Summary
Coastal regions inDungeons & Dragonsare teeming with unique monsters that bring danger and mystery to seaside adventures. From creatures lurking beneath the waves to those stalking rocky cliffs and sandy shores, coastal monsters add thrilling challenges for both seafaring campaigns and land-based quests near the water.
These creatures often combine aquatic abilities with terrifying lore, making encounters unpredictable and immersive. Whether your party is battling hydras, fending off hag curses, or exploring ancient shipwrecks, coastal monsters can transform any adventure into an unforgettable nautical tale. Here are the best coastal monsters to feature in your D&D games.
8Hydra
CR Eight Monstrosity
Dwelling in coasts and swamps, hydras are fearsome enemies that can quickly become unmanageable even for the most prepared parties. This is due to their ability to regenerate heads, which can make it nigh immortal and incredibly deadly as fights become longer.
This feature can be easily diffused with fire damage, although the hydra still starts with five heads. That means five attacks per turn, not to mention the ability to make five opportunity attacks, although not all against the same target.
7Chuul
CR Four Aberration
Chuuls can often be used as minions forother aberrations, such as beholders or mind flayers, but they can also be found roaming alone. The best place to use a roaming chuul without needing to add any deeper plot is in coastal caves, where they might make their lair while collecting treasure.
Fights against these creatures can be as interesting as they are deadly, for they focus on grappling and paralyzing their opponents. Being grappled depends on the characters’ armor class, although enduring the poison is a Constitution saving throw that can remove the party’s tank in a single move.
6Sea Hag
CR Two Fey
Wherever you see one hag, others lie in wait, and the same is true for the sea hag variant. This is due to their Coven Magic trait, which lets them cast various spells as long as other hags are nearby (although they don’t have to be sea hags specifically), Find Familiar and Scrying being some of the most useful.
As a foe, the sea hag is more of a social threat, using disguises to lure adventurers in and then frightening them with its true form. This allows it to use Death Glare later, a particularly deadly ability forhow low in CRthe creature is.
5Marid
CR 11 Elemental
Any excuse to use a genie is a good one, and marids are the ideal subtype to use in a coastal setting. As a foe, they can be quite dangerous and slippery, having many spells that let them escape from players like Gaseous Form and Invisibility.
However, they are best used as a friendly NPC that rewards the players. You see, the genie subtype of elementals has a chance ofknowing the Wish spell, which they can cast in the name of whoever they wish; earning the favor of a marid would be in the best interest of the party.
4Kuo-Toa
CR One To Six Aberration
If you’re planning a low level adventure set in a coastal area, then the kuo-toas are a perfect faction to serve as enemies for the players. Their fanatical ways make them clear foes, and their weakness to sunlight can make players retreat to the safety of the sun if they overstay their welcome.
The 2024 Monster Manual’s version of these kuo-toa can also ensure that they remain memorable even at the lowest level of play. The lowest CR version of the creature already has a special ability, a sticky shield that can take someone’s weapon if they miss their attack against the fish-like monster.
3Storm Giant
CR 13 Giant
Giants don’t often meddle in mortals' affairs, so when they do, you know something serious is going down. If your coastal adventure has to do with dire consequences for the world, then adding storm giants to the mix can give it an appropriate level of seriousness.
While fighting a storm giant can be fun, they are also just as interesting as friendly NPCs. If your party lacks a sufficiently experienced spellcaster, then asking a storm giant to cast Control Weather might be the only way to save your party fromthe coming thunderstorm.
2Dragon Turtle
CR 17 Dragon
Unlike other dragons in the 2024 Monster Manual, the dragon turtle can’t cast spells, although it certainly doesn’t need to. Its massive size and powerful attacks are often more than enough to deal with its prey, especially when faced in the middle of the ocean, where most parties are at a disadvantage.
This creature is still a dragon, making the seas its lair and hoarding all kinds of treasure. A beast like that can easily be the final boss of an adventure, and its lair an interesting place to visit for anyone that dares travel to the dark depths of the ocean.
1Bronze Dragon
CR Two To 22 Dragon
These metallic protectors can be a great source of adventure for players, no matter what version of the creature you decide to use. Since they can’t let communities suffer, a young bronze dragon might task the players to investigate the nearby kuo-toas, as the dragon itself stays behind to ensure the survival of the people.
During encounters, the bronze dragon’s Repulsion Breath is a great way to assert dominance, particularly if you make the dragon scream something when using it. That way, even if the target passes the Strength saving throw, they would still get the message.
