This is a list of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition monsters, an important element of that role-playing game.[1][2][3] This list only includes monsters from official Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition supplements published by TSR, Inc. or Wizards of the Coast, not licensed or unlicensed third-party products such as video games or unlicensed Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition manuals.
Monsters in the 2nd edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons
The second edition of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons game featured both a higher number of books of monsters[4] - "many tied to their growing stable of campaign worlds"[5]: 221 - and more extensive monster descriptions than both earlier[1] and later editions, with usually one page in length.[6][7][8][9][10]: 106–107 Next to a description, monster entries in this edition contained standardized sections covering combat, their habit and society, and their role in the eco-system.[6][7][11] While later editions gave the various creatures all the attributes which player characters had,[9][12] 2nd edition only listed intelligence[6][7] as a characteristic important for creating challenging encounters in the game.[13]
The 2nd edition also used a unique format in the form of Monstrous Compendiums of loose sheets that could be collected in a folder, and allowed the combination of monster books together with individual monster pages from boxed sets.[6][10]: 106–107 [1] This "unruly" format was abandoned again in 1993 in favor of bound books.[5]: 247 [7][14]: 83 In parallel with this change, the 2nd edition introduced colored images for each monster, which became standard in later editions of the game.[15]: 24 [7][9][16] Referencing Wizards of the Coast art director Dawn Murin, GameSpy author Allan Rausch found that until the 2nd edition the artwork depicting monsters was influenced by the popular culture of the late 1970s. As a result, creatures that were fearsome by description were not taken seriously due to ill-suited visuals. Likewise, humanoid monsters too closely resembled humans to be compelling. In the view of Rausch as well as Backstab reviewer Michaël Croitoriu, the Planescape setting marked a turning point for these shortcomings, which also had a significant impact on the presentation of the 3rd edition.[17][18]
The second edition's monsters were based on original inventions, fantasy literature, and mythologies from various cultures.[1][14]: 27, 29 Many monsters were updated from earlier editions, but the 2nd edition also introduced a great number of new creatures.[7][8]
Some types, such as devils and demons, were initially removed by TSR in response to a moral panic promoted by Patricia Pulling's advocacy group Bothered About Dungeons and Dragons (BADD).[19]: 129–130 [20][5]: 223 These were later reintroduced, sometimes with different names to avoid complaints.[14]: 83–84 [21]
TSR 2102 – MC1 – Monstrous Compendium Volume One (1989)
| TSR 2102 – MC1 – Monstrous Compendium Volume One (1989) – ISBN 0-88038-738-6 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
This was the initial volume in the Monstrous Compendium series, for the second edition of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons game, published in 1989. Most of the monsters for Volume One were taken from previous first edition AD&D books; the monster entries were greatly expanded and in most cases each monster now filled an entire page and had an all-new illustration. The Monstrous Compendium series consisted of a pack of 5-hole punched loose-leaf pages rather than an actual book, designed to be arranged to the player's preference. Volume One of the Monstrous Compendium was packaged in a box, which contained the pack of monster sheets as well as a binder intended to store the sheets for Volumes One, Two, and Three. The pack consisted of 144 pages, unnumbered, and included a "How To Use This Book" page, with an alphabetical index to Volume One on the back, four pages of monster summoning and random encounter charts, and a blank monster sheet to be photocopied, with the remainder consisting of the monster descriptions. Also included were eight full-page illustrations on heavier card stock.
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| Creature | Other appearances | Variants | Description | |
| Aerial servant | Monster Manual (1977), Guide to the Ethereal Plane (1998) | A form of invisible air kin elemental that can be summoned by a cleric; it is very strong and usually attacks by strangling an opponent | ||
| Animal, herd | Camel, Cattle, Buffalo, Antelope and Sheep | |||
| Bat | Common, Large (Giant) and Huge Bat (mobat) | The giant bat is exactly what its name would suggest—a giant form of bat with a 6' wingspan. White Dwarf reviewer Jamie Thomson commented on the giant bat, noting that it "seems an obvious choice for D&D".[22] | ||
| Bear | Monster Manual (1977) (Black, brown, cave bear), Monster Manual II (1983) (Polar bear as Northern bear) | Black, Brown, Cave and Polar | ||
| Behir | The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth (1982), Monster Manual II (1983), Monster Manual (2000), Monster Manual (2003) | A snake-like reptilian monster which can move quickly and climb thanks to its dozen legs; it can discharge a stroke of lightning, squeeze opponents with its long body, and swallow creatures whole | ||
| Beholder | Supplement I: Greyhawk (1975), Monster Manual (1977), Spelljammer: AD&D Adventures In Space (1989), Monster Manual (2000), Monster Manual (2003), Monster Manual (2008) | A large orb protected by chitinous plates,[23]: 137 dominated by a central eye and a large toothy maw, with 10 smaller eyes on stalks sprouting from the top of the orb; the large eye negates all magic and the smaller eyes cause a variety of magical effects. A "creature that looks at you and is destroying you by the power of its magical eyes".[24] A terrible beast, but depicted as "a cuddly rosy ball with too many eyes".[25] Designed to counter magic-using characters while being a formidable opponent for a whole party due to its versatility.[1] Considered one of "the game's signature monsters" by Philip J. Clements.[26]: 133 A "classic" [27] "iconic", as well as "one of the most feared and fearsome monsters of the game", present through all editions.[5]: 5, 40–41, 65 | ||
| Boar | Wild Boar, Giant Boar (Elothere) and Warthog | |||
| Bookworm | Monster Manual II (1983) | A worm that inhabits libraries and eats books, it can change its normal gray color to match its surroundings | ||
| Brownie | Monster Manual (1977) | A 2-foot-tall (0.61 m), benign humanoid relative of the halfling that is difficult to surprise, and can blend into its surroundings. The brownie was written up as a player character race in White Dwarf #29 (Feb. 1982) for AD&D 1st Edition by Bob Lock in 1982.[28] | ||
| Bugbear | Supplement I: Greyhawk (1975), Monster Manual (1977), Monster Manual (2000), Monster Manual (2003), Monster Manual (2008) | A 7-foot-tall (2.1 m), hairy cousin of the goblin,[29] with a nose like that of a bear, which prefer to attack foes by ambush | ||
| Carrion crawler | Supplement I: Greyhawk (1975), Monster Manual (1977), Monster Manual (2000), Monster Manual (2003), Monster Manual (2008) | A worm-like cephalopod that scavenges subterranean areas, feeding primarily upon carrion, whose tentacles paralyze creatures | ||
| Catoblepas | Strategic Review v2 #2 (1976),[14]: 22 Supplement III: Eldritch Wizardry (1976), Monster Manual (1977), Monster Manual II (2002) | A bizarre creature that inhabits swamps, the large bloodshot eyes of its unusually heavy head emanate a ray that causes other creatures to simply die. David M. Ewalt described it as "an overweight buffalo with stumpy legs, a giraffe-like neck, and a warthog's head".[23]: 138 An "old personal favorite" of reviewer Mark Theurer,[30] Black Gate editor Howard Andrew Jones remarked on their presence throughout the game's history.[31] | ||
| Cats, great | Monster Manual (1977) (Giant Lynx)[5]: 93 | Cheetah, Jaguar, Leopard, Common Lion, Mountain Lion, Spotted Lion, Giant Lynx, Wild Tiger and Smilodon | ||
| Cave fisher | In the Dungeons of the Slave Lords (1981), Monster Manual II (1983), Dragon No. 355 (May 2007) | A large insectoid with characteristics of a spider and lobster, it catches foes with its sticky filament by firing it from a distance | ||
| Centaur, sylvan | Dungeons & Dragons set (1974), Monster Manual (1977), Monster Manual (2000), Monster Manual (2003) | A woodland being with the upper half of a human and the lower body of a large powerful horse, it is a sociable tribal creature. Based on the creature from Greek mythology.[1][3][32] | ||
| Centipede | Giant centipede, Huge centipede and Megalocentipede | Giant centipedes are "low-level monsters", one-foot long red many-legged creatures.[23]: 212–213 | ||
| Chimera | Dungeons & Dragons set (1974), Monster Manual (1977), Monster Manual (2000), Monster Manual (2003), Monster Manual (2008), Monster Manual (2014) | Chimera and Gorgimera | The chimera is based on the chimera of Greek mythology as found in the Iliad by Homer,[33][34] "stronger than a centaur but weaker than a sphinx".[32] Present in the game since the earliest edition.[5]: 45 | |
| Cockatrice | Supplement III: Eldritch Wizardry (1976), Monster Manual (1977), Monster Manual (2000), Monster Manual (2003) | Cockatrice and Pyrolisk | Based on the creature from medieval bestiaries.[1] | |
| Couatl | Supplement III: Eldritch Wizardry (1976), Monster Manual (1977), Monster Manual (2000), Monster Manual (2003) | A 12-foot-long (3.7 m) feathered serpent native to jungle regions, of lawful good alignment, with great magical and psionic power. Based on the creature from Mesoamerican religion.[35] | ||
| Displacer beast | Supplement I: Greyhawk (1975), Monster Manual (1977), Monster Manual (2000), Monster Manual (2003), Monster Manual (2008) | A magical creature resembling a puma with a tentacle growing from each shoulder, it hates all forms of life, and always appears 3 feet from its actual position. Based on the alien Coeurl from the short story Black Destroyer by A. E. van Vogt.[1][5]: 71 David M. Ewalt, in his book Of Dice and Men, discussed several monsters appearing in the original Monster Manual, describing displacer beasts as looking like "pumas with thorn-covered tentacles growing out of their shoulders".[23]: 138 Rob Bricken from io9 named the displacer beast as the 2nd most memorable D&D monster.[36] | ||
| Dogs | Wild, War, Blink and Death Dogs | White Dwarf reviewer Jamie Thomson commented on the death dog, which is "rumored to be a descendant of Cerberus".[22] | ||
| Dragons | Powerful and intelligent, usually winged reptiles with magical abilities and breath weapon.[37] The different subraces, distinguished by their colouring, vary in power.[38] The dragon has been referred to as the "iconic creature for D&D adventurers to conquer".[39]: 34 [40] | |||
| -- Dragon, Black | Dungeons & Dragons set (1974), D&D Basic Set (1977, 1981, 1983), Monster Manual (1977), D&D Companion Rules (1984), Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia (1991), Monster Manual (2000), Monster Manual v.3.5 (2003), D&D Miniatures: Dragoneye set #44 (2004), D&D Icons: Gargantuan Black Dragon (2006), D&D Miniatures: Unhallowed set #55 (2007) | Evil[41] chaotic-aligned dragons that spit acid.[37] They have horns projecting forward, a long body and thin tail.[25] | ||
| -- Dragon, Blue | Dungeons & Dragons set (1974), Monster Manual (1977), D&D Basic Set (1981, 1983), D&D Companion Rules (1984), Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia (1991), Monster Manual (2000), Monster Manual v.3.5 (2003), D&D Miniatures: Deathknell set #38 (2005), D&D Icons: Gargantuan Blue Dragon (2007) | Evil[41] lawful-aligned dragons that discharge a bolt of lightning.[37] They have a distinctive horn on their snout.[25] | ||
| -- Dragon, Brass | Greyhawk set (1974), Monster Manual (1977), D&D Basic Set (1997), Monster Manual (2000), Monster Manual v.3.5 (2003), D&D Miniatures: Dragoneye set #14 (2004), D&D Miniatures: Unhallowed set #19 (2007) | Benevolent and talkative good-aligned[41] desert-dwelling dragons that can breathe sleep gas[37] or fear-causing gas. An example of content misrepresented by the game's detractors.[19]: xii | ||
| -- Dragon, Bronze | Greyhawk set (1974), Monster Manual (1977), Monster Manual (2000), Monster Manual v.3.5 (2003), D&D Miniatures: War Drums set #7 (2006) | Good[41] and lawful-aligned dragons that breathe a bolt of lightning or a repulsion gas cloud.[37] | ||
| -- Dragon, Copper | Greyhawk set (1974), Monster Manual (1977), Monster Manual (2000), Monster Manual v.3.5 (2003), D&D Miniatures: Angelfire set #21 (2005), D&D Miniatures: Desert of Desolation #23 (2007) | Good[41] and chaotic-aligned dragons that breathe a discharge of acid or a cloud of gas that slows creatures.[37] | ||
| -- Dragon, Gold | Dungeons & Dragons set (1974), Monster Manual (1977), D&D Basic Set (1981, 1983), D&D Companion Rules (1984), Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia (1991), Monster Manual (2000), Monster Manual v.3.5 (2003), D&D Miniatures: Giants of Legend set #61 (2004), D&D Miniatures: Deathknell set #7 (2005) | Good[41] and lawful-aligned dragons that breathe fire[37] or chlorine gas. | ||
| -- Dragon, Green | Dungeons & Dragons set (1974), Monster Manual (1977), D&D Basic Set (1981, 1983), D&D Companion Rules (1984), Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia (1991), Monster Manual (2000), Monster Manual v.3.5 (2003). D&D Miniatures: War of the Dragon Queen set #38 (2005) | Evil[41] lawful-aligned dragons that breathe a cloud of poisonous[37] chlorine gas.[42] | ||
| -- Dragon, Red | Dungeons & Dragons set (1974), D&D Basic Set (1977, 1981, 1983), Monster Manual (1977), D&D Companion Rules (1984), Dragon No. 134 "The Ecology of the Red Dragon" (1988), Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia (1991), Monster Manual (2000), Monster Manual v.3.5 (2003), D&D Miniatures: Dragoneye set #55 (2004), D&D Miniatures: Giants of Legend set #71 (2004), D&D Icons: Colossal Red Dragon (2006) | Evil[41] chaotic-aligned dragons that breathe a cone of fire.[37] According to Dant et al. "one of the most fearsome and classic monsters" in role-playing games.[43] | ||
| -- Dragon, Silver | Greyhawk set (1974), Monster Manual (1977), Monster Manual (2000), Monster Manual v.3.5 (2003), D&D Miniatures: Archfiends set #5 (2004) | Good[41] and lawful-aligned dragons that breathe a cone of frost or a cloud of paralyzing gas.[37] | ||
| -- Dragon, White | Dungeons & Dragons set (1974), D&D Basic Set (1977, 1981, 1983), Monster Manual (1977), D&D Companion Rules (1984), Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia (1991), Monster Manual (2000), Monster Manual v.3.5 (2003), D&D Miniatures: Night Below #58 (2007), D&D Icons: Legend of Drizzt Scenario Pack (2007) ("Icingdeath, Gargantuan White Dragon") | Evil[41] chaotic-aligned dragons that breathe a cone of cold.[37] | ||
| Dragon turtle | Present in the game since its inception.[5]: 26 | |||
| Dragonfish | ||||
| Elemental | Air, Earth, Fire and Water Elementals | Powerful creatures in the game;[44] a characteristic of the air elemental is the ability of rapid movement.[23]: 141 | ||
| Elephant | African elephant, Mammoth, Mastodon and Oliphant | |||
| Elf | High elf, Grey elf (Faerie), Wood elf, Half-elf | Based on Tolkien's version of the elf,[3] "quick but fragile", with senses surpassing a human's, often depicted as "effeminate" and "predisposed towards a "good" moral alignment".[26]: 14, 26, 68 | ||
| Genie | Al-Qadim – Land of Fate | Djinn, Dao and Efreeti | Based on notions from Middle Eastern culture,[2] genies in the game are powerful elemental spirits from the Inner Planes, each of the four classical elements having its own subspecies of genie: djinn for air, dao for earth, efreet for fire. The djinn and efreet have namesakes from Arabic folklore also associated with air and fire, respectively. The dao were newly invented for the game altogether to fill the gap for the remaining element.[45]: 485–493 A depiction of an "evil [...] efreet" already appeared in the original Dungeons & Dragons (1974) edition, another "enormous, devilish red" one was the main feature of the cover of the 1st edition Dungeon Master's Guide. Within the game's cosmology they were based on the Plane of Fire, centered around the "fabled City of Brass".[5]: 20–21, 85, 87, 244–245 | |
| Ghost | Inspired by Gothic fiction, a typical denizen of the Ravenloft setting.[35] | |||
| Ghoul | Ghoul, Lacedon and Ghast | Undead with "terrible claws".[23]: 175 | ||
| Giant | Cloud, Fire, Frost, Hill, Stone and Storm Giant | Overlarge powerful humanoids with a self-involved social focus,[45]: 8 usually presented as the "bad guys".[46] Based on mythological figures and Tolkien, their stone-throwing ability indicates their creative roots in wargaming.[33][1] | ||
| Gnoll | Gnoll and Flind | Vicious humanoids with hyena-like heads. Richard W. Forest assumed them to be inspired from but not resembling the gnoles conceived by Lord Dunsany,[1] while Gary Gygax himself stated that although Dunsany's "gnole" is close", he came up with the name as "a cross between a gnome and a troll", and the description was his original creation. He wanted to create a humanoid opponent in the game to fit in between the hobgoblin and bugbear in power.[47] Gnolls were considered one of the "five main "humanoid" races" in AD&D by Paul Karczag and Lawrence Schick.[10]: 92 | ||
| Gnome | Player character race "often stereotyped as buffoons, illusionists, mad inventors, and many characters play them as intentionally "wacky" or anachronistic"; often conforms to the trickster archetype. "predisposed towards a "good" moral alignment".[26]: 23, 31, 67 | |||
| Goblin | Based primarily on the goblins portrayed in J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-Earth.[48] Considered one of the "five main "humanoid" races" in AD&D by Paul Karczag and Lawrence Schick.[10]: 92 Presented as "evil" and "predisposed towards a society of brutal regimes where the strongest rule" in the game.[26]: 48, 66, 134 Suitable opponent for characters of lowest level.[49] | |||
| Golem, lesser | Strategic Review #4[14]: 22 (Clay) | Flesh and Clay | The clay golem is based on the golem of Medieval Jewish folklore, though changed from "a cherished defender to an unthinking hulk"[50][33] while the flesh golem is related to Frankenstein's monster as Universal's 1931 film, seen in e.g. being empowered by electricity,[1] as well as Gothic fiction more generally; a typical denizen of the Ravenloft setting,[35] and "classic" monster of the game.[27] The influence of Dungeons & Dragons has led to the inclusion of golems in other tabletop role-playing as well as in video games.[51] | |
| Golem, greater | Stone and Iron | Inspired by Gothic fiction, a typical denizen of the Ravenloft setting,[35] and "classic" monster of the game.[27] | ||
| Halfling | Hairfoot, Tallfellow and Stout | Based on the hobbit in J.R.R. Tolkien's works.[1][14]: 27 The hobbit first appeared as a player character class in the original 1974 edition of Dungeons & Dragons.[52]: 62 Later the game began using the name "halfling" as an alternative to "hobbit" for legal reasons.[5]: 71 [53] The "halfling" appeared as a player character race in the original Player's Handbook (1978).[10]: 84–85 | ||
| Harpy | Based on the creature from Greek mythology.[3] | |||
| Hobgoblin | Koalinth | Muscular humanoids somewhat taller than humans with reddish skin and canine teeth.[23]: 215 Koalinth are an undersea variation.[54] Reviewer Declan Lowthian included them among the "15 Best Monsters For Coastal D&D Adventures", because the provide a more organized and tactical opponent than most other coastal creatures of the game, and also could be negotiated with rather than providing purely combat encounters.[55] | ||
| Homonculous | ||||
| Hornet, giant | Hornet and Wasp | |||
| Horse | Draft horse, Heavy Warhorse, Medium Warhorse, Light Warhorse, Pony, Wild horse, Riding horse and Mule | |||
| Hydra | Hydra, Lernaean Hydra, Pyrohydra and Cryohydra | Based on the creature from classical sources,[1][34] with Heracles' famed method of slaying it adapted into a vulnerability against fire, but not with the less well-known venomous bite, showing how the game mostly focusses on the well-known traits of mythological creatures.[32] Present in the game since its inception.[5]: 26 | ||
| Hyena | Hyena and Hyaenodon | |||
| Imp | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix | Imp and Quasit | Minor fiends which could be created from larvae.[56] Reviewer Philippe Tessier found the quasit "very nice" and interesting when made available as a familiar.[27][5]: 4 | |
| Invisible stalker | ||||
| Jackal | ||||
| Jackalwere | An intelligent jackal with the ability to assume human and jackal-human-hybrid form and a sleep-inducing gaze.[45]: 66–67 [5]: 133 | |||
| Kobold | "[S]hort subterranean lizard-men",[23]: 66 considered one of the "five main "humanoid" races" in AD&D by Paul Karczag and Lawrence Schick,[10]: 92 and ranked among the weakest monsters in the game by Scott Baird from Screen Rant.[57] | |||
| Korred | Based on the korred from Breton mythology.[58] | |||
| Lich | Demilich: The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth, Monster Manual II (1983), Epic Level Handbook (2002), Monster Manual (2014) | Lich and Demilich | Lich: Emaciated[27] undead spellcaster,[59] a "classic" monster of the game.[27] Demilich: Evolved beyond status as a lich. Creature of enormous powers, where only the skull remains.[60] Tyler Linn of Cracked.com identified the demi-lich as one of "15 Idiotic Dungeons and Dragons Monsters" in 2009, stating: "Besides looking like a Pirates of the Caribbean alarm clock, the Demi-lich seems to possess no tactical advantages of any kind. It just kind of floats around, waiting for a party of heroes to smack it out of the air like a pinata. We suppose it could try to bite you, but the illustration above kind of makes it look like the jaw is fused in place. Man, now we just feel sorry for it."[61] Ranked among the strongest in Screen Rant's "10 Most Powerful (And 10 Weakest) Monsters, Ranked", saying "You might think that a floating skull would be easy to smash to pieces, but you would be wrong, as demiliches are some of the most resilient creatures in the game."[57] | |
| Lizard | Fire, Giant, Minotaur and Subterranean lizards | |||
| Lizard man | Greyhawk, Monster Manual (1977), Fiend Folio (1981), Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set, Dungeons & Dragons Game, Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia (1991), Classic Dungeons & Dragons Game (1994), Dungeons & Dragons Adventure Game (1999), Hollow World Campaign Set, Dragonlance Monstrous Compendium, The Complete Spacefarer's Handbook, The Complete Book of Humanoids, Player's Option: Skills & Powers, Mind Lords of the Last Sea, Polyhedron No. 121 (1996), Monster Manual (2000) (from here on as lizardfolk), Races of Faerûn, Monster Manual (2003), Dragon No. 318 (2004), Serpent Kingdoms, Eberron Campaign Setting, Monster Manual III (2004), Dragon No. 335 (2005), Monster Manual IV (2006), Monster Manual (2008), Monster Vault: Threats to the Nentir Vale, Monster Manual (2014), Volo's Guide to Monsters | Lizard Man, Lizard King | Lizardfolk are primitive reptilian humanoids typically standing from six to seven feet tall. A player character race in some settings.[62][63] Reviewer Chris Gigoux described them by saying "Lizard Men aren't bad, [...] they're just a simple folks, struggling to survive."[64] In 2020, Comic Book Resources counted the lizardfolk as # 1 on the list of "10 Powerful Monster Species That You Should Play As", stating that "Along with the ability to manufacture their own weapons from the natural environment around them, they provide an excellent role-playing experience and have some pretty awesome tricks up their sleeve."[65] An image of a lizard man by Greg Bell functioned as the logo in the early phase of TSR Hobbies,[5]: 42–43, 47, 81 while "the bloodied bodies of lizard men" overcome by a group of adventurers featured on the cover of the 1st edition Player's Handbook, considered "arguably the most iconic piece of art in all of RPGdom" by Reactor magazine commentator Saladin Ahmed.[66] | |
| Lycanthrope | Werewolf: Dungeons & Dragons "white box" set (1974), Monster Manual (1977), Dragon, Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set (1977, 1981, 1983), Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia (1991), Night Howlers (1992), Monster Manual (2000), Monster Manual (2003), Dragon No. 313, Monster Manual (2008) | Werebear, Wererat, Lesser and greater Seawolf, Weretiger and Werewolf | Afflicted shapechangers, whose condition could be transmitted like a disease;[67] some available as player character races. Depiction of the werewolf is related to those in 1930s and 1940s Hollywood movies like The Wolf Man.[1] Ranked sixth among the ten best low-level monsters by the authors of Dungeons & Dragons For Dummies: "a classic monster", interesting due to shapechanging because "players can never be entirely sure whether that surly villager might indeed be the great black wolf who attacked their characters out in the forest."[68]: 373 The presence of lycanthropes in the gaming system is one of the elements that has led Christian fundamentalists to condemn Dungeons & Dragons and to associate it with the occult.[69] Screen Rant has described the operation of lycanthropy in the game as an aspect that "makes no sense" because it is often a positive development for a character. "It is possible for a character to be infected with lycanthropy in Dungeons & Dragons and it comes highly recommended, as the benefits outweigh the negatives". It notes that "[i]n exchange for learning how to control your condition, you gain Damage Reduction, +2 to your Wisdom stat, the Scent ability, Low-Light Vision, a new Hit Dice, the Iron Will feat, and the ability to transform into a more powerful form".[70] An illustration in one edition of the Monster Manual implied that the beast in Disney's Beauty and the Beast was a lycanthrope, with a creature having a resemblance to the Beast attacking a human resembling that film's antagonist, Gaston.[71] Present in the game since its inception, an image of a werewolf's face by Gygax' childhood friend Tom Keogh was "[a]lmost certainly the oldest piece of art" in the original D&D.[5]: 26–27 | |
| Manticore | Based on its mythological counterpart, including the barbed tail, the manticore appeared in the game from its earliest edition.[72]: 44 [73]: 268 | |||
| Medusa | Normal and Greater | Based on the creature from classical sources[1][3][34] but translated into species of monsters[29][34] originated from "humans seeking eternal youth".[32] Reviewer Allan Rausch found their portrayal as "a woman with snakes for hair" up to 2nd edition less compelling than their less human-like depiction in 3rd edition.[17] Part of the game from its very beginning, a medusa was already depicted in the playtest material from 1973 for the original edition.[5]: 21 | ||
| Men | Aborigines/Cavemen, Adventurers, Bandits/Brigands, Barbarians/Nomads, Berserkers/Dervishes, Farmers/Herders, Gentry, Knights, Mercenary Soldiers, Merchant Sailors/Fishermen, Merchants/Traders, Middle Class, Peasantry (serfs), Pilgrims, Pirates/Buccaneers, Police/Constabulary, Priests, Sailors, Slavers, Soldiers, Thieves/Thugs, Tradesmen/Craftsmen, Tribesmen, and Wizards | Human variants. The game aims to present humans with the same diversity found in the real world and more, but in most cases they are statistically comparatively homogeneous, and depictions have often suffered from Eurocentrism. As the players are humans, in the game humans are the standard against which other playable races are compared,[12] and often promoted "as the best or most versatile characters".[74] Berserkers are based on the berserkir, "men of Odin, whom the god made strong like wild beasts", from Icelandic sagas and Snorri Sturluson's history of the kings of Norway.[75] | ||
| Mind flayer | Strategic Review #1[14]: 22 | Also known as illithids, these "Squid-headed humanoids" were considered one of "the game's signature monsters" by Philip J. Clements.[26]: 133 Reviewer Julien Blondel described them as vile brain-eating creatures full of psionic energy. He found them delightful creatures for a sadistic Dungeon Master to use, and a useful bridge between classic game worlds and the planes, as illithids abound in both.[76] | ||
| Minotaur | Based on the creature from Greek mythology,[1][3][32][77] but translated from a singular creature into a species.[34] In 2021, Comic Book Resources counted the minotaur as one of the "7 Underused Monster Races in Dungeons & Dragons", stating that "far from just brutal monsters. Many are lawful by nature, which means, surprisingly, Minotaurs make for some good Paladins. They also, obviously, make for some good Barbarians, Monks and Fighters. There's a lot of potential with Minotaurs. People hate and fear them, but you might be able to play that to your advantage...or fight against the stereotypes."[78] The minotaur was among the monsters featured as trading cards on the back of Amurol Products candy figure boxes.[5]: 161, 163 | |||
| Mud-man | Screen Rant compiled a list of the game's "10 Most Powerful (And 10 Weakest) Monsters, Ranked" in 2018, calling this one of the weakest, saying "The mudmen are magically bound to their pool of mud, which means that the only way they can defeat an enemy is if they walk right into the middle of a dirty puddle. They will then have to score numerous hits in order to prevent the enemy from running away."[57] | |||
| Mummy | Powerful undead usually from desert areas, wrapped in bandages. Based on the creature from Gothic fiction and appearances in more contemporary entertainment, a typical denizen of the Ravenloft setting.[35][79] In his review of the Monster Manual in the British magazine White Dwarf #8 (August/September 1978), Don Turnbull noted that the mummy was revised from its previous statistics, and could now cause paralysis on sight (as a result of fear).[80] | |||
| Nixie | ||||
| Nymph | Based on the nymph from Greek mythology,[1][3] also an instance of the sexist tropes the game draws on which presented female sexuality as inherently dangerous.[26]: 94 Appeared in the movie Futurama: Bender's Game.[81] | |||
| Ogre | Ogre, Ogre mage and Merrow | Large, powerful humanoid creatures, with slightly below average intelligence.[45]: 249, 257 [82] Typical bad guys in the game,[46] who can be used to teach "players about fighting big, powerful, stupid monsters, which is an iconic D&D experience".[68]: 356 | ||
| Oozes/slimes/jellies | Ochre Jelly, Gray Ooze, Crystal Ooze, Gelatinous cube and Green Slime | "D&D's large variety of monstrous oozes and slimes took their original inspiration from Irvin S. Yeathworth Jr's The Blob" movie. In the artificial dungeon environment of the game, they function as a "clean up crew". The gelatinous cube, "a living mound of gelatinous jelly",[23]: 138 was considered especially suited for that role, as it fi exactly in the standard grid for tactical combat. Considered an "iconic monster".[1] | ||
| Orc | Orc and Orog | Directly adapted from the orc in J.R.R. Tolkien's works.[1] Considered one of the "five main "humanoid" races" in AD&D by Paul Karczag and Lawrence Schick.[10]: 92 Presented as "evil" and "savage raiders" in the game.[26]: 48, 95 | ||
| Owl | Normal, Giant and Talking | |||
| Owlbear | Newly created for the game early on inspired by a Hong Kong–made plastic toy,[83][5]: 66 the owlbear was well-received as a useful and memorable monster.[36][84][85] | |||
| Pegasus | Winged horse. Taken from greek mythology, an example of the diverse cultures amalgamated into D&D.[32][86] Part of the game from its very beginning, a pegasus was already depicted in the playtest material from 1973 for the original edition.[5]: 21 | |||
| Piercer | Strategic Review #3[14]: 22 | |||
| Pseudodragon | "a miniature dragon that also has a tail stinger"[37] Reviewer Philippe Tessier found it "very nice" and interesting when made available as a familiar.[27] | |||
| Puddings, deadly | Black, White, Dun and Brown | "D&D's large variety of monstrous oozes and slimes took their original inspiration from Irvin S. Yeathworth Jr's The Blob" movie.[1] | ||
| Rakshasa | Strategic Review #3[14]: 22 | Normal and Greater | Based on the creature from Hindu mythology.[35] Humanoid fiends with tigerlike-features, Reactor magazine commentator Saladin Ahmed rated them as "ultimate badass monsters". He found a depiction sitting with pipe and smoking-jacket fitting on second thought, as the creature is so powerful it has no need to prove its dangerousness.[66] | |
| Rat | Common and Giant | Example of a monster posing little threat to the characters in the game,[23]: 22 suitable for play at lowest level.[49] | ||
| Ray | Manta, Pungi and Sting Rays, Ixitxachitl | |||
| Remorhaz | ||||
| Satyr | Based on the satyr from classical sources.[1] | |||
| Scorpion | Large, Huge and Giant | Scorpions have the distinction of having been the very first combat encounter in the first playtest, run by Gary Gygax, of the original version of the game.[23]: 65–66 Giant: Scorpion the size of a horse, its stinger carries a deadly poison.[39]: 148–149 | ||
| Selkie | ||||
| Shadow | In his review of the Monster Manual in the British magazine White Dwarf #8 (August/September 1978), Don Turnbull noted his disappointment that the shadow is of the undead class and thus subject to a cleric's turn undead ability. Turnbull commented, "I used to enjoy seeing clerics vainly trying to turn what wouldn't turn, when Shadows were first met".[80] Rob Bricken of io9 identified the shadow as one of "The 12 Most Obnoxious Dungeons & Dragons Monsters".[87] | |||
| Skeleton | Dungeons & Dragons "white box" set (1974), Monster Manual (1977), Dragon No. 66, Monster Manual II (1983), Dragon No. 138, Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set (1977, 1981, 1983), Dungeons & Dragons Game set (1991), Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia (1991), Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia (1991), Dungeons & Dragons Adventure Game (1999), Monstrous Compendium Volume One, Ravenloft Monstrous Compendium Appendix III: Creatures of Darkness (1994), Monster Manual (2000), Monster Manual (2003), Libris Mortis: The Book of Undead, Monster Manual (2008) | Normal, Animal skeleton and Monster skeleton | Skeleton of a deceased creature animated as an undead. The skeleton was ranked second among the ten best low-level monsters by the authors of Dungeons & Dragons For Dummies: "introduces players to the special advantages and weaknesses of undead monsters". They also thank Ray Harryhausen for people knowing what fighting skeletons ought to look like.[68] Screen Rant ranked the tiny skeleton one of the weakest D&D creatures, saying "[skeletons] go all the way down to Tiny-sized creatures, which means that it is possible for your party of adventurers to fight a group of skeletons that are the same size as action figures."[57] | |
| Skunk | Normal and Giant | |||
| Snake | Constrictor (Normal and Giant), Poisonous (Normal and Giant), Giant Sea and Giant Spitting Snakes | |||
| Spectre | Inspired by Gothic fiction, a typical denizen of the Ravenloft setting.[35] | |||
| Spider | Large, Huge, Giant, Giant Water, Giant Marine and Phase Spiders | Phase spider: Arachnid as big as a medium-large dog that can shift between dimensions and bite with fangs of deadly poison.[39]: 148–149 | ||
| Sprite | ||||
| Toad, giant | Giant, Fire, Ice and Poisonous Toads | |||
| Treant | Based on the Ent by J. R. R. Tolkien[1][14]: 27 and renamed due to copyright reasons.[5]: 71 | |||
| Troll | Troll, Two-Headed Troll, Freshwater and Saltwater Scrag | Tall green-skinned[43] evil gaunt humanoids. A characteristic denizen of AD&D worlds.[2] Their appearance and powerful regenerative ability is taken from Three Hearts and Three Lions by Poul Anderson rather than from their mythological or Tolkienesque counterparts.[1][33][75] Considered one of the "five main "humanoid" races" in AD&D by Paul Karczag and Lawrence Schick.[10]: 92 | ||
| Umber hulk | Umber Hulk and Vodyanoi | They are a type of humanoid insect. They have long mandible arms with powerful claws. Anyone looking into their eyes can be driven mad. Present in the game since the earliest edition.[5]: 45 | ||
| Unicorn | Based on the creature from medieval bestiaries.[1][35] The Dungeons & Dragons animated series featured Uni the unicorn as well-received "mascot" and "cute animal sidekick".[88] | |||
| Vampire | Depiction is related to those in 1930s and 1940s Hollywood Dracula movies,[1] as well as folklore[79] and Gothic fiction; a typical denizen of the Ravenloft setting[35][2] and "classic" monster of the game.[27] | |||
| Wight | Thin humanoid undead.[89] Directly adapted from the barrow-wight in Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings,[1][14]: 27 while the concept is inspired by Icelandic sagas.[75] Rob Bricken of io9 identified the wight as one of "The 12 Most Obnoxious Dungeons & Dragons Monsters".[87] | |||
| Will o'wisp | ||||
| Wolf | Wolf, Dire Wolf, Worg, Winter wolf | Worgs are giant wolves inspired by the wargs in the works of J.R.R. Tolkien; the name was changed for legal reasons, while both word an concept ultimately go back to Old Norse idea of varg, which can refer to wolves in their violent aspect.[75] | ||
| Wolfwere | A reverse of a werewolf, that transforms from a wolf to either a humanoid or an humanoid-wolf hybrid instead of from a human to a humanoid wolf. | |||
| Wraith | Inspired by Gothic fiction, a typical denizen of the Ravenloft setting.[35] | |||
| Wyvern | Dragon-like in overall appearance, the wyvern features a serpentine head, wings, scales, but only two legs and no breath weapon. Its tail is equipped with a poisonous tail stinger.[37] | |||
| Yeti | ||||
| Yuan-ti | A species of "cult-like snake people"[90] and among "D&D's most popular and iconic monsters".[91] The original yuan-ti castes were the abominations, the halfbreeds, and the purebloods, which first appeared in the module Dwellers of the Forbidden City (1981),[92][93][94] In the adventure, the characters are hired to find an object taken to a lost oriental-style city, which has been taken over by a cult of snake-worshipers, the yuan-ti, and their servants, the mongrelmen and tasloi.[10]: 101 The types have been summarized by A.V. Club as "a human-eating snake, or human-snake hybrid eater of humans and snakes, or other human-snake hybrids."[95] Snakes and snake-worship used in fiction have been criticized as characteristic of Orientalism.[96] The publication history, digital and print, of yuan-ti falls into this pattern as they serve as uncomplicated antagonists in "exotic" settings.[45][97][98] Graeme Barber, a game designer noted for his critique of racism in Dungeons & Dragons,[99] used yuan-ti in his contribution to the book Candlekeep Mysteries. Controversy arose after Wizards of the Coast, according to Barber, altered his depiction of yuan-ti.[100] Summarizing his critique of the simplistic portrayal, Barber wrote, "Yuan-ti are evil because evil."[101] Keith Ammann, in his 2019 book The Monsters Know What They're Doing, commented of the yuan-ti purebloods that "Yuan-ti have had hundreds of generations to live and adapt on their own, so they'll have the same self-preservation instinct as any evolved species."[45] TheGamer.com in April 2021 listed the yuan-ti pureblood as #2 on their list of "10 Most Underrated Races That Are Better Than You Think".[102] CBR.com listed the yuan-ti pure blood as #5 on their list of "Top 10 Playable Species In D&D".[103] | |||
| Zombie | Common, Monster and Ju-Ju Zombie | Based on the zombie from folklore as well as more contemporary entertainment.[79] | ||
TSR 2103 – MC2 – Monstrous Compendium Volume Two (1989)
| TSR 2103 – MC2 – Monstrous Compendium Volume Two (1989) – ISBN 0-88038-753-X | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
This was the second volume in the Monstrous Compendium series, for the second edition of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, published in 1989. As with Volume One, most of the monsters for Volume Two were taken from previous first edition AD&D books, with greatly expanded entries that now filled an entire page and had an all-new illustration. Volume Two was packaged in a wraparound cover, and the pages were designed to fit in the binder that came with Volume One of the Monstrous Compendium. The pack consisted of 144 pages, unnumbered, and included a 2-page alphabetical index to Volume One and Volume Two, 10 pages of monster summoning and random encounter charts, and a blank monster sheet to be photocopied with a sheet of instructions for the blank monster form, with the remainder consisting of the monster descriptions. Also included were 8 full-page illustrations on heavier card stock.
| ||||
| Creature | Other appearances | Variants | Description | |
| Aarakocra | In 2020, Comic Book Resources counted the aarakocra as # 9 on the list of "10 Powerful Monster Species That You Should Play As", stating that "As long as they're not wearing heavy or medium armor you have a flying sniper, essentially."[65] | |||
| Aboleth | ||||
| Ankheg | ||||
| Ant | Giant ant and Ant Swarm | |||
| Ant lion, giant | ||||
| Ape, carnivorous | ||||
| Baboon | Wild Baboon and Banderlog | |||
| Badger | Common and giant | |||
| Barracuda | ||||
| Basilisk | Lesser, greater and Dracolisk | Based on the creature from medieval bestiaries.[1] In the original Monster Manual it is described as a reptilian monster whose gaze can turn creatures to stone.[104] | ||
| Beetle | Bombardier, Boring, Fire, Rhinoceros, Stag and Water | |||
| Bulette | Also called land shark, inspired by a plastic toy from Hong Kong.[1] In his 2019 book The Monsters Know What They're Doing, author Keith Ammann called bulettes "brutes tailor-made to give your players jump scares" and found its preferences and aversions for the meat of different humanoid races "ludicrous".[45]: 157–158 | |||
| Bullywug | ||||
| Crocodile | Normal and giant | |||
| Crustacean, giant | Giant Crab and Giant Crayfish | |||
| Dolphin | ||||
| Doppleganger | ||||
| Dragonne | Monster Manual (1977)[5]: 164–165 | Lion-headed dragon-like creature, it was "Originally described as 'a weird cross between a brass dragon and a giant lion'". Present "in every edition of the game", James Wyatt stated it was "probably the oldest manifestation in the game of the idea of a half-dragon". Renamed to liondrake in 5th edition.[105][5]: 164–165 | ||
| Dryad | Based on the dryad from classical sources.[1] The dryad appears as a player character class in Tall Tales of the Wee Folk in the "DM's booklet" (1989).[10]: 146 | |||
| Dwarf | Hill and Mountain | Based on Tolkien's version of the dwarf.[3][26]: 78 Often depicted as "short, stout, and fond of ale", "bearded masters of metalworking" and "predisposed towards a "good" moral alignment", "tend to embody an extreme vision of masculinity".[26]: 58, 67, 78, 165 | ||
| Dwarf, duergar | Duergar and Steeder (Giant Spider) | An "evil and avaricious" dwarven subrace,[106]: 152 Backstab reviewer Michaël Croitoriu found them interesting as a player character option.[46] | ||
| Eagle | Wild and giant | |||
| Eel | Electric, Giant, Marine and Weed | |||
| Elf, Drow | Drow and Drider | Made famous by R. A. Salvatore's Drizzt novels, these dark elves from the game influenced subsequent works of fantasy.[1] Drow have a gender-based caste system that says "a great deal about attitures towards gender roles in the real world".[26]: 34 | ||
| Ettercap | ||||
| Ettin | ||||
| Fish, giant | Giant Catfish, Giant Gar and Giant Pike | |||
| Frog | Giant, killer and poisonous | |||
| Fungus | Strategic Review #3[14]: 22 (Shrieker) | Violet Fungus, Shrieker, Phycomid, Ascomoid and Gas Spore | Author Ben Woodard called D&D's fungi horrific in their variety, not only due to their poisonous nature but their creepy ability to move.[107] Scott Baird from Screen Rant ranked the man-sized shrieker among the weakest monsters in the game, at "the bottom of the mushroom monster food chain": They "can be used as cheap alarm systems for Underdark societies, but they possess no combat abilities of their own. The only thing a shrieker can do is shriek".[57] | |
| Galeb duhr | ||||
| Gargoyle | Gargoyle and Margoyle | |||
| Genie | Al-Qadim – Land of Fate | Jann and Marid | Based on notions from Middle Eastern culture,[2] genies in the game are powerful elemental spirits from the Inner Planes, each of the four classical elements having its own subspecies of genie. Marids were largely changed from their mythological namesakes to fit to the element of water. Keith Ammann assumes the game's creators were inspired by the syllable mar- meaning "sea" in Latin, even though there is no such connection in Arabic.[45]: 485–493 | |
| Giant-kin, Cyclops | Dungeons & Dragons "white box" set (1974), Gods, Demi-gods & Heroes (1976)m Deities & Demigods Cyclopedia (1980) (Greater and lesser), Legends & Lore (1985), Monster Manual II (1983) (Cyclopskin), Dungeons & Dragons Expert Set (1981 & 1983), Dungeons & Dragons Game, Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia (1991), Classic Dungeons & Dragons Game (1994), Dungeons & Dragons Adventure Game (1999), Legends & Lore (1990), Deities and Demigods (2002), Shining South (2004), Monster Manual (2008), Monster Manual 2 (2009) Monster Manual (2014) | One-eyed giants[108] based on Greek mythology.[33] Ranked tenth among the ten best mid-level 4th Edition monsters by the authors of Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition For Dummies.[108] | ||
| Giant-kin, firbolg | Bleeding Cool found the firbolg one "of the more distinctive race options in the D&D multiverse".[91] Comic Book Resources counted them as one of the "7 Underused Monster Races in Dungeons & Dragons", stating that "Firbolgs are a blend of strength and magic, making them useful for classes that blend the two. Firbolgs work well as Clerics and Druids, but they can also make for a good Ranger. Your harmony with nature will leave you definitely wanting to have a nature focus, but you'll also stand out in a crowd. As a naturally shy race, be sure to consider that when playing your character. Typically speaking, Firbolgs aren't aggressive."[78] | |||
| Giant-kin, fomorian | ||||
| Giant-kin, verbeeg | ||||
| Gorgon | "iron plated bull", based on early modern bestiaries, with only the name being derived from the Classical counterpart.[32][33] | |||
| Griffon | Originally based on the creature from Persian mythology.[35] | |||
| Groaning spirit (banshee) | Inspired by Gothic fiction, a typical denizen of the Ravenloft setting.[35] | |||
| Guardian daemon | Least, lesser and greater | |||
| Hag | Annis, Greenhag and Sea Hag | Immortal wicked and ugly powerful females with magical abilities for deception. Based on the pervasive figure from folklore, with "different interpretations of the monster around the world" being worked into different variants in the game, allowing each "a little more personality".[79] In the view of Stang and Trammel, hags in D&D represent misogynistic and ageist tendencies in their authors.[56][109] SyFy Wire in 2018 called it one of "The 9 Scariest, Most Unforgettable Monsters From Dungeons & Dragons", saying that "There are endless horrific possibilities when it comes to hags."[110] | ||
| Haunt | ||||
| Hawk | Large (hawk), Small (falcon) and Blood Hawk | |||
| Hell hound | In his review of the Monster Manual, Don Turnbull noted in the British magazine White Dwarf #8 (August/September 1978) that the breath weapon of the "much-feared" hell hound had been altered from its previous appearance.[80] | |||
| Heucuva | as Huecuva: Fiend Folio (1981), Dungeon No. 86, Dungeon No. 94, Fiend Folio (2003), Dragon No. 364 | Undead created from divine or oathbound creatures who have failed in their vows. | ||
| Hippocampus | Based on medieval bestiaries. "Depicted as the front half of a horse and the rear half of a fish or sea-serpent."[33] Tyler Linn of Cracked.com listed it among the "15 Most Idiotic Monsters In Dungeons & Dragons History". He did not think " it would pose much of a threat" "and was intended to be one of the good guys", but found the depiction "douchey".[61] | |||
| Hippogriff | Originally based on the creature from Persian mythology[35] the adapted hippogriff "was among the earliest fantasy beasts introduced into the Dungeons & Dragons universe":[72] An artistic representation drawing inspiration from real eagles and horses was used for the cover of the third booklet of the original Dungeons & Dragons (1974) edition and became one of "the game's earlies ambassadors" through use of that cover in advertisments.[5]: 20–21, 27, 39 Gary Gygax used a story in which he received a letter asking how many eggs a Hippogriff could lay as an example of the encyclopedic knowledge which fans expected him to have over every detail of gameplay.[111] | |||
| Jermlaine | ||||
| Kelpie | ||||
| Kenku | Crow-like humanoids with a tendency for thievery, loosely based on the Japanese tengu.[112][45]: 56–58 | |||
| Ki-rin | Golden-scaled flying equine exemplar of good with one horn. Based on the kirin from Japanese mythology,[3] an example of the diverse cultures amalgamated into D&D.[86] Black Gate reviewer Howard Andrew Jones called them "old stalwarts" of the game.[31] | |||
| Killmoulis | ||||
| Kuo-toa | "evil fish-men"[10]: 89 | |||
| Lamia | Lamia and Lamia Noble | |||
| Lammasu | Lesser and greater | |||
| Lamprey | Normal, giant and land | |||
| Leech | Leech Swarm, Giant Leech and Throat leech | |||
| Leprechaun | ||||
| Leucrotta | ||||
| Locathah | ||||
| Lurker above | Strategic Review #3 (lurker), Strategic Review #5 (trapper)[14]: 22 | Lurker, Trapper, and Forest Trapper (Miner) | An original creation for the game's artificial underground environment, this monster was designed as a trap for unwary player characters; the trapper camouflages as a piece of floor, engulfing a victim stepping on it.[1] Rob Bricken of io9 identified the lurker and the trapper as two of "The 12 Most Obnoxious Dungeons & Dragons Monsters".[87] | |
| Lycanthrope | Wereboar and Werefox (Foxwoman) | |||
| Mammal, minimal | The minimal (a contraction of "miniature animal") is a magically reduced version of a normal animal. | |||
| Mammal, small | Beaver, Cat (house), Chipmunk, Ermine, Ferret, Fox, Gopher, Hedgehog, Mink, Mole, Monkey, Mouse, Muskrat, Opossum, Otter, Otter (sea), Otter (giant), Pig (domestic), Pig (wild), Rabbit, Raccoon, Squirrel (flying), Squirrel (giant black) and Woodchuck | Reviewer Philippe Tessier described the rabbit, when made available as a familiar, as little and "doesn't look like much", but valued it as cute, interesting and useful for detecting traps.[27] | ||
| Merman | ||||
| Mimic | Common, Killer | An original creation for the game's artificial underground environment, this "iconic monster" looks like a treasure chest and is designed as a trap for unwary player characters.[1] | ||
| Mold | Brown, Russet and Yellow | In the artificial dungeon environment of the game, molds function as a "clean up crew".[1] | ||
| Mongrelman | ||||
| Morkoth | Paste magazine reviewer Cameron Kunzelmann found the morkoth an inventive and "super weird" monster beyond the game's staples.[113] | |||
| Muckdweller | ||||
| Myconid (fungus man) | A "race of [man-sized] sentient fungus creatures", "some of which pack a mean punch", and which have the "ability to spray poisons that can disable their foes".[57] | |||
| Naga | Strategic Review #3[14]: 22 | Guardian, Spirit and Water | Snake-like magical creatures with humanoid head. Based on the nāga from Indian mythology.[3] | |
| Nereid | A water kin elemental | |||
| Obliviax (memory moss) | The obliviax (memory moss) appeared on Geek.com's list of "The most underrated monsters of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons".[114] | |||
| Octopus, giant | ||||
| Osquip | ||||
| Otyugh | Otyugh and Neo-otyugh | Also known as gulguthra.[115] Game designer Don Turnbull rated the otyugh as a "most interesting creation".[80] | ||
| Piranha | Normal and giant | |||
| Pixie | The pixie appeared as a player character class in Tall Tales of the Wee Folk (1989).[10]: 146 | |||
| Plant, carnivorous | Choke Creeper, Hangman tree, Mantrap, Strangleweed, Giant Sundew and Tri-flower Frond | Author and gardener Charles Elliott considered D&D's plant species numerous but "not-very-ingenious".[116] | ||
| Poltergeist | ||||
| Porcupine | Black, brown and giant | |||
| Roc | Dungeons & Dragons set (1974), Monster Manual (1977), Monster Manual (2000), Monster Manual (2003), Monster Manual (2008), Monster Manual (2014) | An enormous bird, based on a mythological creature probably of Persian origin, known from Sindbad the Sailor.[33] | ||
| Roper | Strategic Review #2[14]: 22 | A dangerous inhabitant of the Underdark[117] with "murderous behavior".[118] One of the original creations for the game, Witwer et al. rated them among the "iconic D&D monsters".[5]: 39, 45 | ||
| Rot grub | An original creation for the game's artificial underground environment, this monster was designed as a trap for unwary player characters: living in corpses, they infect those who disturb these dead searching for riches.[1] | |||
| Rust monster | Large armored tick-like monster which devours metals. An original invention for the game and its artificial underground world, the appearance of the rust monster was inspired by a plastic toy from Hong Kong.[119] It was ranked among the most memorable as well as obnoxious creatures in the game, terrifying to certain characters and their players not due to their ability to fight but to destroy their items.[1][36][87][5]: 91, 93 [23]: 138 Chris Sims of the on-line magazine Comics Alliance referred to the rust monster as "the most feared D&D monster".[120] | |||
| Sahuagin | ||||
| Salamander | Salamander and Fire Snake | Fire-kin elementals | ||
| Sandling | An earth kin elemental | |||
| Sea horse, giant | ||||
| Sea lion | Monster Manual (1977), Monster Manual (2000) and Monster Manual (2003) (as Sea cat) | |||
| Shambling mound | Strategic Review #3[14]: 22 | Plant-like creature resembling a heap of rotting vegetation. Ben Woodard considered its ability to move "the base creepiness of the creep".[107] | ||
| Shark | Common and giant (megalodon) | |||
| Slithering tracker | Intelligent stealthy jelly creature. Either evolved from simpler relatives, or persons magically transfigured[7] "by hags and liches into a blobby puddle of remains" motivated by revenge. Reviewer Zack Furniss saw the monster on the "more horrific side of D&D" and observed: "even once they've found their vengeance, they're still a nasty blob and often go insane because they can't find satiation or communicate. Grim stuff."[121] | |||
| Slug, giant | ||||
| Sphinx | Androsphinx, Criosphinx, Gynosphinx and Hieracosphinx | Based on Egyptian and Classical mythology, an example of the diverse cultures amalgamated into D&D.[32][86] | ||
| Squid, giant | Giant squid and Kraken | |||
| Stirge | Flying and blood-sucking[29] bird-like creatures. "[P]esky" because while small they are dangerous to characters as a swarm. Present in the game since its earliest edition.[5]: 44 | |||
| Swanmay | Swanmay and Swan | Inspired by a character from Three Hearts and Three Lions by Poul Anderson rather than their mythological counterparts.[1][33] | ||
| Sylph | A air kin elemental | |||
| Tarrasque | Ranked among the strongest monsters in the game by Scott Baird from Screen Rant, "the ultimate challenge for many players".[57] Rob Bricken from io9 named the tarrasque as the 10th most memorable D&D monster.[36] The tarrasque appeared on the 2018 Screen Rant top list at No. 5 on " Dungeons & Dragons: The 20 Most Powerful Creatures, Ranked", and Scott Baird highlighted that "The tarrasque is currently the most powerful creature in the 5th edition of Dungeons & Dragons, where it is matched only by Tiamat in terms of its combat prowess."[122] | |||
| Tasloi | ||||
| Triton | An aquatic race[121] based on the merman in Greek mythology.[33] | |||
| Troglodyte | Based on the stock character of the primitive caveman, Gary Gygax portrayed the troglodyte in the game as more monstrous, with chaotic and evil behaviour, offensive smell and lizard-like characteristics.[123] The troglodyte was among the monsters featured as trading cards on the back of Amurol Products candy figure boxes.[5]: 161, 163 | |||
| Urchin | Black, Green, Red, Silver, Yellow and Land | First published in White Dwarf #9 (October/November 1978), submitted by Nick Louth.[124] It was voted among the top ten monsters from the magazine's "Fiend Factory" column and reprinted in Best of White Dwarf Articles (1980).[125][126][127] | ||
| Urd | ||||
| Water weird | A water kin elemental, an "old personal favorite" of reviewer Mark Theurer.[30] | |||
| Weasel | Wild and giant | |||
| Whale | Common, Giant, Leviathan, Killer and Narwhal | The leviathan is based on the creature from Hebrew mythology.[35] | ||
| Wolverine | Normal and giant | |||
| Worm | Purple worm, Tenebrous worm and Tunnel worm | The "dread purple worm" attacks with both ends,[73]: 268 maw and stinger. This "iconic monster" and original creation of Dungeons & Dragons is present all editions of the game.[5]: 26, 28–29 | ||
| Xorn | ||||
| Yellow musk creeper & zombie | Creeping plant that drains the intelligence of its victims, possibly turning them into "zombies" under the plant's control. Ben Woodard found it an expression of the "seemingly endless morphology of fungal creep and toxicological capacity" within the game.[107] | |||
TSR 2104 – MC3 – Monstrous Compendium – Forgotten Realms Appendix (1989)
| TSR 2104 – MC3 – Monstrous Compendium – Forgotten Realms Appendix (1989) – ISBN 0-88038-769-6 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| This appendix to the Monstrous Compendium series was designed for use with the Forgotten Realms campaign setting for the second edition of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons game. The pack consisted of 64 5-hole punched unnumbered loose-leaf pages. | ||||
| Creature | Other appearances | Variants | Description | |
| Ascallion | Dragon No. 89 (1984), Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Four (1998) (as Fish, Ascallion) | Adult Female, Young, Adult Male | ||
| Asperii | Dragon No. 89 (1984), 1991 Trading Card #622, Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Four (1998), Monster Manual II (2002) | |||
| Beholder-kin | Monstrous Manual (1993) | Spectator, Gauth | ||
| Belabra (Tangler) | ||||
| Berbalang | ||||
| Bhaergala | Monstrous Manual (1993) (as Mammal) | |||
| Bichir (Lungfish, Giant) | ||||
| Bunyip | Fiend Folio (1981), Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three (1996) | |||
| Burbur | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three (1996) | |||
| Claw, Crawling | Monstrous Manual (1993) | Screen Rant ranked the crawling claw among the 10 weakest monsters in 2018: "At best, you can use a bunch of them to act as a distraction or as a screen while another villain prepares a spell or trap."[57] | ||
| Cloaker | Monstrous Manual (1993) | An original creation for the game's artificial underground environment, this monster was designed as a trap for unwary player characters; it looks like a living cloak with teeth.[1] | ||
| Darkenbeast | ||||
| Death, Crimson | Monstrous Manual (1993) (as Mist, Crimson Death) | |||
| Dinosaur | Monstrous Manual (1993) (Ankylosaurus, Deinonychus, Diplodocus, Elasmosaurus, Lambeosaurus, Pteranodon, Stegosaurus, Triceratops and Tyrannosaurus rex), Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two (1995) (Allosaurus, Brontosaurus, Ceratosaurus, Compsognathus, Dimetrodon, Euparkeria, Gorgosaurus, Iguanodon, Monoclonius, Plateosaurus, Struthiomimus, Tanystropheus, Teratosaurus, Trachodon; under Dinosaur, Aquatic: Archelon, Dinichthys, Mosasaurus, Nothosaurus, Plesiosaurus, Temnodontosaurus) | Allosaurus, Anchisaurus, Ankylosaurus, Paleocinthus, Archelon, Brachiosaurus, Brontosaurus, Camarasaurus, Camptosaurus, Ceratosaurus, Cetiosaurus, Compsognathus, Deinonychus, Dilophosaurus, Dimetrodon, Dinichthys, Temnodontosaurus, Diplodocus, Elasmosaurus, Euparkeria, Gorgosaurus, Iguanodon, Lambeosaurus, Mamenchisaurus, Massospondylus, Megalosaurus, Monoclonius, Mosasaurus, Nothosaurus, Ornitholestes, Pentaceratops, Plateosaurus, Plesiosaurus, Podokesaurus, Pteranodon, Pterosaurus, Stegosaurus, Dacentrurus, Kentrosaurus, Struthiomimus, Styracosaurus, Tanystropheus, Teratosaurus, Trachodon, Triceratops, Tyrannosaurus rex | Considered among the "standard repertoire of "Monsters"",[3] and among the 12 most underrated monsters, "a creature as large and fearsome as a dragon but without all the hype".[114] | |
| Dracolich | Monstrous Manual (1993) | A dragon made even more powerful by transforming into an undead version of itself, which can only be destroyed if "its phylactery is taken to another dimension". Ranked among the strongest monsters in the game by Scott Baird from Screen Rant.[57] It was also one of the first new creatures introduced for the Forgotten Realms campaign setting.[41] | ||
| Dragon, Faerie | Monstrous Manual (1993) (as Dragonet, Faerie Dragon) | |||
| Oriental Dragons (General) | ||||
| Lung Wang (Sea Dragon) | ||||
| Pan Lung (Coiled Dragon) | ||||
| Shen Lung (Spirit Dragon) | ||||
| T'ien Lung (Celestial Dragon) | ||||
| Tun Mi Lung (Typhoon Dragon) | ||||
| Yu Lung (Carp Dragon) | ||||
| Chiang Ling (River Dragon) | ||||
| Li Lung (Earth Dragon) | ||||
| Firenewt | Fiend Folio (1981), Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three (1996) | |||
| Firestar | Dragon No. 94 (1985), 1991 Trading Card #686, Sword of the Dales (1995), Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Four (1998) | |||
| Maedar | Monstrous Manual (1993) (as Medusa, Maedar) | Maedar, Glyptar | Male version of the medusa, a consequence of turning the singular monster from classic mythology into a species in the game.[29][34] | |
| Meazel | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three (1996) | |||
| Pleistocene Animals | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two (1995) (White Rhinoceros as Wooly Rhinoceros) | Axebeak, Baluchitherium, Megatherium, Phororacos, White Rhinoceros, Titanothere | ||
| Revenant | Monstrous Manual (1993) | |||
| Rhaumbusun | ||||
| Strider, Giant | Fiend Folio (1981), Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three (1996) | |||
| Sull | ||||
| Svirfneblin (Deep Gnome) | Monstrous Manual (1993) (Gnome) | |||
| Thessalmonster | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three (1996) | Thessalhydra, Thessalmera, Thessalgorgon, Thessaltrice | ||
| Thri-kreen (Mantis Warrior) | Monstrous Manual (1993) | "Praying mantis man" with four arms and a poisonous bite,[128] "invented by Paul Reiche III for the AD&D Monster Cards Set 2 (1982)",[129] reviewer Mark Theurer considered them an "old personal favorite".[30] With their additional limbs and specialized chatkcha and gythka weapons, thri-kreen were infamous as player characters optimized to do extreme amounts of damage. J.R. Zambrano found them "an interesting race" and preferred their "2nd Edition aesthetic" to others.[130] | ||
| Thylacine | ||||
| Vulture | Monstrous Manual (1993) (as Bird) | Common, Giant, Condor | ||
| Vurgens | Dragon No. 89 (1984), Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Four (1998) (as Fish, Vurgens (Giant Gulper Eel)) | |||
| Web, Living | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three (1996) | Living, Memory | ||
| Wemic | Monstrous Manual (1993) | |||
TSR 2105 – MC4 – Monstrous Compendium – Dragonlance Appendix (1990)
| TSR 2105 – MC4 – Monstrous Compendium – Dragonlance Appendix (1990) – ISBN 0-88038-822-6 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| This appendix to the Monstrous Compendium series was designed for use with the Dragonlance campaign setting for the second edition of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons game. The pack consisted of 96 5-hole punched loose-leaf pages, unnumbered, and included a "How To Use This Book" page, a page with alphabetical index, 4 pages of random encounter charts, and 2 pages with the compiled game statistics, with the remainder consisting of the descriptions of the fictional monsters. Also included were 4 full-page illustrations on heavier card stock. | ||||
| Creature | Other appearances | Variants | Description | |
| Anemone, Giant | Dragon No. 116 (1986), Tales of the Lance (1992) Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Four (1998) (as Anemone, Giant Sea), Dungeon No. 79 (2000) | |||
| Avian | Monstrous Manual (1993) (as Bird) | Emre, Kingfisher, Skyfisher and 'wari | ||
| Bear, Ice | ||||
| Beast, Undead | Stahnk and Gholor | |||
| Centaur, Abanasinian | ||||
| Centaur, Crystalmir | ||||
| Centaur, Endscape | ||||
| Centaur, Wendle | ||||
| Disir | Time of the Dragon (1989) | |||
| Draconian (proto-), Traag | Time of the Dragon (1989) | |||
| Draconians | A "dragon-like humanoid species",[131]: 167 born from embryos of good dragons corrupted by evil magic, are "cast as beings of pure horror",[132] and "abominations"; "added to further support the world's foundational themes."[5]: 173 | |||
| -- Draconian, Aurak | ||||
| -- Draconian, Baaz | ||||
| -- Draconian, Bozak | Barton and Stacks described this draconian as the "ever-popular bozak whose bones explode upon death".[131]: 166 | |||
| -- Draconian, Kapak | ||||
| -- Draconian, Sivak | ||||
| Dragons of Krynn | Powerful and intelligent, usually winged reptiles with magical abilities and breath weapon. | |||
| -- Dragon, Amphi | ||||
| -- Dragon, Astral | Unmated Astral Dragon and Mated Pair | |||
| -- Dragon, Kodragon | Dragon Magic (1989) | |||
| -- Dragon, Othlorx | Time of the Dragon (1989) | Black, Blue, Brass, Bronze, Copper, Green, Red, Silver and White Othlorx | ||
| -- Dragon, Sea | ||||
| Dreamshadow | ||||
| Dreamwraith | ||||
| Dwarf, Daergar | ||||
| Dwarf, Gully | A "tiny, dirty, unorganized folk", but having heart;[133] known for their limited ability to count.[134] Gully dwarves could be used as player characters in the D&D game. They were by design weaker than other character options, and so only appealing to few players who "enjoy the underdog status" they provided.[135] | |||
| Dwarf, Hill (Neidar) | ||||
| Dwarf, Mountain (Hylar) | ||||
| Dwarf, Theiwar | ||||
| Dwarf, Zakhar | ||||
| Elf, High – Qualinesti | ||||
| Elf, High – Silvanesti | ||||
| Elf, Wild – Kagonesti | ||||
| Elf, Half | ||||
| Elf, Sea – Dargonesti | ||||
| Elf, Sea – Dimernesti | ||||
| Eyewing | Dragon Magic (1989), Monstrous Manual (1993) | |||
| Fetch | Inspired by Gothic fiction, a typical denizen of the Ravenloft setting.[35] | |||
| Fire Minion | Time of the Dragon (1989) | |||
| Fireshadow | ||||
| Gnome, Tinker (Minoi) | Monstrous Manual (1993) | |||
| Gurik Cha'ahl | Time of the Dragon (1989) | |||
| Hatori | Monstrous Manual (1993) | Lesser and Greater | ||
| Haunt, Knight | ||||
| Horax | Time of the Dragon (1989), Monstrous Manual (1993) | |||
| Imp, Blood Sea | ||||
| Insect Swarm | Monstrous Manual (1993) | Velvet Ants, Grasshoppers and Locusts | ||
| Kalothagh (Prickleback) | ||||
| Kani Doll | Dragon Magic (1989) | |||
| Kender | A "diminutive and highly playful race that resembles Tolkien's hobbit", with the ability to drive enemies into a rage by taunting them.[131]: 166 Witwer et al. considered kender "lovable" characters "added to further support the world's foundational themes."[5]: 173 | |||
| Knight, Death | Monstrous Manual (1993) | A death knight is a "powerful undead warrior",[131]: 167 Shannon Applecline considered this creature created by Charles Stross one of the game's especially notable monsters.[14]: 38 | ||
| Kyrie | ||||
| Lizard Man (of Krynn) | Jarak-sinn and Bakali | |||
| Man (of Krynn) | Ice Folk, Knights of Solamnia, Plainsmen and Rebels | |||
| Minotaur (of Krynn) | Blood Sea Minotaur | |||
| Ogre (of Krynn) | Ogre and Orughi | |||
| Ogre, High (Irda) | ||||
| Phaethon | Phaethon and Elder Phaethon | |||
| Shadowperson | Shadowperson and Revered Ancient One | |||
| Shimmerweed | ||||
| Skrit | Time of the Dragon (1989) | |||
| Slig | ||||
| Spectral Minion | "nasties" also appearing the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: Heroes of the Lance computer game.[136] | |||
| Spider (of Krynn) | Whisper Spider and Giant Trap Door Spider | |||
| Stag | Wild Stag, Giant Stag and the White Stag | |||
| Tayling | Tayling and Tayland | |||
| Thanoi (Walrus Man) | ||||
| Tylor | ||||
| Warrior, Skeleton | Monstrous Manual (1993) | Reviewer Jamie Thomson found the skeleton warriors "beings similar to Tolkien's ringwraiths".[22] | ||
| Wichtlin | ||||
| Wyndlass | ||||
| Yaggol | Time of the Dragon (1989) | |||
| Yeti-kin, Saqualaminoi | Time of the Dragon (1989) | |||
TSR 2107 – MC5 – Monstrous Compendium – Greyhawk Appendix (1990)
| TSR 2107 – MC5 – Monstrous Compendium – Greyhawk Appendix (1990) – ISBN 0-88038-836-6 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| This appendix to the Monstrous Compendium series was designed for use with the Greyhawk campaign setting for the second edition of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons game. The pack consisted of 64 5-hole punched loose-leaf pages, unnumbered, and included a "How To Use This Book" page with an alphabetical index, 4 pages of random encounter charts, with the remainder consisting of the descriptions of the fictional monsters. Also included were 4 full-page illustrations on heavier card stock. | ||||
| Creature | Other appearances | Variants | Description | |
| Aspis | Monstrous Manual (1993) (as Insect) | Drone, Larva and Cow | ||
| Beastman | ||||
| Beetle | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three (1996) | Death watch beetle and Slicer Beetle | ||
| Bonesnapper | ||||
| Booka | ||||
| Brownie, Buckawn | ||||
| Brownie, Quickling | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two (1995) | Small, intelligent, chaotic and speedy, it appeared on Geek.com's list of "The most underrated monsters of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons".[114] | ||
| Crypt thing | Monstrous Manual (1993) | |||
| Crystalmist | ||||
| Dragons | Powerful and intelligent, usually winged reptiles with magical abilities and breath weapon. | |||
| -- Dragon, Cloud | Monstrous Manual (1993) | |||
| -- Dragon, Greyhawk | ||||
| -- Dragon, Mist | Monstrous Manual (1993) | |||
| -- Dragon, Shadow | Monstrous Manual (1993) | Reviewer Philippe Tessier found the shadow dragon a very dangerous foe in frontal assault.[27] | ||
| Dragonfly, Giant | Monstrous Manual (1993) (as Insect) | Adult and Larva (Nymph) | ||
| Dragonnel | ||||
| Elf, Grugach | ||||
| Elf, Valley | ||||
| Giant-kin, Voadkyn | Monstrous Manual (1993) (as Giant, Wood) | |||
| Giant-kin, Spriggan | Monstrous Manual (1993) (as Gnome, Spriggan) | |||
| Grell | Monstrous Compendium – Spelljammer Appendix (1991) (as Soldier/Worker), Monstrous Manual (1993) (as Soldier/Worker) | "terrifying beaked, tentacled monsters that populate the realm of Underdark".[59] Tyler Linn of Cracked.com listed the grell among the "15 Most Idiotic Monsters In Dungeons & Dragons History" and found that it's movement by floating contributed to it looking ridiculous.[61] | ||
| Gremlin | Monstrous Manual (1993) | Gremlin, Fremlin and Galltrit | ||
| Grippli | Monstrous Manual (1993) | "humanoid tree-frogs" forming "a society of "uncommonly intelligent" humanoid amphibians who were quick to adapt and acquire new skills"; J.R. Zambrano thought of them as a good choice to create a player character race.[137] | ||
| Grung | "selfish, simple-minded frog people"[90] based on poisonous frogs[137] | |||
| Hobgoblin, Norker | ||||
| Hook horror | Monstrous Manual (1993) | A bipedal, subterranean monster that looks like a vulture-like humanoid with bony hooks in place of hands. The hook horror was first published in White Dwarf #12 (April–May 1979), and was originally submitted by Ian Livingstone.[138] It was voted among the top ten monsters from the magazine's "Fiend Factory" column and reprinted in Best of White Dwarf Articles (1980).[125][126][127] Ed Greenwood, in his review of the Fiend Folio for Dragon magazine, considered the hook horror as one of the creatures with "strange appearances and little else; there is no depth to their listings" and that it was one of the creatures which "seem incomplete".[139] | ||
| Horgar | ||||
| Hound, Yeth | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994) | |||
| Iguana, Giant | ||||
| Ingundi | ||||
| Kech | ||||
| Kyuss, Son of | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three (1996) | |||
| Mist, Vampiric | Monstrous Manual (1993) | |||
| Mite | Monstrous Manual (1993) (under Gremlin) | Mite and Snyad (Pestie) | ||
| Necrophidius | Monstrous Manual (1993) (as Golem, Necrophidius) | Undead consisting of a humanoid skull and giant snake vertebrae, "looks like the skeleton of a Guardian Naga", with venomous bite and mesmerizing powers; first published in White Dwarf #7 (June/July 1978), submitted by Simon Tilbrook.[140] In 1980 it was voted the best monster from the magazine's "Fiend Factory" column.[125] | ||
| Needleman | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three (1996) | First published in White Dwarf #6 (April 1978), submitted by Trevor Graver.[141] It was voted among the top ten monsters from the magazine's "Fiend Factory" column and reprinted in Best of White Dwarf Articles (1980).[125][126][127] | ||
| Plant, Carnivorous | Vampire Cactus, Kampfult and Giant Polyp | Author and gardener Charles Elliott considered D&D's plant species numerous but "not-very-ingenious".[116] | ||
| Rat | Camprat and Vapor Rat | |||
| Raven (Crow) | Monstrous Manual (1993) (as Bird; Raven variants only) | Ordinary, Huge and Giant Raven and Crow | ||
| Scarecrow | Monstrous Manual (1993) (as Golem, Scarecrow) | |||
| Shadow, Slow | Mordenkainen's Fantastic Adventure (1984), Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Four (1998), Dungeon No. 112 (2004) | |||
| Skulk | ||||
| Snail | Flail and Sea Snail | Shannon Applecline considered the flail snail one of the "silly monsters" of the game.[14]: 38 CJ Miozzi included the flail snail on The Escapist's list of "The Dumbest Dungeons & Dragons Monsters Ever (And How To Use Them)".[142] Cameron Kunzelmann found it an inventive and "super weird" monster beyond the game's staples.[113] | ||
| Sprite | Monstrous Manual (1993) | Atomie, Grig and Sea Sprite | ||
| Taer | Monstrous Manual (1993) (as Mammal) | |||
| Tentamort | ||||
| Turtle | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two (1995) (as Turtle, Giant) | Giant Sea and Giant Snapping Turtle | ||
| Tyrg | Monstrous Manual (1993) (as Mammal) | |||
| Wolf, Mist | ||||
| Wraith | Swordwraith and Soul Beckoner | |||
| Zombie, Sea | Monstrous Manual (1993) | |||
| Zygom | ||||
TSR 2116 – MC6 – Monstrous Compendium – Kara-Tur Appendix (1990)
| TSR 2116 – MC6 – Monstrous Compendium – Kara-Tur Appendix (1990) – ISBN 0-88038-851-X | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| This appendix to the Monstrous Compendium series was designed for use with the Oriental Adventures campaign setting called Kara-Tur for the second edition of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons game. The pack consisted of 64 5-hole punched loose-leaf pages, unnumbered, and included a "How To Use This Book" page with an alphabetical index and 4 pages of random encounter charts, with the remainder consisting of the descriptions of the fictional monsters. Also included were 4 full-page illustrations on heavier card stock. | ||||
| Creature | Other appearances | Variants | Description | |
| Bajang | ||||
| Bakemono | ||||
| Bisan | Fey connected to a tree that can transform into flying insects, such as honey bees or fruit flies. | |||
| Buso | Tigbanua Buso and Tagamaling Buso | |||
| Carp, Giant | Monstrous Manual (1993) (as Fish) | |||
| Centipede, Spirit | Greater, Lesser and Least | |||
| Chu-u | Legless ghosts deemed neither good or evil enough to enter the afterlife. | |||
| Con-tinh | Ghosts of women who died young. Their laugh could drive listeners to insanity. | |||
| Doc cu'o'c | Axe-wielding spirits that hunt evil ghosts. They have the appearance of a man cut perfectly in half. | |||
| Duruch'i-lin | Ch'i-lin and Duru | |||
| Flame Spirit | Greater, Lesser and Least | |||
| Foo Creature | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994) | Foo Dog and Foo Lion | ||
| Gaki | Jiki-ketsu-gaki, Jiki-niku-gaki, Shikki-gaki and Shinen-gaki | |||
| Gargantua | Monstrous Manual (1993) | Reptilian, Humanoid and Insectoid Gargantua | ||
| Goblin Rat | Goblinoid wererats unable to transmit lycanthropy. | |||
| Goblin Spider | Giant spider that can mimic voices. | |||
| Hai Nu | Sentient aquatic humanoids. | |||
| Hannya | ||||
| Hengeyokai | Race of sentient shapeshifting animals able to adopt humanoid, beast, and hybrid forms. | |||
| Hsing-sing | Ape-like creatures naturally peaceful outside of "war-season", during which they become more aggressive. | |||
| Hu Hsien | Appears to be an oriental female human with long fox tail. These are magically enchanted, evil women with spell-abilities and an endless hunger for human life energy. They are type vampire capable of shapeshifting. | |||
| Ikiryo | ||||
| Jishin Mushi | Giant beetles able to create earthquakes. | |||
| Kala | Cave and Earth Kala | Primitive, cone-headed humanoids. Cave kala could inject paralyzing venom by biting enemies and Earth kala could infect creatures with diseases through their breath. | ||
| Kaluk | Humanoid elephants with an insatiable greed for wealth. | |||
| Kappa | Common Kappa, Kappa-ti and Vampiric Kappa | |||
| Korobokuru | Common Korobokuru and Ishikorobokuru | Dwarf-like race. | ||
| Krakentua | Kraken-headed humanoids that wielded weapons in their tentacles. Reviewer Michael Mullen described the krakentua as "a really nasty new monster" in its first appearance in Night of the Seven Swords.[143] | |||
| Kuei | Ghosts of those killed before fulfilling a goal or purpose, similar to a revenant. | |||
| Memedi | Gendruwo and Common Memedi | Incorporeal spirits. | ||
| Men | Wako (sea pirate) and Frost Barbarians | |||
| Men-shen | ||||
| Nat | Einsaung Nat, Hkum Yeng Nat and Lu Nat | Malicious, brightly colored fey. | ||
| Ningyo | ||||
| Oni | Common Oni, Go-zu-oni and Me-zu-oni | |||
| P'oh | Gohei P'oh | Small bronze humanoids capable of causing harm with their touch. | ||
| Shan Sao | Short humanoids that live in bamboo huts and can summon tigers. | |||
| Shirokinukatsukami | ||||
| Spirit, Nature | Least, Lesser and Greater | |||
| Spirit, Stone | Small, Medium and Large | |||
| Spirit Folk | Bamboo, River and Sea Spirit Folk | |||
| Tako | Monstrous Manual (1993) | Male and Female | A race of sentient, intelligent octopus. The name comes from the Japanese word for octopus. | |
| Tengu | Crow and Humanoid Tengu | |||
| Wang-Liang | ||||
| Yuan-ti, Histachii | Monstrous Manual (1993) | |||
| Yuki-on-na | ||||
TSR 2109 – MC7 – Monstrous Compendium – Spelljammer Appendix (1990)
| TSR 2109 – MC7 – Monstrous Compendium – Spelljammer Appendix (1990) – ISBN 0-88038-871-4 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
This appendix to the Monstrous Compendium series was designed for use with the Spelljammer campaign setting for the second edition of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons game. The pack consisted of 64 5-hole punched loose-leaf pages, unnumbered, providing the descriptions of the fictional monsters. Also included were 4 full-page illustrations on heavier card stock. | ||||
| Creature | Other appearances | Variants | Description | |
| Aartuk | ||||
| Albari | ||||
| Ancient Mariner | ||||
| Argos | Monstrous Manual (1993) | |||
| Astereater | Monstrous Manual (1993) (under Beholder; reference only) | |||
| Beholder-kin | Monstrous Manual (1993) | Director, Examiner, Overseer, Lensman and Watcher | Reviewer Alex Lucard counted the beholder-kin among the "cool monsters" in MC7.[144] | |
| Blazozoid | ||||
| Chattur | Monstrous Manual (1993) (as Mammal) | |||
| Clockwork Horror | 1993 Trading Card No. 222, Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Four (1998), Monster Manual II (2002) (Adamantine, Electrum, Gold, Platinum), Dragon No. 350 "The Ecology of the Clockwork Horror" (2006) (Copper) | Copper, Silver, Electrum, Gold, Platinum and Adamantite | ||
| Colossus | ||||
| Delphinid | ||||
| Dizantar | ||||
| Esthetic | ||||
| Focoid | ||||
| Fractine | ||||
| Giant, Spacesea | ||||
| Golem, Furnace | Reviewer Alex Lucard considered the furnace golem one of the "cool monsters" in MC7.[144] | |||
| Golem, Radiant | ||||
| Gravislayer | ||||
| Grommam | ||||
| Hadozee | Critically described by Aaron Trammell as "a simian race of humanoids reminiscent of old minstrel shows", subject of criticism when translated into 5th edition.[74][145] | |||
| Hamster, Giant Space | Subterranean, Sabre-Toothed, Rather Wild, Invisible, Sylvan, Jungle, Miniature, Armor-Plated, Yellow Musk, Ethereal, Carnivorous Flying, Two-Headed Lernaean Bombardier, Fire-Breathing Phase Doppelganger, Great Horned, Abominable, Tyrannohamsterus Rex, and Giant Space Hamster of Ill-Omen | Reviewer Alex Lucard considered the various giant space hamsters "the most infamous race of creatures TSR ever put out" and "enough to make the curious pick this [the Spelljammer Monstrous Compendium MC7] up". He found the concept of a tyrannohamsterus rex laughable – until one had to fight one.[144] | ||
| Jammer Leech | ||||
| Lakshu | ||||
| Lumineaux | ||||
| Lutum (Mud-Woman) | ||||
| Mimic, Space | ||||
| Misi | ||||
| Moon, Rogue | ||||
| Mortiss | ||||
| Murderoid | ||||
| Nay-Churr | ||||
| Phlog-Crawler | ||||
| Pirate of Gith | Monstrous Manual (1993) (as Gith, Pirate) | |||
| Plasman | ||||
| Plasmoid, General | ||||
| Plasmoid, DeGleash | ||||
| Plasmoid, DelNoric | ||||
| Plasmoid, Ontalak | ||||
| Puffer | ||||
| Q'nidar | ||||
| Rastipede | Reviewer Alex Lucard liked the rastipede and considered it awesome that it later became a player character race.[144] | |||
| Reigar | ||||
| Rock Hopper | ||||
| Slinker | ||||
| Spider, Asteroid | ||||
| Spiritjam | ||||
| Survivor | ||||
| Syllix | ||||
| Symbiont | ||||
| Vine, Infinity | Reviewer Alex Lucard considered the infinity vine one of the "cool monsters" in MC7.[144] | |||
| Wiggle (Hurwaet) | Hurwaet, Swamp Wiggle, Salt Wiggle | |||
| Wizshade | Volo's Guide to All Things Magical (1996), Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Four (1998) | |||
| Wryback | ||||
| Zard | ||||
| Zodar | The zodar appeared on the 2018 Screen Rant top list at No. 13 on " Dungeons & Dragons: The 20 Most Powerful Creatures, Ranked", and Scott Baird highlighted that "One of the most mysterious and powerful creatures in the Spelljammer universe are the Zodar, who resemble giant suits of armor. In their Advanced Dungeons & Dragons appearance, they had the maximum Strength score that was allowed in the game and they were immune to almost all forms of damage."[122] | |||
TSR 2118 – MC8 – Monstrous Compendium – Outer Planes Appendix (1991)
| TSR 2118 – MC8 – Monstrous Compendium – Outer Planes Appendix (1991) – ISBN 1-56076-055-9 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| This appendix to the Monstrous Compendium series for the second edition of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons game added additional creatures from the Outer Planes. The pack consisted of 96 double-sided, 5-hole-punched loose-leaf pages, unnumbered, providing the descriptions of the fictional monsters, as well as a 2-page "How to use this book" section, and a 4-page section providing background information on the Outer Planes. | ||||
| Creature | Other appearances | Variants | Description | |
| Aasimon | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994) | Celestials from the Outer Planes, "charming creatures protecting the universe against evil".[146] | ||
| Aasimon, Agathinon | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994) | |||
| Aasimon, Deva | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994) | Astral, Monadic and Movanic | ||
| Aasimon, Light | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994) | |||
| Aasimon, Planetar | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994) | |||
| Aasimon, Solar | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994) | Very powerful winged angelic humanoids. Backstab reviewer Michaël Croitoriu thought them truly interesting for powergamers when made available as player characters.[46] | ||
| Air Sentinel | ||||
| Animal Lord | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994) | Cat Lord, Wolf Lord and Hawk Lord | ||
| Archon | Planes of Law (1995) | Lantern, Hound, Warden, Sword and Tome | ||
| Baatezu | Monstrous Manual (1993), Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994) | Don Turnbull considered the devils the most prominent among the new monsters introduced in the Monster Manual: "they are all pretty strong and compare not unfavourably in this respect with the Demons we already know".[80] Renamed from devils in response to moral panic.[14]: 83–84 [21] Many were based on figures from Christian demonology.[147] | ||
| Baatezu – Lemure | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994) | Among lowest of fiends, these "living piles of rotting flesh that look like puddles of pink skin" are one initial incarnation of evil souls when arriving at the lower planes. Screen Rant reviewer Scott Baird ranked them among the weakest monsters in the game.[57] | ||
| Baatezu, Greater – Amnizu | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994) | |||
| Baatezu, Greater – Cornugon | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994) | |||
| Baatezu, Greater – Gelugon | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994) | |||
| Baatezu, Greater – Pit Fiend | Monstrous Manual (1993), Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994) | |||
| Baatezu, Least – Nupperibo | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994) | |||
| Baatezu, Least – Spinagon | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994) | |||
| Baatezu, Lesser – Abishai | Monstrous Manual (1993), Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994) | Black, Green and Red | ||
| Baatezu, Lesser – Barbazu | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994) | |||
| Baatezu, Lesser – Erinyes | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994) | Based on the figures from Greek mythology.[3] | ||
| Baatezu, Lesser – Hamatula | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994) | |||
| Baatezu, Lesser – Osyluth | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994) | |||
| Balaena | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix II (1995) | |||
| Bariaur | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994) | Centaur-like creature, a player character race in the Planescape setting, where reviewer Johnny L. Wilson found they fill a similar niche than dwarves. They are "fierce fighters and congenial sojourners - as long as you don't serve meat or befriend any giants".[148] | ||
| Bebilith | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994) | |||
| Bodak | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994) | |||
| Celestial Lammasu | ||||
| Dragon, Adamantite | ||||
| Einheriar | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994) | Based on the "Einheriar" of Norse mythology but expanded from their cultural background to mean "any humanoid spirit employed by the powers or deities of the outer planes as servants, warriors, patrollers or guards", not only by the fictionalized version of the Norse pantheon; thus an example how "game authors and designers transform and adapt references from various sources, not hesitating to articulate or even merge them into new forms."[75] | ||
| Gehreleth | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994) | Farastu, Kelubar and Shator | ||
| Githyanki | Monstrous Manual (1993), Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994) | Xenophobic humanoids[26]: 20–21 with gaunt stature, leathery yellow skin and fangs. Inhabitants of the Astral Plane, and ancient enemies of the githzerai, githyanki are considered to "boast some excellent twists" as non-player characters, but "little more than dextrous, not to mention ugly, egg layers" as PCs by reviewer Trenton Webb[149][148] Introduced by Charles Stross[147][14]: 38 in White Dwarf No. 12, and officially included in the game in Fiend Folio (1981) and featured on its cover.[5]: 127–129 The name was borrowed the name from a fictional race in George R. R. Martin's Dying of the Light. The githyanki/illithid relationship was inspired by Larry Niven's World of Ptavvs.[150][138] The githyanki were voted among the top ten best monsters from that White Dwarf's "Fiend Factory" column.[125] Shannon Applecline considered the githyanki one of the game's especially notable monsters.[14]: 38 Scott Baird of the website TheGamer commented on the nature of the relationship of the githyanki to the mind flayers: "Despite their wicked reputation, the Githyanki have an important role to play in protecting the Prime Material Plane. The Githyanki despise Mind Flayers and their armies might be the only thing holding them back. The trailer for Baldur's Gate 3 shows just how scary a single Mind Flayer ship can be, and that could happen a thousand times over if the Githyanki aren't around."[151] | ||
| Githzerai | Monstrous Manual (1993), Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994) | Zerth, Rrakkma band | Designed by Charles Stross,[147][14]: 38 these humanoids are the ancient and fervent enemies of mind flayers and githyanki, based on the plane of Limbo. A playable species in the Planescape campaign setting, reviewer Johnny L. Wilson found them a new take on the niche usually occupied by elves.[148][152] Shannon Applecline considered the githzerai one of the game's especially notable monsters.[14]: 38 | |
| Hordling | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994) | |||
| Larva | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994) | Evil mortal transformed into comparatively harmless larva-like creature by a night hag and used as a currency on the lower planes.[56][26]: 69 | ||
| Maelephant | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994) | |||
| Marut | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994) | |||
| Mediator | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994) | |||
| Moon Dog | Monstrous Manual (1993) (as Dog, Moon), Monster Manual II (1983) | Also called black hound or night crawler | ||
| Mortai | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix II (1995) | |||
| Night Hag | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994) (as Nighthag) | Powerful hag from Hades, propagating evil by creating larvae.[56] Don Turnbull referred to the night hag as "splendid" and notes that the illustration of the night hag is the best drawing in the book.[80] It has been described as comparable to the Alp of folklore, although "considered a more Judeo-Christian demonic influence".[52]: 33 | ||
| Nightmare | Monstrous Manual (1993), Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994) | |||
| Noctral | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix II (1995) | |||
| Per | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994) | |||
| Phoenix | Monstrous Manual (1993) | |||
| Slaad | Monstrous Manual (1993) (Gray and Death by reference only), Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994) | Red, Blue, Green, Gray and Death | Ed Greenwood considered the slaadi "worthy additions to any campaign".[139] GameSpy author Allan Rausch described the slaadi as "remorseless reptilian killing machines", but "For many years, slaad were a joke -- because of their artwork", which showed them as "six-foot tall carnivorous frogs". With the Planescape setting they "were reinterpreted artistically to be less frog-like and much more fearsome".[17] Shannon Applecline considered the slaad one of the game's especially notable monsters.[14]: 38 | |
| Tanar'ri | Monstrous Manual (1993), Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994) | Renamed from demons in response to moral panic,[14]: 83–84 [21] many were based on figures from Christian demonology.[147] Considered among the "standard repertoire of "Monsters"" by Fabian Perlini-Pfister.[3] In a review of Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix II for Arcane magazine, the reviewer cites the culture of the tanar'ri as helping "give the Planes a solid base of peoples".[153] | ||
| Tanar'ri, Greater – Babau | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994) | |||
| Tanar'ri, Greater – Chasme | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994) | |||
| Tanar'ri, Greater – Nabassu | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994) | |||
| Tanar'ri, Guardian – Molydeus | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994) | |||
| Tanar'ri, Least – Dretch | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994) | |||
| Tanar'ri, Least – Manes | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994) | |||
| Tanar'ri, Least – Rutterkin | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994) | |||
| Tanar'ri, Lesser – Alu-Fiend | Monster Manual II (1983, as alu-demon), Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994) | |||
| Tanar'ri, Lesser – Bar-Lgura | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994) | |||
| Tanar'ri, Lesser – Cambion | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994) | |||
| Tanar'ri, Lesser – Succubus | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994) | Typical example of a demon, belonging to the "standard repertoire of "Monsters""[3] and one of those contributing to the moral panic;[23]: 106 [14]: 83–84 also an instance of the sexist tropes the game draws on which presented female sexuality as inherently dangerous.[26]: 17, 94 Rob Bricken of io9 identified the succubus as one of "The 12 Most Obnoxious Dungeons & Dragons Monsters".[87] | ||
| Tanar'ri, True – Balor | Monstrous Manual (1993), Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994) | Featuring a highly-muscled man-like body and bat wings, whip and jagged sword,[5]: 53 it is based on and renamed from the Balrog from J.R.R. Tolkien's legendarium due to copyright reasons,[1][5]: 71 also called type VI demon.[73]: 271 | ||
| Tanar'ri, True – Glabrezu | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994) | Has a composite appearance, broad and strong-looking, with a head like a goat-horned dog, pincers instead of hands, and human arms protruding from its chest.[5]: 53 Called type III demon in earlier editions. | ||
| Tanar'ri, True – Hezrou | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994) | Looks like a gross toad with human arms in place of forelegs.[5]: 53 Called type II demon in earlier editions | ||
| Tanar'ri, True – Marilith | Monstrous Manual (1993), Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994) | Called type V demon in earlier editions | ||
| Tanar'ri, True – Nalfeshnee | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994) | Combines features of ape and boar.[5]: 53 Called type IV demon in earlier editions | ||
| Tanar'ri, True – Vrock | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994) | Resembles a cross between human and vulture.[5]: 53 Called type I demon in earlier editions. | ||
| Titan | Monstrous Manual (1993) | Based on the powerful beings from Greek mythology.[3] Ranked among the strongest creatures in the game by Scott Baird from Screen Rant, as they "stand above giants and possess even more power in terms of their physical and magical capabilities".[57] Backstab reviewer Michaël Croitoriu thought them truly interesting for powergamers when made available as player characters.[46] | ||
| Translator | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994) (under Mediator) | |||
| T'uen-rin | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix II (1995) | |||
| Vaporighu | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix II (1995) | |||
| Warden Beast | Planes of Conflict (1995) | |||
| Yugoloth | Monstrous Manual (1993) (as Yugoloth, Guardian), Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994) | "fiend for hire native to the plane of Gehenna"[23]: 213 | ||
| Yugoloth, Greater – Arcanaloth | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994) | |||
| Yugoloth, Greater – Nycaloth | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994) | |||
| Yugoloth, Greater – Ultroloth | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994) | |||
| Yugoloth, Lesser – Dergholoth | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994) | |||
| Yugoloth, Lesser – Hydroloth | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994) | |||
| Yugoloth, Lesser – Mezzoloth | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994) | |||
| Yugoloth, Lesser – Piscoloth | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994) | |||
| Yugoloth, Lesser – Yagnoloth | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994) | |||
| Zoveri | Planes of Law (1995) | |||
TSR 2119 – MC9 – Monstrous Compendium – Spelljammer Appendix (1991)
| TSR 2119 – MC9 – Monstrous Compendium – Spelljammer Appendix (1991) – ISBN 1-56076-071-0 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| This appendix to the Monstrous Compendium series was designed for use with the Spelljammer campaign setting for the second edition of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons game. The pack consisted of 64 5-hole punched loose-leaf pages, unnumbered, providing the descriptions of the fictional monsters, and a single-page index of the creatures in the Spelljammer campaign setting (including sources). | ||||
| Creature | Other appearances | Variants | Description | |
| Alchemy Plant | ||||
| Allura | ||||
| Aperusa | ||||
| Autognome | ||||
| Bionoid | ||||
| Bloodsac | ||||
| Buzzjewel | ||||
| Constellate | ||||
| Contemplator | ||||
| Dohwar | ||||
| Dragon, Moon | ||||
| Dragon, Sun | ||||
| Dragon, Stellar | ||||
| Dreamslayer | ||||
| Dweomerborn | ||||
| Fal | ||||
| Feesu | ||||
| Firebird | ||||
| Firelich | ||||
| Flowfiend | ||||
| Gadabout | ||||
| Gammaroid | ||||
| Gonn | ||||
| Gossamer | ||||
| Grav | ||||
| Great Dreamer | ||||
| Greatswan | ||||
| Grell, Colonial | Monstrous Compendium – Greyhawk Appendix (1990) (Soldier/Worker), Monstrous Manual (1993) (as Grell) | Soldier/Worker, philosopher, Patriarch | "terrifying beaked, tentacled monsters that populate the realm of Underdark".[59] Tyler Linn of Cracked.com listed the grell among the "15 Most Idiotic Monsters In Dungeons & Dragons History" and found that it's movement by floating contributed to it looking ridiculous.[61] | |
| Gullion | ||||
| Insectare | ||||
| Lhee | Common, Lesser, Greater | |||
| Mercurial Slime | ||||
| Meteorspawn | ||||
| Monitor | ||||
| Owl, Space | ||||
| Pristatic | ||||
| Scro | ||||
| Selkie, Star | ||||
| Silatic | Platinum, Gold, Iron | |||
| Skullbird | ||||
| Sleek | Monstrous Manual (1993) (as Mammal) | |||
| Sluk | ||||
| Space Swine | ||||
| Spirit Warrior | Spirit Warrior, Zwarth | |||
| Sphinx, Astro | ||||
| Starfly Plant | ||||
| Stargazer | ||||
| Undead, Stellar | ||||
| Witchlight Marauders | Primary, Secondary, Tertiary, Space and Remote | |||
| Xixchil | Monstrous Manual (1993) (as Thri-Kreen variant) | Intelligent insectoid creatures, xixchil are a variant of thri-kreen for the Spelljammer setting. "They are spacefarers and innovaters and masterful surgeons" willing to "upgrade" individuals by modification of body-parts. For J.R. Zambrano they have a cyberpunk feel to them: "So, cybernetically augmented insectmen. In space."[130] | ||
| Yitsan | ||||
| Zurchin | ||||
TSR 2122 – MC10 – Monstrous Compendium – Ravenloft Appendix (1991)
| TSR 2122 – MC10 – Monstrous Compendium – Ravenloft Appendix (1991) – ISBN 1-56076-108-3 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| This appendix to the Monstrous Compendium series was designed for use with the Ravenloft campaign setting for the second edition of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons game. The pack consisted of 32 5-hole punched loose-leaf pages, unnumbered, and included a 1-page "How To Use This Book" section, a 1-page set of tables for Ravenloft random encounters, and a 2-page section on developing and describing encounters to fit the Ravenloft genre, with the remainder of the set consisting of the descriptions of the fictional monsters. Also included were 4 full-page illustrations on heavier card stock. The contents were republished in 1996 in paperback format within the Ravenloft Monstrous Compendium Appendices I & II. Luis Javier Flores Arvizu named the continuous presence of supernatural beings as one of the factors that made Ravenloft a very well received role-playing game setting during the 33 years of its existence.[35] | ||||
| Creature | Other appearances | Variants | Description | |
| Bastellus | Also called a nightmare or a dream stalker, but not identical to either of the other creatures with those names. | |||
| Bat, Ravenloft | Sentinel and Skeletal Bat | |||
| Bowlyn | ||||
| Broken Ones | Monstrous Manual (1993) | Common and Greater | ||
| Bussengeist | ||||
| Darkling | ||||
| Doom Guard | ||||
| Doppelganger Plant | Doppelganger Plant and Podling | |||
| Elemental, Ravenloft | Blood, Grave, Mist and Pyre | |||
| Ermordenung | ||||
| Ghoul Lord | ||||
| Goblyn | ||||
| Golem, Ravenloft | Monstrous Manual (1993) | Bone, Doll, Gargoyle, Glass, Mechanical and Zombie | ||
| Grim Reaper | ||||
| Imp, Assassin | ||||
| Impersonator | ||||
| Lycanthrope, Werebat | Monstrous Manual (1993) | |||
| Lycanthrope, Wereraven | Monstrous Manual (1993) | |||
| Men (Abber Nomads) | The Nightmare Lands | |||
| Men (Lost Ones, Madmen) | Lost Ones and Madmen | |||
| Mist Horror | Common, Wandering and Pseudo | |||
| Mummy, Greater | Monstrous Manual (1993) | Mummy with additional priestly powers. Based on the creature from Gothic fiction, a typical denizen of the Ravenloft setting.[35] | ||
| Quevari | ||||
| Quickwood (Spy Tree) | ||||
| Ravenkin | ||||
| Reaver | ||||
| Scarecrow | ||||
| Shadow Fiend | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix | |||
| Skeleton, Giant | Monstrous Manual (1993) | |||
| Strahd's Skeletal Steeds | ||||
| Treant, Evil | ||||
| Treant, Undead | ||||
| Valpurgeist | ||||
| Vampire, General Information | Powerful and subtle undead sustained by drinking blood or draining life force. Inspired by Bram Stoker, as well as Gothic fiction more generally, a typical monster for the horror-setting of Ravenloft.[2][35] | |||
| -- Vampire, Dwarf | ||||
| -- Vampire, Elf | ||||
| -- Vampire, Gnome | ||||
| -- Vampire, Halfling | ||||
| -- Vampire, Kender | ||||
| Vampyre | ||||
| Widow, Red | ||||
| Wolfwere, Greater | ||||
| Zombie Lord | Monstrous Manual (1993) | |||
TSR 2125 – MC11 – Monstrous Compendium – Forgotten Realms Appendix II (1991)
| TSR 2125 – MC11 – Monstrous Compendium – Forgotten Realms Appendix II (1991) – ISBN 1-56076-111-3 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| This appendix to the Monstrous Compendium series was designed for use with the Forgotten Realms campaign setting for the second edition of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons game. The pack consisted of 32 5-hole punched unnumbered loose-leaf pages, and 4 full-page illustrations on heavier card stock. It included a single-page table of contents but did not incorporate the usual "How to Use this Book" section or random encounter charts. Page numbers below are taken from the table of contents. | ||||
| Creature | Other appearances | Variants | Description | |
| Alaghi | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three (1996) | Normal, Sedentary and Hermetic | ||
| Alguduir | ||||
| Avian | Monstrous Manual (1993) | Flightless, Boobrie and Eblis | ||
| Bat, Deep | Dragon No. 90 (1984), D&D Master Rules (1985) (Werebat), Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix (1991) (Werebat), Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia (1991) (Werebat), Drow of the Underdark (1991), 1991 Trading Cards Set No. 383 (Werebat), Night Howlers (1992) (Werebat), Monstrous Manual (1993), Ravenloft Monstrous Compendium Appendices I & II (1996) (Werebat), Monsters of Faerûn (2001) (Night Hunter, Sinister) | Azmyth, Night Hunter, Sinister and Werebat | ||
| Beguiler | ||||
| Cantobele | ||||
| Cat | Monstrous Manual (1993) (Domestic, Wild, Elven) | Domestic, Wild, Elven, Luck Eater and Change Cat | ||
| Chitine | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994), Dragon No. 223 "The Ecology of the Chitine" (1995), Monsters of Faerûn (2001), Underdark (2003), D&D Miniatures: Dragoneye set #47 (2004) | |||
| Cildabrin | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three (1996) | |||
| Dimensional Warper | ||||
| Dragon, Deep | Drow of the Underdark (1991), Monstrous Manual (1993), Monsters of Faerûn (2001), D&D Miniatures: Underdark set #52 (2005), Drow of the Underdark (2007), Draconomicon (2008) (as "Purple Dragon") | |||
| Elf, Aquatic | Monstrous Manual (1993) | Malenti | Malenti are actually sahuaghin but through a mutation "born with the appearance of a Sea-Elf", their "ancient enemies"; while despised by their kin, they are "raised by the clan's leadership to serve as spies inside Sea-Elf society."[154] | |
| Fachan | Savage Coast Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1996) | |||
| Feyr | Monstrous Manual (1993) | Normal and Great | ||
| Firetail | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three (1996) | Lesser and Tshala | ||
| Frost | ||||
| Gaund | Frost Gaund | |||
| Giant, Mountain | Monstrous Manual (1993) | |||
| Gloomwing | Monstrous Manual (1993) | |||
| Golden Ammonite | Dragon No. 48 (1981), Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Four (1998) | |||
| Golem, Lightning | ||||
| Hamadryad | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three (1996) | |||
| Harrier | Harrier and Larvae | |||
| Harrla | ||||
| Haun | ||||
| Haundar | ||||
| Hendar | ||||
| Inquisitor | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Four (1998), Dragon No. 352 (2007) | |||
| Lhiannan Shee | ||||
| Loxo | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994), Monster Manual II (2002), Savage Species (2003), Shining South (2004) | |||
| Manni | Dragon No. 163 (1990) | |||
| Mara ("Great Walker") | ||||
| Morin | Dragon No. 163 (1990) | |||
| Naga, Dark | Dragon No. 89 (1984), Anauroch (1991), Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting (1993), Monstrous Manual (1993), Dragon No. 261 "The Ecology of the Dark Naga: Fool Me Twice" (1999), Monster Manual (2000, 2003), D&D Miniatures: Underdark set #33 (2005), Monster Manual (2008) | |||
| Orpsu | Anauroch (1991) | |||
| Peryton | Monstrous Manual (1993) | |||
| Phantom | Monstrous Manual (1993) | Inspired by Gothic fiction, a typical denizen of the Ravenloft setting.[35] | ||
| Plant, Carnivorous | Monstrous Manual (1993) (Retch Plant, Snapper-Saw, Thornslinger) | Retch Plant, Snapper-Saw, Thornslinger, Viper Vine, Whip-Weed, Wither-Weed and Black Willow | Author and gardener Charles Elliott considered D&D's plant species numerous but "not-very-ingenious".[116] | |
| Ringworm | ||||
| Rohch | Wood, Killer, Swamp and Dark | |||
| Sand Cat | Dragon No. 163 (1990) | |||
| Saurial | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three (1996) | Finhead, Bladeback, Flyer and Hornhead | ||
| Sha'az | ||||
| Silver Dog | ||||
| Simpathetic | ||||
| Skuz | ||||
| Spider, Monkey | ||||
| Tempest | Monstrous Manual (1993) (under Elemental, Composite) | |||
| Tlincalli | Monstrous Manual (1993) (as Manscorpion) | |||
| Tren | ||||
TSR 2405 – MC12 – Monstrous Compendium – Dark Sun Appendix: Terrors of the Desert (1992)
| TSR 2405 – MC12 – Monstrous Compendium – Dark Sun Appendix: Terrors of the Desert (1992) – ISBN 1-56076-272-1 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| This appendix to the Monstrous Compendium series was designed for use with the Dark Sun campaign setting for the second edition of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons game. The pack consisted of 96 5-hole punched loose-leaf pages, unnumbered, and included a 4-page "How To Use This Book" section with random encounter charts, with the remainder consisting of the descriptions of the fictional monsters. Also included were 4 full-page illustrations on heavier card stock. | ||||
| Creature | Other appearances | Variants | Description | |
| Animal, Household | Hurrum, critic, Renk and Ock'n | |||
| Animal, Herd | Kip, Z'tal and Jankz | |||
| Antloid, Desert | Dynamis, soldier, Queen and Worker | |||
| B'rohg | ||||
| Banshee, Dwarf | ||||
| Beetle, Agony | ||||
| Bog Wader | ||||
| Brambleweed | Brambleweed and Bramble Tree | |||
| Burnflower | ||||
| Cat, Psionic | Tagster and Tigone | |||
| Cha'thrang | ||||
| Cistern Fiend | ||||
| Cloud Ray | ||||
| Drake, Athasian – General Information | ||||
| -- Drake, Air | ||||
| -- Drake, Earth | ||||
| -- Drake, Fire | ||||
| -- Drake, Water | ||||
| Dune Runner | ||||
| Dune Trapper | ||||
| Elemental, Athasian – General Information | ||||
| -- Elemental, Greater Air | ||||
| -- Elemental, Greater Earth | ||||
| -- Elemental, Greater Fire | ||||
| -- Elemental, Greater Water | ||||
| -- Elemental, Lesser Air/Earth | Leasser Air and Lesser Earth Elemental | |||
| -- Elemental, Lesser Fire/Water | Lesser Fire and Lesser Water Elemental | |||
| Erdland | ||||
| Esperweed | ||||
| Flailer | ||||
| Floater | ||||
| Giant, Athasian | Dark Sun Campaign Setting (1995) | Desert, Plains and Beasthead Giant | Desert: 25ft-tall giant living on desert islands; 25ft-tall giant raising herds on islands with scrub plains terrain; beasthead: 20ft-tall hostile giant with an animal head | |
| Golem, Athasian – General Information | ||||
| -- Golem, Ash/Chitin | Ash and Chitin Golem | |||
| -- Golem, Obsidian/Rock | Obsidian and Rock Golem | |||
| -- Golem, Sand/Wood | Sand and Wood Golem | |||
| Halfling, Renegade | ||||
| Hej-kin | ||||
| Id Fiend | ||||
| Insect Swarm, Athasian | Locusts and Mini-kanks | |||
| Kank, Wild | ||||
| Kirre | Monstrous Manual (1993) | |||
| Megapede | ||||
| Mul, Wild | Human-dwarf descended sterile warriors.[128] | |||
| Nightmare Beast | ||||
| Plant, Carnivorous | Blossomkiller, Dew Fronds, Poisonweed and Strangling Vines | Author and gardener Charles Elliott considered D&D's plant species numerous but "not-very-ingenious".[116] | ||
| Pterran | ||||
| Pterrax | ||||
| Pulp Bee | ||||
| Pyreen (Peace-bringers) | ||||
| Rasclinn | ||||
| Razorwing | ||||
| Roc, Athasian | ||||
| Sand Bride | Sand Bride and Sand Mother | |||
| Sand Cactus | ||||
| Sand Vortex | ||||
| Scrab | ||||
| Silt Horror | White, Brown and Gray Horror | |||
| Silt Runner | ||||
| Sink Worm | ||||
| Sloth, Athasian | ||||
| So-ut (Rampager) | ||||
| Spider Cactus | ||||
| Spider, Crystal | ||||
| Spirit of the Land | Air, Earth, Fire and Water Spirits | |||
| T'Chowb | ||||
| Thrax | ||||
| Tohr-kreen (Mantis Noble) | Monstrous Manual (1993) (under Thri-kreen) | "The tohr-kreen are larger, more cultured, civilized version of the thri-kreen", they are also "more intelligent and deadly" and "have a taste for the finer things in live". They "make excellent allies".[130] | ||
| Villichi | ||||
| Zhackal | ||||
| Zombie Plant | ||||
TSR 2129 – MC13 – Monstrous Compendium – Al-Qadim Appendix (1992)
| TSR 2129 – MC13 – Monstrous Compendium – Al-Qadim Appendix (1992) – ISBN 1-56076-370-1 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| This appendix to the Monstrous Compendium series was designed for use with the Arabian Nights-themed Al-Qadim campaign setting for the second edition of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons game. The pack consisted of 64 5-hole punched loose-leaf pages, unnumbered, and included a "How To Use This Book" page with an alphabetical index, a one-page index of appropriate monsters for the Al-Qadim setting from other books of the Monstrous Compendium-series, 2 pages of random encounter charts, and a sheet with the compiled game statistics, with the remainder consisting of the descriptions of the fictional monsters. Also included were 4 full-page illustrations on heavier card stock. | ||||
| Creature | Other appearances | Variants | Description | |
| Ammut | ||||
| Ashira | ||||
| Asuras | Planescape – Planes of Conflict (1995) | |||
| Black Cloud of Vengeance | ||||
| Buraq | Planescape – Planes of Conflict (1995) | |||
| Camel | Monstrous Manual (1993) (under Mammal, herd) | Desert, Mountain, Racing and War camel | ||
| Camel of the Pearl | ||||
| Centaur, Desert | ||||
| Copper Automaton | ||||
| Debbi | ||||
| Elephant Bird | ||||
| Gen | Air, Fire, Sand and Water Gen | |||
| Genie, Noble Dao | ||||
| Genie, Noble Djinni | ||||
| Genie, Noble Efreeti | Al-Qadim – Caravans (1994) | |||
| Genie, Noble Marid | ||||
| Genie, Tasked | ||||
| -- Genie, Tasked, Architect/Builder | ||||
| -- Genie, Tasked, artist | ||||
| -- Genie, Tasked, Guardian | ||||
| -- Genie, Tasked, Herdsman | ||||
| -- Genie, Tasked, Slayer | ||||
| -- Genie, Tasked, Warmonger | ||||
| -- Genie, Tasked, Winemaker | ||||
| Ghost Mount | ||||
| Ghul, Great | Al-Qadim – Caravans (1994), Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two (1995) | |||
| Giants, Zakharan | ||||
| -- Giant, Desert | ||||
| -- Giant, Jungle | ||||
| -- Giant, Reef | ||||
| Hama | ||||
| Heway | Monstrous Manual (1993) (under Snake) | |||
| Living Idol | Animal, Death, Elemental and Healing Living Idol | |||
| Lycanthrope, Werehyena | ||||
| Lycanthrope, Werelion | ||||
| Markeen | ||||
| Maskhi | ||||
| Mason-Wasp, Giant | ||||
| Nasnas | Monster that appears like only one half (left or right) of a human; first published in White Dwarf #9 (October/November 1978), submitted by Roger Musson.[124] Already suggested to be used humorously by editor Don Turnbull then, it was voted as the worst of monsters from the magazine's "Fiend Factory" column.[125] | |||
| Pahari | ||||
| Rom | ||||
| Sabu Lords | ||||
| Sakina | ||||
| Serpent Lord | ||||
| Serpent, Winged | ||||
| Silats | Young, Adult and Matriarch | |||
| Simurgh | ||||
| Stone Maidens | ||||
| Vishap | ||||
| Zaratan | Monstrous Manual (1993) | |||
| Zin | ||||
TSR 2132 – MC14 – Monstrous Compendium – Fiend Folio Appendix (1992)
| TSR 2132 – MC14 – Monstrous Compendium – Fiend Folio Appendix (1992) – ISBN 1-56076-428-7 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
This appendix to the Monstrous Compendium series updated and reprinted creatures from the first edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Fiend Folio published in 1981. It contained 64 unnumbered loose leaf pages and 4 pages of illustrations on heavier card stock. | ||||
| Creature | Other appearances | Variants | Description | |
| Aballin | Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting (1993), Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994), Monsters of Faerûn (2001) | |||
| Achaierai | Planes of Law (1995) | CJ Miozzi included the achaierai on The Escapist's list of "The Dumbest Dungeons & Dragons Monsters Ever (And How To Use Them)".[142] | ||
| Adherer | ||||
| Algoid | Purple Algoid | |||
| Al-mi'raj | Based on Al-mi'raj "in Islamic poetry, a yellow hare with a single black horn on its head."[33] Counted among the saddest, lamest creatures in Fiend Folio by artist Sean McCarthy, a hybrid creature with physiology resulting from maladaptation rather than evil.[155] | |||
| Apparition | ||||
| Caterwaul | ||||
| Coffer Corpse | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three (1996) | |||
| Crabman | Monstrous Manual (1993) | |||
| Dark Creeper | ||||
| Dark Stalker | ||||
| Darter | ||||
| Denzelian | ||||
| Dragon, Gem | Dragons of neutral alignment.[156] Reviewer Mark Theurer remarked that "They have some interesting breath weapons".[30] | |||
| Dragon, Amethyst | Monstrous Manual (1993) | |||
| Dragon, Crystal | Monstrous Manual (1993) | |||
| Dragon, Emerald | Monstrous Manual (1993) | |||
| Dragon, Sapphire | Monstrous Manual (1993) | |||
| Dragon, Topaz | Monstrous Manual (1993) | |||
| Dune Stalker | ||||
| Falcon, Fire | ||||
| Faux Faerie | ||||
| Firedrake | Monstrous Manual (1993) (as Dragonet, Firedrake) | |||
| Flawder | ||||
| Fyrefly | Monstrous Manual (1993) (under Insect) | |||
| Gambado | Fiend Folio (1981), Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting (1993), Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994), Tome of Horrors (2002) | |||
| Garbug | Fiend Folio (1981), Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994) | Black, Violet | ||
| Giant, Fog | Monstrous Manual (1993) | |||
| Gibberling | Fiend Folio (1981), Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting (1993), Monstrous Manual (1993), Dragon No. 265 (1999), Monsters of Faerûn (2001) | Humanoid "hairy screaming monsters that attack in large groups and seek to devour everything in their path", "little more than mindless beasts". Screen Rant reviewer Scott Baird ranked them among the weakest monsters in the game, which have a scary description, but lack the stats to back up this impression.[57] | ||
| Gorbel | Monstrous Manual (1993) (under Beholder; by reference only) | |||
| Grimlock | Monstrous Manual (1993) | |||
| Hellcat | Planes of Law (1995) (as Bezekira) | |||
| Ice Lizard | ||||
| Iron Cobra | ||||
| Khargra | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix III (1998) | |||
| Mantari | ||||
| Mephit | Monstrous Manual (1993) (as Imp, Mephit), Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994) (Lava as Magma) | Fire, Ice, Lava, Mist, Smoke and Steam | First published in White Dwarf #13 (June/July 1979) under the names of fire imp, molten imp, smoke imp and steam imp, respectively (not including ice and mist mephits), originally submitted by M. Stollery.[157] These "imps" were voted among the top ten monsters from the magazine's "Fiend Factory" column in 1980.[125] | |
| Penanggalan | ||||
| Pernicon | Monstrous Manual (1993) (under Insect) | |||
| Phantom Stalker | ||||
| Quaggoth | Fiend Folio (1981), Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting (1993), Monstrous Manual (1993), Dragon No. 265 (1999), Monsters of Faerûn (2001), D&D Miniatures: War Drums set #57 (2006), Drow of the Underdark (2007) | |||
| Retriever | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix II (1995) | |||
| Ruve | ||||
| Scathe | Scathe and Larvae | |||
| Sheet Ghoul, Sheet Phantom | ||||
| Shocker | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix III (1998) | |||
| Spanner | ||||
| Stwinger | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994) (under Faerie, Petty), Savage Coast Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1996) (under Na‰ruk) | As a fairy creature considered among the "standard repertoire of "Monsters"" by Fabian Perlini-Pfister.[3] | ||
| Sussurus | ||||
| Symbiotic Jelly | ||||
| Terithran | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix III (1998) | |||
| Thunder Children | ||||
| Troll, Ice | Monstrous Manual (1993) | |||
| Tween | ||||
| Umpleby | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two (1995) | Trenton Webb, in his review of Monstrous Compendium Annual Two for British RPG magazine Arcane, called the shambling umpleby "without a shadow of a doubt" the star of the book: "Effectively a Bigfoot whose wooly hair generates shocking levels of static electricity, these hulking eccentric simpletons will test any parties patience and ability to save against cuteness." Webb also added that even without the umpleby the book "would be a necessary resource for all mainstream refs. With the shaggy-haired one, though, it rapidly approaches the essential."[158] | ||
| Urdunnir | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three (1996) (as Dwarf, Urdunnir) | |||
| Volt | First published in White Dwarf #7 (June/July 1978), originally submitted by Jonathan Jones.[140] The volt was voted among the top ten monsters from the magazine's "Fiend Factory" column in 1980.[125] | |||
| Xill | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix III (1998) | |||
| Xvart | Bald, blue-skinned humanoids with orange eyes that stand only 3 feet tall. First published in White Dwarf #9 (October/November 1978) under the name of "svart", submitted by Cricky Hitchcock and "taken from The Weirdstone of Brisingamon by Alan Garner",[124] who in turn took inspiration from the Norse myth of the svartálfar.[139] It was voted among the top ten monsters from the magazine's "Fiend Factory" column and reprinted in Best of White Dwarf Articles (1980).[125][126][127] Forgotten Realms author Ed Greenwood considered xvarts to be redundant creatures with no unique or interesting characteristics.[139] | |||
| Zygraat | ||||
TSR 2139 – MC15 – Monstrous Compendium – Ravenloft Appendix II: Children of the Night (1993)
| TSR 2139 – MC15 – Monstrous Compendium – Ravenloft Appendix II: Children of the Night (1993) – ISBN 1-56076-586-0 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| This appendix to the Monstrous Compendium series was designed for use with the Ravenloft campaign setting for the second edition of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons game. The pack consisted of 32 5-hole punched loose-leaf pages, unnumbered, and included a 2-page "How To Use This Book" section, a 1-page description of the purpose of the "Children of the Night" supplement, a 1-page set of tables for Ravenloft random encounters, and a 1-page section updating the tables for calculation of experience points awarded for defeating any given creature. The remainder of the set consisted of the descriptions of specific fictional monsters and personalities in the Ravenloft campaign setting. Also included were 4 full-page illustrations on heavier card stock. The contents were republished in 1996 in paperback format within the Ravenloft Monstrous Compendium Appendices I & II. Luis Javier Flores Arvizu named the continuous presence of supernatural beings as one of the factors that made Ravenloft a very well received role-playing game setting during the 33 years of its existence.[35] | ||||
| Creature | Other appearances | Variants | Description | |
| Brain, Living (Rudolph Von Aubrecker) | AD&D's version of a brain in a vat, a functioning and aware brain removed from its body. Tyler Linn of Cracked.com included the idea among the "15 Most Idiotic Monsters In Dungeons & Dragons History", humorously commenting: "just kick it over, who's going to know?"[61] | |||
| Ermordenung (Nostalia Romaine) | ||||
| Ghoul, Ghast (Jugo Hesketh) | ||||
| Golem, Half (Desmond LaRouce) | Inspired by Gothic fiction.[35] | |||
| Golem, Mechanical (Ahmi Vanjuko) | Inspired by Gothic fiction.[35] | |||
| Human, Cursed (Jacqueline Montarri) | Inspired by Gothic fiction, cursed creatures are a typical example for the denizens of the Ravenloft setting.[35] | |||
| Human, Madman (The Midnight Slasher) | ||||
| Human, Voodan (Chicken Bone) | ||||
| Lich, Bardic (Andres Duvall) | ||||
| Lycanthrope, Weretiger (Jahed) | ||||
| Meazel (Salizarr) | ||||
| Medusa (Althea) | ||||
| Mummy, Greater (Senmet) | ||||
| Night Hag (Styrix) | ||||
| Spectre (Jezar Wagner, The Ice Queen) | ||||
| Thrax (Palik) | ||||
| Treant, Evil (Blackroot) | ||||
| Vampire, Illithid (Athaekeetha) | ||||
| Vampire, Eastern (Mayónaka) | ||||
| Vampyre (Vladimir Ludzig) | ||||
TSR 2140 – Monstrous Manual (1993)
| TSR 2140 – Monstrous Manual (1993) – ISBN 1-56076-619-0 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Monstrous Manual was printed after the completion of the loose-leaf Monstrous Compendium series, in 1993. This book was "created in response to the many requests to gather monsters into a single, durable volume which would be convenient to carry." The Monstrous Manual compiled all of the monsters from Monstrous Compendium Volumes One and Two, as well as many creatures from subsequent volumes and other sources, and revised, updated, and in some cases condensed the entries; these are not duplicated here. The book is 384 pages. | ||||
| Creature | Other appearances | Variants | Description | |
| Beholder and beholder-kin | Wildspace (1990) (Beholder Mage) | Eye of the deep; Beholder Mage by reference only | ||
| Brain mole | ||||
| Brown dragon | ||||
| Mercury dragon | ||||
| Steel dragon | ||||
| Yellow dragon | ||||
| Dwarf | Derro | |||
| Elemental, earth kin | Pech | See Outsider | ||
| Elemental, composite | Skriaxit | |||
| Fish | Quipper | |||
| Gnome | Rock Gnome, Forest Gnome | |||
| Golem | Stone variants (caryatid column, juggernaut, and stone guardian) | Inspired by Gothic fiction, a typical denizen of the Ravenloft setting.[35] The influence of Dungeons & Dragons has led to the inclusion of golems in other tabletop role-playing as well as in video games.[51] | ||
| Insect | Assassin bug, Worker bee, Soldier bee, Bumblebee, Cave cricket, Ear seeker, Firefriend (giant firefly), Giant bluebottle fly, Giant horsefly, Gargantuan praying mantis, Giant harvester termite (king, queen, soldier, worker), Giant tick | Giant-sized versions of insects | ||
| Intellect devourer | Adult (intellect devourer) and larva (ustilagor) | SyFy Wire in 2018 called it one of "The 9 Scariest, Most Unforgettable Monsters From Dungeons & Dragons", saying that "The idea of having your brain consumed and just becoming an evil puppet is truly terrible."[110] | ||
| Ixitxachitl | An "old personal favorite" of reviewer Mark Theurer.[30] | |||
| Living wall | Book of Crypts (1991), Dragon No. 343 (May 2006) | Created by a powerful wizard, a living wall is built from living beings, which are absorbed into the surface of the wall itself, helping to enhance its collective powers. The living wall appeared on Geek.com's list of "The most underrated monsters of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons".[114] | ||
| Mammal | Cooshee, Dakon, Goat, Gorilla, Losel, Stench Kow, Giant mammals | Lawrence Schick described the stench kow as "a monstrous bison that smells real bad".[10]: 106–107 CJ Miozzi included the stench kow on The Escapist's list of "The Dumbest Dungeons & Dragons Monsters Ever (And How To Use Them)".[142] | ||
| Mold man (vegepygmy) | CJ Miozzi included the vegepygmy on The Escapist's list of "The Dumbest Dungeons & Dragons Monsters Ever (And How To Use Them)".[142] | |||
| Mudman | Vaguely humanoid creature bound to and formed from a puddle of mud. Ranked among the weakest monsters in the game by Scott Baird from Screen Rant, as it can only attack by preventing a closeby creature from running away.[57] | |||
| Ogre, half- | Half-ogre and Ogrillion | |||
| Ooze/slime/jelly | Olive Slime, Olive Slime Creature, Mustard Jelly, Stunjelly | "D&D's large variety of monstrous oozes and slimes took their original inspiration from Irvin S. Yeathworth Jr's The Blob" movie. In the artificial dungeon environment of the game, they function as a "clean up crew".[1] | ||
| Plant, intelligent | Thorny | Author and gardener Charles Elliott considered D&D's plant species numerous but "not-very-ingenious".[116] | ||
| Roper | Strategic Review #2[14]: 22 | Storoper | ||
| Shedu | Savage Coast Monstrous Compendium Appendix | Lesser and Greater | Lawful good winged equine with human-like head. Based on a creature from Mesopotamian mythology.[3] | |
| Snake | Amphisbaena, Boalisk | |||
| Snake, winged | ||||
| Spider | Gargantuan | |||
| Su-monster | ||||
| Swanmay | Bird Maiden | |||
| Thought-eater | ||||
| Troll | Desert, Spectral (Troll Wraith), Giant, and Spirit Troll | Tall gaunt humanoids with powerful regenerative ability. A characteristic denizen of AD&D worlds.[2] | ||
| Worm | Mottled Worm, Thunderherder, Giant Bloodworm | |||
| Xorn | Xaren | |||
| Yugoloth, guardian | Least, Lesser and Greater | |||
TSR 2602 – Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994)
| TSR 2602 – Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994) – ISBN 1-56076-862-2 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| This appendix to the Monstrous Compendium series was designed for use with the Planescape campaign setting for the second edition of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons game. The 128-page soft-bound book contains a two pages of explanation about the various entries and a page with a list of monsters from this and other sources by plane, with the remainder consisting of the descriptions of the fictional monsters. Many of them were republished from Monstrous Compendium – Outer Planes Appendix and other sources and are not repeated here. | ||||
| Creature | Other appearances | Variants | Description | |
| Animal Lord | Lizard Lord | |||
| Baku | ||||
| Incarnates | ||||
| Mediator | Monstrous Compendium – Outer Planes Appendix (1991) (as Mediator) | Mechanus Mediator and translator | ||
| Mephit, Air/Smoke | Air | |||
| Mephit, Earth/Ooze | Earth and Ooze Mephit | |||
| Mephit, Fire/Radiant | Radiant Mephit | |||
| Mephit, Water/Ice | Water Mephit | |||
| Mephit, Dust/Salt | Dust and Salt Mephit | |||
| Mephit, Lightning/Mineral | Lightning and Mineral Mephit | |||
| Mephit, Magma/Ash | Ash Mephit | |||
| Tanar'ri, Greater – Wastrilith | ||||
| Tiefling | Descendants of a union between a human and a demon or devil; popular as player characters, as they allow for "identity tourism" of a racial outsider.[26]: 35 Johnny L. Wilson called tieflings "the paranoid, loner obverse" of halflings, who "believe that life is out to get them". In the game they are "suited to be great thieves" and "point persons" due to favourable saving throw bonuses.[148] | |||
TSR 2501 – Monstrous Compendium – Mystara Appendix (1994)
| TSR 2501 – Monstrous Compendium – Mystara Appendix (1994) – ISBN 1-56076-875-4 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| This appendix to the Monstrous Compendium series was designed for use with the Mystara campaign setting for the second edition of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons game. The 128-page soft-bound book contains a two-pages content list, a 4-pages "How To Use This Book" section and 5 pages of random encounter charts, with the remainder consisting of the descriptions of the fictional monsters. The Mystara campaign setting began as the "Known World" in the D&D Basic and Expert rules, and as a result many of the entries below originated in the D&D Basic, Expert, Companion or Masters rulebooks, and the modules associated with them. | ||||
| Creature | Other appearances | Variants | Description | |
| Actaeon | D&D Master Rules (1985), D&D Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | |||
| Agarat | D&D Expert Module X8 Drums on Fire Mountain (1984), Creature Catalogue (1986) | |||
| Ash Crawler | D&D Companion Module CM5 Mystery of the Snow Pearls (1985), Creature Catalogue (1986), Creature Catalog (1993) | |||
| Baldandar | Creature Catalogue (1986), Creature Catalog (1993) | |||
| Bargda | Creature Catalogue (1986), Creature Catalog (1993) | |||
| Bhut | D&D Expert Module X4 Master of the Desert Nomads (1985), Creature Catalogue (1986), Creature Catalog (1993), Fiend Folio (2003) | |||
| Bird | Creature Catalogue (Magpie, Piranha Bird) (1986), Creature Catalog (Magpie, Piranha Bird) (1993), D&D Expert Module B5 Horror on the Hill (Piranha Bird) (1983), D&D Expert Module X6 Quagmire! (Piranha Bird) (1984), D&D Basic Module B1-9 "In Search of Adventure" (Piranha Bird) (1987), Wrath of the Immortals (Sprackle) (1992) | Magpie (common and giant), Piranha Bird (lesser and greater), and Sprackle (lesser and greater) | ||
| Blackball | D&D Master Rules (1985), D&D Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | |||
| Brain Collector | D&D Expert Module X2 Castle Amber (1981), Creature Catalogue (1986), Creature Catalog (1993), Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Four (1998), Epic Level Handbook (2002), Dungeon No. 144 (2007) | Also known as the Neh-thalggu. | ||
| Chevall | Creature Catalogue (1986), GAZ1: Grand Duchy of Karameikos (1987), GAZ5: Elves of Alfheim (1988), PC4: Night Howlers (1992), Creature Catalog (1993) | |||
| Choker | GAZ6: Dwarves of Rockholm(1988), Creature Catalog (1993), Monster Manual (2000), Monster Manual (2003) | |||
| Coltpixy | PC1: Tall Tales of the Wee Folk (1991), Creature Catalog (1993) | |||
| Crone of Chaos | D&D Basic Module B8 Journey to the Rock (1984), Creature Catalogue (1986), D&D Expert Module B1-9 "In Search of Adventure" (1987), Creature Catalog (1993) | |||
| Darkhood | Creature Catalogue (1986), Creature Catalog (1993) | |||
| Darkwing | ||||
| Decapus | D&D Basic Module B3 Palace of the Silver Princess (1981), D&D Expert Module X9 Savage Coast (1985), Creature Catalogue (1986), D&D Expert Module B1-9 "In Search of Adventure" (1987), Creature Catalog (1993) | |||
| Deep Glaurant | GAZ8: Five Shires (1988), Creature Catalog (1993) | |||
| Diabolus | D&D Immortals Set (1986), Wrath of the Immortals (1992), Terrors from Above (1998) | |||
| Dragon, General | Powerful and intelligent, usually winged reptiles with magical abilities and breath weapon. | |||
| -- Dragon, Crystalline | D&D Master Rules (1985), D&D Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | |||
| -- Dragon, Jade | D&D Master Rules (1985), D&D Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Not to be confused with the Jade Dragon detailed in Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994). | ||
| -- Dragon, Onyx | D&D Master Rules (1985), D&D Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | |||
| -- Dragon, Ruby | D&D Master Rules (1985), D&D Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | |||
| Dragonfly | D&D Expert Module XL1 Quest for the Heartstone (1984), Creature Catalogue (1986), Creature Catalog (1993) | White, Black, Green, Blue and Red | ||
| Drake, Mystaran | Mandrake, Wooddrake, Colddrake and Elemental Drake | D&D Master Rules (1985), D&D Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Dusanu | D&D Expert Module X5 Temple of Death (1983), Creature Catalogue (1986), Creature Catalog (1993), Dragon No. 339 (2006) | |||
| Elemental of Chaos, Air/Earth | D&D Companion Rules (1984), D&D Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Eolian and Erdeen | ||
| Elemental of Chaos, Fire/Water | D&D Companion Rules (1984), D&D Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Pyrophor and Undine | ||
| Elemental of Law, Air/Earth | D&D Companion Rules (1984), D&D Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Anemo and Kryst | ||
| Elemental of Law, Fire/Water | D&D Companion Rules (1984), D&D Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Helion and Hydrax | ||
| Familiar | Creature Catalogue (1986), Creature Catalog (1993) | Aryth, Bogan, Fylgar, Gretch and Ulzaq | ||
| Frost Salamander | D&D Expert Rules (1981, 1983), D&D Rules Cyclopedia (1991), Planescape – Monstrous Compendium Appendix III (1998), Monster Manual II (2002) | Frost Salamander and Ice Crab | ||
| Fundamental, Air/Earth | D&D Expert Module X8 Drums on Fire Mountain (1984), Creature Catalogue (1986), Creature Catalog (1993), Planescape – Monstrous Compendium Appendix III (1998) | Air and Earth Fundamentals | ||
| Fundamental, Fire/Water | Expert Module X8 Drums on Fire Mountain (1984), Creature Catalogue (1986), Creature Catalog (1993), Planescape – Monstrous Compendium Appendix III (1998) | Fire and Water Fundamentals | ||
| Gargantua | D&D Companion Rules, D&D Rules Cyclopedia (1991)(carrion crawler and troll) | Gargantuan Carrion Crawler and Gargantuan Troll | ||
| Geonid | Expert Module X5 Temple of Death (1983), Creature Catalogue (1986), DA3: City of the Gods (1987), Creature Catalog (1993) | |||
| Ghostly Horde | D&D Basic Module B8 Journey to the Rock (1984), Creature Catalogue (1986), Creature Catalog (1993) | |||
| Giant, Athach | D&D Master Rules (1985), D&D Rules Cyclopedia (1991), Monster Manual (2000), Monster Manual (2003) | |||
| Giant, Hephaeston | D&D Companion Module CM6 Where Chaos Reigns (1986), Creature Catalogue (1986), Creature Catalog (1993) | |||
| Golem, Amber/Skeletal | D&D Expert Rules (as Amber and Bone Golem) (1981, 1983), D&D Rules Cyclopedia (1991), D&D Game (1991), Classic D&D Game (1994) | Amber and Skeletal Golem | ||
| Golem, Drolem | D&D Companion Rules, D&D Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | |||
| Golem, Iron Gargoyle/Mud | D&D Expert Module X2 Castle Amber (1981) (Mud Golem), D&D Companion Rules (1984) (Mud Golem), Creature Catalogue (1986) (Iron Gargoyle), D&D Rules Cyclopedia (1991)(Mud Golem), Creature Catalog (1993) (Iron Gargoyle), Monster Manual III (2004) (Mud Golem) | Iron Gargoyle and Mud Golem | ||
| Golem, Rock/Silver | Creature Catalogue (1986) (Rock, Silver Golem), Monstrous Compendium Dark Sun Appendix: Terrors of the Desert (1992), (Rock Golem) Creature Catalog (1993) (Rock, Silver Golem) | Rock and Silver Golem | ||
| Gray Philosopher | Creature Catalogue (1986), Creature Catalog (1993) | Gray Philosopher and Malice | ||
| Guardian Warrior | Creature Catalogue (1986), Creature Catalog (1993) | Guardian Warrior and Guardian Horse | ||
| Gyerian | D&D Companion Module CM5 Mystery of the Snow Pearls (1985), Creature Catalogue (1986), Creature Catalog (1993) | |||
| Herex | Creature Catalogue (1986), DA3: City of the Gods (1987), Creature Catalog (1993) | Larval and Adult Herex | ||
| Hivebrood | Creature Catalogue (1986), Creature Catalog (1993) | Broodling, soldier, Lieutenant, Mother and Controller | ||
| Horde | D&D Companion Rules (1984), D&D Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | |||
| Hsiao | D&D Master Rules (1985) | |||
| Huptzeen | Creature Catalogue (1986) | |||
| Hutaakan | Creature Catalogue (1986), Creature Catalog (1993) | Priest, Warrior and Other Hutaakan | ||
| Imp | Creature Catalogue (1986)(Wood Imp), PC1: Tall Tales of the Wee Folk (1991)(Wood Imp), Creature Catalog (1993)(Wood Imp) | Wood, Bog and Garden Imp | ||
| Jellyfish, Giant | Creature Catalogue (1986) (Marauder), Creature Catalog (1993) (Marauder) | Marauder, Death's Head and Galley | ||
| Kna | Creature Catalogue (1986), PC3: Sea Peoples (1990), Creature Catalog (1993) | |||
| Kopru | D&D Expert Module X1 Isle of Dread (1981), Creature Catalogue (1986), Creature Catalog (1993), Monster Manual II (2002) | |||
| Lizard | D&D Basic Rules (Draco, Gecko, Horned Chameleon, Tuatara), Rules Companion (1991) | Draco Lizard, Footpad (giant), Gecko (giant), Horned Chameleon, Lava Lizard, Rockhome Lizard, Tuatara (giant) and Xytar | ||
| Lizard-kin | D&D Basic Module B8 Journey to the Rock (1984) (Chamelon Man), Creature Catalogue (1986) (Chamelon Man, Gator Man, Sis'thik), DA4: Duchy of Ten (1987) (Gator Man), D&D Expert Module B1-9 "In Search of Adventure" (1987) (Chamelon Man), Creature Catalog (1993) (Chamelon Man, Gator Man, Sis'thik), Savage Coast Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1996) (Cayman) | Cayman, Chameleon Man, Gator Man and Sis'thik | ||
| Lupin | D&D Expert Module X2 Castle Amber (1982), D&D Expert Module X9 Savage Coast (1985), Creature Catalogue (1986), PC4: Night Howlers (1992), Creature Catalog (1993), Red Steel (1994), Savage Coast Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1996), Dragon No. 325 (2004) | |||
| Lycanthrope, Werejaguar | HWR1: Sons of Azca (1991), PC4: Night Howlers (1992), Creature Catalog (1993) | |||
| Lycanthrope, Wereswine | D&D Expert Rules (1981, 1983), D&D Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Called "Devil Swine" in earlier appearances | ||
| Magen | D&D Expert Module X2 Castle Amber (1981), Creature Catalogue (1986), D&D Basic Adventure B12: Queen's Harvest (1989) (Caldron only), Creature Catalog (1993) | Demos, Caldron, Galvan and Hypnos | ||
| Manikin | GAZ3: Principalities of Glantri (1987) | |||
| Mek | D&D Master Rules (1985), D&D Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | |||
| Mujina | D&D Companion Rules, D&D Expert Module X5 Temple of Death (1983), D&D Companion Rules (1984), D&D Rules Cyclopedia (1991), Rokugan Campaign Setting (2001) | |||
| Nagpa | D&D Expert Module X4 Master of the Desert Nomads (1985), Creature Catalogue (1986), PC2: Top Ballista (1989), Creature Catalog (1993) | |||
| Nightshade | D&D Master Rules (1985), D&D Rules Cyclopedia (1991), Monster Manual (2000), Monster Manual (2003) | Nightcrawler, Nightwalker and Nightwing | ||
| Nuckalavee | D&D Master Rules (1985), D&D Rules Cyclopedia (1991), Dragon No. 343 (2006) | |||
| Pegataur | Creature Catalogue (1986), Dawn of the Emperors (1989), PC2: Top Ballista (1991), M2: Vengeance of Alphaks (1991), Creature Catalog (1993), Monstrous Compendium Annual V3 (1996) | |||
| Phanaton | D&D Expert Module X1 Isle of Dread (1981), Creature Catalogue (1986), D&D Master Module M5 Talons of Night (1987), Creature Catalog (1993), Dragon No. 339 (2006) | |||
| Plant, Dangerous | D&D Basic Module B3 Palace of the Silver Princess (Archer Bush), D&D Expert Module X2 Castle Amber (1981) (Amber Lotus, Grab Grass, Vampire Rose), D&D Companion Rules (Grab Grass) | Amber Lotus, Archer Bush, Grab Grass and Vampire Rose | ||
| Plasm | D&D Companion Rules (1984), D&D Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | |||
| Rakasta | Savage Coast Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1996), D&D Expert Module X1 Isle of Dread (1981), D&D Expert Module X2 Castle Amber (1981), Creature Catalogue (1986), Champions of Mystara: Heroes of the Princess Ark (1993), Creature Catalog (1993), Rage of the Rakasta (1993), Red Steel (1994) | |||
| Rock Man | D&D Expert Module B8 Journey to the Rock (1984), Creature Catalogue (1986), Creature Catalog (1993) | |||
| Saberclaw | D&D Companion Module C3 Sabre River (1984), Creature Catalogue (1986), Creature Catalog (1993) | |||
| Sacrol | D&D Master Module M2 Maze of the Riddling Minotaur (1983), D&D Expert Module X9 Savage Coast (1985), Creature Catalogue (1986), Creature Catalog (1993) | |||
| Scamille | Creature Catalogue (1986), Creature Catalog (1993) | |||
| Shapeshifter | D&D Basic Module B4 The Lost City (Polymar) (1982), D&D Master Rules (Adaptor, Metamorph) (1985), Creature Catalogue (Polymar, Randara) (1986), D&D Basic Module B1-9 "In Search of Adventure" (Polymar) (1987), D&D Rules Cyclopedia (Adaptor, Metamorph) (1991), Creature Catalog (Polymar, Randara) (1993) | Adaptor, Metamorph, Polymar and Randara | ||
| Shargugh | D&D Expert Module O2 Blade of Vengeance (1984), Creature Catalogue (1986), Creature Catalog (1993) | |||
| Shark-kin | Creature Catalogue (1986), PC3: Sea Peoples (1990), Creature Catalog (1993) | |||
| Sollux | D&D Expert Module X2 Castle Amber (as Sun Brother) (1981), Creature Catalogue (1986), DA4: Duchy of Ten (1987), Creature Catalog (1993) | |||
| Spectral Death | ||||
| Spectral Hound | D&D Expert Module X5 Temple of Death (1983), D&D Companion Rules, D&D Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | |||
| Spider-kin | D&D Expert Module X1 Isle of Dread (Aranea) (1981), D&D Expert Module X2 Castle Amber (Aranea) (1981), D&D Expert Rules (Rhagodessa) (1981, 1983), D&D Master Rules (Planar Spider),(1985), Creature Catalogue (1986), D&D Master Module M5 Talons of Night (1987), Rules Cyclopedia (Planar Spider, Rhagodessa) (1991), Wrath of the Immortals (Ploppéd) (1992), Champions of Mystara: Heroes of the Princess Ark (Aranea) (1993), Red Steel (Aranea) (1994), Monster Manual (Aranea) (2003) | Aranea, Planar Spider, Ploppéd and Rhagodessa | Aranea not to be confused with similar creature defined in Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three (1996), Savage Coast Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1996) | |
| Spirit | D&D Companion Rules (Druj and Odic) (1984), D&D Rules Cyclopedia (Druj and Odic) (1991) | Druj and Odic | ||
| Statue, Living | D&D Basic Rules (Crystal, Iron, Rock) (1981, 1983), D&D Basic Module B10 Night's Dark Terror (Jade, Ooze, Silver, Steel) (1986), Creature Catalogue (Jade, Ooze, Silver, Steel) (1986), D&D Rules Cyclopedia (Crystal, Iron, Rock) (1991), Creature Catalog (Jade, Ooze, Silver, Steel) (1993) | Crystal, Iron, Jade, Rock, Ooze, Silver and Steel | ||
| Surtaki | Creature Catalogue (1986), Creature Catalog (1993) | |||
| Tabi | D&D Expert Module X4 Master of the Desert Nomads (1983), D&D Expert Module X10 Red Arrow, Black Shield (1985), Creature Catalogue (1986), PC2: Top Ballista (1989), Creature Catalog (1993) | |||
| Thoul | D&D Basic Rules (1981, 1983), D&D Rules Cyclopedia (1991), D&D Game (1991), Classic D&D Game (1993) | Cross between ghoul, troll and hobgoblin. Originally conceived by Gary Gygax, he thought it "a fun and nasty beastie".[47] | ||
| Thunderhead | Creature Catalogue (1986), Creature Catalog (1993) | |||
| Tiger, Ebon | Rage of the Rakasta (1993) | |||
| Topi | D&D Expert Module X8 Drums on Fire Mountain (1984), Creature Catalogue (1986) | |||
| Tortle | D&D Expert Module X9 Savage Coast (1985), Creature Catalogue (1986), Creature Catalog (1993), Red Steel (1994), Savage Coast Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1996), Dragon No. 315 (2004) | Tortle and Snapper | ||
| Vampire, Velya | D&D Expert Module X7 War Rafts of Kron (1984), Creature Catalogue (1986), D&D Companion Module CM9 Legacy of Blood (as Swamp Velya) (1987), Creature Catalog (1993) | |||
| White Fang | Creature Catalogue (1986), Creature Catalog (1993) | |||
| Worm | D&D Expert Rules (Caecilia) (1981,1983), D&D Expert Module X2 Castle Amber (Slime Worm) (1981), Creature Catalogue (Fyrsnaca, Red Worm) (1986), D&D Expert Adventure XS2: Thunderdelve Mountain (Fyrsnaca, Red Worm) (1989), D&D Basic Adventure B11: King's Festival (Red Worm) (1989), HWA1: Nightwail (Great Annelid) (1990), HWA2: Nightrage (Great Annelid) (1990), D&D Rules Cyclopedia (Caecilia) (1991), Creature Catalog (yrsnaca, Great Annelid, Red Worm) (1993) | Great Annelid, Caecilia, Fyrsnaca, Desert Leviathan, Marine Leviathan, Red Worm and Slime Worm | ||
| Wyrd | D&D Basic Module B10 Night's Dark Terror (1986), Creature Catalogue (Greater) (1986), GAZ5: Elves of Alfheim (Greater) (1988), Creature Catalog (Greater) (1993) | Lesser and Greater | ||
| Yowler | Creature Catalogue (1986), Creature Catalog (1993) | |||
| Zombie, Lightning | Wrath of the Immortals (1992) | Lesser and Greater | ||
TSR 2153 – Monstrous Compendium – Ravenloft Appendix III: Creatures of Darkness (1994)
| TSR 2153 – Monstrous Compendium – Ravenloft Appendix III: Creatures of Darkness (1994) – ISBN 1-56076-914-9 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| This 126-page soft-bound book contains additional creatures for the Ravenloft campaign setting for the second edition of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons game. The book also contains an introduction page, a 2-page "How to Use This Book" section, an updated table for the calculation of experience points awarded for new or modified creatures, and a single page listing of creatures from other sources appropriate to the Ravenloft setting. Luis Javier Flores Arvizu named the continuous presence of supernatural beings as one of the factors that made Ravenloft a very well received role-playing game setting during the 33 years of its existence.[35] | ||||
| Creature | Other appearances | Variants | Description | |
| Akikage | Akikage and Anasasshia | |||
| Animator, General Information | ||||
| --Animator, Minor | ||||
| --Animator, Common | ||||
| --Animator, Greater | ||||
| Bakhna Rakhna | ||||
| Baobhan Sith | ||||
| Beetle, Scarab | Grave, Giant and Monstrous | |||
| Boneless | ||||
| Boowray | ||||
| Bruja | ||||
| Carrion Stalker | ||||
| Carrionette | The Created (1993), Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994), Denizens of Darkness (2002), Denizens of Dread (2004), Dragon No. 339 (2006) | |||
| Cat, Midnight | ||||
| Cat, Skeletal | ||||
| Cloaker, Shadow | ||||
| Cloaker, Resplendent | ||||
| Cloaker, Undead | ||||
| Corpse Candle | ||||
| Death's Head Tree | Castles Forlorn (1993), Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994), Dragon No. 292 (2002), Denizens of Darkness (2002), Denizens of Dread (2004), Dragon No. 339 (2006) | |||
| Doppleganger, Ravenloft | ||||
| Furies | Alecto, Tisiphone and Megarea | |||
| Familiar, Pseudo- | ||||
| Familiar, Undead | ||||
| Feathered Serpent | ||||
| Fenhound | ||||
| Figurine, General Information | ||||
| --Figurine, Ceramic | ||||
| --Figurine, Crystal | Crystal and Diamond | |||
| --Figurine, Ivory | ||||
| --Figurine, Obsidian | Smoothed | |||
| --Figurine, Porcelain | ||||
| Flea of Madness | ||||
| Geist | Intangible undead spirit of a person that died traumatically. Inspired by Gothic fiction, a fitting monster for the nightmarish domains of Ravenloft.[35][2] | |||
| Ghost, Animal | Bear, Wild Boar, Wild Horse, Mountain Lion, Stag and Wolf | Spirit of an animal turned to a malevolent undead. A characteristic monster for the horror-setting of Ravenloft.[2] | ||
| Golem, Flesh | Monstrous Manual (1993) | More powerful version of the Monstrous Manual flesh golem. Inspired by Gothic fiction, a typical denizen of the Ravenloft setting.[35] | ||
| Golem, Mist | Inspired by Gothic fiction, a typical denizen of the Ravenloft setting.[35] | |||
| Golem, Snow | Inspired by Gothic fiction, a typical denizen of the Ravenloft setting.[35] | |||
| Golem, Wax | Inspired by Gothic fiction, a typical denizen of the Ravenloft setting.[35] | |||
| Gremishka | ||||
| Hag, Spectral | ||||
| Head Hunter | ||||
| Hebi-No-Onna | ||||
| Hearth Fiend | ||||
| Hound, Phantom | ||||
| Hound, Skeletal | ||||
| Imp, Wishing | ||||
| Ivy, Crawling | ||||
| Jack Frost | ||||
| Jolly Roger | ||||
| Kizoku | ||||
| Lashweed | ||||
| Leech, Magical | ||||
| Leech, Psionic | ||||
| Lich, Defiler | ||||
| Lich, Drow | Drow and Drider | |||
| Lich, Elemental | ||||
| Lich, Psionic | Dragon No. 174 (1991), Van Richten's Guide to the Lich (1993), Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994), Van Richten's Monster Hunter's Compendium, Volume Two (1999), Ravenloft Dungeon Master's Guide (2003) (as "Psilich") | |||
| Living Tattoo | Dark Man, Living Spear, Panther, Raven and Winged Snake | |||
| Lycanthrope, Loup-Garou | Lowland and Mountain | An especially powerful version of a werewolf. The werewolf was considered a typical monster for the horror-setting of Ravenloft.[2] | ||
| Lycanthrope, Werejackal | ||||
| Lycanthrope, Werejaguar | Dragon No. 40 (1980), Dragon No. 70 (1983), Imagine No. 28 (1985), Sons of Azca (1991), Night Howlers (1992), Creature Catalog (1993), Van Richten's Guide to Werebeasts (1993), Mystara Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994), Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994), Denizens of Darkness (2002), Denizens of Dread (2004) | |||
| Lycanthrope, Wereleopard | ||||
| Lycanthrope, Wereray | ||||
| Mist Ferryman | ||||
| Moor Man | ||||
| Obedient | ||||
| Odem | ||||
| Paka | ||||
| Plant, Bloodrose | ||||
| Plant, Fearweed | ||||
| Radiant Spirit | ||||
| Recluse | ||||
| Remnant, Aquatic | ||||
| Rushlight | ||||
| Sea Spawn, Master | ||||
| Sea Spawn, Minion | ||||
| Shadow Asp | ||||
| Shattered Brethren | ||||
| Skeleton, Archer | ||||
| (Skeleton), Insectoid | Giant Ant, Giant Tick and Stag Beetle | |||
| Skeleton, Strahd | ||||
| Skin Thieves | ||||
| Spirit, Psionic | ||||
| Unicorn, Shadow | ||||
| Vampire, Drow | ||||
| Vampire, Nosferatu | ||||
| Vampire, Oriental | ||||
| Virus, General Information | ||||
| --Virus, Combustion and Crystal | Combustion and Crystal | |||
| --Virus, Petrification and Phobia | Petrification and Phobia | |||
| --Virus, Psionic and Shadow | Psionic and Shadow | |||
| Vorlog | ||||
| Will O'Dawn | ||||
| Will O'Deep | ||||
| Will O'Mist | ||||
| Will O'Sea | ||||
| Zombie, Cannibal | ||||
| Zombie, Desert | ||||
| Zombie Fog | Zombie Fog and Cadaver | |||
| Zombie, Strahd | ||||
| Zombie, Wolf | Castles Forlorn (1993), Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994), Ravenloft Gazetteer: Volume I (2002), Libris Mortis (2004) | |||
Monstrous Compendium Annuals
Monstrous Compendium Annuals collected and updated monsters published in a variety of sources. Creatures listed under the heading of earlier publications are not repeated here.
| TSR 2145 – Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994) – ISBN 1-56076-838-X | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| This 128-page unnumbered soft-bound book primarily contains monster descriptions published in TSR's products for the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons second edition game in 1993, fictional monsters of the same year from magazines affiliated with the game, as well as creatures from earlier sources. The book also contains a two-page How to Use This Book section, a revised table for calculating experience points, and two pages of tips on how to use monsters in the game in the section Beyond Random Encounters. | ||||
| Creature | Other appearances | Variants | Description | |
| Abyss Ants | Dragon No. 193 (1993), Fiend Folio (2003) | |||
| Banelar | Dragon No. 197 (1993), Monsters of Faerûn (2001), Serpent Kingdoms (2004), Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide (2008) | |||
| Campestri | Dungeon No. 41 (1993) | A "singing mushroom", considered a fun and whimsy creature in the game by Chris Perkins.[159] | ||
| Dragon, Linnorm, Corpse Tearer | Dragon No. 183 (1992), Monster Manual II (2002) | Reviewer Mark Theurer remarked about Linnorm dragons that these giant "dragon-like beings that might best be described as feral dragons" really piqued his interest, and characterized the Corpse Tearer as "old, smart, and vicious".[30] | ||
| Dragon, Linnorm, Dread | Dragon No. 182 (1992), Monster Manual II (2002) | The "largest [of the Linnorms] and has two frickin' heads".[30] | ||
| Dragon, Linnorm, Flame | Dragon No. 183 (1992) | |||
| Dragon, Linnorm, Forest | Dragon No. 182 (1992) | |||
| Dragon, Linnorm, Frost | Dragon No. 182 (1992) | |||
| Dragon, Linnorm, Gray | Dragon No. 183 (1992), Monster Manual II (2002) | "small [for a Linnorm dragon], that means HUGE, and very aggressive".[30] | ||
| Dragon, Linnorm, Land | Dragon No. 182 (1992) | |||
| Dragon, Linnorm, Midgard | Dragon No. 183 (1992) | |||
| Dragon, Linnorm, Rain | Dragon No. 183 (1992) | |||
| Dragon, Linnorm, Sea | Dragon No. 182 (1992), Dragon No. 356 (2007) | |||
| Dragon, Neutral, Jacinth | Dragon No. 158 (1990) | |||
| Dragon, Neutral, Jade | Dragon No. 158 (1990) | Note that this is not the same dragon as the Mystaran Jade Dragon. | ||
| Dragon, Neutral, Pearl | Dragon No. 158 (1990) | |||
| Dragon-kin | Dragon Mountain (1993), Cult of the Dragon (1998), Pool of Radiance: Attack on Myth Drannor (2000), Monsters of Faerûn (2001), Draconomicon (2003) | |||
| Elemental, Earth Weird | Dragon Mountain (1993), Monster Manual II (2002) | |||
| Faerie, Petty | Dragon Mountain (1993) | Squeaker | Fairy creatures were considered among the "standard repertoire of "Monsters"" by Fabian Perlini-Pfister.[3] | |
| Flameskull | Dragon No. 197 (1993), Lost Empires of Faerûn (2004), D&D Miniatures: War Drums set #29 (2006), Monster Manual (2008) | |||
| Foulwing | Menzoberranzan (1992), Dragon No. 197 (1993), Lost Empires of Faerûn (2005) | Foulwing and Foulvern | ||
| Genie, Tasked, General | ||||
| Gnasher | Dragon Mountain (1993) | Normal and Winged Gnasher | ||
| Golem, Brain | Dragon No. 193 (1993), The Illithiad (1998), Fiend Folio (2003) | |||
| Golem, Hammer | Dragon No. 193 (1993) | |||
| Golem, Metagolem | Dragon No. 159 (1990), Dungeon No. 36 (1992) | Copper, Tin, Bronze, Iron, Steel, Silver, Electrum, Gold and Platinum Metagolem | ||
| Golem, Spiderstone | Dragon No. 193 (1993), City of the Spider Queen (2002) | |||
| Gorynych | Dragon No. 158 (1990), Lost Empires of Faerûn (2005) | |||
| Greelox | Dungeon No. 35 (1992) | |||
| Jarbo | Dungeon No. 35 (1992) | |||
| Laraken | Shining South (1993), Shining South (2004) | |||
| Living Steel | Dragon Mountain (1993) | |||
| Lycanthrope, Loup du Noir | Dark of the Moon (1993) | |||
| Lycanthrope, Werebadger | Dragon No. 40 (1980), Van Richten's Guide to Werebeasts (1993), Van Richten's Monster Hunter's Compendium, Volume One (1999), Denizens of Darkness (2002), Denizens of Dread (2004) | |||
| Mimic, House Hunter | Dungeon No. 19 (1989) | Young, Adult and Ancient House Hunter | Rob Bricken of io9 identified the house hunter as one of "The 12 Most Obnoxious Dungeons & Dragons Monsters".[87] | |
| Nautilus, Giant | Dragon No. 193 (1993) | |||
| Nightshade | Doom of Daggerdale (1993) | Also called a wood wose; not to be confused with the various Nightshades from the Plane of Shadow. | ||
| Noran | Dragon Mountain (1993) | |||
| Ophidian | Monster Manual II (1983), Dragon Mountain (1993), Fiend Folio (2003), Serpent Kingdoms (2004), D&D Miniatures: Angelfire set #57 (2005) | |||
| Plant, Vampire Moss | Dungeon No. 41 (1993) | |||
| Pteraman | Jungles of Chult (1993), Villains' Lorebook (1998), Monsters of Faerûn (2001) (from here on as pterafolk), Serpent Kingdoms (2004) | A flying saurian folk[90] | ||
| Rautym | Dragon Mountain (1993) | |||
| Shadeling | Dungeon No. 35 (1992) | |||
| Snake, Stone | Dragon Mountain (1993) | |||
| Spectral Wizard | Wizard's Challenge (1992), Wizard's Spell Compendium, Volume One (1996) | |||
| Spell Weaver | Dragon No. 163 (1990), Monster Manual II (2002), Dragon No. 338 "The Ecology of the Spell Weaver" (2005), Dragon: Monster Ecologies (2007) | |||
| Spider, Brain | Dragon Mountain (1993) | |||
| Suwyze | Dragon Mountain (1993) | |||
| Tick, Heart | None | |||
| Tree, Dark | Shining South (1993), Monsters of Faerûn (2001), Shining South (2004) | |||
| Troll, Snow | Dungeon No. 43 (1993) | |||
| Tuyewera | Dungeon No. 22 (1990) | |||
| Ulitharid (Noble Illithid) | Dungeon No. 24 (1990), The Illithiad (1998), Lords of Madness (2005) | |||
| Undead Dwarf | Dragon Mountain (1993) | |||
| Undead Lake Monster | Castles Forlorn (1993), Ravenloft Gazetteer: Volume I (2002) | |||
| Whipsting | Dragon No. 197 (1993) | Stingwings | ||
| Wolf, Dread | Dragon No. 174 (1991) | |||
| Wolf, Stone | Dragon No. 174 (1991) | |||
| Wolf, Vampiric | Dragon No. 174 (1991) | |||
| Wraith, Shimmering | Dungeon No. 26 (1990) | |||
| TSR 2158 – Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two (1995) – ISBN 0-7869-0199-3 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| This 128-page soft-bound book contains creatures appearing in various TSR publications (magazines, game accessories, etc.) in the year 1994. It contains a 2-page "How to Use This Book" section, and a 1-page section updating the calculation of experience points awarded for defeating various creatures (including tables updating those in the AD&D Dungeon Master's Guide). The final 10 pages of the book provide tables for generating random encounters, summoned creatures and NPC parties. | ||||
| Creature | Other appearances | Variants | Description | |
| Aboleth, Savant | Night Below (1995) | |||
| Arch-Shadow | The Secret of Spiderhaunt (1995), The Return of Randal Morn (1995) | Arch-Shadow and Demi-Shade | ||
| Automaton, Scaladar | Ruins of Undermountain (1991) (Scaladar), Ruins of Undermountain 2 (1994) Enhanced Scaladar) City of Splendors: Waterdeep (2005) (Scaladar) | Scaladar and Enhanced Scaladar | ||
| Automaton, Triobriand's | Ruins of Undermountain 2 (1994) | Ferragam, Silversann and Thanatar | ||
| Bat, Sporebat | ||||
| Bi-nou | Ruins of Undermountain 2 (1994) | Bi-nou, Rockworm and Rocklord | ||
| Boggle | ||||
| Brownie, Dobie | Dragon No. 206 (1994) | |||
| Cat, Great (Cath Shee) | Elves of Evermeet (1994) | |||
| Cat, Crypt | The Awakening (1994) | Normal and Large | ||
| Centaur-Kin, Dorvesh | Polyhedron No. 95 (1994) | |||
| Centaur-Kin, Gnoat | Polyhedron No. 95 (1994) | |||
| Centaur-Kin, Ha'pony | Polyhedron No. 95 (1994) | |||
| Centaur-Kin, Zebranaur | Polyhedron No. 95 (1994) | |||
| Dog, Bog Hound | Howls in the Night (1994) | |||
| Dragon, Brine | Otherlands (1990) | Ocean-going dragon with plesiosaur-like body and corrosive alkaline breath weapon. | ||
| Dragon, Half-Dragon | Council of Wyrms (1994) (as race) | |||
| Dwarf, Wild | FR11: Dwarves Deep (1990) | |||
| Ekimmu | Dragon No. 210 (1994) | |||
| Elemental, Nature | Ruins of Zhentil Keep (1995) | |||
| Elf, Winged (Avariel) | Dragon No. 51 (1981), Complete Elves Handbook (1992) | |||
| Fish | Flames of the Falcon (1990) | Floating Eye, Hetfish, Masher and Verme | ||
| Fish, Subterranean | Ruins of Undermountain 2 (1994) | Wattley, Lemon Fish and Iridescent Plecoe | ||
| Flareater | Ruins of Undermountain 2 (1994) | |||
| Flumph | Fiend Folio (1981) | Common and Monastic | "A flumph looks like a large jellyfish that propels itself through the air by sucking air into its body and expelling it." Ranked among the weakest monsters in the game by Scott Baird from Screen Rant: It only attacks with a stinking liquid, and helpless when turned on its back.[57] Shannon Applecline considered "the much-satirized flumph" one of the silly monsters introduced in Fiend Folio.[14]: 38 | |
| Froghemoth | Monster Manual II (1983), Dungeon No. 56 (1995), Volo's Guide to Monsters (2016)[91] | Reviewer Cameron Kunzelmann found the froghemoth, a large amphibious predator, a straightforward monster without need for detailed background.[113] | ||
| Ghost, Casura | Dragon No. 210 (1994) | |||
| Ghost, Ker | Dragon No. 210 (1994) | |||
| Golem, Burning Man | Dragon No. 209 (1994) | |||
| Golem, Phantom Flyer | Dragon No. 209 (1994) | |||
| Horse, Moon-horse | Elves of Evermeet (1994) | |||
| Human, Dragon Slayer | NPC variant | |||
| Human, Vistana | A "group of strange, nomadic people with great mystical power, especially in the areas of curses and prophecy" from the Ravenloft setting, matching harmful stereotypes of Romani people in a problematic way.[26]: 103–104 [35] | |||
| Jellyfish, Giant (Portuguese Man-o-War) | ||||
| Kholiathra | Elves of Evermeet (1994) | |||
| Laerti | Anauroch (1991) | Laerti and Stingtail | ||
| Lich, Suel | Polyhedron No. 101 (1994) | |||
| Lurker, Shadow | Ruins of Undermountain 2 (1994) | |||
| Lycanthrope, Werepanther | ||||
| Mammal, Giant | Badger, Beaver, Boar, Hyena (Hyenadon), Porcupine, Otter, Skunk, Weasel and Wolverine | |||
| Mammal, Herd | Bull (Wild Ox), Caribou, Giant Goat, Hippopotamus, Llama, Giant Ram, Rhinoceros, Wild Stag and Giant Stag | |||
| Marl | ||||
| Meenlock | Fiend Folio (1981), Flames of the Falcon (1990) | |||
| Mimic, Greater | Ruins of Undermountain 2 (1994) | |||
| Mold | Ruins of Undermountain 2 (1994) | Deep, Gray and Death | In the artificial dungeon environment of the game, molds function as a "clean up crew".[1] | |
| Mummy, Creature | Animal and Monster | Based on the creature from Gothic fiction, a typical denizen of the Ravenloft setting.[35] | ||
| Plant, Dangerous | Bloodthorn, Twilight Bloom and Boring Grass | |||
| Pleistocene Animal | Irish Deer | |||
| Pudding, Subterranean | Ruins of Undermountain 2 (1994) | Stone, Gray and Dense | ||
| Snake, Serpent Vine | Ruins of Undermountain 2 (1994) | |||
| Sphinx, Draco- | Old Empires (1990) | |||
| Sprite, Seelie Faerie | Spellbound (1995) | Fairy creatures were considered among the "standard repertoire of "Monsters"" by Fabian Perlini-Pfister.[3] | ||
| Sprite, Unseelie Faerie | Spellbound (1995) | Fairy creatures were considered among the "standard repertoire of "Monsters"" by Fabian Perlini-Pfister.[3] | ||
| Squealer | Monster Manual II (1983) | |||
| Webbird | Monster Manual II (1983) | |||
| Wraith-Spider | Ruins of Undermountain 2 (1994) | |||
| Zorbo | Monster Manual II (1983) | |||
| TSR 2166 – Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three (1996) – ISBN 0-7869-0449-6 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| This 128-page soft-bound book contains creatures appearing in various TSR publications (magazines, game accessories, etc.) in the year 1995. It contains a 3-page "How to Use This Book" section, which includes an updated table for the calculation of experience points awarded for defeating various creatures. The final 8 pages of the book contain an index of the creatures presented in the Monstrous Manual and the first three Monstrous Compendium Annuals. | ||||
| Creature | Other appearances | Variants | Description | |
| Banedead | Ruins of Zhentil Keep (1995) | |||
| Banelich | Ruins of Zhentil Keep (1995) | |||
| Beetle | Stink | |||
| Bvanen | The Wanderer's Chronicle: Windriders of the Jagged Cliffs (1995) | |||
| Cat, Great, Snow Tiger | Spellbound (1995) | |||
| Chosen One | Spellbound (1995), Wizard's Spell Companion Volume I (1996) | |||
| Disenchanter | Fiend Folio (1981), Pages from the Mages (1995) | |||
| Dragon, Ghost Dragon | Polyhedron No. 76 (1992), Cult of the Dragon (1998) | A "dragon that lingers after its death because it has such a deep attachment to its hoard".[105] | ||
| Dragon, Neutral – Amber | ||||
| Dread Warrior | Spellbound (1995) | |||
| Dream Spawn, General | The Nightmare Lands (1995) | |||
| Dream Spawn, Greater – Ennui | The Nightmare Lands (1995) | |||
| Dream Spawn, Lesser – Morph | The Nightmare Lands (1995) | Gray and Shadow | ||
| Dreamweaver | The Nightmare Lands (1995) | |||
| Dwarf, Arctic – Inugaakalikurit | Great Glacier (1992) | |||
| Eel, Giant Moray | Night Below (1995) | |||
| Elemental Fire-Kin – Tome Guardian | Pages from the Mages (1995) | |||
| Elf, Rockseer | Night Below (1995) | |||
| Faerie, Faerie Fiddler | Dragon No. 206 (1994) | Fairy creatures were considered among the "standard repertoire of "Monsters"" by Fabian Perlini-Pfister.[3] | ||
| Faerie, Petty – Bramble | Dragon No. 206 (1994) | Fairy creatures were considered among the "standard repertoire of "Monsters"" by Fabian Perlini-Pfister.[3] | ||
| Faerie, Petty – Gorse | Dragon No. 180 (1992) | Fairy creatures were considered among the "standard repertoire of "Monsters"" by Fabian Perlini-Pfister.[3] | ||
| Gargoyle | Dragon No. 223 (1995) | Archer, Spouter, Stone Lion and Grandfather Plaque | ||
| Golem, Magic | Ruins of Zhentil Keep (1995) | |||
| Golem, Shaboath | Night Below (1995) | |||
| Hag, Bheur | Spellbound (1995) | |||
| Head, Arcane | The Nightmare Lands (1995) | |||
| Hound of Ill-Omen | Fiend Folio (1981) | |||
| Human, Cerilian | Anurien (Knight), Brecht (Tradesman), Khinasi (Soldier), Rjurik (Berserker) and Vos (Mercenary) | |||
| Hybsil | Ruins of Zhentil Keep (1995) | |||
| Ixitxachitl, Ixzan | Night Below (1995) | |||
| Jabberwock | ||||
| Life-Shaped Creations: Guardians | The Wanderer's Chronicle: Windriders of the Jagged Cliffs (1995) | Climbdog, Darkstrike, Protector, Shieldbug and Watcher | ||
| Life-Shaped Creations: Transport | The Wanderer's Chronicle: Windriders of the Jagged Cliffs (1995) | Ber-ethern, Yihn-eflan, Gon-evauth and Dhev-sahr | ||
| Lycanthrope, Werecrocodile | Old Empires (1990) | |||
| Lycanthrope, Werespider | ||||
| Magedoom | Ruins of Zhentil Keep (1995) | |||
| Manotaur | Greyhawk Ruins (1990) | |||
| Mastiff, Shadow | Tales of the Lance (1992) | |||
| Mist, Scarlet Dancer | Ruins of Zhentil Keep (1995) | |||
| Orc, Neo-orog | Spellbound (1995) | Red and Black | ||
| Orc, Ondonti | Ruins of Zhentil Keep (1995) | |||
| Owlbear | Dragon No. 215 (1995) | Arctic and Winged | ||
| Phaerimm | Anauroch (1991), Netheril: Empire of Magic (1996) | |||
| Reggelid | The Wanderer's Chronicle: Windriders of the Jagged Cliffs (1995) | |||
| Render | Ruins of Zhentil Keep (1995) | |||
| Scalamagdrion | Pages from the Mages (1995) | |||
| Snake, Messenger | Ruins of Zhentil Keep (1995) | |||
| Spirit, Forest – Uthraki | Spellbound (1995) | |||
| Spirit, Forest – Wood Man | Spellbound (1995) | |||
| Spirit, Ice – Orglash | Spellbound (1995) | |||
| Spirit, Rock – Thomil | Spellbound (1995) | |||
| Tomb Tapper – Thaalud | Anauroch (1991), Netheril: Empire of Magic (1996) | |||
| Undead Dragon Slayer | Dragon No. 205 (1994) | |||
| Unicorn, Black | Spellbound (1995) | |||
| Weredragon | ||||
| Zhentarim Spirit | Ruins of Zhentil Keep (1995) | |||
| TSR 2173 – Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Four (1998) – ISBN 0-7869-1212-X | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| This 96-page soft-bound book contains creatures appearing in various TSR publications (magazines, game accessories, etc.). Unlike the previous annuals, the included monsters are not primarily drawn from the previous year's publications, but span a wide variety of years, possibly because TSR's financial woes resulted in very few products being produced in 1997. Also in a departure from the first three annuals, Volume Four includes a reference to the original appearance of the creature on each page. The Annual also contains a 3-page "How to Use This Book" section, which includes updated tables for the calculation of experience points awarded for defeating various creatures, and a 2-page index. | ||||
| Creature | Other appearances | Variants | Description | |
| Bainligor | Dragon No. 227 (1996) | Young, Adult, Middle-aged, Elderly, Revered | ||
| Beast of Chaos | The Rod of Seven Parts (1996) | |||
| Blindheim | Fiend Folio (1981), Dragon No. 339 (2006) | Normal and Advanced | ||
| Bloodsipper (Far Realm) | The Gates of Firestorm Peak (1996) | |||
| Carapace | Dragon No. 227 (1996) | An "aggressive, mobile fungus", reviewer Philippe Tessier counted the carapace among those critters which never stopped moving him.[160] | ||
| Clam, Giant | Dragon No. 116 (1986), Dragon No. 190 (1993), Tome of Horrors (2002) | Giant Clam (Oyster) and Carnivorous Scallop | ||
| Coral | Dragon No. 116 (1986) (Brain Coral), Nehwon (1990) (Death Coral and Giant Coral) | Brain Coral and Coral Worm | ||
| Darklore | Hellbound: The Blood War (1996) | |||
| Dharculus (Far Realm) | The Gates of Firestorm Peak (1996), A Guide to the Ethereal Plane (1998), Planar Handbook (2004) | |||
| Dragon, Neutral – Moonstone | None | |||
| Dragon, Prismatic | Dungeon No. 51 (1995) | Ranked among the strongest monsters in the game by Scott Baird from Screen Rant: In its eldest version it "represents the ultimate challenge for any party of adventurers, though it would easily dispose of all but the most insanely overleveled groups."[57] | ||
| Dragon-Kin, Albino Wyrm | Dragon No. 227 (1996) | |||
| Dream Stalker | Requiem: The Grim Harvest (1996), Denizens of Darkness (2002), Denizens of Dread (2004) | |||
| Fish, Deep Ocean | Dragon No. 235 (1996) | Angler Fish, Death Minnow, Gulper and Viperfish | ||
| Fish, Tropical | Dragon No. 116 (1986) | Giant Grouper, Morena, Porcupine Fish and Electric Ray | ||
| Fogwarden | Dungeon No. 54 (1995), Tome of Horrors (2002) | |||
| Fraal | Alternity Player's Handbook (1998), Alien Compendium: Creatures of the Verge (1998), d20 Future (2004) | |||
| Giant – Fhoimorien | Warlock of the Stonecrowns (1995) | |||
| Gibberling, Brood (Far Realm) | The Gates of Firestorm Peak (1996) | |||
| Golem, Brass Minotaur | Dragon No. 209 (1994), Monster Manual II (2002), D&D Miniatures: Night Below #2 (2007) | |||
| Golem, Gemstone | Spellbound (1995), Monsters of Faerûn (2001) | Ruby, Emerald and Diamond | ||
| Golem, Maggot | Requiem: The Grim Harvest (1996), Dragon #339 (2006) | |||
| Groundling | Polyhedron No. 93 (1994), Monsters of Faerûn (2001) | |||
| Hound of Law | The Rod of Seven Parts (1996) | |||
| Human, Amazon | Dragon No. 43 (1980), Polyhedron No. 22 (1985) | Demihuman Amazons | NPC variant. | |
| Human, Pygmy | Dungeon No. 56 (1995) | NPC variant. | ||
| Kercpa | Dragon No. 214 (1995) | |||
| Lycanthrope, Lythari | Elves of Evermeet (1994), Monsters of Faerûn (2001) | |||
| Mercurial | Doors to the Unknown (1996) | |||
| Mold, Chromatic | Dragon Annual No. 1 (1996) | Chromatic and Sonic Mold | In the artificial dungeon environment of the game, molds function as a "clean up crew".[1] | |
| Mummy, Bog | Requiem: The Grim Harvest (1996), Dragon #238 (1997), Dragon #300 (2002), Dragon Compendium, Volume 1 (2005) | |||
| Nymph, Unseelie | None | |||
| Octopus, Octo-jelly | Dragon No. 235 (1996) | Octo-jelly and Octo-Hide | ||
| Sea Demon | Dragon No. 48 (1981) | Lesser and Greater | ||
| Shadowrath | City of Splendors (1994) | Lesser and Greater | ||
| Siren, Ravenloft | Requiem: The Grim Harvest (1996) | A decomposed species of mermaid, reviewer Philippe Tessier counted the Ravenloft siren among those critters which never stopped moving him.[160] | ||
| Skeleton, Variant | Dragon No. 234 (1996) | Dust, Spike and Obsidian Skeletons | ||
| Snake – Mahogany Constrictor | The Sword of Roele (1996) | |||
| Spectral Scion | The Rjurik Highlands (1996) | |||
| Spyder-Fiend | The Rod of Seven Parts (1996) | Kakkuu, Spithriku, Phisarazu, Lycosidilith and Raklupis | ||
| Starfish, Giant – Giant Sunstar | Ship of Horror (1991) | |||
| Tanar'ri, Lesser – Uridezu (Rat-Fiend) | Marco Volo: Departure (1994), Manual of the Planes (2001) | |||
| Troll Mutate (Far Realm) | The Gates of Firestorm Peak (1996) | Troll Mutate and Matriarch Mutate | ||
| Vaati (Wind Duke) | Dragon No. 224 (1995), The Rod of Seven Parts (1996) | |||
| Vampire, Cerebral | Bleak House: The Death of Rudolph van Richten (1996), Denizens of Darkness (2002) | |||
| Varkha | Dragon Annual No. 1 (1996) | |||
| Worm, Lukhorn | Dragon Annual No. 1 (1996) | |||
| Wyste (Far Realm) | The Gates of Firestorm Peak (1996), Speaker in Dreams (2001), Monster Manual II (2002) | |||
| Yugoloth, Lesser – Gacholoth | Dungeon No. 49 (1994) | |||
| Zombie, Mud | Death Ascendant (1996), Denizens of Dread (2004) | |||
TSR 2433 – Dark Sun Monstrous Compendium Appendix II: Terrors Beyond Tyr (1995)
| TSR 2433 – Dark Sun Monstrous Compendium Appendix II: Terrors Beyond Tyr (1995) – ISBN 0-7869-0097-0 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| This 128-page soft-bound book is the second appendix to the Monstrous Compendium series designed for use with the Dark Sun campaign setting for the second edition of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons game. It contains a page with a table of content, a 2-pages "How To Use This Book" section and 3 pages of random encounter charts, with the remainder consisting of the descriptions of the fictional monsters. Some entries also contain the descriptions of individual members of these monster types. | ||||
| Creature | Other appearances | Variants | Description | |
| Aarakocra, Athasian | ||||
| Animal, Domestic | Aprig, Carru, Mulworm and Sygra | |||
| Aviarag | ||||
| Baazrag | ||||
| Baazrag, Boneclaw | ||||
| Bloodgrass | ||||
| Cactus, Hunting | ||||
| Cactus, Rock | ||||
| Cilops | ||||
| Crodlu | Dune Trader (1992) | Cordlu and Heavy Crodlu | ||
| Dagorran | ||||
| Dhaot | ||||
| Drake (Lesser), General | ||||
| -- Drake, Magma | ||||
| -- Drake, Rain | ||||
| -- Drake, Silt | ||||
| -- Drake, Sun | ||||
| Dray | City by the Silt Sea (1994) | Dray, Kalin Riders and Kalin Mount | Race of tall, lean, draconic humanoids created from humans by Dregoth, the Undead Dragon King; kalin riders: elite templar troops of Dregoth; kalin mount: 12-foot-long (3.7 m) aggressive insectoid creatures used as mounts by kalin riders | |
| Drik | Drik and High Drik | |||
| Dune Reaper | Drone, Warrior and Matron | |||
| Dwarf, Athasian | ||||
| Elemental Beast, General | ||||
| -- Elemental Beast, Air | ||||
| -- Elemental Beast, Earth | ||||
| -- Elemental Beast, Fire | ||||
| -- Elemental Beast, Water | ||||
| Elf | Elf and Half-Elf of Athas | In the post-apocalyptic setting of Athas, elves are nomadic desert runners rather than the more common image of forest-dwellers.[75] | ||
| Fael | ||||
| Feylaar | ||||
| Fordorran | ||||
| Giant, Shadow | ||||
| Golem, General | ||||
| -- Golem, Magma | ||||
| -- Golem, Salt | ||||
| Gorak | Gorak and Giant Gorak | |||
| Half-giant | Monstrous Compendum Annual Volume Two (1995) | |||
| Halfling | ||||
| Human | Ex-slaves, Herdsmen, Dune Traders, Ex-gladiators, Nobles and Templars | |||
| Jhakar | ||||
| Kaisharga | ||||
| Kes'trekel | ||||
| Klar | ||||
| Krag | City by the Silt Sea (1994) | Undead with special powers related to the element or paraelement that killed it | ||
| Kragling | City by the Silt Sea (1994) | Skeletal Undead created and controlled by a krag and associated with that krag's element | ||
| Lirr | Lirr and Mountain Lirr | |||
| Mastyrial | Desert and Black Mastyrial | |||
| Meorty | ||||
| Mul | Human-dwarf descended sterile warriors.[128] | |||
| Nikal | ||||
| Pakubrazi | ||||
| Paraelemental Beast, General | ||||
| -- Paraelemental Beast, Magma | ||||
| -- Paraelemental Beast, Rain | ||||
| -- Paraelemental Beast, Silt | ||||
| -- Paraelemental Beast, Sun | ||||
| Psionocus | ||||
| Psurlon | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix III | Psurlon, Psurlon Adept and Giant Psurlon | ||
| Raaig | ||||
| Racked Spirit | ||||
| Retriever, Obsidian | ||||
| Ruktoi | ||||
| Ruvkova | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix III | Brajeti, Ethilum, Kaltori, Zathosi | ||
| Sand Howler | ||||
| Scorpion | Barbed and Gold Scorpion | |||
| Seed, Brain | ||||
| Silt Horror, Black | ||||
| Silt Horror, Magma | ||||
| Silt Horror, Red | ||||
| Silt Spawn | City by the Silt Sea (1994) | The young of a Silt Horror, this tentacled creature lives in groups in the shallows of the Sea of Silt | ||
| Slig | ||||
| Spider | Dark, Mountain and Silt Spider | |||
| Spinewyrm | ||||
| Ssurran | ||||
| Stalking Horror | ||||
| Tarek | Tarek and Tarek Shaman | |||
| Tari | Tari, Tari Warrior and Tari Chieftain | |||
| Thri-kreen | "Praying mantis man" with four arms and a poisonous bite[128] | |||
| Tohr-kreen | J'ez, J'hol, T'keech and Tondi Tohr-kreen | |||
| Trin | Thri-Kreen of Athas (1995) | 9-foot-long (2.7 m) moderately intelligent insectoid creatures with four legs and two clawed arms, primitive relatives to thri-kreen | ||
| Tul'k | ||||
| T'liz | ||||
| Undead | ||||
| Wraith, Athasian | ||||
| Xerichon | ||||
| Zombie, Thinking | ||||
TSR 2613 – Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix II (1995)
| TSR 2613 – Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix II (1995) – ISBN 0-7869-0173-X | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| This was the second appendix to the Monstrous Compendium series designed for use with the Planescape campaign setting for the second edition of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons game. The 128-page soft-bound book contains a two-page "How to use this book" section, two pages of encounter tables for the different planes of the game and a one-page alphabetical for all monsters entries published for the setting, with the remainder consisting of the descriptions of the fictional monsters. | ||||
| Creature | Other appearances | Variants | Description | |
| Aasimar | Humanoids "descended from ethereal beings"[95] from the Outer Planes, "charming creatures protecting the universe against evil".[146] A.V. Club reviewer Nick Wanserski found them an interesting player character race "for the chance to be unequivocally good in a way that's difficult to embody in real life".[95] | |||
| Abrian | ||||
| Arcane | Spelljammer: AD&D Adventures In Space (1989), Monstrous Manual (1993) | |||
| Astral dreadnought | Manual of the Planes (1987), Manual of the Planes (2001), Manual of the Planes (2008), Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes (2018) | Gargantuan creature with a single black eye, gaping maw, muscular forearms, which end in pincer-like claws and serpentine lower body. Arcane considered these monsters to "populate their periphery with true terror".[153] Originally called ethereal dreadnought.[5]: 198–199 | ||
| Balaena | Monstrous Compendium – Outer Planes Appendix (1991) | |||
| Bloodthorn | ||||
| Bonespear | ||||
| Darkweaver | ||||
| Demarax | ||||
| Dhour | ||||
| Eater of Knowledge | ||||
| Eladrin | Celestials from the Outer Planes, "charming creatures protecting the universe against evil".[146] | |||
| Eladrin, Bralani (Lesser) | ||||
| Eladring, Coure (Lesser) | ||||
| Eladrin, Firre (Greater) | ||||
| Eladrin, Ghaele (Greater) | ||||
| Eladrin, Noviere (Lesser) | ||||
| Eladrin, Shiere (Lesser) | ||||
| Eladrin, Tulani (Greater) | ||||
| Fhorge | ||||
| Ghostlight | ||||
| Guardinal | Powerful neutral good celestials[161] from Elysium, each a humanoid with some animalistic characteristics. Arcane magazine cites the culture of the guardinals as helping "give the Planes a solid base of peoples".[153] | |||
| Guardinal, Avoral | Blood Wars Card Game (1995), Warriors of Heaven (1999), Monster Manual (2000), Savage Species (2003), Monster Manual (2003), Planar Handbook (2004) | |||
| Guardinal, Cervidal | Blood Wars Card Game (1995), Warriors of Heaven (1999), Monster Manual II (2002) | |||
| Guardinal, Equinal | Blood Wars Card Game (1995), Warriors of Heaven (1999), Book of Exalted Deeds (2003) | |||
| Guardinal, Leonal | Blood Wars Card Game (1995), Warriors of Heaven (1999), Manual of the Planes (2001), Monster Manual (2003) | |||
| Guardinal, Lupinal | Blood Wars Card Game (1995), Warriors of Heaven (1999), Monster Manual II (2002) | |||
| Guardinal, Ursinal | Blood Wars Card Game (1995), Warriors of Heaven (1999), Book of Exalted Deeds (2003) | |||
| Hollyphant | In a review of Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix II for Arcane magazine, the reviewer described hollyphants as "mutant killer elephants with wings" and felt that they were introduced to "ensure that the planes maintain their very necessary bizarre flavour".[153] | |||
| Incantifer (Sect) | ||||
| Ironmaw | ||||
| Keeper | ||||
| Khaasta | Normal, Chieftain and Wise One | |||
| Leomarh | ||||
| Merkhant (Sect) | ||||
| Monster of Legend | ||||
| Mortai | Monstrous Compendium – Outer Planes Appendix (1991) | |||
| Noctral | Monstrous Compendium – Outer Planes Appendix (1991) | |||
| Observer | ||||
| Prolonger | ||||
| Quill | ||||
| Rager (Sect) | ||||
| Razorvine | ||||
| Reave | ||||
| Retriever | Monstrous Compendium – Fiend Folio Appendix (1992) | |||
| Rilmani | ||||
| Rilmani, Abiorach | ||||
| Rilmani, Argenach | ||||
| Rilmani, Aurumach | ||||
| Rilmani, Cuprilach | ||||
| Rilmani, Ferrumach | ||||
| Rilmani, Plumach | ||||
| Shadowdrake | ||||
| Sympathetic | ||||
| Spellhaunt | ||||
| Spider, Hook | ||||
| Sunfly | ||||
| Sword Spirit | ||||
| T'uen-Rin | Monstrous Compendium – Outer Planes Appendix (1991) | |||
| Tanar'ri, Alkilith (True) | ||||
| Tanar'ri, Bulezau (Lesser) | ||||
| Tanar'ri, Maurezhi (Lesser) | ||||
| Tanar'ri, Yochlol (Lesser) | The Drow of the Underdark (1991) (as Yochlol) | |||
| Terlen | ||||
| Tso | ||||
| Vaporighu | Monstrous Compendium – Outer Planes Appendix (1991) | |||
| Vorr | Normal and Shaman | |||
| Wastrel | ||||
| Wraithworm | ||||
| Yugoloth, Canoloth | Fiend distinguished by its sticky barbed tongue.[148] | |||
TSR 2162 - Ravenloft Monstrous Compendium Appendices I & II (1996)
| TSR 2162 – Ravenloft Monstrous Compendium Appendices I & II (1996) – ISBN 0-7869-0392-9 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| This 128-page soft-bound book is a reprint of the loose-leaf Monstrous Compendium appendices MC10 and MC15 (Children of the Night), both designed for use with the Ravenloft campaign setting for the second edition of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons game with a new foreword. It also includes a two-page "How to use this book" section, revised rules for calculating experience points and two pages about encounters in Ravenloft. Appendix I consists of the descriptions of the fictional monsters. Appendix II varies the Monstrous Compendium format to describe individuals of already published monster races and includes a two-page introduction with a list of monsters from other sources suitable for the Ravenloft setting. |
TSR 2524 – Savage Coast Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1996)
| TSR 2524 – Savage Coast Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1996) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| This monstrous compendium was released as a fully online product as part of the revised Savage Coast campaign setting for the second edition of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons game. It was made freely available by Wizards of the Coast here[162] in two variants, as a rtf-file and a text file, with images presented as separate files. Several characters are misrepresented in these files, they are presented here as given. The monstrous compendium contains a table of contents, an introduction with explanations of the monster statistics and special rules and considerations for the Savage Coast setting. | ||||
| Creature | Other appearances | Variants | Description | |
| Aranea | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three (1996) | Not to be confused with similar creature defined in Monstrous Compendium – Mystara Appendix (1994), D&D Expert Module X1 Isle of Dread, D&D Expert Module X2 Castle Amber | ||
| Arashaeem | ||||
| Batracine | ||||
| Caniquine | ||||
| Cat, Marine | ||||
| Cinnavixen | ||||
| Critter, Temple | ||||
| Cursed One | ||||
| Deathmare | ||||
| Dragon, Crimson | ||||
| Dragon, Red Hawk | ||||
| Echyan | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Four (1998) (as Sea Worm (Echyan)) | |||
| Ee'aar | ||||
| Enduk | ||||
| Fachan | ||||
| Feliquine | ||||
| Fiend, Narvaezan | ||||
| Frelôn | ||||
| Ghriest | ||||
| Glutton, Sea | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Four (1998) (as Sea Serpent (Sea Glutton)) | |||
| Goatman | ||||
| Golem | Aelder (lesser), Glassine Horror (lesser), Red (greater) and Hulean Juggernaut (greater) | |||
| Grudgling | ||||
| Heraldic Servant | Aurochs, Bear, Bee, Dolphin, Dragon, Eagle, Griffon, Horse, Lion, Phoenix, Ram, Rooster, Sea Horse, Sea Lion, Stag, Black Swan, Talbot, Tyger, Unicorn and Wyvern | |||
| Hermit, Sea | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Four | A giant hermit crab that has mage spells, reviewer Philippe Tessier counted this monster among those critters which never stopped moving him.[160] | ||
| Jorri | ||||
| Juhrion | ||||
| Kla'a-Tah | Kla'a-tah and clŠu-rin | |||
| Leech, Legacy | ||||
| Lich, Inheritor | ||||
| Lizard Kin | Cayma, Gurrash, Krolli and Shazak | |||
| Lupasus | ||||
| Lupin | Monstrous Compendium – Mystara Appendix (1994), D&D Expert Module X2 Castle Amber | |||
| Lyra Bird, Sarag—n | ||||
| Malfera | ||||
| Manscorpion, Nimmurian | ||||
| Mythu'nn Folk | ||||
| Na‰ruk | Monstrous Compendium – Fiend Folio Appendix (1992) (Stwinger), Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994) (as Faerie, Petty) | Squeaker and Stwinger | As a fairy creature considered among the "standard repertoire of "Monsters"" by Fabian Perlini-Pfister.[3] | |
| Neshezu | ||||
| Nikt'oo | ||||
| Nosferatu | ||||
| Omm-wa | ||||
| Omshirim | ||||
| Parasite | Inheritor Lice, Powder Moth, Jibarœ Pest, Lupin Plague, Cardinal Tick and Vermilia | |||
| Phanaton, Jibarœ | ||||
| Plant | Monstrous Compendium – Mystara Appendix (1994) (Amber Lotus), D&D Expert Module X2 Castle Amber (Amber Lotus) | Amber Lotus, Eyeweed, Vermeil Fungus, Scarlet Pimpernel and Gargo—an Rose | ||
| Pudding, Vermilion | ||||
| Rakasta | Monstrous Compendium – Mystara Appendix (1994), D&D Expert Module X1 Isle of Dread, D&D Expert Module X2 Castle Amber | |||
| Ray, Forest | ||||
| Shedu, Greater | Monstrous Manual (1993) | Lawful good winged equine with human-like head. Based on a creature from Mesopotamian mythology.[3] | ||
| Shimmerfish | ||||
| Skinwing | ||||
| Spawn of Nimmur | Spawn of Nimmur and Ziggurat Horror | |||
| Spider-spy | ||||
| Spirit, Heroic | ||||
| Spirit, Wallaran | Kangaroo, Koala and Kookaburra | |||
| Succulus | ||||
| Swampmare | ||||
| Swordsman, Clockwork | Dungeon No. 62 (1996), Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Four (1998) | Clockwork Swordsman and Rogue Automaton | ||
| Symbiont, Shadow | ||||
| Tortle | Monstrous Compendium – Mystara Appendix (1994) | Tortle and Snapper | ||
| Troll, Legacy | ||||
| Trosip | ||||
| Tyminid | ||||
| Utukku | ||||
| Voat | ||||
| Voat, Herathian | ||||
| Vulturehound | ||||
| Wallara | ||||
| Wurmling | ||||
| Wynzet | ||||
| Yeshom | ||||
| Zombie, Red | ||||
TSR 2635 – Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix III (1998)
| TSR 2635 – Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix III (1998) – ISBN 0-7869-0751-7 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The third appendix to the Monstrous Compendium series designed for use with the Planescape campaign setting for the second edition of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons focuses mainly on inhabitants of the inner planes in the game. The 128-page soft-bound book contains a two-page "How to use this book" section, ten pages about the fictional principles governing those planes and their ecology, a 3-page appendix about animal-like creatures there, a 3-page index with all second edition monsters suitable for the Planescape setting, with the remainder consisting of the descriptions of the fictional monsters. | ||||
| Creature | Other appearances | Variants | Description | |
| Animental | ||||
| Archomental (evil) | Imix, Ogremoch, Olhydra, Yan-C-Bin and Cryonax | Bosses on their respective planes,[163] Ed Greenwood considered the Elemental Princes of Evil "worthy additions to any campaign".[139] | ||
| Archomental (good) | Ben-Hadar, Chan, Sunnis and Zaaman Rul | Bosses on their respective planes.[163] | ||
| Belker | ||||
| Bzastra | ||||
| Chososion | ||||
| Darklight | ||||
| Devete | ||||
| Devourer | A giant skeleton that is holding a small figure prisoner in their ribcage, this creature is highlighted by reviewer Kaneda for characters to steer away from.[163] | |||
| Dharum suhn | ||||
| Egarus | ||||
| Entrope | Monsters crazy enough to gradually destroy the borders between the different planes.[163] | |||
| Facet | ||||
| Fire bat | ||||
| Frost salamander | Monstrous Compendium – Mystara Appendix (1994) | |||
| Fundamental | D&D Expert Module X8 Drums on Fire Mountain, Creature Catalogue, Monstrous Compendium – Mystara Appendix (1994) | |||
| Gamorm | Reviewer Kaneda called the gamorm a curiosity not to be disturbed under any circumstances, a "pretty little worm" [8' long] that lives in the Astral plane and feeds on the spirit of living beings it meets; a horror all the more dangerous because it can use the powers of the people it has devoured.[163] | |||
| Homunculous, elemental | Breather and Skin | |||
| Immoth | ||||
| Khargra | Monstrous Compendium – Fiend Folio Appendix (1992) | |||
| Klyndes | ||||
| Magran | ||||
| Menglis | ||||
| Nathri | ||||
| Ooze sprite | ||||
| Opposition | ||||
| Paraelemental | Ice, Magma, Ooze and Smoke | |||
| Phirblas | ||||
| Quill | ||||
| Primal | ||||
| Psurlon | Dark Sun Monstrous Compendium Appendix II: Terrors Beyond Tyr (1995) | Normal, Adept and Giant | ||
| Quasielemental, negative | Ash, Dust, Salt and Vacuum | |||
| Quasielemental, positive | Lightning, Mineral, Radiance and Steam | |||
| Rast | ||||
| Ravid | ||||
| Ruvkova | Dark Sun Monstrous Compendium Appendix II: Terrors Beyond Tyr (1995) | |||
| Salamander noble | Lesser and Noble | |||
| Scile | Scile and Ravager of Colour | |||
| Shad | ||||
| Shocker | Monstrous Compendium – Fiend Folio Appendix (1992) | Contended One and Sojourner | ||
| Sislan | ||||
| Suisseen | ||||
| Terithran | Monstrous Compendium – Fiend Folio Appendix (1992) | |||
| Thoqqua | ||||
| Trilloch | ||||
| Tsnng | ||||
| Ungulosin | ||||
| Vacuous | ||||
| Wavefire | ||||
| Xag-ya/xeg-yi | ||||
| Xill | Monstrous Compendium – Fiend Folio Appendix (1992) | |||
TSR 3140 – Birthright – Blood Spawn: Creatures of Light and Shadow (2000)
| TSR 3140 – Birthright – Blood Spawn: Creatures of Light and Shadow (2000) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| This bestiary was planned for use with the Birthright campaign setting for the second edition of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons game. The Birthright product line was suspended in 1998 before its completion, so Blood Spawn was later published as an 83-page PDF-file and made freely available here.[164] The supplement focused mainly on monsters of the Shadow World, the fictional dark twin dimension of the setting's world. It contained a table of contents, a 10-page introduction with an explanation of the monster statistics and special rules for the Shadow World, descriptions of the fictional monsters which included tips for their use in a roleplaying campaign, two roleplaying adventures and a 4-page appendix listing monsters from other sources fitting into the Shadow World. | ||||
| Creature | Other appearances | Variants | Description | |
| Blood Hound | ||||
| Changeling | Farie, Adult human and Child human changeling | |||
| Cwn Annwn | ||||
| The Dispossessed | ||||
| Faerie, Seelie | Seelie Faerie, Faerie Queen, Deceiver, Innocent, Helper, Protector and Trickster | Fairy creatures were considered among the "standard repertoire of "Monsters"" by Fabian Perlini-Pfister.[3] | ||
| Faerie, Unseelie | Dark Queen, Living Evil Faerie and Undead Faerie | Fairy creatures were considered among the "standard repertoire of "Monsters"" by Fabian Perlini-Pfister.[3] | ||
| Halfling, Shadow World | Domain Lord, Slave, and Freedom Fighter | |||
| Minion of the Lost | Halfling Spawn, Masetian Spawn and Orog Spawn | |||
| Seemer | ||||
| Seeming Walker | ||||
| Shade | ||||
| Shadow Steed | ||||
| Shadow Warrior | ||||
| The Sluagh | ||||
| Spectral Awnshegh | ||||
| Waff | ||||
| Wild Hunt | ||||
| Will O'Shadow | ||||
Other sources
This section lists fictional creatures for AD&D 2nd Edition from various sources not explicitly dedicated to presenting monsters. Primarily, these are the separate sourcebooks and expansions for the Forgotten Realms, Al-Qadim and other campaign settings produced by TSR.
Spelljammer
TSR1049 – Spelljammer: AD&D Adventures In Space (1989)
The Spelljammer: AD&D Adventures in Space Spelljammer campaign setting boxed set contained 11 new creatures in the standard Monstrous Compendium format, on pages 67–86 of the Lorebook of the Void.
| Creature | Other appearances | Variants | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arcane, The | Monstrous Manual (1993) (as Arcane), Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix II (1995) (as Arcane) | ||
| Beholder | Monstrous Manual (1993) (Beholder and Hive Mother; Orbus by reference only) | Beholder, Orbus and Hive Mother | A large orb dominated by a central eye and a large toothy maw, with 10 smaller eyes on tops sprouting from the top of the orb; the large eye negates all magic and the smaller eyes cause a variety of magical effects. A "creature that looks at you and is destroying you by the power of its magical eyes".[24] A terrible beast, but depicted as "a cuddly rosy ball with too many eyes".[25] |
| Dracon | |||
| Dragon, Radiant (Celestial) | |||
| Elmarin | |||
| Ephemeral | Ephemeral Host | ||
| Giff | Monstrous Manual (1993) | ||
| Kindori (Space Whale) | |||
| Krajen | Immature and Adult | ||
| Neogi | Monstrous Manual (1993), Volo's Guide to Monsters (2016)[91] | Neogi, Great Old Master and Reaver | Large red spider-like carnivorous humanoids with reptilian heads. |
| Scavver | Gray, Brown, Night and Void |
TSR9280 – Lost Ships (1990)
The Spelljammer game accessory Lost Ships, by Ed Greenwood, contained several new creatures on pages 84–96.
| Creature | Other appearances | Variants | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beholder, Undead "Death Tyrant" | Monstrous Manual (1993) | ||
| Beholder Eater, Thagar ("Grimmgobbler") | |||
| Flow Barnacle | |||
| Lich, Arch | Monsters of Faerûn (2001) | ||
| Men: Wonderseeker | |||
| Neogi: Undead Old Master | |||
| Sarphardin ("Watcher") | |||
| Shadowsponge ("Air Stealer") | |||
| Spaceworm | |||
| Tinkerer ("Giant Bubble") |
TSR1065 – The Legend of Spelljammer (1991)
The Legend of Spelljammer boxed set added four new creatures on pages 60–64 of The Grand Tour sourcebook.
| Creature | Other appearances | Variants | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kasharin | Monstrous Manual (1993) (as Beholder – reference only) | ||
| K'r'r'r | |||
| Lich, Master | |||
| Shivak | Common and Guardian |
TSR9409 – Krynnspace (1993)
The Spelljammer game accessory Krynnspace, by Jean Rabe, contained two new creatures.
| Creature | Other appearances | Variants | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Giant, Bosk | Savage 19-foot-tall (5.8 m) giants native to the bogs of the fictional planet Chislev. | ||
| Giant, Swamp | 16-foot-tall (4.9 m) giants living in hunter-gatherer villages in the swamps of Chislev. |
Forgotten Realms
TSR1060 – Ruins of Undermountain (1991)
The Forgotten Realms Ruins of Undermountain boxed set included 8 unnumbered 5-hole punched loose-leaf pages of creature descriptions in Monstrous Compendium format.
| Creature | Other appearances | Variants | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beholder (Elder Orb) | Monstrous Manual (1993), Black Spine (1994), I, Tyrant (1996), Lords of Madness (2005) | ||
| Beholder-kin (Death Kiss) | Monstrous Manual (1993), Black Spine (1994), I, Tyrant (1996), Monsters of Faerûn (2001), Lords of Madness (2005), Dragon Compendium, Volume 1 (2005) | ||
| Darktentacles | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two (1995), Monster Manual II (2002) | ||
| Ibrandlin | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three (1996), Priest's Spell Compendium, Volume One (1999), Monsters of Faerûn (2001) | ||
| Scaladar | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two (1995), City of Splendors: Waterdeep (2005) | ||
| Sharn | Netheril: Empire of Magic (1996), Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three (1996), Monsters of Faerûn (2001), Anauroch: The Empire of the Shade (2007), Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide (2008) | Also named blackclaws, fhaorn'quessir, shiftshades, simmershadows, or skulkingdeaths. | |
| Slithermorph | None | ||
| Snakes, Flying | Races of Faerûn (2003) | Flying Fang and Deathfang | |
| Steel Shadow | None | ||
| Watchghost | Wizard's Spell Compendium, Volume One (1996), Monsters of Faerûn (2001) |
TSR1066 – Maztica Campaign Set (1991)
The Maztica Campaign Set boxed set contained 4 new creatures in the standard Monstrous Compendium format, on pages 59–62 of the Maztica Alive booklet.
| Creature | Other appearances | Variants | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chac | |||
| Jagre | |||
| Kamatlan | |||
| Plumazotl |
TSR9326 – The Drow of the Underdark (1991)
This 128-page softbound book provided additional details on the history, culture and society of the dark elves, and included 9 additional creature descriptions in Monstrous Compendium format on pages 113–127.
| Creature | Other appearances | Variants | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bat, Deep | Dragon No. 90 (1984), D&D Master Rules (1985) (Werebat), Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix (1991) (Werebat), Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia (1991) (Werebat), Monstrous Compendium Forgotten Realms Appendix (1991), 1991 Trading Cards Set No. 383 (Werebat), Night Howlers (1992) (Werebat), Monstrous Manual (1993), Ravenloft Monstrous Compendium Appendices I & II (1996) (Werebat), Monsters of Faerûn (2001) (Night Hunter, Sinister) | Azmyth, Night Hunter, Sinister and Werebat | |
| Dragon, Deep | Monstrous Compendium Forgotten Realms Appendix (1991), Monstrous Manual (1993), Monsters of Faerûn (2001), D&D Miniatures: Underdark set #52 (2005), Drow of the Underdark (2007), Draconomicon (2008) (as "Purple Dragon") | ||
| Myrlochar | Monsters of Faerûn (2001) | ||
| Pedipalp | Queen of the Demonweb Pits (1980), Monster Manual II (1983), Tome of Horrors (2002) | Large (Schizomida), Huge (Amblypygus) and Giant (Uropygi) | |
| Rothé, Deep | Fiend Folio (1981), Monstrous Manual (1993), Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting (2001) | ||
| Solifugid | Queen of the Demonweb Pits (1980), Monster Manual II (1983), Tome of Horrors (2002) | Large, Huge and Giant | |
| Spider, Subterranean | Ruins of Undermountain (1991) (Hunting as "Spider, Flying", Watch), Monstrous Manual (1993), City of Splendors (1994) (Watch), Monsters of Faerûn (2001) (Hairy, Sword), Faiths and Pantheons (2002) (Hairy), City of Splendors: Waterdeep (2005) (Watch) | Hairy, Hunting, Sword and Watch | |
| Spitting Crawler | Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting (2001) | ||
| Yochlol | Queen of the Demonweb Pits (1980), Monster Manual II (1983), Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix II (1995), Villains' Lorebook (1998), Dungeon No. 84 (2001), Monsters of Faerûn (2001), Fiendish Codex I (2006), Demon Queen's Enclave (2008) | Also called handmaiden of Lolth |
TSR9333 – Fires of Zatal (1991)
The Forgotten Realms adventure Fires of Zatal for the Maztica setting by Jeff Grubb and Tim Beach contained three new fictional creatures.
| Creature | Other appearances | Variants | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ahuizotl | Fiend Folio (2003) | Dangerous intelligent alligator-like water monster in Maztica. This appearance differs significantly from the descriptions in both 3rd edition Fiend Folio and Aztec mythology.[165] | |
| Tabaxi | Monstrous Manual (1993) (Jaguar Lord as Tabaxi Lord) | Jaguar Lord | Described as a "lithe feline" race[121] and "cat person".[95] In 2020, Comic Book Resources counted the tabaxi as # 4 on the list of "10 Powerful Monster Species That You Should Play As", stating that "a Tabaxi monk with Boots of Speed and a few other speed buffs can in theory cover anywhere between 320ft per round to 253,440ft per round. Your ability to do this and break the sound barrier in-game entirely depends on how much time and leniency the DM grants you though."[65] Again referring to the 5th edition presentation, A.V. Club praised the tabaxi as an interesting player character choice, calling that they "view money as a mere tool to be used in finding the real treasure—a good story" a "great character trait,[95] while Black Gate reviewer Howard Andrew Jones called them "perennially popular".[31] |
| Dragon, Maztican (Tlalocoatl, Rain Dragon) |
TSR1083 – Menzoberranzan (1992)
The Forgotten Realms Menzoberranzan boxed set included 7 pages of creature descriptions in Monstrous Compendium format, bound into the first book of the set (The City) on pages 88–94.
| Creature | Other appearances | Variants | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alhoon (Illithilich) | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three (1996), The Illithiad (1998), Monsters of Faerûn (2001), Lords of Madness (2005), D&D Miniatures: Night Below #38 (2007) | Undead mind flayer. Even more powerful than other illithids because it has developed "powerful sorcery to augment their already fearsome psionic powers".[166] | |
| Cloaker Lord | Monsters of Faerûn (2001) | ||
| Foulwing | Dragon No. 197 (1993), Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994), Lost Empires of Faerûn (2005) | ||
| Lizard, Subterranean | Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting (2001), Dungeon No. 94 (2002) | Pack Lizard | |
| Riding Lizard | Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting (2001) | ||
| Wingless Wonder | Dragon No. 40 (1980), Wizard's Spell Compendium, Volume Four (1998), Secrets of the Magister (2000) | True and Transformed |
TSR1084 – Ruins of Myth Drannor (1993)
The Forgotten Realms The Ruins of Myth Drannor boxed set included 8 unnumbered 5-hole punched loose-leaf pages of creature descriptions in Monstrous Compendium format.
| Creature | Other appearances | Variants | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aratha (Killer Beetle) | Monstrous Manual (1993) | ||
| Baelnorn | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994), Cormanthyr: Empire of Elves (1998), Monsters of Faerûn (2001) | ||
| Blazing Bones | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994) | ||
| Doomsphere (Ghost Beholder) | Monstrous Manual (1993) (referenced only), Black Spine (1994), I, Tyrant (1996), Monsters of Faerûn (2001) | ||
| Electrum Dragon | Dragon No. 74 (1983), Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994) | ||
| Fang Dragon (Draco Dentus Terribilus) | Dragon No. 134 (1988), Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994), Monsters of Faerûn (2001), Draconomicon (2003), D&D Miniatures: War of the Dragon Queen set #48 (2006), Draconomicon (2008) (as "Gray Dragon") | ||
| Dread | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994), Lost Empires of Faerûn (2005) | Vampiric Dread | |
| Feystag (Calygraunt) | Dragon No. 89 (1989) (as "Calygraunt"), Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994) | ||
| Lythlyx | Dragon No. 43 (1980), Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994) | ||
| Magebane | Dragon No. 140 (1988), Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994) | ||
| Metalmaster (Sword Slug) | Dragon No. 139 (1988), Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994), Lost Empires of Faerûn (2005) | ||
| Naga, Bone | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994), Monster Manual II (2002), Serpent Kingdoms (2004), D&D Miniatures: Unhallowed set #34, Monster Manual (2008) | ||
| Ormyrr | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994), Monster Manual II (2002) | ||
| Windghost | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994), Monster Manual II (2002) | ||
| Xantravar (Stinging Horror) | Dragon No. 140 (1988), Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994) | ||
| Xaver | Dragon No. 94 (1985), Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994) |
TSR1085 – Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting (1993)
The Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting (2nd edition) boxed set included 8 unnumbered 5-hole punched loose-leaf pages of creature descriptions in Monstrous Compendium format.
| Creature | Other appearances | Variants | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aballin | Monstrous Compendium Fiend Folio Appendix (1992), Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994), Monsters of Faerûn (2001) | ||
| Baneguard | Shadowdale (1989), Ruins of Undermountain (1991), Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994), Monsters of Faerûn (2001), Lost Empires of Faerûn (2005) | Direguard | |
| Bonebat | Halls of the High King (1990), Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three (1996), Monsters of Faerûn (2001) | Battlebat | |
| Deepspawn | Dwarves Deep (1990), Monstrous Manual (1993), Pool of Radiance: Attack on Myth Drannor (2000), Monsters of Faerûn (2001), Lost Empires of Faerûn (2005) | ||
| Dracolich | Dragon No. 110 (1986), Waterdeep and the North (1987), Monstrous Compendium Volume Three: Forgotten Realms Appendix (1989), 1991 Trading Cards #251, Monstrous Manual (1993), 1993 Trading Cards #387, Cult of the Dragon (1998), Draconomicon (2003), Dragon #344 "The Ecology of the Dracolich" (2006), D&D Miniatures: War of the Dragon Queen set #31 (2006), Dragon: Monster Ecologies (2007), Monster Manual (2008) | ||
| Gambado | Fiend Folio (1981), Monstrous Compendium Fiend Folio Appendix (1992), Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994), Tome of Horrors (2002) | ||
| Gibbering Mouther | Lost Tamoachan (1979), Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan (1979), Monster Manual II (1983), Dragon No. 160 "The Ecology of the Gibbering Mouther" (1990), Assassin Mountain (1993), Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994), Monster Manual (2000, 2003), D&D Miniatures: Aberrations set #50 (2004), Lords of Madness (2005), Monster Manual (2008) | A creature with many eyes and mouths. Witwer et al. found Erol Otus' early depiction "perversely beautiful", the artist's surrealist style very suited for this bizarre monster.[5]: 94–97 | |
| Gibberling | Fiend Folio (1981), Monstrous Compendium Fiend Folio Appendix (1992), Monstrous Manual (1993), Dragon No. 265 (1999), Monsters of Faerûn (2001) | ||
| Helmed Horror | Halls of the High King (1990), Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994), Priest's Spell Compendium, Volume Three (2000), Monsters of Faerûn (2001), Dragon No. 302 (2002), Lost Empires of Faerûn (2005), D&D Miniatures: Underdark set #37 (2005), Monster Manual (2008) | ||
| Lock Lurker | Dragon No. 139 (1988), Haunted Halls of Evening Star (1992), Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994), Priest's Spell Compendium, Volume Three (2000) | ||
| Naga, Dark | Dragon No. 89 (1984), Anauroch (1991), Monstrous Compendium Forgotten Realms Appendix (1991), Dragon No. 261 "The Ecology of the Dark Naga: Fool Me Twice" (1999), Monster Manual (2000, 2003), D&D Miniatures: Underdark set #33 (2005), Monster Manual (2008) | ||
| Nishruu | Halls of the High King (1990), Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994), Monsters of Faerûn (2001), Lost Empires of Faerûn (2005) | ||
| Quaggoth | Fiend Folio (1981), Monstrous Compendium Fiend Folio Appendix (1992), Monstrous Manual (1993), Dragon No. 265 (1999), Monsters of Faerûn (2001), D&D Miniatures: War Drums set #57 (2006), Drow of the Underdark (2007) | ||
| Skum | Polyhedron No. 67 (1992), Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994), Monster Manual (2000, 2003) | ||
| Tressym | Haunted Halls of Evening Star (1992), Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994), Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting (2001), Lost Empires of Faerûn (2005) |
TSR1109 – City of Splendors (1994)
The Forgotten Realms City of Splendors boxed set included unnumbered 5-hole punched loose-leaf pages of creature descriptions in Monstrous Compendium format.
| Creature | Other appearances | Variants | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Curst | The Dragon #30 (1979),[14]: 72 Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two (1995) | The curst had the distinction of being the first piece of publication with references to the immensely detailed Forgotten Realms setting.[14]: 72–73 | |
| Doppelganger, Greater | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two (1995) | ||
| Duhlarkin | |||
| Ghaunadan | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two (1995) (under Ooze, Slime, Jelly) | "D&D's large variety of monstrous oozes and slimes took their original inspiration from Irvin S. Yeathworth Jr's The Blob" movie.[1] | |
| Gulguthydra | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two (1995) | ||
| Hakeashar | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two (1995) | ||
| Leucrotta, Greater | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two (1995) | ||
| Nyth | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two (1995) | ||
| Palimpsest | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two (1995) | ||
| Peltast | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two (1995) | Normal and Greater | |
| Raggamoffyn | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two (1995) | Tatterdemanimal, Common Raggamoffyn, Gutterspite and Shrapnyl | CJ Miozzi included the raggamoffyn on The Escapist's list of "The Dumbest Dungeons & Dragons Monsters Ever (And How To Use Them)".[142] |
| Sewerm | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Four (1998), Serpent Kingdoms (2004) | ||
| Shadowrath | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Four (1998) | Lesser and Greater | |
| Watchspider | |||
| Wereshark | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two (1995) | Prior to 2E, weresharks were created by Dr. John Eric Holmes, based on a Hawaiian legend of the shark man.[167][168][169] |
TSR9563 – Powers and Pantheons (1997)
The Forgotten Realms campaign expansion Powers & Pantheons by Eric L. Boyd contained next to the description of many deities also new creatures.
| Creature | Other appearances | Variants | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Divine Minion | Planescape Campaign Setting (1994) (Minion of Set) | Magical servants of Mulhorandi deities with the ability to shapechange into specific animals. | |
| Elder Eternal Evil | Dendar the Night Serpent, Kezef the Chaos Hound, Ityak-Ortheel, the Elf-Eater | Titanic mythological evil creatures from the Outer Planes related to Abeir-Toril's prehistory | |
| Shade | Monster Manual II (1983), Dragon No. 126 "The Ecology of the Shade" (1987), Dragon No. 213 (1995), Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Four (1998), Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting (2001), Races of Faerûn (2003), Dragon No. 307 (2003), Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide (2008) | Humans or demihumans imbued with the essence of the Plane of Shadow. For reviewer Philippe Tessier a monster in the spirit of Fiend Folio.[160] |
Dragonlance
TSR9294 – Dragon's Rest (1990)
The Dragonlance adventure Dragon's Rest by Rick Swan contained three new fictional creatures.
| Creature | Other appearances | Variants | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chronolily | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two (1995) | Immense sentient flower whose nectar reveals images of the past, present and future. | |
| Chulcrix | Gigantic carnivorous worm with two pincers dwelling on the Ethereal plane. | ||
| Gk'lok-Lok | Tribal creatures consisting of stalk-like tendrils that spend their lives dormant, re-experiencing the lives of dead warriors. |
TSR9334 – Wild Elves (1991)
The Dragonlance adventure Wild Elves by Scott Bennie contained six new fictional creatures.
| Creature | Other appearances | Variants | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Curotai | Kagonesti transformed into six-armed ferocious evil fighter. | ||
| Dragon, Spider | Dragon-like evil creature with spider-legs and eyes. | ||
| Handmaiden of Takhisis | Jiathuli | Powerful evil entity with many spell-casting abilities serving Takhisis. | |
| Ice Vampire | Undead Kagonesti with the ability to manipulate cold and a hunger for the warmth of living creatures. | ||
| Spider Horse | Predatory hybrid between a spider and a horse. | ||
| Weapon, Living | Evil spirit animating a melee weapon. |
TSR9344 – Taladas: The Minotaurs (1991)
The Dragonlance game accessory Taladas: The Minotaurs by Colin McComb contained several new creatures.
| Creature | Other appearances | Variants | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Children of the Sea | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Four (1998), Bestiary of Krynn (2004), Bestiary of Krynn, Revised (2007) | Child of the Sea and Accantus | Human-like aquatic race that reproduces with humans. Accanta are wild and aggressive versions of the children of the sea that possess additional powers. |
| Grain Nymph | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Four (1998) | Cultivated relatives of the nymph associated with farmland | |
| Yrasda | Aphelka, Thanic and Ushama | Irda-like race closely linked to the sea with the ability to shapechange into a specific sea creature |
TSR9382 – Flint's Axe (1992)
The Dragonlance adventure Flint's Axe by Tim Beach contained a new creature.
| Creature | Other appearances | Variants | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tyin | Adult and larva | 9-foot-tall (2.7 m) grotesque semi-intelligent humanoid predator that can spit acid. |
Al-Qadim
TSR1077 – Land of Fate (1992)
The Al-Qadim Land of Fate boxed set contained 8 unnumbered 5-hole punched loose-leaf pages in Monstrous Compendium format.
| Creature | Other appearances | Variants | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Genie of Zakhara, Dao | Monstrous Compendium Volume One (1989), Monstrous Manual (1993) | ||
| Genie of Zakhara, Djinni | Monstrous Compendium Volume One (1989), Monstrous Manual (1993) | Powerful humanoid air spirit. Based on notions from Middle Eastern culture.[2] | |
| Genie of Zakhara, Efreeti | Monstrous Compendium Volume One (1989), Monstrous Manual (1993) | ||
| Genie of Zakhara, Janni | Monstrous Compendium Volume Two (1989), Monstrous Manual (1993) | ||
| Genie of Zakhara, Marid | Monstrous Compendium Volume Two (1989), Monstrous Manual (1993) | ||
| Giant, Island | |||
| Giant, Ogre | |||
| Roc, Zakharan | Common, Great and Two-Headed | An enormous bird, based on the mythological roc probably of Persian origin, known from Sindbad the Sailor stories.[33] | |
| Yak-Man (Yikaria) | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two (1995) |
TSR9366 – Golden Voyages (1992)
The Al-Qadim Golden Voyages boxed set, by David "Zeb" Cook, contained 4 unnumbered 5-hole punched loose-leaf pages in Monstrous Compendium format, each with a full-page image of the creature described on the back.
| Creature | Other appearances | Variants | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coelenite | Coelenite Colony and Mass Colony | Polyp colony with a mass mind, forming vaguely humanoid bodies from coral pieces. | |
| Ogrima | Large evil humanoid resulting from breeding of an ogre and ogre mage. | ||
| Sartani | Up to 20-foot-tall (6.1 m) humanoid with crab-like head, arms and pincers. |
TSR1091 – City of Delights (1993)
The Al-Qadim City of Delights boxed set contained 8 unnumbered 5-hole punched loose-leaf pages in Monstrous Compendium format.
| Creature | Other appearances | Variants | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Afanc (Gawwar Samakat) | Monster Manual II (1983), Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994) | Afanc and Young Afanc | |
| Al-Jahar (Dazzle) | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994) | ||
| Cat, Winged | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994) | Lesser and Greater Winged Cat | |
| Crypt Servant | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994), Priest's Spell Compendium, Volume One (1999) | ||
| Genie, Tasked, Administrator | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994) | ||
| Genie, Tasked, Harim Servant | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994) | ||
| Ogre, Zakharan | |||
| Opinicus | Monster Manual II (1983), Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994) | ||
| Parasite | Monster Manual (1977) (Ear Seeker), Fiend Folio (1981) (Goldbug), Monstrous Manual (1993) (Ear Seeker), Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994) | Bloodring, Ear Seeker, Goldbug, Wizard Lice and Vilirij | |
| Pasari-Niml | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994) | Warrior, Noble and Calipha | |
| Singing Tree | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994) | ||
| Sirine | Monstrous Manual (1993) | Based on the mythological siren, the sirine is a type of fey. | |
| Talking Bird | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994) | ||
| Tatalla | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994) | ||
| Vargouille | Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994), Volo's Guide to Monsters (2016)[91] | ||
| Vermin, Elemental | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994) | Air (Duster), Earth (Crawler), Fire (Flameling) and Water (Spitter) Elemental Vermin |
TSR9431 – Assassin Mountain (1993)
The Al-Qadim Assassin Mountain boxed set contained 4 unnumbered 5-hole punched loose-leaf pages in Monstrous Compendium format.ISBN 1-56076-564-X
| Creature | Other appearances | Variants | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cobra, Giant | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994) (as Snake, Giant Cobra) | Elder Giant Cobra | |
| Genie, Tasked, Deceiver | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994) | ||
| Genie, Tasked, Oathbinder | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994) | ||
| Gibbering mouther | Lost Tamoachan (1979), Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan (1979), Monster Manual II (1983), Dragon No. 160 "The Ecology of the Gibbering Mouther" (1990), Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting (1993), Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994), Monster Manual (2000, 2003), D&D Miniatures: Aberrations set #50 (2004), Lords of Madness (2005), Monster Manual (2008) | A creature with many eyes and mouths. Witwer et al. found Erol Otus' early depiction "perversely beautiful", the artist's surrealist style very suited for this bizarre monster.[5]: 94–97 | |
| Greyhound, Saluqi | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994) (as Dog, Saluqi) | Jungle Hounds | |
| Marrashi | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994) | ||
| Sandman | White Dwarf No. 10 (1978), Fiend Folio (1981), Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994) (under Elemental), Tome of Horrors (2002) | ||
| Wind Walker | Strategic Review No. 3 (1975), Monster Manual (1977), Monster Cards, Set 4 (1982), Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994) (under Elemental), Tome of Horrors (2002) |
TSR9433 – Secrets of the Lamp (1993)
The Al-Qadim Secrets of the Lamp boxed set contained 4 unnumbered 5-hole punched loose-leaf pages in Monstrous Compendium format.ISBN 1-56076-647-6
| Creature | Other appearances | Variants | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elemental Kin, Earth, Crysmal | Monster Manual II (1983), Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994), Psionics Handbook (2001), Expanded Psionics Handbook (2004) | ||
| Elemental Kin, Fire, Azer | Monster Manual II (1983), Practical Planetology (1991), Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994), Monster Manual (2000, 2003), Savage Species (2003), D&D Miniatures: Harbinger set #32 (2003) ("Azer Raider"), D&D Miniatures: War of the Dragon Queen set #19 (2006) ("Azer Fighter"), Monster Manual (2008), Draconomicon (2008) ("Azer Beastmaster") | Amaimon, Nobles | |
| Genie, Tasked, Messenger | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994) | ||
| Genie, Tasked, Miner | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994) | ||
| Grue, Chaggrin (Soil beast) | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994) (as Grue, Earth) | White Dwarf reviewer Megan C. Evans referred to the grues as "a collection of terrifying beasties from the Elemental Planes".[22] | |
| Grue, Harginn (Flame horror) | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994) (as Grue, Fire) | ||
| Grue, Ildriss (Wind terror) | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994) (as Grue, Air) | ||
| Grue, Varrdig (Fluid brute) | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994) (as Grue, Water) |
TSR9440 – Ruined Kingdoms (1994)
The Al-Qadim Ruined Kingdoms boxed set, by Steven Kurtz, contained an 8-page booklet with non-player characters and monsters.
| Creature | Other appearances | Variants | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Segarran | Lesser and Greater | Humanoid with the head and tail of a crocodile and the ability to assume human form; servants of the evil goddess Ragarra. Greater seggaran have additional magical powers and bat's wings. | |
| Serpent | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two (1995) | Herald and Teak | Herald serpent: intelligent, good-aligned messengers of serpent lords. Teak serpent: a 30-ft long constrictor snake. |
TSR9449 – Corsairs of the Great Sea (1994)
The Al-Qadim Corsairs of the Great Sea boxed set, by Nicky Rea, contained an 8-page booklet with monsters.ISBN 1-56076-867-3
| Creature | Other appearances | Variants | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Addazahr (Backbiter) | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two (1995) | Thin, blood-drinking flying insect that can cause disease. | |
| Amiq Rasol | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two (1995) | Energy-draining undead corsairs. | |
| Firethorn (Sea Rose) | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two (1995) (under Plant, Dangerous) | Poisonous rose-like plant that emits heat a night. | |
| Ghul-Kin | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two (1995) | Soultaker and Witherer | Evil undead jann with shapechanging powers. |
| Sea Wyrm | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two (1995) (under Dragon-kin) | Large, usually non-aggressive sea serpent with sleep gas as a breath weapon. | |
| Vizier's Turban | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two (1995) | Symbiotic creature that looks like a turban and draws hit points while enhancing magical abilities of a spellcaster. |
Planescape
TSR2600 – Planescape Campaign Setting (1994)
The Planescape Campaign Setting boxed set contained a 32-page Monstrous Supplement booklet.
| Creature | Other appearances | Variants | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aleax | |||
| Astral Searcher | |||
| Barghest | |||
| Cranium Rat | Rats modified by mind flayers which show a "glowing brain". Ranked among the weakest monsters in the game by Scott Baird from Screen Rant.[57] Only in higher numbers do they become more intelligent, psionic, and dangerous. | ||
| Dabus | These "floating goat-men" are common within the fictional city of Sigil.[170] | ||
| Magman | |||
| Minion of Set | Powers & Pantheons (1997) (Divine Minion) | Minion of Set and Shadow Priest | |
| Modron | Monodrone, Duodrone, Tridrone, Quadron, Pentadrone, Decaton, Nonaton, Octon, Septon, Hexton, Quinton, Quarton, Tertian, Secundus, Primus and Rogue Unit | In his review of the Planescape Campaign Setting boxed set, Gene Alloway mentioned the modrons as an example of "the old, tired and previously foolish" which the set "breathes new life and meaning into".[171] Reviewer Scott Haring found that the "once-silly Modrons" from 1st edition AD&D were "given a new background and purpose that makes a lot more sense" in 2nd edition Planescape.[172] Philippe Tessier praised the modrons as charming little critters.[173] | |
| Nic'Epona | |||
| Spirit of the Air | |||
| Vortex | |||
| Yugoloth, Lesser – Marraenoloth |
TSR2603 – Planes of Chaos (1994)
The Planescape Planes of Chaos boxed set contained a 32-page Monstrous Supplement booklet.
| Creature | Other appearances | Variants | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abyssal Lord | Graz'zt and Pazrael | Powerful and evil demonic rulers, each controlling a section of the Abyss. CBR reviewer Daniel Colohan counted the abyssal lords among "the most feared enemies to encounter in any campaign". Among them, as an exception to the rule, Graz'zt appears humanoid rather than monstrous, and was ranked by Colohan number six among the "Top 10 Demon Lords Your Party Will Fear".[174] | |
| Asrai | |||
| Bacchae | |||
| Chaos Beast | |||
| Chaos Imp | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three (1996) | ||
| Fensir | Male, female and young Fensir, Fensir Mage and Rakka | ||
| Howler | |||
| Lillend | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three (1996) | ||
| Murska | |||
| Oread | Oread and Snowhair | ||
| Ratatosk | |||
| Tanar'ri, Lesser – Armanite | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three (1996) | ||
| Tanar'ri, Greater – Goristro | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three (1996) | ||
| Varrangoin (Abyssal Bat) | Lesser (types I-IV) and Greater Varrangoin (types V-VI) | ||
| Viper Tree | Viper Tree and Larval Viper Tree |
TSR2607 – Planes of Law (1995)
The Planescape Planes of Law boxed set contained a 32-page Monstrous Supplement booklet.
| Creature | Other appearances | Variants | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Achaierai | Monstrous Compendium – Fiend Folio Appendix (1992) | ||
| Archon | Monstrous Compendium – Outer Planes Appendix (1991) (Lantern, Hound, Warden, Sword and Tome) | Lantern, Hound, Warden, Sword, Trumpet, Throne, Tome and Fallen | |
| Baatezu, Lesser – Kocrachon | |||
| Bezekira (Hellcat) | Monstrous Compendium – Fiend Folio Appendix (1992) | ||
| Bladeling | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three (1996) | ||
| Busen | |||
| Formian | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three (1996) | Worker, Warrior, Myrmarch and Queen | |
| Gear Spirit | |||
| Kyton | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three (1996) | ||
| Moigno | |||
| Parai | |||
| Rust Dragon | |||
| Zoveri | Monstrous Compendium – Outer Planes Appendix (1991) |
TSR2615 – Planes of Conflict (1995)
The Planescape Planes of Conflict boxed set contained a 32-page Monstrous Supplement booklet.
| Creature | Other appearances | Variants | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aeserpent | |||
| Asuras | Monstrous Compendium – Al-Qadim Appendix (1992) | Asuras and Rogue Asuras | |
| Buraq | Monstrous Compendium – Al-Qadim Appendix (1992) | ||
| Delphon | |||
| Diakk | Varath and Carcene | ||
| Ethyk | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three (1996) | ||
| Gautiere | |||
| Linqua | |||
| Ni'iath | |||
| Phiuhl | |||
| Quesar | A race of celestials from the Outer Planes[146] | ||
| Slasrath | |||
| Vaath | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three (1996) | ||
| Warden Beast | Monstrous Compendium – Outer Planes Appendix (1991) | ||
| Yugoloth, Greater – Baernaloth | Baernaloth and Demented |
Dark Sun
TSR2400 – Dark Sun Campaign Setting (1991)
The original Dark Sun Boxed Set for the Dark Sun campaign setting contains several pages of monster description in The Wanderer's Journal book, as well as in the A Little Knowledge adventure booklet.
| Creature | Other appearances | Variants | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Animal, Domestic | Erdlu, inix, kank and mekillot | Erdlu: large flightless scaled bird kept for meat and eggs; inix: 16-feet carnivorous lizard used for riding and transport; kank: 8-feet-long black insects kept as mounts and for honey; mekillot: 30-feet-long moundshaped foul-tempered lizards used as caravan beasts | |
| Belgoi | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three (1996) | Belgoi appear human, but with long claws, toothless mouths, and webbed feet. They have a taste for the flesh of intelligent races. | |
| Braxat | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three (1996) | It is difficult to tell whether the braxat are of mammalian or reptilian stock. Their backs are covered with shells and their heads have a lizard-like shape. But, they walk upright, can speak with a human-like voice, have opposable thumbs, and are warm-blooded. | |
| Dragon of Tyr | Fortunately, there is only one dragon in the Tyr region. | ||
| Dune Freak (Anakore) | A race of dimwitted humanoids with bony, wedge-like heads, small ears, and beady eyes covered by clear membranes to prevent sand from scratching them. | ||
| Gaj | A psionic horror, though physically it appears as a reptilian beetle six feet long. | ||
| Giant, Athasian | Monstrous Compendium – Dark Sun Appendix: Terrors of the Desert (1992) | Beasthead, desert and plains giant | Beasthead: 20ft-tall hostile giants with an animal head; desert: 25ft-tall giants living on desert islands; plains: 25ft-tall giants raising herds on islands with scrub plains terrain |
| Gith | Monstrous Manual (1993) | A grotesque race that appear to be a mixture of elf and reptile. | |
| Jorzhal | About four feet tall, the jozhal is a small, two-legged reptile with a skinny tail, a long flexible neck, and a narrow snout. | ||
| Silk Wyrm | A snake with a hard, chitinous shell that measure over 50 feet in length. | ||
| Tembo | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three (1996) | A despicable, furless, tawny-colored beast covered with loose folds of scaly hide. | |
| Kluzd | Snake-like reptiles that inhabit mudflats, ten feet long and two to three feet in diameter. They can swallow a grown man whole. | ||
| Wezer | worker, soldier, brood queen | Enormous flying insects that make underground hives in the desert. |
TSR2432 – City by the Silt Sea (1994)
The City by the Silt Sea campaign expansion box for the Dark Sun campaign setting by Shane Lacy Hensley contains a 32-page Monstrous Supplement.
| Creature | Other appearances | Variants | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Absalom (Unique Morg) | High Priest of Dregoth, an undead, mummy-like dray | ||
| Caller in the Darkness | Supernatural storm of trapped spirits that inspires fear and draws in psionicists within its reach | ||
| Dragon Beetle | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two (1995) | 1-foot-long (0.30 m) horned beetle living in groups with a poison dangerous to drakes, dragons and dray | |
| Dray | Dark Sun Monstrous Compendium Appendix II: Terrors Beyond Tyr (1995) | Race of tall, lean, draconic humanoids created from humans by Dregoth | |
| Dregoth, the Undead Dragon King | Dark Sun Campaign Setting (1995) | Undead Dragon of Tyr, a mighty human sorcerer-psionicist transformed into a dragon-like being | |
| Dwarf, Cursed Dead | Intelligent undead dwarves capable of attaking by shooting their sinews at an opponent | ||
| Kalin | Dark Sun Monstrous Compendium Appendix II: Terrors Beyond Tyr (1995), Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two (1995) | Kalin and Kalin Rider | 12-foot-long (3.7 m) aggressive insectoid creatures used as mounts by kalin riders. Kalin riders: Elite templar troops of Dregoth |
| Krag | Dark Sun Monstrous Compendium Appendix II: Terrors Beyond Tyr (1995) | Undead with special powers related to the element or paraelement that killed it | |
| Kragling | Dark Sun Monstrous Compendium Appendix II: Terrors Beyond Tyr (1995) | Lesser and greater | Skeletal Undead created and controlled by a krag and associated with that krag's element |
| Pit Snatchers | Elemental-like creature made of smoking tar that tries to drag its victims into the tar pit it lives in | ||
| Sharg | 40-foot water creature resembling a crossbreed between a giant shark and a squid | ||
| Silt Serpent | Normal and giant | Poisonous serpent with psionic sensory powers, inhabiting the shallows of the Silt Sea | |
| Silt Spawn | Dark Sun Monstrous Compendium Appendix II: Terrors Beyond Tyr (1995) | The young of a Silt Horror, this tentacled creature lives in groups in the shallows of the Sea of Silt | |
| Venger | Undead relentlessly seeking to destroy someone who did it a great wrong | ||
| Wall-Walker | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two (1995) | 5-foot-long (1.5 m), scaled, spider-like subterranean creature using chameleon-like powers and paralytic poison to torment its victims |
TSR2437 – Thri-Kreen of Athas (1995)
The Dark Sun campaign setting accessory Thri-Kreen of Athas by Tim Beach and Dori Hein contained three monster descriptions.
| Creature | Other appearances | Variants | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trin | Dark Sun Monstrous Compendium Appendix II: Terrors Beyond Tyr | 9-foot-long (2.7 m) moderately intelligent insectoid creatures with four legs and two clawed arms, primitive relatives to thri-kreen | |
| Jalath'gak | Normal and giant | 13-foot-long (4.0 m) predatory winged insect appearing in swarms | |
| Zik-trin'ak | Thri-kreen warrior caste enhanced for combat from normal members of their species |
TSR2438 – Dark Sun Campaign Setting (1995)
The expanded and revised Campaign setting boxed set for Dark Sun contained several pages of monster description in The Wanderer's Chronicle booklet.
| Creature | Other appearances | Variants | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Animal, Domestic | Erdlu, inix, kank and mekillot | Erdlu: large flightless scaled bird kept for meat and eggs; inix: 16-feet carnivorous lizard used for riding and transport; kank: 8-feet-long black insects kept as mounts and for honey; mekillot: 30-feet-long moundshaped foul-tempered lizards used as caravan beasts | |
| Dregoth, the Undead Dragon King | City by the Silt Sea (1994) | Undead Dragon of Tyr, a mighty human sorcerer-psionicist transformed into a dragon-like being | |
| Giant, Athasian | Monstrous Compendium – Dark Sun Appendix: Terrors of the Desert (1992) | Beasthead, desert and plains giant | Beasthead: 20ft-tall hostile giants with an animal head; desert: 25ft-tall giants living on desert islands; plains: 25ft-tall giants raising herds on islands with scrub plains terrain |
TSR2444 – The Wanderer's Chronicle: Mind Lords of the Last Sea (1996)
The Wanderer's Chronicle: Mind Lords of the Last Sea by Matt Forbeck contained ten pages of descriptions of NPCs and monsters.
| Creature | Other appearances | Variants | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dolphin, Athasian | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Four | ||
| Giant, Crag | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Four | ||
| Kreel | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Four (as Fish, Athasian) | ||
| Lizard Man, Athasian | |||
| Puddingfish | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Four (as Fish, Athasian) | ||
| Shark, Athasian | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Four (as Fish, Athasian) | ||
| Skyfish | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Four (as Fish, Athasian) | ||
| Squark |
Birthright
TSR3100 – Birthright Campaign Setting (1995)
Within the Birthright Campaign Setting box were a set of cardsheets, separate from the books. Beyond rules summaries and handy charts, several unique monsters were presented.
| Creature | Other appearances | Variants | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dragon, Cerilian | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three (1996) | A dragon variant unique to this setting, with a breath weapon of a stream of burning venom. | |
| Giant, Cerilian | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three (1996) | Forest, Ice | |
| Goblin, Cerilian | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three (1996) | ||
| Orog | A subterranean race of miners and warriors that inhabit Cerilia's mountain ranges. | ||
| The Gorgon | One of the awnsheghlien ("Blood of Darkness" in Elven, champions of evil),[175] he is the regent of The Gorgon's Crown in North Anuire. A terribly powerful antagonist of humankind.[175] | ||
| Rhuobhe Manslayer | One of the awnsheghlien, an elf twisted by his hatred and pledge to exterminate all humanity. | ||
| The Seadrake | One of the awnsheghlien, a merchant who transformed into a massive sea serpent over centuries. | ||
| The Spider | One of the awnsheghlien, a goblin who became an arachnoid monster, and regent of The Spiderfell. |
Greyhawk
TSR11374 – The Scarlet Brotherhood (1999)
The Greyhawk campaign setting accessory The Scarlet Brotherhood, by Sean Reynolds, contained the descriptions of seven monsters.
| Creature | Other appearances | Variants | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bredthrall (slave races) | Komazar, Kurg, Rullhow | ||
| Gibbering Mouther, Greater | Gibberspawn | ||
| Onco | |||
| Ravenous | |||
| Su-Monkey | |||
| Thousandtooth | |||
| Tolkasazotz (Olman Bat-Vampire) |
Core AD&D sources
TSR9506 – Chronomancer (1995)
The Chronomancer game accessory, by Loren Coleman, contained 7 pages of monsters living on Temporal Prime, a fictitious dimension that allows time travel.
| Creature | Other appearances | Variants | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chronovoid | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three (1996) | Communal organism that looks like an ovoid blob of gelatinous matter. | |
| Temporal Dog | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three (1996) | Intelligent dogs with the ability to slip between Temporal Prime and other planes. | |
| Temporal Glider | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three (1996) | Ray-like creature that glides freely on Temporal Prime. | |
| Temporal Stalker | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three (1996) | Undead trying to destroy creatures not native to Temporal Prime. | |
| Tether Beast | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three (1996) | Fierce, intelligent and evil predator that resembles a behir. | |
| Time Dimensional | Monster Manual II (1983) (as Time elemental), Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three (1996) | Common, Noble and Royal | Highly intelligent being composed of the essence of time and appearing as a sphere of silver light. |
| Vortex Spider | Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three (1996) | 12-feet long spider spinning invisible webs of temporal energy. |
TSR9539 – The Sea Devils (1997)
The Sea Devils game accessory by Skip Williams, detailing the sahuagin in the Monstrous Arcana series, contained two pages detailing new aquatic monsters.
| Creature | Other appearances | Variants | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anguiliian | Stormwrack (2005) | Tyler Linn of Cracked.com identified the anguillian as one of the "15 Most Idiotic Monsters In Dungeons & Dragons History", commenting that "Judging by the spear and the Sarlacc mouth, things down there aren't quite as whimsical as Sebastian the crab would have us believe." He adds: "Buddy, you've got a mouth lined with thousands of razor-sharp teeth and huge terrifying crab claws for hands. You do not need to try to jab people with a sharpened stick."[61] | |
| Nawidnehr (sharkwere) |
TSR9569 – The Illithiad (1998)
The Illithiad game accessory by Bruce R. Cordell, in the Monstrous Arcana series, contained 7 pages of monsters linked to the illithids.
| Creature | Other appearances | Variants | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elder brain | 10-foot-diameter (3.0 m) brain with immense psionic abilities; the center of an illithid community. A version of a brain in a jar, it was ranked among the strongest monsters in the game by Scott Baird from Screen Rant.[57][122] | ||
| Urophions | Lords of Madness (2005) | Cross between roper and illithid that looks like a rocky outcropping and has hidden tentacles. | |
| Neothelid | Psionics Handbook (2001) | Worm-like creature 10 feet (3.0 m) in diameter and 100 feet (30 m) long with four long tentacles protruding from the lamprey-like maw. | |
| Gohlbrorn | Dragon Annual No. 1 (1996), Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Four (1998) (as Bulette, Gohlbrorn) | Subterranean predator; a smaller, more intelligent relative of the bulette. |
Dragon Magazine
Dragon Magazine introduced many new monsters to the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons game. It functioned as "a creative safe haven for a diverse stable of talents – creators, amateur and professional alike – to" among other things "envision exotic monsters".[5]: 58
| Creature | Other appearances | Variants | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duckbunny | The duckbunny is the result of a magical crossbreeding experiment. CJ Miozzi included the duckbunny on The Escapist's list of "The Dumbest Dungeons & Dragons Monsters Ever (And How To Use Them)".[142] The duckbunny appeared in Dragon #243 (January 1998). |
See also
References
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