D&D's Scariest Monsters (1977-1983)

Manticore

Zack: I went classic monster on this one.

Steve: Solid. It's easy to forget the classics.

Zack: The thing about the manticore is that if it had a monster head it would be much less terrifying. Getting killed by a winged-lion with a dragon head or something would be bad, but when it's a giant old man head tearing into you that's a whole new level of scary.

Steve: I didn't even think about the head.

Zack: Triple-sized grandpa head with shark teeth taking off arms and legs. There's no reasoning with it either, it's like a step above animal. A screaming, giant, frenzied old man head. And you can't get away because it can fly around!

Steve: Ahhh okay I get it!

Zack: And it lives in caves for some reason. So all that, plus you just walked up on its huge bone pile and shined a lantern to the back of the cave and it turns its head all pale and bloody and starts screaming AAAAHHH!

Steve: Noooo! No! Ahh!

Zack: Roll initiative!