List of ''Dungeons & Dragons'' monsters (1974–76)

This is the list of Dungeons & Dragons monsters from products published in 1974–1976, an important element of that role-playing game.^[1] This list only includes monsters from official Dungeons & Dragons supplements published by TSR, Inc., not those licensed or unlicensed third party products such as video games or unlicensed Dungeons & Dragons manuals. This list only includes the content from the original 1974 Dungeons & Dragons boxed set, the Greyhawk supplement (1974), the Blackmoor supplement (1975), and Eldritch Wizardry (1976).

TSR 2002 - Dungeons & Dragons Box Set (1974)

The 1974 Dungeons & Dragons boxed set by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson contained three booklets, including a list of monsters in the booklet "Monsters & Treasure". This booklet contained an index on pages 3–4 featuring statistics about how many creatures of each type of creature appeared per encounter, armor class, how many inches the creature could move on its turn, hit dice, % in lair, and treasure. Pages 5–20 followed with descriptions of each of the monsters, typically consisting of one or more paragraphs. Most of the monsters on this book did not feature an illustration. Also featured are descriptions of humans (bandits, brigands, berserkers, dervishes, nomads, buccaneers, cavemen, and mermen), horses, insects, and other small and large animals.

Creature	Page	Other Appearances	Versions Included	Description	Image
Basilisks	10	Original: Eldritch Wizardry; Basic 1977: Basic Set; Basic 1981: Expert Set; Basic 1983: Companion Set; Basic 1991: Rules Cyclopedia; 1st Edition: Monster Manual, Dragon #81; 2nd Edition: Monstrous Compendium Volume Two, Monstrous Manual; 3rd Edition: Monster Manual; 3.5 Edition: Monster Manual; 4th Edition: Monster Manual	Basilisk	Has the power of turning to stone by touch and glance
Black Pudding	19	Basic 1977: Basic Set; Basic 1981: Expert Set; Basic 1983: Expert Set; Basic 1991: Rules Cyclopedia; 1st Edition: Monster Manual; 2nd Edition: Monstrous Compendium Volume One, Monstrous Manual, Dragon #219; 3rd Edition: Monster Manual; 3.5 Edition: Monster Manual	Black pudding	Black (or Gray) puddings dissolve wood, and corrode metal
Centaurs	15	Basic 1981: Expert Set; Basic 1983: Expert Set; Basic 1991: Rules Cyclopedia; 1st Edition: Monster Manual; 2nd Edition: Monstrous Compendium Volume One, Monstrous Manual, The Complete Book of Humanoids, Player's Option: Skills & Powers; 3rd Edition: Monster Manual; 3.5 Edition: Monster Manual	Centaur	Can attack twice, once as a man and once as a horse
Chimera	11	Basic 1977: Basic Set; Basic 1981: Expert Set; Basic 1983: Expert Set, Companion Set; Basic 1991: Rules Cyclopedia; 1st Edition: Monster Manual, Dragon #94; 2nd Edition: Monstrous Compendium Volume One, Monstrous Manual; 3rd Edition: Monster Manual; 3.5 Edition: Monster Manual; 4th Edition: Monster Manual	Chimera	Can gore with goat's head, tear with lion fangs, and dragon's head can bite or breathe fire
Cockatrices	10	Basic 1977: Basic Set; 1981: Expert Set; Basic 1983: Expert Set; Basic 1991: Rules Cyclopedia; 1st Edition: Monster Manual, Dragon #95; 2nd Edition: Monstrous Compendium Volume One, Monstrous Manual; 3rd Edition: Monster Manual; 3.5 Edition: Monster Manual	Cockatrice	A less powerful but more mobile basilisk, turns opponents to stone by touch
Djinn	19	Basic 1977: Basic Set; 1981: Expert Set; Basic 1983: Expert Set, Companion Set; Basic 1991: Rules Cyclopedia; 1st Edition: Monster Manual; 2nd Edition: Monstrous Compendium Volume One, Monstrous Manual; 3rd Edition: Monster Manual; 3.5 Edition: Monster Manual	Djinn	Aerial creatures with magical powers
Dragons	11-14	Basic 1977: Basic Set; Basic 1981: Basic Set; Basic 1983: Basic Set, Companion Set; Basic 1991: Rules Cyclopedia; 1st Edition: Monster Manual; 2nd Edition: Monstrous Compendium Volume One, Monstrous Manual, Draconomicon; 3rd Edition: Monster Manual; 3.5 Edition: Monster Manual, Draconomicon; 4th Edition: Monster Manual, Draconomicon: Chromatic Dragons	White dragon, black dragon, green dragon, blue dragon, red dragon, golden dragon	Powerful and intelligent winged reptiles with magical abilities and breath weapon.
Dryads	16	Basic 1981: Expert Set; Basic 1983: Expert Set; Basic 1991: Rules Cyclopedia; 1st Edition: Monster Manual, Dragon #87; 2nd Edition: Monstrous Compendium Volume Two, Monstrous Manual; 3rd Edition: Monster Manual; 3.5 Edition: Monster Manual; 4th Edition: Monster Manual	Dryad	Beautiful tree sprites, each a part of their own respective tree
Dwarves	16	Basic 1977: Basic Set; Basic 1981: Basic Set; Basic 1983: Basic Set; Basic 1991: Rules Cyclopedia; 1st Edition: Monster Manual, Player's Handbook; 2nd Edition: Player's Handbook, Monstrous Compendium Volume Two, The Complete Book of Dwarves, Monstrous Manual; 3rd Edition: Player's Handbook, Monster Manual; 3.5 Edition: Player's Handbook, Monster Manual, Races of Stone; 4th Edition: Player's Handbook, Monster Manual	Dwarf	Described in the "Chainmail" set; clumsy monsters like ogres and giants have a hard time hitting them
Efreeti	19			Similar to djinn, but creatures of fire that tend to be Chaotic
Elves	16	Basic 1977: Basic Set; Basic 1981: Basic Set; Basic 1983: Basic Set; Basic 1991: Rules Cyclopedia; 1st Edition: Monster Manual, Player's Handbook; 2nd Edition: Player's Handbook, Monstrous Compendium Volume One, The Complete Book of Elves, Monstrous Manual; 3rd Edition: Player's Handbook, Monster Manual; 3.5 Edition: Player's Handbook, Monster Manual, Races of the Wild; 4th Edition: Player's Handbook, Monster Manual	Elf	Elves make their homes in woodlands and remote meadowlands
Elementals	18-19			Four types described: Air, earth, fire, and water
Gargoyles	14	Basic 1977: Basic Set; Basic 1981: Basic Set; Basic 1983: Basic Set; Basic 1991: Rules Cyclopedia; 1st Edition: Monster Manual; 2nd Edition: Monstrous Compendium Volume Two, Monstrous Manual; 3rd Edition: Monster Manual; 3.5 Edition: Monster Manual; 4th Edition: Monster Manual	Gargoyle	Reptilian bipedal beast, Chaotic in alignment
Ghoul	9	Basic 1977: Basic Set; Basic 1981: Basic Set; Basic 1983: Basic Set; Basic 1991: Rules Cyclopedia; 1st Edition: Monster Manual; 2nd Edition: Monstrous Compendium Volume One, Monstrous Manual, Dragon #252; 3rd Edition: Monster Manual, Savage Species; 3.5 Edition: Monster Manual, Libris Mortis: The Book of Undead; 4th Edition: Monster Manual	Ghoul	Paralyze anyone they touch
Giants	8-9	Basic 1977: Basic Set; Basic 1981: Expert Set; Basic 1983: Expert Set; Basic 1991: Rules Cyclopedia; 1st Edition: Monster Manual; 2nd Edition: Monstrous Compendium Volume One, Monstrous Manual, Giantcraft; 3rd Edition: Monster Manual, Savage Species; 3.5 Edition: Monster Manual; 4th Edition: Monster Manual	Hill giant, stone giant, frost giant, fire giant, cloud giant
Gnolls	8	Basic 1977: Basic Set; Basic 1981: Basic Set; Basic 1983: Basic Set, Gazetteer: The Orcs of Thar; Basic 1991: Rules Cyclopedia; 1st Edition: Monster Manual, Dragon #63; 2nd Edition: Monstrous Compendium Volume One, Monstrous Manual, The Complete Book of Humanoids, Player's Option: Skills & Powers; 3rd Edition: Monster Manual; 3.5 Edition: Monster Manual; 4th Edition: Monster Manual, Dragon #367	Gnoll	A cross between gnomes and trolls, otherwise similar to hobgoblins
Gnomes	16			Slightly smaller than dwarves, with longer beards, inhabits hills and lowland burrows
Goblins	7			Small monsters first described in the original "Chainmail" set
Gorgons	10	Original: Eldritch Wizardry; Basic 1981: Expert Set; Basic 1983: Expert Set, Companion Set; Basic 1991: Rules Cyclopedia; 1st Edition: Monster Manual, Dragon #97; 2nd Edition: Monstrous Compendium Volume Two, Monstrous Manual; 3rd Edition: Monster Manual,; 3.5 Edition: Monster Manual; 4th Edition: Monster Manual	Gorgon	Bull-like monsters with a breath capable of turning creatures to stone
Gray Ooze	20			Seeping horror that resembles wet stone and corrodes metal like a black pudding
Green slime	20			Non-mobile hazard that turns flesh into more green slime
Griffons	18	Basic 1977: Basic Set; Basic 1981: Expert Set; Basic 1983: Expert Set; Basic 1991: Rules Cyclopedia; 1st Edition: Monster Manual; 2nd Edition: Monstrous Compendium Volume Two, Dragon #161, Monstrous Manual; 3rd Edition: Monster Manual, Savage Species; 3.5 Edition: Monster Manual; 4th Edition: Monster Manual	Griffon	The most prized of steeds, fond of horse flesh
Hippogriffs	17	Basic 1977: Basic Set; Basic 1981: Expert Set; Basic 1983: Expert Set; Basic 1991: Rules Cyclopedia; 1st Edition: Monster Manual; 2nd Edition: Monstrous Compendium Volume Two, Monstrous Manual; 3rd Edition: Monster Manual; 3.5 Edition: Monster Manual; 4th Edition: Monster Manual	Hippogriff	Fierce fighters that attack with both hooves and sharp beaks
Hobgoblins	8	Basic 1977: Basic Set; Basic 1981: Basic Set; Basic 1983: Basic Set, Gazetteer: The Orcs of Thar; Basic 1991: Rules Cyclopedia; 1st Edition: Monster Manual, Dragon #63; 2nd Edition: Monstrous Compendium Volume One, Monstrous Manual, The Complete Book of Humanoids, Player's Option: Skills & Powers; 3rd Edition: Monster Manual, Races of Faerûn; 3.5 Edition: Monster Manual, Dragon #309, Monster Manual V; 4th Edition: Monster Manual	Hobgoblin	Large and fearless goblins
Hydras	10	Basic 1977: Basic Set; Basic 1981: Expert Set; Basic 1983: Expert Set; Basic 1991: Rules Cyclopedia; 1st Edition: Monster Manual; 2nd Edition: Monstrous Compendium Volume One, Monstrous Manual; 3rd Edition: Monster Manual, Dragon #272; 3.5 Edition: Monster Manual; 4th Edition: Monster Manual	Hydra	Large dinosaurs with multiple heads
Invisible Stalkers	18	Basic 1981: Expert Set; Basic 1983: Companion Set; Basic 1991: Rules Cyclopedia; 1st Edition: Monster Manual; 2nd Edition: Monstrous Compendium Volume One, Monstrous Manual; 3rd Edition: Monster Manual; 3.5 Edition: Monster Manual	Invisible stalker	Monsters created by spells, faultless trackers
Kobolds	7	Original: Blackmoor; Basic 1977: Basic Set; Basic 1981: Basic Set; Basic 1983: Basic Set, Gazetteer: The Orcs of Thar; Basic 1991: Rules Cyclopedia; 1st Edition: Monster Manual, Dragon #63, Dragon #141; 2nd Edition: Monstrous Compendium Volume One, Monstrous Manual, The Complete Book of Humanoids, Player's Option: Skills & Powers; 3rd Edition: Monster Manual; 3.5 Edition: Monster Manual, Dragon #332, Races of the Dragon; 4th Edition: Monster Manual, Dragon #364	Kobold	Similar to goblins but weaker
Lycanthropes	14-15		Werewolf, wereboar, weretiger, werebear
Manticoras	10	Basic 1977: Basic Set; Basic 1981: Expert Set; Basic 1983: Expert Set; Basic 1991: Rules Cyclopedia; 1st Edition: Monster Manual; 2nd Edition: Monstrous Compendium Volume One, Dragon #153, Monstrous Manual; 3rd Edition: Monster Manual; 3.5 Edition: Monster Manual; 4th Edition: Monster Manual	Manticore	Huge, lion-bodied monstrosities with a tail full of spikes that can be fired
Medusae	10	Original: Eldritch Wizardry; Basic 1977: Basic Set; Basic 1981: Basic Set; Basic 1983: Basic Set, Companion Set; Basic 1991: Rules Cyclopedia; 1st Edition: Monster Manual; 2nd Edition: Monstrous Compendium Volume One, Monstrous Manual; 3rd Edition: Monster Manual, Savage Species; 3.5 Edition: Monster Manual; Dragon #355 (May 2007); 4th Edition: Monster Manual; 5th Edition: Monster Manual (2014)	Medusa	Human-type monster with the lower body of a snake, turns those who look at it to stone
Minotaurs	15	Basic 1977: Basic Set; Basic 1981: Basic Set; Basic 1983: Basic Set; Basic 1991: Rules Cyclopedia; 1st Edition: Monster Manual, Dragon #116, Dragon #141; 2nd Edition: Monstrous Compendium Volume One, Monstrous Manual, The Complete Book of Humanoids, Player's Option: Skills & Powers; 3rd Edition: Monster Manual, Savage Species; 3.5 Edition: Monster Manual; 4th Edition: Monster Manual, Dragon #369	Minotaur	Bull-headed men, who are man-eaters
Mummies	9	Basic 1977: Basic Set; Basic 1981: Expert Set; Basic 1983: Expert Set; Basic 1991: Rules Cyclopedia; 1st Edition: Monster Manual; 2nd Edition: Monstrous Compendium Volume One, Monstrous Manual; 3rd Edition: Monster Manual, Dragon #300, Savage Species; 3.5 Edition: Monster Manual, Libris Mortis: The Book of Undead; 4th Edition: Monster Manual	Mummy	Touch causes a rotting disease
Nixies	15-16			Water sprites are Neutral in nature but will enslave humans for one year
Ochre Jelly	19			Giant amoeba which can be killed by fire or cold, but divides when hit by weapons
Ogres	8	Basic 1977: Basic Set; Basic 1981: Basic Set; Basic 1983: Basic Set, Gazetteer: The Orcs of Thar; Basic 1991: Rules Cyclopedia; 1st Edition: Monster Manual; 2nd Edition: Monstrous Compendium Volume One, Monstrous Manual, The Complete Book of Humanoids, Player's Option: Skills & Powers; 3rd Edition: Monster Manual, Dragon #304, Savage Species; 3.5 Edition: Monster Manual, Monster Manual IV; 4th Edition: Monster Manual	Ogre	Large and fearsome monsters
Orcs	7-8	Basic 1977: Basic Set; Basic 1981: Basic Set; Basic 1983: Basic Set, Gazetteer: The Orcs of Thar; Basic 1991: Rules Cyclopedia; 1st Edition: Monster Manual, Dragon #62, Dragon #141; 2nd Edition: Monstrous Compendium Volume One, Monstrous Manual, The Complete Book of Humanoids, Player's Option: Skills & Powers; 3rd Edition: Monster Manual; 3.5 Edition: Monster Manual, Monster Manual IV; 4th Edition: Monster Manual	Orc	Tribal creatures that live in caves or villages
Pegasi	17			Winged horses that will serve only Lawful characters
Pixies	16			Air sprites originally described in the "Chainmail" set, naturally invisible to human eyes
Purple Worms	15	Basic 1977: Basic Set; Basic 1981: Expert Set; Basic 1983: Expert Set; Basic 1991: Rules Cyclopedia; 1st Edition: Monster Manual; 2nd Edition: Monstrous Compendium Volume Two, Monstrous Manual; 3rd Edition: Monster Manual, Dragon #282; 3.5 Edition: Monster Manual; 4th Edition: Monster Manual	Purple worm	Huge and hungry monsters lurk beneath the surface
Rocs	17	Basic 1981: Expert Set; Basic 1983: Expert Set; Basic 1991: Rules Cyclopedia; 1st Edition: Monster Manual; 2nd Edition: Monstrous Compendium Volume Two, Monstrous Manual; 3rd Edition: Monster Manual; 3.5 Edition: Monster Manual; 4th Edition: Monster Manual	Roc	Large and fierce birds that nest in mountains; hostile to creatures of Chaos and Neutrality
Skeletons	9	Basic 1977: Basic Set; Basic 1981: Basic Set; Basic 1983: Basic Set; Basic 1991: Rules Cyclopedia; 1st Edition: Monster Manual; 2nd Edition: Monstrous Compendium Volume One, Monstrous Manual; 3rd Edition: Monster Manual; 3.5 Edition: Monster Manual, Libris Mortis: The Book of Undead; 4th Edition: Monster Manual	Skeleton	Acts under the instructions of their motivator, be it Magic-User or Cleric (Chaos)
Spectres	9	Basic 1977: Basic Set; Basic 1981: Expert Set; Basic 1983: Expert Set; Basic 1991: Rules Cyclopedia; 1st Edition: Monster Manual; 2nd Edition: Monstrous Compendium Volume One, Monstrous Manual; 3rd Edition: Monster Manual; 3.5 Edition: Monster Manual; 4th Edition: Monster Manual	Spectre	Have no corporeal body and drain life energy levels
Treants	16			Tree-like creatures able to command trees, Lawful in nature
Trolls	8	Basic 1977: Basic Set; Basic 1981: Expert Set; Basic 1983: Expert Set, Gazetteer: The Orcs of Thar; Basic 1991: Rules Cyclopedia; 1st Edition: Monster Manual; 2nd Edition: Monstrous Compendium Volume One, Monstrous Manual; 3rd Edition: Monster Manual, Dragon #301, Savage Species; 3.5 Edition: Monster Manual; 4th Edition: Monster Manual	Troll	Thin and rubbery, loathsome creatures able to regenerate
Unicorns	15	Basic 1977: Basic Set; Basic 1981: Expert Set; Basic 1983: Expert Set; Basic 1991: Rules Cyclopedia, Thunder Rift; 1st Edition: Monster Manual, Dragon #77; 2nd Edition: Monstrous Compendium Volume One, Monstrous Manual, Dragon #190; 3rd Edition: Monster Manual; 3.5 Edition: Monster Manual; 4th Edition: Monster Manual	Unicorn	Can be ridden by maiden-warriors and will obey them
Vampires	9-10	Original: Greyhawk; Basic 1977: Basic Set; Basic 1981: Expert Set; Basic 1983: Expert Set; Basic 1991: Rules Cyclopedia; 1st Edition: Monster Manual; 2nd Edition: Monstrous Compendium Volume One, Monstrous Manual; 3rd Edition: Monster Manual; 3.5 Edition: Monster Manual, Libris Mortis: The Book of Undead; 4th Edition: Monster Manual	Vampire	Powerful undead
Wights	9	Basic 1977: Basic Set; Basic 1981: Basic Set; Basic 1983: Basic Set; Basic 1991: Rules Cyclopedia; 1st Edition: Monster Manual; 2nd Edition: Monstrous Compendium Volume One, Monstrous Manual; 3rd Edition: Monster Manual; 3.5 Edition: Monster Manual, Libris Mortis: The Book of Undead, Dragon #348; 4th Edition: Monster Manual	Wight	Drain away energy levels on a hit
Wraiths	9	Basic 1977: Basic Set; Basic 1981: Expert Set; Basic 1983: Expert Set; Basic 1991: Rules Cyclopedia; 1st Edition: Monster Manual; 2nd Edition: Monstrous Compendium Volume One, Monstrous Manual; 3rd Edition: Monster Manual; 3.5 Edition: Monster Manual; 4th Edition: Monster Manual	Wraith	High-class wights with more mobility
Wyverns	11	Basic 1981: Expert Set; Basic 1983: Expert Set; Basic 1991: Rules Cyclopedia; 1st Edition: Monster Manual; 2nd Edition: Monstrous Compendium Volume Two, Monstrous Manual, Dragon Annual #1; 3rd Edition: Monster Manual; 3.5 Edition: Monster Manual; 4th Edition: Monster Manual	Wyvern	Smaller relatives of dragons with poisonous sting in tail
Yellow Mold	20			Deadly underground fungus that attacks wood and flesh
Zombies	9	Basic 1977: Basic Set; Basic 1981: Basic Set; Basic 1983: Basic Set; Basic 1991: Rules Cyclopedia; 1st Edition: Monster Manual; 2nd Edition: Monstrous Compendium Volume One, Monstrous Manual; 3rd Edition: Monster Manual; 3.5 Edition: Monster Manual, Libris Mortis: The Book of Undead; 4th Edition: Monster Manual	Zombie	Acts under the instructions of their motivator, be it Magic-User or Cleric (Chaos)

TSR 2003 - Dungeons & Dragons Supplement I: Greyhawk (1974)

This first supplement to the Gygax/Arneson boxed set is by Gary Gygax and Rob Kuntz and was printed in 1974. Information is presented in a similar manner as that in the boxed set booklet. Page 33 contains an index of the monsters presented in the book, and pages 34–40 contain descriptions of each monster. Additions and corrections to Vampires and Elementals from the boxed set are included in this book on page 34.

TSR 2004 - Dungeons & Dragons Supplement II: Blackmoor (1975)

This second supplement to the Gygax/Arneson boxed set is by Dave Arneson and was printed in 1975. Information is presented in a similar manner as that in the boxed set booklet. Page 14 contains an index of the monsters presented in the book, and pages 15–24 contain descriptions of each monster.

TSR 2005 - Dungeons & Dragons Supplement III: Eldritch Wizardry (1976)

This third supplement to the Gygax/Arneson boxed set is by Gary Gygax and Brian Blume and was printed in 1976. Information is presented in a similar manner as that in the boxed set booklet. Page 27 contains an index of the monsters presented in the book, and pages 27–40 contain descriptions of each monster. Additions and corrections to several monsters from previous books in the series are included in this book from pages 27–29.

TSR 2006 - Gods, Demi-Gods & Heroes (1976)

This fourth supplement to the Gygax/Arneson boxed set is by Robert Kuntz and James Ward and was printed in 1976.

References

1. ↑ Wienecke-Janz, Detlef, ed. (2002). Lexikon der Zauberwelten - Gandalf & Co. Wissen Media Verlag. p. 12. ISBN 3-577-13505-0. 
2. ↑ Gygax, Gary and Robert Kuntz. Supplement I: Greyhawk (TSR, 1975)