One of the core components of the tabletop role-playing game, Dungeons and Dragons, is a vast array of fantasy creatures found over various source materials. While Baldur's Gate 3 does an amazing job integrating many of these creatures into the game, it would be an impossible task to try and include them all.
That being said, there are plenty of Dungeons and Dragons creatures that would've integrated nicely into the narrative of Baldur's Gate 3. From low to high challenge ratings and spanning across all three acts, these are some fan favorites that would've been great to see in Larian's RPG.
10 Orc
While there are some orcs in Baldur's Gate 3, they are few and far between. This may strike fantasy veterans as unusual, given that orcs are usually one of the most prevalent creatures, usually antagonists, within the genre.
It is possible that the lack of orcs within the game is a result of Larian trying to veer away from fantasy cliches, but it may have been nice to see more orcs in the game, especially since half-orc is one of the character race options. It would've been nice for them to have some conversations with the orc side of their lineage.
9 Roper
The roper is a monstrosity from the Dungeons and Dragons Monster Manual, that would have been an interesting creature to encounter in the Underdark in Act One. As challenging as the bulette and also possessing some interesting attack styles, the roper is an ambush predator native to the Underdark.
While motionless, it is indistinguishable from a stalagmite or stalactite. It attacks with its beak and tendrils, which it can use to reel its victims in. An encounter with a roper could have proved just as memorable as the run-ins with the bulette.
8 Blink Dog
Blink dogs are fey creatures that could have been an interesting inclusion in the Shadow-Cursed Lands in Act Two. These strange dogs are named for their ability to teleport, a skill that they use to hunt their natural enemies, displacer beasts. A displacer beast can be found in the Gauntlet of Shar, a companion to Yurgir the orthon.
The already interesting encounter could've been memorable with the addition of a blink dog, maybe a small pack of them, hunting for the displacer beast. While they are classed as fey and, in the Monster Manual, are stated to understand Sylvan but are unable to speak it, Baldur's Gate 3 does take some liberties with the 'Speak With Animals' spell and being able to talk to blink dogs would only enhance the experience.
7 Gargoyle
A gargoyle trap can be found in Grymforge, as well as a fair few statues on the roof of the House Of Healing in the Shadow-Cursed Lands, but they are nothing like the sentient gargoyles found in the Monster Manual.
These cruel elementals hide among other statues to ambush their victims. They also have a tendency to serve malevolent masters, guarding their homes. These traits would make them perfect for a surprise encounter on the roof of the House Of Healing.
6 Werebear
Lycanthropes can be encountered in Act Three in the servitude of Cazador. The stories of these werewolves tend to fall by the wayside alongside the tale of Cazador and Astarion, however. This is a shame, as Lycanthropy can make for interesting narratives by itself.
This is especially true when the Monster Manual has some unique lycanthropes, like the werebears. Since werebears tend to be a good-aligned species of lycanthrope and are usually loners to civilization, one may have fit in well in the Druid Grove in Act One, where their bestial bear form could find acceptance.
5 Carrionette
The only creature on the list not from the Monster Manual, carrionettes can be found in Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft. These terrifying creatures are children's toys, usually dolls or marionettes, that have had life wished into them, only to become twisted and cruel.
They seek nothing but to use their signature silver needle to trade bodies, although this effect can be dispelled with 'Protection From Evil And Good', a level one abjuration spell that is also available in Baldur's Gate 3. They are fascinating and sinister creatures, whose cursed natures would make them fit in well in the Shadow-Cursed Lands.
4 Flumph
Flumphs are referenced a few times in Baldur's Gate 3, notably in the 'Flumph Mating Rituals' book, and can actually appear in the game briefly as a result of wild magic. Players often seem to be gutted that they can't meet and interact with these iconic Monster Manual aberrations in the game, though.
They are infamously pathetic and passive creatures, with curious mannerisms, and would actually fit in really well with the game's lore, given that they feed off the psionic energy of creatures like mind flayers in the Underdark. Besides, any player would love to go 'flumph tipping' in Baldur's Gate 3, taking advantage of the bizarre mechanic where knocking them prone can lead to the floating creatures landing upside down and being unable to right themselves.
3 Nothic
Nothics are another interesting aberration from the Monster Manual. These creatures are the cursed remnants of arcanists who sought out forbidden knowledge. This fits with the themes of a lot of the game, particularly Gale's personal arc.
Given their notoriety for breaking into arcane academies, it could be interesting to find one in the Arcane Tower or Sorcerous Sundries, for example. Their 'Weird Insight' ability, which lets them stare at a creature and determine their secrets on a failed save, could lead to some interesting party conversations.
2 Gelatinous Cube
Despite being nothing but a translucent acidic ooze, gelatinous cubes have managed to become one of the most infamous creatures in Dungeons and Dragons, appearing in media from Honor Among Thieves to Onward.
Sadly, despite being referenced by a group of kids in Baldur's Gate, they don't appear as enemies in the game. Hearing the kids taunting each other about investigating a gelatinous cube down an alleyway is almost like a taunt to the players, who are cursed with being unable to encounter these infamous creatures.
1 Hag Coven
With her sinister but oddly charming nature, Auntie Ethel may have cemented herself as one of the most iconic villains in Baldur's Gate 3. She is based on the Green Hag from the Monster Manual and, while it is amazing to encounter her, Larian could have pushed their hag storylines even further. Green Hags are not the only hags in the Monster Manual, being accompanied by the weaker Sea Hags and the stronger Night Hags (the only hags that are fiends instead of fey).
The inclusion of three different hag varieties is no coincidence, as hags become exponentially more powerful in a coven of three sisters. Given the immense power of a coven, players would need to encounter them in the third act when Auntie Ethel resurfaces, but they would be a great addition to Baldur's Gate, particularly the coastal Sea Hag. Auntie Ethel's redesign for the Green Hag is so viscerally stunning that seeing a Baldur's Gate 3 reimagining of the other base hags would be the icing on the cake.
Baldur's Gate 3 is available on PC and PlayStation 5. A version for Xbox Series X/S is currently in development.