Most disliked / over used monster

[Lurker]

Over the last few weeks, there have been a metric ton of ‘best/favorite/strongest ‘ threads. That got me thinking, but in my best devil’s advocate stance. … With that, what is the monster you dislike the most or think is over used, and why so ?

Mine, the drow!

Don’t get me wrong. I was enthralled with them back in the GDQ series. I even liked the drown from the northern wild lands in FR … I even like that one of the crime lord underlings in Waterdeep was a drow – along with the beholder as the head bad guy. (though my party running around Waterdeep was never close to a level to go up against either of them)

However, the drow went from being mysterious qusimythical fear inducing bad guys to what seems like there being one under every rock …

[Omote]

The drow are definitely up there, if not number one. But I am also sick to death of the beholder. Sure, they are powerful and don't appear as often because you need a truck load of levels to defeat them, but I'm tired of talking about them. You want a deadly, monstrous sphere, bring back the Umbral Blot!

~O

[Treebore]

I'm not sick of any of them, because I haven't over used any of them.

[narpet]

I don't think that I over use any monsters, so I'm not sick of any either. I guess that if you add up 35 years of RPG'ing you could say that I've thrown thousands of Orcs and Goblins at my adventurers, but I'm still not sick of them. And I've never used them so much that the players got sick of it either (at least they didn't complain about it ).

[mbeacom]

I'm not sick of things in my own game but as someone who reads a lot of modules and a fair amount of D&D fiction, I will concur that Drow in particular are vastly over utilized. And if I never heard the name Drizzt again it would be too soon.

[Treebore]

I'm not sick of things in my own game but as someone who reads a lot of modules and a fair amount of D&D fiction, I will concur that Drow in particular are vastly over utilized. And if I never heard the name Drizzt again it would be too soon.

I don't like that about any monster that gets too detailed. Like I bet Omote dislikes Beholders because of all the books (3?) they did on Beholders in 2E. My problem is when I have players who expect me to use/portray a creature as it was in Novels or in excessive book treatments. Like the Drow have had easily a half dozen different products that prominently feature them. No, those portray the Drow of Menzoboranzen, this is not the same city or the same drow, they don't even worship Lolth, so throw your expectations out the window, because they do not apply. If they are the type of player who cannot accept that, they are always free to leave.

[Captain_K]

Following the dislike thread and moving it to Arch-Enemy (yes that's capitalized) The Solar... man that thing terrorized our group of not so nice high level PCs for the better part of the summer of '83 (I might be off by a year)... but it has taught me, every PC group needs an arch-enemy.. one that always gets away, that always comes back and makes their life tougher.. so like us all, hate and love are just two sides of the same coin.

Luckily Ewoks are not monsters in CnC.. they might win... ;}

[serleran]

Common undead, especially skeletons. I don't mind them, but they are overused. Especially zombies in "take over" modules. Or vampires in the same. As if there is no other way to use them.

[mbeacom]

Following the dislike thread and moving it to Arch-Enemy (yes that's capitalized) The Solar... man that thing terrorized our group of not so nice high level PCs for the better part of the summer of '83 (I might be off by a year)... but it has taught me, every PC group needs an arch-enemy.. one that always gets away, that always comes back and makes their life tougher.. so like us all, hate and love are just two sides of the same coin.

Luckily Ewoks are not monsters in CnC.. they might win... ;}

Now don't you start in on my ewoks.

[mbeacom]

I'm not sick of things in my own game but as someone who reads a lot of modules and a fair amount of D&D fiction, I will concur that Drow in particular are vastly over utilized. And if I never heard the name Drizzt again it would be too soon.

I don't like that about any monster that gets too detailed. Like I bet Omote dislikes Beholders because of all the books (3?) they did on Beholders in 2E. My problem is when I have players who expect me to use/portray a creature as it was in Novels or in excessive book treatments. Like the Drow have had easily a half dozen different products that prominently feature them. No, those portray the Drow of Menzoboranzen, this is not the same city or the same drow, they don't even worship Lolth, so throw your expectations out the window, because they do not apply. If they are the type of player who cannot accept that, they are always free to leave.

By half a dozen, I think you mean 2 dozen.
Yeah, I agree, I like it when a DM changes up his world simply because otherwise anything can get stale for a heavy "consumer" of D&D lore. To have a world where things are unknown is a must for me and my players. I want some familiarity (part of why I play D&D) but assumptions should largely be dangerous to make.

[Jyrdan Fairblade]

It’s become such a cliché at low levels that I try never to have to use giant rats.

I love undead, so I have to be careful not to overuse them. That being said, I am utterly loathe to use the ones that have level drain or aging abilities. Those always seemed like cheap shots to me. I generally just increase their damage output instead.

I’ve never minded the drow. In all my years of gaming, I’ve only had one person play a Drizz’t clone.

[concobar]

"Mine, the drow!"

I agree with that but also add that I am sick of every game broup I run or see at the FLGS having at least one CN drow ranger that has been forced to flee from his/her home and reside on the surface.

[Daniel]

I never really liked monsters designed as gags. Monsters like the Flumph can derail a game quickly into silliness.

I also agree that WotC killed the Drow for many of us. They were way over used and thus lost their mystique. I believe monsters like the Drow should be used sparingly. Beholders and the undead lich also feel this way to me. Overused.