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Classic Monsters

A Hundred Tiny Problems: Swarms of Rats

November 27, 2025November 26, 2025 / Chris Gladis / Leave a comment

The scary thing about a Swarm of Rats isn’t that it’s rats — it’s the sound. The skittering builds like rain on stone, but with intent, until you realize the “monster” isn’t a single creature at all. In this Encounter Every Enemy entry, we turn the Swarm of Rats into a moving weather pattern of teeth, pressure, and bad decisions.

Chimera: Anatomy of a Conflict

November 6, 2025November 3, 2025 / Chris Gladis / Leave a comment

The Chimera is more than just a lion-goat-dragon mashup — it’s a walking allegory for conflict, coercion, and unnatural fusion. In this entry, we explore how to turn the Chimera into a tragic symbol of internal strife, a failed magical experiment, or even the fractured soul of a broken world. Don’t just fight it. Think about what made it.

Vampires: What Lurks Behind the Fangs

October 30, 2025October 23, 2025 / Chris Gladis / 1 Comment

Vampires are one of the most famous monsters in the Monster Manual — but what if they’re not the villain? Or not even alive? This week’s entry offers four fresh takes on D&D vampires: as cursed companions, beloved emotional parasites, immortal bureaucrats, or long-vanquished apex predators whose absence has only made things worse.

Ogres: Big, Mean, and Worth a Second Look

October 2, 2025September 25, 2025 / Chris Gladis / Leave a comment

Ogres might seem like basic brutes, but they can be so much more. From tribal tattoos and spell-scarred warlords to clever terrain ambushes, here’s how to turn the classic dumb monster into a memorable encounter — or even an unlikely ally.

The Impossible Beast: Hippogriffs and the Power of Contradiction

September 22, 2025September 26, 2025 / Chris Gladis / Leave a comment

A Hippogriff is more than a flying mount — it's a living contradiction. Half solitary predator, half herd animal, it’s a symbol of tension, blending, and the impossible made real. In this post, we dive into the thematic richness of the Hippogriff, with story hooks, symbolic insights, and ways to make it meaningful at your table.

Moonlight and Mayhem: Making the Most of the Werewolf

September 18, 2025September 26, 2025 / Chris Gladis / Leave a comment

A monster as old as folklore and as fierce as your players’ worst fears, the Werewolf brings combat danger, narrative weight, and deep thematic resonance to your D&D table. Whether you're running a cursed noble bloodline or a savage forest ambush, this iconic creature is more than just teeth and fur — it's the animal within.

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