Monster Spotlight: The Murderous Merrow
Today we’re taking a look at one of the best aquatic monsters out there. We’re hauling the Merrow into the spotlight.
Merrows are an unexpected monster. They’re not one of the big three that spring to mind when you think aquatic monsterfolk – that’d be Sahuagin, Kuo-Toa, and Chuul. But these murderous merfolk made monstrous by exposure to the Abyss are a fantastic foe.
Even if they weren’t always what they are today. Come, gather round, and let us peer back through the misty corridors of time and look at the humble beginnings of the Merrow.
First Edition
In 1st Edition, the Merrow was an aquatic subspecies of Ogre that first appeared in the Monster Manual 2. Its ogre heritage still defines it today – but the Merrow of 1st Edition are a far cry from where they are now. These aquatic ogres were an upgrade from the regular ogre–with lower AC and more attacks these ogres were a deadly foe both in and out of the water. But they were still just ogres:
Aquatic ogres are greenish and scaled with sloping shoulders. Their necks are long and very thick, they have huge mouths and undershot jaws. Hands and feet are webbed.
Second Edition
And in 2nd Edition, the Merrow are much the same. They’re faster, tougher ogres who still don’t have their own artwork. The design team was getting a little creative with them though, and we’d get some cool, monstrous details about their descriptions. For instance, Merrow have deep green eyes with white centers, and a rare few (10%) can grow ivory horns, reflecting their powerful status. And all Merrow favor tattoos and are inked up – it’s a shame there’s no art of these, because they sound rad.
Still you can see them start to come into their own in this edition, carving out a little more of an identity than just “a damp ogre.” Which is a shame, because in 3rd Edition, the Merrow are back to exactly that.
Third and Fourth Editions
The same holds true in 3.5 as well – and they’re absent entirely from 4th Edition. Which makes sense – with 4th Edition’s monster design, it was hard to fit in a “subvariant” of a monster. Every monster is already built with a few variants that define how they fight. The Merrow would have had to use their own entry and you’d see like a Merrow Tidehunter or Waveraider or the like.
Fifth Edition
It’s not until 5th Edition that Merrow really come into their own. As you can see, they get some gorgeous art and a whole new identity. In this edition, Merrow are monstrosities that haunt coastal waters, preying on fisherfolk, merfolk, and any other edible creature that crosses their path.
Clearly taking an inspiration from Warcraft’s Naga, these new Merrow are a cursed race of Merfolk, who sank into corruption slowly when a tribe found an idol of Demogorgon at the bottom of the sea. Those who touched the idol became afflicted with madness, slowly twisting in on themselves until they performed a sacrificial ritual to open a gateway to the Abyss.
They return on occasion, wreaking havoc in the oceans. They’re still large, owing to their origins as Ogres, and still carry that 40ft swim speed that has come to define them throughout the edition, but the 5th Edition Merrow has a lot going for it.
It all comes down to three key parts that tell you exactly how you want to use this monster. On land, they’re slow and only have their hit points to really help them survive. But in the water, they’re going to be faster than most. Their swim speed of 40 means they can outpace most characters – even a monk – who don’t have a swim speed. Key number 1.
Add to that their exceptional strength. A +4 gives them a big boost on a grapple check, making them likely to come out on top.
But the real kicker is the Harpoon. This shows you exactly what to do with them. Merrow are monsters that lie in wait in the deep water, ready to harpoon their victims. Then they drag them into deep water. They grapple their opponents so they can’t escape and are attacking at disadvantage. Then they claw and bite until their foe is defeated.
These are low level monsters, but there’s a lot you can do with them to threaten higher level parties. Especially in numbers. Their strength in the water makes them a unique challenge that can instantly raise the stakes in any encounter. And it pushes you to use terrain that has both ground (for your players to feel safe) and deeper water. So if you’re looking for a fun, challenging monster, try the Merrow.
Happy Adventuring!
