The needed monster that's never appeared in the MM1 -- or at all, in some editions

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

OK, in my Midwood campaign, one of the two groups is on a ship bound for Freeport. They see a sea serpent swimming alongside the vessel.

Let's go to the Monster Manual, and look up Sea Serpent, so I can have it ready, just in case they (OK, in case Renraw) do something irrational.

Not there.

Let's check Stormwrack. OK, MM2. Fiend Folio. MM3 ...

Not there, not there, not there.

(And no, the talking cutesey-wootsy Sea Drake does not count, especially as it's playing against type off a monster that's not even in the books.)

Despite the cover of Creatures of Freeport, a standard sea serpent really isn't in that otherwise excellent book. (Again, we get a sea serpent-like creature that plays against a type that doesn't show up anywhere.)

The closest we get are the dragons in Necromancers' Dead Mans Chest, which hopefully will show up in the 4E ToH, but what the heck? Why is one of the most iconic and seemingly basic monsters in myth and legend not in D&D at all?

Yes, I can take an eel and blow it up freaking huge, especially with the Freaking Huge template from Advanced Bestiary, but why should I have to? Instead of giving us the 4E equivalent of the phantom fungus, WotC, please, please, please give me a sea serpent next time around.

The crew and passengers of the pirate ship Melann thank you.

 

[Kunimatyu]

Doing a good ship-sized sea serpent is actually a fiendishly tricky endeavor - it has to be a significant threat to a ship while being something that the PCs can handle despite the fact that the serpent is a) gigantic and b) in water while they're on a ship.

I'd still like to see one, though.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

In my case, it's likely not to be an issue, but yeah, I hear you. Part of the problem, I think, is that you also have to have a system in place for ship damage, if you're going to do it right.

That said, every edition of AD&D has featured the dragon turtle despite those issues.

 

[MoogleEmpMog]

I have a fairly recent issue of dragon with three types of sea serpents written up like true dragons. They are VERY nasty, IIRC.

Unfortunately, I'm not sure which issue it was. Something in '06 or early '07, methinks.

 

[Doug McCrae]

MM - Elasmosaurus
MM3 - Dragon Eel
Frostburn - Zeuglodon

 

[Celebrim]

Expert Set

 

[Lonely Tylenol]

Purple worm with the serial number filed off and a swim speed.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

MM - Elasmosaurus

Not a sea serpent. In fantasy, we shouldn't be saying "well, all those stories about serpents, they were really about a long-necked dinosaur." No, those stories should be about a freaking serpent!

MM3 - Dragon Eel

They speak Aquan, Draconic and sometimes Sahuagin and Common, and captains negotiate with them for safe passage.

They're not sea serpents, they're Yet Another Not-Serpent Playing Against Type.

Frostburn - Zeuglodon

Not a sea serpent.

 

[Celebrim]

In my case, it's likely not to be an issue, but yeah, I hear you. Part of the problem, I think, is that you also have to have a system in place for ship damage, if you're going to do it right.

That said, every edition of AD&D has featured the dragon turtle despite those issues.

I've got an issue of Dragon in a box somewhere which is either late 1st edition or early 2nd edition where the author took each of the cryptozoological theories on the origin of the sea serpant - from giant worm to actual serpent to mega sea otter - and wrote out stats for them. Very much worth chasing down if you are into that sort of thing.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Expert Set

Of all the things not to make the leap from BD&D to 3E.

(Well, and those vulture-headed guys whose names completely escape me. Those are cool. Oh, and some of the constructs.)