Board 8 > I need to make a tier list of mythological creatures by how well-known they are

(+) Yeah! (+)

Id put homonculus low.

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Top Tier
Vampire, Werewolf, Ghost, Mermaid, Unicorn, Genie, Dragon, Fairy, Angel, Demon, Leprechaun, Giant, Troll, Zombie, Grim Reaper, Mummy

High Tier
Yeti/Sasquatch/Bigfoot, Cyclops, Minotaur, Pegasus, Phoenix, Sphinx, Gnome, Centaur, Loch Ness Monster, Poltergeist, Bogeyman, Sandman

Mid Tier
Chimera, Hydra, Griffin, Kraken, Siren, Chupacabra, Cerberus, Banshee, Sea Serpent

Low Tier
Satyr, Gorgon, Manticore, Will-o'-the-Wisp, Basilisk, Golem, Dryad/Nymph, Jersey Devil, Hippogriff, Jackalope, Mothman, Homunculus

Bottom Tier
Wendigo, Yokai, Oni, Kobold, Cait Sith, Cockatrice, Mandragora

Below Bottom Tier
Nuckelavee, Dybbuk, Qirin, Kikimora

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Still needs elf (top), dwarf (high), and goblin (not sure, high or top).

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i demand complete elemental representation

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elves/dwarves go together imo, I can't imagine someone having heard of one but not the other
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Drakeryn posted...

elves/dwarves go together imo, I can't imagine someone having heard of one but not the other

My thought is that elves kinda transcend the typical fantasy setting because you even get stuff like Santa's helper elves or the Keebler elves.

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Oh, I guess so. I don't usually mentally count those as elves.
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Got one for

Below Bottom Tier
Alraune

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WhiteLens posted...

Got one for

Below Bottom Tier
Alraune

Isn't that just a book from like 1900?

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Bottom tier:
Nachzehrer

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Anagram posted...

Isn't that just a book from like 1900?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alraune

Well even the book is suppose to be based off the German legend for it.

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Top Tier
Vampire, Werewolf, Ghost, Mermaid, Unicorn, Genie, Dragon, Fairy, Angel, Demon, Leprechaun, Giant, Troll, Zombie, Grim Reaper, Mummy

High Tier
Yeti/Sasquatch/Bigfoot, Cyclops, Minotaur, Pegasus, Phoenix, Sphinx, Gnome, Centaur, Loch Ness Monster, Poltergeist, Bogeyman, Sandman

Mid Tier
Chimera, Hydra, Griffin, Kraken, Siren, Chupacabra, Cerberus, Banshee, Sea Serpent

Low Tier
Satyr, Gorgon, Manticore, Will-o'-the-Wisp, Basilisk, Golem, Dryad/Nymph, Jersey Devil, Hippogriff, Jackalope, Mothman, Homunculus

Bottom Tier
Wendigo, Yokai, Oni, Kobold, Cait Sith, Cockatrice, Mandragora

Below Bottom Tier
Nuckelavee, Dybbuk, Qirin, Kikimora, Alraune, Nachzehrer

I don't feel comfortable including elves, dwarves, and goblins, because I'm sure they're better-known today for fantasy literature.

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You're right Vampires totally aren't known due to fantasy literature

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I guess thats true. Im not totally comfortable with it, but Ill add them.

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I wish Mothman was higher but his placement seems fair

Where is my boy the FRESNO NIGHTCRAWLER

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Almost all the ones that are well known enough to be Top Tier are largely because of fantasy literature and movies.

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Is fenghuang distinct from phoenix

also Yokai is way too broad, thats literally like putting monster somewhere on this list

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And if your hang up is really because they're more like races than "creatures" in a strict sense, well then so are mermaids and fairies and giants and gnomes.

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mnkboy907 posted...

And if your hang up is really because they're more like races than "creatures" in a strict sense, well then so are mermaids and fairies and giants and gnomes.

Yeah, thats part of why I relented.

WazzupGenius00 posted...

Is fenghuang distinct from phoenix

also Yokai is way too broad, thats literally like putting monster somewhere on this list

I thought yokai are just demons?

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I like where the list is at in general and think it's in much better shape than when it started.

I think Sandman is a tier too high. I think the older generation definitely knows, but younger kids don't. My mom of all people explained the Sandman to me. I think the Sandman has essentially zero representation in visual media in the last 20 years, so kids won't know about him. I can actually see an argument that the Grim Reaper should move down to the top of the 2nd tier for basically the same reason, but at least the Grim Reaper has Halloween costumes. Without Halloween, I think the reaper would fall significantly because it's not in new stuff (Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey doesn't count.)

I think golem should move up a tier. First, it's literally the name of one of the original 150 Pokemon. I learned what a golem was when R/B/Y came out because of the Pokemon. I know that's not a new game, but the original 150 have staying power that far exceeds most IP, and I keep seeing random pictures of the original 150 in the weirdest places. Next, it has a very easily understandable description: "Rock monster." This means that once someone hears of a golem one time, it's generally really easy to remember it from that point on and identify any other ones, even if they look different. I've seen golems in a bunch of games and movies and they always look different, but as long as it's a monster and made of rocks, I know it's a golem. That immediate ability to identify it and explain it makes it worthy of moving up a tier in my opinion. (Contrast this with any of the other low tier creatures which are a lot harder to explain; what exactly is a Manticore anyway?)

I think Mothman should be a tier lower for the very biased reason that it is the only creature low tier and above that I have literally never heard of.

I think Cockatrice should potentially move up a tier because there are cocatrices in Magic: the Gathering and Dungeons and Dragons and Nethack, so they just feel a bit more prevalent than the other stuff in that tier (everything else I have heard of from only one or zero sources.)

Good list overall.


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HanOfTheNekos posted...

was reading through this topic ready to say the same exact thing

Lol I was looking for him too

golems aren't made of rocks

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What about teenwolf

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I think Qirin/Qilin/Kirin should move up a tier just barely, it's prominent enough in japanese entertainment nowadays

I recognize a qirin, but I had no idea what its name was.

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something something kaiju battle

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Top Tier
Vampire, Werewolf, Ghost, Mermaid, Unicorn, Genie, Dragon, Fairy, Angel, Demon, Leprechaun, Giant, Troll, Zombie, Grim Reaper, Mummy

High Tier
Yeti/Sasquatch/Bigfoot, Cyclops, Minotaur, Pegasus, Phoenix, Sphinx, Gnome, Centaur, Loch Ness Monster, Poltergeist, Bogeyman, Sandman, Elf, Dwarf

Mid Tier
Chimera, Hydra, Griffin, Kraken, Siren, Chupacabra, Cerberus, Banshee, Sea Serpent

Low Tier
Satyr, Gorgon, Manticore, Will-o'-the-Wisp, Basilisk, Golem, Dryad/Nymph, Jersey Devil, Hippogriff, Jackalope, Mothman, Homunculus

Bottom Tier
Wendigo, Yokai, Oni, Kobold, Cait Sith, Cockatrice, Mandragora

Below Bottom Tier
Nuckelavee, Dybbuk, Qirin, Kikimora, Alraune, Nachzehrer

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I feel like Angels and Demons are more widely known then half the top tier list

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LOLIAmAnAlt posted...

I feel like Angels and Demons are more widely known then half the top tier list

100% vs ~100%?

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