Mythical beasts that need more attention

[Huw]

Some of real world mythological beasts are too wack even for D&D. The game with the gelatinous cube

Admit it, you're thinking of the bonnacon aren't you? The cow which sh*ts flaming dung?

 

[Ry]

All of them.

A serious question for Crothian: If all of them need a better treatment, what would you see as "better"?

 

[Kid Charlemagne]

Some of real world mythological beasts are too wack even for D&D. The game with the gelatinous cube

Every so often, I hear someone complain about some ridiculous monster; in 80% of the cases, they're complaining about something taken from myhology. There are some really weird mythological creatures out there.

 

[Doug McCrae]

Manticores have been made humanoid. They're tribal pack hunters with big claws and spikes.

That's a bit weird given the tales of the manticore are a European's view of the tiger.

 

[Doug McCrae]

There's a big difference between monsters in myth/folklore and monsters in D&D. The former are usually defeated by being tricked, the latter are mostly just beaten to death.

If you want folkloric monsters you want a whole different game system, or maybe systemless, where the opponents are physically invincible.

 

[fusangite]

There's a big difference between monsters in myth/folklore and monsters in D&D. The former are usually defeated by being tricked, the latter are mostly just beaten to death.

If you want folkloric monsters you want a whole different game system, or maybe systemless, where the opponents are physically invincible.

Excellent point. I find that riddle-asking and other folkloric monsters don't work in D&D without an unacceptable amount of railroading.

 

[Kid Charlemagne]

There's a big difference between monsters in myth/folklore and monsters in D&D. The former are usually defeated by being tricked, the latter are mostly just beaten to death.

If you want folkloric monsters you want a whole different game system, or maybe systemless, where the opponents are physically invincible.

I'm completely fine with creatures that are more closely based on mythology, which I then beat to death. I don't see as much of a binary distinction.

 

[Crothian]

I think the dragon has been done pretty well.

Although, now that you mention it, I do have a few ideas of my own for doing them differently...

Dragons have been done a lot but pretty much all the same way. I'd love to see everything reinvented.

 

[Ry]

Sphinx: "What walks on four legs in the morning, two legs at - " THUNK! "Augh! Arrows?" THUNK-THUNK-THUNK! "Wait, - no! Let me finish - " SHLUCK! CHOP! MAIM!

PC: "Who da man?!"

 

[Crothian]

A serious question for Crothian: If all of them need a better treatment, what would you see as "better"?

Anything that makes me feel like the monster isn't just a collection of stats to be killed. The monster ecologies from Dragon do a good job on that.