D&D Monsters
10 Monsters Every GM Should Try Once
SEP 22, 2025
Last year, the 2024 Monster Manual was released, and with it, over 500 monsters were retooled and added to everyone's favorite TTRPG. But with so many monsters to sift through, it isn't easy to put them each to the test. While most GMs would love to run encounters with every monster available, making that dream a reality is a lot harder than it might seem. Especially when scheduling can be a monster of its own.
To help the curious GM find inspiration for their subsequent encounter, we've put together a list of 10 monsters every GM should use at least once.
Iconic Monsters
You can't put together a list of D&D monsters without paying homage to the literal namesake of Dungeons and Dragons. As the unofficial "mascot" of D&D, the dragon is globally recognized as D&D's most central element. And yet, you'd be surprised how often GMs report having never actually used one in an encounter. If this is you, consider looking into the various types of dragons at your disposal. With a wide variety of types, each dragon presents unique mechanics that can elevate encounters in exciting new ways.
Dragons are complex creatures, having evolved from simple treasure guardians to god-like beings with rich lore, legendary actions, and sprawling lairs. Their enduring popularity stems from their versatility. Not all dragons are evil. Some can serve as wise mentors, or sage wizards, while others act more like cunning manipulators or devastating final bosses. If you're looking for something to elevate your encounters into multi-phase battles, chock full of RP moments and lore, the dragon is the best way to go.
Featuring unique Breath Weapons that incur status effects on their victims, Legendary Actions that allow them to make moves in between player turns, and shocking Lair Actions to manipulate their environment, the dragons of D&D are a force to be reckoned with.
Mind Flayer 
Without any doubt, the Mind Flayer stands tall as one of D&D's most beloved and iconic monsters. Consistently appearing in conversations and rankings for D&D's top monsters, the Mind Flayer is cherished for its adversarial abilities as, essentially, the "evil genius" of D&D monsters. Created by Gary Gygax in 1975, the Mind Flayer has become one of D&D's most recognizable monsters. Even managing to break out of the TTRPG community with appearances in pop culture and mainstream media, most notably, as the main antagonizing force of Netflix's Stranger Things.
Revered as the ultimate psionic threat, Mind Flayers possess several telepathic abilities that pose a real threat to most adventuring parties. With abilities such as Mind Blast, a 60ft cone attack that inflicts physical damage and stuns enemies who fail intelligence saves, or Extract Brain, which instantly kills incapacitated victims (hard to keep fighting without a brain), the Mind Flayer is an adversary that forces players to plan carefully, prioritize crowd control, and anticipate psionic threats.
Underrated Monsters
Catoblepas 
The Catoblepas is an excellent example of an underappreciated monster. An old-school legend in its own right, debuting in 1976 just after the Mind Flayer, the Catoblepas is appreciated for its unique design and its threatening "Death Gaze" ability. A signature move that targets nearby creatures, potentially killing them outright on a failed save. The Catoblepas originates from ancient African legends, based on a creature of the same name known for its cow-like appearance.
The Catoblepas is an excellent monster to use if you'd like to build an encounter around an unassuming threat.
While its appearance will look to many like a simple bull, the Catoblepas's incredible power will quickly level the playing field of almost any combat encounter. Imagine your party encounters the Catoblepas, and writing it off as a threat equivalent to a minotaur or something similar, only to watch as one of their party members drops dead after falling victim to its Death Gaze. If you're looking to throw your players off, the Catoblepas is the perfect curveball.
Aboleth 
Among the numerous ancient aberrations of D&D, Aboleths hold a unique position. Initially, the mechanical ability of the Aboleth might be underwhelming, but there's more to this creature than meets the eye. Created by David Zeb Cook and first appearing in 1981's "Dwellers of the Forbidden City," these ancient psychic fish have gained a devoted following among DMs who appreciate their cosmic horror/Lovecraftian influence. Plus, who can refuse the call to adventure when the bad guy is an "ancient psychic fish"?
Aboleths excel at elevating encounters beyond simple combat through their ability to manipulate memories. Enslave, an ability on par with the psychic manipulations of the Mind Flayer, allows the aboleth to take close to complete control over a player character. The Enslave ability creates a connection between host and parasite so strong that it can only be severed when the Aboleth dies or is relocated to another plane of existence. This presents a unique opportunity to introduce an Aboleth as a long-term, campaign-wide villain, as the effects of their Enslave ability can persist regardless of distance. The Aboleth could take hold of one of your player characters' minds and then submerge into the ocean. Leading the rest of the party to pursue it far and wide to sever the connection and free their friend.
New (2024) Monsters
Haunting Revenant 
Monster House. Enough said. One of the 2024 Monster Manual's standout new monsters, the Haunting Revenant, has quickly captured the attention of the D&D community at large. Lauded for both its combat abilities and its adventure potential, the Haunting Revenant is already blowing up as one of the more creative and story-driven creatures in the 2024 Monster Manual. The Haunting Revenant is a vengeful spirit that possesses an entire building, much like a zombie plague consumes a corpse, but on a much larger scale.
The Haunting Revenant's most unique ability is Invitation, which forcibly relocates players inside its massive form. Within, the Haunting Revenant will swallow and trap players, separating them from their allies and making escape incredibly difficult without outside support. Even scarier, the Haunting Revenant comes with the ability to revive itself by animating nearby objects, creating phase-based encounters that evoke the colossal monstrosities of RPGs like Dark Souls or Elden Ring. The Haunting Revenant is an easy pick if you're looking for monsters that introduce horror-themed, claustrophobic encounters and strategic puzzles involving both combat and environment.
A personal favorite (see my write-up on the Blob of Annihilation), this creature has made quite the impact on the D&D community since its first appearance in 2024. Conceptualized by Jeremy Crawford himself, the Blob of Annihilation was created in response to players concerned about high-level encounters lacking high-level monsters. To rectify this, the team at WoTC created one of the most threatening and game-changing creatures in D&D history.
The Blob of Annihilation is a massive blob of ooze that rolls through entire regions, disintegrating and consuming anything within its path. Its prominent ability is Engulf, which might not sound like much, but those who find themselves trapped within the Blob's goopy form will quickly see how devastating this attack really is. With a strength saving throw DC of 23, it's no easy task to avoid being completely enveloped by the Blob, and once inside, you'll be subject to Force Damage, the Restrained condition, and the inevitable possibility of complete disintegration.
Arch Hag 
Maybe the most dangerous creature on this list, the Arch-Hag has rapidly become a fan favorite among high-level threats in the 2024 Monster Manual, with many players and DMs praising it as one of the most well-designed of 5.5e's new monsters. For many, this CR 21 immortal fey represents not only the pinnacle of hag evolution, but the peak of encounter design. The Arch-Hag elevates encounters by functioning as a "chess master" type opponent who uses teleportation, curses, and environmental manipulation to stay several steps ahead of the party. Encountering an Arch-Hag calls for more than just raw force. Be prepared for complex battles of wit that rely on your players' positioning and resource management.
As the Hag of all Hags, the Arch-Hag comes with a long list of spells and abilities, including counterspells, teleportation spells, illusions, charms, and more. A roster of abilities that are only complemented by her potent lair and legendary actions. Featuring highlights such as Meddlesome Magic, which essentially allows the Arch-Hag to sabotage spellcasters during Long Rests, or Crackling Wave, a 60ft cone of lightning damage, the Arch-Hag is an excellent pick for a BBEG encounter.
Goblin Hexer 
Hags aren't the only monsters whose power structure was shifted with the 2024 Monster Manual. Introducing the Goblin Hexer. A new type of Goblin opponent is quickly earning its reputation as a necessary pick for any Goblin encounter. The Goblin Hexer is a spellcasting variant of your average Goblin, adding a meaningful magical presence beyond the Goblin's traditional role as low-level fodder. In previous editions of D&D, Goblins were classified as "humanoid" monsters, but with the release of the 2024 Monster Manual, they were officially reclassified as "fey". To reflect these adjusted ancestral origins, the Goblin Hexer brings enhanced tactical complexity and arcane abilities, while maintaining the riotous mischievousness of the Goblins that players have come to love.
The Goblin Hexer is excellent in a group of other Goblins, or even on its own, thanks to a healthy list of utility spells to help it control the battlefield. Highlights like Jinx, which effectively allows the Goblin Hexer to turn a successful attack roll into a miss, reflect the tactical variety that the Goblin Hexer presents for players used to the average Goblin encounter. At CR3, the Goblin Hexer isn't likely to be your BBEG, but it can be an excellent pick for low-level play or to support larger Goblin forces.
Classic Monsters
The Gelatinous Cube is at once one of D&D's most iconic monsters and one of its most beloved. Another monster on this list that consistently shows up in top ten lists online, the Gelatinous Cube has long been adored by D&D players. Showing up in every edition of D&D since its invention at the hands of Gary Gygax, the Gelatinous Cube might be a close contender for D&D's most iconic monster after the dragon. Although Dungeons and Gelatinous Cubes doesn't have quite the same ring to it.
Initially designed for the classic 10ft corridor dungeon environments, the cube is all about engulfing unsuspecting victims. Almost like a Blob of Annihilation, but localized to a smaller area. Also similar to the Blob of Annihilation, the Gelatinous Cube's main tactic is to surround its enemies with its ooze with its Engulf ability and then deal continuous damage to whatever gets trapped inside. Unlike the Blob of Annihilation, whose size makes it near impossible to miss, the Gelatinous Cube is almost perfectly transparent. Meaning players will have to succeed on Wisdom checks to keep track of this nebulous combatant.
Tarrasque 
One of those monsters you'll find challenging to put down once you've picked it up, the Tarrasque represents the best of D&D encounters. High adrenaline, edge-of-your-seat, Kaiju-style fights. The Tarrasque is a colossal monstrosity that has received high praise among GMs and players alike for being one of the most fun monsters in the entire manual. Your players probably think they've seen it all, but have they fought a giant dinosaur?
The Tarrasque is an excellent pick for a final boss encounter. With several legendary resistances, as well as advanced regeneration abilities, along with near immunity to many spell and damage types, the Tarrasque is, in many ways, the ultimate tank. Using massive multiattack skills, paired with their ability to rampage, the Tarrasque will surely decimate almost any party in close combat. Challenge your players by forcing them to think creatively as they test the Tarrasques' legendary endurance while maintaining enough distance to avoid their claws and mandibles.