D&D General D&D monsters that have been changed the most over time

[dave2008]

Dragons. The answer is always dragons. Let's look at the red dragon as an example (on the dragons with fewer changes):

1e: 9-11 HD/ claw,claw,bite attack or breathweapon/ immune to fire / 48' long / 8 age categories

2e: up to 23 HD / claw,claw,bite attack or breathweapon & 6 new attack options / immune to fire / up to 354' long / 12 age categories

3e: up to 40 HD + 400 / claw,claw,bite attack or breathweapon + 4 additional attack options / immune to fire / up to 120' long / 12 age categories

4e: up to 1,390 HP / 2 claws or 1 bite or breathweapon / resistant to fire / up to 88' long / 5 age categories

5e: up to 1,390 HP / 2 claws and a bite or breathweapon + wing and tail attacks (legendary) / immune to fire / up to 45-50' long +/- / 4 age categories

 

[Vaalingrade]

Where is the bul-pup picture from?

 

[Valmiras]

Dragons. The answer is always dragons. Let's look at the red dragon as an example (on the dragons with fewer changes):

1e: 9-11 HD/ claw,claw,bite attack or breathweapon/ immune to fire / 48' long / 8 age categories
View attachment 139986

2e: up to 23 HD / claw,claw,bite attack or breathweapon & 6 new attack options / immune to fire / up to 354' long / 12 age categories
View attachment 139985

3e: up to 40 HD + 400 / claw,claw,bite attack or breathweapon + 4 additional attack options / immune to fire / up to 120' long / 12 age categories
View attachment 139987

5e: up to 1,390 HP / 2 claws or 1 bite or breathweapon / resistant to fire / up to 88' long / 5 age categories
View attachment 139988

5e: up to 1,390 HP / 2 claws and a bite or breathweapon + wing and tail attacks (legendary) / immune to fire / up to 45-50' long +/- / 4 age categories
View attachment 139989

Is that 4th one 4E, rather than 5E as listed? (since there are 2 5e)

 

[dave2008]

Is that 4th one 4E, rather than 5E as listed? (since there are 2 5e)

Yes! I've corrected it now - thank you!

 

[dave2008]

Where is the bul-pup picture from?

PS you should quote or tag @Steampunkette so they know you are asking them. Otherwise they may never know.

 

[Steampunkette]

Where is the bul-pup picture from?

DMDave!

Bulette Variants for Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition

Long before we had sharnados and megs, we had bulettes. These land sharks will eat everything in sight if you let them. In addition to 2 bulette variants, I’ve thrown in a “How to Creat…

dmdave.com

PS you should quote or tag @Steampunkette so they know you are asking them. Otherwise they may never know.

Thanks, Dave!

 

[cmad1977]

I like how the 1e dragon looks less scary and more like a derpy cat that just woke up.

 

[J.Quondam]

I like how the 1e dragon looks less scary and more like a derpy cat that just woke up.

Fitting, for an edition in which 1st level magic-users were routinely killed by housecats.

 

[GuyBoy]

Poor halflings in 1E; they had a pretty terrible time. If it wasn’t the bulette it was the ankheg.

 

[Voadam]

One more early kobold picture from 1e Deities and Demigods

"Kurtulmak appears as a giant kobold (5 1/2' tall) with scales of steel and a tail with a poisonous stinger"

Face is a bit more monkey like than dog like, particularly with the tail. Strong scales again in 1e.

The wyvern-like tail is a nice tie in to the later 3e dragon article when he gets associated with evil dragons.