DnD 5e Monster Codex: Volume 1

Five complete monsters ready to be dropped into any Dungeons and Dragons 5e campaign.

Greater Water Elemental

Practically invisible while motionless under water (and thankfully very rare), this is the largest of the "true" water elementals found on the Prime Material. The greater water elemental generally makes its home at the bottom of a deep body of water, only rising to the surface to attack ships that invade its territory.

Merciless Vengence. Once one has claimed a section of the ocean as its home, which can be as large as a few square miles, it considers any craft or creature larger than a fish as an intruder. It will chase off anything that enters its territory and destroy anything that stays within its reach whille doing so. On rare occasions it will follow a fleeing ship to shore, where it will then wreak havoc on any settlement it finds there before returning to its lair.

Elemental Nature. A greater water elemental doesn't require air, food, drink, or sleep.

Minor Ice Elemental

Around the size of a bulky goblin, minor elementals are probably the most likely to manifest on the material plane "naturally." Minor ice elementals can be found lurking in snow storms and on the snow covered peaks of tall mountains.

Indifferent Hunters. While not evil, they are not fond of heat and tend to attack anything with a body temperature. An area where one has manifested tends to be devoid of wildlife as the elemental kills or drives off the natural inhabitants.

Elemental Nature. A greater water elemental doesn't require air, food, drink, or sleep.

Scorched

Generally created from medium humanoids, a scorched can be hard to tell from a "regular" skeleton until you get up close and see the telltale burn marks usually left by its creation.

Born of Fire. Some necromancers have a love of all things fire. Sometimes a skeleton just happens to be created where elemental fire holds sway. No matter how a scorched is created, woe to the adventurer that is unprepared for an encounter with one.... especially for the surprise that comes after "winning." Unlike a normal skeleton, a scorched "knows" enough that it will attempt to keep its distance so it can utilize its spit, but will gladly pummel you to death if given the chance.

Undead Nature. A scorched doesn't require air, food, drink, or sleep.

Plague Dog

The first time you come across one of these you would be forgiven for thinking it was a zombified wolf. What this ACTUALLY is, however, is the product of magical experiments. No one knows how long ago, or why, but mages magically bred a disease permanently into its DNA, and with it an immunity to all diseases.

Lone Hunter. Plague dogs are usually found alone, but on rare occasions they travel as a mated pair. They are not very stealthy, even when alone. They are, however, very hard to sneak up on. They can be found in almost any environment, and will defend the stretch of dirt they have claimed to the death.

Corrupted Ape

When an evil force is left unchecked for a long enough it's magical energy interrupt the flora and fauna around it. When apes are tainted in such a way, they tend to grow larger and become more solitary, territorial, and greedy.

Primal Greed. A fully corrupted ape will make a lair just large enough to be able to defend and hoard the spoils of those foolish enough to have stumbled upon it. Though a corrupted ape will defend its lair to the death, its tactics do not differ much from its normal kin, throw rock until the intruder is close enough to smash to death.