Monsters with interesting abilities (CR 1-10)

[Naerytar]

Hi!

I'm having trouble finding monsters with interesting abilities in the level range of 1-10.

With interesting I mean things, that don't just make the creatures hit harder (e.g. Pack Tactics). A good example would be Blink Dogs. They change the way, the party has to position themselves, because squishy characters can't just stay back anymore. They have to form a circle or fight with their backs against the wall.

Any ideas?

[DaveOfTheDead]

Here are a couple from my last session.

Displacer Beasts.
"Avoidance. If the displacer beast is subjected to an effect that allows it to make a saving throw to take only half damage, it instead takes no damage if it succeeds on the saving throw, and only half damage if it fails .
Displacement. The displacer beast projects a magical illusion that makes it appear to be standing near its actual location, causing attack rolls against it to have disadvantage. If it is hit by an attack, this trait is disrupted until the end of its next turn. This trait is also disrupted while the displacer beast is incapacitated or has a speed of 0."
I like this because my party of newer players haven't fought anything like that before. If you too have a new party, telling them they attack at disadvantage before anything has happened with throw them off. Now, the displacer beast doesn't have a high AC, only 13, but it dodged a few hits against a level 5 party.

Young Remorhaz.
"Heated Body. A creature that touches the remorhaz or hits it with a melee attack while within 5 feet of it takes 7 (2d6) fire damage.
Damage Immunities: cold, fire"
This guy can take a few good hits, and will last a while if not the only monster they're fighting. And the party will also take damage if they don't attack from a range. He deals fire damage and is found in arctic environments, but is immune to cold and fire damage. So using the logic: "It's found in the arctic, use fire!" doesn't work here.

I'm particularly fond of using giant spiders as well. If I can restrain my players for a bit, drag them away perhaps, it will make them mad and make me laugh. They've expressed their hatred of spiders, (one character has even developed arachnophobia), but it has only given me a discernible trait as a DM.

[Oramac]

Honestly, there's not a ton of cool monster abilities at all in 5e. Something for which I'm constantly disappointed.

I did find this video about using 4e monsters to make 5e more interesting, and I have to say, it's been wildly successful in my groups. You can find the 4e monster manual *around* and use that plus a little creativity to really make some epic fights.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoELQ7px9ws

[Avonar]

Here's a few I know of top of my head:

Shadow (CR 1/2) - Has the ability to drain its targets Strength score.

Mimics (CR 2) - They're legendary for a reason, and they don't have to be a treasure chest. Look, that door just attacked you.

Mephits (CR1/4 - 1/2) - When they die they explode, and each one has a different effect.

Medusa (CR 6) - Don't think I need to explain here

Mind Flayer (CR 7)/Intellect Devourer (CR 2) - Suck you brains out, make you a vegetable, these things are both nasty.

Phase Spider (CR 3) - Its a spider that can go to the Ethereal plane and back at will. Where will it pop out? The party doesn't know. Plus the name of the ability is 'Ethereal Jaunt' and I love that.

Gibbering Mouther (CR 2) - A giant bundle of mouths that can really screw you up, comes with potential forced movement and attacking an ally as a passive effect.

Hydra (CR 8) - Heads, heads, heads

All I can think of for now really.

[SirGraystone]

Rust Monster are great for that warrior who just spent 1500 gp on a new plate armor.

[Nidgit]

A Rug of Smothering is a fun ambush monster that transfers half the damage it takes to its victim. Cloakers do the same thing but add Mirror Image and stealth.

Ghosts are probably underused since they're not that original. Passing through solid objects, phasing between planes, potential magical aging, and possession? Yes please, actually.

[mephnick]

Umber Hulk has Confusing Gaze which will **** your PC's up. High DC and everything.

[MxKit]

There are a lot of CR 1-10 monsters and a ton of cool abilities, IMO! Like, the vast majority of monsters in the Monster Manual have some neat **** attached which you could use to make the players play differently, mess with them in different ways, or just freak them out if they're unfamiliar with the creature(s).

I mean... there are aarakocra (which can summon air elementals), aboleths, rugs of smothering, ankhegs, banderhobbs, banshees, barghests, basilisks, gauth and gazer and spectator beholders, vine blights, bulettes, cave fishers, choldritch and chitine groups, cloakers, cockatrice, swarms of cranium rats, darkmantles, deep scions, various types of demons and devils, doppelgangers, some young or wyrmling dragons, driders, dryads, elementals of course, drow mages and priestesses, ettercaps (which often come with giant spiders and swarms of spiders as well)... and that's just A through E. Grungs, hags, mimics, oozes, rust monsters, shadows, and vargouilles are all also very tricky and can force players to try different things to deal with them.

[ProseBeforeHos]

The roper is a super fun creature, especially if you put it on the ceiling, or in an area where it can drag allies through difficult terrain (across a small stream for example).

Oozes are great fun too. Gelatinous cubes to engulf people or oozes that split into parts to overwhelm the party.

I'd recommend checking out the Shadow of the Demon Lord if you can get your hands on a copy of the PDF, it's bestiary has imo a better take on a lot of the common D&D monsters, I use it myself for inspiration (zombies for examples).