Ghouls and Ghasts: Consumers of the Dead

We’re not quite at zombies yet. But we’re basically doing zombies now.

I’ve got a soft spot for these two. They’re nothing especially incredible. For an early-game pair of monsters, they’re fairly decent. Overall, they’re just above average.

But… well, you always remember your first. The first time I DM’d for a game, these were the guys I threw at my players. Sure, neither they nor I really knew what we were doing. But it was a damn fun time regardless!

Still, I’ll be fair and critical. Even if it makes me sad.

Lore: Corpse Eaters From the Abyss

Ghouls thrive wherever there is death and decay. It consumes decaying bodies for sustenance, only hunting the living when there are no more corpses around. They gain no nutrients from eating these, but they are driven by an endless, insatiable hunger. Their flesh is eternal, allowing them to pursue this hunt for their entire immortal lives.

These monsters come from the Abyss. The first of their kind, an elf named Doresain, worshipped Orcus. He turned against his people and fled on their flesh to honor his god. To reward him for his efforts, he was transformed into into the first ghoul. He then served Orcus in the Abyss, creating more ghouls. This continued until Yeenoghu the Gnoll Lord robbed him of his domain. When Orcus refused to help, Doresain went to the elf gods, who took pity on him and helped him escape. Since then, the elves have become immune to the cursed powers of the ghouls.

Ghasts are more powerful ghouls, infused with more power of the Abyss by Orcus. These creatures are cunning and capable of leading their lessers. As such, they are far more dangerous than their peers.

Design: A Ghastly Predator

Get it? Like… like a ghast? Because… okay, moving on.

Fuck, this thing is menacing! With that long tongue and massive claws and lanky-ass arms, you can immediately tell that this is a monster that can and will make a snack out of you.

I also like the little details hinting at their elvish origins. The sharp features, the pointed ears. Am I looking too deep into it? Yeah, maybe. But that’s what I’m gonna go with.

Creatively speaking, this isn’t the greatest monster. It is just a big pale monster with claws and fangs. But it’s a bit more unique than ‘just a centaur’ or ‘just a ghost’, so I’ll call this one a success.

Stats: Simple and Dangerous

For the sake of ease, we’re talking about both the ghoul and the ghast. Otherwise, next week’s article would be really short.

Defense wise, neither one is especially impressive. The ghast’s AC is only one higher than the ghoul’s and his HP only a small chunk higher. Both are immune to poison damage and a small list of conditions (charm, exhaustion, and poison), though only the ghast is resistant to necrotic damage. For a low-level monster, it is fairly balanced in this department; not too dangerous but not a pushover.

The ghast also has a few special abilities that the ghoul doesn’t have. With Stench, any creature within five feet of it needs to make a CON check or be poisoned. If they succeed, they’re immune for the next 24 hours. What they can’t fix is Turning Defiance; with this, both the ghast and any ghouls near it get advantage on all saving throws against turn undead.

Action wise, these guys are almost the same. They can either bite or claw at you in its turn. The former just does damage. The ladder can paralyze its victim if they fail a saving throw. The only real difference is that the ghast has higher damage numbers.

For a low-level fight, these two are pretty good. They won’t provide your players with a challenge that’ll push them to their limits. But as an introductory fight for a campaign, it’s a rock solid choice.

Placement

This is a decent monster. Not absolutely amazing, mind you. The lore is okay, the design is the same, and so are the stats. Everything about it is thoroughly good.

With all that in mind, let’s put the Ghoul and the Ghast on the Best of the Bestiary!

1. Beholder
2. Death Tyrant
3. Dragon Turtle
4. Green Dragons
5. Red Dragons
6. Blue Dragons
7. Black Dragons
8. White Dragons
9. Silver Dragons
10. Couatl
11. Behir
12. Aboleth
13. Bronze Dragons
14. Brass Dragons
15. Copper Dragons
16. Gold Dragons
17. Chuul
18. Chimera
19. Death Knight
20. Fomorian
21. Bone Devil
22. Dracolich
23. Faerie Dragon
24. Ankheg
25. Empyrean
26. Efreeti
27. Dao
28. Drow (all four of ’em)
29. Shadow Demon
30. Marilith
31. Drider
32. Aarackockra
33. Azer
34. Demilich
35. Spectator
36. Marid
37. Cambion
38. Animated Armor
39. Banshee
40. Basilisk
41. Yochlol
42. Bulette
43. Cloaker
44. Darkmantle
45. Doppelganger
46. Ghoul and Ghast <———————-
47. Ettin
48. Pit Fiend
49. Erinyes
50. Chain Devil
51. Bearded Devil
52. Barbed Devil
53. Spined Devil
54. Ice Devil
55. Djinni
56. Nalfeshnee
57. Glabrezu
58. Chasme
59. Barlgura
60. Horned Devil
61. Balor
62. Shadow Dragon
63. Vrock
64. Dretch
65. Goristro
66. Hezrou
67. Manes
68. Duergar
69. Quasit
70. Dryad
71. Flumph
72. Planetar
73. Imp
74. Flameskull
75. Displacer Beast
76. Carrion Crawler
77. Rug of Smothering
78. Bugbear Chief
79. Bugbear
80. Vine Blight
81. Twig Blight
82. Needle Blight
83. Bullywug
84. Ettercap
85. Gas Spore
86. Cockatrice
87. Lemure
88. Solar
89. Deva
90. Cyclops
91. Centaur
92. Ghost
93. Fire Elemental
94. Water Elemental
95. Air Elemental
96. Dinosaurs (All six of them)
97. Earth Elemental
98. Galeb Duhr
99. Flying Sword
100. Crawling Claw
101. Violet Fungus
102. Shrieker
103. Gargoyle