Doppelganger and mimic variants

Doppelgangers and mimics are classic D&D monsters, infamous for pretending to be normal people and inanimate objects right before they attack. In various third-party bestiaries there are numerous variants that take on other forms like animals, swarms, buildings, and even equipment. By far my favorite is the suggestion that the two are actually members of the same species. It is entirely possible that other monsters like cloakers and trappers and such are mimics too, but I will be ignoring those for now.

Before I can devise an ecology for the doppelgangers and mimics, I first need to list the members of this monster family so that I can figure where they fit. A number of different variants were introduced in various supplements:

• The Complete Guide to Doppelgangers introduces the rustic doppelganger, urban doppelganger, doppelstadt, and gestalt mimic.
• Darkness Without Form: Secrets of the Mimic introduces the elder mimic, lair-tyrant, mimicling swarm, puppetmaster, and warhulk.
• Dragonstar System Reference Document introduces the doppel.
• Dungeon Denizens Revisited introduces the failed-apotheosis mimic and the mimic plasmoid.
• Exotic Encounters: Doppelgangers introduces the facestealer doppelganger, cursed doppelganger, and mind drinker doppelganger.
• Legends & Lairs: Twisted Lore introduces the feign beast.
• Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary 5 introduces the doppeldrek.
• Tome of Beasts introduces the dune mimic and map mimic.

Although these appear to be many different variations, they may be generally condensed into a few recurring roles: those that mimic humanoids (e.g. doppelganger, elder mimic), those that mimic objects (e.g. mimic, map mimic, mimicling swarm), those that mimic terrain and buildings (e.g. doppelstadt, lair-tyrant, dune mimic) and those that mimic beasts and plants (e.g. doppeldrek, feign beast). They will generally vary in what they mimic based on their size and the environment to which they are adapted.

The life cycle varies according to which source you peruse:

• According to The Complete Guide to Doppelgangers, the doppelganger has a three-stage life cycle. The doppelganger is the "youth," the gestalt mimic is the "adult" (the dungeon mimic is an "orphan" severed from the gestalt), and the doppelstadt is the "elder." The Hidden Truth of Doppelgangers claims this is misinformation and that the dungeon mimic is the precursor to the doppelganger.
• According to Dungeon Denizens Revisited, mimics pass through three life stages: spore, plasmoid, and hunter (the stage typically encountered). The majority remain hunters, but some may advance into lair-tyrant, metamorphic scholar, and failed-apotheosis. According to Darkness Without Form, there is an additional stage of elder mimic. Presumably, metamorphic scholars that fail to advance into elder mimics become failed-apotheosis.

I posit that the life cycle isn't so linear. However, that will be left to a later post.

Miscellaneous links:

• http://filbypott.tumblr.com/post/116052462998/mimics-may-pass-through-six-distinct-lifephases
• http://hackslashmaster.blogspot.com/2013/02/on-ecology-of-doppelganger.html
• https://www.reddit.com/r/DnDBehindTheScreen/comments/35iqcm/mimic/
• https://www.reddit.com/r/DnDBehindTheScreen/comments/3kz6gb/doppelganger/
• http://greatalliancearchives.blogspot.com/2012/03/shapeshifter-doppelganger-mimic.html
• https://basalt-dnd.tumblr.com/post/157457036382/mimics-let-the-record-show-that-the-tyrant-is
• https://web.archive.org/web/20171123190700/http://www.headinjurytheater.com:80/article73.htm
• https://dmwordoftheweek.wordpress.com/2014/10/16/doppelganger/
• https://d-dplothooks.tumblr.com/post/137552709212/monster-mondays-5-the-doppelg%C3%A4nger
• https://1d4chan.org/wiki/Doppelganger
• https://1d4chan.org/wiki/Mimic
• https://web.archive.org/web/20070928001321/http://www.goodman-games.com/3000preview.php