i quite like monodrones as cannon fodder

although as i understand it the pre 3e modrons looked a lot difrent

as for disenchanters yeah there a great enemy

There is no monster I'd *never* use. In fact, come to think of it, I look for ways to use all the monsters.

Demons/Devils as presented may look like schlock-monsters - but if you present them as intelligent (assuming they are in fact intelligent), give them a Hat of Disguise (or whatever) or allow them to appear as whatever you want, and just use their in-born abilties, and you *create* the horror. They're quite terrifying.

I've managed to use Space Hamsters. Yep. And terrorized my PC with them. Oh sure they weren't the the typical large cuddly hamsters - they were cannibal saber-toothed predatory hamsters that fucked some PC's up.

I also have used monsters as a conceit that a smart civilization might actually leverage these creatures for their own use. I've had cities with these large sewage pits that they put several Otyugh's in for the express purpose of garbage disposal. It also was handy for the purposes of disposing of undesirables.

There are monsters I've never used - but I try to give them all a chance, or at least work an angle that keeps people's eyebrows raised.

I never use ocean/sea monsters.  I just never run sea adventures.  And I really dislike the idea of underwater adventures.

Not a fan of Bullywugs.  Their existence seems insulting somehow.  I don't know why.  It might be because I thought they were stupid in the D&D cartoon.

Quote from: S'mon;822820I tend to avoid 'gotcha' monsters such as those bugs that live in doors and crawl into the ears of Thieves trying to use Hear Noise ability - ear seekers?

Quote from: Turanil;823205I also don't like disenchanters and rust-monsters that seem to be there only to hinder adventurers. I could very well accept (and find interesting) a demon that drains magic or an undead that rots magical items through negative energy. But as they were done these monsters are just silly "gamey" things.

I agree with S'mon and Turanil. "Gotchas" and "gameyness" are the main things I generally avoid.

Quote from: Gabriel2;823794And I really dislike the idea of underwater adventures.

Why?

Quote from: Gabriel2;823794Not a fan of Bullywugs.  Their existence seems insulting somehow.  I don't know why.  It might be because I thought they were stupid in the D&D cartoon.

4th edition agreed with you. Their entire entry there was written as a sly joke, and even the world despised them so much that when a PC killed one the PC got hit points back as a gift from nature.

Quote from: Shipyard Locked;823808Why?

I just don't like the idea of them.  Just a preference thing.

Quote from: Gabriel2;823815I just don't like the idea of them.  Just a preference thing.

Oh come now, there must be specifics. I'm not judging you, I'm just curious. I don't like the idea of many things, but I can also explain the specifics. For instance, I don't like the idea of Egypt-themed dungeoneering because I associate it with the laziest of Saturday morning cartoon antics and can't take it seriously in a tabletop game as a result.

Quote from: Shipyard Locked;823820Oh come now, there must be specifics. I'm not judging you, I'm just curious. I don't like the idea of many things, but I can also explain the specifics. For instance, I don't like the idea of Egypt-themed dungeoneering because I associate it with the laziest of Saturday morning cartoon antics and can't take it seriously in a tabletop game as a result.

I honestly can't think of a reason why.  As I think of it, I realize the dislike for on sea/under sea adventures is almost entirely tied to swords and sorcery implementations.  Something about them in that context turns off my happy switch.  It's nothing logical to it.

It is odd because the first thing I wanted to do with D&D back in 81/82 was something like The Odyssey.

Who knows, it might just because I don't know how to swim.

Quote from: Shipyard Locked;8238084th edition agreed with you. Their entire entry there was written as a sly joke, and even the world despised them so much that when a PC killed one the PC got hit points back as a gift from nature.

You suppose this is where WoW got the idea for Murlocs?  God, I hated those bastards.

Quote from: IggytheBorg;823851You suppose this is where WoW got the idea for Murlocs?  God, I hated those bastards.

Murlocs predate 4e's mocking interpretation of bullywugs, but the general patheticness of bullywugs predates murlocs.

Sloppy, slothful, limp aquatic critters is kind of a minor cliche I think, water being a poetic metaphor for those traits and all.

I never use "good" gnomes, if that counts.

Gnomes are the most superfluous and least interesting demi-human race, IMO.  Dwarves are my favorite, elves can be very cool in certain situations (even if I don't like them as much as dwarves), and even halflings can be useful sometimes.  But I have never felt a desire to use gnomes.

Quote from: IggytheBorg;824423Gnomes are the most superfluous and least interesting demi-human race, IMO.  Dwarves are my favorite, elves can be very cool in certain situations (even if I don't like them as much as dwarves), and even halflings can be useful sometimes.  But I have never felt a desire to use gnomes.

Meh.  I basically agree.  I didn't like them even before Dragonlance made them the most irritating race in the setting (easily beating out kender and gully dwarves).  My sword and sorcery settings always omit gnomes and halflings.

I use gnomes. They just happen to be earth elementals like the ones in Return to Oz rather than lawn ornament dwarves.