The essential Monster Manual of an RPG.

[Ol' Willy]

-spiders
-sword

Haha, no.

 

[Lord of Riva]

Slimes, red ones, blue ones, yellow ones.

 

[Generic-Giant-Spider]

You gotta admit, spiders with legs like swords is pretty fucking cool.

No tricks, no traps, just running at you with eight-legged scissors. Eat shit, halfling.

 

[Lilura]

-spiders
-sword

Haha, no.

Sword Spiders? That 5 ApR and on-hit posion... mmm... can't think of many RPGs that had driders... HotU and IWD2 (Viciscamera).

 

[rusty_shackleford]

-spiders
-sword

Haha, no.

Sword Spiders? That 5 ApR and on-hit posion... mmm... can't think of many RPGs that had driders... HotU and IWD2 (Viciscamera).

Siege of dragonspear

 

[Lilura]

The Viciscamera (turns Drow into Driders):

 

[lukaszek]

deterministic system > RNG

 

[Lilura]

Slimes, red ones, blue ones, yellow ones.

Slimes... interesting.

Jagged Alliance 2 crepitus slimes:

Durlag's Tower fission slimes are probably the deadliest self-replicators:

But ToEE has best molds and fungi. Indeed, the ones on the right bounce up and down.

Thank you for reminding me.

 

[Rafidur]

it is the staple push-over, the glass jawed titan of high fantasy.

Have you played BG1? Exile? Realmz? In relatively older games spiders were goddamn terrifying.

 

[Lilura]

What makes spiders deadly in low level campaigns is that +ApR, immobilization (web) and on-hit poison. One spider can easily TPK. Phase have dimension door and wraith have on-hit disease. Then there are demonic astral spiders and devastation spiders.

In NWN OC, the deadliest enemy is the bloated dire spider. How do I know? Because people search for "how to beat bloated dire spider", not "how to beat red dragon." Relative to level, the BDS is harder to beat.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Because people search for "how to beat bloated dire spider", not "how to beat red

Huh, you just attack it, wtf.

Also humies the best.

 

[Ol' Willy]

Huh, you just attack it, wtf.

 

[Not.AI]

Rats.

Edit. Somebody rated this post: "No". Good point. The above is not quite correct.

Giant Rats.

 

[The Jester]

Rats
There is no creature more iconic than rats in RPGs. They are always there. It doesn't matter what the game setting is, fantasy? basement rats at Candlekeep in Baldur's Gate, Post-apocalyptic sci-fi? cave rats right after leaving Vault 13.
You're a fresh new adventurer about start an epic journey, ready for killing gods and fuck queens.
You prepared your sword and leather armor to look for gold in the dungeons. You are the chosen one, son of death, the reincarnation of a powerful god who created reality BUT!...
Can you kill these rats in my basement? i give you 10 gold for it!!!

 

[The Jester]

Rats.

Edit. Somebody rated this post: "No". Good point. The above is not quite correct.

Giant Rats.

Giant Rats > Giant Spiders

 

[The Jester]

Rats.

Edit. Somebody rated this post: "No". Good point. The above is not quite correct.

Giant Rats.

Giant Rats > Giant Spiders

Or...

Spoiler

 

[Ol' Willy]

Rats.

Edit. Somebody rated this post: "No". Good point. The above is not quite correct.

Giant Rats.

Rathounds.

Molerats.

Pigrats.

And best of all, Cranium rats.

 

[The Jester]

Rats.

Edit. Somebody rated this post: "No". Good point. The above is not quite correct.

Giant Rats.

And best of all, Cranium rats.

"SPEAK YOUR PURPOSE HERE,
BIPED. AND SPEAK SWIFTLY AND TRUE. YOU ARE IN THE
HALLS OF MANY-AS-ONE. YOU WILL NOT LEAVE BUT BY OUR
GRACE, KNOW THAT WE CAN READ YOUR MIND AND SMELL
YOUR LIES."

 

[The Jester]

Rats.

Edit. Somebody rated this post: "No". Good point. The above is not quite correct.

Giant Rats.

Rathounds.

Molerats.

Pigrats.

And best of all, Cranium rats.

You forgot these guys

 

[The Jester]

The propaganda is going strong all according to the plan, i hope you have prepared my salary in gold and in a classy leather bag Rat King.

 

[NJClaw]

Rats.

Edit. Somebody rated this post: "No". Good point. The above is not quite correct.

Giant Rats.

Rathounds.

Molerats.

Pigrats.

And best of all, Cranium rats.

Cranium rats are cool and all, but the real rat-related danger in D&D 3.5 is the ephemeral swarm:

This bad boy from the Monster Manual 3 is a CR 5 with 90 HP (usually CR 5 creatures have between 40 and 60 HP), incorporeal traits (so it's immune to non magical weapons and he ignores 50% of incoming attacks), and an ability that halves slashing and piercing damage. Not only it's incredibly hard to kill, but it also is extremely dangerous: each turn, he deals 1d6 points of Strength damage to any creature in its space, without any kind of to-hit roll or saving throw (when you reach Strength 0, you die). Any creature in its space also needs to succeed a DC 20 Fortitude save in order to avoid becoming nauseated (a nauseated creature can't attack or cast spells) and, regardless of being nauseated or not, you need to succeed a very high Concentration check (DC 20 + spell level) if you want to cast a spell.

This beautiful creature killed so many characters that now my player tremble whenever I begin the description of the encounter with "you see a rat".

 

[Mr. Magniloquent]

I like Kobolds. They're my preferred entry level horde foe. Their dens tend to be well trapped, and their tactics cunning. Ambushes, stealth, poisons, and a dash of sorcery make them compelling low level dungeon dwellers. Their associations with dragon worship and amusing mannerisms give them an entertaining personality flair that other hordes, such as Goblins, Orcs, Gnolls, Lizardmen, and Bugbears typically lack. They were used to excellent effect in NWN: Shadows of Undrentide. I can't say that I've encountered them outside of Forgotten Realms/D&D unlike Goblins & Orcs, but I find them far more enjoyable to genocide.

 

[ghostdog]

Rats.

Edit. Somebody rated this post: "No". Good point. The above is not quite correct.

Giant Rats.

Rathounds.

Molerats.

Pigrats.

And best of all, Cranium rats.

Cranium rats are cool and all, but the real rat-related danger in D&D 3.5 is the ephemeral swarm:

This bad boy from the Monster Manual 3 is a CR 5 with 90 HP (usually CR 5 creatures have between 40 and 60 HP), incorporeal traits (so it's immune to non magical weapons and he ignores 50% of incoming attacks), and an ability that halves slashing and piercing damage. Not only it's incredibly hard to kill, but it also is extremely dangerous: each turn, he deals 1d6 points of Strength damage to any creature in its space, without any kind of to-hit roll or saving throw (when you reach Strength 0, you die). Any creature in its space also needs to succeed a DC 20 Fortitude save in order to avoid becoming nauseated (a nauseated creature can't attack or cast spells) and, regardless of being nauseated or not, you need to succeed a very high Concentration check (DC 20 + spell level) if you want to cast a spell.

This beautiful creature killed so many characters that now my player tremble whenever I begin the description of the encounter with "you see a rat".

and then you have the ...

ROUSES !!!

 

[lukaszek]

deterministic system > RNG

 

[Gangrelrumbler]

Elementals should be mandatory in all fantasy RPGs. They are often unfairly overlooked despite being such a reliable creatures.
-They put fantasy in fantasy RPGs. Most creatures encounters early on in RPGs fall into "humans but" or "animals but" category. Giant spiders are just spiders but bigger. Zombies are just humans but slow. Orcs are just humans but stupid etc. Creatures made from pure elemental force bring some wonder to the world
-They make players aware about the elemental-based attacks if they weren't previously. If someone spams fireball over and over again and sees is do 0 damage against a creature made from pure fire he'll try something else. Which will make him understand that other creatures must also have some elemental resistances