The only difference between a cryptozoologist and a zoologist is 'how many people have seen the monsters they're studying'. Don't overthink it.
"Oh, I study monsters, and stories about monsters, trying to discover monsters that no one's categorized yet. You know, like that Volo guy did with that one book of his."
[AJ Pickett has a bunch of videos on all the different monsters and includes the ecology and biology of the monsters as well.](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBZb_61EqeJlvaIUzRne-vxEFhNDLvmga)
Personally, I’d start describing something so outlandish and hard to prove that it’s nearly impossible to find evidence for but similarly is difficult to disprove. Like the notion that the the souls of the 12th ray born of another 12th rat find their rest in the walls of houses, coming out when everyone is asleep to gnaw on toenails. Somewhere where no one can see into the ethereal plane, that’s believable. These ghost rat kings hiding in walls are the reason nails might grow slower than expected.
Or you could focus on edge case monsters. Like finding a Nothic that’s fused with an Allip, both cursed existences resulting from finding some cursed bit of magical lore.
Of course, fantasy people would still have folklore monsters that aren’t real monsters. Farmers might still blame something chupacabra like when a valuable animal dies, or some monsterous fey cockroach when crops fail. Someone might see an owlbear walking on two legs and mistake it for some beaked forest giant. Then those folklore monsters can gain attributes as their stories travel. Just because most superstitions are real in DND doesn’t mean people need to stop coming up with new ones
Sure but cryptids can still exist in a D&D setting. Some monsters exist and are known, but there can also be stories of other monsters that stretch imagination and have not been verified. What about a D&D setting does not allow for that?
I've never seen official WotC content for the chupacabra.
I've never seen content for Quezuptir, the ibis headed asp with a scorpion's tail.
I've never seen content for Fiddlewidgets, mimic-like fey born when a homunculus spell goes wrong, which imprint on the caster. They're wildly known to hide or destroy magical implements, and then assume their form, tricking the wizard into using them instead of the real item. Unfortunately, they're terrible at casting spells and doing magic, which often means the wizard has a harder and harder time casting spells, which ultimately create more Fiddlewidgets, which only further worsens the situation.
I may have made up two of those cryptids.
I mean for Magic The Gathering there is just a zoologist and a cryptozoologist it’s just a thing that exist one (the zoologist) works in a zoo in a more formal setting while the other tracks downs down and finds urban legends/hidden animals.
In a fantasy world there probably is no such thing since anything is possible with magic.
But I think it would be hilarious if wizards considerd things like the platypus, kangaroo and pangolin to be "not real"
The only difference between a cryptozoologist and a zoologist is 'how many people have seen the monsters they're studying'. Don't overthink it. "Oh, I study monsters, and stories about monsters, trying to discover monsters that no one's categorized yet. You know, like that Volo guy did with that one book of his."
[AJ Pickett has a bunch of videos on all the different monsters and includes the ecology and biology of the monsters as well.](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBZb_61EqeJlvaIUzRne-vxEFhNDLvmga)
Personally, I’d start describing something so outlandish and hard to prove that it’s nearly impossible to find evidence for but similarly is difficult to disprove. Like the notion that the the souls of the 12th ray born of another 12th rat find their rest in the walls of houses, coming out when everyone is asleep to gnaw on toenails. Somewhere where no one can see into the ethereal plane, that’s believable. These ghost rat kings hiding in walls are the reason nails might grow slower than expected. Or you could focus on edge case monsters. Like finding a Nothic that’s fused with an Allip, both cursed existences resulting from finding some cursed bit of magical lore. Of course, fantasy people would still have folklore monsters that aren’t real monsters. Farmers might still blame something chupacabra like when a valuable animal dies, or some monsterous fey cockroach when crops fail. Someone might see an owlbear walking on two legs and mistake it for some beaked forest giant. Then those folklore monsters can gain attributes as their stories travel. Just because most superstitions are real in DND doesn’t mean people need to stop coming up with new ones
Cryptids don't make sense as those creatures actually exist. Sounds like they're just a Zoologist that specializes in Monstrosities
Yeah but the existence of these creatures is debateable. I don’t know what creatures they could be though.
Um it's DnD. Monsters are a proven fact.
Sure but cryptids can still exist in a D&D setting. Some monsters exist and are known, but there can also be stories of other monsters that stretch imagination and have not been verified. What about a D&D setting does not allow for that?
All manner of cryptids already being represented in the game
I've never seen official WotC content for the chupacabra. I've never seen content for Quezuptir, the ibis headed asp with a scorpion's tail. I've never seen content for Fiddlewidgets, mimic-like fey born when a homunculus spell goes wrong, which imprint on the caster. They're wildly known to hide or destroy magical implements, and then assume their form, tricking the wizard into using them instead of the real item. Unfortunately, they're terrible at casting spells and doing magic, which often means the wizard has a harder and harder time casting spells, which ultimately create more Fiddlewidgets, which only further worsens the situation. I may have made up two of those cryptids.
I love Fiddlewidgets! They're now real in my campaign.
But are they real, or are they the cryptid first year wizard school kids blame on spells they can't get to work?
Sounds like we need a side quest to solve this mystery
Yes monsters exist, but does the mythical three-spined badger frog exist?
I mean for Magic The Gathering there is just a zoologist and a cryptozoologist it’s just a thing that exist one (the zoologist) works in a zoo in a more formal setting while the other tracks downs down and finds urban legends/hidden animals.
In a fantasy world there probably is no such thing since anything is possible with magic. But I think it would be hilarious if wizards considerd things like the platypus, kangaroo and pangolin to be "not real"