Any worlds with monsters as monsters

[Korgoth]

A "monster" is really a malformed creature. Malformation supposes a deviation from a base population... you cannot have a "race" of monsters because then they're not monsters. If "minotaur" is a race then the only "monstrous" minotaurs are those born without bull's heads, etc.

The implication of the word "monster" is that every monster is something more or less unique. Are there any game worlds out there where this is the case... where basically every monster that exists is a one-of-a-kind entity?

I find the idea compelling.

 

[Stormonu]

Birthright - it has the awnsheghlien, or bloodspawn. Each is unique and many are monsters, such as the Gorgon, the Banshee, the Spider and the Hydra. There are other "monsterous races", such as goblins and like, but truly the awnsheghlien are one-of-a-kind terrors.

 

[LostSoul]

I think that may be one of the ideas behind Lamentations of the Flame Princess... though I don't have it, so I could be wrong.

 

[howandwhy99]

I think its a matter of specification. We are all unique, yet we are also the same. We have eyes and legs and arms and skin and hearts and stomachs and...

You see? Apparently there are some arsenic-based DNA monsters who were just discovered here on Earth. Those might count as monsters as you're saying.

If you want greater degrees of uniqueness, you might want to look at early D&D demons. They are typed by power level, think challenge level, but they can have the heads of baboons, the feet of ducks, the torso of a lion, and arms as asps. Even in that description the creature would still be a humanoid given its shape.

 

[karlindel]

There aren't many campaigns where every monstrous antagonist is unique. Most settings, though, have some monsters that are groups of the same type, and others that are unique.

Birthright works if you remove orcs, goblins, and the like from the category of monsters.

From what I have read about Harn, it has a lot of monsters that are unique, although again you need to remove orcs and some others from the definition of monster.

Earthdawn has Horrors, each of which is a unique monster. However, there are still creatures that could be considered monsters that have multiple of the same type.

Deadlands has a lot of monstrous enemies that are unique, often with particular weaknesses that can be exploited.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

In the original DarkSun, undead had general distinguishing attributes (like corporeal or incorporeal), but each one was unique.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

A "monster" that comes out into the light so you can see and describe its anatomy is no longer a monster; it is just something weird.

I'd love to play in a game where monsters are truly monstrous and mysterious as well ... they are always hidden in shadows, and while you get a glimpse at parts you never see the whole. In game mechanics terms you might have a monster generator with a list of physical traits (clawed hand, glowing eyes, smells of blood) plus the specific powers and physical abilities needed to play the game, but you never actually have a describable "race" of monsters.

 

[AdmundfortGeographer]

Warhammer has elements of this being infused with the fight against a Chaos that mutates those that dabble in magic, or are exposed to greatly to warpstone.

 

[Psychotic Jim]

The closest thing i can think of is Ravenloft, seems like with all the old (2e) Van Richten's Guides released you could really make any general type of beast (vampire, lich, golem, werewolves, and especially fiends). Choosing unique combos of "Salient powers" to fit the monster's nature and background was a big part of it. The mechanics of these were consolidated and put into 3e versions in the 3e Ravenloft line along with another one on zombies and another on the shadow fey. Plus in Ravenloft people could twist themselves through evil acts into foul monstrous forms unique to the sins they've committed.

 

[Aus_Snow]

I think that may be one of the ideas behind Lamentations of the Flame Princess

Thereabouts. Also, and by the same guy (I believe), The Random Esoteric Creature Generator For Classic Fantasy Role Playing Games And Their Modern Simulacra is precisely the thing you'd be after.

There might be others too... like say, Hellions in Dragon Warriors (a minor version of the same kind of thing).


edit: I just realised that's also in response to Olgar Shiverstone's post.