D&D’s Monster Manual is full of all kinds of little guys. From the weird to the cute to the grotesque, don’t sleep on these ones.
Dungeons & Dragons is about two things. Flirting with your homies, and running into all sorts of weird little guys. And today we’re going to talk about the latter, because the pages of D&D’s Monster Manual are full of all sorts of little guys.
You probably have a few favorites. Goblins, Kobolds, Modron, Flumphs, the list goes on. But don’t let the popular ones distract you from some of the more underrated little guys lurking in between monsters that can absolutely kill you dead without meaning to.
Grung
Bullywugs are, in many ways, the ideal little guy. They’re both weird but also kind of cute, and also they’re frogs. The only thing better is a grung, because they’re coated with a hallucinogenic slime, but they aren’t in the 5.5E Monster Manual, so now is the time of the bullywug.
Why are they the ultimate little guy? Two words: frog knight. Not convinced? Frog wizard. Or anything else. A bullywug can be the perfect little guy for any occasion, whether you need a friend or a nemesis.
Kenku
Kenku enjoyed a minute in the spotlight. But then, I feel like these flightless bird people that can perfectly mimic anything sort of faded to the background once more. That doesn’t change the fact that they are still an incredible choice for a little guy to accompany the party for a while.
Especially since kenku got a lore upgrade in 5.5E. Now they’re birdfolk that slip through the ruins of cities in the Shadowfell, searching for things they’ve lost and trying to break the curse that is once more upon them. They feel a little more ominous, and also a little more corvid-y, which is exactly what you want in a little guy for your D&D campaign.
Galeb Duhr
Of course, not every little guy has to actually be little, as the galeb duhr prove. These are rock guys, who when they hold still are undistinguishable from boulders. With lifespans that echo those of mountains, they live long, ponderous lives contemplating rock and stone.
And even though they’re Medium sized, technically, they make for a perfect little guy to follow your D&D party around. Because your party is going to find one, they’re going to name it Rocky, and then the rest of your campaign is going to remind you of how seeing Project Hail Mary made you, just for a moment, remember the good in humanity.
Myconid Sprout
Myconids are mushroom people. Which automatically puts them in little guy status. If you thought frog knight was where it was at, imagine “mushroom knight, trying its best.” Especially when the Monster Manual adds so many varieties of myconid to play with.
But none is as perfect as the myconid sprout. These are actual little mushroom guys who are trying their best. And they can communicate telepathically with the rest of the party thanks to their communication spores.
Blight
And then, as proof that not every little guy needs to be cute. Or even necessarily aligned with the party; there’s the Blight. Hear me out. Sure, these are bundles of evil plant creatures that usually take the form of weird little stick guys.
But what is a little guy in D&D if not something you expect to be a horrible monster that you somehow adopt and end up caring for, even if all it can do is growl and chitter and occasionally bite you? It’s the same principle as an owlbear cub; find a blight youngling, and you’re well on your way to unique little guy territory.
What are your favorite little guys in the Monster Manual?
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Source: Bell of Lost Souls
