The Adventurer's Guide To Abusing Monsters PDF

The Adventurers Guide to Abusing Monsters
By Renduaz
So you know where to find a variety of monsters, you know what they're capable of, but.... how
does any of it benefit you? This is where our lovely guide comes in. You thought the monster
descriptions were for the GM and their powers were a property of their owners? No my friend,
they are about to become ours. In here will be listed all the methods by which an enterprising
hunter could exploit the dwellers of the realm through extraction, domination, trapping and
transformation. This compendium will allow you to reference it whenever you encounter a
monster, quickly informing you with the best methods to maximize your utility from these
encounters. However, only unique or particularly worthy uses will be covered here, rather than
obvious applications such as dominating a monster and making it take an attack action, and so
forth. Creatures which do not appear in this guide either have only capabilities which are
apparent at first sight, or another creature can provide the same benefits with superior power or
ease.
This guide will require the Monster Manual and Volos Guide to Monsters for reference.
Accomplishing Prerequisites
Controlling Monsters
Throughout this guide there will be many times when specific exploits with a creature will
demand your complete control over it. That is, you must be able to make the monster act as if it
were your very own character. This prerequisite will be designated simply as "control". There
are two principle ways of accomplishing this, some of which would not be discussed here, since
various other guides and source materials can be found for that purpose, but several processes
will be highlighted.
Ally - Whether it be a happy, reluctant or temporary alliance, achieved by intimidation,

persuasion, mutual interests or promises, even animal handling in some instances, this is the
condition under which you have successfully obtained the allegiance of a creature under certain
circumstances, and it is henceforth willing to use it's abilities at your behest. Sometimes, a
creatures nature is very much receptive to friendly or malicious alliances, bargains or
threatening, and so forth, and it will be designated as a Willing Ally.
Dominate - The far more popular and often necessary way is to directly dominate the creature's
mind or body. Note that due to the popularity of charming spells, you may be confused about
the possibility of dominating monsters immune to charming, however several spells ( Such as
Planar Binding ) are not actually charms, thereby bypassing it, as well as monsters which can
be charmed and then used to control other monsters through alternative means ( Such as the
Intellect Devourer ). This is often accomplished through various magical spells or class abilities,
a popular selection of which will be listed below by type for your convenience:
Humanoids: Create Thrall, Charm Person, Crown of Madness, Dominate Person

Beasts: Animal Friendship, Conjure Animals, Dominate Beast, Awaken, Channel Divinity: Charm Animals and Plants, Master of
Nature, Animal Shapes
Elementals: Conjure Minor Elementals, Conjure Elemental, Planar Ally
Plants: Awaken, Channel Divinity: Charm Animals and Plants, Master of Nature
Fey: Conjure Woodland Beings, Conjure Fey
Undead: Command Undead, Animate Dead, Create Undead
Celestials: Conjure Celestial, Planar Ally
Fiends: Planar Ally
All: Suggestion, Channel Divinity: Read Thoughts, Geas, Modify Memory, Magic Jar, Mass Suggestion, Dominate monster, Gate
Many magical items are also available, but will not be listed here.
Extending Control
When controlling monsters, it would often be required for you to do so for a certain length of
time in order to derive the benefit in the first place, or to make the most out of it. Although a few
of the spells and class abilities above can often accomplish this by themselves for almost all
creature types, sometimes it will not, or youd want to do so in a lower level, or gain even a
longer period of control. A few methods stand out for that purpose:
Planar Binding - Your method of choice when dealing with celestials, elementals, fey or fiends.
This can control them for incredible lengths of time.
Recast - By far the most universal and potentially infinite option is simply to recast your control
spell. This is usually accomplished by first trapping the monster before the duration of its
servitude expires for enough time to let you renew the spell or ability you used though a Short
Rest or Long Rest, and for the limit on casting the same spell on the target again if there is any
to also expire, then to weaken it as much as possibly under the limitations of the trap, and then
to control it again. If need be, you could even subdue the target once more through combat in
order to recast.
Weakening Monsters
Controlling monsters often requires them to make some kind of saving throw or resist in other
ways before the desired effect can take place. This list will contain some useful spells for
reducing a monsters ability to reject control over it:
Bane, Bestow Curse, Feeblemind, Hex , Contagion, Polymorph
Trapping Monsters
Frequently, a monster will have benefits which could be fully derived from merely trapping it
rather than going to all the length of controlling it, if possible, and furthermore you might also
want to trap a monster first in order to have enough time to control or extend control over it.
Below you can find some spells which are very useful for that purpose:
Arcane Lock, Enlarge/Reduce, Glyph of Warding, Magic Circle, Fabricate, Mordenkainen's Private Sanctum, Hallow, Telekinesis,
Flesh to Stone, Forbiddance, Forcecage, Mordenkainen's Magnificent Mansion, Antimagic Field, Antipathy/Sympathy, Demiplane,
Imprisonment
When dealing with particularly powerful monsters or extraplanar beings, sometimes death itself
will offer them an escape from their bondage, if they succeed in doing so. The following spells
are noteworthy for restoring or shielding a target from suicide attempts, the target is completely
unable to resist the effects, and unlike other spells, they dont require the targets soul to be
either free or willing for them to work:
Death Ward, Revivify
Finally, as with control, many magical and mundane items are available for trapping, but
likewise due to their unpredictability to appear in a campaign, and their mostly detailed uses,
they will not be discussed here.
Monstrous Transformation
Occasionally, the best way to obtain a certain monsters ability is to transform into it. The
following spells and class abilities often tend to be the most suitable for this purpose:
Wildshape, Shapechange, Polymorph, True Polymorph
As always, magical items will not be elaborated on.
Using Monsters against other Monsters

For almost all of the methods so far, it will frequently be possibly, and even recommended, for
you to employ a specific monster which you currently control, trap, or transformed into in order
to control, trap, transform, or extract from another monster. Whenever such an opportunity crops
up with a certain kind of monster, it will be listed.
Sample Combinations
We will now review all of our methods so far to determine how they could be most efficiently
combined to accomplish their goals. Since weakening and transforming are are more
straightforward, this will generally mean controlling and trapping, with the most coveted aim
being a permanent or extremely long duration of controlling or trapping a monster. Some spells
and abilities can do so by themselves, while others require some bolstering, and will be
discussed below:
Planar Binding+Magic Circle+Any weakening spell except for Hex+Any summoning spell - As Planar Binding suggests, you cast an
inverted Magic Circle first ( Up to desired duration in higher spell slot ), then draw in or much more likely, summon a monster
affected by Planar Binding, weaken it with Bestow Curse ( 5th level or higher recommended ), Contagion ( Flesh Rot ), Feeblemind
or Polymorph, and then even try to cast Bane or have someone else do so during the last minute, then bind it to your service.
Any trapping spell+Any weakening spell+Glyph of Warding - Create multiple glyphs of Warding infused with weakening spells
centered in a location to which a monster is about to be brought, lured or summoned into in order to increase the chances of the
monster failing its saving throws. Alternatively, infuse a single or multiple glyphs of warding with spells which would neutralize a
target and then lure the target into the area.
Any trapping spell+Mordenkainen's Private Sanctum+Hallow+Forbiddance+Antimagic Field - Intended for securing powerful planar
creatures and spellcasters. Mordenkainens Private Sanctum will protect an area in which you keep a monster trapped from
divination, teleportation and planar travel. Hallow can do the same or impose Silence with its secondary effect. Forbiddance will
provide the same defense, but can be made permanent much more quickly in 30 days, perfect for keeping monsters trapped in your
keep or somewhere else until you need to fetch them. Anti-Magic Field can briefly disable various spellcasters for easier trapping.
Modify Memory - The ability to create a memory of some other event or alter the details of an event is excellent for controlling a
creature as an ally, as long as you can find something consistent with its inclinations, beliefs, an alignment. For example, deities are
often a mysterious, and a memory of the creature being instructed by his deity to collaborate with you to achieve some goal could
work well. Even if the deity is evil or unfriendly, you could make the monster recall that the deity also told it that you would only be
used as a pawn until he decides to dismiss you. A memory of the creature finding out that it could easily reach or get something it
wants by temporarily joining you under pretense would also work well for creatures that are hard to ally with.
Magic Jar - Worth mentioning despite its obvious application for being the very best control even transformation spell available. You
can possess any creature which fails its saving throw indefinitely, possibly also stowing or bringing your body and jar with you for
later return.
Antipathy/Sympathy - Use the Sympathy feature for keeping creatures trapped for up to 10 days in a designated area.
Enlarge/Reduce - Only listed for the fact that a Wizard with Spell Mastery can choose to cast it at will, potentially deriving some
benefit from keeping a creature in perpetual smaller size for certain trapping spells which have a size limit on them.
Flesh to Stone - Keep a monster trapped permanently in stone form.
Fabricate+Arcane Lock+Hex - Fabricate can be useful for crafting chains, gags or other trapping devices from materials you come
across, although if you can, smithing them works fine too. An Arcane Lock which can be cast infinitely on many objects and lasts
until dispelled could easily raise the breaking DC of a Mithril or Adamantine locked chain or door into an almost impossible check
even for the strongest of monsters, if the target can cast knock or dispel magic on it would bound or gagged and so forth. Imposing a
disadvantage with Hex can also help if working with lesser materials.
Mordenkainen's Magnificent Mansion+Antipathy/Sympathy+Demiplane+Telekinesis - Cast Mordenkainen's Magnificent Mansion,

designate your target monster as a creature which can enter, then throw or push it inside the portal by any means, and close it. The
monster is now trapped in there for 24 hours and expelled to the nearest open space from where you cast the portal at the end of
the duration. Likewise when you do so with Demiplane, you can shove a creature inside, and if you can keep it there for close to 1
hour somehow, it would become trapped permanently when the door closes until you cast demiplane again and choose to connect
your shadowy door to the previously created demiplane. For the purpose of doing both of these things, you could use a spell such
as Telekinesis, and you could also use it to forcefully move a creature into the perimeter of an Antipathy/Sympathy spell with the
sympathy feature.
Conclusion
You now know how to control, extend control, weaken, trap or transform into almost every
monster, and to reference prerequisites whenever they are needed. Therefore, let us see what
the inhabitants of the realms have to offer us.
Monster List
Aboleth
extraction, control, trapping, t ransformation, willing ally
If you are ever able to control or transform into an Aboleth, you are in for a world of fun. If you
thought controlling or becoming a dragon was good, this might just change your mind.
Mucous Cloud, Legendary Actions, Lair Actions and Regional Effects - Fantastic for aquatic environments if you transform into the
Aboleth.
Tentacle - Harvest those from a slain Aboleth and you potentially have a tool which can inflict 6 acid damage to a creature every 10
minutes when it's outside of water or until it's skin is moisturized.
Enslave (3/Day ) - If you control or transform into the Aboleth, you can enslave any 3 creatures you bring forth to it for at least the
duration of your control or transformation ( Or more if you renew it. ), and if you transformed into an Aboleth, You could create an
unlimited army of infinitely charmed creatures, both underwater and above, being able to send out more of them to bring you new
creatures to enslave with ease as your army expands. They would only be allowed to repeat a saving throw once every 24 hours if
they go more than 1 mile away from you, assuming you don't come along with them ( Which you can easily do in an aquatic
environment, or for land, see "Moving" ), and you can communicate telepathically with them anywhere. Each day you add 3 more
creatures to your army. This is one of, if not the most powerful abilities in all of D&D if you can do it right. Sprinkle some weakening
spells on lured or trapped high-level creatures by other members of the party or yourself and you'll quickly become a God over all
creation, poetically the Aboleth's desire.
Moving as an Aboleth - In case you need to traverse dry land, a large sized wheeled water tank commissioned from your
accomplices, worshipers or servants is a popular option.
Eternal Memories, Gods in the Lakes - The Aboleths have eternal memories of all the knowledge passed from generations long
before the Gods, and their minds are treasure troves of ancient lore. Furthermore when they consume other creatures, they add
their knowledge and experience to theirs. So if you are ever in need of extremely ancient or hidden knowledge, just control or ally
the Aboleth. Or if you are the Aboleth, expand your knowledge by consuming any person or creature you want to.
Enemies of the Gods - Tiny little detail. If you transformed into an Aboleth, you're immortal. From anything. Even the deities
themselves. When your body dies, a new one will coalesce in the Elemental Plane of Water over days or months for you.
Briefly controlling or allying with the Aboleth can grant you untold advantage. Transforming into
one will make you on par with the deities themselves. Since Aboleths are intelligent creatures
and often try to appeal to their target's greatest desires when seducing them for their schemes,
a temporary alliance with an Aboleth is a very really possibility. If you can somehow trap the
Aboleth, bring it out of the water and take it back to a secure water tank or pond or pool in your
keep or a civilized area and ward it, you could have leverage over the Aboleth with intimidation,
since it's going to fear being trapped even more death, assuming it can't just commit suicide. But
you could even prevent that by casting one of the trapping spells designed to stop that.
Rug of Smothering
control, trapping
Dispel Magic or grappling work well for trapping. Secure it in some chest or a bag of holding or
other safe container or means of trapping it, and through any means at your disposal, either lure
an enemy into opening it or throw it while ejecting it open at the same time next to an enemy. A
Dispel magic while laying it stealthily next to an enemy's path would work well until the carpet
springs up again. Using multiple carpets in this fashion if you can locate or make them is even
better.
Damage Transfer - If your rug managed to grapple a creature, and that creature has some attack which deals a lot of damage, it
would be rather entertaining if he striked the carpet with it as the first thing he does.
Azer
control, trapping, willing ally
Heated Body - Order your Azers to grapple an enemy, Telekinesis an Azer to your enemy, move it into tight quarters, or anything
else you can think of to put an enemy of yours within 5 feet of the Azer. Every time it touches an enemy, he suffers 1d10 fire
damage, as well as every time it hits the Azer.
Masters of Metal and Gems - These guys are considered the best smiths in the entire planes. They built the City of Brass. When
called by magic to the Prime Material, it's usually to forge an elaborate magic item or work of art. If you ever need any blacksmithing
done, control an Azer.
Banshee
Control, transformation
Detect Life - Know the presence and general direction of any creature within 5 miles.
Wail - Weaken your enemies if needed, Get away 30 feet from the Banshee or send into a group of enemies. Any of them who fail
their saves are down.
Basilisk
Petrifying Gaze - Infinite petrification of enemies with the assistance of your Basilisks.
Adaptable Predators - Take as many eggs as you can, raise the Basilisk in captivity during your campaign, enjoy your own Basilisk
army.
Beholder
If you could control, trap or transform into the beholder though previously discussed means, you
will gain access to a wide range of powers. Since the benefits of the Eye Rays are obvious
enough, I will discuss the finer aspects.
Eyestalks - If you ever destroy a Beholder, harvest at least four of it's stalks, preferably as many as you can find.
Superior Planning ( VGM ) - The mind of a Beholder can envision any possibility and scheme in a manner which makes humans
seem like babies in comparison, often making it impossible to catch a beholder unaware. If you ever need a plan in your campaign,
a Beholder could grant you one, should you compel it to do so.
Despotic Perspective ( VGM ) - In order to entice a Beholder to assisting you, you could deceive it by claiming to know of a plot by a
rival beholder, or offer to help in destroying a rival in exchange for something.
Disintegration Ray - I know I said the application of the rays are already detailed in the MM and VGM, but this should be underlined.
With the infinite firing of this ray which the Beholder uses to shape it's lair and the Telekinetic Eye Ray, you could carve a path
through almost any solid matter or construct things from your environment on the fly.
Beholder, Eye Tyrant

Easier to ally with.
Beholder, Death Tyrant

extraction, control, trapping, t ransformation
Negative Energy Cone - Unlimited zombies.
Beholder, Gazer
Control, willing ally
Variant: Gazer Familiar - Only notable for it's role as a familiar and the endless eye ray attacks it offers as such.
Beholder, Spectator
control, willing ally
Magical Guardians - You can use four eyestalks from a slain beholder to create a ritual that will summon the spectator to guard
things for you.
Blights
control, trapping
Dark Conquest - Through the trapping and transferal of a blight creature , you could probably infect entire forested or vegetated
areas with more spawning blights.
Bugbears
control
Talking Heads ( VGM ) - A trick given by Elminster, that if you could make the severed heads carried by bugbears on spikes through
Speak with Dead or Minor Illusion and other spells, you could make the bugbears do almost anything, since they believe their gods
are the origin of that.
Goblins
Leaders and followers - A goblin king is incredibly easy to secretly ally with, or most likely, control, even at the lowest level, allowing
you to control hundreds of goblins under his leadership.
Goblin, Nilbog
control, trapping, transformation, willing ally
Nilbogism ( VGM ) - A nilbog spirit can't truly die nor be attacked in it's incorporeal form, and can seek new goblins to possess
perpetually. Likewise a creature attempting to damage it must succeed on a saving throw or be charmed until the end of it's next turn
Reversal of Fortune ( VGM ) - Turn another creature's damage to 0 as our reaction and regain 1d6 hit points.
Hobgoblins
control
Host ( VGM ) - By easily controlling a Hobgoblin warlord while undetected, you could rally a thousand hobgoblins, goblins, bugbears
and their pets to attack a settlement or lair of your choosing. By the way, none of the Hobgoblin spellcasters have the ability to
detect the magic or dispel it.
Hobgoblin, Hobgoblin Iron Shadow

control, transformation
Shadow Jaunt ( VGM ) - Good for very fast reconnaissance in dark and difficult environments when controlled.
Bulette
Underground Hunters - Makes for decent reconnaissance or tunneling when controlled.
Cambion
Fiendish Blessing - The Cambion adds it's Charisma bonus ( +3 ) to it's AC and it's AC is shown as "19 ( scale mail )". Assuming
that bonus has already been added somehow, if you gave your Cambion full plate armor, it would have an AC increase of +4 from
scale, raising it's AC to 23. Giving it a shield will make it 25. That's a permanent AC of 25 just from regular items, and with a simple
spell like "Shield of Faith" it can be 27 for a round. You can effectively have an almost indestructible tank. And if you have Plate+3 or
Shield+3 or Ring and Cloak and Ioun Stone of protection, a Staff of Power, and Charisma increasing magical items or potions, it's
going to be a literally indestructible tank.
Resistance to nonmagical weapons - Even more utility for your ultimate tank.
Fiendish Charm - And being able to also control an unlimited number of humanoids for 1 day is not too bad either.
Chuuls
control
Waiting Servants - If you transformed into or controlled an Aboleth, these creatures will immediately come into your service as soon
as you can find them.
Cloaker
extraction
Camouflaged Lurkers - Harvest the hide of a Cloaker for hiding in the Underdark.
Cockatrice
control
Bite - Notable for it's very low challenge rating, providing an opportunity to be controlled at very low levels and the possibility of
petrifying enemies for 24 hours through this attack.
Couatl
control, transformation, willing ally
Change shape - Your couatl can become any humanoid or beast of CR 4 or less as a transformation.
Cyclops
Unwise - The only information of use here is that the Cyclops can easily be awed by magic to mistake a spellcaster for a divine
figure, offering opportunities for controlling it through an alliance.
Darkmantle
extraction
False Appearance - Harvest it's skin for camouflage.

Demons
Protected Essence - Control can be available through obtaining a demonic amulet, or if you polymorphed into a demon, using it to
safeguard yourself.
Bound Demons - MM lists artifacts which can help with controlling demons.
Demon True Names - When controlling a demon, learn it's true name.
Demon, Balor
Demonic Overlord - A Balor could possibly command other lesser demons if you can bring them forth or if you are in the Abyss.
Teleport - Along with a flying speed of 80 feet, the Balor actually makes a very good mount.
Truesight 120 feet - The best reconnaissance.
Demon, Glaberzu
Notable for being very willing towards temporary alliances.
Truesight 120 feet - The best reconnaissance.
At will spellcasting - Darkness, detect magic and dispel magic at will are all very useful.
Demon, Yochlol
control
Mist Form - Incredible as an infiltrator.
Demon, Babau
control
Heat metal at will ( VGM ) - Unlimited blowtorch.

Demon, Devourer
control, trapping, transformation
Imprison Soul ( VGM ) - If you can trap, control and unleash or transform into a Devourer within a location where there are a lot of
creatures with no hit points that you either placed there deliberately or were already there, you could possibly create and undead
horde at that location.
Demon, Vargouille
control, trapping
Trap or control a bunch of these creatures and unleash them on your enemies or in settlements
for potential widespread mayhem
Kiss ( VGM ) - Hatch new Vargouille members.
Devils
Dark Dealers and Soul Mongers - Willing temporary allies under the right circumstances.
Devil True Names and Talismans - Obtain the true names of controlled Devils or their talismans for further control.
Devil, Chain Devil

Control, transformation
Animate Chains - Doesn't have a duration limit. Good for grappling and possibly subduing creatures at least until they can destroy
the chain.
Devil, Pit Fiend

Innate Spellcasting - Unlimited Fireballs.
Devil, Barghest
Shapechanger - Useful for infiltrating goblin strongholds or subduing goblins if you control this creature.
Pass without a trace at will - Infinite stealth.
Levitate at will - Good too.
Doppelganger
This low CR monstrosity is amazing for spying and out of combat activities.
Shapechanger - Impersonate any humanoid. No checks to find out it's false since it's a polymorph, and infinite duration.
Read Thoughts - Constantly probe the mind of any creature within 60 feet. No saving throw or resistance for that creature.
Dragons
extraction, control, transformation, willing ally
Much has been written and imagined about the prospective benefits of controlling or
polymorphing into this iconic creature. We will discuss only some of the less commonly known
benefits in this segment. Harvest at least 10 pounds of fresh dragon scales from any Dragon
you slay.
Dragon, Young Red Shadow Dragon

control
Shadow Breath - An army of undead shadows.
Dragon, White
Speed - Notable for having statistics in walking, burrowing, flying and swimming as a mount.
Lone Masters - You can gain it's obedience from a demonstration of physical or magical might. This is particularly common among
Frost Giants. Which means you could theoretically control a specific Frost Giant in order to control it's White dragon.
Dragon, Ancient Brass Dragon
transformation, willing ally
Change Shape - The legendary trick with True Polymorph.
Boldly Talkative - Willing allies.
Dragon, Bronze
War Machines - Willi ally with good aligned players.
Dragon, Ancient Gold Dragon

Shapechange - If you could acquire it's assistance or dominate it, you could transform it into any beast or humanoid of CR 24 or
lower.
Dragon, Turtle
Mercenary Monsters - Willing allies.
Elemental Might - If you can control or ally with a Dragon Turtle, you could have a floating traveling keep of your own.
Dragon, Guard Drake

Gifts from Dragons ( VGM ) - Use 10 pounds of fresh dragon scales, a large amount of fresh meat, an iron cauldron, and possibly
the assistance of a dragon to complete this ritual.
Dryad
Speak with beasts and plants - free communication with nature.
Tree stride - Your Dryad can traverse enormous distances and back with this ability.
Fey Charm - For each Dryad that you control you can have one humanoid and up to 3 beasts charmed as well for 24 hours.
Elementals
Elemental nature - Good as guardians.
Elemental, Air Elemental

Flying speed of 90 feet - Incredibly fast.
Air Form - Great for reconnaissance.
Elemental, Earth Elemental

Earth Glide - Good for infiltration.
Elemental, Fire Elemental

Fire Immunity - Absolutely incredible. Traverse dangerously hot areas or the Elemental Plane of Fire itself, withstand fire spells and
attacks with impunity.
Fire Form - good for tight quarters and grappling.
Elemental, Water Elemental

Swimming speed of 90 feet - Good for traversing aquatic environments.
Flumph
Intelligent and Wise - Will ally with good aligned players.

Psionic Siphons - The Flumph can reveal the thoughts or emotions of any Psionic creature whose energy it feeds upon.
Gas Spore
control, trapping
This low CR creature is actually overwhelmingly potent. Either control or much more commonly,
trap it, then release it into the midst of your enemies from at least 30 feet away, even weakening
them prior to that if you can. On a failed DC 15 constitution saving throw, every creature within
20 feet will become poisoned, infected with the spore, and die within a single day if it can't cure
the disease, with 2d4 tiny gas spores sprouting from it which grow to full size within 7 days after
it does. If trapped, then placed or thrown stealthily into any enemy colony or settlement, and
then you withdraw, this creature could devastate multiple creatures or even their entire abodes
should they return and the infestation spreads.
Shrieker
extraction
Shriek - Harvest as a cheap alarm system.
Violet Fungus
control, trapping
Rotting Touch - Trap as many of those as you can and place them in an enemy location to wreak havoc in it.
Galeb Duhr
Stone Guardian - Excellent sentinel.
Animate Boulders - When in combat, you can now have 3 Galeb Duhrs.
Genies
Variant Wishes - Free Wishes. Even more Wishes if you control and bind more Genies, possibly through their own wish spells.
Djinni
Accepting servitors - Will ally.
Dao
Stone shape at will - Transform stone as much as you want if you can control such a creature.
Ghost
control
Ethereal Sigh - Never be ambushed by any other ethereal creature again.
Etherealness - Perfect scout.
Possession - You can now make your ghost permanently possess a humanoid.
Giants
The Ordning - Controlling or allying with a Storm Giant or high ranked Giant could enable you to make it exercise sway over any
lesser giants you meet.
Giant, Storm Giant Quintessent

Wind Javelin ( VGM ) - 600 feet range piercing attack.
Gith
Only the Githyanki have an interesting benefit.

Gith, Githyanki
Red Dragon Riders - If you control or transformed into a Githyanki, you might be able to ally with some Red Dragons.
Gnolls
control
Gnoll War Band ( VGM ) - Control a Gnoll Pack Lord for dominion over an entire pack of gnolls and their followers.
Gnoll, Gnoll Fang of Yeenoghu

control
Transform Hyena ( VGM ) - A fang of Yeenoghu can spawn more gnolls by anointing the remains of a foe using bizarre rituals. A
hyena which feeds on such a corpse becomes a Gnoll.
Iron Golem
If you can create it with the Manual of Golems, an Iron Golem will make an excellent tank.
Immune to nonmagical weapons that aren't adamantine - Almost invincible with that alone.
Fire absorption - Heal your Golem with fire cantrips and spells, encase it with oil and burning flames or unleash it to fight enemies in
the Elemental Plane of Fire. Make creatures with the Heated Body or Fire Form traits climb on top of it.
Griffon
Trained Mounts - Raise a Griffon egg to acquire a mount
80 feet flying speed - with good acceleration too.
Grimlocks
control
Endless War - If controlling any Illithid, these creatures will willingly serve it.
Hags
Monstrous Motherhood - If you wanted to, you could feed a human infant to a controlled hag in order to make her give birth to yet
another hag.
Dark Bargains - Will ally, knows a lot of dark secrets.
Heartstone - An hag item which will cure any disease. Take it from a hag or force a controlled hag to craft it.
Weird Magic ( VGM ) - Can be obtained from controlled hags.

Hag Mounts ( VGM ) - You could use an hag's animated object or force her to create one and ride it as a mount while controlling her.
Solitary but Social ( VGM ) - Controlling a Hag Grandmother could lead to indirect control over a coven or number of hags.
Hag, Green Hag

Invisible Passage - Make your hag invisible at will.
Hag, Night Hag

extraction, control, transformation
Soul bag - Take it from a defeated hag or force a controlled hag to craft it. Maybe youll find a use for it.
Nightmare Haunting - Day by day, you could kill almost any unwarded humanoid target from the Ethereal Plane by gradually
reducing it's hit point maximum, as long as it can't continue restoring them through Greater Restoration or similar magic.
Hag, Annis Hag

Tribe Mother ( VGM ) - A controlled Annis hag could have ogres or trolls under her control as well.
Iron Token ( VGM ) - When controlling an Annis Hag, you could craft up to 3 of these tokens to transfer messages from anyone else
to the hag, and from her to you.
Hag, Bheur Hag
control
Hold Person at will ( VGM ) - As long as he has her Graystaff, your controlled Bheur Hag can cast Hold Person at will.
Harpy
Luring Song - Make yourself immune to charming and use a controlled Harpy to render everyone within 300 feet charmed while your
harpy continues singing at it's location if they fail their saving throws.
Hydra
Multiple Heads - If you could keep an hydra trapped or harmless long enough while inflicting damage to it so it grows as many heads
as it possibly can, you could possibly then try to control it.
Reactive Heads - And by doing the above, gain access to as many bite attacks as your pet Hydra possess heads.
Intellect Devourer
Combining the Devour Intellect and Body Thief abilities as many times as it takes while
controlling the Devourer or after transforming into it, while subduing a chosen enemy, can be
the key that allows you to permanently control almost any creature you can't otherwise.
Detect Sentience - Better than Truesight, and for 300 feet.
Devour Intellect - Potential to paralyze a target permanently, and even more effective when you weaken it beforehand.
Body Thief - Preferably used on a target whose intellect you just devoured, you can now seize control of that target through your
control over the Intellect Devourer, which can maintain a telepathic link with you from 60 feet.
Invisible Stalker
control
Invisible - Your Invisible Stalker can attack while still invisible, possibly making for an incredible pet if it moves around between
targets.
Faultless Tracker - All locating spells rendered obsolete with this ability.
Kou-Toa
Notable for having low challenge rating and humanoid, thereby highly receptive to control.
Otherworldly Perception - Essentially have Truesight for 30 feet as long as you control the Kou-Toa.
Lycanthropes
Curse of Lycanthropy - You can become any Lycanthrope as a player if you contract the curse, chiefly gaining immunity to attacks
from any nonmagical weapons which aren't silvered while in that form.
Mimic
control, trapping
Perfect for trapping and putting in the vicinity of an enemy.
Shapechanger - Polymorph into any object. Which means if you also control a Mimic, you can access any object you need.
Mind Flayers
Hunger of the Mind - By controlling an Illithid, you could make it consume a creatures brain to recall its fears, memories and
personality, or even ask it to transform a creatures brain into an Intellect Devourer through its knowledge.
Ceremorphosis ( VGM ) - Create more Mind Flayers from a controlled Mind Flayer.
The Elder Brain ( VGM ) - If you could control an Illithid while making the magic not detected, possibly with the combination of other
spells for that purpose, you could send it within 5 miles of an Elder Brain and an Illithid colony to learn anything the other members
know.
Renegade Illithids ( VGM ) - A rogue Illithid can become a potential ally.
The Grand Design ( VGM ) - By promising an advantage against the Gith in particular, you could possibly ally a Mind Flayer colony.
Mind Flayer Thralls ( VGM ) - If you can take control of an entire Mind Flayer colony, possibly through controlling the Elder Brain, or
perhaps just controlling a few Illithids, you could create permanent thralls from any creature.
Nautiloids ( VGM ) - When coming to an Illithid colony, look out for their flying ships which can cross the Astral Sea and travel
between worlds.
Mind Flayer Magic Items ( VGM ) - While controlling Illithids, you can make them or their thralls wield those items.
Mind Flayer Augmentations ( VGM ) - When controlling Illithids or a colony, you can augment your thralls with those things.
Mind Flayer, Elder Brain

Hive Mind ( VGM ) - Controlling an Elder Brain could mean controling its entire colony.
Regional Effects ( VGM ) - The Elder Brain can hear telepathic conversations within 5 miles of itself.
Creature Sense ( VGM ) - An Elder Brain can know when there are creatures within 5 miles of it if they have an Intelligence score of
4 or above and knows where they are.
Psychic Link ( VGM ) - perceive through the senses of an incapacitated creature detected by Creature Sense within 5 miles of
distance. This can be done with up to 10 creatures.
Sense Thoughts ( VGM ) - Read the thoughts of a target under a Psychic Link or influence it into believing a particular idea or feeling
a particular emotion.
Mind Flayer, Ulitharid

Birth of a Colony ( VGM ) - Create or become an Elder Brain.
Pisonic Hub ( VGM ) - Maintain a Psychic Link to an Elder Brain in any distance.
Mind Flayer, Mindwitness

Solitary Seekers ( VGM ) If you have telepathic abilities or a telepathic creature under your control, the Mindwitness could become
your all.
Minotaur
If transforming, you could be immune to being mazed.
Labyrinthine Recall - Good if you get lost. Recall any path you travelled
Modrons
Absolute Law and Order - Although extremely difficult, if you could somehow control or ally with Primus in Mechanus, you could
control all Modrons in that plane.
Mummy Lord
Rejuvenation - It stands to be pointed out that besides control or transfomation, if you could trap a Mummy Lord and take its heart,
then make a protected container for that heart, you could unleash your Mummy Lord anywhere you choose, hiding the container in
that place stealthily,, and the Mummy Lord will continue assailing it every 24 hours even after it dies. You could do so by making a
very durable container possibly with Arcane Lock, and some wards against divination and invisibility, such as with the spell
Sequester. With numerous Mummy Lords, you could terrorize whole cities.
Myconids
Myconid Reproduction - Create more Myconids while controlling a Myconid
Myconid, Myconid Sovereign

Animating Spores ( 3/Day ) - Control humanoids or beasts with high strength scores after slaying them by using this ability.
Nagas
Good for a single purpose.
Naga, Spirit Naga

Rejuvenation - Your controlled Naga will never be slain, and if you transformed into it, you are now immortal, at least until a Wish
spell is cast.
Naga, Guardian Naga

Rejuvenation - Your controlled Naga will never be slain, and if you transformed into it, you are now immortal, at least until a Wish
spell is cast.
Nightmare
Creating a Nightmare - You can create a Nightmare from a Pegasi.
Ethereal Stide - The Nightmare and up to three willing creatures can magically enter and leave the Ethereal Plane at will.
Nothic
Dark Oracles - Will all with you if you have a magic item for it.
Weird Insight - Learn a secret from any target your Nothic can prevail in a contest against.
Oni
Magical Ogres - An Oni could be seduced into becoming a willful ally.
Change Shape - Your Oni can masquerade as any Large Giant.
Oozes
trapping, transformation
Trap them and unleash on enemies or use them to corrode metals.
Ooze, Black Pudding

Amorphous - You could move through a space as narrow as 1 inch wide while transformed into an ooze, or let the ooze do so
Corrosive Form - Destroy the weapons of your enemies when unleashed it on them.
Psuedopod - Reduce your enemies AC or destroy their armor.
Ooze, Gray Ooze

Amorphous - You could move through a space as narrow as 1 inch wide while transformed into an ooze, or let the ooze do so
Corrode metal - Destroy your enemys weapon or eat through metal.
False Appearance - The ooze is indistinguishable from an oily pool or wet rock while motionless.
Psuedopod - Reduce your enemies AC or destroy their armor.
Orcs
King Obould Many-Arrows - In the Forgotten Realms, you could possibly control thousands of ocs by controlling or allying with this
Orc.
Gods of the Orcs ( VGM ) - According to Volo, impersonating an Orc deity can easily lead to obedience and control.
The Sacred Bull ( VGM ) - By shielding yourself with or riding an Auroch, you could dissuade Orcs from attacking, since none of
them would harm the auroch.
Orcs as Underlings ( VGM ) - Can be made into allies by an exceptionally charming or strong human and through false signs.
Omens and Superstitions ( VGM ) - You could stand inside a circle, such as that of stones or mushrooms, to deter Orcs from
entering it.
Pegasus
Noble Mounts - Could be convinced to serve a good aligned player.
Flying speed of 90 feet - Some of the best flying mounts.
Piercer
extraction
False Apperance - Cut off its skin for camouflage in rock terrain.
Purple Worm
Tunneling - If transformed or controlling a Purple Worm, you can tunnel through solid rock at a burrowing speed of 15 feet.
Purple Worm Poison - You could possibly extract its Tail Stinger for Purple Worm Poison.
Quaggoth
control
Servants of the Drow - By impersonating, controlling, transforming into, or being a Drow, you could possibly ally with a Quaggoth.
Rakshasa
Limited Magic Immunity - Your Rakshasa is immune to all spells of 6th level or lower
Claw - Inflict a curse on your enemies.
Roc
Garangutan Monstrosity - Can possibly fit an entire party of medium creatures on its back.
Flying speed of 120 feet - Incredibly fast.
Roper
extraction, control, trapping, t ransformation
Underground Hunters - A roper can digest anything it eats except for Platinum, Gemstones and Magical Items. A ropers digestive
juices fetch a high price from alchemists as solvents. Harvest them for sale or other uses.
False Appearance - Camouflage in rock terrain.
Grasping Tendrils - A Ropers tendrils could possibly be harvested to be used against an enemy. The roper also replaces lost
tendrils with new ones, so they could be extracted perpetually as well.
Rust Monster
Iron Scent - Find precious or useful metals while prowling with a Rust Monster.
Antennae - The Rust Monster can corrode any nonmagical ferrous metal, including mithral and adamantine.
Sahuagin
Devils of the Deep - Control a Sahuagin Baron to control an entire Sahuagin ocean domain.
Shark Telepathy - Shared among all Sahuagin, you could gather a swarm of sharks to be controlled while controlling or being
transformed into a Sahuagin.
Salamanders
control
Slaves of the Efreet - Control or transform into an Efreet to ally with Salamanders.
Living Forges - Second only to the Azer in being among the greatest metalsmiths in all the realms.
Shadow
Strength Drain - Unleashed a single or numerous Shadows on a good aligned location in order to possibly create more and more
shadows.
Shambling Mound
Lightning Absorption - Use Lightning spells or objects and creatures that deal lightning damage constantly attached to the
Shambling Mound in order to regenerate its heath perpetually.
Shield Guardian
Masters Amulet - Commission, Create or steal a Shield Guardians amulet to control it.
Spell Storing - You now have an extra spell lot of 4th level or lower that can be cast by your Shield Guardian.
Slaadi
Birth and Transformation - Create more Slaads if you control a Slaad.
Control Gem - Use this Gem to control a single or numerous Slaads.
Slaad, Death Slaad

Shapechanger - Useful.
Major Image and Detect Magic at will - Good utility
Sphinxes
This is one of the most uniquely powerful monsters you could control or transform into.
Magical Tests - If a Sphinx is guarding something under divine protection, its possibly that controlling it would not allow you to reach
what its guarding by asking it where it is.
Lair Actions - Willingly fail your saving throw to reduce your years as much as you want through a controlled or transformed Sphinx.
You could time travel. If you make you Sphinx take Short or Long Rest, you could literally travel thousands or millions or infinite
years into the past or future by using it multiple times, and youll never age because you have an ability to forestall that too. Change
the course of history to remake everything in your Prime Material or the universe itself. Learn the secrets of the Netherese Empire.
Go to the Time of Troubles and become a God. Travel into the future and back with highly advanced spells or technology.
Sprites
extraction, control, willing ally
Poison Brewers - Extract their arrows or make a controlled sprite concot it.
Good-Hearted - Will often assist good aligned characters.
Succubus/Incubus
This is yet another monster with utterly unbridled powers when its full potential is unlocked.
Beautiful Corrupter - Send your controlled Succubus or Incubus to tempt and corrupt a target.
Fiendish Offspring - Force a controlled Succubus and Incubus to breed to expand your control over their offspring, or make them
breed with a humanoid to spawn a Cambion.
Telepathic Bond - You can use this ability to break the extraplanar restriction on almost every other ability of its kind, at least for 1
day, by making your Succubus or Incubus charm the monster or character you want to communicate with between planes, and
repeat the process after a day has passed. Of course, you can also communicate with the Succubus or Incubus itself in this manner.
Alternatively, and much more preferably, in order not to break a longer charm you have on a creature, you can designate a willing
character or creature, or an unwilling and particularly weak one to be charmed by the Succubus or Incubus for a day, And have the
monster subjected to your own charm spell go along with it or carry it, and transmit telepathic commands between yourself, to the
succubus or incubus, and from them to the creature, and from it to your own charmed creature, and vice versa.
Charm - Free charm on a humanoid for a whole day, pretty good.
Etherealness - And your Succubus or Incubus can switch to the Ethereal Plane too at will.
Tarrasque
control
I have only a single instruction for you. Waste its Legendary Resistance for the day through a
bunch of spells that would require it to make saving throws its not good with, or possibly by
unleashing a horde of controlled or trapped Intellect Devourers on it, then use a controlled
Intellect Devourer on it to Devour Intellect. Upon success, make your controlled Intellect
Devouer enter it with Body Thief. Alternatively, transform into an Intellect Devourer yourself and
use Body Thief on the Tarrasque.
AC - Dont forget to equip your Tarrasque with a magnificent coat of plate armor forged by mabe a few Azers to become invincible
completely.
Treant
False Appearance - Good for hiding in forests.
Animate Trees ( 1/Day) - You now have 3 Treants.
Troglodyte
extraction, control
Chameleon Skin - Extract for potential camouflage.
Troll
Regeneration - Potentially make it immoral if you could somehow grant it immunity to fire or acid.
Unicorn
Forest Lords - Pixies, sprites, Satyrs and Dryads will ally with a Unicorn you control or are allied with while within its hoods.
Sacred Horns - Extract them if youre evil and dont mind the divine retribution.
Blessed Mounts - Will ally.
Pass without a trace at will - Infinite stealth.
Shimmering Shield - Improve your defenses in combat with a +2 bonus to AC. Very powerful.
Vampire
Born from Death - You could become a Vampire, gaining all of its abilities, damage resistances, traits, darkvision and actions, while
retaining all of your own, your Strength, Dexterity and Constitution scores all become 18 if they werent already, and your alignment
changes to Lawful Evil.
Chained to the Grave - Sequester or otherwise ward your grave and put it in a bag holding or something and then just move it along
with you, or create multiple resting places.
Shapechanger- Transform into mist for spying or moving.
Legendary Resistance (3/Day) - If youre a Vampire, you can do that.
Misty Escape - Your or your vampire can almost never be destroyed easily.
Regeneration - Even more awesome abilities
Bite - Have a bunch of creatures with a lot of hit points nearby to heal yourself as an attack, and also create unlimited hordes of
Vampire Spawns with your Vampire. Or even more Vampires for you to control.,
Charm - Charm an unlimited number of humanoids for 1 day.
Children of the Night ( 1/Day ) - Have your Vampire summon some more monsters.
Water Weird
Invisible in Water - If you transformed into a Water Weird, you have permanent invisibility in water, or if controlling one or several
and fighting in water, its opponents cant see it.
Wight
Life Drain - Have up to 12 zombies for each Wight you control.
Wraith
Incorporeal Movement - Good for scouting or bypassing things.
Create Specter - Have 7 Specters for each Wraith you control.
Wyvern
extraction, control
Tamed Wyverns - Can be used as a mount if raised as a hatchling.
Stinger - Extract for Wyvern Poison.
Xorn
Beggars and Thieves - The Xorn is open to bargins and can ally with any adventurer.
Earth Glide - Incredible for scouting or transport if transfomed into the Xorn.
Stone Camouflage - Extract its hide for use in rock terrain.
Treasure Sense - Take a long a controlled or allied Xorn to find precious metals, stones, coins and gems within 60 feet of it.
Yeti
Cold Immunity - Good for fighting monsters which do cold damage, or in the Elemental Plane of Ice.
Snow Camouflage - Extract its fur for hiding in snow terrain.
Yuan-Ti
One Race, Many Forms ( VGM ) - Extract their eggs to breed more Yuan-Ti. The Yuan-Ti also know rituals that can transform an
individual into a more powerful type, so consult a controlled Yuan-Ti about that.
Serpent Gods ( VGM ) - By controlling enough Yuan-Ti to reveal their knowledge, you could eventually transform into it yourself and
attain divinity.
Structured Society ( VGM ) - By controlling a Yuan-Ti Abomination or Anathema, you could indirectly ally many subservient Yuan-Ti.
Yuan-Ti Poisons ( VGM ) - According to Elminster, Yuan-Ti sell poisons all over the Realms covertly. Extract and steal poisons from
controlled Yuan-Ti.
Serpent Cults ( VGM ) - The Yuan-Ti have a ritual to transform a human into a Yuan-Ti Pureblood. Control them to find out how to
do it.
Yuan-Ti, Yuan-Ti Anathema

Six Heads ( VGM ) - Pretty good.
Yuan-Ti, Yuan-Ti Broodguard

Human No More ( VGM ) - Use a controlled Yuan-Ti or their brews while transformed to create unlimited numbers of Yuan-Ti
Broodguards to serve you.
Yuan-Ti, Yuan-Ti Mindwhisperer

Eldritch blast with 300 feet range and +3 bonus to each damage roll at will ( VGM ) - Sniper blast.
Yugoloths
The Books of Keeping - If you could find them, such as with a Locate Object spell or something else, you could gain control over all
Yugoloths, and even know the true names of some Demon Lords and Archfiends.
Fiendish Mercenaries - Will ally with enough payment
Back to Gehenna - Yugoloths never really die. Therefore, if exerting planar reaching control on a Yugoloth, you could keep
summoning it over and over again by transporting it with any spell back to the battle or your location, and if you transformed into it,
You can only be killed at Gehenna.
The General of Gehenna - If you can find it on its plane and control it, you could possibly control man Yugoloths or have access to
unfettered power.
Yugoloth, Arcanaloth
Information Traders - Arcanaloth often work for information, and as such a controlled Arcanaloth could reveal much.
Alter self and Magic Missile at will - Very useful.
Yugoloth, Nycaloth
Dispel magic and mirror image at will - Also good.
Yugoloth, Ultroloth
Alter Self, Clairvoyance, detect thoughts, dispel magic and suggestion at will - Incredible.
Volos List
Banderhobb
Birthed by hags ( VGM ) - A ritual to create this monster can be gained from hags or powerful evil mages, fiends and dark Fey
Resonant Connection ( VGM ) - Good for tracking
Bodak
control, trapping
Marked by Orcus ( VGM ) - A controlled or trapped Bodak can serve as a direct communication channel to Orcus. Although he is not
obliged to respond.
Boggle
Oily Excretions ( VGM ) - Boggle oil good for 1 hour before disappearing which can be extracted.
Unreliable Allies ( VGM ) - Potential ally.
Dimensional Rift ( VGM ) - Good for stealing with a controlled Boggle.
Catoblepas
Sinister Folklore ( VGM ) - Potential ally.
Cave Fisher
extraction, willing ally
Valuable Innards ( VGM ) - Extract almost every part of it.
Reluctant Servants ( VGM ) - Can be tamed as guardians with the threat of fire
Cranium Rat
Telepathic Shroud ( VGM ) - Immunity to all divination spells makes for excellent spying.
Cranium Rat, Swarm of Cranium Rats

control
Command at will ( VGM ) - very good.
Quetzalcoatlus
Flying speed of 80 feet ( VGM ) - Good as a flying moun.
Flail Snail
extraction, control, trapping
Trail of Treasure ( VGM ) - The glassy residue can be extracted from a trapped or controlled Flail Snail
Shell of a Flail Snail ( VGM ) - Extract it for its worth and various uses. You could theoretically Conjure Elemental, possibly wih
Planar Binding to generate an infinite supply of Shells.
Froghemoth
Revered by Bullywugs ( VGM ) - A controlled Froghemoth can be used to control or beguile Bullywugs, and even be amed.
Girallon
Magical Origin ( VGM ) - Can potentially be placated and tamed.
Grungs
Castes and Colors ( VGM ) - Control a Grung of an higher caste to control lesser Grungs.
Naturally Toxic ( VGM ) - Poison which can be extracted.
Ki-Rin
Good Personified ( VGM ) - Could ally with good aligned characters.
Flying speed of 120 feet and 20 AC ( VGM ) - Great as mounts.
Gaseous Form, Major Image and Wind Walk at will ( VGM ) - Incredible.
Korred
One of the most profitable monsters you could come across.
Stone Sympathy ( VGM ) - Find metal, gems, underground paths and secret doors in stone with ease.
Enchanted Hair ( VGM ) - The Korreds hair will turn into material it was cut with. Endless supply of gold, adamantine or diamond if
you use shears made from those materials.
Commune with nature, Meld into stone and Stone shape at will ( VGM ) - Amazing
Conjure Elemental ( 1/day ) - More elementals from your controlled Korred.
Morkoth
Primeval Hoarders ( VGM ) - Aside from the benefits of plundering, the fact that a Morkoth can track its possessions across the
planes means you can use a controlled Morkoth to give or plant a possession on someone or something and then track the objects
location wherever it goes.
Spell Reflection ( VGM ) - A controlled Morkoth makes a good spell shield.
Neogi
Alien Tyrants ( VGM ) - If you can find them or control enough Neogi to build one, some Neogi still build and use ships that can
travel through the planes.
Hierarchy of Ownership ( VGM ) - Control a superior Neogi to command lesser Neogi.
Neogi, Neogi
Enslave ( 1/day ) - Good for controlling other monsters.
Quickling
transformation
Speed of 120 feet ( VGM ) - Good for transforming into if you want to move fast.
Sea Spawn
control
Deep Thralls ( VGM ) - Can be controlled as long as you control a listed monster possibly.
Slithering Tracker
control
Vengeance At Any Cost ( VGM ) - Hags, liches and others know the ritual to create this monster from a willing being.
False Appearance ( VGM ) - Good for hiding in liquids.
Spawn of Kyuss
control
Burrowing Worm ( VGM ) - Make more Spawns of Kyuss
Tlincalli
extraction
Poisonous Eggs ( VGM ) - Extract for poison
Trapper
Versatile Camouflage ( VGM ) - The perfect camouflage.
Vegepygmies
extraction
Russet Mold ( VGM ) - Extract and spread in a hostile location to make encroaching creatures take poison damage when they come
near.
Wood Woad
Born of Sacrifice ( VGM ) - You can create this monster if you know the ritual.
Xvarts
Raxivorts Betrayal ( VGM ) - If you could somehow locate and dispose of enough Xvarts or randomize your search with some luck,
you might come upon Raxivort himself and the Infinity Spindle, which could transform you into a Demigod. You could, if you are
aware of the Artifact, such as with a Legend Lore spell, trick Raxivorts divination defense by casting Locate Object for his Spindle
instead, thereby scanning large quantities of Xvarts within a 1,000 feet until you sense it.
Vermin Masters ( VGM ) - Domesticate rats and bats through a controlled Xvart.
Xvart Warlocks ( VGM ) - Hide yourself from divination spells, and place an item of incredibly great value within reach of a Xvart.
There is a chance that Raxivort himself would appear to claim it, and then you could trap and destroy him to obtain the Spindle.
Module List
In here will be listed only a few of the most powerful monsters from the various Adventure
Modules.
Demon Lords
extraction, control
Demon Lord, Baphomet

control
Prince of Beasts ( OOTA ) - Control all minotaurs and other beasts under his domain by controlling him.
Demon Lord, Demogorgon

control
Prince of Demons ( OOTA ) - Controlling Demogorgon means controlling an untold, potentially infinite amount of Abyssal demons
and other Demon Lords.
Demon Lord, Fraz-Urbluu

control
Prince of Deception ( OOTA ) - Command all his cultists and servants.
Alter self and Phantasmal Force at will ( OOTA ) - Very good.
Undetectable ( OOTA ) - Also useful.
Demon Lord, Grazzt

control
Dark Prince ( OOTA ) - Control all of his underlings.
AC of 20 ( OOTA ) - Don some armor on him in his humanoid armor for an invincible tank.
Shapechanger ( OOTA ) Grazzt can accompany you while hidden in civilization.
Charm Person at will ( OOTA ) - Incredible.
Demon Lord, Jubilex

extraction, control
Oozing Hunger ( OOTA ) - Lord over some oozes and slimes
Regional Effects ( OOTA ) - Small bodies of liquid become acid which corrodes any object. Can be extracted.
Demon Lord, Orcus

extraction, control
Lord of Undeath ( OOTA ) - Control all undead loyal to Orcus.
Wand of Orcus ( OOTA ) - Take it from him.
Demon Lord, Yeenoghu

control
Gnoll Lord ( OOTA ) - Control all gnolls in the Planes and Prime Material.
Demon Lord, Zuggtmoy
control
Demon Queen of Fungi ( OOTA ) - Control her cultists through her.
Mind Control Spores ( OOTA ) - Charm creatures
Princes of Elemental Evil

Elemental Prince, Imix

Fireball and Wall of fire at will ( POTA ) - Extremely good.
Flame Blast ( POTA ) - 250 feet range attack
Summon Elementals ( 1/Day ) - Fire Elemental Army, just heal Imix after a Long Rest while renewing the ability.
Heat Wave ( POTA ) - 300 feet attack
Elemental Prince, Ogremoch

Meld into stone, Move Earth and Wall of Stone at will ( POTA ) - Exert your will on any terrain.
Siege Monster ( POTA ) - The ultimate siege weapon.
Summon Elementals ( 1/Day ) - Infinite earth elementals.
Create Gargoyle ( POTA ) - Infinite Gargoyles while healing Ogremoch.
Elemental Prince, Olhydra

Swimming speed of 100 feet ( POTA ) - Good aquatic mount.
Wall of Ice at will ( POTA ) - Pretty sweet.
Summon Elementals ( 1/Day ) - Unlimited water elementals.
Elemental Prince, Yan-C-Bin

Flying speed of 150 feet ( POTA ) - Probably the fastest monster.

Gust of wind and lightning bolt at will ( POTA ) - Pretty good.
Change Shape ( POTA ) - Polymorph into any medium humanoid.
Summon Elementals ( 1/Day ) - Unlimited air elementals.
Peal of Thunder ( POTA ) - 300 feet attack.
Suffocate ( POTA ) - One of the most powerful abilities in a monster. DC21 con save or drop to 0 hit points.
Strahd Von Zarovich

Shapechanger ( COS ) - Useful.
Misty Escape ( COS ) - Good for escaping encounters.
Bite ( COS ) - Create Vampire Spawns
Iymrith the Dragon

control
Stone Shape ( SKT ) - Use it to create unlimited Gargoyles.
Change Shape ( SKT ) - Transform into a female Storm Gian.
Maegera The Dawn Titan

control
Fireball at will ( SKT ) - Very nice.
Create Fire Elemental ( SKT ) - Fire elemental army.
Tiamat
The Dragon Queen ( TOD ) - If you control Tiamat, you control all of the Chromatic Dragons.
Discorporation ( TOD ) - If not confronting Tiamat in the Nine Hells, make sure you control or trap her before she drops to 0 hit
points.
Limited Magic Immunity ( TOD ) - Incredible.

Flying speed of 120 feet ( TOD ) - Tiamat makes for a great mount.
Afterword
Armed with this knowledge, there is now no limit to the power you can accumulate.
Communication across planes, boundless wealth, mastery of entire species, manipulation of
time itself, immortality, invincibility and even godhood or control over entire planes and worlds
are now more possible than you ever thought they could be, when you harness the abilities of
other creatures for your own.

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The Adventurers Guide to Abusing Monsters

Ally - Whether it be a happy, reluctant or temporary alliance, achieved by intimidation,

Humanoids: Create Thrall, Charm Person, Crown of Madness, Dominate Person

Bane, Bestow Curse, Feeblemind, Hex , Contagion, Polymorph

Death Ward, Revivify

Wildshape, Shapechange, Polymorph, True Polymorph

As always, magical items will not be elaborated on.

Using Monsters against other Monsters

Flesh to Stone - Keep a monster trapped permanently in stone form.

Mordenkainen's Magnificent Mansion+Antipathy/Sympathy+Demiplane+Telekinesis - Cast Mordenkainen's Magnificent Mansion,

Beholder, Eye Tyrant

Beholder, Death Tyrant

Negative Energy Cone - Unlimited zombies.

Hobgoblin, Hobgoblin Iron Shadow

Underground Hunters - Makes for decent reconnaissance or tunneling when controlled.

control, transformation, willing ally

False Appearance - Harvest it's skin for camouflage.

Truesight 120 feet - The best reconnaissance.

Notable for being very willing towards temporary alliances.

Truesight 120 feet - The best reconnaissance.

Mist Form - Incredible as an infiltrator.

Heat metal at will ( VGM ) - Unlimited blowtorch.

Kiss ( VGM ) - Hatch new Vargouille members.

Devil, Chain Devil

Devil, Pit Fiend

Innate Spellcasting - Unlimited Fireballs.

Pass without a trace at will - Infinite stealth.

Levitate at will - Good too.

Dragon, Young Red Shadow Dragon

Shadow Breath - An army of undead shadows.

Change Shape - The legendary trick with True Polymorph.

Boldly Talkative - Willing allies.

War Machines - Willi ally with good aligned players.

Dragon, Ancient Gold Dragon

Mercenary Monsters - Willing allies.

Dragon, Guard Drake

Speak with beasts and plants - free communication with nature.

Elemental nature - Good as guardians.

Elemental, Air Elemental

Flying speed of 90 feet - Incredibly fast.

Air Form - Great for reconnaissance.

Elemental, Earth Elemental

Earth Glide - Good for infiltration.

Elemental, Fire Elemental

Fire Form - good for tight quarters and grappling.

Elemental, Water Elemental

Swimming speed of 90 feet - Good for traversing aquatic environments.

Intelligent and Wise - Will ally with good aligned players.

Shriek - Harvest as a cheap alarm system.

Stone Guardian - Excellent sentinel.

Accepting servitors - Will ally.

Ethereal Sigh - Never be ambushed by any other ethereal creature again.

Etherealness - Perfect scout.

Giant, Storm Giant Quintessent

Wind Javelin ( VGM ) - 600 feet range piercing attack.

Only the Githyanki have an interesting benefit.

Gnoll, Gnoll Fang of Yeenoghu

Trained Mounts - Raise a Griffon egg to acquire a mount

80 feet flying speed - with good acceleration too.