THE TOURNAMENT!
Simple, basic, 2 stage.
Stage 1: Qualifiers. we’ll be polling each monster to see who makes the cut.
Stage 2: Make a Tournament and see who wins!
I’m using “#not tournament” if it’s not directly important to the tournament, and “#answers” for answering asks, in case you don’t care about extra stuff. For a list of all poll results so far, Click Here!
Winners and Criteria/Rules below!
Criteria I’m using for entry:
We’re assuming it’s consenting, and old enough to.
Its has to be sentient and able to understand a form of communication, NATURALLY. I don’t care if you can theoretically cast “awaken” on a deer, it’s not going on the list. But the Giant Elk, which is fluent in 4 languages, is on the list.
Exception being things that don’t really think at all, like an animated item. Programmable tools, automatons, and plants are fine. I’m fine with people and I’m fine with objects, I’m just trying avoid putting up normal animals. Things that are alive but can’t consent.
CURRENT BRACKET SPECIFIC:
I’m using communication and lore as the main signifier of sentience. There are animals with 7 int. there are normal sentient races with 5 or less. Can’t really trust the stats, as they’re made solely with gameplay/combat in mind. So communication seems the most fair, assuming my look at its lore doesn’t say it outright.
D&D sadly does not credit artists directly. However, there is a wonderful blog post by Kato Katonian that has tracked many of them down
D&D 5e “Monster Manual”: Winner- Rakshasha, #2 Weretiger, #3 Barlgura (winner of the loser’s bracket!)
D&D 5e Player Character options: Winner: Dragonborn, #2 Satyr, #3 Autognome (Winner by default of the loser’s bracket)
D&D “Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse”: Winner: Bael, #2 Armanite, #3 Bulezau
Pathfinder 2e “Bestiary 1” + Monster Core updates/originals: TBD
