The next mainstream monster genus

[J1M]

There are a number of monster types/families/races that are mainstream. Think undead, dragons, goblins, demons, lycanthropes, and so on.

Reminder that there was a time in the distant past when undead was a concept people were unfamiliar with. I'm curious what people think will be the next mainstream monster genus, and will it find purchase in the zeihtgeist because it appears in a popular game series or because it fills a game design niche?

Some examples of what I'm talking about:

1) The alignment distinction between demons and devils popularized by D&D, making them different enough that they war with each other and providing some interesting "evil lawyer" antagonists. There was no guarantee this would land with people. After all, Yugoloths (neutral evil) fell flat.

2) Orcs as brutal evil humans. Goblins as crafty and suicidal.

3) Fey may be the most recent addition to the mainstream monster family list. Certainly these creatures existed for a long time, but the idea that they are chaotic, exist in a low-tech parallel reality, and have something of an organized culture with their own motivations instead of just being one-off trouble makers (leprechaun) feels more recent in the gaming space.

4) Vampires setting themselves as distinct from other undead by loading up on more perks and maluses.

In many cases I think in order to gain purchase in the mainstream these creatures need to leverage existing terminology (Devil, Golem). I can see plant-based creatures "Ents"(?) becoming more prominent. Especially if the powers that be keep pushing to humanize the green skinned antagonists. Plus they work quite well in an eco terrorist role and are conveniently weak to fire damage for gameplay purposes.

[Val the Moofia Boss]

I think slimes may be picking up a bit in Asia. First with the "That Time I got Reincarnated into a Slime" anime, the Heterogeneous Linguistics manga where he sticks the straw into the slime to have a conversation with it, and then Genshin Impact which prominently features bouncing slime enemies. There are also some slime-power characters appearing in recent Japanese stuff.

I don't see Ents becoming popular, since degenerates can't screw a jagged wooden tree. Unless maybe it looks like a Sylvari which was already someone's OC fanfiction before it got shoved into Guild Wars.

[Oyster Sauce]

Black people

[rusty_shackleford]

Reminder that there was a time in the distant past when undead was a concept people were unfamiliar with. I'

What do you mean by unfamiliar here?
Beowulf makes reference to multiple types of undead.

[Oyster Sauce]

Reminder that there was a time in the distant past when undead was a concept people were unfamiliar with. I'

What do you mean by unfamiliar here?
Beowulf makes reference to multiple types of undead.

Beowulf only came out in 2007

[J1M]

Reminder that there was a time in the distant past when undead was a concept people were unfamiliar with. I'

What do you mean by unfamiliar here?
Beowulf makes reference to multiple types of undead.

I am just making the point that all of these ideas had origins to preemptively negate comments from people who view the current taxonomy of monsters as immutable due to their own limited expertise.

[DrSneed]

Wasn't there an article ages ago about zombies being a metaphor for what capitalists fear and vampires for commies?
Pretty funny.

[rusty_shackleford]

Goblins are probably a good example of a recent addition to the standard monster lineup that most people think have always been there.
Not referring to the spirits that used to be referred to as goblins, Goblins as a separate cousin of orcs post dates Tolkien by years, and yet has seeped into all modern Tolkien work.

Gygax's influence on the modern western folklore bestiary is incredibly underrated.

[rusty_shackleford]

Lovecraft's monstrosities have received a significant revival in recent years almost on par with the zombie craze, but it didn't really catch on in TV/movies. Perhaps something similar will become in vogue, check e.g., Clark Ashton Smith's work or similar.

[edit]
This likely also has to do with copyright/public domain status too. Great artists steal.

[asf]

too abstract

[Tangerine]

Rakshasas, except they'll be noble, persecuted mudslimes.

[J1M]

Lovecraft's monstrosities have received a significant revival in recent years almost on par with the zombie craze, but it didn't really catch on in TV/movies. Perhaps something similar will become in vogue, check e.g., Clark Ashton Smith's work or similar.

[edit]
This likely also has to do with copyright/public domain status too. Great artists steal.

Yeah, but I think they need a name and some traits that people can consistently recognize to seal the deal.

They are associated with existential dread, but that doesn't really manifest as a consistent gameplay hook like being a fire elemental does.

[maidenhaver]

Elves. If TES 6 lands like Skyrim, the elves might become popular villains in other media, and then slide into monster status. The elf hate is mainstream enough, but maybe not quite there.

They can also be used by devs as a euphemism for ***********. The falmer in Skyrim were used as monsters/dumb drow, but that didn't take off.

[Irenaeus]

too abstract

There will always be these guys:

[wndrbr]

Gnolls

[DrSneed]

Been a while since we've had a fishyfolk horror movie like Dagon.

Gnolls

Gnolls in PF2e are clearly written by a furry with a stink fetish. https://2e.aonprd.com/Heritages.aspx?ID=330
Total Paizo Death

[Acrux]

Been a while since we've had a fishyfolk horror movie like Dagon.

Gnolls

Gnolls in PF2e are clearly written by a furry with a stink fetish. https://2e.aonprd.com/Heritages.aspx?ID=330
Total Paizo Death

PF2 gnolls are literally niggerfaggots.

[UltraFan123]

Been a while since we've had a fishyfolk horror movie like Dagon.

Gnolls

Gnolls in PF2e are clearly written by a furry with a stink fetish. https://2e.aonprd.com/Heritages.aspx?ID=330
Total Paizo Death

PF2 gnolls are literally niggerfaggots.

Leftards can't help themselves.

They see a hideous monstrous humanoid with just the bare minimum sapience required for speech: "This is an allegory for native Africans!"

[Oyster Sauce]

Been a while since we've had a fishyfolk horror movie like Dagon.

Gnolls

Gnolls in PF2e are clearly written by a furry with a stink fetish. https://2e.aonprd.com/Heritages.aspx?ID=330
Total Paizo Death

PF2 gnolls are literally niggerfaggots.

I'm putting together a team...

[DrSneed]

Been a while since we've had a fishyfolk horror movie like Dagon.

Gnolls

Gnolls in PF2e are clearly written by a furry with a stink fetish. https://2e.aonprd.com/Heritages.aspx?ID=330
Total Paizo Death

PF2 gnolls are literally niggerfaggots.

Their only redeeming factor is a meme build where you make an enemy bleed and then administer first aid with auto crit fails to make them take bleed damage for 2 actions.
https://2e.aonprd.com/Feats.aspx?ID=5602

[Manny V]

Been a while since we've had a fishyfolk horror movie like Dagon.



Gnolls in PF2e are clearly written by a furry with a stink fetish. https://2e.aonprd.com/Heritages.aspx?ID=330
Total Paizo Death

PF2 gnolls are literally niggerfaggots.

I'm putting together a team...

retail wow models are so fuckin cringe it's absurd

[TKVNC]

It can't have a goofy name or it won't become common.

[Irenaeus]

Been a while since we've had a fishyfolk horror movie like Dagon.



Gnolls in PF2e are clearly written by a furry with a stink fetish. https://2e.aonprd.com/Heritages.aspx?ID=330
Total Paizo Death

PF2 gnolls are literally niggerfaggots.

Their only redeeming factor is a meme build where you make an enemy bleed and then administer first aid with auto crit fails to make them take bleed damage for 2 actions.
https://2e.aonprd.com/Feats.aspx?ID=5602

Their other redeeming factor is comedy:

► Show Spoiler

[Humbaba]

White people

[NotAI]

Know what's a better idea? Don't choose!

(1) Create a NEW unique monster type.

(2) Post here. License. CC BY-SA 4.0 Add Terms: Nonexclusive. Irrevocable. Worldwide. Unlimited License.

(3) Community decides if **** or not.

USING THE holy POWER OF shitcoin CONSENSUS, if it is decided to be NOT ****......

.....then anybody who makes games here or codex tries using it, when he needs a monster, in their puny small scope game.

This spreads a new BETTER monster type.

You don't have to choose between existing choices. WITH THE POWER OF communism COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION, you can make up your own set of choices.

**** gnolls. Lame.

**** kobolds. Gay.

**** zombies. Ugly.

**** mummies. Lame.

**** vampires. Gay.

**** werewolves. Ugly.

etc

[maidenhaver]

White people

So elves.

[Tweed]

**** gnolls. Lame.

**** kobolds. Gay.

**** zombies. Ugly.

**** mummies. Lame.

**** vampires. Gay.

**** werewolves. Ugly.

lel.jpg

[J1M]

Know what's a better idea? Don't choose!

(1) Create a NEW unique monster type.

(2) Post here. License. CC BY-SA 4.0 Add Terms: Nonexclusive. Irrevocable. Worldwide. Unlimited License.

(3) Community decides if **** or not.

USING THE holy POWER OF shitcoin CONSENSUS, if it is decided to be NOT ****......

.....then anybody who makes games here or codex tries using it, when he needs a monster, in their puny small scope game.

This spreads a new BETTER monster type.

You don't have to choose between existing choices. WITH THE POWER OF communism COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION, you can make up your own set of choices.

**** gnolls. Lame.

**** kobolds. Gay.

**** zombies. Ugly.

**** mummies. Lame.

**** vampires. Gay.

**** werewolves. Ugly.

etc

Yes, so propose some of these great ideas you have.

[Humbaba]

So elves.

No you idiot, Halflings.

[NotAI]

Know what's a better idea? Don't choose! (1) Create a NEW unique monster type.

Yes, so propose some of these great ideas you have.

Okay. For starters, make all the beastmen species Skeleton Warrior Species, or nothing.

So, you want Zebra People in your game? You want Wolf People in your game? Horse People? Cat People? In you cozy comfy game?

Zebra ******* Metal Skeleton Warriors, or nothing.



Figure. The result of prompting Zebra Skeleton Warrior Game Art.

How do they reproduce? How do you get more? Easy. Bones of the dead get mixed up. If it happens on cursed ground, eh, you get these guys popping up.

Why better than gnolls? Not gay.

Why better than zombies? Much more variety.

Benefits.

1. Would look cool in Unreal.
2. Mix up the bones during the game to get endless new types, so help make things emergent.
3. No need to invent unbelievably gay tribe societies with lame furry backstories.

Costs.

1. You can't **** 'em. They're skeletons. Hey, wait. That's a positive. Not a negative.
Edit. 2. You need a lot more polygons.