Quaggoth: Fugitives of the Underdark

Lore: Enemies of the Elves

Climbing the chasms deep within the Underdark, quaggoths are savage, brutal creatures. Despite their lack of intelligence, they used to reside upon the surface as nocturnal hunters. Elves appeared and drove the quaggoths to near extinction, forcing them to flee into the Underdark for survival.

Their time in the dark did more than change the color of their fur. The exposure to constant danger and bizarre magics transformed them, making them far more brutal and savage – not to mention cannibalistic. Eventually, their own history vanished, and all that remained were the monsters.

Because of their conflict with surface elves, drow elves have an easy time making use of quaggoths. They’ve even taken to breeding them, strengthening their obedience and ferocity, as well as their hatred. The richest drow own hordes of the monsters, using them to attack surface elf enclaves.

Among the quaggoths, there are those that absorb psionic energy. When a tribe discovers one with such abilities, they’re pressed into the role of shaman, otherwise called a Thonot. They are in charge of keeping the tribe’s lore and ensuring their tribe’s superiority. Should they slain, they will be devoured in the hope that their power passes to a more worthy member.

They’re also immune to poison. So there’s that.

This lore is… just okay. You can write some pretty decent encounters with it, maybe a sidequest or two, but nothing ambitious or exciting beyond that. At best, these guys are a spice to add flavor to a drow-themed campaign.

Design: Death is Sickly Green

These guys could use a bit more sunlight. Their complexion is even worse than mine.

Honestly? I’m not entirely sure what to make of this design. It’s not the least creative or interesting we’ve ever seen. But at the same time, I feel like I’ve seen it a thousand times before.

It doesn’t really leave much to talk about. It sure is a monster. But all that really sets it apart from your standard lycanthrope is its coloring. Sure, it’s a unique color for a beast like this, but it really doesn’t do a whole lot in the grand scheme of the look.

Is it intimidating? Yeah, sure. But compared to some of the more iconic designs in the Monster Manual, it definitely leaves something to be desired. I’d still rather face this than a Beholder or a Gibbering Mouther.

Again: it’s not a bad design. But it’s still far from exceptional. It’s not the kind of look that’s going to stick with you after the encounter ends.

Speaking of encounters…

Stats: Activating Rage

Another boring brute. Hooray. Well, at least it has one ability of note.

For the most part, this monster is as simple as it gets. Neither its AC or HP are particularly impressive, so killing it isn’t that hard. Though it’s immune to poison damage, so there’s that. Aside from that, all its got is its claws, which don’t do all that much damage. It’s far from a dangerous creature.

That is, until you drop its HP beneath 10.

Wounded Fury is its final trump card. With this, it gains advantage on all attack rolls and deals an extra 7(2d6) damage to any target it hits.

Oh god, it’s got Marvel VS Capcom 3 X-Factor!

While simple, this can make for a decent enough early-game boss fight. You know, like the ones in video games that eventually become normal enemies. What better way to scare the players than have the enemy they just spent six rounds whittling down suddenly go Super Saiyan? Aside from that, it’s as bland as it gets.

Now, if you want to spice things up, there is a variant of this monster. The Quaggoth Thonot is a version of this creature capable of casting magic. Spells such as:

• At will: feather fall, mage hand
• 1/day each: cure wounds, enlarge/reduce, heat metal, mirror image

Does that add the flavor we’re looking for? That it does! Those few extra spells add a whole new layer of challenge and strategy to the fight. Once those spells are up, though, its back to the same slugfest.

Placement

This is an okay entry. Its lore is pretty good and its stats make for a pretty decent early game fight, but it’s design is lacking. Even the areas in which it’s strong aren’t especially good. It passes every grade, but it ain’t gonna win any awards.

With all that in mind, the Quaggoth is going to #118 on the Best of the Bestiary!

1. Beholder
2. Death Tyrant
3. Mind Flayer
4. Dragon Turtle
5. Mummy/Mummy Lord
6. Nagas (all three of ’em)
7. Green Dragons
8. Red Dragons
9. Blue Dragons
10. Black Dragons
11. White Dragons
12. Silver Dragons
13. Couatl
14. Behir
15. Aboleth
16. Sea Hag
17. Lamia
18. Bronze Dragons
19. Brass Dragons
20. Copper Dragons
21. Gold Dragons
22. Chuul
23. Kuo-Toa
24. Gibbering Mouther
25. Kraken
26. Intellect Devourer
27. Chimera
28. Death Knight
29. Fomorian
30. Bone Devil
31. Dracolich
32. Faerie Dragon
33. Gelatinous Cube
34. Lich
35. Peryton
36. Orcs (all four of ’em)
37. Magmin
38. Kobold
39. Kenku
40. Hobgoblins
41. Night Hag
42. Green Hag
43. Black Pudding
44. Ankheg
45. Hook Horror
46. Oni
47. Purple Worm
48. Storm Giant
49. Hill Giant
50. Empyrean
51. Efreeti
52. Grimlock
53. Minotaur
54. Dao
55. Cloud Giant
56. Manticore
57. Drow (all four of ’em)
58. Shadow Demon
59. Modrons (all five of ’em)
60. Marilith
61. Drider
62. Aarackockra
63. Azer
64. Demilich
65. Spectator
66. Gray Ooze
67. Ochre Jelly
68. Hydra
69. Marid
70. Harpy
71. Werejackal
72. Otyugh
73. Half-Dragon
74. Cambion
75. Fire Giant
76. Nothic
77. Pixie
78. Animated Armor
79. Banshee
80. Basilisk
81. Yochlol
82. Bulette
83. Cloaker
84. Darkmantle
85. Doppelganger
86. Ghoul and Ghast
87. Ettin
88. Medusa
89. Pit Fiend
90. Erinyes
91. Chain Devil
92. Bearded Devil
93. Barbed Devil
94. Spined Devil
95. Ice Devil
96. Mimic
97. Djinni
98. Merrow
99. Nalfeshnee
100. Glabrezu
101. Chasme
102. Grell
103. Barlgura
104. Horned Devil
105. Balor
106. Shadow Dragon
107. Myconids (all four of ’em)
108. Piercer
109. Werebear
110. Lizardfolk
111. Vrock
112. Dretch
113. Pseudodragon
114. Gnolls (all three)
115. Goristro
116. Hezrou
117. Manes
118. Quaggoth <————
119. Frost Giant
120. Weretiger
121. Werewolf
122. Duergar
123. Quasit
124. Dryad
125. Flumph
126. Goblin
127. Nightmare
128. Wereboar
129. Wererat
130. Githyanki
131. Owlbear
132. Planetar
133. Imp
134. Ogres/Half-ogres
135. Clay Golem
136. Flameskull
137. Displacer Beast
138. Carrion Crawler
139. Githzerai
140. Grick
141. Invisible Stalker
142. Rug of Smothering
143. Bugbear Chief
144. Bugbear
145. Flesh Golem
146. Vine Blight
147. Twig Blight
148. Needle Blight
149. Mephits (all six of ’em)
150. Bullywug
151. Hellhound
152. Ettercap
153. Gas Spore
154. Cockatrice
155. Lemure
156. Homonculus
157. Merfolk
158. Solar
159. Deva
160. Gorgon
161. Hippogriff
162. Griffon
163. Cyclops
164. Centaur
165. Ghost
166. Pegasus
167. Fire Elemental
168. Water Elemental
169. Air Elemental
170. Stone Giant
171. Deep Gnome
172. Dinosaurs (All six of them)
173. Iron Golem
174. Stone Golem
175. Earth Elemental
176. Galeb Duhr
177. Helmed Horror
178. Flying Sword
179. Crawling Claw
180. Violet Fungus
181. Shrieker
182. Gargoyle