Tyler Dunn
Explorer
I love the idea of a campaign set mostly in the arctic, but I feel that there are not enough arctic monsters for a full 1-20 arctic campaign. How would you deal with this lack of arctic monsters?
Monsters for an arctic campaign
aco175
Legend
Following up on what [MENTION=97077]iserith[/MENTION] said- it is rather easy to re-skin monsters to make frost trolls and ice goblins.
Some other things to think about is how magic will affect the game. Resistance to cold is a big deal to get from rings and cloaks. Some things such as lack of food sources to forage or hunt and lack of firewood. It could be more Game of Thrones where above the wall is ok, but you could have barren tundra. Also, underground in the underdark may be all the same.
Some other things to think about is how magic will affect the game. Resistance to cold is a big deal to get from rings and cloaks. Some things such as lack of food sources to forage or hunt and lack of firewood. It could be more Game of Thrones where above the wall is ok, but you could have barren tundra. Also, underground in the underdark may be all the same.
Demetrios1453
Hero
Searching for "Arctic" in the D&D Beyond list of monsters (including all official products) pulled up 4 pages of creatures. Notably kobolds, orcs, gnolls, and trolls were all listed, and they do make sense for an arctic setting. It wouldn't be much of a push to add goblins in there as well. And quite a few NPC types would make sense as members of the various tribes of humans and other races in that environment (Arctic Dwarves are a thing in several settings, notably in the Forgotten Realms). Pickings do get a bit slim above CR 10, though, but you can probably make variant frost giants or other similar creatures...
TaranTheWanderer
Legend
Most races can aclimatize themselves to cold weather so goblins, orcs and all the regular races could live there and face the same environmental challenges that humans do.
I can think of quite a few ice creatures and winter beasts. I’m not sure if you are looking for a list. Also, regular beasts can live there:
-Polar bears.
-Giant polar bears.
-Dire polar bears.
-Giant dire polar bears.
-Baby seals. (Have innate charm person gaze attack and are immune to all but bludgeoning damage.)
Many fairies are associated with Winter if you wanted to pull from that. Also hombrew/reskin stuff. Wendigo (use troll istats)and things from Inuit Mythology. The Qallupilluit are a water creature that pull children under the ice if the children get too close to the ocean.
In that kind of campaign, the environment should be a major factor. Winter camping(especially arctic camping)is no joke and camping without a shelter could mean death. Leomands tiny hut will be a must have spell.
I can think of quite a few ice creatures and winter beasts. I’m not sure if you are looking for a list. Also, regular beasts can live there:
-Polar bears.
-Giant polar bears.
-Dire polar bears.
-Giant dire polar bears.
-Baby seals. (Have innate charm person gaze attack and are immune to all but bludgeoning damage.)
Many fairies are associated with Winter if you wanted to pull from that. Also hombrew/reskin stuff. Wendigo (use troll istats)and things from Inuit Mythology. The Qallupilluit are a water creature that pull children under the ice if the children get too close to the ocean.
In that kind of campaign, the environment should be a major factor. Winter camping(especially arctic camping)is no joke and camping without a shelter could mean death. Leomands tiny hut will be a must have spell.
Last edited:
Mistwell
Crusty Old Meatwad (he/him)
Abominable Yeti, White Dragons, Bheur Hags, Boneclaws, Bears, Trolls, Frost Giants, Frost Salamanders, Gnolls, Griffons, Ogres, Ice Mephits, Kobolds, Mammoths, Manticores, Nightwalkers, Orcs, Remorhaz, Werebears, Wolves, Sharks, Whales, Krakens, Merfolk, Marrow, Sea Hags, Storm Giants, Water Elementals, NPCs, etc..
MNblockhead
A Title Much Cooler Than Anything on the Old Site
Minnesotans, Giant Lumberjacks, Giant Blue Oxen.
Icicle Piercer
Ice Mite Swarm
Giant Moose (though even a normal moose is pretty darn formidable)
Two mimics in the form of snow shoes
Wendigo (I believe this was stated up in a thread on this site
Thunderbird (stat a roc with natural spell casting allowing it to cast lightning, thunderwave, etc.)
Stone golums, stone giants, galeb dur, and other stone/earth creatures should be fine
Ice Elemental - I would take the earth elemental, give it ice glide allowing it to move through ice and snow. Make it immune to cold damage. Vulnerable to fire damage and thunder damage.
Undead should be unaffected by the cold
woolly mammoths, just restate an elephant. Make it resistant to cold damage.
Oh, don't forget walrus. Both the normal animal and giant walrus. Google walrus attacks. In real life they are known to attack humans and boat, including breaking through ice to attack.
Same with sea lions and leopard seals. I doubt that they can break through ice, but it may wait to ambush any creature at the edge of the ice.
The bowhead whale could be a hazzard. While they are baleen whales they are adapted to break through the ice to breath. It would be a bad day for anyone walking on that ice.
Qalupalik (https://www.adn.com/features/articl...-mythical-creatures-last-frontier/2012/06/13/)
I would stat up using sea hag stats and add appropriate resistances and abilities but also add the harpy's luring song ability
Adlet (same link as Qalupalik) - basically an arctic werewolf. Just take the werewolf and add cold resistance. Or even immunity from cold damage. Perhaps add some cold damage to its natural bite and claw attacks.
Icicle Piercer
Ice Mite Swarm
Giant Moose (though even a normal moose is pretty darn formidable)
Two mimics in the form of snow shoes
Wendigo (I believe this was stated up in a thread on this site
Thunderbird (stat a roc with natural spell casting allowing it to cast lightning, thunderwave, etc.)
Stone golums, stone giants, galeb dur, and other stone/earth creatures should be fine
Ice Elemental - I would take the earth elemental, give it ice glide allowing it to move through ice and snow. Make it immune to cold damage. Vulnerable to fire damage and thunder damage.
Undead should be unaffected by the cold
woolly mammoths, just restate an elephant. Make it resistant to cold damage.
Oh, don't forget walrus. Both the normal animal and giant walrus. Google walrus attacks. In real life they are known to attack humans and boat, including breaking through ice to attack.
Same with sea lions and leopard seals. I doubt that they can break through ice, but it may wait to ambush any creature at the edge of the ice.
The bowhead whale could be a hazzard. While they are baleen whales they are adapted to break through the ice to breath. It would be a bad day for anyone walking on that ice.
Qalupalik (https://www.adn.com/features/articl...-mythical-creatures-last-frontier/2012/06/13/)
I would stat up using sea hag stats and add appropriate resistances and abilities but also add the harpy's luring song ability
Adlet (same link as Qalupalik) - basically an arctic werewolf. Just take the werewolf and add cold resistance. Or even immunity from cold damage. Perhaps add some cold damage to its natural bite and claw attacks.
Tonguez
A suffusion of yellow
Cold
Wind Chill
Soft Ground
Icy Water
Bog
Avalanche
Snowdrifts
Thin Ice
Blizzards
White Outs
- the weather becomes a huge factor in true arctic campaigns and is often far more dangerous than any monster. When night falls the wind chill alone makes getting rest near impossible without the PCs having really good shelter. The cold kills, but also remember that areas of melt can result in boggy ground and icy water that acts as a trap to the unwary.
Snow drifts also make the ground soft and difficult to walk on, leading to greater likelihood of falls.
Then of course there is the dreaded blizzard, the whiteout and the rush of the avalanche.
Wind Chill
Soft Ground
Icy Water
Bog
Avalanche
Snowdrifts
Thin Ice
Blizzards
White Outs
- the weather becomes a huge factor in true arctic campaigns and is often far more dangerous than any monster. When night falls the wind chill alone makes getting rest near impossible without the PCs having really good shelter. The cold kills, but also remember that areas of melt can result in boggy ground and icy water that acts as a trap to the unwary.
Snow drifts also make the ground soft and difficult to walk on, leading to greater likelihood of falls.
Then of course there is the dreaded blizzard, the whiteout and the rush of the avalanche.
LuisCarlos17f
Legend
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