What Supplement Monsters Deserve a Promotion to Core?

[Remathilis]

Dolgaunts, Dolgrims, and Dolghasts from Eberron
Catfolk (with PC writeup)
Bullywugs
Winterwrights

 

[Gold Roger]

Boneclaw (MM3): This thing is just perfect. Simple, dangerous and impressive.

Yakfolk (MM2): They are silly in a totally awesome way.

Deathknight (MM2): A staple.

Haunts (MM5): Very cool approach to the old ghost matter.

Bansharae (MM5): A great original fey.

Neogi (MM2/LoM): These things are just plain vile.

 

[howandwhy99]

By no means all of what I would consider core and not in MMI, but here are some of my favorites:

Aerial Servant
Astral Dreadnought
Banshee
Bogun
Brain in a jar
Carytid Column
Catoblepas
Crimson Death
Death Knight
Demilich
Disenchanter
Dracolisk
Elder Brain
Elemental Creatures
Elemental Weird
Flumph
Froghemoth
Gibbering Mouther
Grell
Hooked Horror
Huecuva
Jackalwere
Juggernaut
Kenku
Leprechaun
Leviathan
Mudmen/Mud Golem
Myconid
Necrophidius
Nilbog
Phoenix
Poltergeist
Quickling
Raggamoffyn
Redcap
Shadow Creatures
Sirine
Skulk
Slaad, Black & White
Spriggan
Sylph
Thri-Kreen
Vampire Rose
Wendigo
Winterwight
Worm that walks
Yellow Musk Creeper & Zombies
Yeti

 

[Richards]

Osquips, jermlaine, flumphs, myconids, death knights, and grell top my list.

Johnathan

 

[Rechan]

I recall that in one of the interviews at GenCon, one of the designers said that the 4e Monster Manual is intending to avoid Monster Overlap. By that, every monster should bring something new to the table.

He gave an example of a Night Club, with a long line of monsters. And the Red dragon walks up to the bouncer and the bouncer says, "What do you do?" "I breathe fire." "Okay, come on in." And then some other fire breathing monster comes up, and the Bouncer asks "So, what do you do?" "I breathe fire." "Welll we all ready have someone who does that."

So an important question is: What does This Monster bring to the table that other monsters don't? What makes this guy unique?

 

[Masquerade]

To repeat some earlier posters, myconids, warforged, flumphs, nimblewrights, kenku, brain-in-a-jars, and catfolk are all high on my wish list. Maybe dracolich and grell, also.

Although they're more obscure, I like a number of the Tome of Magic (Deadly Dancer, Roving Mauler, Ephemeral Hangman) and Tome of Battle (Reth Dekala, Valkyrie) monsters. Also, let me toss in Luna Moths from Heroes of Battle.

 

[olshanski]

Piercer
Lurker Above
Tsathar
Inphidian
Cave Moray
Scavenger Worm
Tunnel Brute

 

[Shroomy]

The living spell...I find it to be one of the most versatile templates given the sheer volume of spells you can apply it to. Plus, I love oozes and this makes for some very interesting oozes.

 

[The Little Raven]

Fang dragons.

Sometimes, I like a big, scary, spiky, sharp, pokey lizard-thing that doesn't have to breathe fire.

 

[bmcdaniel]

Bullywug, Myconid, Iron Cobra