Summary
- Mimics can take any form, not just chests, creating paranoia and challenging players.
- Banshees are vengeful undead spirits spreading death and fear, perfect for horror games.
- Mind Flayers hunger for brains, striking fear with their gruesome abilities.
Dungeons and Dragons is the tabletop system that has a little something for everyone. High fantasy? The Sword Coast and all its wonderful cities and bountiful magic is right there? Whimsy? Step right into the Faewild for the weirdly wonderful. Horror? The Domains of Dread and their Lords await.
Dungeons And Dragons: Tips For Running A Gothic Horror Campaign
Players interested in diving into a gothic horror campaign at their next D&D session may want to follow these tips and suggestions.
Yes, even D&D can be great for tales of terror, with the right tools in play of course. It's all well and good having the world and story planned out, but DMs are going to need a few scary monsters to challenge the players' mettle and bravery, and these are just the monsters for the job.
8 Mimic
The Mimic Could be Anywhere, Anything
- CR: 2
The Mimic is often one of the most underestimated enemies of all time, as most players won't even account for their presence, and if they do, they think they are only going to appear as a chest, which will be easy enough to see through with high enough perception.
Mimics do mostly appear as chests, but the truth is that they could take the form of absolutely anything. They could be the tankard of ale on the table, the ale in the tankard, the bedroll a party member is about to sleep in or the door they are reaching for, ready to open. Introducing a mimic not in chest form will remind players of this fact and create a sense of paranoia about pretty much every single object.
7 Banshee
A Vengeful and Deadly Spirit
- CR: 4
The spirits of the departed have been a source of fear for people for countless centuries, as who doesn't shudder at the thought of sharing a place with an unseen, undead roommate who contributes nothing more than moving objects and being creepy.
Banshees aren't just a typical ghost, though, as they are vengeful spirits who will wreak their wrath upon any who just happen to stray in their path, their unsettling appearance sure to frighten people. Their undead nature has the power to wilt local flora, and their evil natures means they enjoy spreading the curse of death to others. Frightening in name and nature, the Banshee is the perfect fixture for any horror game.
6 Vampire
A Classic Horror Monster
- CR: 13
Vampires have been a staple part of the horror genre for centuries, appearing as central antagonists in novels and movies, such as Carmilla, Dracula, and Nosferatu. To this day, then still remain as popular choices to center horror stories around, so why shouldn't they have their time to shine in a D&D horror campaign?
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There has already been one official campaign printed surrounding the undead Count Strahd Von Zarovich, so there is already inspirations DMs can draw on and even a boss monster they can include in their game. Deadly yet charismatic, vampires are chilling creatures to come up against because of their human appearance, but extremely monstrous nature.
5 Beholder
It is not Beauty that is in the Eye of this Beholder
- CR: 13
Beholders are a Dungeons and Dragons staple, appearing in numerous campaigns and D&D- themed video games. They are a sight to behold, with a large toothy grin, and several eye stalks which can all inflict different spells on their foes. As such, they are quite the tough cookie, but beyond that, they are seriously creepy to look at.
Their inclusion in the Dead by Daylight crossover proved just how frightening they can be, and seeing them lash out at the bars in-game is a heart-attacking inducing jumpscare. Though DMs can't exactly jumpscare their players, they can still make them feel fear by including one of these monsters in their campaign.
4 Oblex
More than Meets the Eye
- CR: 5
From first impressions, there is nothing to fear regarding the Oblex, as it would just resemble another ooze or slime monsters that would probably die in a few rounds of combat with the party, but then it changes, morphs, becoming human, maybe someone even the party knows, or knew, someone who went missing and presumed dead.
This is because Oblex's are more than mere ooze monsters, as these creatures feed on the memories of humanoids around them, which in turn allows them to take their form in order to fool others. Though they won't be a mighty challenge, this haunting fact about them alone is enough to warrant their inclusion in a horror-focused D&D campaign.
3 Haunting Revenant
For Times When a Haunted House isn't Enough
- CR: 10
Introduced in the 2025 Monster Manual, the Haunting Revenant is a new spin on the old haunted house trope, as rather than ghosts simply living inside a house, the house itself has become an entity, fully sentient and rearing to kill any who dare get close enough.
With a twisted face appearing on its facade, the Haunting Revenant is an eerie enemy that might lure in others with its otherwise unassuming appearance. Even if players see through it and scoff at the idea of stepping foot inside, the Revenant can force players to enter the premise with a spell, and swallow all those who fail the charisma saving throw, and while it is still alive, escaping won't be a small matter. Haunting and powerful, this Revenant is a must for any horror campaign.
2 Mind Flayer
These Tentacle-Faced Creatures Hunger for Brains
- CR: 7
The Mind Flayer is one of the staple creatures in all of D&D, their lore and their appearance both striking fear into the hearts of any who hear about them. Though they mostly dwell beneath the ground in the Underdark, it doesn't mean players never need to worry about encountering one of these monsters, and woe betide any unprepared adventurer that does.
Dungeons & Dragons: Things You Didn't Know About Mind Flayers
Some Dungeons & Dragons players may be surprised to learn these interesting facts about Mind Flayers, creatures straight out of Lovecraftian horror.
Their CR might not be the highest in the game, but that doesn't mean they are not dangerous, especially not to lower-leveled parties. Their tentacled maw hides a gruesome mouth designed for one purpose: devouring the brains of other intelligent creatures. Their tentacles strike through their target's head and draws the brain out, allowing them to devour it, meaning a gruesome end for whoever their unfortunate prey happens to be. This would be an impactful way to introduce the Mind Flayer, and make players quiver with fear at the thought of meeting the same fate.
1 Gibbering Mouther
Eyes and Mouths in Excess
- CR: 2
Dungeons and Dragons does have many creatures of wonder, such as pixies and dragons, but there are also some absolutely horrific monstrosities, the Gibbering Mouther being one that definitely stands out.
Its appearance defies all known laws of anatomy, being little more than an amorphous mass of flesh writhing in mouths, tendrils, and eyes, which makes for quite the scream-inducing appearance. Its incessant gibberish muttering can even render foes motionless, leaving them vulnerable to being attacked by one of its many mouths, though its looks alone could freeze even the bravest adventurer in their tracks.
- Franchise
- Dungeons & Dragons
- Original Release Date
- 1974
- Publisher
- Wizards of the Coast
- Designer
- E. Gary Gygax, Dave Arneson