Monsters are perhaps the most difficult characters to portray in costume. But a good monster can go in many directions and gain a lot of respect. Here is a brief overview of the most common monsters from the fantasy world.
Manticore
Manticores are monstrous hybrids with the body of a lion, the head of a person, the wings of a dragon, and a tail that fires deadly spikes. They are intelligent man-eaters who often rule over other evil creatures to satisfy their greed and hunger. They make for excellent low- to medium level boss enemies with great roleplaying potential!
Ogres
Ogres are simple, brutish monsters which will often attack and eat anything in their way, considered the lowest of the giant-kin. They are often used by other evil creatures as brutes and guards, rewarded with humanoid flesh and shiny trinkets.They make for great low-level bosses or medium-high level regular enemies, or NPC’s with great role-playing potential!
Gnoll
Gnolls are fiendish hyena-men driven by bloodlust and hunger. They roam the wilderness in savage raiding packs, which often pillage towns and villages. Even among orcs and goblins, Gnolls are infamous for not leaving survivors, nor corpses. They make for great low- to medium level enemies who find strength largely in their numbers! Witherlings are undead gnolls, brought back to life by evil necromancy. They are servants of the other gnolls in a pack.
Githyanki
Githyanki are dreaded psionic pirates who rule the wildspace in space faring ships. They harbor a deep hatred of Mindflayers, who once brutally enslaved them. Their culture of plunder and conquest values only strength, and they are taught to fight to the death from a young age. They make for great mid- high level regular enemies, especially in spelljammer setting- or plane-travel focused campaigns!
Kuo-Toa
Kuo-Toa are amphibious fish-men from the underdark, driven insane at the hands of evil mind flayers. In their madness they have invented new gods, who they devoutly pray to. They make for great low- to medium level enemies in underdark- or cosmic horror themed adventures!
Dragon
Dragons are intelligent magical creatures as ancient as the world itself. They come in many colors and shapes, though most are evil-aligned chromatic dragons, or good-aligned metallic dragons. They have the ability to cast powerful spells and breathe pure elemental magic.
- White Dragons are the most animalistic of the evil dragons, who make their lair in icy caverns and mainly hunt to survive in freezing climates. Their breath is like a storm of primordial frost.
- Green Dragons are masterful liars, who make their lairs in swamps. Instead of simply hiring goons, they love to trick regular people into carrying out evil schemes under the impression they’re doing the right thing, to the dragon’s sadistic pleasure. Their breath is a massive spray of deadly poison.
- Copper Dragons are good-natured pranksters who appreciate jokes and art as much as gold. They make their lairs in rocky deserts, repelling trespassers with a breath of burning acid and noxious gas.
- Silver Dragons are a regal but curious kind of dragon, taking such great interest in human societies that they often spend their long lives disguised among regular people, inventing new aliases as ages pass. Their good nature drives them to take the vulnerable under their wing, and defeat evil-doers with their breath of deadly frost.
- Gold Dragons are the wisest and strongest among all dragons, dedicating their long lives to fighting injustice and rooting out evil. They’ll share their knowledge with worthy adventurers, and will not hesitate to rain down a blazing inferno on their enemies.
Being the most iconic creatures of the fantasy genre, dragons make for extremely memorable medium- to high level boss enemies, as well as high level NPCs, both with endless roleplaying potential!
Zombie
Zombies are undead monsters brought back to life through evil magic. They are the shambling remains of commoners and other creatures who found themselves at the wrong end of a necromancy spell. 9 out of 10 sinister cults agree they make for great low-level monsters that overwhelm players in nightmarish hordes!
Hag
Hags are eldritch fey creatures which take on the form of evil crones from classic fairy-tales and nightmares. They are grotesque witches who trick and curse the unsuspecting with sinister bargains. Their evil schemes inspire folk tales warning to avoid dark woods and fetid swamps. They make for excellent low- to medium level enemies with great roleplaying potential, especially in (folk) horror and mythology-themed campaigns!
Skeleton
Skeletons are undead monsters brought back to life through evil magic. They are the long-expired shambling remains of forgotten warriors who found themselves at the wrong end of a necromancy spell. 9 out of 10 sinister cults agree make for great low-level monsters that overwhelm players in nightmarish hordes!
Golem
Golems are magical automatons bound to carry out the will of the mages which gave them life. They are emotionless and lack any personal will, and thus make for excellent servants for powerful spellcasters, as well as eternally obedient guardians of ancient tombs.
- Flesh Golems are horrific experiments brought to life through less than savory magic. They are stitched together from remains of corpses, protected by a thick, magically resistant skin.
- Stone Golems offer the ideal solution for wizards in need of a magical guard and beautiful statue at the same time. They last the longest out of all golems, and are often overgrown with bygone ages of moss, fungi and plants.
- Clay golems are the easiest to create, and the most classic flavor of golem.
They are often hastily created by good wizards to protect settlements from attackers.
The golems versatility and neutral nature allows for endless potential during combat, exploration and roleplaying!
Troll
Towering in stature with hulking frames, thick leathery skin, and grotesque features, trolls are formidable beings that haunt the darkest corners of mystical forests and treacherous mountains. These creatures possess an insatiable hunger, often preying upon unsuspecting travelers or even other fantastical beings, satisfying their voracious appetites with a grisly feast. Yet, trolls are not mere mindless savages. They possess a primitive intelligence, capable of crude speech and rudimentary problem-solving. Despite their brutish appearance and reputation, some tales tell of trolls who display a twisted sense of humor, toying with their victims before delivering a crushing blow. They are cunning in their own way, setting ambushes and traps to ensnare those who dare cross their territories.