AD&D The Catoblepas, with its Death Gaze!

Every DM has that one monster the players forget about until it’s too late. For me, that monster is the Catoblepas.

It is not pretty. Picture a buffalo, a hippo, and a warthog all stitched together after a bad night in the swamp. Its head hangs low like it can barely hold it up. You think that makes it slow. You think that makes it easy. It doesn’t.

Because when that head comes up and the eyes lock on yours… you are dead. No dramatic last words. No bargaining. Just a saving throw and then a new character sheet.

The Monster Manual says it lives in fetid swamps and miasma-choked marshes. Perfect. I love sticking this thing in places where the air already feels like it wants you gone. Add the Catoblepas and you’ve got a hazard that thinks.

It is not smart-smart. It is “semi-intelligent,” which means it knows when to use its tail to trip you and when to back off to avoid arrows. It also means it won’t stand in one place waiting to be killed. It will use cover, muck, and terrain to slow you down.

Now, some players will say this monster is cheap. I disagree. The real trick is foreshadowing it. Have NPCs talk about the “death in the eyes.” Show petrified corpses. Describe acid-etched bone. Let the party put the pieces together before it shows up. That way, when it finally raises its head, the moment is pure dread.

Run it right and the Catoblepas is not just another random encounter. It is a session the players will talk about for years.

---

Things talked about on the podcast

• Dewayne Hollow Introduction – Read it here
  A strange, unsettling corner of the world filled with fog, decay, and a feeling you are not alone. I talk about how the Catoblepas would thrive in a place like this.

• Support the show on Patreon – Patreon.com/TheEvilDM
  Exclusive content, early looks, and more for old-school gamers.

• Watch on YouTube – youtube.com/@TheEvilDM
  Podcast episodes, game talk, and classic RPG content.

• Watch on Rumble – rumble.com/TheEvilDM
  Backup channel with the same no-nonsense RPG content.