101 Alternative Versions of Old Monsters

[Kaodi]

I was looking back at a recent thread that discussed how most monsters were just not that scary of mysterious at all, and while there was some disagreement as to what the problem or solution was, it got me thinking about a couple of different takes on standard monsters.

I thought it might be interesting to post it as a thread and maybe put together a whole bunch of ideas. So without further ado...

1. Gracechild (Half-Celestial): While mortal priests may be able to wield the holy power of the gods, when the essence of the the gods angelic servitors is borne directly within the flesh of a mortal, the raw energy can be too much to bear, breaking mind and body. A gracechild is something like the more tragic celestial counterpart of alu-demons and cambions: the offspring of a mortal and an angel. They tend towards being both sickly and insane, but possessing strength beyond that of their fully mortal counterparts and amazing natural charisma. They also possess some of the sense and powers of their angelic parents.

2. Souleaters' Plague (Zombie): No one is quite sure how they accomplish it, but some of the most powerful and wicked demons discovered they could cause a mass possession event in which dretches would take control of mortal bodies, in the process stripping them of all but terrible hunger for flesh and mortal souls. Those so possessed immediately attack and devour their neighbours, friends and family in an attempt to consume enough souls to evolve to the next stage of their demonic existence. As well, those who survive attacks by a creature so possessed are gradually corrupted and taken over as well, their essence the first absorbed by the ravenous and destructive spirit.

 

[Stormonu]

Somewhat similar to the gracechild, I've created hellchilde for my world. In their "normal" form, they appear to be albino humans but they are actually half-breeds of humans and outer planar creatures (angels, demons, jinni, elementals, etc). When under duress, their body undergoes a physical transformation that brings their supernatural abilities to the fore. A hellchilde with demonic blood might have his skin turn red and horns grow from his or her forehead (looking very much like a 4E tiefling) and may even become surrounded by a fiery aura. The fun part is that they can "hide" among normal humans, to a degree - especially if regular albinos are common for one reason or another.

 

[The Shaman]

4. Owlbadger: The product of a gnomish magical experiment gone horribly awry, the owlbadger matches the sharp beak of a burrowing owl with the vicious claws of a badger. The owlbadger's fearsome reputation for wanton violence against monsters many times its own size led one sage to comment that, "Owlbadger don't give a ."

 

[Dog Moon]

I think you may be interested in this thread: http://www.enworld.org/forum/general-rpg-discussion/106339-alternative-monsters-different-fluff-same-crunch.html

It does what you're asking: reskinning monsters in the bestiary and having the same stats [or very similar] for what players would probably think as being brand new creatures.

 

[nedjer]

novelty Original Game jellies from Halloween, which my players have voted into everyday use. These are definitely daft monsters, but they (the players) seem to feel that combination monsters, attack forms that convey textures or sensations, and having to run away sometimes are good fun for the GM

 

[Kaodi]

As opposed to just reskinning, I had actually been looking for a list of monster that were both re-flavoured and had different abilities. The gracechild for instance, would have a bonus to strength, a penalty to constitution, a substantial penalty to wisdom, and a massive bonus to charisma. And the Souleaters would be possessed, not undead.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Quoting myself from elsewhen:

I do re-imagine races quite frequently, but I seldom get to use them to the fullest. I've mentioned several on these boards:

1. Elves who are actually alien Greys (you know- the skinny, big headed, pupil-less eyed guys from Close Encounters of the Third Kind, X-files, etc.). Their ship crashed hundreds of thousands of years ago, becoming covered by a mounded clearing in a forest. Their stasis fields (keeping them alive all those centuries) teleporters, image scramblers and account for legends of Underhill, how they dissapear in the woods, and how they are mighty enchanters...
2. Elves who are part plant, truly one with The Green. I basically applied the Woodling template and took a few hints from Dragonstar's Galactic Races. I also made them true Fey.
3. Dwarves who are elementals. They carve each other from stone, and the kind of stone they are made from determines their favored class.
4. Warforged who are essentially D&D versions of the Daleks or Cyber-Men: their metal bodies house the brains of psionically active dwarves (minimum 1PP).
5. The Nephilim are my reworked Planetouched. "They were the hybrid offspring of fallen angels and human women." says one definition...but mine are the hybrid offspring of any sentient race and any extraplanar being. To pull that off, the Nephilim were designed as a racial character class, a la Monte Cook's Arcana Unearthed/Arcana Evolved RPG.
6. A size S, flying version of the Thri-Kreen. They are ultra-high dex, and favor spears/javelins rather than the gythka, etc., and can communicate by bioluminescence.

I've also enjoyed helping others at ENWorld reflavor or shuffle races for their campaigns, most notably suggesting:

1. Anthropomorphic Snapping Turtles, an amalgam of river-dwelling Halflings, the powerful physique of Dwarves, certain reptilian characteristics from Lizardmen and the business acumen of Ferengi. They are the master tradesmen of the lakes, rivers and freshwater wetlands.
   
2. Humans who ride Giant Flightless Birds- like axebeaks or real-world Moas- and have a culture analogous to those of the Plains Indians.
   
3. Reworked Kobolds who are arboreal, and have gliding membranes.
   
4. Using Alternity/D20 Modern Sesheyans as rulers of an Underdark empire- possibly as replacements for the Drow.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

I'm all for Gelatinous Icosahedrons.

In fact, there's an entire heirarchy built around gelatinous polyhedral solids, with the lower tetrahedrons and cubes performing the grunt work of cleaning out the lower dungeon levels while icosahedrons rule the far flung reaches of their planar empire under the jelly rule of the Gelatinous Orb.

 

[Mark CMG]

Gas Giants exude a noxious odor at all times but also have a methane "breath" weapon.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Gas Giants exude a noxious odor at all times but also have a methane "breath" weapon.

Beware of the ones they call "Blue Flame Ragers"...