D&D Inspiration

Originally for my campaign inspirations is now an inspiration blog for anyone to come by and get ideas or things for d&d.

[multiverselibrary]

I often get asked how to create compelling creature designs based on real world animals. So here are my 🔥hot🔥 tips- 1.) Draw inspiration from as many organisms as possible. I always use a minimum of three. This keeps any one feature from being too prominent in your final design. 2.) Try to focus on indistinct aspects of your inspiration, like posture, or the shape of their spine/head/limbs. Don’t replicate any part of the original animal’s body completely.  3.) Choose a variety of organisms as your inspiration. A tiger and a lynx might seem like a cool combo, but your resulting neo-kitty might not stand out against other more inventive designs. 4.) Have fun! The rules of biology are your playground, and you can disregard the limits of reality as you please. A good example is in the mirroring of the fins on the second creature. Doubling limbs or other body parts to create visual flair or complexity is A-Okay! I did the same thing with the claws in the final frog-trex-crab, exaggerating the shape and symmetry of its claws. Creature design is an excuse to explore and experiment. Don’t hold back. That’s all I got for now! Suggest three animals that you think would make a good combo, and I’ll try to create a creature based on them.  Follow me on Instagram for more monsters!!

[the-fluffy-folio]

Fungoid Spear Sprinter – Tiny humanoid, unaligned

Although the spear sprinter is the fungoid’s most fragile form, it excels in terms of swiftness and efficiency to deliver painful strikes. It is gifted with keen instincts as well as sharp reflexes and – despite its tiny size – is able to quickly cover surprisingly long distances. A fungoid shaped up as spear sprinter is usually found in company of wanderers who fancy secrecy and stealth over brute force, putting the wondrous spore magic of this peculiar creature to best use.

🔮 Join The Fluffy Folio on Patreon to gain access to monster pages, tokens & artwork of dozens of quirky creatures and potion cards based on their lore.

[the-fluffy-folio]

Fungoid Mace Mosher – Tiny humanoid, unaligned

Besides its already remarkable ability to utilize strange spore magic, a fungoid has another exceptional trait: by morphing its limps and mutating the very fabric of its flesh, this peculiar creature is able to drastically transform its body at will. Since the fungoid is extremely vulnerable while shapeshifting, it usually seeks out secluded hideouts or the company of trusted friends to do so. The mace mosher is its sturdiest form, always ready to soak up an enemy’s attack and strike back with imposing determination.

🔮 If you like my work, kindly consider to support me on Patreon to gain access to monster pages, tokens & artwork of dozens of quirky creatures as well as potion cards based on the monsters’ lore.

[the-fluffy-folio]

Fungoid Blade Bearer – Tiny humanoid, unaligned

While some may argue that the fungoids are opportunistic or spineless, they simply have a completely alien perception of morality. Driven by an inexplicable motivation to bring its knowledge about their strange spore magic to use, a fungoid doesn’t follow concepts of evil and good or right and wrong. It rather lives by its own codex and forms spiritual bonds with whomever it deems worthy. If it does, this fungal creature is in fact an utterly loyal and trustworthy companion.

🔮 If you like my work, kindly consider to support me on Patreon to gain access to monster pages, tokens & artwork of dozens of quirky creatures as well as potion cards based on the monsters’ lore.

[the-fluffy-folio]

Tectonic Platelet – Tiny elemental, chaotic neutral

Known as Project Living Assault Vanguard Armor, or LAVA for short, this tiny elemental is another invention by the Institute of Microzoological Alchemy. Legend has it that only the highest ranking members of the institute’s military order received a tectonic platelet as an award for their services. While this gesture was considered a great achievement already, the true power of this elemental lies in its ability to evolve into an astonishingly magical armor. Whether this effect is triggered by exposing the tectonic platelet to a certain magical substance or some other kind of energy remains one of the many unresolved mysteries surrounding the institute.

🔮 If you like my work, kindly consider to support me on Patreon to gain access to monster pages, tokens & artwork of dozens of quirky creatures as well as potion cards based on the monsters’ lore.

This creature was made in collaboration with Loot Tavern ❤️

[nailsofvecna]

That sure is a convincing zombie costume!

…it is a costume, right?

[filibusterfrog]

kenk

[the-fluffy-folio]

Mother’s Hand – Medium undead, lawful evil

For a long time the lifeless “Mother” was widely believed to be nothing more than a figment of the skely-tons twisted imagination – an archaic idol carved from stone and erected eons ago by a forgotten civilization. The mother’s hand emerges from the depths of the earth to guide the heedless hordes of skely-tons on their unstoppable march through the underground. Crushing this undead creation won’t yield lasting results, as it seems to be conjured over and over again. The reason for this never-ending circle of death and decay, however, is still to be unveiled…

🔮 If you like my work, kindly consider to support me on Patreon and gain access to an ever-growing compendium of quirky monsters and potions.

This creature was made in collaboration with The Goblin Explorer and Tabletop Music Bazaar ❤️

[the-fluffy-folio]

Skely-Ton Tunneler – Tiny undead, lawful evil

Distant noise of picks on the stone, subtle sounds of hasty steps and a muffled cracking of bones – these are the unmistakable signs of a skely-ton tunneler inexhaustibly expanding the cold reach of its “Mother”.  Guided by her lifeless hand, the tiny creature burrows through the bowels of the earth like a maggot eats its way through a piece of stale flesh. While its body might be fragile, the skely-ton’s will remains unbroken, driving it to endlessly disturb the sinister silence of the underground.

🔮 If you like my work, kindly consider to support me on Patreon and gain access to an ever-growing compendium of quirky monsters and potions.

This creature was made in collaboration with The Goblin Explorer and Tabletop Music Bazaar ❤️

[the-fluffy-folio]

Jungle Chompers – Medium swarm of Tiny beasts

A first and unmistakable sign of a nearby pack of jungle chompers is the absolute absence of animal sounds. Stalking through the undergrowth of steamy forests, this primal beast is preying upon any unfortunate creature that crosses its path – be it as small as a nimble lizard or as large as a full-grown gorilla. While a single jungle chomper might be cute to look at, a pack of these ferocious critters poses a serious threat even for trained and well-equipped adventurers. Unfortunately for many explorers and wanderers, a jungle chomper never roams alone…

🔮 If you like my work, kindly consider to support me on Patreon and gain access to an ever-growing compendium of quirky monsters and potions.

This creature was made in collaboration with Eightfold Paper.

[nailsofvecna]

Ever noticed how fey creatures are always depicted riding deer and eagles? Well, I'm here to tell you that they aren't doing it to be dramatic - or at least, not only for that reason. The simple reality is that the tangled, overgrown forests of the Feywild make for poor terrain to ride horses over. Surefooted forest creatures are a much better bet for the natives of the faerie plane.

Not everyone is lucky enough to be able to command the loyalty of wild elks and great stags, however. Riding spiders were first domesticated by the tasloi, those diminutive goblinoids of the Feywild, and are now popular with all manner of small and tiny fey.

Selective breeding has reduced the potency of these spiders' poison, and enhanced their speed to match that of a typical riding horse. Combined with their natural climbing and web-spinning abilities, these spiders can be formidable mounts indeed.

[gilgalahad]

The latest Tweets from Moniek Schilder (@monschi_art). Freelance concept artist and illustrator from The Netherlands

swordtember

[the-fluffy-folio]

Minitee – Tiny beast, unaligned

Clumsy on land, graceful in water – as small as it is, the minitee is quite aware of its impressive tusks and knows how to use them. Luckily for most wary water dwellers, the minitee rarely attacks without being provoked. In fact this remarkable animal proves to be a loyal albeit independent companion, if treated well and with respect. In this regard, the filiodons and shelligans are occasionally observed to use flocks of minitees as beasts of burden for coastal to subaqueous trading routes.

🔮 If you like my work, kindly consider to support me on Patreon and gain access to an ever-growing compendium of tiny monsters and quirky potions.

[the-fluffy-folio]

Molehill Giant – Tiny giant, chaotic evil

If the molehill giant wouldn’t speak Giant, it would hardly classify as such. This peculiar creature, however, actually shares even more distinctive features with its bigger cousin than what meets the eye, as it is highly territorial, always hungry and exceptionally aggressive. Luckily the molehill giant’s territories are very small – unfortunately this makes it common to encounter several molehill giants within a few feet. While molehill giants usually spend their days vociferously quarreling with their neighboring kin, they always stand together to bully a greater intruder. Known for their dirty tricks in combat, most attempts to communicate with them end up with bruises or broken toes.

🔮 If you like my work, kindly consider to support me on Patreon and gain access to an ever-growing compendium of tiny monsters and quirky potions.

[the-fluffy-folio]

Chromunculus – Tiny construct, unaligned

Said to be invented by a eccentric wizard, this little construct’s designated purpose was to absorb and store magical energy. The experiments failed and resulted in the creation of the chromunculus. Its remarkable ability to absorb the colors of its surroundings can cause a lot of damage nonetheless. A wandering chromunculus has ruined many cloth merchants, artists or jewellers by leaving nothing but grayness behind. Breaking this fragile creature or removing its cork makes it burst into a million pieces, causing it to randomly release the contained colors. Remaining motionless, the chromunculus is easily mistaken to be an ordinary flask and thus often brought to the city as part of alchemists‘ or magi‘s deliveries.

🔮 If you like my work, kindly consider to support me on Patreon and gain access to an ever-growing compendium of tiny monsters and quirky potions.

[the-fluffy-folio]

Nettle Drake – Tiny dragon, chaotic neutral

Said to be a distant relative of the hermit drake, this tidepool-dwelling critter does not need a shell to protect itself. Despite its tiny size, the nettle drake must not be underestimated: A scaly hide, burning nettles as well as spiky thorns makes it a tough opponent. If startled, this colorful creature can catapult itself over a remarkable distance towards its enemy to stick onto the unfortunate opponent. Avoiding such an encounter is advised: Getting a nettle drake off again is a highly tedious task.

🔮 If you like my work, kindly consider to support me on Patreon and gain access to an ever-growing compendium of tiny monsters and quirky potions.

[the-fluffy-folio]

Gray Witness – Tiny celestial, lawful neutral

Nobody really knows why they exist, but a gray witness – or sometimes referred to as death’s notary – is quite a remarkable critter. Living eternally, the gray witness keeps an ever-growing mental protocol of the deaths of thousands upon thousands of creatures. This eldritch creature usually doesn’t interfere in affairs of mortals and rather observes from a distance. The gray witness’ gaze, however, can be fairly dangerous if it feels disturbed.

🔮 If you like my work, kindly consider to support me on Patreon and gain access to an ever-growing compendium of tiny monsters and quirky potions.