Some monsters from Dungeons & Dragons can instantly be recognized as incredibly strong. However, there are also creatures that bring qualities other than strength, which may not be as readily perceived – yet it is precisely these that can make them even more dangerous.
Which monster is being referred to? It is the Kraken, which in Dungeons & Dragons has a Challenge Rating of 23, a Constitution score of 25, and a Strength score of 30.
The gigantic monstrosities are of chaotic evil alignment and possess abilities that make them real challenges, which is why it is better to avoid them. They are also a candidate in our ranking of the 10 strongest opponents in Dungeons & Dragons.
A DM (Dungeon Master) reported in the DnD subreddit, as he realized that the Kraken is certainly a dangerous encounter due to its strength and constitution.
But he sees even more hidden potential that many others overlook. For Kraken have an Intelligence score of 22, giving them a solid +6 bonus on all Intelligence checks. This opens up many often underutilized possibilities for DMs.
Here you can see the trailer for Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves:
What is worse than a natural disaster? A natural disaster with an agenda
What does the DM need help with? The DM Ough2405 writes that he does not see Kraken utilizing their +6 Intelligence often enough. He says, “Most of the time they are just used as living natural disasters, and while that is cool, I want to use them in a way that the party realizes that this creature is much smarter than they think.”
The DM is therefore reaching out to the DnD community for inspiration. “Kraken are not really able to use their telepathy unless they are relatively close. The exception is when they speak through a Kraken priest, but what could they say in just a few words that would sound threatening?”
What ideas does the community have? The DnD players immediately understand what the DM desires and offer several ideas:
- dragonseth07 understands the DM’s vision: “Natural disasters with a certain purpose. Kraken are great at destroying coastal cities, but why exactly those? What is the long-term goal? To elaborate: A Kraken could, for example, pursue political goals through targeted destruction.”
- zmayes immediately goes along with the idea: “A few shady characters in fancy suits show up in the town one day and start walking around, commenting on what a beautiful town it is. It would be really a shame if a tentacled monster from the depths appeared and destroyed everything. Maybe fishing boats would disappear until the protection money is paid.”
- SandmanS2000 reports on a collaboration with a certain fish folk from Dungeons & Dragons, which we previously introduced in another article: “I had a Kraken convince a Kua-Toa cult that it was a god to use the powers of their psychic worship, and then sent them to raid coastal settlements and drive people out to sea, forcing them to flee. Then it struck and reaped the spoils.”
- JeffreyPeterson envisions a version where a Kraken learns to use “Vicious Mockery”: “Not only does it destroy your ship, it also destroys your spirit. ‘Kyle! Hey, Kyle!’ The Kraken breaks off a mast and throws it into the sea. ‘I can hear you crying at night in your cabin, Kyle. Everyone thinks your new shield is totally lame, and you know it too. There’s a damn jalapeño pepper on it. What kind of knight thinks a jalapeño is hot?’ The Kraken throws an NPC deckhand into its gaping maw. ‘Did your shield protect your crew, Kyle? What are you going to season them for me?’”
When asked for ideas from DnD players and DMs for particularly creative new gameplay approaches and stories, you can expect to receive good material. With the help of the community, the DM and author of the post should have received some good approaches for his own campaign. If you want to know which opponents besides the Kraken are at least as dangerous or even more dangerous, this list might be interesting for you: The 10 strongest opponents in Dungeons & Dragons in Power Ranking
