Monstrosity

Monstrosity is a creature type in Dungeons & Dragons.

Overview[]

Monstrosities are unnatural creatures. They have a variety of different origins, such as magical experiments or curses.^[1]

The monstrosity type is also a "catch-all" type for monsters that don't fit into other categories.^[1] Monstrosities may resemble beasts or humanoids, but do not fit into either type.

Examples of monstrosities include cockatrices, displacer beasts, minotaurs, rust monsters, and owlbears.^[2]

Publication history[]

Basic D&D[]

The monster type was introduced in AC9 Creature Catalogue (1986) and was refined in the Rules Cyclopedia (1991). Monsters were creatures that did not fit into other types; sometimes they resembled creatures of other types, but were differentiated by their strange abilities.^[3] In addition to creatures later classified as monstrosities, the monster type included aberrations such as beholders.

D&D 3rd edition[]

The beast, magical beast, and monstrous humanoid types were introduced in the Monster Manual (3.0) (2000). Beasts included non-historical creatures of low intelligence; magical beasts were similar to beasts, but intelligent; and monstrous humanoids were humanoids with monstrous features. Both magical beasts and monstrous humanoids tended to have supernatural powers.

The beast type was removed in the Monster Manual (3.5) (2003), and all of the type's creatures were folded into the magical beast type, save for a few exceptions folded into the animal type (such as dinosaurs and rocs). Many of the creatures in the magical beast and monstrous humanoid categories later became classified as monstrosities.

D&D 4th edition[]

The beast and magical beast types returned in the Monster Manual (4e) (2008). Beasts were generally unintelligent, while magical beasts were generally intelligent. The monstrous humanoid type was folded into the humanoid type. Beasts, magical beasts, and humanoids all included creatures of the aberrant, elemental, fey, immortal, natural, and shadow origins. All three types once again included creatures later classified as monstrosities.

D&D 5th edition[]

The monstrosity type was introduced in the Monster Manual (5e) (2014), and included many creatures of the former magical beast and monstrous humanoid types.

References[]

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 Monsters (The Hypertext d20 SRD 5E). Retrieved 2020-08-15.
↑ Monster Manual (5e) (2014).
↑ AC9 Creature Catalogue (1986), p.155-156.

[srd5e-1] 1.0 ^1.1 Monsters (The Hypertext d20 SRD 5E). Retrieved 2020-08-15.

[mm5e-2014-2] Monster Manual (5e) (2014).

[ac9-1986-155-156-3] AC9 Creature Catalogue (1986), p.155-156.

[1]

[2]

[3]

Dungeons & Dragons Lore Wiki

Monstrosity

Contents