What are the unique monsters of D&D?

[fusangite]

I also think it's important to list creatures who have existed throughout the history of D&D. While D&D continues to invent creatures that exist in no one else's myth system, my idea of a true D&D creature is one which has appeared in every edition on the Monster Manual.

 

[Mach2.5]

As Henrey brought up, the most iconic D&D monster that one will (thankfully) never find in history, myth, or any other known mad scribblings would have to be:

The Flumph.

Or its Monastic cousin.

Either one really.

 

[qstor]

3e original krenshaw?

I think some of the Planescape creatures are probably original. But I agree the gelantinous cube and the beholder if we limit ourselves to the AD&D Monster Manual.

I think there's been a few threads on the Creature Catalog boards on the origins of different monsters.

Mike

 

[Zander]

The Gazebo is definitely a D&D monster! It's always found outdoors, is often white, doesn't move, is immune to missile weapons and inspires fear in D&D players.

(Kudos if you know what I'm referring to.)

 

[Aeolius]

(Kudos if you know what I'm referring to.)

Boo-ga!

 

[Pants]

The Gazebo is definitely a D&D monster! It's always found outdoors, is often white, doesn't move, is immune to missile weapons and inspires fear in D&D players.

(Kudos if you know what I'm referring to.)

Hoody Hoo!

 

[Gez]

Beholders
Owlbear
Carrion Crawler
Sahuagin
Gelatinous Cube
Morkoth
Ethergaunt
Decapus, Flumph, Gambado, Lurker Above, Piercer, and many other übergoofy monsters
Disenchanter
Thought-Eater (especially its original, platypus-looking, version)
Brain Mole

I remember having read an excerpt of a pulp that was posted on a previous avatar of these boards as a possible origin of the mind-flayer. Yuan-ti are also very "pulpish".

That said, beholders are now hardly "unique to D&D"... The concept has been copied so many times (especially in computer games: Duke Nukem's Octobrains, Might & Magic's Evil Eyes (who seems to have been crossed with grells, by the way), Ultima's Gazer, and not to forget Doom's Cacodemon and Pain Elemental (although those were more ripped off from the head of the astral dreadnought) are all big floating heads with a huge eye and, more often than not, tentacles.

 

[Darth Shoju]

The Gazebo is definitely a D&D monster! It's always found outdoors, is often white, doesn't move, is immune to missile weapons and inspires fear in D&D players.

(Kudos if you know what I'm referring to.)

firk-ding-blast, they beat me to it!

 

[Gez]

(Kudos if you know what I'm referring to.)

Who doesn't? That story is as well-known as the Head of Vecna. (I still find the head of Vecna funnier, by the way.)

 

[Nifelhein]

I dont... hmm... but I know the Hand and Eye of Vecna story...