Never Split the Party
You never know what fresh horrors wait behind the dungeon master’s screen. Maybe it’s a ghost that possesses a party member. It could be an amorphous blob that spits bile at you. Those aren’t even our worst examples! Clutch your dice and take a long rest; we’re here to face the foulest foes in D&D.
1. Draeden
What’s that? Oh, don’t worry—it’s just a giant, colossal monster the size of a biblically accurate angel. Older than time itself, these solitary creatures don’t really attack unless provoked, which is good for the party since they take the form of your biggest fears. We thankfully haven’t seen this thing since the ‘80s, but that doesn’t mean we forgot.
2. Hag
Compared to some of D&D’s most notorious monsters, hags are often left to their creepy teahouses. However, we think they deserve more recognition as some of the worst villains. They’ve been around since the game’s inception, now in different forms, and all of them hideous. They’re ruthless, they’re cruel, and you bet they use their magic for evil.
3. Beholder
The Underdark is no walk in the park, but Beholders make the journey even worse. They might look a little goofy with their giant eye and purple tentacles, but don’t let that fool you—they can bend reality, disable spell casters, and disintegrate people with their eye beams.
4. Allip
You say you want forbidden knowledge, but you don’t. Not unless you want to become like this poor, aggressive soul. An allip’s only crime is that they know too much, and now, cursed with knowledge, they’ve lost their minds and corrupt the sanity of those they encounter. These strange shadow creatures can also physically attack.
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5. Banshee
D&D lore or not, is there anything freakier than a banshee? (Don’t answer that.) These little terrors come complete with the tattered robes and wispy hair, but the scariest thing about them is their wail. If you don’t pass a CON save, you aren’t getting up again.
6. Shadows
They can hide. They’re immune to plenty of attacks. Oh, and if you fall in battle, another shadow pops up in your place. Shadows aren’t shy about dealing necrotic damage or draining your strength, either, making them rather difficult in combat.
7. Oblex
Talk about carrying your sins with you. An oblex is a horrifying creature made by mind flayers, one that walks around with a red, sentient ooze comprised of its former victims’ souls and faces. They impersonate comrades and loved ones to manipulate party members, too. Terrific.
8. Vampire
Everyone’s favorite vampire wooed audiences with his witty comments and rakish charm. But Astarion isn’t really a vampire, is he? (Not unless you’re one of those evil players who ascend him.) Nope, he’s a spawn, and that’s way different from this classic D&D monster. This traditional blood-sucker is smart, cunning, and wields enough arcane magic to give powerful parties a run for their dice.
9. The False Hydra
What if you forgot your memories? Were gaslit into forgetting your own name. What if a terrifying being with multiple heads crept into your mind and sapped every shred of sanity? These horrible entities turn a fun-filled evening into one riddled with paranoia…if you were even playing to begin with.
10. Sibriex
You know, sometimes it isn’t psychological horror that gets us. Sometimes it’s grotesque monsters that haunt the table. If simply seeing this thing wasn’t enough, don’t you worry. It also comes with mind-altering magic and the ability to absorb creatures in its path. Oh, and it’s also a pus-filled blob that spews bile at you.
11. Lich
It’s never good when a power-hungry monster runs on the souls of its victims. It also isn’t good when they come with ancient, mysterious magic that keeps them in an immortal state of being. They can animate the dead and are surprisingly strategic—and they’ll do whatever it takes to protect themselves.
12. Intellect Devourer
Aw, a little brain! Okay, it has feet, and that’s a bit weird, but it’s still just a little guy. Think again. As their name suggests, these freak shows can completely devour someone’s mind. Not only that, but they also consume said creature’s knowledge. They’re more powerful than they look, and that’s only half the terror.
13. Tarrasque
It’s Godzilla! Actually, wait. It’s way worse than that. We hope you long-rested because this gargantuan creature isn’t here to make friends. Sure, it’s pretty easy to outsmart, but you’ll have to get past all the thunder damage and avoid being scared to death. Let’s just hope you’re up against the 5e version.
14. Doppleganger
We really hate psychological horror, and you won’t find better than a doppleganger. Though not as bad as the mind flayers’ walking experiment, they’re perfectly capable of manipulating party members. They impersonate any NPC or ally they choose. You won’t know who to trust, including yourself, and that’s never a fun feeling.
15. The Kaorti
It’s been a long time since we’ve encountered the Kaorti—over 20 years—but that doesn’t make them any less scary. We always hated these flesh-crafting creatures, best known for their ability to create mangled minions. They’re bulbous beings who don’t care much about the Material Plane, and they’re going to tell you all about it.
16. Ghost
Hey, no one likes a ghost, least of all D&D players. They hardly seem scary, especially after the abominations we’ve covered so far, but we hope your WIS saves are up to par. If not, you’re looking to age a few decades after their attack, and that’s assuming they don’t possess you or get inside your head first.
17. Mind Flayer
If we’re talking about horrifying monsters, we have to talk about our squiddy friends. They’ll teleport, they’ll consume your brain, and they’ll deflect any magic attack. Despite their silly appearance, they’re incredibly intelligent and know exactly how to play you.
18. Aboleth
Let’s hope you aren’t afraid of deep-sea creatures. While they aren’t very strong, they’re able to enter your mind and learn your deepest secrets. They can also remove your ability to breathe air, so that’s fun. To top it all off, they look like giant sea lampreys.
19. Dullahan
You’ve heard about the headless horseman, but have you heard about the dullahans? These legendary creatures pay homage to a beloved ghost story while bringing new horrors to the table. They move through difficult terrain, hurl necrotic damage at you, and can reduce you to nothing in one hit.
20. The Bagman
What? You thought we weren’t going to mention this poor fella? He might not have his own stat block, but this coward trapped himself inside his own bag of holding, slowly turning into a monstrous creature caught between realms. Legend has it, he crawls out of your bag of holding in the night, just looking for his way home.
