D&D Monsters that look sci-fi

[Rasputin]

Rust monsters. They could be a serious threat to a space ship that is down for repairs.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Rust monsters. They could be a serious threat to a space ship that is down for repairs.

Heh. There's a great short story by David Drake (with Larry Niven) called Mom and the Kids, in the anthology All the Way to the Gallows.

In that case, it's not a Rust Monster, but a self-replicating ball-bearing machine. But it's funny.

-Hyp.

 

[Darrin Drader]

Kaorti and the ethergaunt from Fiend Folio almost scream Alien!

 

[AFGNCAAP]

Hmm.. perhaps a but of creative use of templates may be in order. For example, the half-illithid template & half-troll templates from Fiend Folio would put an interesting twist on some existing creatures.

Other sci-fi-ish monster possibilities (I apologize ahead of time if there is any repeated info):

From Monster Manual:
* Arrowhawk
* Choker
* Chuul
* Destrachan
* Digester
* Ethereal Filcher
* Ethereal Marauder
* Formians
* Githyanki/Githzerai (seems to have that nifty Romulan/Vulcan theme going)
* Gray Render
* Grick
* Inevitable
* Krenshar
* Locathah
* Otyugh
* Phasm
* Remorhaz
* Shocker Lizard
* Thoqqua
* Tojanida
* Xill
* Xorn
* Yrthak

From Monster Manual II:
* Abeil
* Avolakia
* Braxat
* Clockwork Horror
* Fihyr
* Galeb Duhr
* Gravorg
* Grell
* Kopru
* Morkoth
* Myconid
* Needlefolk
* Neogi
* Orcwort
* Ormyrr
* Psurlon
* Teratomorph
* Thri-Kreen
* Wyste
* Half-Golem template

From Fiend Folio:
* Ahuizotl
* Aoa
* Aquatic oozes
* Bacchae (in a way, their powers are reminiscent of the "disease" from Star Trek that made people become unhinhibited/crazy)
* Century Worm
* Kaorti
* Lucent Worm
* Nerra
* Ocularon
* Planetouched, Mechanatrix
* Skulk
* Steel Predator
* Yellow Musk Creeper, & Yellow Musk Zombies
* Yurian
* Zodar

I'm sure there's a few other possibilities in d20 Modern books as well.

 

[Gez]

To compile and extend a bit:

Aboleth (MM)
Achaierai (MM)
Alaghi (MOF)
Alkilith (FF)
Anaxim abomination (ELH)
Arch Lurker (CC2)
Astral Constructs (PH)
Astral Dreadnaught (MOTP)
Automatons (MM2)
Avolakia (MM2)
Behir (MM)
Bladeling (MM2)
Blood Golem (FF)
Bloodbloater (FF)
Blue (PH)
Bodak (MM)
Bonespear (FF)
Bonesucker (TOH)
Brain Golem (FF)
Brain Mole (PH)
Bullette (MM)
Carrion Crawler (MM)
Chaos Beast (MM)
Chaos Globe (CC2)
Choker (MM)
Chuul (MM)
Chwidencha (FF)
Cloaker (MM, MOF)
Clockwork Horrors (MM2)
Cloudsting (CC2)
Colossus (??)
Cranium Rat (FF)
Darkling Sentinel (CC2)
Darkmantle (MM)
Darktentacle (MM2)
Darkweaver (FF)
Deepspawn (MOF)
Derro (MM)
Deryth (CC2)
Destrachan (MM)
Digester (MM)
Displacer Beast (MM)
Doppleganger plant (??)
Dune Delver (CCR)
Energon (MOTP)
Ether Scarab (MM2)
Ethereal Doppelganger (MM2)
Ethereal Filcher (MM)
Ethereal Marauder (MM)
Ethereal Ooze (FF)
Ethereal Slayer (MM2)
Ethergaunt (FF)
Flesh Golem (MM)
Flesh Jelly (MM2)
Flumph (TOH)
Folugub (PH)
Formian (MM, FF, especially the FF ones)
Gallows Eye (CC2)
Gelatinous Cube (MM)
Ghaunadan (MOF)
Gibbering Mouther (MM)
Gith (MM)
Greater Doppelganger (MOF)
Grell (MM2)
Grick (MM)
Half-Golem (various) (MM2)
Hobgoblin (MMRast (MM)
Hook Horror (MM2)
Howler (MM)
Inevitable (various, and especially the Kolyarut (MM) Kharut (FF) and Varakhut (FF))
Iron Cobra (FF)
Iron Golem (MM)
Keeper (FF)
Kopru (MM2)
Krenshar (MM)
Kython (BOVD)
Lucent Worm (FF)
Lurker Above (TOH)
Malaugrym (MOF)
Maug (FF)
Megapede (MM2)
Mercane (MOTP)
Modron (MOTP)
Moonbeast (MM2)
Mooncalf (MM2)
Morkoth (MM2)
Neogi (MM2)
Nerra (FF)
Nimblewright (MM2)
Nyth (MOF)
Ocean Strider (MM2)
Octopus Tree (FF)
Ormyrr (MM2)
Pestilite (CC2)
Phaerimm (MOF)
Phantom Fungus (MM)
Phase Mass (CC3)
Phase Wasp (MM2)
Psurlon (MM2)
Puppeteer (PH)
Purple Worm (MM)
Reason Stealer (MM2)
Rukanyr (FF)
Rukarazyll (MM2)
Rust Monster (MM)
Sharn (MOF)
Skybleeder (FF)
Slaad (MM, FF, ELH)
Slasrath (FF)
Spectral Lurker (FF)
Spellweaver (MM2)
Sporebat (FF)
Steel Predator (FF)
Symbionts (several of them, FF)
Tauric Creature (MM2)
Temporal Filcher (PH)
Teratomorph (MM2)
Thoqqua (MM)
Thought Eater (PH)
Thri-Kreen (MM2)
Thunder Orb (CCR)
Tirapheg (??)
Titanic Creature (MM2)
Tojanida (MM)
Trapper (
Tunnel Terror (FF)
Udoroot (PH)
Umber hulk (MM)
Umber Hulk (MM)
Vaath (BOVD)
Windghost (MM2)
Wyste (MM2)
Xill (MM)
Xorn (MM)
Yellow Musk Creeper (TOH, FF)
Yochlol (MOF)
Yrthak (MM)
Yuan-Ti (MM, FF)
Yugoloth (various, especially the Pisco-, Skero- (FF), Cano-, Ultro-, and Mezzoloth (MOTP))
Zaratan (A&EG)
Zodar (FF)


Notes :
Alaghis, of course, are also known as wookies.
Blues should be seen as a ET race rather than as a goblin anomaly.
Fiends should have their fiendish aspect removed to be sci-fi, most notably their spell-like abilities. They could be replaced by psionic powers, especially psikin and psiport.
Hobgoblins should be renamed Klingons
Psurlons likewise deserve to get their psionic powers back.
Tauric and Titanic Creatures are the result of pulp genetics technology (macromorphical ray, merging machine, whatever).

 

[John Q. Mayhem]

Ankhegs from MM, Cephalyx and Excrutiators from MN1. Some of the tougher Thralls have a sort of SF look, and there are two or three little flesh-eating insects (in MN1).

 

[BOZ]

whoo, thanks all! that's way more than i need (not that this is a problem), so i can sort through it and pick out the best. we already have races made for cat-men, bat-men, bird-men, insect-men, etc, which is why i was looking for some non-humanoid types. in fact, those that don't even come close to the biology of terrestrial creatures are probably the best as they are the most unique.

 

[Orius]

Mind flayers

Seconded. They have all those psionic abilities, plus they just have an alien feel to them.

 

[Orius]

s3 expedition to the barrier peaks.

...

don't forget to break out your Spelljammer stuff too.

Those are good sources. Also, there's Tale of the Comet if you want to go with killer machines.

 

[daTim]

How about those crazy hippo men with arquebus's from Planescape. I loved those guys.