Is the monster a minion? Or is it a big bad evil guy/girl (BBEG)? Do I want the monster to be memorable, or do I want the monster to be sort of an “asshole monster”, the type my players will never forget? The first thing I do when I create new monsters for Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition is think about what I want the monster to do and what its purpose not only in the game is, but the fantasy world itself.