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The abandoned core monsters of D&D
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<blockquote data-quote="JEB" data-source="post: 9295558" data-attributes="member: 10148"><p>Moving forward, let's start into 2e...</p><p></p><p><strong>Monstrous Compendium Vols. 1 and 2</strong></p><p>Only one monster appeared here as core, and never again: the ant swarm. Which is kind of a random omission, and it's extra surprising that it never returned. My guess as to why? The Monstrous Manual had "insect swarm, velvet ant", which they probably thought was more interesting.</p><p></p><p>There were also many introduced as core monsters here, which returned for the Monstrous Manual, but weren't core again after that:</p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Banderlog</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Cave fisher</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Guardian daemon (yugoloth)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Haunt</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Heucuva (huecuva)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Jermlaine</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Kelpie</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Killmoulis</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Korred</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Mongrelfolk (mongrelman)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Muckdweller</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Mudman</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Nereid</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Oliphant</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Osquip</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Sandling</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Seawolf</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Selkie</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Swanmay</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Tasloi</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Vegepygmy (mold man)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Wolfwere</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Swan</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Crystal ooze</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Fire toad</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Forest trapper</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Ju-ju zombie</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Killer mimic (or maybe the common variety was cut, if you assume the killer became the default)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Land lamprey</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Russet mold</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Talking owl</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Basilisk, greater</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Lammasu, greater</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Medusa, greater</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Pegasus, greater</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Rakshasa, greater</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Lamia noble</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Dracolisk (basilisk)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Flind (gnoll)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Gorgimera (chimera)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Margoyle (gargoyle)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Pyrolisk (cockatrice)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Vodyanoi (umber hulk)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Urchins: Black, green, red, silver, yellow, and land.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Giant-kin: Cyclopskin (cyclops in MC2), firbolg, and verbeeg.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Puddings: Brown, dun, and white.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Trolls: Marine scrag and two-headed troll.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Leeches: Leech swarm and throat leech.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Insects: Giant ant lion and giant hornet.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Worms: Bookworm, tenebrous worm, and tunnel worm.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Spiders: Giant marine spider and steeder.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Plants: Choke creeper, giant sundew, hangman tree, mantrap, and tri-flower frond.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Fungi: Ascomoid and phycomid.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Fish: Catfish (giant), dragonfish, marine eel, and piranha (normal and giant).</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Whales: Giant whale and leviathan.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Mammals: Beaver, brush rat, chipmunk, ermine, ferret, fox, gopher, hedgehog, huge bat (mobat), mink, mole, mouse, muskrat, opossum, otter (normal and sea), pig (normal and wild), porcupine (black and brown), rabbit, raccoon, sheep, skunk, squirrel (normal, flying, and giant black), and woodchuck. Plus minimal.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Humans: farmer/herder, mercenary, merchant sailor/fisherman, middle class, peasant/serf, police/constabulary, sailor, slaver, soldier, and tradesfolk/craftspeople.</li> </ul><p>EDIT: After the 3.0 update, add the obliviax and the sprite to the above list.</p><p></p><p>Once again, the why of their inclusion is easy: MC Vols. 1 and 2 were compiling together the best of the Fiend Folio and MM II alongside the 1e classics (with some notable exceptions, such as dinosaurs and fiends). There are some genuinely new monsters in this set (like the urd, which did eventually make a core comeback), but it's far fewer than the returns.</p><p></p><p>A good chunk of these are variations on monsters that were in the 1e core, which probably made them appealing includes here, just to offer DMs some immediate variety. (Similar to the 4e MM.) But this could have made them easy cuts in 3e, which encouraged monster customization through monster advancement and templates. (Why have a mere greater basilisk when you can have an <em>abyssal</em> greater basilisk?)</p><p></p><p>The humans that didn't make it forward are harder to figure, though it might just be down to different philosophies in each edition about how human NPCs should be treated. (And some might have been consolidated into categories like commoner.)</p><p></p><p>The mammals could be a similar problem to dinosaurs - there were too many - but you'd think their value as familiars should have earned them some cred.</p><p></p><p>That doesn't explain the others, though! I suppose some might have just been too weird (looking at you, seawolf), but some seem quite archetypal (mudman) or interesting (heucuva).</p><p></p><p>Anyway, what's everyone else think? Any favorites you think deserved better? Any that got exactly what they deserved?</p><p></p><p>(Sidenote, some of my personal favorites in this set, quality or not: heucuva, tasloi, wolfwere, pyrolisk, vodyanoi, and cyclopskin.)</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="JEB, post: 9295558, member: 10148"] Moving forward, let's start into 2e... [B]Monstrous Compendium Vols. 1 and 2[/B] Only one monster appeared here as core, and never again: the ant swarm. Which is kind of a random omission, and it's extra surprising that it never returned. My guess as to why? The Monstrous Manual had "insect swarm, velvet ant", which they probably thought was more interesting. There were also many introduced as core monsters here, which returned for the Monstrous Manual, but weren't core again after that: [LIST] [*]Banderlog [*]Cave fisher [*]Guardian daemon (yugoloth) [*]Haunt [*]Heucuva (huecuva) [*]Jermlaine [*]Kelpie [*]Killmoulis [*]Korred [*]Mongrelfolk (mongrelman) [*]Muckdweller [*]Mudman [*]Nereid [*]Oliphant [*]Osquip [*]Sandling [*]Seawolf [*]Selkie [*]Swanmay [*]Tasloi [*]Vegepygmy (mold man) [*]Wolfwere [*]Swan [*]Crystal ooze [*]Fire toad [*]Forest trapper [*]Ju-ju zombie [*]Killer mimic (or maybe the common variety was cut, if you assume the killer became the default) [*]Land lamprey [*]Russet mold [*]Talking owl [*]Basilisk, greater [*]Lammasu, greater [*]Medusa, greater [*]Pegasus, greater [*]Rakshasa, greater [*]Lamia noble [*]Dracolisk (basilisk) [*]Flind (gnoll) [*]Gorgimera (chimera) [*]Margoyle (gargoyle) [*]Pyrolisk (cockatrice) [*]Vodyanoi (umber hulk) [*]Urchins: Black, green, red, silver, yellow, and land. [*]Giant-kin: Cyclopskin (cyclops in MC2), firbolg, and verbeeg. [*]Puddings: Brown, dun, and white. [*]Trolls: Marine scrag and two-headed troll. [*]Leeches: Leech swarm and throat leech. [*]Insects: Giant ant lion and giant hornet. [*]Worms: Bookworm, tenebrous worm, and tunnel worm. [*]Spiders: Giant marine spider and steeder. [*]Plants: Choke creeper, giant sundew, hangman tree, mantrap, and tri-flower frond. [*]Fungi: Ascomoid and phycomid. [*]Fish: Catfish (giant), dragonfish, marine eel, and piranha (normal and giant). [*]Whales: Giant whale and leviathan. [*]Mammals: Beaver, brush rat, chipmunk, ermine, ferret, fox, gopher, hedgehog, huge bat (mobat), mink, mole, mouse, muskrat, opossum, otter (normal and sea), pig (normal and wild), porcupine (black and brown), rabbit, raccoon, sheep, skunk, squirrel (normal, flying, and giant black), and woodchuck. Plus minimal. [*]Humans: farmer/herder, mercenary, merchant sailor/fisherman, middle class, peasant/serf, police/constabulary, sailor, slaver, soldier, and tradesfolk/craftspeople. [/LIST] EDIT: After the 3.0 update, add the obliviax and the sprite to the above list. Once again, the why of their inclusion is easy: MC Vols. 1 and 2 were compiling together the best of the Fiend Folio and MM II alongside the 1e classics (with some notable exceptions, such as dinosaurs and fiends). There are some genuinely new monsters in this set (like the urd, which did eventually make a core comeback), but it's far fewer than the returns. A good chunk of these are variations on monsters that were in the 1e core, which probably made them appealing includes here, just to offer DMs some immediate variety. (Similar to the 4e MM.) But this could have made them easy cuts in 3e, which encouraged monster customization through monster advancement and templates. (Why have a mere greater basilisk when you can have an [I]abyssal[/I] greater basilisk?) The humans that didn't make it forward are harder to figure, though it might just be down to different philosophies in each edition about how human NPCs should be treated. (And some might have been consolidated into categories like commoner.) The mammals could be a similar problem to dinosaurs - there were too many - but you'd think their value as familiars should have earned them some cred. That doesn't explain the others, though! I suppose some might have just been too weird (looking at you, seawolf), but some seem quite archetypal (mudman) or interesting (heucuva). Anyway, what's everyone else think? Any favorites you think deserved better? Any that got exactly what they deserved? (Sidenote, some of my personal favorites in this set, quality or not: heucuva, tasloi, wolfwere, pyrolisk, vodyanoi, and cyclopskin.) [/QUOTE]
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