D&D Monster Spotlight: Rust Monster Is More Interested In Your Armor Than You
The D&D Rust Monster probably won’t give your adventuring party any trouble… unless any of you have any armor or weapons.
D&D Rust Monster: First Edition
Rust Monsters lurk in dark subterranean dungeons and look for their favorite (and only) food, metals. These monsters prefer iron and steel, and their favorite pastime is relieving an adventurer of a ton of food.
Unfortunately, this metal is usually in the form of whatever armor or weapons you’re carrying. Just a touch from their antennae will cause the metal to begin to corrode. But if you toss a few coins down a hall to distract them, they’ll ignore them for metals more ferrous.
Second Edition
Second Edition Rust Monsters are mostly the same as their first-edition siblings. The main difference? Where 1E Rust Monsters had magical resistances, in 2E they do not.
The practical benefit of this is that a wizard will have a slightly easier time with this encounter than their companions. This gives their tank and fighter friends a chance to hide on top of a big rock with their weapons outside of the monster’s antennae reach.
Third Edition
Om nom nom!
If you remember nothing else about third edition’s Rust Monsters, make it this: 3E Rust Monsters are roughly the size of a pony. Could this mean that weird little kids in your fantasy world ask for D&D Rust Monsters for their birthdays? I’ll leave that up to you.
They also have thick hides, armor plates, can sniff out metal from ninety feet. Their touch corrodes weapons enough to render them completely useless instantly. Imagine a pony-sized bug smelling your party in the dark underground and approaching to eat everything you’re wearing and carrying.
Fourth Edition
What’s worse than a monster that can corrode our metal and goes for the member of your party wearing the most of it first? A swarm of them, that’s what!
Fourth Edition introduces a swarm of young Rust Monsters as well as a Dweomer Eater, which is a Rust Monster with a taste for magic items. The wizards in your group used to be safeish from the Rust Monster, but 4E took care of that.
D&D Rust Monsters: Fifth Edition
D&D Rust Monsters are generally docile creatures, and probably won’t bother you unless you have metal on your person. Unfortunately, it’s hard to have an armorless adventure party, but your typical NPC may be safe.
Additionally, since their food is scarce, Rust Monsters tend to travel alone, and will leach the small amounts of metal out of rocks. Some monsters are vicious and almost always have a second one on the way, but 5E Rust Monsters aren’t.
Have you encountered a Rust Monster in any of your D&D adventures? Did they corrode any of your favorite weapons or armor? Would you encounter one again, or will you avoid them at all costs? Let us know in the comments!
Happy Adventuring!
