What's the quintessential D&D monster?

[ConnorSB]

but balors were just ripped from tolkien's balrog. Personally, beholders baby!

 

[DragonLancer]

The Beholder is the archetypal D&D monster.

 

[Olive]

The gelatinous cube, mostly because it is so ridiculous.

 

[Simplicity]

It USED to be the Gelatinous Cube, but with the advent of d20, it's
now the Gelatinous Icosahedron.

 

[gariig]

orc

gariig

 

[Silver Moon]

I know you said it didn't count, but I'd have to say Dragons , I mean, the game is called Dungeons and Dragons! And I've never seen a party get anywhere as excited about killing a beholder or gelatenous cube, so those would be rather lame choices as the Quintessential monster. If dragons are out then I would next pick Drow Elves (although the concept of evil dark elves actually existed long before the game).

 

[CRGreathouse]

I'll chime in for beholder. It's not the most common, but it's the most "D&D".

 

[Zaruthustran]

Fun question!

My rankings of "most iconic original D&D monster":

11. Shrieker
10. Pierce
9. Umber Hulk
8. Shadow
7. Owlbear
6. Roper
5. Carrion Crawler
4. Green Slime
3. Gelatinous Cube
2. Mind Flayer
1. Beholder

-z

 

[Teflon Billy]

Zarathustran's list look pretty complete to me.

I was going to say simply Owl Bear

The someone mentioned Gelatinous Cube and my mind went "But of course!"

Then Umber Hulk appeared and my trinity was complete.

Drow? Sorry, not straight-up D&D. Same with Dragons (pre-existing myth)

Mind Flayers always struck me as beig more "Kewl" than "Cool"

 

[Tonguez]

I'd go with Rust Monster

and wasn't Owlbear derived from Native American Myth?