Draft:List of Dungeons & Dragons monsters (1977–99)
 | Review waiting, please be patient.
This may take 3 months or more, since drafts are reviewed in no specific order. There are 2,563 pending submissions waiting for review.
Where to get help
How to improve a draft
You can also browse Wikipedia:Featured articles and Wikipedia:Good articles to find examples of Wikipedia's best writing on topics similar to your proposed article. Improving your odds of a speedy review To improve your odds of a faster review, tag your draft with relevant WikiProject tags using the button below. This will let reviewers know a new draft has been submitted in their area of interest. For instance, if you wrote about a female astronomer, you would want to add the Biography, Astronomy, and Women scientists tags. Editor resources
Reviewer tools
|
The following is a list of monsters that appeared in various books and supplements for the "Basic" version of Dungeons & Dragons from the release of the first Basic Set in 1977 through expansions until the end of the line in 1994.
1977 version[edit]
Dungeons & Dragons Basic Rulebook (1977)[edit]
The Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set, edited by John Eric Holmes, was first released in 1977, as an introductory set for new players. While players were intended to go onto Advanced Dungeons & Dragons once the play options in the Basic Set were exhausted, as stated in the book, many players found they preferred the simpler play style of the basic game. The Basic Set was based upon the original work published in 1974 and three of the supplementary booklets to the original set. Much like the first edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Monster Manual, also released in 1977, this book collected many of the monsters from the previous D&D supplements, and included the stat lines on the same page as the monsters' descriptions. Most descriptions do not feature illustrations.
| Creature | Other Appearances | Variants | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bandit | D&D Basic Rules (1981, 1983), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Basilisk | Dungeons & Dragons "white box", D&D Expert Rules (1981,1983), D&D Companion Rules (1984), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | 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.[2] | |
| Berserker | D&D Basic Rules (1981,1983), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Black pudding | Dungeons & Dragons "white box" | "D&D's large variety of monstrous oozes and slimes took their original inspiration from Irvin S. Yeathworth Jr's The Blob" movie.[1] | |
| Blink dogs | Dungeons & Dragons Supplement I: Greyhawk | ||
| Bugbear | Dungeons & Dragons Supplement I: Greyhawk | Hairy cousin of the goblin.[3] | |
| Carrion crawler | Dungeons & Dragons Supplement I: Greyhawk | ||
| Chimera | Dungeons & Dragons "white box" | The chimera is based on the chimera of Greek mythology as found in the Iliad by Homer,[4][5] "stronger than a centaur but weaker than a sphinx".[6] | |
| Cockatrice | Dungeons & Dragons "white box" | Based on the creature from medieval bestiaries.[1] | |
| Displacer beast | Dungeons & Dragons Supplement I: Greyhawk | 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][7]: 71 Rob Bricken from io9 named the displacer beast as the 2nd most memorable D&D monster.[8] | |
| Djinni | Dungeons & Dragons "white box" | ||
| Doppleganger | Dungeons & Dragons Supplement I: Greyhawk | ||
| Dragon | Dungeons & Dragons "white box" (white, black, and red dragons), Dungeons & Dragons Supplement I: Greyhawk (brass dragon) | White, Black, Red and Brass dragons | Powerful and intelligent, usually winged reptiles with magical abilities and breath weapon.[9] The different subraces, distinguished by their colouring, vary in power.[10] The dragon has been referred to as the "iconic creature for D&D adventurers to conquer".[11]: 34 [12] |
| Dwarf | Dungeons & Dragons "white box" | Based on Tolkien's version of the dwarf.[13][14]: 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".[14]: 58, 67, 78, 165 | |
| Elf | Dungeons & Dragons "white box" | Based on Tolkien's version of the elf,[13] "quick but fragile", with senses surpassing a human's, often depicted as "effeminate" and "predisposed towards a "good" moral alignment".[14]: 14, 26, 68 | |
| Gargoyle | Dungeons & Dragons "white box" | ||
| Gelatinous cube | Dungeons & Dragons Supplement I: Greyhawk | In the artificial dungeon environment of the game, they function as a "clean up crew". The gelatinous cube, "a living mound of gelatinous jelly",[15]: 138 was considered especially suited for that role, as it fi exactly in the standard grid for tactical combat. Considered an "iconic monster".[1] | |
| Giant | Dungeons & Dragons "white box" (all but storm giant), Dungeons & Dragons Supplement I: Greyhawk (storm giant) | Hill, Stone, Frost, Fire, Cloud and Storm giants | Overlarge powerful humanoids with a self-involved social focus,[16]: 8 usually presented as the "bad guys".[17] Based on mythological figures and Tolkien, their stone-throwing ability indicates their creative roots in wargaming.[4][1] |
| Giant tick | Dungeons & Dragons Supplement I: Greyhawk | ||
| Gnome | Dungeons & Dragons "white box" | 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".[14]: 23, 31, 67 | |
| Goblin | Dungeons & Dragons "white box" | Based primarily on the goblins portrayed in J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-Earth.[18] Considered one of the "five main "humanoid" races" in AD&D by Paul Karczag and Lawrence Schick.[19]: 92 Presented as "evil" and "predisposed towards a society of brutal regimes where the strongest rule" in the game.[14]: 48, 66, 134 Suitable oponent for characters of lowest level.[20] | |
| Gray ooze | Dungeons & Dragons "white box" | ||
| Green slime | Dungeons & Dragons "white box" | ||
| Griffon | Dungeons & Dragons "white box" | Originally based on the creature from Persian mythology.[21] | |
| Harpy | Dungeons & Dragons Supplement I: Greyhawk | Based on the creature from Greek mythology.[22] | |
| Hell hound | Dungeons & Dragons Supplement I: Greyhawk | ||
| Hippogriff | Dungeons & Dragons "white box" | Originally based on the creature from Persian mythology.[21] Based on the hippogriff from mythology, it "was among the earliest fantasy beasts introduced into the Dungeons & Dragons universe".[23] 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.[24] | |
| Hobgoblin | Dungeons & Dragons "white box" | Muscular humanoids somewhat taller than humans with reddish skin and canine teeth.[15]: 215 | |
| Horse | |||
| Hydra | Dungeons & Dragons "white box" | Based on the creature from classical sources,[1][5] with Heracles' famed method of slaying it adapted into a vulnerability against fire, but not with the less well-known poisonous bite, showing how the game mostly focusses on the well-known traits of mythological creatures.[6] | |
| Kobold | Dungeons & Dragons "white box" | "[S]hort subterranean lizard-men",[15]: 66 considered one of the "five main "humanoid" races" in AD&D by Paul Karczag and Lawrence Schick,[19]: 92 and ranked among the weakest monsters in the game by Scott Baird from Screen Rant.[25] | |
| Lizard man | Dungeons & Dragons Supplement I: Greyhawk | Reviewer Chris Gigoux described them by saying "Lizard Men aren't bad, [...] they're just a simple folks, struggling to survive."[26] | |
| Lycanthrope | Dungeons & Dragons "white box" (wereboar, werebear, weretiger, and werewolf), Dungeons & Dragons Supplement I: Greyhawk (wererat) | Wereboar, Wererat, Werebear, Weretiger and Werewolf | Afflicted shapechangers, whose condition could be transmitted like a disease.[27] 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."[28] 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".[29] |
| Manticore | Dungeons & Dragons "white box" | Based on its mythological counterpart, including the barbed tail, the manticore appeared in the game from its earliest edition.[23]: 44 [30]: 268 | |
| Medusa | Dungeons & Dragons "white box" | Based on the creature from classical sources[1][22] but translated into species of monsters[3][5] originated from "humans seeking eternal youth".[6] | |
| Mummy | Dungeons & Dragons "white box" | Based on the creature from Gothic fiction and appearances in more contemporary entertainment.[21][31] | |
| Nixie | Dungeons & Dragons "white box" | ||
| Ochre jelly | Dungeons & Dragons "white box" | ||
| Ogre | Dungeons & Dragons "white box" | Large, powerful humanoid creatures, with slightly below average intelligence.[16]: 249, 257 [32] Typical bad guys in the game,[17] who can be used to teach "players about fighting big, powerful, stupid monsters, which is an iconic D&D experience".[28]: 356 | |
| Orc | Dungeons & Dragons "white box" | 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.[19]: 92 Presented as "evil" and "savage raiders" in the game.[14]: 48, 95 | |
| Owl bear | Dungeons & Dragons Supplement I: Greyhawk | ||
| Pegasi | Dungeons & Dragons "white box" | Taken from greek mythology, an example of the diverse cultures amalgamated into D&D.[6][33] | |
| Pixie | Dungeons & Dragons "white box" | The pixie appeared as a player character class in Tall Tales of the Wee Folk (1989).[19]: 146 | |
| Purple worm | Dungeons & Dragons "white box" | The "dread purple worm" attacks with both ends,[30]: 268 maw and stinger. | |
| Rust monster | Dungeons & Dragons Supplement I: Greyhawk | 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.[34] 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][8][35][7][15] Chris Sims of the on-line magazine Comics Alliance referred to the rust monster as "the most feared D&D monster".[36] | |
| Shadow | Dungeons & Dragons Supplement I: Greyhawk | Rob Bricken of io9 identified the shadow as one of "The 12 Most Obnoxious Dungeons & Dragons Monsters".[35] | |
| Skeleton | Dungeons & Dragons "white box" | 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.[28] | |
| Spectre | Dungeons & Dragons "white box" | Inspired by Gothic fiction.[21] | |
| Stirge | Dungeons & Dragons Supplement I: Greyhawk | Flying and blood-sucking creature.[3] | |
| Troll | Dungeons & Dragons "white box" | A characteristic denizen of AD&D worlds.[37] 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][4] Considered one of the "five main "humanoid" races" in AD&D by Paul Karczag and Lawrence Schick.[19]: 92 | |
| Unicorn | Dungeons & Dragons "white box" | Based on the creature from medieval bestiaries.[1][21] The Dungeons & Dragons animated series featured Uni the unicorn as a well-received "mascot" and "cute animal sidekick".[38] | |
| Vampire | Dungeons & Dragons "white box" | Depiction is related to those in 1930s and 1940s Hollywood Dracula movies,[1] as well as folklore[31] and Gothic fiction,[21][37] and "classic" monster of the game.[39] | |
| Wight | Dungeons & Dragons "white box" | Thin humanoid undead.[40] Directly adapted from the barrow-wight in Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings,[1][41]: 27 while the concept is inspired Icelandic sagas.[42] Rob Bricken of io9 identified the wight as one of "The 12 Most Obnoxious Dungeons & Dragons Monsters".[35] | |
| Wraith | Dungeons & Dragons "white box" | Inspired by and renamed from the Nazgul from J.R.R. Tolkien's legendarium,[43] as well as by Gothic fiction.[21] | |
| Yellow mold | Dungeons & Dragons "white box" | In the artificial dungeon environment of the game, molds function as a "clean up crew".[1] | |
| Zombie | Dungeons & Dragons "white box" | Based on the zombie from folklore as well as more contemporary entertainment.[31] |
1981 and 1983 revisions[edit]
TSR 2014 – Dungeons & Dragons – Basic Rulebook (1981) and TSR 1011B – Dungeons & Dragons – Basic Set (1983)[edit]
The second version of the D&D Basic Set, edited by Tom Moldvay, was first printed in 1981, and is generally known as the "red book". This revision solidified the split between the "Basic" and "Advanced" lines of the game. Few of the creature descriptions included illustrations, and most descriptions were limited to one paragraph.
A third edition of the Basic Rules was printed in 1983. This version split the rules into two books, the Player's Manual and the Dungeon Master's Rulebook, and was sold as a boxed set, with the product number TSR 1011B. Creature descriptions were provided in the Dungeon Master's Rulebook; with some minor changes to order and naming conventions and some removals, they duplicated the entries found in the 1981 edition. Once again the descriptions were generally limited to one paragraph, with few illustrations.
| Creature | Other Appearances | Variants | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acolyte | Non-player character (NPC) variant. Present in the 1981 revision only. | ||
| Ape, White | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Bandit | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | NPC variant. | |
| Bat | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Normal and giant | |
| Bear | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Black, Grizzly, Polar and Cave | |
| Beetle, Giant | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Fire, Oil and Tiger | |
| Berserker | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Human variant. 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.[42] | |
| Boar | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Bugbear | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Carrion Crawler | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Cat, Great | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Mountain lion, Panther, Lion, Tiger and Sabre-tooth tiger | |
| Cave Locust | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) (as Giant Locust) | Renamed Giant Locust in the 1983 revision. | |
| Centipede, Giant | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Giant centipedes are "low-level monsters", one-foot long red many-legged creatures.[15]: 212–213 | |
| Doppleganger | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Dragon | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | White, Black, Red, Green, Blue and Gold dragon | |
| Driver Ant | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) (as Giant Ant) | Renamed Giant Ant in the 1983 version. | |
| Dwarf | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | NPC variant. | |
| Elf | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | NPC variant. | |
| Ferret, Giant | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Gargoyle | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Gelatinous Cube | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Ghoul | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Undead with "terrible claws".[15]: 175 | |
| Gnoll | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | 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.[44] Gnolls were considered one of the "five main "humanoid" races" in AD&D by Paul Karczag and Lawrence Schick.[19]: 92 | |
| Gnome | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Goblin | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Gray Ooze | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Green Slime | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Halfling | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | NPC variant. | |
| Harpy | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Hobgoblin | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Insect Swarm | D&D Expert Rules (1983), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Moved to the D&D Expert Rules in the 1983 revision. | |
| Killer Bee | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) (as Giant Bee) | Renamed Giant Bee in the 1983 revision. | |
| Kobold | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Living Statue | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Crystal, Iron and Rock | |
| Lizard, Giant | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Gecko, Draco, Horned Chameleon and Tuatara | |
| Lizard Man | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Lycanthrope | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Wererat, Werewolf, Wereboar, Weretiger and Werebear | |
| Medium | NPC variant. Present in the 1981 revision only. | ||
| Medusa | D&D Companion Rules (1984), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Minotaur | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Based on the creature from Greek mythology,[1][22][6][45] but translated from a singular creature into a species.[5] | |
| Mule | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Neanderthal (Caveman) | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Noble | D&D Expert Rules (1983) (as Men – Noble), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) (as Men – Noble) | Human variant. Moved to the D&D Expert Rules in the 1983 revision. | |
| Normal Human | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Human variants. | |
| NPC Party | D&D Basic Rules (1983) | NPC variants. Present only in the 1983 edition. | |
| Ochre Jelly | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Ogre | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Orc | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Owl Bear | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Pixie | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Rat | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Normal and giant | Example of a monster posing little threat to the characters in the game,[15]: 22 suitable for play at lowest level.[20] |
| Robber Fly | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Rock Baboon | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Rust Monster | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Shadow | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Shrew, Giant | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Shrieker | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | 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.[46] 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".[25] | |
| Skeleton | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Snake | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Spitting Cobra, Pit Viper, Sea Snake, Giant Rattler and Rock Python (1981 and 1983); Giant Racer (1983) | The Giant Racer snake was present only in the 1983 edition. |
| Spider, Giant | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Crab spider, Black Widow and Tarantella | |
| Sprite | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Stirge | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Thoul | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Trader | D&D Expert Rules (1983) (as Men – Trader), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) (as Men – Trader) | NPC variant. Moved to the D&D Expert Rules in the 1983 revision. | |
| Troglodyte | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Veteran | NPC variant. Present in the 1981 revision only. | ||
| Wight | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Wolf | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Normal and dire | |
| Yellow Mold | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Zombie | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) |
TSR 2015 – Dungeons & Dragons – Expert Rulebook (1981) and TSR 1012B – Dungeons & Dragons – Expert Set (1983)[edit]
The D&D Expert Rules were first printed in 1981, and are generally known as the "blue book". The new rules allowed for outdoor, wilderness-based adventures (over and above dungeon adventures), and for characters up to 14th level. Again, few of the creature descriptions included illustrations, and most descriptions were limited to one paragraph. (ISBN 0-935696-29-6).
A second edition of the Expert Rules was printed in 1983, and again was sold as a boxed set. With some minor changes to order and naming conventions and several removals, the creature descriptions duplicate the entries found in the 1981 edition. Once again the descriptions were generally limited to one paragraph, with few illustrations.
| Creature | Other Appearances | Variants | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Antelope (Herd Animals) | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Basilisk | D&D Companion Rules (1984), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Black Pudding | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Blink Dog | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Caecilia | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Camel | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Centaur | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Based on the creature from Greek mythology.[1][22][6] | |
| Chimera | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Cockatrice | D&D Companion Rules (1984), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Crab, Giant | D&D Expert Module X13 Crown of Ancient Glory (1987), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Crocodile | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Normal, large and giant | |
| Cyclops | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | One-eyed giants[47] based on Greek mythology.[4] | |
| Devil Swine | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) (as Lycanthrope – Devil Swine) | ||
| Displacer Beast | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Djinni (Lesser) | D&D Companion Rules (1984), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Dragon Turtle | D&D Companion Rules (1984), D&D Expert Module X7 The War Rafts of Kron (1984), D&D Expert Module DA4 The Duchy of Ten (1987), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Present only in the 1981 edition. | |
| Dryad | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Based on the dryad from classical sources.[1] | |
| Efreeti (Lesser) | D&D Companion Rules (1984), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Elemental | D&D Companion Rules (1984), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Air, Earth, Fire and Water | Powerful creatures in the game;[48] a characteristic of the air elemental is the ability of rapid movement.[15]: 141 |
| Elephant | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) (as Elephant – Normal) | Normal and Prehistoric (1983 edition only). | The 1983 edition renamed Elephant to Elephant – Normal, and added the Prehistoric variant. |
| Fish, Giant | D&D Expert Module X6 Quagmire! (1984) (Giant Piranha, Giant Catfish), Creature Catalogue (1986) (Giant Piranha, Giant Catfish), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) (Giant Rockfish and Giant Sturgeon) | Giant Piranha, Giant Rockfish, Giant Catfish and Giant Sturgeon (1981); Giant Bass, Giant Rockfish and Giant Sturgeon (1983) | The 1983 edition removed the Giant Piranha and Giant Catfish variants, and added the Giant Bass. |
| Giant | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Hill, Stone, Frost, Fire, Cloud and Storm | |
| Golem | D&D Basic Module B7 Rahasia (1984) (Bone Golem), D&D Basic Module B1-9 In Search of Adventure (1987) (Bone Golem), D&D Basic Module B12 Queen's Harvest (1989) (Wood Golem), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Wood, Bone, Amber and Bronze | |
| Gorgon | D&D Companion Rules (1984), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | "iron plated bull", based on early modern bestiaries, with only the name being derived from the Classical counterpart.[6][4] | |
| Griffon | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Hawk | Creature Catalogue (1986) | Normal and giant | Included in the 1981 edition only. |
| Hellhound | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Hippogriff | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Horse | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Riding, War and Draft | |
| Hydra | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Insect Swarm | D&D Basic Rules (1981), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Present only in the 1983 edition. | |
| Invisible Stalker | D&D Companion Rules (1984), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Leech, Giant | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Manticore | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Based on its mythological counterpart, the manticore appeared in the game from its earliest edition.[23]: 44 | |
| Mastodon | Present only in the 1981 edition. | ||
| Men | D&D Basic Rules (1981) (Trader and Noble), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) (excepting Merchant) | Brigand, Buccaneer (pirate), Dervish, Merchant and Nomad (1981, 1983); Trader and Noble (1983 edition) | Human variants. |
| Mermen | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Mummy | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Nixies | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| NPC Party | D&D Basic Rules (1981, 1983) | Adventurers, Cleric, Fighter and Wizard parties | NPC variants. Present only in the 1981 edition of the Expert Rules. |
| Octopus, Giant | D&D Expert Module X7 The War Rafts of Kron (1984), Creature Catalogue (1986) | Present only in the 1981 edition. | |
| Pegasus | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Pterodactyl | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) (as Pterosaur) | Pterodactyl and Pteranodon | |
| Purple Worm | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Rhinoceros | Creature Catalogue (1986) | Normal and Woolly | Present only in the 1981 edition. |
| Rhagodessa | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Roc | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Small, large and giant | An enormous bird, based on a mythological creature probably of Persian origin, known from Sindbad the Sailor.[4] |
| Salamander | D&D Companion Rules (1984), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Flame and Frost | |
| Scorpion, Giant | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | 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.[15]: 65–66 Scorpion the size of a horse, its stinger carries a deadly poison.[11]: 148–149 | |
| Sea Dragons | Creature Catalogue (1986) | Present only in the 1981 edition. | |
| Sea Serpent (Lesser) | D&D Expert Module X7 The War Rafts of Kron (1984), Creature Catalogue (1986) | Present only in the 1981 edition. | |
| Shark | D&D Companion Rules (1984), D&D Expert Module X7 The War Rafts of Kron (1984), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Bull, Mako and Great White | Present only in the 1981 edition. |
| Spectre | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Squid, Giant | D&D Expert Module X7 The War Rafts of Kron (1984), Creature Catalogue (1986), D&D Expert Module X13 Crown of Ancient Glory (1987) | Present only in the 1981 edition. | |
| Stegosaurus | Present only in the 1981 edition. | ||
| Termite, Water | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Swamp, Fresh and Salt Water Termite | |
| Titanothere | Creature Catalogue (1986) (as Dinosaur – Titanothere) | Present only in the 1981 edition. | |
| Toad, Giant | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) (Giant) | ||
| Treant | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Based on the Ent by J. R. R. Tolkien.[1][41]: 27 | |
| Triceratops | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Troll | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Tyrannosaurus Rex | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Unicorn | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Vampire | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Weasel, Giant | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Whale | D&D Companion Rules (1984), D&D Expert Module X7 The War Rafts of Kron (1984), D&D Expert Module X13 Crown of Ancient Glory (1987) (Sperm Whale), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) (Killer, Narwhal) | Killer Whale, Narwhal and Sperm Whale | Present only in the 1981 edition. |
| Wraith | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Wyvern | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Its tail is equipped with a poisonous tail stinger.[9] |
1983 Revision (Later Sets)[edit]
TSR 1013 – Dungeons & Dragons – Companion Rules, Dungeon Master's Companion (1984)[edit]
The Dungeon Master's Companion divides creatures into two groups: those from the Prime Plane and those from Other Planes. These are listed separately below. The creature descriptions generally did not not include illustrations. Notably, the first list of creatures is not presented in alphabetical order. Neither the Companion Set nor its individual books (Player's and Dungeon Master's Companions) have an ISBN.
| Creature (Prime Plane) | Other Appearances | Variants | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beholder | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | A "creature that looks at you and is destroying you by the power of its magical eyes".[49] A terrible beast, but depicted as "a cuddly rosy ball with too many eyes".[50] 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.[14]: 133 A "classic" monster of the game.[39] | |
| Blast Spore | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Dolphin | D&D Expert Module X7 The War Rafts of Kron (1984), D&D Expert Module DA4 The Duchy of Ten (1987), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Dragon | D&D Basic Rules (1981,1983), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Large and huge variants of the Red, Blue, Green, Black, White and Gold dragons | |
| Dragon Turtle | D&D Expert Rules (1981), D&D Expert Module X7 The War Rafts of Kron (1984), D&D Expert Module DA4 The Duchy of Ten (1987), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Drolem | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Gargantua | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Gargantuan Carrion Crawler, Gargoyle and Troll | Not to be confused with Creature Catalogue (1986) Gargantua (a giant fish) |
| Gremlin | D&D Expert Module X2 Castle Amber (1981), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Haunt | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Banshee, Ghost and Poltergeist | Not to be confused with Haunt as referenced in D&D Basic Module B1-9 In Search of Adventure (1987) |
| Golem, Mud | D&D Expert Module X2 Castle Amber (1981), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Golem, Obsidian | D&D Module MSolo2 Maze of the Riddling Minotaur (1983), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Grab Grass | D&D Expert Module X2 Castle Amber (1981), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Malfera | D&D Expert Module X5 Temple of Death (1983), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Manscorpion | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Manta Ray | D&D Expert Module X7 The War Rafts of Kron (1984), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Mujina | D&D Expert Module X5 Temple of Death (1983), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Phantom | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Apparition, Shade and Vision | |
| Toad, Rock or Cave | D&D Module MSolo1 Blizzard Pass (1983), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Shark | D&D Expert Rules (1981), D&D Expert Module X7 The War Rafts of Kron (1984), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Bull, Mako and Great White sharks | |
| Snow Ape | D&D Module MSolo1 Blizzard Pass (1983), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Spectral Hound | D&D Expert Module X5 Temple of Death (1983), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Spirit | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Druj, Odic and Revenant | |
| Weasel, Giant | D&D Expert Rules (1981), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Whale | D&D Expert Rules (1981), D&D Expert Module X7 The War Rafts of Kron (1984), D&D Expert Module X13 Crown of Ancient Glory (1987) (Sperm Whale), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) (Killer, Narwhal) | Killer whale, Sperm whale and Narwhal |
| Creature (Other Planes) | Other Appearances | Variants | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aerial Servant | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Basilisk | D&D Expert Rules (1981,1983), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Describes additional abilities/penalties applicable to native plane of existence. | |
| Cockatrice | D&D Expert Rules (1981,1983), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Describes additional abilities/penalties applicable to native plane of existence. | |
| Djinni, Lesser | D&D Expert Rules (1981, 1983), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Describes additional abilities/penalties applicable to native plane of existence. | |
| Djinni, Greater | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Efreeti, Lesser | D&D Expert Rules (1981, 1983), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Describes additional abilities/penalties applicable to native plane of existence. | |
| Efreeti, Greater | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Elemental | D&D Expert Rules (1981, 1983), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Describes additional statistics and abilities/penalties applicable to native plane of existence. | |
| Gorgon | D&D Expert Rules (1981, 1983), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Describes additional abilities/penalties applicable to native plane of existence. | |
| Helion | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Horde | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Hydrax | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Invisible Stalker | D&D Expert Rules (1981, 1983), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Describes additional abilities/penalties applicable to native plane of existence. | |
| Kryst | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Medusa | D&D Basic Rules (1981, 1983), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Describes additional abilities/penalties applicable to native plane of existence. | |
| Plasm | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Normal and giant | |
| Salamander | D&D Expert Rules (1981, 1983), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Describes additional abilities/penalties applicable to native plane of existence. | |
| Undine | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) |
TSR 1021 – Dungeons & Dragons – Master Rules, Master DM's Book (1985)[edit]
The Master DM's Book divides creatures into two groups: again, those from the Prime Plane and those from Other Planes. These are listed separately below. Again, the creature descriptions generally did not include illustrations. Neither the Master Set nor its individual books (Master Player's and Master DM's Books) have an ISBN.
| Creature (Prime Plane) | Other Appearances | Variants | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Actaeon | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Adaptor | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Athach | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Later adapted as a player character race and class in Savage Species (2003)[51] | |
| Beholder, Undead | |||
| Devilfish | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Dinosaur, Aquatic | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Small, Large and Armoured | |
| Dinosaur, Land Carnivore | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Small, Large and Flying | |
| Dinosaur, Land Herbivore | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Small, Medium/Armoured and Large | |
| Dragon | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) (as Dragon, gemstone; excepting Brown) | Crystal, Onyx, Jade, Sapphire, Ruby and Brown | |
| Dragon Ruler | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Pearl, Opal, Diamond and The Great Dragon | |
| Drake | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Mandrake, Woodrake, Colddrake and Elemental | |
| Faerie | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Giant | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Mountain and Sea | |
| Hag | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Black and Sea | 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".[31] In the view of Stag and Trammel, hags in D&D represent misogynistic and ageist tendencies in their authors.[52][53] 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."[54] |
| Hsaio | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Human | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Headsman, Thug and Mystic | Human variants. |
| Lich | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Emaciated[39] undead spellcaster,[55] a "classic" monster of the game.[39] | |
| Lycanthrope | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Werebat, Werefox and Wereseal | |
| Mek | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Metamorph | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Nekrozon | D&D Companion Module CM9 Legacy of Blood (1987), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Nightshade | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Nightcrawler, Nightwalker and Nightwing | |
| Nuckalavee | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Ooze, Lava | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Revener | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Sasquatch | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Slug, Giant | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Sphinx | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Based on Egyptian and Classical mythology, an example of the diverse cultures amalgamated into D&D.[6][33] | |
| Sporacle | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) |
| Creature (Prime Plane) | Other Appearances | Variants | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archon | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Blackball (Deadly Sphere) | D&D Immortals Rules (1986), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Elemental Ruler | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Phoenix | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Lesser and Greater | |
| Spider, Planar | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) |
TSR 1017 – Dungeons & Dragons – Immortals Rules (1986)[edit]
The Immortals DM's Book provides a single section containing new or previously published creatures, listed below. Again, most creature descriptions did not include illustrations. Neither the Immortals Set nor its individual books (Immortals Player's and Immortals DM's Books) have an ISBN.
| Creature (Prime Plane) | Other Appearances | Variants | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baak | |||
| Demon | Screaming demon, croaking demon, howling demon, groaning demon, hissing demon, roaring demon, whispering demon, Orcus, Demogorgon | Many were based on figures from Christian demonology.[56] Considered among the "standard repertoire of "Monsters"" by Fabian Perlini-Pfister.[22] Demogorgon was inspired by its real-world mythological counterpart.[7]: 52 Orcus was likewise inspired by its real-world mythological counterpart.[7]</ref>: 52 | |
| Diabolus | |||
| Draeden | Draedens are massive, ancient beings that predate the multiverse. A draeden's rarely seen true appearance is a cluster of about forty tubular strands, all symmetrically attached at a central node. Each strand has a mouth at its end, and opens upon a digestive passage that leads to the central node. The node is spherical and ridged, resembling a human brain, and is the creature's equivalent of a stomach. It contains several boulders to aid digestion. A draeden's nervous system spans its entire body. The creatures's total length varies from 19 to 38 miles, tip to tip. The central node usually comprises one-tenth of the creature's total diameter. Draeden usually appear to other creatures as the most deadly thing imaginable to those creatures. The 92nd layer of the Abyss, known as Ulgurshek, is actually a draeden who lay dormant while the Abyss formed around it.[57] | ||
| Elemaster | |||
| Flicker | |||
| Immortals | |||
| Jumper | |||
| Megalith | |||
| Nipper | |||
| Notion | |||
| Protean | |||
| Repeater (or Ditto) | |||
| Soo | |||
| Titan | Based on the powerful beings from Greek mythology.[22] 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".[25] Backstab reviewer Michaël Croitoriu thought them truly interesting for powergamers when made available as player characters.[17] | ||
| Tonal | Breve, semibreve, minim, crotchet, quaver, semiquaver | ||
| Vortex creatures | D&D Master Rules (1985), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Blackball |
B Series Modules[edit]
TSR 9044 – D&D Basic Module B3 Palace of the Silver Princess (1981)[edit]
The Palace of the Silver Princess was the only D&D module ever published by TSR to be recalled immediately after distribution, ostensibly for editorial issues and questionable artwork. Two versions of the module exist: the extremely rare orange-cover original printing (available for download as a PDF from Wizards of the Coast), and the more common green-cover revised edition.[58] The original version added 13 new creatures; two of these survived in the revised edition, but the majority were removed. The original version of the module was issued as ISBN 0-935696-31-8. The updated green-cover version of the module contained only three new creatures, and was issued with the same ISBN.[59]
| Creature | Other Appearances | Variants | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archer Bushes | Creature Catalogue (1986), D&D Basic Module B1-9 In Search of Adventure (1987) | Retained in revised edition. | |
| Baric | Removed from revised edition. | ||
| Bubbles | Removed from revised edition. | ||
| Decapus | Creature Catalogue (1986), D&D Basic Module B1-9 In Search of Adventure (1987) | Retained in revised edition. | |
| Diger | Removed from revised edition. | ||
| Ghost | Removed from revised edition. | ||
| Giant Marble Snake | Removed from revised edition. | ||
| Jupiter Bloodsucker | Removed from revised edition. | ||
| Monkey, Giant Marmoset | Removed from revised edition. | ||
| Poltergeist | Removed from revised edition. | ||
| Protectors | Removed from revised edition. | ||
| Purple Moss | Removed from revised edition. | ||
| Ubue | Removed from revised edition. | ||
| Vampire Rose | D&D Expert Module X2 Castle Amber (1981), Creature Catalogue (1986), D&D Basic Module B1-9 In Search of Adventure (1987) | Present in revised edition only. |
TSR 9049 – D&D Basic Module B4 The Lost City (1982)[edit]
The Lost City module, published in 1982, added four new creatures, with limited illustrations and short descriptions.
| Creature | Other Appearances | Variants | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Banshee | Creature Catalogue (1986), D&D Basic Module B1-9 In Search of Adventure (1987) (as Wailing Fey) | Inspired by Gothic fiction.[21] | |
| Cynidicean | Creature Catalogue (1986), D&D Basic Module B1-9 In Search of Adventure (1987) | Human variant. | |
| Lycanthrope, Werefox | D&D Basic Module B1-9 In Search of Adventure (1987) | ||
| Polymar | Creature Catalogue (1986), D&D Basic Module B1-9 In Search of Adventure (1987) |
TSR 9078 – D&D Basic Module B5 Horror on the Hill (1983)[edit]
Horror on the Hill, published in 1983, added three new creatures. The descriptions included illustrations of all three new monsters.
| Creature | Other Appearances | Variants | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Piranha Bird | D&D Expert Module X6 Quagmire! (1984), Creature Catalogue (1986), D&D Basic Module B1-9 In Search of Adventure (1987) | ||
| Steam Weevil | Creature Catalogue (1986), D&D Basic Module B1-9 In Search of Adventure (1987) | ||
| Lava Lizard | Creature Catalogue (1986), D&D Basic Module B1-9 In Search of Adventure (1987), D&D Expert Module DA4 The Duchy of Ten (1987) |
TSR 9078 – D&D Basic Module B6 The Veiled Society (1984)[edit]
The Veiled Society module, published in 1984, added a single new creature, with illustration.
| Creature | Other Appearances | Variants | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sirenflower | Creature Catalogue (1986), D&D Basic Module B1-9 In Search of Adventure (1987) |
TSR 9115 – D&D Basic Module B7 Rahasia (1984)[edit]
Rahasia, published in 1984, added three new or previously published creatures, listed below.
| Creature | Other Appearances | Variants | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Haunt | D&D Basic Module B1-9 In Search of Adventure (1987) | Not to be confused with Haunt as referenced in D&D Companion Set (1984) | |
| Water Weird | D&D Basic Module B8 Journey to the Rock (1984), Creature Catalogue (1986), D&D Basic Module B1-9 In Search of Adventure (1987) | An "old personal favorite" of reviewer Mark Theurer.[60] | |
| Bone Golem | D&D Expert Rules (1981, 1983), D&D Basic Module B1-9 In Search of Adventure (1987), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) |
TSR 9106 – D&D Basic Module B8 Journey to the Rock (1984)[edit]
Journey to the Rock, published in 1984, added seven new or previously published creatures.
| Creature | Other Appearances | Variants | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chameleon Man | D&D Basic Module B1-9 In Search of Adventure (1987), Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Winged Warrior | Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Rock Man | Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Sand Spider | |||
| Water Weird | D&D Basic Module B7 Rahasia (1984), Creature Catalogue (1986), D&D Basic Module B1-9 In Search of Adventure (1987) | ||
| Ghostly Horde | Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Crone of Chaos | D&D Basic Module B1-9 In Search of Adventure (1987), Creature Catalogue (1986) |
TSR 9149 – D&D Basic Module B10 Night's Dark Terror (1986)[edit]
Night's Dark Terror, published in 1986, was billed as a special Basic/Expert transition module from the United Kingdom. It incorporated nine new or previously published creatures, with illustrations.
| Creature | Other Appearances | Variants | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chevall | Creature Catalogue (1986) | Horse and Centaur forms | |
| Ice Wolf | Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Kartoeba | |||
| Living Statue | Creature Catalogue (1986) | Silver, Rock/Ooze, Jade, Steel | |
| Rock Rattler | Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Lizard, Giant Foot-pad | Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Wyrd | Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Piranha (Cold-water) | Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Shroud Spider |
TSR 9190 – D&D Basic Module B1-9 In Search of Adventure (1987)[edit]
In Search of Adventure, published in 1987, was an abridged 160-page compilation module containing the majority of elements from modules B1 through B9. "New" monsters, previously published in modules B1 through B9 or in the D&D Expert Rules, were included in the compilation.
| Creature | Other Appearances | Variants | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archer Bush | D&D Basic Module B3 Palace of the Silver Princess (1981), Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Chameleon Man | D&D Basic Module B8 Journey to the Rock (1984), Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Crone of Chaos | D&D Basic Module B8 Journey to the Rock (1984), Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Cynidicean | D&D Basic Module B4 The Lost City (1982), Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Decapus | D&D Basic Module B3 Palace of the Silver Princess (1981), Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Fey, Wailing | D&D Basic Module B4 The Lost City (1982) (as Banshee) | ||
| Bone Golem | D&D Expert Rules (1981,1983), D&D Basic Module B7 Rahasia (1984) | ||
| Haunt | D&D Basic Module B7 Rahasia (1984) | Not to be confused with Haunt as referenced in D&D Companion Rules (1984) | |
| Lava Lizard | D&D Basic Module B5 Horror on the Hill (1983), Creature Catalogue (1986), D&D Expert Module DA4 The Duchy of Ten (1987) | ||
| Lycanthrope, Werefox | D&D Basic Module B4 The Lost City (1982), Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Piranha Bird | D&D Basic Module B5 Horror on the Hill (1983), D&D Expert Module X6 Quagmire! (1984), Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Polymar | D&D Basic Module B4 The Lost City (1982), Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Sirenflower | D&D Basic Module B6 The Veiled Society (1984), Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Steam Weevil | D&D Basic Module B5 Horror on the Hill (1983), Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Vampire Roses | D&D Basic Module B3 Palace of the Silver Princess (1981), D&D Expert Module X2 Castle Amber (1981) , Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Water Weird | D&D Basic Module B7 Rahasia (1984), D&D Basic Module B8 Journey to the Rock (1984), Creature Catalogue (1986) |
TSR 9260 – D&D Basic Module B11 King's Festival (1989)[edit]
King's Festival, published in 1989, was billed as an introductory module specifically designed for inexperienced and new players. It incorporated two previously published creatures.
| Creature | Other Appearances | Variants | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Worm | D&D Expert Module XS2 Thunderdelve Mountain (1985), Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Giant Hunting Spider | D&D Module MSolo2 Maze of the Riddling Minotaur (1983), D&D Expert Module X6 Quagmire! (1984), Creature Catalogue (1986) |
TSR 9261 – D&D Basic Module B12 Queen's Harvest (1989)[edit]
Queen's Harvest, published in 1989, was billed as an introductory module specifically designed for inexperienced and new players. It incorporated three new or previously published creatures.
| Creature | Other Appearances | Variants | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wood Golem | D&D Expert Rules (1981,1983), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Caldron Magen | D&D Expert Module X2 Castle Amber (1981), Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Phase Stinger |
X Series Modules[edit]
TSR 9043 – D&D Expert Module X1 The Isle of Dread (1981, 1983)[edit]
The Isle of Dread was the first module published for use with the D&D Expert Rules, in 1981. It included a New Monsters section containing 15 previously unpublished creatures. This module was included in the Expert Rules boxed set. It was reprinted in 1983, and issued in the boxed set with the 1983 version of the Expert Rules. The 1983 version included all the creatures from the original 1981 edition, and added one more. The creatures from both versions are listed in the table below.
ISBN 0-935696-30-X. (1981 edition)
ISBN 0-88038-053-5. (1983 edition)
| Creature | Other Appearances | Variants | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allosaurus | Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Ankylosaurus | Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Aranea | D&D Expert Module X2 Castle Amber (1981), Creature Catalogue (1986), D&D Master's Module M5 Talons of Night (1987) | ||
| Brontosaurus | Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Dimetrodon | Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Elk, Giant | Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Grangeri | Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Kopru | Creature Catalogue (1986), and Dragon #354 (April 2007), which also featured the amphibious kopru.[61] | Later added as a player character class in The Sea People (1990).[62] Converted to 2nd edition AD&D in the Mystara Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994),[63] and 3rd edition AD&D in the Monster Manual II (2002).[64] | |
| Megatherium | Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Native | Creature Catalogue (1986) | NPC variant. | |
| Oyster, Giant | Creature Catalogue (1986) | Present in the 1983 edition only. | |
| Phanaton | Creature Catalogue (1986), D&D Master's Module M5 Talons of Night (1987) | ||
| Phororhacos ("Sword Beak") | Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Plesiosaurus | Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Rakasta | D&D Expert Module X2 Castle Amber (1981), Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Trachodon |
TSR 9051 – D&D Expert Module X2 Castle Amber (1981)[edit]
Castle Amber was the second module published for use with the D&D Expert Rules, in 1981. It contained a New Monsters section, adding 17 new monsters either previously unseen or published in D&D Expert Module X1. ISBN 0-935696-51-2.
| Creature | Other Appearances | Variants | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amber Lotus Flowers | D&D Expert Module X9 The Savage Coast (1985), Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Amoeba, Giant | D&D Expert Module X9 The Savage Coast (1985), Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Aranea | D&D Expert Module X1 Isle of Dread (1981, 1983), Creature Catalogue (1986), D&D Master's Module M5 Talons of Night (1987) | ||
| Brain Collector | Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Death Demon | Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Golem, Mud | D&D Companion Rules (1984) | ||
| Grab Grass | D&D Companion Rules (1984), D&D Expert Module X6 Quagmire! (1984), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Gremlin | D&D Companion Rules (1984) | ||
| Killer Trees | D&D Expert Module X6 Quagmire! (1984), Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Lupin | D&D Expert Module X9 The Savage Coast (1985), Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Magen | Creature Catalogue (1986), D&D Basic Module B12 Queen's Harvest (1989) (Caldron) | Hypnos, Demos, Caldron and Galvan magen | |
| Pagan | D&D Expert Module X9 The Savage Coast (1985) | NPC variant. | |
| Phantoms | |||
| Rakasta | D&D Expert Module X1 Isle of Dread (1981, 1983), Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Slime Worm | Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Sun Brother | Creature Catalogue (1986), D&D Expert Module DA4 The Duchy of Ten (1987) (as Sollux) | ||
| Vampire Roses | D&D Basic Module B3 Palace of the Silver Princess (1981), Creature Catalogue (1986), D&D Basic Module B1-9 In Search of Adventure (1987) |
TSR 9056 – D&D Expert Module X3 Curse of Xanathon (1982)[edit]
Curse of Xanathon, published in 1982, added a single new creature.
| Creature | Other Appearances | Variants | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hypnosnake | Creature Catalogue (1986) |
TSR 9056 – D&D Expert Module X4 Master of the Desert Nomads (1983)[edit]
The first of a two-part series, Master of the Desert Nomads, was published in 1983 and included a New Monsters section, containing five new creature descriptions with illustrations.
| Creature | Other Appearances | Variants | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bhut | Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Juggernaut | D&D Expert Module X10 Red Arrow, Black Shield (1985), Creature Catalogue (1986) | Wood and Stone | |
| Nagpa | Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Soul Eater | Creature Catalogue (1986), D&D Expert Module DA4 The Duchy of Ten (1987) | ||
| Tabi | D&D Expert Module X10 Red Arrow, Black Shield (1985), Creature Catalogue (1986) |
TSR 9069 – D&D Expert Module X5 Temple of Death (1983)[edit]
The conclusion to the series started with module X4, Temple of Death was published in 1983 and included a New Monsters section, containing five previously unpublished creatures, with illustrations.
| Creature | Other Appearances | Variants | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dusanu | Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Geonid | Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Malfera | D&D Companion Rules (1984), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Mujina | D&D Companion Rules (1984), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Spectral Hound | D&D Companion Rules (1984), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) |
TSR 9081 – D&D Expert Module X6 Quagmire! (1984)[edit]
Quagmire!, published in 1984, added six new or previously published creatures.
| Creature | Other Appearances | Variants | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fish, Giant | D&D Expert Rules (1981), Creature Catalogue (1986) | Giant Piranha and Giant Catfish | |
| Grab Grass | D&D Expert Module X2 Castle Amber (1981), D&D Companion Rules (1984), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Killer Trees | D&D Expert Module X2 Castle Amber (1981), Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Piranha Bird | D&D Basic Module B5 Horror on the Hill (1983), Creature Catalogue (1986), D&D Basic Module B1-9 In Search of Adventure (1987) | ||
| Pocket Dragon | D&D Module MSolo2 Maze of the Riddling Minotaur (1983), Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Spider, Giant Hunting | D&D Module MSolo2 Maze of the Riddling Minotaur (1983), Creature Catalogue (1986), D&D Basic Module B11 King's Festival (1989) |
TSR 9079 – D&D Expert Module X7 The War Rafts of Kron (1984)[edit]
The War Rafts of Kron was published in 1984 and included a New Monsters section, containing 14 new or previously published creatures.
| Creature | Other Appearances | Variants | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dolphin | D&D Companion Rules (1984), D&D Expert Module DA4 The Duchy of Ten (1987), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Dragon Turtle | D&D Expert Rules (1981), D&D Companion Rules (1984), D&D Expert Module DA4 The Duchy of Ten (1987), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Eel | Creature Catalogue (1986) | Electric and Giant | |
| Gargantua | Creature Catalogue (1986) | A giant fish; not to be confused with D&D Companion Rules (1984) Gargantua | |
| Sea Horse | Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Giant Jellyfish | Creature Catalogue (1986) | Marauder and Man-o-War | |
| Manta Ray | D&D Companion Rules (1984) (normal), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Normal and giant | |
| Giant Octopus | D&D Expert Rules (1981), Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Sea Serpent | D&D Expert Rules (1981) (Lesser), Creature Catalogue (1986) | Lesser and greater | |
| Shark | D&D Expert Rules (1981), D&D Companion Rules (1984), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | Bull, Mako and Great White | |
| Squid, Giant | D&D Expert Rules (1981), Creature Catalogue (1986), D&D Expert Module X13 Crown of Ancient Glory (1987) | ||
| Triton | Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Velya | Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Whale | D&D Expert Rules (1981), D&D Companion Rules (1984), D&D Expert Module X13 Crown of Ancient Glory (1987) (Sperm Whale), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) (Killer, Narwhal) | Killer, Narwhal and Sperm |
TSR 9127 – D&D Expert Module X8 Drums on Fire Mountain (1984)[edit]
Drums on Fire Mountain was published in 1984 and included a New Monsters section, containing five previously unpublished creatures.
| Creature | Other Appearances | Variants | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kara-Kara | Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Fundamental | Creature Catalogue (1986) | Earth, Air, Water, Fire | |
| Topi | Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Kal-Muru (Ship-bane) | Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Agarat | Creature Catalogue (1986) |
TSR 9129 – D&D Expert Module X9 The Savage Coast (1985)[edit]
The Savage Coast was published in 1985 and included a New Monsters section, containing 13 new or previously published creatures, with illustrations.
| Creature | Other Appearances | Variants | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amber Lotus Flower | D&D Expert Module X2 Castle Amber (1981), Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Amoeba, Giant | D&D Expert Module X2 Castle Amber (1981), Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Cay-man | Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Decapus | Creature Catalogue (1986) | Marine | |
| Dog | Creature Catalogue (1986) | Normal | |
| Dragonne | D&D Expert Module XL1 Quest for the Heartstone (1984), Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Giant River Serpentweed | Creature Catalogue (1986) (as Giant Serpentweed) | ||
| Lupin | D&D Expert Module X2 Castle Amber (1981), Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Pagan | D&D Expert Module X2 Castle Amber (1981) | Human variant. | |
| Sacrol | D&D Module MSolo2 Maze of the Riddling Minotaur (1983), Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Tortle | Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Snapper | Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Strangle Vine | Creature Catalogue (1986) |
TSR 9160 – D&D Expert Module X10 Red Arrow, Black Shield (1985)[edit]
Red Arrow, Black Shield was published in 1985 and included a New Monsters section, containing two previously published creatures with illustrations.
| Creature | Other Appearances | Variants | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Juggernaut | D&D Expert Module X4 Master of the Desert Nomads (1983), Creature Catalogue (1986) | Wood and Stone | |
| Tabi | D&D Expert Module X4 Master of the Desert Nomads (1983), Creature Catalogue (1986) |
TSR 9165 – D&D Expert Module X11 Saga of the Shadow Lord (1986)[edit]
Saga of the Shadow Lord was published in 1986 and included a New Monsters section, containing three previously unpublished creatures.
| Creature | Other Appearances | Variants | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skeletal Beast | Unique. | ||
| Undead Chimera | Unique. | ||
| Wraith Lord | Unique. |
TSR 9188 – D&D Expert Module X12 Skarda's Mirror (1987)[edit]
Skarda's Mirror was published in 1987 and included a single previously unpublished creature.
| Creature | Other Appearances | Variants | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mirror Fiend | Unique. |
TSR 9218 – D&D Expert Module X13 Crown of Ancient Glory (1987)[edit]
Crown of Ancient Glory was published in 1986 and included a New Monsters section, containing five new or previously published creatures.
| Creature | Other Appearances | Variants | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lochnar | Unique. | ||
| Maramet (Undead King) | Unique. | ||
| Crab, Giant | D&D Expert Rules (1981,1983), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Squid, Giant | D&D Expert Rules (1981), D&D Expert Module X7 The War Rafts of Kron (1984), Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Whale, Sperm | D&D Expert Rules (1981), D&D Companion Rules (1984), D&D Expert Module X7 The War Rafts of Kron (1984) |
TSR 9114 – D&D Expert Module XL1 Quest for the Heartstone (1984)[edit]
Quest for the Heartstone was published in 1984 and included a New Monsters section, containing four previously unpublished creatures, with illustrations.
| Creature | Other Appearances | Variants | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dragonne | D&D Expert Module X9 The Savage Coast (1985), Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Roper | Creature Catalogue (1986), D&D Expert Module DA3 City of the Gods (1987), D&D Expert Module DA4 The Duchy of Ten (1987) | A dangerous inhabitant of the Underdark[65] with "murderous behavior".[66] | |
| Hook Horror | Creature Catalogue (1986), D&D Expert Module DA3 City of the Gods (1987) (both under Hook Beast) | ||
| Dragonfly | Creature Catalogue (1986) | White, Black, Green, Blue and Red |
TSR 9157 – D&D Expert Module XS2 Thunderdelve Mountain (1985)[edit]
Thunderdelve Mountain was a solo adventure published in 1985; it included a New Monsters section, containing three previously unpublished creatures.
| Creature | Other Appearances | Variants | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Worm | Creature Catalogue (1986), D&D Basic Module B11 King's Festival (1989) | ||
| Fyrsnaca | Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Vapour Ghoul | Creature Catalogue (1986) |
DA Series Modules[edit]
TSR 9191 – D&D Expert Module DA3 City of the Gods (1987)[edit]
City of the Gods, published in 1987, was a D&D Expert rules module set in the Blackmoor campaign world. It included 13 new or previously published creatures, with short descriptions and few illustrations.
| Creature | Other Appearances | Variants | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Camarilla | |||
| Cyborg | |||
| Gakarak | Creature Catalogue (1986), D&D Expert Module DA4 The Duchy of Ten (1987) | ||
| Garl | D&D Companion Module CM6 Where Chaos Reigns (1985), Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Geonid | Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Grazer | D&D Expert Module DA4 The Duchy of Ten (1987) | ||
| Herex | Creature Catalogue (1986) | Larval and Adult | |
| Hide Hunter | D&D Expert Module DA4 The Duchy of Ten (1987) | Human variant. | |
| Hook Beast | D&D Expert Module XL1 Quest for the Heartstone (1984) (Hook Horror), Creature Catalogue (1986) | Hook Horror and Hulker | |
| Robot | DBOT, SBOT, EBOT and UBOT | ||
| Quarg | |||
| Roper | D&D Expert Module XL1 Quest for the Heartstone (1984), Creature Catalogue (1986), D&D Expert Module DA4 The Duchy of Ten (1987) | ||
| Sand Folk |
TSR 9205 – D&D Expert Module DA4 The Duchy of Ten (1987)[edit]
The Duchy of Ten, published in 1987, was a D&D Expert rules module set in the Blackmoor campaign world. It included 14 new or previously published creatures, with short descriptions and some illustrations.
| Creature | Other Appearances | Variants | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brother of the Greenwood | Human variant. | ||
| Dolphin | D&D Companion Rules (1984), D&D Expert Module X7 The War Rafts of Kron (1984), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Dragon Turtle | D&D Expert Rules (1981), D&D Companion Rules (1984), D&D Expert Module X7 The War Rafts of Kron (1984), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Gakarak | Creature Catalogue (1986), D&D Expert Module DA3 City of the Gods (1987) | ||
| Gator Man | Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Grazer | D&D Expert Module DA3 City of the Gods (1987) | ||
| Handmaiden of Death | Human variant. | ||
| Hide Hunter | D&D Expert Module DA3 City of the Gods (1987) | Human variant. | |
| Lava Lizard | D&D Basic Module B5 Horror on the Hill (1983), Creature Catalogue (1986), D&D Basic Module B1-9 In Search of Adventure (1987) | ||
| Roper | D&D Expert Module XL1 Quest for the Heartstone (1984) (Hook Horror), Creature Catalogue (1986), D&D Expert Module DA3 City of the Gods (1987) | ||
| Sister of Fire | Human variant. | ||
| Skandaharian Raider | Human variant. | ||
| Sollux (Sun Brother) | D&D Expert Module X2 Castle Amber (1981) (as Sun Brother), Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Soul Eater | D&D Expert Module X4 Master of the Desert Nomads (1983), Creature Catalogue (1986) |
MSolo Series Modules[edit]
TSR 9067 – D&D Module MSolo1 Blizzard Pass (1983)[edit]
Blizzard Pass was a Basic Set solo D&D module published in 1983 which included a New Monsters section containing two previously unpublished creatures with illustrations.
| Creature | Other Appearances | Variants | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toad, Rock or Cave | D&D Companion Rules (1984), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Snow Ape | D&D Companion Rules (1984), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) |
TSR 9060 – D&D Module MSolo2 Maze of the Riddling Minotaur (1983)[edit]
Maze of the Riddling Minotaur was an Expert Set solo D&D module published in 1983 which included a New Monsters section on the interior cover, containing 5 previously unpublished creatures with illustrations.
| Creature | Other Appearances | Variants | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Golem, Obsidian | D&D Companion Rules (1984), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) | ||
| Sacrol | D&D Expert Module X9 The Savage Coast (1985), Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Zombie Minotaur | |||
| Spider, Giant Hunting | D&D Expert Module X6 Quagmire! (1984), Creature Catalogue (1986), D&D Basic Module B11 King's Festival (1989) | ||
| Pocket Dragon | D&D Expert Module X6 Quagmire! (1984), Creature Catalogue (1986) |
O Series Modules[edit]
TSR 9157 – D&D Expert Module O2 Blade of Vengeance (1985)[edit]
Blade of Vengeance was a one-on-one adventure published in 1984; it included a New Monsters section containing four previously unpublished creatures.
| Creature | Other Appearances | Variants | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shargugh | Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Flitterling | Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Faedorne | Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Silver Warrior | Creature Catalogue (1986) |
CM Series Modules[edit]
TSR 9118 – D&D Companion Module CM2 Death's Ride (1984)[edit]
Death's Ride was published in 1984 and included a New Monsters section containing one previously unpublished creature with illustration.
| Creature | Other Appearances | Variants | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Death Leech | Creature Catalogue (1986) |
TSR 9119 – D&D Companion Module CM3 Sabre River (1984)[edit]
Sabre River was published in 1984 and included a New Monsters section containing one previously unpublished creature.
| Creature | Other Appearances | Variants | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sabreclaw | Creature Catalogue (1986) |
TSR 9154 – D&D Companion Module CM5 Mystery of the Snow Pearls (1985)[edit]
Mystery of the Snow Pearls was published in 1985 and included a New Monsters section containing two previously unpublished creatures with illustrations.
| Creature | Other Appearances | Variants | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ash Crawler | Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Gyerian | Creature Catalogue (1986) |
TSR 9158 – D&D Companion Module CM6 Where Chaos Reigns (1985)[edit]
Where Chaos Reigns was published in 1985 and included a New Monsters section on a removable sheet, containing three previously unpublished creatures with illustrations.
| Creature | Other Appearances | Variants | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oard | Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Garl (Caveman) | Creature Catalogue (1986), D&D Expert Module DA3 City of the Gods (1987) | ||
| Hephaeston | Creature Catalogue (1986) |
TSR 9192 – D&D Companion Module CM8 The Endless Stair (1987)[edit]
The Endless Stair was published in 1987 and included a New Monsters section, containing four previously unpublished creatures with illustrations.
| Creature | Other Appearances | Variants | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prying Eyes | Unique. | ||
| Guardian Hand | Unique. | ||
| Skullwraith | Unique. | ||
| Eater-of-Magic | Unique. |
TSR 9210 – D&D Companion Module CM9 Legacy of Blood (1987)[edit]
Legacy of Blood was published in 1987 and included a New Monsters section containing five previously unpublished creatures with illustrations.
| Creature | Other Appearances | Variants | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Giant Swamp Eel | |||
| Giant Freshwater Slug | |||
| Swamp Velya | |||
| Giant Swamp Snapping Turtle | |||
| Nekrozon | D&D Master Rules (1985), Rules Cyclopedia (1991) |
M Series Modules[edit]
TSR 9159 – D&D Master's Module M1 Into the Maelstrom (1985)[edit]
Into the Maelstrom was published in 1985 and included a New Monsters section containing one previously unpublished creature.
| Creature | Other Appearances | Variants | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roaring Demon | Unique. |
TSR 9148 – D&D Master's Module M2 Vengeance of Alphaks (1986)[edit]
Vengeance of Alphaks was published in 1986 and included a New Monsters section containing two previously unpublished creatures.
| Creature | Other Appearances | Variants | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beetle, Earthquake | Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Pegataur | Creature Catalogue (1986) |
TSR 9214 – D&D Master's Module M5 Talons of Night (1987)[edit]
Talons of Night was published in 1987 and included a New Monsters section containing five new or previously published creatures with illustrations.
| Creature | Other Appearances | Variants | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aketheti | Unique. | ||
| Aranea | D&D Expert Module X1 The Isle of Dread (1981, 1983), D&D Expert Module X2 Castle Amber (1981), Creature Catalogue (1986) | ||
| Dusker | |||
| Night Spider | Unique. | ||
| Phanaton | D&D Expert Module X1 The Isle of Dread (1981, 1983), Creature Catalogue (1986) |
Later Publications[edit]
TSR 9173 – AC9 – Creature Catalogue (1986)[edit]
Creature Catalogue was the first full book of monsters for the basic edition of the Dungeons & Dragons game, published in 1986 after the Basic, Expert, Companion, and Master sets. The book collected all the creatures first presented in the official Dungeons & Dragons adventure modules to that time, plus many new creatures. It incorporated a comprehensive index of all D&D monsters found in the book and in the Basic, Expert, Companion and Master rule sets. The monsters are divided into six sections, arranged by creature type: Animals, Conjurations, Humanoids, Lowlifes, Monsters and Undead.
| Creature (Animal) | Other Appearances | Variants | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cat, great | Bekkah, Cheetah, Jaguar, Lynx, Spotted Lion and Wildcat | ||
| Dinosaur | D&D Expert Rules (1981) (Titanothere), D&D Expert Module X1 Isle of Dread (1981, 1983) (Allosaurus, Ankylosaurus, Brontosaurus) | Allosaurus, Ankylosaurus, Brontosaurus, Titanothere and Tylosaurus | |
| Dog | D&D Expert Module X9 The Savage Coast (1985) (Normal) | Normal and War | |
| Eagle | Normal and great | ||
| Eel | D&D Expert Module X7 The War Rafts of Kron (1984) (Electric, Giant) | Electric, Giant and Weed | |
| Elk, giant | D&D Expert Module X1 Isle of Dread (1981, 1983) | ||
| Fish, giant | D&D Expert Rules (1981), D&D Expert Module X6 Quagmire! (1984) | Giant Catfish and Giant Piranha | |
| Frog, giant poisonous | |||
| Gargantua | D&D Expert Module X7 The War Rafts of Kron (1984) | ||
| Hawk | D&D Expert Rules (1981) | Normal and giant | |
| Lizard, giant foot-pad | D&D Basic Module B10 Night's Dark Terror (1986) | ||
| Magpie | Normal and giant | ||
| Megatherium | D&D Expert Module X1 Isle of Dread (1981, 1983) | ||
| Octopus, giant | D&D Expert Rules (1981), D&D Expert Module X7 The War Rafts of Kron (1984) | ||
| Owl, giant | |||
| Oyster, giant | D&D Expert Module X1 Isle of Dread (1983 only) | ||
| Piranha (cold-water) | D&D Basic Module B10 Night's Dark Terror (1986) | ||
| Porcupine, giant | |||
| Raven & crow | Normal and large Raven and Crow | ||
| Rhinoceros | D&D Expert Rules (1981) | Normal and Wooly | |
| Shark, Vamora | |||
| Skunk | Normal and giant | ||
| Snake | D&D Basic Module B10 Night's Dark Terror (1986) | Normal and giant Rock Rattler | |
| Squid, giant | D&D Expert Rules (1981), D&D Expert Module X7 The War Rafts of Kron (1984), D&D Expert Module X13 Crown of Ancient Glory (1987) |
| Creature (Conjuration) | Other Appearances | Variants | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Desert ghost | |||
| Faedorne | D&D Expert One-on-one Module O2 Blade of Vengeance (1984) | ||
| Fundamental | D&D Expert Module X8 Drums on Fire Mountain (1984) | Air, Earth, Fire and Water | |
| Gargoyle, iron | |||
| Golem | Rock and Silver | ||
| Guardian warrior & horse | |||
| Homunculus | Ulzaq, Gretch and Fylgar | ||
| Huptzeen | |||
| Juggernaut | D&D Expert Module X4 Master of the Desert Nomads (1983), D&D Expert Module X10 Red Arrow, Black Shield (1985) | Stone and Wood | |
| Kal-muru (ship bane) | D&D Expert Module X8 Drums on Fire Mountain (1984) | ||
| Living statue | D&D Basic Module B10 Night's Dark Terror (1986) | Silver, Rock/Ooze, Jade and Steel | |
| Magen | D&D Expert Module X2 Castle Amber (1981), D&D Basic Module B12 Queen's Harvest (1989) (Caldron) | Hypnos, Demos, Caldron and Galvan | |
| Nightmare | |||
| Reflecter | |||
| Silver warrior | D&D Expert One-on-one Module O2 Blade of Vengeance (1984) | ||
| Soul eater | D&D Expert Module X4 Master of the Desert Nomads (1983), D&D Expert Module DA4 The Duchy of Ten (1987) | ||
| Winged warrior | D&D Basic Module B8 Journey to the Rock (1984) |
| Creature (Humanoid) | Other Appearances | Variants | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bhut | D&D Expert Module X4 Master of the Desert Nomads (1983) | ||
| Cay-man | D&D Expert Module X9 The Savage Coast (1985) | ||
| Chameleon man | D&D Basic Module B8 Journey to the Rock (1984), D&D Basic Module B1-9 In Search of Adventure (1987) | ||
| Crone of chaos | D&D Basic Module B8 Journey to the Rock (1984), D&D Basic Module B1-9 In Search of Adventure (1987) | ||
| Cryion | |||
| Dark wing | |||
| Elf, aquatic | |||
| Flitterling | D&D Expert One-on-one Module O2 Blade of Vengeance (1984) | ||
| Garl | D&D Companion Module CM6 Where Chaos Reigns (1985), D&D Expert Module DA3 City of the Gods (1987) | ||
| Gator man | D&D Expert Module DA4 The Duchy of Ten (1987) | ||
| Hephaeston | D&D Companion Module CM6 Where Chaos Reigns (1985) | ||
| Hutaakan | Priest, Warrior and Other | ||
| Kara-kara | D&D Expert Module X8 Drums on Fire Mountain (1984) | ||
| Kna | |||
| Lupin | D&D Expert Module X2 Castle Amber (1981), D&D Expert Module X9 The Savage Coast (1985) | ||
| Man, isolated | D&D Basic Module B4 The Lost City (1982) (Cynidicean), D&D Basic Module B1-9 In Search of Adventure (Cynidicean) (1987) | Cynidiceans, Quariks and Traldar (Warrior, Vocal and Other) | |
| Man, primitive | D&D Expert Module X1 Isle of Dread (1981, 1983) (Native) | Native, Wild Man and Barbarian | |
| Oard | D&D Companion Module CM6 Where Chaos Reigns (1985) | ||
| Pachydermion | |||
| Phanaton | D&D Expert Module X1 Isle of Dread (1981, 1983), D&D Master's Module M5 Talons of Night (1987) | ||
| Rakasta | D&D Expert Module X1 Isle of Dread (1981, 1983), D&D Expert Module X2 Castle Amber (1981) | ||
| Rock man | D&D Basic Module B8 Journey to the Rock (1984) | ||
| Shark-kin | |||
| Shargugh | D&D Expert One-on-one Module O2 Blade of Vengeance (1984) | ||
| Sis'thik (desert scourge) | |||
| Snapper | D&D Expert Module X9 The Savage Coast (1985) | ||
| Sollux (sun brother) | D&D Expert Module X2 Castle Amber (1981), D&D Expert Module DA4 The Duchy of Ten (1987) | ||
| Stalwart | |||
| Tortle | D&D Expert Module X9 The Savage Coast (1985) | ||
| Triton | D&D Expert Module X7 The War Rafts of Kron (1984) | ||
| Wood imp |
| Creature (Lowlife) | Other Appearances | Variants | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amber lotus flower | D&D Expert Module X2 Castle Amber (1981), D&D Expert Module X9 The Savage Coast (1985) | ||
| Amoeba, giant | D&D Expert Module X2 Castle Amber (1981), D&D Expert Module X9 The Savage Coast (1985) | ||
| Archer bush | D&D Basic Module B3 Palace of the Silver Princess (1981) | ||
| Fyrsnaca | D&D Expert Module XS2 Thunderdelve Mountain (1985) | ||
| Herex | Larval and Adult | ||
| Jellyfish, giant | D&D Expert Module X7 The War Rafts of Kron (1984) | Marauder and Man-O-War | |
| Killer tree | D&D Expert Module X2 Castle Amber (1981), D&D Expert Module X6 Quagmire! (1984) | ||
| Leviathan | Desert and Marine | ||
| Masher | |||
| Red worm | D&D Expert Module XS2 Thunderdelve Mountain (1985), D&D Basic Module B11 King's Festival (1989) | ||
| Scorpion | |||
| Serpentweed, giant | D&D Expert Module X9 The Savage Coast (1985) (as Giant River Serpentweed) | ||
| Sirenflower | D&D Basic Module B6 The Veiled Society (1984) | ||
| Slime worm | D&D Expert Module X2 Castle Amber (1981) | ||
| Spider, giant | D&D Module MSolo2 Maze of the Riddling Minotaur (1983) (Giant Hunting Spider), D&D Expert Module X6 Quagmire! (1984) (Giant Hunting Spider), D&D Basic Module B11 King's Festival (1989) (Giant Hunting Spider) | Giant Hunting, Giant Sand, Giant Shroud and Huge Wood Spider | |
| Steam weevil | D&D Basic Module B5 Horror on the Hill (1983) | ||
| Strangle vine | D&D Expert Module X9 The Savage Coast (1985) | ||
| Strangleweed | |||
| Vampire rose | D&D Basic Module B3 Palace of the Silver Princess (1981) (revised edition), D&D Expert Module X2 Castle Amber (1981), D&D Basic Module B1-9 In Search of Adventure (1987) | ||
| Whipweed |
| Creature (Monster) | Other Appearances | Variants | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aranea | D&D Expert Module X1 Isle of Dread (1981, 1983), D&D Expert Module X2 Castle Amber (1981), D&D Master's Module M5 Talons of Night (1987) | ||
| Ash crawler | D&D Companion Module CM5 Mystery of the Snow Pearls (1985) | ||
| Baldandar | |||
| Banshee, lesser | D&D Basic Module B4 The Lost City (1982), D&D Basic Module B1-9 In Search of Adventure (1987) (as Wailing Fey) | ||
| Bargda | |||
| Beetle, earthquake | D&D Master's Module M2 Vengeance of Alphaks (1986) | ||
| Beholder, aquatic | |||
| Brain collector | D&D Expert Module X2 Castle Amber (1981) | ||
| Chevall | D&D Basic Module B10 Night's Dark Terror (1986) | ||
| Death demon | D&D Expert Module X2 Castle Amber (1981) | ||
| Decapus (land and marine) | D&D Basic Module B3 Palace of the Silver Princess (1981) (land), D&D Expert Module X9 The Savage Coast (1985) (marine), D&D Basic Module B1-9 In Search of Adventure (1987) (land) | ||
| Dragon, sea | D&D Expert Rules (1981) | ||
| Dragonfly | D&D Expert Module XL1 Quest for the Heartstone (1984) | White, Black, Green, Blue and Red Dragonfly | |
| Dragonne | D&D Expert Module XL1 Quest for the Heartstone (1984), D&D Expert Module X9 The Savage Coast (1985) | ||
| Dusanu | D&D Expert Module X5 Temple of Death (1983) | ||
| Fungoid | |||
| Gakarak | D&D Expert Module DA3 City of the Gods (1987), D&D Expert Module DA4 The Duchy of Ten (1987) | ||
| Geonid | D&D Expert Module X5 Temple of Death (1983) | ||
| Ghostly horde | D&D Basic Module B8 Journey to the Rock (1984) | ||
| Grangeri | D&D Expert Module X1 Isle of Dread (1981, 1983) | ||
| Gyerian | D&D Companion Module CM5 Mystery of the Snow Pearls (1985) | ||
| The Hivebrood | Broodling, Hivebrood, Hiveleader, Broodmother, and Hivemind | ||
| Hook beast | D&D Expert Module XL1 Quest for the Heartstone (1984) (Hook Horror), D&D Expert Module DA3 City of the Gods (1987) | Hook Horror and Hulker | |
| Hypnosnake | D&D Expert Module X3 Curse of Xanathon (1982) | ||
| Ice wolf | D&D Basic Module B10 Night's Dark Terror (1986) | ||
| Kopru | D&D Expert Module X1 Isle of Dread (1981, 1983) | ||
| Kraken | |||
| Lamara | |||
| Lava lizard | D&D Basic Module B5 Horror on the Hill (1983), D&D Basic Module B1-9 In Search of Adventure (1987), D&D Expert Module DA4 The Duchy of Ten (1987) | ||
| Leveller (bodendruker) | |||
| Nagpa | D&D Expert Module X4 Master of the Desert Nomads (1983) | ||
| Pegataur | D&D Master's Module M2 Vengeance of Alphaks (1986) | ||
| Phantom, lesser | |||
| Phororhacos ("sword beak") | D&D Expert Module X1 Isle of Dread (1981, 1983) | ||
| Piranha bird (lesser and greater) | D&D Basic Module B5 Horror on the Hill (1983) (lesser), D&D Expert Module X6 Quagmire! (1984) (lesser), D&D Basic Module B1-9 In Search of Adventure (1987) (lesser) | ||
| Pocket dragon | D&D Module MSolo2 Maze of the Riddling Minotaur (1983), D&D Expert Module X6 Quagmire! (1984) | ||
| Polymar | D&D Basic Module B4 The Lost City (1982), D&D Basic Module B1-9 In Search of Adventure (1987) | ||
| Randara | |||
| Roper | D&D Expert Module XL1 Quest for the Heartstone (1984), D&D Expert Module DA3 City of the Gods (1987), D&D Expert Module DA4 The Duchy of Ten (1987) | ||
| Sabreclaw | D&D Companion Module CM3 Sabre River (1984) | ||
| Scamille | |||
| Sea horse | D&D Expert Module X7 The War Rafts of Kron (1984) | ||
| Sea serpent | D&D Expert Rules (1981), D&D Expert Module X7 The War Rafts of Kron (1984) | ||
| Surtaki | |||
| Tabi | D&D Expert Module X4 Master of the Desert Nomads (1983), D&D Expert Module X10 Red Arrow, Black Shield (1985) | ||
| Thunderhead | |||
| Water weird | D&D Basic Module B8 Journey to the Rock (1984), D&D Basic Module B7 Rahasia (1984), D&D Basic Module B1-9 In Search of Adventure (1987) | ||
| White-fang | |||
| Wychglow | |||
| Xytar | |||
| Yowler |
| Creature (Undead) | Other Appearances | Variants | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agarat | D&D Expert Module X8 Drums on Fire Mountain (1984) | ||
| Dark-hood (rorphyr) | |||
| Death leech | D&D Companion Module CM2 Death's Ride (1984) | ||
| Dragon, undead | |||
| Elder ghoul | |||
| Grey philosopher | Grey Philosopher and Malice | ||
| Haunt, lesser | |||
| Mesmer | |||
| Phygorax | |||
| Possession | |||
| Sacrol | D&D Module MSolo2 Maze of the Riddling Minotaur (1983), D&D Expert Module X9 The Savage Coast (1985) | ||
| Topi | D&D Expert Module X8 Drums on Fire Mountain (1984) | ||
| Vapour ghoul | D&D Expert Module XS2 Thunderdelve Mountain (1985) | ||
| Velya | D&D Expert Module X7 The War Rafts of Kron (1984) | ||
| Wyrd | D&D Basic Module B10 Night's Dark Terror (1986) | Normal and greater |
TSR 1071 – Rules Cyclopedia (1991)[edit]
The Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia was published in 1991. It was intended as an encyclopedia of all the major rules for the basic Dungeons & Dragons game up to that point, including most of the information appearing in the previous boxed sets. Chapter 14 of the book presented most of the monsters used in the basic D&D game once again.
| Creature | Other Appearances | Variants | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Actaeon (elk centaur) | D&D Master Rules (1985) | ||
| Adaptor | D&D Master Rules (1985) | ||
| Aerial servant (haoou) | D&D Companion Rules (1984) | ||
| Animal herd | D&D Expert Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Ant, giant | D&D Basic Rules (1981, 1983) (as Driver Ant in 1981 edition) | ||
| Ape, snow | D&D Module MSolo1 Blizzard Pass (1983), D&D Companion Rules (1984) | ||
| Ape, white | D&D Basic Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Archon | D&D Master Rules (1985) | ||
| Athach | D&D Master Rules (1985) | ||
| Baboon, rock | D&D Basic Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Bandit | D&D Basic Rules (1981, 1983) | NPC Variant. | |
| Basilisk | D&D Expert Rules (1981, 1983), D&D Companion Rules (1984) | ||
| Bat | D&D Basic Rules (1981, 1983) | Normal and giant | |
| Bear | D&D Basic Rules (1981, 1983) | Black, Grizzly, Polar and Cave | |
| Bee, giant | D&D Basic Rules (1981, 1983) (as Killer Bee in 1981 edition) | ||
| Beetle, giant | D&D Basic Rules (1981, 1983) | Fire, Oil and Tiger | |
| Beholder | D&D Companion Rules (1984) | ||
| Berserker | D&D Basic Rules (1981, 1983) | Human variant. | |
| Black pudding | D&D Expert Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Blackball (deadly sphere) | D&D Master Rules (1985), D&D Immortals Rules (1986) | ||
| Blast spore | D&D Companion Rules (1984) | ||
| Blink dog | D&D Expert Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Boar | D&D Basic Rules (1981, 1983) | Normal and giant | |
| Bugbear | D&D Basic Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Caecilia | D&D Expert Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Camel | D&D Expert Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Carrion crawler | D&D Basic Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Cat, great | D&D Basic Rules (1981, 1983) | Mountain lion, Panther, Lion, Tiger and Sabre-tooth Tiger | |
| Centaur | D&D Expert Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Centipede, giant | D&D Basic Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Chimera | D&D Expert Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Cockatrice | D&D Expert Rules (1981, 1983), D&D Companion Rules (1984) | ||
| Crocodile | D&D Expert Rules (1981, 1983) | Normal, large and giant | |
| Crab, giant | D&D Expert Rules (1981, 1983), D&D Expert Module X13 Crown of Ancient Glory (1987) | ||
| Cyclops | D&D Expert Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Devilfish | D&D Master Rules (1985) | ||
| Dinosaur, aquatic | D&D Master Rules (1985) | Small, large and armoured | Considered among the "standard repertoire of "Monsters"",[22] and among the 12 most underrated monsters, "a creature as large and fearsome as a dragon but without all the hype".[67] |
| Dinosaur, land carnivore | D&D Master Rules (1985) | Small, large and flying | |
| Dinosaur, land herbivore | D&D Master Rules (1985) | Small, medium and large | |
| Displacer beast | D&D Expert Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Djinni (lesser) | D&D Expert Rules (1981, 1983), D&D Companion Rules (1984) | ||
| Djinni (greater; pasha) | D&D Companion Rules (1984) | ||
| Dolphin | D&D Companion Rules (1984), D&D Expert Module X7 The War Rafts of Kron (1984), D&D Expert Module DA4 The Duchy of Ten (1987) | ||
| Doppleganger | D&D Basic Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Dragon | D&D Basic Rules (1981) (small), D&D Basic Rules (1983) (small), D&D Companion Rules (1984) (large and huge) | White, Blue, Black, Red, Green and Gold, in small, large and huge varieties | |
| Dragon, gemstone | D&D Master Rules (1985) (excluding Amber) | Crystal, Onyx, Jade, Sapphire, Ruby and Amber | |
| Dragon ruler | D&D Master Rules (1985) | Pearl (the Moon Dragon), Ruler of all Chaotic Dragons; Diamond (the Star Dragon), Ruler of all Lawful Dragons; Opal (the Sun Dragon), Ruler of all Neutral Dragons; and the Great One, Ruler of All Dragonkind | |
| Dragon turtle | D&D Expert Rules (1981), D&D Companion Rules (1984), D&D Expert Module X7 The War Rafts of Kron (1984), D&D Expert Module DA4 The Duchy of Ten (1987) | ||
| Drake | D&D Master Rules (1985) | Mandrake, Wooddrake, Colddrake and Elemental Drake | |
| Drolem | D&D Companion Rules (1984) | ||
| Dryad | D&D Expert Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Dwarf | D&D Basic Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Efreeti, lesser | D&D Expert Rules (1981, 1983), D&D Companion Rules (1984) | ||
| Efreeti (greater; amir) | D&D Companion Rules (1984) | ||
| Elemental | D&D Expert Rules (1981, 1983), D&D Companion Rules (1984) | Air, Earth, Water and Fire | |
| Elemental ruler | D&D Master Rules (1985) | ||
| Elephant | D&D Expert Rules (1981, 1983) | Normal and prehistoric | |
| Elf | D&D Basic Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Faerie | D&D Master Rules (1985) | ||
| Ferret, giant | D&D Basic Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Fish, giant | D&D Expert Rules (1981, 1983) (Giant Rockfish and Giant Sturgeon) | Giant Bass, Giant Rockfish and Giant Sturgeon | |
| Gargantua | D&D Companion Rules (1984) | Gargantuan Carrion Crawler, Gargoyle and Troll | Not to be confused with Creature Catalogue (1986) Gargantua (a giant fish) |
| Gargoyle | D&D Basic Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Gelatinous cube | D&D Basic Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Ghoul | D&D Basic Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Giant | D&D Master Rules (1985) (Mountain and Sea) | Hill, Stone, Frost, Fire, Cloud, Storm, Mountain and Sea | |
| Gnoll | D&D Basic Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Gnome | D&D Basic Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Goblin | D&D Basic Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Golem | D&D Expert Rules (1981) (Wood, Bone, Amber, Bronze), D&D Expert Module X2 Castle Amber (1981) (Mud), D&D Expert Rules (1983) (Wood, Bone, Amber, Bronze), D&D Module MSolo2 Maze of the Riddling Minotaur (1983) (Obsidian), D&D Companion Rules (1984) (Mud, Obsidian), D&D Basic Module B12 Queen's Harvest (1989) (Wood Golem) | Wood, Bone, Obsidian, Mud, Amber and Bronze | |
| Gorgon | D&D Expert Rules (1981, 1983), D&D Companion Rules (1984) | ||
| Grab grass | D&D Expert Module X2 Castle Amber (1981), D&D Companion Rules (1984), D&D Expert Module X6 Quagmire! (1984) | ||
| Gray ooze | D&D Basic Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Green slime | D&D Basic Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Gremlin | D&D Expert Module X2 Castle Amber (1981), D&D Companion Rules (1984) | ||
| Griffon | D&D Expert Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Hag | D&D Master Rules (1985) | Black and Sea | |
| Halfling | D&D Basic Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Harpy | D&D Basic Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Haunt | D&D Companion Rules (1984) | Banshee, Ghost and Poltergeist | |
| Headsman (and thug) | D&D Master Rules (1985) (as Human: Headsman and Thug) | Human variant. | |
| Helion | D&D Companion Rules (1984) | ||
| Hellhound | D&D Expert Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Hippogriff | D&D Expert Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Hobgoblin | D&D Basic Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Horde | D&D Companion Rules (1984) | ||
| Horse | D&D Expert Rules (1981, 1983) (Riding, War and Draft Horse) | Riding, War, and Draft Horses, and Pony | |
| Hsiao (guardian owl) | D&D Master Rules (1985) | ||
| Hydra | D&D Expert Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Hydrax | D&D Companion Rules (1984) | ||
| Insect swarm | D&D Basic Rules (1981), D&D Expert Rules (1983) | ||
| Invisible stalker (sshai) | D&D Expert Rules (1981, 1983), D&D Companion Rules (1984) | ||
| Kobold | D&D Basic Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Kryst | D&D Companion Rules (1984) | ||
| Lava ooze | D&D Master Rules (1985) | ||
| Leech, giant | D&D Expert Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Lich | D&D Master Rules (1985) | ||
| Lizard, giant | D&D Basic Rules (1981, 1983) | Gecko, Draco, Horned Chameleon and Tuatara | |
| Lizard man | D&D Basic Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Locust, giant | D&D Basic Rules (1981) (as Cave Locust), D&D Basic Rules (1983) | ||
| Lycanthrope | D&D Basic Rules (1981, 1983) (Wererat, Werewolf, Wereboar, Weretiger, Werebear), D&D Expert Rules (1981, 1983) (Devil Swine), D&D Master Rules (1985) (Werebat, Werefox and Wereseal) | Wererat, Werewolf, Wereboar, Weretiger, Werebear, Werebat, Werefox, Wereshark, Wereseal and Devil Swine | |
| Malfera | D&D Expert Module X5 Temple of Death (1983), D&D Companion Rules (1984) | ||
| Manscorpion | D&D Companion Rules (1984) | ||
| Manta ray | D&D Companion Rules (1984) (Normal), D&D Expert Module X7 The War Rafts of Kron (1984) | Normal and giant | |
| Manticore | D&D Expert Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Medusa | D&D Expert Rules (1981, 1983), D&D Companion Rules (1984) | ||
| Mek | D&D Master Rules (1985) | ||
| Men | D&D Basic Rules (1981) (Trader, Noble), D&D Expert Rules (1981) (Brigand, Buccaneer/Pirate, Dervish and Nomad), D&D Expert Rules (1983) | Brigand, Buccaneer/Pirate, Dervish, Noble, Nomad and Trader | Human variant |
| Merman | D&D Expert Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Metamorph | D&D Master Rules (1985) | ||
| Minotaur | D&D Basic Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Mujina | D&D Expert Module X5 Temple of Death (1983), D&D Companion Rules (1984) | ||
| Mule | D&D Basic Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Mummy | D&D Expert Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Mystic | D&D Master Rules (1985) (as Human: Mystic) | Human variant. | |
| Neanderthal (caveman) | D&D Basic Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Nekrozon | D&D Master Rules (1985), D&D Companion Module CM9 Legacy of Blood (1987) | ||
| Nightshade | D&D Master Rules (1985) | Nightcrawler, Nightwalker and Nightwing | |
| Nixie | D&D Expert Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Normal human | D&D Basic Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Nuckalavee | D&D Master Rules (1985) | ||
| Ochre jelly | D&D Basic Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Ogre | D&D Basic Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Orc | D&D Basic Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Owl bear | D&D Basic Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Pegasus | D&D Expert Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Phantom | D&D Companion Rules (1984) | Apparition, Shade and Vision | |
| Phoenix | D&D Master Rules (1985) | Lesser and greater | |
| Pixie | D&D Basic Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Plasm | D&D Companion Rules (1984) | Normal and giant | |
| Plesiosaurus | D&D Expert Module X1 Isle of Dread (1981, 1983) | ||
| Pterosaur | D&D Expert Rules (1981, 1983) (Pterodactyl and Pteranodon) | Small (Pterodactyl), medium (Pteranodon) and large | |
| Purple worm | D&D Expert Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Rat | D&D Basic Rules (1981, 1983) | Normal and giant | |
| Revener | D&D Master Rules (1985) | ||
| Rhagodessa | D&D Expert Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Robber fly | D&D Basic Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Roc | D&D Expert Rules (1981, 1983) | Small, large and giant | |
| Rust monster | D&D Basic Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Salamander | D&D Expert Rules (1981, 1983), D&D Companion Rules (1984) | Flame and Frost | |
| Sasquatch | D&D Master Rules (1985) | ||
| Scorpion, giant | D&D Expert Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Shadow | D&D Basic Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Shark | D&D Expert Rules (1981), D&D Companion Rules (1984), D&D Expert Module X7 The War Rafts of Kron (1984) | Bull, Mako and Great White | |
| Shrew, giant | D&D Basic Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Shrieker | D&D Basic Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Skeleton | D&D Basic Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Slug, giant | D&D Master Rules (1985) | ||
| Snake | D&D Basic Rules (1981) (excepting Giant Racer), D&D Basic Rules (1983) | Spitting Cobra, Giant Racer, Pit Viper, Sea Snake, Giant Rattler and Rock Python | |
| Spectral hound | D&D Expert Module X5 Temple of Death (1983), D&D Companion Rules (1984) | ||
| Spectre | D&D Expert Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Sphinx | D&D Master Rules (1985) | ||
| Spider, giant | D&D Basic Rules (1981, 1983) | Crab Spider, Black Widow and Tarantella | |
| Spider, planar | D&D Master Rules (1985) | ||
| Spirit | D&D Companion Rules (1984) | Druj, Odic and Revenant | |
| Sporacle | D&D Master Rules (1985) | ||
| Sprite | D&D Basic Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Statue, living | D&D Basic Rules (1981, 1983) | Crystal, Iron and Rock | |
| Stirge | D&D Basic Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Termite, water | D&D Expert Rules (1981, 1983) | Swamp, Fresh and Salt Water Termite | |
| Thoul | D&D Basic Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Toad | D&D Module MSolo1 Blizzard Pass (1983) (Rock or Cave), D&D Companion Rules (1984) (Rock or Cave) | Giant and Rock/Cave Toad | |
| Treant | D&D Expert Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Triceratops | D&D Expert Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Troglodyte | D&D Basic Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Troll | D&D Expert Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Tyrannosaurus rex | D&D Expert Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Undine | D&D Companion Rules (1984) | ||
| Unicorn | D&D Expert Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Vampire | D&D Expert Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Weasel, giant | D&D Expert Rules (1981), D&D Companion Rules (1984) | ||
| Wight | D&D Basic Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Whales | D&D Expert Rules (1981) (Killer, Narwhal), D&D Companion Rules (1984) (Killer, Narwhal), D&D Expert Module X7 The War Rafts of Kron (1984) (Killer, Narwhal) | Killer whale, Great whale and Narwhal | |
| Wolf | D&D Basic Rules (1981, 1983) | Normal and dire | |
| Wraith | D&D Expert Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Wyvern | D&D Expert Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Yellow mold | D&D Basic Rules (1981, 1983) | ||
| Zombie | D&D Basic Rules (1981, 1983) |
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v Forest, Richard W. (2014). "Dungeons & Dragons, Monsters in". In Weinstock, Jeffrey (ed.). The Ashgate Encyclopedia of Literary and Cinematic Monsters. Ashgate Publishing.
- ^ Gilsdorf, Ethan (2009). Fantasy Freaks and Gaming Geeks: An Epic Quest for Reality Among Role Players, Online Gamers, and Other Dwellers of Imaginary Realms. Globe Pequot. p. 300. ISBN 9781599214801.
- ^ a b c Marshall, C. W. (2019). "Classical Reception and the Half-Elf Cleric". In Rogers, Brett M.; Stevens, Benjamin Eldon (eds.). Once and Future Antiquities in Science Fiction and Fantasy. Bloomsbury Academic. pp. 149–171. ISBN 978-1-3500-6894-0.
- ^ a b c d e f DeVarque, Aardy. "Literary Sources of D&D". Retrieved December 12, 2019.
- ^ a b c d Gloyn, Liz (2019). Tracking Classical Monsters in Popular Culture. Bloomsbury Academic. pp. 36–37. ISBN 978-1-7845-3934-4.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Duffy, William S. (2018). 20-sided monsters: The Adaptation of Greek Mythology to Dungeons and Dragons (PDF). Casting Die: Classical Reception in Gaming. CAMWS. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
- ^ a b c d Witwer, Michael; Newman, Kyle; Peterson, Jonathan; Witwer, Sam; Manganiello, Joe (October 2018). Dungeons & Dragons Art & Arcana: a visual history. Ten Speed Press. ISBN 9780399580949. OCLC 1033548473.
- ^ a b Bricken, Rob (September 16, 2013). "The 10 Most Memorable Dungeons & Dragons Monsters". io9. Retrieved January 20, 2016.
- ^ a b Cruz, Ronald Allan L. (2017). "Here Be Dragons: Using Dragons as Models for Phylogenetic Analysis". The American Biology Teacher. 79 (7): 544–551. doi:10.1525/abt.2017.79.7.544. S2CID 91044116.
- ^ Babb, Ruth (2014). "Dragons in Contemporary Fantasy Novels". In Weinstock, Jeffrey (ed.). The Ashgate Encyclopedia of Literary and Cinematic Monsters. Ashgate Publishing. p. 186.
- ^ a b Mizer, Nicholas J. (November 22, 2019). Tabletop role-playing games and the experience of imagined worlds. Cham, Switzerland. ISBN 978-3-030-29127-3. OCLC 1129162802.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ Peterson, Jon (2012). Playing at the World: A History of Simulating Wars, People and Fantastic Adventures, from Chess to Role-Playing Games. San Diege, CA: Unreason Press. ISBN 978-0615642048.
- ^ a b Bornet, Philippe (2011). Religions in play: games, rituals, and virtual worlds. Theologischer Verlag Zürich. p. 278. ISBN 978-3-290-22010-5. Retrieved September 15, 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f g Clements, Philip J. (December 2019). Dungeons & Discourse: Intersectional Identities in Dungeons & Dragons (PhD). Retrieved September 22, 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Ewalt, David M. (2013). Of Dice and Men: The Story of Dungeons & Dragons and the People Who Play It. Scribner. p. 138. ISBN 978-1-4516-4052-6.
- ^ a b Ammann, Keith (2019). The Monsters Know What They're Doing. Saga Press. ISBN 978-1982122669.
- ^ a b c Croitoriu, Michaël (November 2000). "Dungeon Master's Guide". Backstab (in French). No. 24. pp. 74–75.
- ^ Searsmith, Kelly (2014). "Goblin". In Weinstock, Jeffrey (ed.). The Ashgate Encyclopedia of Literary and Cinematic Monsters. Ashgate Publishing. p. 289.
- ^ a b c d e f Schick, Lawrence (1991). Heroic Worlds: A History and Guide to Role-Playing Games. Prometheus Books. ISBN 0-87975-653-5.
- ^ a b Pasteau, Cyril (November 2000). "The Sunless Citadel". Backstab (in French). No. 24. p. 75.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Rangel Jiménez, Mauricio (2021). Lanzando los dados: aproximaciones académicas a los juegos de rol (in Spanish). Universidad Iberoamericana. ISBN 978-607-417-763-3.
- ^ a b c d e f g Bornet, Philippe (2011). Religions in play: games, rituals, and virtual worlds. Theologischer Verlag Zürich. pp. 282–283. ISBN 978-3-290-22010-5. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
- ^ a b c Wood, Juliette (2018). "When unicorns walked the earth: A brief history of the unicorn and its fellows". Fantastic Creatures in Mythology and Folklore. Bloomsbury. ISBN 9781441166760.
- ^ Fine, Gary Alan (1983). Shared Fantasy: Role Playing Games as Social Worlds. University of Chicago Press. p. 23.
- ^ a b c Baird, Scott (May 20, 2018). "Dungeons & Dragons: 10 Most Powerful (And 10 Weakest) Monsters, Ranked". Screen Rant. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
- ^ Gigoux, Chris (December 25, 2010). "Top 10 D&D Modules I Found in Storage This Weekend #4 (GeekDad Wayback Machine)". Wired. Retrieved October 12, 2020.
- ^ Kaneda (May–June 1998). "Moonlight Madness". Backstab (in French). Vol. 9. p. 34.
- ^ a b c Slavicsek, Bill; Baker, Rich; Grubb, Jeff (2006). Dungeons & Dragons For Dummies. For Dummies. p. 373. ISBN 978-0-7645-8459-6. Retrieved February 12, 2009.
- ^ Baird, Scott (June 2, 2018). "20 Things About Dungeons & Dragons That Make No Sense". Screen Rant.
- ^ a b Freeman, Jon (1979). The Playboy Winner's Guide to Board Games. Playboy Press. ISBN 0-872-16562-0.
- ^ a b c d Grebey, James (June 3, 2019). "How Dungeons and Dragons reimagines and customizes iconic folklore monsters". SyfyWire. Retrieved January 14, 2022.
- ^ Croitoriu, Michaël (May–June 1998). "Aide Au Jouer: Talents & Pouvoirs". Backstab (in French). Vol. 9. p. 54.
- ^ a b Rubin, Jonathan (March 6, 2008). "Farewell to the Dungeon Master: How D&D creator Gary Gygax changed geekdom forever". Slate.
- ^ ONeill, John (January 28, 2014). "On the Origins of the Rust Monster". Black Gate. Retrieved April 6, 2022.
- ^ a b c Bricken, Rob (August 29, 2014). "The 12 Most Obnoxious Dungeons & Dragons Monsters". io9. Retrieved March 29, 2022.
- ^ Sims, Chris (October 19, 2012). "Ask Chris #125: The Greatest Monsters in 'Dungeons & Dragons'". Comics Alliance. Archived from the original on October 21, 2012. Retrieved November 10, 2012.
- ^ a b Wienecke-Janz, Detlef, ed. (2002). Lexikon der Zauberwelten – Gandalf & Co. Wissen Media Verlag. p. 12. ISBN 3-577-13505-0.
- ^ Diaz, Eric (31 March 2023). "DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: HONOR AMONG THIEVES Meets the D&D '80s Cartoon". Nerdist. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
Uni was cooler than Scrappy Doo.
- ^ a b c d Tessier, Philippe (November 2000). "Baldur's Gate II". Review. Backstab (in French). No. 24. pp. 90–91.
- ^ Ellis, Simon; Hendler, James (2017). "Computers Play Chess, Computers Play Go… Humans Play Dungeons & Dragons". IEEE Intelligent Systems. 32 (4): 31–34. doi:10.1109/MIS.2017.3121545. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
- ^ a b Applecline, Shannon (2014). Designers & Dragons: The '70s. Evil Hat Productions.
- ^ a b Di Filippo, Laurent (2018). "La mythologie nordique dans Donjons & Dragons - Entre réception et stéréotypes" [Norse mythology in Dungeons & Dragons - Between reception and stereotypes]. Les clichés dans l'histoire. Fest'Ain d'Histoire (in French). Chazey-sur-Ain: Didaskalie. pp. 75–90.
- ^ Young, Luca (14 September 2021). "The Lord of the Rings and Tolkien's impact on the fantasy genre". Medium. Retrieved 19 July 2023.
- ^ Gable, Andrew D. (March 10, 2003). "The Origin of the Gnoll (again)". ENWorld. Retrieved January 14, 2022.
- ^ Duffy, William S.; Taylor, Matthew (2018). Casting Die: Classical Reception in Gaming (PDF). Casting Die: Classical Reception in Gaming. CAMWS. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
- ^ Woodard, Ben (2012). Slime Dynamics. Winchester, Washington: Zero Books. p. 32. ISBN 978-1-78099-248-8.
- ^ Slavicsek, Bill; Baker, Richard; Mearls, Mike (January 2009). "31: The Ten Best Mid-Level Monsters". Dungeons and Dragons 4th Edition For Dummies. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 9780470406397. Retrieved July 17, 2012.
- ^ Tessier, Philippe (November 2000). "Baldur's Gate 2". Game aid. Backstab (in French). No. 24. p. 34.
- ^ Hagerty, Chris (November 6, 2011). Allison, Tavis (ed.). Panel Discussion. D&D in Contemporary Art. New York.
- ^ Bogdanski, Stefan (February 2003). "D&D: Monster Set 3te Edition". Envoyer. No. 76. FZ Werbung Hannover. pp. 15–16. ISSN 1433-2892.
- ^ Eckelberry, David, Rich Redman, and Jennifer Clarke Wilkes. Savage Species (Wizards of the Coast, 2003)
- ^ Stang, Sarah; Trammel, Aaron (2019). "The Ludic Bestiary: Misogynistic Tropes of Female Monstrosity in Dungeons & Dragons". Games and Culture. 15 (6): 730–747. doi:10.1177/1555412019850059. S2CID 181779195.
- ^ Trammell, Aaron (2018), Taylor, Nicholas; Voorhees, Gerald (eds.), "Militarism and Masculinity in Dungeons & Dragons", Masculinities in Play, Palgrave Games in Context, Cham: Springer International Publishing, pp. 129–147, doi:10.1007/978-3-319-90581-5_8, ISBN 978-3-319-90581-5, retrieved 2021-11-01
- ^ Granshaw, Lisa (October 24, 2018). "The 9 scariest, most unforgettable monsters from Dungeons & Dragons". SYFY WIRE. Archived from the original on April 29, 2020.
- ^ Bryant, Levi R. (October 2012). "Substantial Powers, Active Affects: The Intentionality of Objects". Deleuze Studies. 6 (4): 529–543. doi:10.3366/dls.2012.0081. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
- ^ Strik, Odile (November 6, 2014). "Walking The Planes 2: A History of the Planes in Dungeons & Dragons". The Ontological Geek. Archived from the original on May 7, 2021. Retrieved August 10, 2020.
- ^ Jacobs, James, Erik Mona, and Ed Stark. Fiendish Codex I: Hordes of the Abyss (Wizards of the Coast, 2006). Page 126.
- ^ "B3 Palace of the Silver Princess". D&D Modules. The Acaeum. Retrieved 2012-04-28.
- ^ "Palace of the Silver Princess (Green Cover)". Retrieved 2013-10-01.
- ^ Theurer, Mark (December 2002). "D20 Product Review: Monster Manual II" (PDF). Fictional Reality. No. 10. p. 52. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 13, 2007. Retrieved September 3, 2020.
- ^ Leati, Tito. "The Ecology of the Kopru." Dragon #354 (Paizo Publishing, 2007)
- ^ Bambra, Jim. The Sea People (TSR, 1990)
- ^ Nephew, John, Teeuwynn Woodruff, John Terra, and Skip Williams. Mystara Monstrous Compendium Appendix (TSR, 1994)
- ^ Bonny, Ed, Jeff Grubb, Rich Redman, Skip Williams, and Steve Winter. Monster Manual II (Wizards of the Coast, 2002)
- ^ Ballsun-Stanton, Brian; Mueller, Ernest; Eskridge, C. Ross (January 2012). "Clerics, Magic Users, Fighters and Thieves: Theoretical Approaches to Rules Questions on the Role-Playing Games Stack Exchange". Retrieved 2021-02-05.
- ^ Robichaud, Christopher, ed. (2014). Dungeons and Dragons and Philosophy: Read and Gain Advantage on All Wisdom Checks. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 9781118397626.
- ^ The Retroist (June 27, 2016). "The most underrated monsters of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons". Geek.com. Archived from the original on October 2, 2019. Retrieved December 13, 2019.