As a GM, which monster do you find the most difficult to role-play?

[Fifinjir]

Probably devils, because I don’t think I can act them as being so smoothly manipulative, convincing, and superficially charming that it overcomes the fact that they’re covered in scales, spikes, horns, and constantly on fire.

 

[overgeeked]

I went digging through some old notes and came across this idea I thought was worth sharing.

I took Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and made a list of 30 needs. The hierarchy is in five tiers, with the lowest being the most fundamental and the highest being the most abstract or esoteric. Hence the five sets of six needs.

This division also makes it easy to roll 1d6 for a given tier. Decide what tier you want an NPC to be at and roll. Or roll 1d6, 1d12, 1d18, 1d24, or 1d30. Start from the bottom with air as 1. The first six are animal needs, the rest are increasing levels of abstract human needs.

Fun little random chart.

Air.
Water.
Food.
Shelter.
Sleep.
Reproduction.

Clothing.
Safety (personal).
Health & Wellbeing.
Stable Environment.
Financial Security.
Safety Nets.

Family.
Friendship.
Community.
Romantic Relationships.
Group Membership.
Affection & Intimacy.

Self Respect.
Confidence.
Respect from Others.
Reputation.
Recognition.
Achievement.

Creativity.
Personal Growth.
Moral Development.
Pursuit of Meaning.
Purpose-Driven Action.
Peak Experience.

 

[Zaukrie]

Aboleth. They're so similar to mind flayers.....

 

[TiQuinn]

Probably devils, because I don’t think I can act them as being so smoothly manipulative, convincing, and superficially charming that it overcomes the fact that they’re covered in scales, spikes, horns, and constantly on fire.

Yeah, this is a tough one. Producing an encounter built around making a deal with the devil - a super intelligent devil - is hard because players know the tropes. They have to be willing participants to go along with the fiction behind the monster.

 

[Fifinjir]

Yeah, this is a tough one. Producing an encounter built around making a deal with the devil - a super intelligent devil - is hard because players know the tropes. They have to be willing participants to go along with the fiction behind the monster.

I think my preferred solution is that their scary look is their “war face” that they put on when the time for being subtle is past.

 

[TiQuinn]

I think my preferred solution is that their scary look is their “war face” that they put on when the time for being subtle is past.

Agreed - they work best for me when they’re disguised as something else.

 

[Imagine That TTRPG]

I took Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and made a list of 30 needs...

This is excellent! It actually feels like a direct answer to the thread’s core question. "How do you run any kind of monster?" Give it a need. That breakdown of Maslow into d6 tiers is genius! It's clean, intuitive, and instantly usable at the table. Whether it’s a sentient ooze craving safety or a dragon chasing recognition, anchoring a creature to a need gives you a roleplaying spine on the spot. I love how it shifts the question from “How do I act like this monster?” to “What does it want?” That’s where the real character shows up. I know you said this earlier, but this puts your previous comment in better perspective. Honestly, it’s a masterclass disguised as a table. and it deserves a spot in every GM’s guide. It’s accessible to GMs of any experience level or cognitive style. I doff my cap to you, good sir!

 

[overgeeked]

This is excellent! It actually feels like a direct answer to the thread’s core question. "How do you run any kind of monster?" Give it a need. That breakdown of Maslow into d6 tiers is genius! It's clean, intuitive, and instantly usable at the table. Whether it’s a sentient ooze craving safety or a dragon chasing recognition, anchoring a creature to a need gives you a roleplaying spine on the spot. I love how it shifts the question from “How do I act like this monster?” to “What does it want?” That’s where the real character shows up. I know you said this earlier, but this puts your previous comment in better perspective. Honestly, it’s a masterclass disguised as a table. and it deserves a spot in every GM’s guide. It’s accessible to GMs of any experience level or cognitive style. I doff my cap to you, good sir!

Glad you like it but don't give me too much credit. I lifted them straight from that pic of the pyramid in the linked article. I moved clothing up one tier and split a later one into two to make it fit. Slapping some dice to it seemed like the obvious way to go.

 

[Voadam]

Probably devils, because I don’t think I can act them as being so smoothly manipulative, convincing, and superficially charming that it overcomes the fact that they’re covered in scales, spikes, horns, and constantly on fire.

I think of the smooth talking deal making manipulators as the arch devils. Most rank and file MM devils are the legions of hell, lawful order-taking soldiers of different types.

 

[Imagine That TTRPG]

Probably devils, because I don’t think I can act them as being so smoothly manipulative, convincing, and superficially charming that it overcomes the fact that they’re covered in scales, spikes, horns, and constantly on fire.

I totally get that. A single level of wizard or sorcerer could get them an Alter Self or Change Self type of spell to make it easier without making them overly powerful. I loved the way Dicefreaks' The Gates of Hell portrayed devils.