point, the cleric cast create/destroy water and made a big cloud of water that rained down on the magmins around him. The DM being a jerk, decided that it killed all of the 7 or 8 magmins. The blast threw the cleric's unconscious body a couple hundred feet down the side of the volcano, and I had to chase him down and pull him to a halt before he landed in a lava field.

[Regitnui]

Mephits.

I've never heard anyone use mephits in their games, even though elemental imps are great.

I had mud mephits dripping off a giant starfish that had grappled a ship the players were on. They killed the last one with a ballista bolt.

[kivzirrum]

Mephits.

I've never heard anyone use mephits in their games, even though elemental imps are great.

Thanks to the Baldur's Gate series, I've always had a fondness for mephits. They are a very common enemy in Baldur's Gate 2 and very fun to smash in their stupid faces! :smallamused:

[Potato_Priest]

I've never seen true mindless constructs used as enemies.

They always seem to be special golems that can follow the intent of an order and experience emotions.

[kivzirrum]

I've never seen true mindless constructs used as enemies.

They always seem to be special golems that can follow the intent of an order and experience emotions.

Really? That's interesting. I use them rarely, but a guy who used to DM a game I was in used them a lot!

[Vaz]

Mephits.

I've never heard anyone use mephits in their games, even though elemental imps are great.

Conjure Minor Elemental and make a horde of Mud Mephits and give them all nets. That's like 24 Entangle checks each turn. Also, having a Mirror Mephit for Simulacrum fun in 3.5 was good fun.

[DireSickFish]

Barghest. They would work great as a boss monster for a group of goblins at low level. Or a one off monster. But people just use Bugbears and Hobgoblins for upgraded goblins instead.

[ImproperJustice]

I can’t recall their name exactly, “Leucrotas?” I think. The ferret like critters that mimic voices.

They once drew a pair of happless PCs deep into a series of tunnels they had to crawl through before cutting them off from the rest of the party.
One snuck back near the entrance to tell the other PC’s “We’re fine” repeatedly.

I will second Owlbears having experienced a TPK once when we triggered a trap that released two from their cages on opposite ends of a narrow hall. It got ugly so fast.

[Mortis_Elrod]

I think actual animals are underused. When was the last time the heroes were hunted by wolves as they run low on provisions in the frozen north? Or stumble into a snake pit? How about coming face to face with a hungry lion after the ranger accidently steals his kill while foraging?

Its more likely to be winterwolves, lamias, & displacer beasts. Nature is scary too, maybe through in a monsterous/dire creature as a pack leader if the party is high level.

One of my first experiences in 5e was the entire party nearly being wiped (should have had we learned the rules on spare the dying but whatever) by wolves at level 1. there was like 6 of us.

Ever since then we don't travel in the woods at night. and we have 'wolf watch'.

[UrielAwakened]

The Cadaver Collector should be a mainstay but doesn't have enough exposure to be one.

http://eberron.wikia.com/wiki/Cadaver_Collector

[MrStabby]

Mindless golems are things i use quite a bit. They work as a compliment to undead in the "tomb undisturbed for centuries" feel - for when you want different encounters and not all of them to be solved by turn undead.

For me it is the gibbering mouther. I love these things. Telegraphing weird arcana they pack flavour, they have some abilities to make encounters more tactically complex and their ability to outright kill adds a bit more pressure to a fight. They can work by themselves, in swarms, in conjunction with casters or as part of an encounter with other aberrations.

[Avonar]

Bugbears. Players never think that something that low can deal out so much damage, after the first hit then they're not so silly anymore.

[Arte]

Goblins I think are kind of known to be lethal when played to their potential but in I think Ankhegs are overlooked big time.

[EvilAnagram]

Mephits.

I've never heard anyone use mephits in their games, even though elemental imps are great.
I love mephits! I use them all the time, in multiple campaigns. They are always named Charbles, and they always have the same scratchy old New York accent. I usually use them as gatekeepers and social encounters in dungeons, and they're just so damn fun!

[DarkKnightJin]

I've used him twice, much to the frustration of my players. I like him so much, he inspired a PC. I made a lore bard goblin by that name. He was possessed by Nilbog and it left a permanent impression. He sincerely believes he's THE Nilbog.

I love how the little bastard is almost impossible to take out. Unless you make the save and use Shocking Grasp. Or something else that denies Reactions.

[the_brazenburn]

Honestly, ordinary goblins are somewhat underused. Hobgoblins? Used. Orcs? Used. Kobolds? Used. But goblins don't seem like a threat to DMs. They are often used like Drool from LMoP: weak, pathetic creatures at the characters' mercy. Honestly, though, they can be quite deadly in small ambush groups because of Nimble Escape.

P.S. We actually cured Drool of his chronic cowardice. He became a great ally of our group, and went on to slay Yeemik and King Grol after being upgraded to Goblin Boss. We ended up with a great ally in charge of the Cragmaw goblins, and used them later when we went on to play Princes of the Apocalyse. King Drool was slain by Marlos Urnrayle, but not before fighting his way through a large portion of the earth temple and taking the air temple as a temporary base for his goblin crack squad... but that's a story for a different thread.

[EvilAnagram]

Can I just say I love the flail snail? It's a snail... with flails!

[KorvinStarmast]

Honestly, though, they can be quite deadly in small ambush groups because of Nimble Escape. Yes. They can be when played to emphasize their tactical advantages (and particularly with a group of new to 5e players who really don't "get" the 5e action economy yet.

Underrated Monster:
Commoners, 30 of them, with short bows (and a dozen arrows each) led by a charismatic local Sheriff

[Unoriginal]

Underrated Monster:
Commoners, 30 of them, with short bows (and a dozen arrows each) led by a charismatic local Sheriff

https://1d4chan.org/images/2/2f/HectoPeasant2.jpg

[lperkins2]

At low levels, eagles are one of my favourites. Decent AC (pcs will hit about 60% of the time), crap HP, but +4 to hit, 4 damage average, and fly speed 60. For a party of 4 level 1s, 10 of them is considered a 'medium' encounter. You can pretty easily pull off a TPK with them though, if they focus on the squishies, who likely have the best ranged attacks anyway. Just remember, PCs get back up, so make sure to finish off the downed ones.
Because of their high speed, the inability of melee-heavy characters to close with them, and the fact that they are CR 0, they actually scale pretty well for the first several levels, but you do need to be running a Hitchcockian horror campaign a la the birds for it to not totally break immersion.

On a more serious note, whole bunches of stuff at CR2 are miss-CRed. CR 2 is home of the intellect devourer, the Will O' Wisp, Rug of Smothering, mimic, and other fun goodies.

[Sharur]

From the "Let's Read The Monster Manual" thread (actually the second one), I have to say the Jackalwere. No one in the entire thread had ever used them, and they have a wonderful piece of fluff: Telling the truth causes them physical pain.

[the_brazenburn]

if they focus on the squishies, who likely have the best ranged attacks anyway.

Whoa, that isn't true at all. Rangers, the "default" ranged attackers, have a d10 hit die. That's higher than a cleric, who are usually considered to be a semi-tank, and the same as paladins and fighter, both of whom can also use ranged attacks. There's not necessarily anything "squishy" about ranged attackers.

[EvilAnagram]

From the "Let's Read The Monster Manual" thread (actually the second one), I have to say the Jackalwere. No one in the entire thread had ever used them, and they have a wonderful piece of fluff: Telling the truth causes them physical pain.

I actually used them as some early moods in my long-running campaign. They make the PCs appreciate silver, and they're fun to RP during an interrogation.

[M Placeholder]

The Kuo Toa. Great artwork, the lore is fantastic and the sticky shield feature can make them real buggers in combat.

[mephnick]

From the "Let's Read The Monster Manual" thread (actually the second one), I have to say the Jackalwere. No one in the entire thread had ever used them, and they have a wonderful piece of fluff: Telling the truth causes them physical pain.

I have them on some of my encounter lists. Generally as traps, pretending to be humans in a caravan surrounded by wolves, but the people AND the wolves are ALL Jakalweres mwhahaha.

[Requilac]

Goblins I think are kind of known to be lethal when played to their potential but in I think Ankhegs are overlooked big time.

I got to admit that I do not see many ankhegs either, but the first adventure I ever made as a DM had one as the main enemy. I highly raised its intelligence and wisdom though and made it so that it can avoid oppurtunity attacks by burrowing away from people. They can make very lethal opponents if played to their and full capacity and can be very interesting too. Ankhegs are excellent monsters to throw at D&D noobs. You can have the players investigate some strange “dissapearances” in the area and easily teach them the rules of social exploration and social interaction (the investigation will not be too hard but it will prove to be a minor challenge at the least), then have them fight it at the very end to get some needed combat. That, and these bug beasts also have a good reason to be keeping a horde of treasure for the PC’s to collect. Overall, they seem like an ideal monster to be the focus of a one-shot adventure made for new player’s. Definitely more satisfying than LMoP, but nonetheless simple and interesting.

[The Shadowdove]

Tarrasque.

[M Placeholder]

Can I just say I love the flail snail? It's a snail... with flails!

The Flail Snail is one of the greatest monsters ever created.

[Unoriginal]

Tarrasque.

How is the Tarasque underrated? If anything it's almost overhyped

[wilhelmdubdub]

constrictor snakes:

In my last session as DM I had a pit trap that the party detected. While standing at the edge of the trap, a grung elite warrior began churring, causing a PC to become stunned. Shove! The player found himself in a pit with 2 constrictor snakes and a swarm of snakes at the bottom after taking falling damage. The PC had to fight solo because he was grappled/restrained by the constrictor snakes and couldn't get out.

[The Shadowdove]

How is the Tarasque underrated? If anything it's almost overhyped

It was a joke.

[lperkins2]

Whoa, that isn't true at all. Rangers, the "default" ranged attackers, have a d10 hit die. That's higher than a cleric, who are usually considered to be a semi-tank, and the same as paladins and fighter, both of whom can also use ranged attacks. There's not necessarily anything "squishy" about ranged attackers.

That's true enough, I suppose. I was thinking more along the lines of the typical sorcerer, wizard, or warlock, who usually really don't want to get close. I've not seen well built rangers in play much, so I probably forget them more than I should. A human ranger with crossbow expert and a light crossbow would do pretty well at dealing with the eagles.

[Astofel]

I think hags are pretty underrated, in that I never see anyone talking about them. They're delightfully evil, crazy, and weird, and that makes them super fun to roleplay. I threw a hag encounter at my party once and because of the way I roleplayed her as creepy and deranged, but wielding powerful magic and on the verge of violence, the players were too afraid to attack her, even though I knew that if they did it wouldn't be too difficult for them. Instead they made a deal with her, which... didn't end well for them. In fact, the consequences of said deal are still ongoing now, and fixing it will probably be its own quest later on.

[Estrillian]

I like Nothics, creepy former magic-users corrupted by the very power they sought out, that can learn about a person or even cause them to rot just by looking at them.

Nothics are a mainstay of our variant Princes of the Apocalypse campaign. Nothics from across the multiverse come slipping and creeping their way through the cracks in reality to witness apocalypses and other events of magical excitement, taking notes and doing eldritch research. They have set up a university deep under the Dessarin valley, where they are occupied dissecting creatures and running space-time experiments. My players have run into a couple of them; sat through some lectures on Dwarven architectural styles (very informative), and the like. Our party wizard, who has already lost an eye (and has an obsession with knowledge) is in danger of becoming one. They have already set aside an office for her.