What Makes a Monster (Series | Introduction)

A Three-Part Series on Making Monsters in ttRPGs

Is there anything as effortlessly emblematic of a “monster” as the vampire?

Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1897) introduced the archetype of the seductive, aristocratic bloodsucker to the broader public, but its roots go deeper. Stoker’s creation was partly inspired by Vlad the Impaler, a 15th-century Wallachian (a geographic and historical region in modern-day Romania) prince infamous for his brutality.

According to historical records (some circulated even during his life), Vlad’s penchant for impaling his enemies earned him a reputation as a monster. Nearly 500 years later, Stoker immortalized his reputation in the form of the undead Count Dracula, a figure embodying fears of the unknown, the foreign, and the allure of humankind's baser instincts.

Dracula’s shadow loomed over early cinema, particularly in F.W. Murnau’s Nosferatu (1922), a silent film that completely reimagined the vampire as a gaunt, monstrous figure shrouded in shadows. Where Dracula was seductive, Count Orlok was grotesque.

Max Schreck as Count Orlok (1922)

Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu (2024) revisits this classic, showing how these creatures persist, evolving with each retelling to reflect new cultural anxieties. What was once a fear of foreign invaders has transformed into questions about mortality, power, and the monstrous within.

In tabletop roleplaying games, few monsters capture the essence of Dracula more than Strahd von Zarovich, the infamous vampire lord from Dungeons & Dragons. First introduced in the 1983 adventure Ravenloft, Strahd blends Dracula’s aristocratic menace with the tragic backstory of an antihero. His torment, obsession, and presence in Barovia’s mist-shrouded lands create an atmosphere of dread that has echoed through every new edition of D&D since the 80s.

The OG Ravenloft marks Strahd’s first appearance and the introduction to the maddening Castle Ravenloft.

But Strahd differs from Dracula and Nosferatu in one major capacity: Strahd is a gameable, statted-out monster. He isn’t just a literary device or an allegory for humanity’s fears; he’s a creature that adventurers come into contact with, work to overcome, and inevitably defeat.

That individual facet of Strahd makes all the difference. It also raises the question: what exactly is a monster?

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At its simplest, a monster is an adversary.

It might be a snarling pack of wolves, a sentient ooze, a villainous warlord, or even a being from beyond the stars.

“Bestiary Splash” by Balázs Pirók for Worlds Without Number (Sine Nomine Publishing)

But monsters are more than their stat blocks. In our games, they serve three major roles in the forms of the Adversary, the Catalyst, and the Mirror:

• The Adversary: An obstacle for players to overcome, providing moments of triumph and terror.

  • A goblin horde tests martial prowess, while an ancient dragon demands strategy, preparation, and bravery.

• The Catalyst: Monsters propel the story forward. Their presence can incite quests, deepen lore, or reveal truths about the game world.

  • The lich terrorizing the kingdom is a puzzle to be solved and a key to uncovering deeper layers of the narrative.

• The Mirror: Great monsters reflect something back at the players, such as fear, morality, or even their own choices.

  • The tragic vampire lord forces adventurers to consider where the line between hero and villain truly lies.

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Monsters have been the cornerstone of tabletop roleplaying games since the earliest days of Dungeons & Dragons. The 1974 D&D "White Box" introduced players to iconic adversaries like goblins, dragons, and the gelatinous cube. While simple, they laid the groundwork for decades of evolution.

Not exactly “one of the greatest threats to the world” back in the ODND days.

Modern RPGs emphasize the narrative potential of some of these monsters, exploring their lore, ecology, and moral ambiguity. The mind flayer, once just a foe with a stat block, is now a window into an alien culture shaped by psionic domination.

Systems like Pathfinder and Monster of the Week encourage game masters to customize creatures, creating monsters that resonate with their players and settings.

Even beyond traditional fantasy RPGs, monsters take on unique forms. In Call of Cthulhu, they are cosmic horrors designed to shatter the mind and rarely, if ever, fought. In Blades in the Dark, rival gangs or oppressive institutions become the “monsters” players must overcome (as do more traditional, true monsters).

Therein lies a key truth: monsters are as diverse as the worlds they inhabit.

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Over the next few days, we’ll explore monster design in a three-part series, breaking down what makes creatures memorable, terrifying, and narratively rich.

Here’s what you can expect:

1. Part 1: The Psychology of Players (Wednesday): How monsters interact with player expectations and why they resonate.

2. Part 2: Designing Monsters (Thursday): Crafting creatures that balance the various mechanics of a system, from crafting to combat.

3. Part 3: Monsters as Storytelling Tools (Friday): Using monsters to enrich your world and drive your narrative forward.

This series will give you the tools, insights, and ideas to make your monsters unforgettable and truly get inside the mind of the monsters — whether they serve as foils to the heroes or deadly obstacles to avoid and overcome.

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