What are cool underground creatures?

[Rothe]

Will have to second the Grell, but still like the original Dragon version best.

I also like symbiotic relationships like stirges and piercers. The stirges fix the prey in place, the piercers drop down and finish the job have a snack, and the stirges clean up the remains; everybodies happy.

 

[Nifft]

Shadow, Wraith, Ghost: incoporeal critters have the most fun with solid rock.

Goblinoids: they got Darkvision. And they're disposable.

Grell. I too love grell.

Vampires: "Velcome to my home, vhere it is alvays night. Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah!"

-- N

 

[Garnfellow]

• Grell
• Fomorians
• Avolakia
• Psurlons
• Neogi
• Hook Horrors
• Maulgoth
• Beholder
• Pech (from Tome of Horrors)
• Gravetouched Ghoul (from Libris Mortis)

The Vallorians from Monte Cook's Legacy of the dragons are incredibly cool, and would make a good substitute for drow.

The disir are a race of intelligent underworld slimes from Dragonlance. I believe they have been updated to 3e in the Bestiary of Krynn. Can't vouch for that version, but back in 2e I thought they *might* have potential.

There's also my 3e conversion of the underworld random encounters from Descent into the Depths of the Earth.

 

[Dog Moon]

Huh. I never realized just how annoying incorporeal Undead would be in an Underdark campaign.

I do have plans for some of the races listed, such as Kobolds [who actually live on the surface IMC] and Goblinoids [They're plants IMC; still trying to work out the exact stats though...].

I'm surprised at all the love for Grell. Never really used them myself, but y'all have convinced me to at least put some in my campaign. Although since they're CR 3 [IIRC], I will have to advance them or put in a horde. I can already feel my mind working on advancing them. My players probably wish templates have never been created. Hehe.

Oh, and Myconids WILL be used, in a massive Mushroom Forest if nothing else.

 

[Garnfellow]

Will have to second the Grell, but still like the original Dragon version best.

What's the original dragon version?

 

[Dragonbait]

Another vote for the myconid mushroom folk, troglodytes, kuo-toa, and derro. And cloakers. They need to see more love.

Dire Corby - Vicious and fast bird-like humanoids with nasty claws. Simple minded killers good for lower-level adventurers to fight. I don't think they were ever converted to 3E, so I'll guess that they are monstrous humanoids and their claws do 1d4 or 1d6 damage. I remember that thier claws were like shortswords or daggers.

According to older editions, ALL monsters can be found underground. Oh look, this cave has three dire lions! That one has a shambiling mound. Over there is a pair of fire giants... Let's go team up with those other adventurers over there. Mind the piercers!

edit: Totally forgot the kings of the underdark - Kobolds! Kobolds! Kobolds!

 

[Rothe]

What's the original dragon version?

Good question, went to look into it as I'm sure I recall seeing the creature in a magazine first before the 1981 Fiend Folio. I can only guess White Dwarf, since I read that as well. But we're talking 1979-1980 here so it could all be in my head.

What I recall about the original stat block is the Grell was an intelligent and devious carnivore but they didn't have a society, use tools or spells. That's the part I liked when they were more of a "monster" than an intelligent species.

 

[Dragonbait]

What I recall about the original stat block is the Grell was an intelligent and devious carnivore but they didn't have a society, use tools or spells. That's the part I liked when they were more of a "monster" than an intelligent species.

So what happened? Now they seem to be cunning.. And sometimes intelligent monsters. They will sometimes use wands of lightning and make portals. They view all other creatures as food or something to be avoided.
I always wondered how certain monsters change over the years to something different. The crypt thing was not supposed to be undead originally, but it became that way later on. I wonder if there are any monsters in D&D now that are totally different than how they were presented originally.

Some more monsters: I think its in MM2 or Fiend Folio, but it is a creature who's mouth looks like a tunnel. It lies in wait for victims. And if you have the Call of Cthulhu d20 book - the gugs make a unique monster, since they are imprisoned underground by the gods.

 

[Kafkonia]

Some more monsters: I think its in MM2 or Fiend Folio, but it is a creature who's mouth looks like a tunnel. It lies in wait for victims. And if you have the Call of Cthulhu d20 book - the gugs make a unique monster, since they are imprisoned underground by the gods.

Tunnel Terror, I think? It's the perfect match for the Century Worm.

(Read the description and look at the picture.)

 

[Dragonbait]

Tunnel Terror, I think?

That must have been the notorious monster from fraggle lengend: The Terrible Tunnel. It swallowed up brave Sir Blunderbain, after all.