Phantom Fungus

[Bloodstone Press]

Well, I hear where you're coming from, but this is true of lots of monsters. Dire monsters were created so that there were higher power animals for druids and rangers. The stirge is interesting because its only dangerous in large numbers (and is a low-power ability score damaging monster). The rust monster is the ultimate "threat to your stuff" encounter. Etc. etc. Most good monsters have an actual game design reason to exist. These monsters are popular.

You can add Hobgoblins to that list as well. Some time ago I ask Gary why DnD Hobgoblins are nothing like the hobgoblins from mythology. He basically said that he needed a militant humanoid that was tougher than an Orc but weaker than a bugbear. So he wrote up the stats for hobgoblins and slapped the name on them.

As for the phantom fungus, I haven't ever used one, but I have read the description and am familiar with them without looking them up. The main reason I haven't used them is that they don't seem to fit into the campaign very often. Another reason is that they are perhaps a little too alien for my low magic homebrew. But then, so are a lot of other creatures that I don't use very often....

On the other hand, I do occasionally run games in other settings that focus on weird, unusual monsters and abilities and such, and even then I don't use the phantom fungus.... Don't really know why. Maybe I'll add to an upcoming game and see how it goes...

 

[Richards]

These oddball monsters would have made perfect fodder for Monster Hunters "Ecology" articles...too bad Dragon has lost interest in those types of articles.

Johnathan

 

[CRGreathouse]

I don't really like the new 3.e monsters. The Chull, the Digester Beast and the rest all seem contrived. This is a shame, I looked at some of the concept art for the 3e MM (see link below) and some of them: the Dropper, the Brawny Claw Monster, the new Gargoyle are interesting. It's a shame they didn't make it in.

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ag/20010316d

The Brawny Claw Monster became the destrachan, and the Dropper became ethereal marauder.

I'm not sure what the Bug Trooper is, or if it was just left out.

 

[S'mon]

I don't really like the new 3.e monsters. The Chull, the Digester Beast and the rest all seem contrived. This is a shame, I looked at some of the concept art for the 3e MM (see link below) and some of them: the Dropper, the Brawny Claw Monster, the new Gargoyle are interesting. It's a shame they didn't make it in.

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ag/20010316d

I once dropped Gricks into 'Palace of the Silver Princess', they were a 'nice' surprise for 1st-2nd level PCs. Other than that, I can't recall ever using _any_ new-3e monster from the MM, and I've been GMing 3e regularly since late 2000. I've used a few third-party monsters from Creature Collection 2 (Upper_Krust's Iron Devil) & Armies of the Abyss (Razorwire Golem), but the vast majority of monsters I use are either 'traditional' - hill giants, frost giants, ettins, trolls, wyverns, 2 dragons (red & white) - or, mostly, classed humanoids with levels, I've used Jamis Buck's NPC Generator a _lot_.

 

[Stalker0]

I had a great use of phantom fungus one time. THe party was exploring an old castle, and was walking around its outer wall. I had fungus from the area around come around, and flanked the party with their backs toward the wall. They had no idea what was going on. The party was in a line against the wall, and I put the fungus in a spread, so the party had no idea what squares to hit. I also had the fungus move around, I figured with 2 int they still can have a little pack animal intelligence.

The party wound up running, and the week later, they were moving towards the forest. I described the weeds moving aside as something was coming, and they ran for the hills

 

[RichGreen]

Hi,

I've never used the phantom fungus either. I've put an ethereal filcher in a small dungeon that the PCs will end up in if they go the wrong way.

I have used a few of the new-in-3e monsters. Some are pretty good: chuul can be lethal, the tojanida is a ridiculous-looking but pretty tough aquatic monster, I've also used digesters and yrthraks. Mostly though, if I want something unusual, I'll pick something from MM II, FF or Monsternomicon.

I've not used a rust monster for years as I probably over-used them in 1e/2e.

Cheers



Richard

 

[I'm A Banana]

IMHO, D&D just isn't D&D without a handful of weird-as-heck monsters.

I mean, for every person decrying the Ethereal Marauder, that's downright logical compared to something like the Beholder......

 

[Wrath of the Swarm]

Just thought I would post the following link: Order of the Stick: Episode #55

 

[Bendris Noulg]

I mean, for every person decrying the Ethereal Marauder, that's downright logical compared to something like the Beholder......

Which would be another creature I've never used.

 

[Richards]

Just thought I would post the following link: Order of the Stick: Episode #55

Heh heh..."Ooo, an osquip," indeed. Nice link!

Johnathan