Creating Unique and Memorable Fantasy Creatures!

Ollie Ander

Is probably just a couple cats in a trench-coat—the hair shedding and sunlight napping are highly suspect.

Fantasy creatures’ popularity fluctuates with genre trends—one year releases will feature a surplus of dragons, the next vampires. Though common, repeated creatures are iconic and act as the hook for a story, it is only the stories which harness the original creature concept to make it its own that get remembered. 
Having a mix of creature cameos in your fantasy story is a good way to inspire nostalgia in familiarity, but adding fresh twists on old favourites is what generates talking points among all the pre-established fans—and any creature that feels brand new is what garners intrigue and buzz! 
If you can create a creature that captures the hearts and wonder of readers, it will be your greatest asset in marketing. It’s been seen time and again in franchises pushing merch and inserting them in advertising—fantasy creatures become a mascot of sorts. If you manage to create the next Porg from Star Wars, the story will basically market itself! 
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In the spirit of making the most memorable fantasy creatures possible, this article is full of tips and exercises to help you craft beloved, unique beasts to populate your magical world!
Incorporate Iconic CreaturesMost fantasy creatures we see in modern stories are actually from preexisting mythologies. Although many of us had probably never heard of a Hippogriff before a certain wizarding franchise (see, you know which one I mean, even without its name), they first made an appearance all the way back in the 16th-century in an epic poem by Ludovico Ariosto called "Orlando Furioso." 
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The main draw to many fantasy stories is the mere presence of certain iconic creatures. You don’t always need to break the mold. There are innumerable creatures in mythos to incorporate into your own story. Flip through a "beastiary" to see if anything catches your eye!
Seek Undiscovered GemsAs with Hippogriffs only becoming mainstream in the 2000s, there are plenty more "yet undiscovered" creatures and lore out there too. You could be the one to bring them to the public eye! Expand your research, go deep, and you’ll find fantastical creatures that you’ve never heard of before—and if they’re new to you, they’ll be fresh and exciting for other people too.
There are many untapped lores hidden in human histories, regional superstitions, and religious texts, but I advise that you be mindful with your adaptations. Draw inspiration, give acknowledgement, but remain respectful of the original culture. 
The Wendigo is a creature that became extremely popular over the last decade. It has since been used carelessly in stories, absent of the wishes of the indigenous groups from which its lore originated. Strive for accuracy, do your due diligence in research, seek permissions, and above all, be willing to accept if a certain creature is off limits for your use.
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Alter the OldiesIs there a creature you’ve experienced enough in stories that you could write them yourself, without any additional research? For creatures which do not require cultural sensitivity in their use, you can and should write it yourself! You’re a writer, but you’re also a consumer. You know what you like about certain creature’s appearances and iterations—make your own, "just right." 
Tired of dragons breathing fire? The game Skyrim put an interesting twist on that: their powers are a spoken language—they breathe words—which can manifest in different ways, from encasing things in ice to slowing time. Use common creatures as a template, and see what you can alter about "how" they manifest their most iconic identifiers.
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Make MannerismsPlay around with the creature's physiology and their mannerisms. Personally, I think it’s silly that dragons hoard gold for no reason, so why not give them one? What if it’s actually all they can eat, and they’re always sleeping on a pile of wealth because they have very slow metabolisms to go along with their lifespans? Come up with new explanations for older monsters’ behaviours.
The most memorable thing about some fantasy creatures are their purpose and unique mannerisms. Thestrals are cool looking, but they’re best defined by the fact that only those who’ve witnessed death can see them (because otherwise, you’d never know how cool they look). Setting conditions and physics to your own unique creatures is a surefire way to capture readers’ interest.
Play with EvolutionFantasy creatures don’t have to be flashy, many are nothing more than a common animal with something *extra* added to them. A Jackalope is just a rabbit with antlers, and Pegasus is a horse with wings, but they’ve still stood the test of time. Picking an animal that is otherwise common and putting a new trait on them is an easy way to make a memorable critter.
The physical traits of animals, placed in different areas, can lead to vastly different aesthetics:
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These iterations of angel-types showcase how moving wings from one place on a body to another can create a totally different character. Some are more practical, others more magical, and one is downright scary. 
Here’s a list of physical traits to play with: horns, face (eyes, mouth, nose/snout), wings, tails, fur, scales, feathers, beaks, talons, claws.
If you don’t already have a particular animal in mind, pull up a random animal generator, experiment with how you might combine them! You’ll get some very funny, and surprising results.
Another fun exercise is to take a common creature and imagine how it would adapt to a different biome. What would a cat that lived underwater look like? This exercise can also include placing a magical influence onto an animal (ie. an element, such as air, water, earth, fire, etc). The Eeveelutions from the Pokémon franchise are an excellent example of taking one "normal" base creature and how drastically it can transform to fit other niches.
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Accentuate Pre-existing TraitsMaking an older fantasy creature more memorable doesn’t always require the addition of new traits so much as the accentuation of old ones. How to Train Your Dragon (2010) does a fascinating job cultivating a glossary of dragons that feel unique, despite all of them being dragons, still. 
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The Lord of the Rings universe also has iconic examples of accentuating the traits of common creatures into something more memorable. Nazgûl ride Fellbeasts, which are Wyvern with their necks/heads stretched to more resemble Lamprey.
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Worgs are essentially just hyenas with different bone/muscle structures, and yet, many fantasy franchises throughout the ages have managed to put their own aesthetic spin on them.
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Take something you know, and become a sculptor (be wary of the god complex that comes along with that though, haha)! 
Dig Deep into NatureAlthough there are many mythical creatures hidden away in the annals of ancient literature, ripe for your perusal, there are even more unbelievable creatures that are real and not widely known to the general public—yet.
Seek out nature documentaries that focus on obscure regions or recently discovered species. There are innumerable videos on Youtube listing creatures on the "strange side" of the animal kingdom. Not only is this content helpful in providing you with plausible bases from which to build your creature, it will add believability to your designs (because they do exist, beyond all odds).
I highly recommend taking an adventure in learning about insects or deep sea creatures. Some of them are unbelievable—I wouldn’t believe anyone telling me they existed if there wasn’t footage! Even if that’s not the direction you expect to take your own fantasy creature, it is awe-inspiring seeing some of the designs nature has produced!
I’m so very excited that this article will facilitate the next generation of fantasy creatures. Big or small, readers will love them all! I hope you have fun with it, but I understand that creating a memorable creature is no easy feat. If the prospect of starting from scratch is too open-ended and you would like a template, going with the technique of "Altering the Oldies" here’s an article on $ popular fantasy races and creatures$  to select from.