Wizards of the Coast's latest Dungeons & Dragons supplement, Ravenloft: The Horrors Within, delves deeper into the classic Gothic horror setting with a collection of new monsters. These additions aim to provide Dungeon Masters with a variety of nightmarish encounters suitable for specific Domains of Dread or easily adaptable to any campaign.
The supplement expands upon the existing lore by detailing 16 Domains of Dread, each offering unique subgenres like cosmic horror and body horror. While these domains can serve as the backdrop for entire campaigns, the new monsters are designed for versatility, capable of being integrated into various adventures.
Among the most unsettling additions is the Bodytaker Plant. This alien entity arrives on meteorites and seeks to replicate and consume life, communicating telepathically with its spawn. The plant's ability to transfer half the damage it receives to its nearby podlings, coupled with its vine attacks that can trap characters in pods, makes for a challenging foe, particularly in a mystery-driven adventure.
For spellcasters, the Gremishka present a significant threat. Inspired by Gremlins, these small creatures are the result of misguided magic and actively target spellbooks, components, and magic items. They possess advantages against spells and magical effects, heal when a creature nearby casts a spell, and can even end attunement to magic items with a bite. Their swarm nature also grants them resistance to most physical damage, making them a persistent nuisance.
The Mi-Go offers a particularly disturbing encounter, building on the concept of a "brain in a jar." This alien fungus aims to understand and conquer by stealing brains. In combat, the Mi-Go can stun targets with a dazing ray before attempting to extract their brains. Its ability to Plane Shift once per day allows for a quick escape with its prize, making recovery difficult.
Players will find the Necrichor a uniquely unsettling opponent, drawing inspiration from blood-bending concepts. This undead creature can possess a living host, controlling their movements until it chooses to depart or the host reaches zero hit points. Its ability to ooze through small openings and climb on ceilings makes it difficult to track and confront, potentially forcing players into combat with each other.
Finally, Ravenloft: The Horrors Within introduces the Relentless Nightmare, one of three legendary creatures inspired by iconic horror villains. This monster is designed to torment players beyond a single encounter. While it can teleport and inflict exhaustion with its gaze attack, its cursed spear poses the greatest threat, as victims do not recover from exhaustion even after a long rest. The Relentless Nightmare has the chilling ability to respawn from the nightmares of a cursed slumbering creature, ensuring an enduring challenge for any party brave enough to face it.