D&D 5E Iconic low level monsters

[trentonjoe]

I run a game for a bunch of 13/14 year old kids who are playing for the first time. I wanted to expose them to "iconic" monsters. So far I have used skeletons and orcs. I plan on using ghould soon. What are the other "must see" low level monsters?

The party is 3rd level.

 

[Boarstorm]

I don't have my books handy to check CRs.

Carrion Crawlers
Rust Monsters
Mimic
Displacer Beast

 

[Nebulous]

Kobolds
Green Slime
Gelatinous Cube
Troll
Giant Rats
Ogre

 

[Nebulous]

I plan on using ghouls soon. What are the other "must see" low level monsters?

The party is 3rd level.

I just noticed this in another thread, i hadn't seen it before. Under the "paralyzed" condition of 5e (which ghouls can impart) attacks have advantage AND hits are auto-crits, which makes them super effing dangerous....

Just saying, your "iconic" swarm of ghouls can literally tear a group to pieces if they're surprised.

 

[Tormyr]

Find a copy of Ari's Monster Sorter. It lets you sort by CR. Anything 2 and below that you recognize the name of would work, and there are a lot of them.

And yes, the ghouls starting getting scary fast as you pile them on.

 

[thalmin]

Of course, a dragon. It needs to be a fire-breathing dragon. Reskin a Brass Wyrmling so it just breathes fire (CR1). Or if they are higher level, choose a different wyrmling. But the game is called Dungeons and Dragons, why wait forever before they get to fight a dragon.

edit: But not in its (parents') lair!

 

[steeldragons]

My typical low level adventures look something [clicheed, perhaps, but I still always love 'em] a little like this:
Kobolds
Carrion Crawlers
Giant Centipedes
Giant Rats
Giant Spiders
Giant Snakes
Wolves
Dire Wolves
Goblins
Piercers
Harpies
Orcs
Ogres
Owlbears
Trolls

A variety of traps.

At least 1 every couple of [pc] levels of something potentially helpful, their reaction to the party to depend on how the PCs' handle the encounter: Dryads, Nixies, some kind of fae is always good for low level parties, npc dwarves or elves, maybe a unicorn or centaur.

 

[GMMichael]

Iconic? The green slime:



and the imp:

 

[Lerysh]

Kobolds!

Kobolds, Kobolds, Kobolds, Kobolds.

Barbarian Kobolds with tiny great axes that use Pack Tactics for Advantage and pose a decent threat to a 3rd level adventurer.

... Kobolds.

 

[Ravenheart87]

A friendly beholder. So they learn not every monster is sword fodder and there are things you shouldn't anger.

 

[Blackwarder]

Give them a baby dragon like in ghost of dragonspear castle.

Warder

 

[aramis erak]

A friendly beholder. So they learn not every monster is sword fodder and there are things you shouldn't anger.

One of the interesting oddities of the Spelljammer setting is that not every monster is out to eat one. Beholders WILL trade. Count your cargo twice and their coin thrice, but they WILL trade. Unless they need to feed the helm.

 

[MasterTrancer]

Owlbears
Rust Monsters
Carrion Crawlers
Kobolds
Gelatinous Cubes
A (baby) dragon

^_^

(I envy them a little: ah, to have another first taste of D&D!)