TOOLS AND GUIDES TO BUILD, CUSTOMIZE, AND RUN

FANTASTIC MONSTERS IN YOUR 5E FANTASY GAMES

TEOS ABADÍA • SCOTT FITZGERALD GRAY • MICHAEL E. SHEA
by Teos Abadía, Scott Fitzgerald Gray, and Michael E. Shea

Design by Teos Abadía, Scott Fitzgerald Gray, and Michael E. Shea

Mechanical Development by Teos Abadía and Michael E. Shea
Editing by Scott Fitzgerald Gray
Cultural Consulting by James Mendez Hodes
Cover art by Jack Kaiser
Interior Art by Zoe Badini, Allie Briggs, Nikki Dawes, Carlos Eulefí,
Jack Kaiser, Víctor Leza, Matt Morrow, Jackie Musto,
Fabian Parente, Brian Patterson, Danny Pavlov
Logo and Page design by Rich Lescouflair
Layout by Scott Fitzgerald Gray

Thanks to Our Kickstarter backers

for supporting this project!

Copyright © 2023 by Teos Abadía, Scott Fitzgerald Gray, and Michael E. Shea
Art copyright © 2023 by the individual artists

This work includes material taken from the System Reference Document 5.1 (“SRD 5.1”) by
Wizards of the Coast LLC and available at https://dnd.wizards.com/resources/systems-reference-document.
The SRD 5.1 is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
available at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode.

Dungeons & Dragons, D&D, Player’s Handbook, Dungeon Master’s Guide,

and Monster Manual are registered trademarks of Wizards of the Coast LLC
 TABLE OF CONTENTS
MONSTER TOOLKITS
Building a Quick Monster............................................4 Monsters and the Tiers of Play................................ 74
General-Use Combat Stat Blocks........................... 13 Building Engaging Encounters............................... 76
Monster Powers............................................................ 15 Building Engaging Environments.......................... 79
Monster Roles............................................................... 22 Assessing a Published Encounter.......................... 83
Monster Difficulty Dials............................................. 27 Building Challenging High-Level
Building and Running Encounters................................................................ 86
Legendary Monsters.............................................. 28 Exit Strategies............................................................... 91
Building and Running Boss Monsters.................. 31 On Encounters Per Day.............................................. 93
Building Spellcasting Monsters.............................. 34
MONSTER DISCUSSION AND
Creating Lair Actions.................................................. 36 PHILOSOPHY
MONSTER TIPS AND TRICKS The History of Challenge.......................................... 97

Lazy Tricks for Running Monsters.......................... 38 What Are Challenge Ratings?.................................. 99

Running Monsters for New What Makes a Great Monster?..............................100

Game Masters.......................................................... 40 Reading the Monster Stat Block...........................102
Understanding the Action Economy.................... 42 Defining Challenge Level........................................105
Lightning Rods............................................................. 44 Balancing Mechanics and Story...........................109
Modifying Monsters Before and Building the Story to Fit the Monster.................110
During Play................................................................ 45
Choosing Monsters Based on the Story............113
Running Monsters in the
Theater of the Mind............................................... 47 Romancing Monsters...............................................115

Roleplaying Monsters................................................ 48 There Be Monsters.....................................................117

Reskinning Monsters.................................................. 50 Anticolonial Play........................................................119

The Relative Weakness of Running Easy Monsters...........................................124

High-CR Monsters................................................... 53 On Morale and Running Away..............................125
Running Minions and Hordes................................. 54
Running Spellcasting Monsters.............................. 58 DIFFERENT PATHS
This book has been crafted and shaped as a collaboration
Using NPC Stat Blocks................................................ 60 between Teos, Scott, and Mike, with each acting as lead on
Bosses and Minions.................................................... 61 specific sections that all three of us then workshopped and
refined over more than a year of design and development.
Evolving Monsters....................................................... 62 This creative partnership approach means that Forge of Foes
generally doesn’t offer only single viewpoints. Rather, you’ll
BUILDING ENCOUNTERS find a range of choices in these pages—different paths you can
take as you concept, create, modify, and run monsters in your
The Combat Encounter Checklist.......................... 65
games.
Monster Combinations for a In the many places in the book where two approaches offer
Hard Challenge........................................................ 67 different advice on the same issue, that’s a feature, not a bug.
Think about and try out whichever approaches appeal to you,
The Lazy Encounter Benchmark............................. 70 determine which ones work well for you and your group, and
Monsters by Adventure Location.......................... 72 set aside those that don’t.

2
INTRODUCTION
Thousands of years before anyone ever rolled a twenty- ABOUT THIS BOOK
sided die, monsters fueled people’s imaginations and Created by Teos Abadía, Scott Fitzgerald Gray, and Mike
filled us with tales of high adventure. Nearly every culture Shea (see “About the Authors” on page 128), this book
known to humanity has its own stories of creatures isn’t a typical collection of foes. There are already many
fantastic and horrifying, and of the heroes who face them. wonderful books of predesigned monsters GMs can
We love monsters. We love them because they exist use for D&D and other fifth edition fantasy roleplaying
outside our world and yet feel real to us. We love how games. Instead, this book gives you the tools to build your
strange they can be. We love the sense of danger that own foes and modify foes from other sources. Forge of
arises when we talk about them. We love how they live in Foes works alongside your other books of monsters, but it
our imaginations. also works well on its own to help you make the monsters
And when monsters come to life in our imaginations, you need for your games.
we love to face and defeat them. We battle dragons and Though part of the Lazy DM series, this book stands
demons and undead—and conquer them in tales we’ll on its own. Forge of Foes focuses on monsters—how to
remember all our lives. make them, how to modify them, and how to run them.
Within the Forge of Foes, we build these monsters. Although the concepts presented here work hand-in-hand
Here in the forge, we’ll modify creatures, giving them with those found in Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master,
new attacks and strange new abilities. We’ll harden their The Lazy DM’s Workbook, and The Lazy DM’s Companion,
scales and sharpen their claws. We’ll create entirely new you don’t need those books to get value out of this one.
creatures from our endless collective imagination, then Like the other books from the Lazy DM series, this
watch them crawl into the stories of high adventure we book aims to help you more easily run great games. You’re
share with our friends. busy. You have friends coming to your table tonight. You
We’ll also talk about monsters, including how to run have monsters you need to throw into your game right
boss monsters, how to run hordes of monsters, and how now. Forge of Foes can help you build or modify those
to choose the right monsters for our adventures and for monsters quickly and easily, with all the details, tactics,
the fun of our gaming group. and flavor you desire.
Let us delve into deep caves, beneath rotted and
forgotten crypts, and into unholy temple chambers sweet WHO IS THIS BOOK FOR?
with the iron scent of blood to see what monsters lie
This book assumes you’re familiar with the core rules of
within.
Dungeons & Dragons or another 5e RPG. You don’t need
WHAT IS A FOE? significant experience running 5e games to make use of
this book, but the more experience you have, the more
Within the context of this book, a foe is any physically value you’ll get out of it.
hostile creature. It might be an inanimate statue guarding This book isn’t a substitute for reading any set of 5e core
an undiscovered tomb. It might be a knight challenging books, however. Take the time to read and absorb the
the characters to a duel. It might be cultists seeking material found in those books to make the most use out
victims for a terrible ritual. It might be the dragon of the of this book and improve your games.
frozen mountains, newly awakened and now seeking the
treasures acquired by neighboring miners. HOW TO USE THIS BOOK
Not all foes are monsters, however, and we need to
This book can serve you in three ways.
take care throwing around that label lest we apply it to
First, you can use Forge of Foes to quickly build
those undeserving of the title. Many beings and creatures
monsters from scratch, and to make those monsters as
commonly labeled as “monsters” can ultimately be dealt
simple or as complex as you want. Starting with baseline
with through negotiation, even as many normal-looking
statistics, you can add on templates and features to fill out
NPCs might be secret—or not-so-secret—monsters in
a monster’s mechanics as you desire, and as best fits the
their own lives. The cultists cited above might not be
story of the monster.
monsters at all in their own minds, but only a secluded
Second, you can use the statistics, templates, and
sect pushed to usher in a new age of enlightenment.
features in this book to modify existing monsters. Doing
That awakened dragon might be driven to violence by
so can provide you with endless variants of monsters from
suffering—and might ask the characters to help solve their
products you already own.
woes.
Third, you can absorb the advice and discussions in this
Forge of Foes often uses the words “foe,” “creature,”
book to think differently about how you prepare and run
and “monster” synonymously. But it does so with the
monsters in your own games.
understanding that there might be many ways to deal with
So whether you run monsters straight from your
these foes outside of straight-up combat, and that some
favorite monster book, customize published monsters
apparent monsters might be anything but.
yourself, or build monsters from scratch, Forge of Foes has
you covered. 3
 BUILDING A QUICK MONSTER
Sometimes you need a monster right now but you don’t describes the typical Difficulty Class if this monster uses a
have the right one handy. Maybe the creature you’re DC for any of their attacks or other features.
imagining doesn’t exist in any given book of published Hit Points. This column offers the baseline hit points
monsters, or you simply don’t have the time to look it up. of a monster of a given challenge rating. Feel free to add
Maybe you’re in the middle of your game and want some or subtract hit points within the suggested range based
quick statistics for a creature you didn’t think you’d need. on the monster’s in-world features or physiology, or the
For all these problems, this section offers solutions. pacing you want to maintain during a battle.
The core tool for building a quick monster for a 5e game Proficient Ability Bonus. This column gives the
is the Monster Statistics by Challenge Rating table, which expected bonus for abilities with which the monster is
offers you a set of statistics that can be used to build and proficient, adding the monster’s ability score modifier and
run a quick monster of any challenge rating (CR). You proficiency bonus together. This number can be used as
then have two paths for customizing a monster built from an attack bonus, or as a bonus for proficient saving throws
these baseline statistics—with flavor and description and ability checks. (Ability-based modifiers without
during the game, or with a refinement of the creature’s proficiency are fixed values between −2 and +4, based on
mechanics. the monster’s story.)
It’s worth your time to review and understand how this Damage per Round. This column contains the total
table works before you start using it in your game. Read expected damage that a monster can deal in a round.
the column descriptions. Understand the relationship Higher-CR monsters typically split this total damage
between a monster’s challenge rating and equivalent among a number of attacks instead of doing one big
character level. Once you’ve internalized how this table attack that either deals a tremendous amount of damage
works, you can use it in seconds to build a monster and or misses completely. If a single effect targets two or more
throw that foe into your game. characters, such as a fiery breath weapon, the damage for
This table works hand-in-hand with Forge of Foes’ that effect should be half the indicated number.
options for building encounters, including “Monster Number of Attacks. This column notes the number of
Combinations for a Hard Challenge” (page 67) and attacks a monster of a particular challenge rating typically
“Building Challenging High-Level Encounters” (page makes per round. The damage per round from the
86). It also works alongside further customization previous column is divided among these multiple attacks
options such as the monster type templates and powers in the following column.
presented later in this section, and the additional powers Damage per Attack. This column shows the baseline
in “Monster Powers” (page 15) and “Monster Roles” amount of damage a monster deals per attack when using
(page 22), letting you make your chosen creature more the default number of attacks in the previous column. It
tactically interesting or a better fit for their place in the includes both average damage and a dice equation.
story and the game. Example Monsters. This column offers example
monsters for each challenge rating. This can help you
COLUMN DESCRIPTIONS gauge where your monster fits among existing 5e
The table includes the following columns, which will monsters.
become more familiar to you as you build your monsters.
Monster CR. The challenge ratings presented in the BUILDING A MONSTER
CR column are the baseline measure to determine the With the Monster Statistics by Challenge Rating table at
relative difficulty of a monster in combat. You’ll almost hand, you can use the following quick steps to build a
always reference this column first when building a quick custom monster from scratch. The first four steps alone
monster. let you easily create a monster ready to run in your game.
Equivalent Character Level. This column describes The optional steps that follow then let you fill out the
the roughly equivalent level of a single character facing monster’s details and custom mechanics as desired.
a single monster of this challenge rating in a hard
encounter. This gives you a quick way to determine how
STEP 1: DETERMINE CHALLENGE
difficult this monster will be when facing characters of a
RATING
particular level. Begin by determining the challenge rating for your quick
As you can see from the table, matching character level monster based on that creature’s fiction in the world.
to challenge rating isn’t a simple mathematical process. When considering the challenge rating of a custom
There are a number of character levels missing from the monster, you might compare them to existing creatures
table where certain challenge ratings represent a large on the table, so that if the in-world power of your monster
jump in how tough a monster is. compares well to a skeleton, the monster might have a
AC/DC. This column indicates the typical Armor Class challenge rating of 1/4. If they’re more like a fire giant,
of a monster of the indicated challenge rating. It also they might have a challenge rating of 9. Look at the list of
example monsters and ask yourself which monster makes
4
the best comparison to yours. Then assign your creature A creature’s Dexterity modifier is also used to determine
that monster’s challenge rating. their initiative modifier. Or you can skip your improvised
creature’s initiative roll and use a static initiative of 12.
ALTERNATIVELY, WHAT CHALLENGE
RATING DO YOU NEED? YOU’RE READY TO GO
You might also want to choose a challenge rating based on At this point, you have enough information on hand
the level of the characters, using the Equivalent Character to run your monster in a game, with little else needed.
Level column of the table. If you want an encounter with However, you can also continue with a few more quick
four monsters who are roughly equal in power to four steps to further customize your monster, making them
characters, this column lets you figure out those monsters’ more distinct.
statistics. It also helps you build NPCs intended to match
a particular character level, such as a knight, a wizard, or
OPTIONAL STEP: CONSIDER
a rogue.
ARMOR CLASS
Though the Monster Statistics by Challenge Rating
STEP 2: WRITE DOWN THE table offers a value for Armor Class that increases with
BASELINE STATISTICS challenge rating, you can modify a monster’s Armor Class
Once you’ve determined a challenge rating for your further based on their story. A big beefy titan set up as a
monster, write down their statistics. You might jot them CR 16 monster might still be easy to hit—maybe with an
on an index card, in a text editor on your computer, Armor Class of 14.
or wherever you keep notes for your adventures and It’s easiest to think of Armor Class on a 10 to 20 scale,
campaigns. You might end up customizing those statistics, with 10 being the equivalent of an unarmored opponent
though, so be ready to change them. with no Dexterity bonus, and 20 being an opponent
wearing plate armor with a shield. (Armor Class can go
STEP 3: DETERMINE PROFICIENT above 20 or below 10, though.)
ABILITIES Keep in mind that missing an opponent isn’t much
Next, determine which abilities—Strength, Dexterity, fun for a player. Lower-AC opponents, even those with
Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma—a more hit points, are often more fun to fight than high-AC
monster is proficient in, using the Proficient Ability Bonus opponents with fewer hit points.
column on the table. This sets up the bonus a monster
has when using any ability with which they’re proficient, OPTIONAL STEP: CUSTOMIZE
and is largely based on the monster’s story. A big, beefy ATTACKS
monster might be proficient in skills or saving throws The table includes a recommended number of attacks for
involving Strength and Constitution. A smart mastermind a monster, an attack bonus, and the amount of damage
monster might be proficient in Wisdom- and Intelligence- those attacks should deal. If desired, tailor this damage to
based skills and saving throws. A fast monster might be fit the monster’s story. Choose a creature’s damage type,
proficient in Dexterity (Acrobatics) checks and Dexterity such as fire for a flaming Greatsword attack or necrotic for
saving throws, while an otherworldly monster might be a death blast. You can also mix up multiple damage types,
proficient in Charisma-based skills and saves. so that a CR 10 hell knight might have a Longsword attack
The bonus indicated in the table is what the monster dealing both slashing and fire damage.
uses for saving throws and ability checks with those Consider the ranged attacks a monster might have
proficient abilities. Just remember that the number on the as well. You can use the same attack bonus, number of
table already includes a monster’s proficiency bonus in attacks, and damage, or give a creature weaker ranged
addition to their ability score modifier. attacks (attacking once instead of twice, for example).
Depending on the creature’s story, the flavor of those
STEP 4: DETERMINE attacks might be physical (hurling javelins or rocks) or
REMAINING ABILITIES arcane (firing energy blasts).
Next, you can determine the modifier (either a penalty To further customize a monster, you can divide up their
or a bonus) that a monster uses for their nonproficient total damage per round into a different number of attacks
abilities. This is for all the ability checks and saving than indicated on the table, if that makes sense for the
throws a monster isn’t great at, and can be determined monster’s story. (As noted above, for attacks that target
by asking yourself how strong a monster feels in those two or more opponents, use half the indicated damage.)
abilities. The bonus can range anywhere from −2 to +4,
and is independent of a monster’s challenge rating. Even OPTIONAL STEP: FURTHER MODIFY
a high-challenge monster might have a lousy Dexterity STATISTICS
saving throw. When in doubt, or to speed things up, use Depending on the story of your monster, you can make
a modifier of +0 for these nonproficient abilities. You can general adjustments to their baseline statistics however
always change this during the game if a higher or lower you see fit. For example, you might lower a monster’s
number makes sense. hit points and increase the damage they deal to create
a dangerous foe who drops out of the fight quickly. 5
 MONSTER STATISTICS BY CHALLENGE RATING
Equivalent Proficient
Character AC/ Ability Damage Number Damage Per
CR Level DC Hit Points Bonus Per Round of Attacks Attack Example 5e Monsters
0 <1 10 3 (2–4) +2 2 1 2 (1d4) Commoner, rat, spider
1/8 <1 11 9 (7–11) +3 3 1 4 (1d6 + 1) Bandit, cultist, giant rat
1/4 1 11 13 (10–16) +3 5 1 5 (1d6 + 2) Acolyte, skeleton, wolf
1/2 2 12 22 (17–28) +4 8 2 4 (1d4 + 2) Black bear, scout, shadow
1 3 12 33 (25–41) +5 12 2 6 (1d8 + 2) Dire wolf, specter, spy
2 5 13 45 (34–56) +5 17 2 9 (2d6 + 2) Ghast, ogre, priest
3 7 13 65 (49–81) +5 23 2 12 (2d8 + 3) Knight, mummy, werewolf
4 9 14 84 (64–106) +6 28 2 14 (3d8 + 1) Ettin, ghost
5 10 15 95 (71–119) +7 35 3 12 (3d6 + 2) Elemental, gladiator, vampire spawn
6 11 15 112 (84–140) +7 41 3 14 (3d6 + 4) Mage, medusa, wyvern
7 12 15 130 (98–162) +7 47 3 16 (3d8 + 3) Stone giant, young black dragon
8 13 15 136 (102–170) +7 53 3 18 (3d10 + 2) Assassin, frost giant
9 15 16 145 (109–181) +8 59 3 22 (3d12 + 3) Bone devil, fire giant, young blue dragon
10 16 17 155 (116–194) +9 65 4 16 (3d8 + 3) Stone golem, young red dragon
11 17 17 165 (124–206) +9 71 4 18 (3d10 + 2) Djinni, efreeti, horned devil
12 18 17 175 (131–219) +9 77 4 19 (3d10 + 3) Archmage, erinyes
13 19 18 184 (138–230) +10 83 4 21 (4d8 + 3) Adult white dragon, storm giant, vampire
14 20 19 196 (147–245) +11 89 4 22 (4d10) Adult black dragon, ice devil
15 > 20 19 210 (158–263) +11 95 5 19 (3d10 + 3) Adult green dragon, mummy lord, purple
worm
16 > 20 19 229 (172–286) +11 101 5 22 (3d12 + 3) Adult blue dragon, iron golem, marilith
17 > 20 20 246 (185–308) +12 107 5 21 (4d8 + 3) Adult red dragon
18 > 20 21 266 (200–333) +13 113 5 23 (4d10 + 1) Demilich
19 > 20 21 285 (214–356) +13 119 5 24 (4d10 + 2) Balor
20 > 20 21 300 (225–375) +13 132 5 26 (4d12) Ancient white dragon, pit fiend
21 > 20 22 325 (244–406) +14 150 5 30 (4d12 + 4) Ancient black dragon, lich, solar
22 > 20 23 350 (263–438) +15 168 5 34 (4d12 + 8) Ancient green dragon
23 > 20 23 375 (281–469) +15 186 5 37 (6d10 + 4) Ancient blue dragon, kraken
24 > 20 23 400 (300–500) +15 204 5 41 (6d10 + 8) Ancient red dragon
25 > 20 24 430 (323–538) +16 222 5 44 (6d10 + 11)
26 > 20 25 460 (345–575) +17 240 5 48 (6d10 + 15)
27 > 20 25 490 (368–613) +17 258 5 52 (6d10 + 19)
28 > 20 25 540 (405–675) +17 276 5 55 (6d10 + 22)
29 > 20 26 600 (450–750) +18 294 5 59 (6d10 + 26)
30 > 20 27 666 (500–833) +19 312 5 62 (6d10 + 29) Tarrasque

However, always consider whether such changes make important features of that type, whether corporeal
a combat encounter more fun to play. It might make undead, elemental, fiend, and so forth. That section also
sense to create a monster with high hit points and a includes a number of useful monster powers you can
higher Armor Class who deals less damage, thinking add to a foe, or you can select from additional features,
that those two things balance out. But fighting such a traits, and attacks in “Monster Powers” (page 15) and
monster can easily become a slog. Likewise, a monster “Monster Roles” (page 22).
with significantly fewer hit points that deals high damage
might end up being inadvertently deadly if too many USING THE TABLE WITH
characters roll low on attacks, or could feel pointless if the PUBLISHED MONSTERS
monster is killed too quickly.
While the Monster Statistics by Challenge Rating table is
OPTIONAL STEP: ADD QUICK TYPES intended to build monsters from scratch, it can easily be
AND FEATURES used as a reference to better understand how a published
The “Common Monster Type Templates” section includes monster might act in combat. If a published CR 4 monster
a number of monster types you can apply when creating has 30 hit points but deals 35 damage per round, you can
a quick monster. Each monster type includes the most see from the table that their hit points are low but their
6
 damage is high compared to the creature’s baseline
challenge rating. Such a monster hits hard for their
challenge rating, but goes down fast when hit
themself.

COMMON MONSTER
TYPE TEMPLATES
This section offers a sampling of monster
type templates whose traits you can apply to
your quick-build monster, new powers tied
specific monster types (including actions,
bonus actions, reactions, and additional
traits), and advice on how to use those
powers. Some templates use the challenge
rating of the creature you’re creating to calculate
saving throw DCs, damage, and other variables.
You can find additional monster type templates and
guidance for using them in “Monster Powers” on
page 15, and still more templates and powers in
“Monster Roles” on page 22.
ABERRATION
Aberrations generally have high Intelligence, Wisdom,
and Charisma scores, as well as darkvision with either a
60- or 120-foot range. An aberration speaks a language or Dexterity. They might also have medium to high
such as Deep Speech or communicates telepathically. Constitution or Wisdom to represent hardiness and
cunning. Beasts typically have darkvision with a 60-foot
Senses darkvision 120 ft. range, and they don’t speak a language. Beasts often
Languages Deep Speech, telepathy 120 ft.
have the ability to climb, swim, or fly, and they might be
You can further represent an aberration’s nature by proficient in the Athletics, Perception, or Survival skills.
giving them any of the following powers. You can customize a quick-build beast using one of the
Grasping Tentacles (Reaction). When this creature hits with an powers below, or a power from the “Monstrosity” section.
attack, they sprout a tentacle that grasps the target. In addition Hit and Run (Action). As part of this action, this creature first
to the attack’s normal effects, the target is grappled (escape takes one of their other actions. After that action completes,
DC = 11 + 1/2 CR) and restrained. Until the grapple ends, this this creature can move 30 feet without provoking opportunity
creature can’t use the grappling tentacle against another attacks. If the creature ends their movement behind cover
target. This creature can sprout 1d4 tentacles. or in an obscured area, they can make a Dexterity (Stealth)
This reaction is a fun way to surprise your players. check to hide.
Describe how the tentacles emerge from the foe’s limb or This action allows a beast to act as a predator, attacking
body to grasp a character. You can roll for the number of and repositioning themself for maximum effect.
tentacles or choose a number that reflects the creature’s
Empowered by Carnage (Reaction). When this creature hits
desired challenge rating. another creature with a melee attack and the damage from the
Dominating Gaze (Action, Recharge 4–6). If this creature has attack reduces the target below half its hit points or to 0 hit
the multiattack action, Dominating Gaze can take the place of points, this creature can immediately move up to their speed
one of the attacks used in that action. This creature chooses and repeat the melee attack against another target.
a target they can see within 60 feet of them. The target must This reaction captures the ferocious nature of the beast,
succeed on a Charisma saving throw (DC = 12 + 1/2 CR) or
motivated by seeing prey take a grievous wound or meet
be forced to immediately make their most effective weapon
attack or at-will spell or magical attack against a target chosen their end.
by this creature.
CELESTIAL
This action communicates the foe’s otherworldly nature. As divine beings of the Outer Planes, celestials have
The momentary domination could come in the form of high ability scores. Charisma is often especially high to
mind control, changing what the target sees, or confusing represent a celestial’s leadership qualities, eloquence,
them. Describing horrid whispers of the beauty of the and beauty. Celestials often have resistance to radiant
stars waking to devour the world is optional. damage, and they might also have resistance to damage
BRIAN PATTERSON

BEAST from nonmagical attacks and immunity to the charmed,

exhaustion, and frightened conditions. The mightiest
Beasts might have low ability scores if they are mundane
celestials possess truesight with a range of 120 feet,
creatures, with their strongest scores in either Strength 7
 speak and understand all languages, and communicate DRAGON
telepathically. Draconic creatures have high Strength, Dexterity, and
Damage Resistances radiant; bludgeoning, piercing, and Constitution scores, as well as high Charisma scores. A
slashing from nonmagical attacks dragon has immunity to any damage type used for their
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened breath weapon, has blindsight and darkvision, and speaks
Senses darkvision 120 ft. Draconic. They often have proficiency in Perception, and
Languages all, telepathy 120 ft.
in one or more other skills reflecting their interests or
You can also select one or both of the powers below to nature.
further enhance a creature’s celestial nature.
Damage Immunities damage type associated with the
Winged (Trait). This creature has a flying speed equal to their dragon’s breath weapon
best other speed, and can hover. Senses blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 120 ft.
Glorious celestial wings might be shaped of feathers, Languages Common, Draconic
ice, or radiant energy. You can increase the flying speed if A true dragon or a closely related draconic creature
you wish the celestial to have more mobility. has a breath weapon that is fearsome to behold. You can
adjust the area of effect or damage depending on how
Mirrored Judgment (Reaction). When this creature is the
sole target of an attack or spell, they can choose another valid powerful your draconic creature is meant to be.
target to also be targeted by the attack or spell. Dragon’s Breath (Action, Recharge 5–6). This creature
A celestial might change their face or armor to become breathes to deal poison, cold, or fire damage in a 30-foot cone,
reflective like a mirror, so that an attacking creature can or breathes to deal acid or lightning damage in a 60-foot line
that is 5 feet wide. Each creature in the area of the exhalation
contemplate their actions.
must make a Dexterity saving throw against a line or a
CONSTRUCT Constitution saving throw against a cone (DC = 12 + 1/2 CR),
taking 4 × CR damage of the appropriate type on a failed save,
A construct’s strongest ability scores are usually Strength or half as much damage on a successful one.
and Constitution, though a construct built for agility
You might also wish to provide a dragon or draconic
might also have a high Dexterity. Constructs typically also
creature with an additional power to reflect their nature.
have either blindsight or darkvision, and a selection of
damage immunities and condition immunities to reflect Dragon’s Gaze (Bonus Action, Recharge 6). One creature
their nonliving nature. They usually can’t speak, but might within 60 feet of the dragon must make a Wisdom saving throw
(DC = 13 + 1/2 CR) or become frightened of the dragon. While
understand one or more languages.
frightened in this way, each time the target takes damage, they
Damage Immunities poison, psychic take an extra 1/2 CR damage. The target can repeat the saving
Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened, throw at the end of each of their turns, ending the effect on
exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned themself on a success.
Senses blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius) or Dragon’s Gaze puts the pressure on a character, and
darkvision 60 ft.
Languages understands certain languages but can’t speak
goes well with threats a dragon makes as they promise
that the heroes are about to meet their doom.
You can further enhance a construct with
one of the following features.
Armor Plating (Trait). This creature has a +2
bonus to Armor Class. Each time the creature’s
hit points are reduced by one-quarter of their
maximum value, this bonus decreases by 1, to a
maximum penalty to Armor Class of −2.
The high Armor Class of a construct might feel
initially frustrating, but as you describe
the pieces of armor plating being
torn off, players will sense the tide
turning. When the bonus to Armor Class
becomes a penalty, describe how the rents in the
armor allow characters access to the construct’s inner
workings, speeding up the foe’s demise!
Sentinel (Trait). This creature can make opportunity attacks
without using a reaction.
This simple feature really shines when you describe the
construct’s sharp eyes zeroing in on the characters, or
how the construct swivels part of their body to make an
opportunity attack.
8
 Draconic Retaliation (Trait). When this creature is reduced to Sylvan or Elvish in addition to Common, and many speak
half their hit points or fewer, they can immediately use either giant. Most fey have darkvision, and proficiency in the
their breath weapon or their Multiattack action. If the creature Deception, Perception, or Persuasion skills.
is incapacitated or otherwise unable to use this trait, they can
use it when they are next able to. Senses darkvision 60 ft.
Languages Common, Elvish, Sylvan
This trait showcases a dragon’s fury and might just
as the characters appear to gain the upper hand. For A fey creature can be further enhanced with one of the
a particularly fearsome foe—or particularly strong following features.
characters—you can use this trait again when the dragon Teleporting Step (Bonus Action). This creature teleports a
is reduced to one quarter of their hit points or fewer. number of feet up to their walking speed to an unoccupied
space they can see.
ELEMENTAL
This option makes a fey creature a master of mobility,
Elementals generally have strong physical ability scores. which you can richly describe in a number of ways. Does
They have resistance to damage of the type they are the creature summon, then step through portals? Vanish
associated with (acid, bludgeoning, cold, fire, lightning, into shadow? Move from one plant to another? Transform
or thunder), and might have immunity to that damage into wind and appear in another location?
if wholly created from elemental energy. An elemental
usually has immunity to poison damage and certain Beguiling Aura (Trait). An enemy of this creature who moves
within 25 feet of them for the first time on a turn or starts
conditions, depending on their nature. They have
their turn there must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw (DC
darkvision and speak the language associated with their = 10 + 1/2 CR) or be charmed by this creature until the end of
element. their turn.
Damage Resistances damage type the creature is associated Representing the enigmatic and compelling nature of
with, if appropriate; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from many fey, this aura can force a character to change their
nonmagical attacks
tactics during their turn. It’s especially effective on a foe
Damage Immunities damage type the creature is associated
with, if appropriate; poison
you wish to protect, making it harder for melee characters
Condition Immunities exhaustion, grappled, paralyzed, to engage that foe, and incentivizing those characters to
petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained, unconscious pick other targets first. You can vary the nature of the
Senses darkvision 60 ft. charm effect, whether the fey is adorned in the finest
An elemental can be further enhanced with one of the clothing, can change their appearance to look like a
following features. friend, or weaves ancient words to beguile their enemies.
Elemental Attacks (Trait). This creature’s weapons or limbs are FIEND
infused with energy of the type they are associated with (acid, Ability scores for fiends favor their physical
bludgeoning, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder), dealing that
characteristics, though many also have moderate or
damage type instead of their normal type.
higher Charisma scores. Devils hoping to entice mortals
This is a basic feature to communicate the nature of an into deals also often have proficiency in the Deception
elemental monster. Reinforce this through roleplaying, skill. Fiends typically have resistance to nonmagical
describing the foe’s form and appearance. Are they a being attacks, and might have one or more elemental
of fire? Are they wielding weapons that they ignite with resistances. Demons speak Abyssal, while devils speak
fire? Infernal. Both usually have telepathy up to 120 feet.
Elemental Aura (Trait). This creature radiates an aura of Damage Resistances elemental resistances; bludgeoning,
elemental energy of the type they are associated with (acid, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
bludgeoning, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder). Any creature Damage Immunities poison
who moves within 10 feet of this creature for the first time on Condition Immunities poisoned
a turn or starts their turn there takes 5 damage of the selected Senses darkvision 120 ft.
energy type (10 damage if this creature is CR 12 or higher). Languages Abyssal or Infernal, telepathy 120 ft.
Does your elemental monster radiate extreme cold? Do In addition, you can add any of the following features to
sparks fly from them, or does a cloud of stones encircle enhance the fiendish capabilities of a foe.
them? An elemental aura communicates a creature’s
nature clearly, and presents a tactical challenge for melee- Empowered by Death (Trait). When a creature within 30 feet
of this creature dies, this creature regains CR × 2 hit points.
focused characters. For an alternative approach, have this
trait activate only when the creature drops below half What makes this feature interesting is that the foe’s
their hit points, as their elemental essence leaks out of allies dying also triggers it. Give this trait to a fiendish
their body. boss so that they can gain hit points as their minions die.
They might even kill one off just for fun.
FEY
BRIAN PATTERSON

Relish Your Failure (Trait). When a creature within 50 feet

Fey creatures can vary greatly in their traits and actions, of this creature fails a saving throw, this creature gains 1/2 CR
but often have high Charisma and Dexterity scores and temporary hit points. If this creature already has temporary
moderate-to-high Wisdom scores. Fey usually speak 9
 hit points, they instead regain 1/2 CR hit points, up to their hit will—or even swallow whole. This forces the characters
point maximum. to choose between focusing on the larger foe or killing off
The fiend calls out any character’s failure, mocking the weaker ones to prevent the boss from healing.
them and drawing strength from their demise. This trait Lingering Wound (Reaction, Recharge 6). When this creature
works best when your foes have actions or spells requiring hits a target with an attack and deals damage, the target takes
saving throws. a lingering wound. At the start of each of their turns, a target
with a lingering wound takes the same damage dealt by the
GIANT original attack. The target can attempt a DC 10 Constitution
Giants have Strength and Constitution scores as saving throw at the end of each of their turns, ending the
formidable as their size, but their Dexterity scores are effect on themself on a success. A successful DC 10 Wisdom
(Medicine) check made as an action by the target or a creature
typically lower. Some giants only speak Giant, while
within 5 feet of them also ends the target’s lingering wound.
others might speak Common, Goblin, or other languages.
The effect of this power can be described as blood
Forceful Blow (Reaction, Recharge 4–6). When this creature
loss from jagged fangs or claws, and can heighten a
hits a target with a weapon attack, roll 1d4 + 1. The target is
pushed 5 times that many feet away from this creature.
monstrosity’s terrible nature.
You can alter the size of the die to reflect the type of OOZE
giant, or assign a fixed value for the distance if you feel Oozes almost always have low mental ability scores, and
that would work better. Sending characters flying is often have either low Strength or Dexterity scores based
rewarding. Try not to enjoy it too much. on their nature. Oozes might be proficient in the Stealth
Shove Allies (Action). This creature can shove any allied skill if they sneak up on opponents, or have transparent
creatures who are within 5 feet of this creature and are smaller bodies or forms that blend into their environment. Oozes
in size. Each shoved ally moves up to 15 feet away from this typically lack a language, and rely on blindsense to sense
creature, and can make a melee weapon attack if they end that creatures in close proximity. They often have immunity to
movement and have a viable target within their reach. multiple conditions.
Roleplay the giant as they shove smaller creatures
Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened,
around them, forcing them to fight for their lives. Players exhaustion, frightened, prone
might enjoy the tactical nature of this approach, since Senses blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius)
defeating enough of the giant’s smaller allies makes this
Many oozes have the ability to slip through small
trait less effective.
openings, which can be represented by the following trait.
HUMANOID Malleable Form (Trait). This creature has advantage on checks
Ability scores for humanoids can reflect both their role to begin or escape a grapple, and can move through a space as
and their species. The wide variety of humanoid types and if they were two sizes smaller than their size without squeezing.
the range of standard NPC stat blocks that can represent You can alter the malleable trait to reflect just how small
humanoids makes it difficult to create templates for a space an ooze creature can move through, with some
specifically humanoid features. Instead, you can select oozes able to move through a space as small as 1 inch
from the powers found in the “Common Monster Powers” wide without squeezing.
section below, choosing those that enable your specific Additionally, you can choose any of the following
concept. powers to represent a creature’s ooze nature.
MONSTROSITY Oozing Passage (Trait). This creature can move through
the space of other creatures of their size or smaller without
Monstrosities often have high Constitution and either provoking opportunity attacks. When they do so, each creature
a high Strength or Dexterity. Their Intelligence and whose space this creature moves through must succeed on a
Charisma are often low. Many monstrosities lack a Strength saving throw (DC = 10 + 1/2 CR) or be restrained until
language, and might have skill proficiency in Athletics, the end of their next turn.
Perception, or Stealth. A burrow, climb, or swim speed It can be fun to describe the moment when an ooze
might be appropriate. passes over and around a character. This can be a strong
The following powers can be used to show off a feature if the ooze moves through several characters, so
truly monstrous monstrosity. For monstrosities such you might alter tactics as needed to reflect the desired
as centaurs and doppelgangers who are decidedly less challenge rating. You can also remove the restrained effect
monstrous in their appearance and outlook, you can use to simply provide an interesting form of mobility.
the powers in the “Common Monster Powers” instead.
Elongating Limbs (Trait). This creature can increase the length
Devour Ally (Bonus Action). This creature swallows an allied of their limbs or other appendages at will, increasing their
creature who is within 5 feet of this creature and is smaller. reach by 5 feet. A creature moving out of this creature’s reach
This creature regains CR × 3 hit points and the devoured ally is or within their reach provokes an opportunity attack.
reduced to 0 hit points.
This trait is the surprise that keeps surprising. A
This power works well for a massive monstrosity paired monster can lengthen a limb to attack a foe, then use
10 with smaller, weaker creatures who they can slay at
it later for a reaction attack. Describe the way the limb Add this trait to undead creatures who can withstand
elongates in as grotesque a way as desired. blows that would kill a living creature. Describe a
successful save as the undead creature getting back up
PLANT or refusing to fall, despite missing body parts or other
Plant creatures have extremely low mental attributes terrible wounds.
and low Dexterity scores. Many are stationary, or might
Stench of Death (Trait). Any creature who starts their turn
have a slow walking speed of anywhere from 5 to 20 feet.
within 10 feet of this creature must succeed on a Constitution
Some plant creatures have darkvision, while others have saving throw (DC = 10 + 1/2 CR) or become poisoned until
blindsight out to a range of 30 or 60 feet. Some have the start of their next turn. On a successful saving throw, the
resistance to bludgeoning and piercing damage, some creature is immune to this creature’s stench for 24 hours.
have resistance to cold, fire, or poison damage, and some You can alter the effect’s radius based on the … uh,
have immunity to conditions such as blinded, deafened, flavor you wish to impart.
exhaustion, and prone. A few plants have vulnerability to
fire. COMMON MONSTER POWERS
You can add any of the following powers to a creature This section offers a selection of common monster powers
with a plant-like nature. you can apply to any quick-build monster to give them
Poison Thorns (Bonus Action, Recharge 5–6). The next time a stronger mechanical flavor, make them more tactically
this creature hits a target with an attack and deals damage, the interesting, or reinforce their behavior in the story of your
attack deals extra poison damage equal to half the damage game.
originally dealt, and the target gains the poisoned condition
until the end of their next turn. Damaging Aura (Trait). Any creature who moves within 10
feet of this creature or who starts their turn there takes CR
You can describe the thorns growing along the plant damage of a type appropriate for this creature.
creature’s appendages when they take this bonus action.
Those thorns might be a bold color such as bright red or Reskin this aura to meet your needs based on the
blue, and could drip poison. damage type. A fire elemental can radiate an aura of fire,
while an undead might radiate necrotic damage. You can
Grasping Roots (Trait). When a creature attempts to leave a also describe this effect as a magical aura dealing force
space within 5 feet of this creature, the moving creature must
damage, a holy aura dealing radiant damage, or even have
succeed on a Strength saving throw (DC = 12 + 1/2 CR) or be
restrained until the start of their next turn. a many-armed creature wielding swords to create an aura
of slashing damage.
You can surprise players with this power, which reveals
itself as a network of roots surrounding the plant, hidden Damaging Weapon (Trait). This creature’s melee weapon
beneath the soil or spreading along the cracks of a stone attacks deal an extra CR damage of a type appropriate for
the creature.
floor. When a character attempts to move away from or
around the plant, the roots emerge and try to hold them As with Damaging Aura, this trait can be customized
fast. for many types of creatures by choosing a thematic
damage type. A warrior might wield a greatsword that
UNDEAD deals extra fire or lightning damage as a boon bestowed
Undead creatures typically have immunity to poison by their god. A mini-boss undead could deal necrotic or
damage and the poisoned condition, and they do not cold damage to represent their innate supernatural power.
need to eat or breathe. Some undead have immunity to Defender (Reaction). When an ally within 5 feet of this
the charmed and exhaustion conditions, and skeletal creature is targeted by an attack or spell, this creature can
undead might have vulnerability to bludgeoning make themself the intended target of the attack.
damage. Although some intelligent undead can speak, This is an excellent feature for minions who can
many undead lack the ability to speak even if they can intercept damage intended for a boss, or for a high-hit-
understand language. point monster who can act as a defender of other more
Damage Immunities poison strategically important monsters.
Condition Immunities exhaustion, poisoned
Delights in Suffering (Trait). When attacking a target whose
Senses darkvision 60 ft.
current hit points are below half their hit point maximum, this
Languages understands all languages they knew in life but
creature has advantage on attack rolls and deals an extra CR
can’t speak
damage when they hit.
You can also add any of the following powers to an
This trait makes a monster extremely dangerous in a
undead creature.
tough fight, and encourages the characters to use healing
Undead Resilience (Trait). If damage reduces this creature to resources.
0 hit points, they must make a Constitution saving throw with
a DC of 2 + the damage taken, unless the damage is radiant Frenzy (Trait). At the start of their turn, this creature can gain
or from a critical hit. On a success, this creature drops to 1 hit advantage on all melee weapon attack rolls made during this
point instead. turn, but attack rolls against them have advantage until the
start of their next turn.
11
 In addition to providing a combat boost for a foe, this Quick Recovery (Trait). At the start of this creature’s turn, they
trait can help accelerate a fight that’s gone on long enough, can attempt a saving throw against any effect on them that can
by letting the characters hit the last remaining foes more be ended by a successful saving throw.
often. This power can protect vulnerable combatants and
bosses from being shut down by spells. It can represent
Goes Down Fighting (Reaction). When this creature is reduced
to 0 hit points, they can immediately make one melee or magical mastery, divine favor, luck, or a specific quality
ranged weapon attack before they fall unconscious. of the creature. As a variant, using this trait could require
the foe to take 2 × CR damage if the new saving throw is
Your monsters can get one last attack in when they have
successful, representing the exertion made to overcome
this trait.
the effect.
Improvised Ranged Attack (Action) This creature can
make one or more ranged weapon attacks—firing a bow or Refuse to Surrender (Trait). When this creature’s current hit
crossbow, hurling a spear or javelin, throwing rocks, and so points are below half their hit point maximum, the creature
forth. These attacks have an attack modifier and damage deals CR extra damage with each of their attacks.
appropriate for the creature’s challenge rating (see the Monster This trait works best when used on a single important
Statistics by Challenge Rating table), and a range of 45/90 feet foe, and when you describe the monster’s refusal to
or as appropriate to the weapon. surrender despite their many wounds. This lets the
With this attack, any melee combatant becomes an players know they can focus fire to finish the creature off,
effective threat at range. minimizing their damage potential.
Arcane Blast (Action) This creature can make one or more Reposition (Bonus Action, 1/Day). Each ally within 60 feet
ranged spell attacks, dealing acid, cold, fire, force, lighting, of this creature who can see and hear them can immediately
necrotic, poison, psychic, or radiant damage as appropriate move their speed without provoking opportunity attacks.
to the creature. These attacks have an attack modifier and
Place this trait on a boss monster to allow their minions
damage appropriate for the creature’s challenge rating (see the
Monster Statistics by Challenge Rating table), and a range of 60 to quickly reposition, especially when it’s useful for those
or 120 feet. minions to move through characters ready to attack.
This attack lets you add a touch of arcane fury to any Sneaky (Trait). This creature has advantage on Dexterity
combatant. (Stealth) checks.

Lethal (Trait). This creature has a +CR bonus to damage rolls, Foes fighting in obscured areas or behind cover can
and scores a critical hit on an unmodified attack roll of 18–20. benefit from this trait, which can represent natural
camouflage or well-practiced skill.
This simple trait is a default you can use to increase the
damage dealt by any monster. Spell Fuel (Reaction). When a target this creature can see
(including themself) either succeeds or fails on a saving throw
Mark the Target (Trait, Recharge 3–6). When this creature hits against a spell or other magical effect, this creature can expend
a target with a ranged attack, allies of this creature who can a spell slot to force the target to reroll the saving throw.
see the target have advantage on attack rolls against the target
until the start of this creature’s next turn. Appropriate for a powerful spellcaster, this power
represents mastery over magical forces in its ability to
Let a monster apply pressure to a specific target with
enhance or weaken a spell’s effect.
this power, especially if that target is wounded or in a
vulnerable position. Make the foe’s action obvious, so that Telekinetic Grasp (Action). This creature chooses one creature
the players know to react to it and can help the targeted they can see within 100 feet of them weighing less than 400
character survive the ensuing focused fire. pounds. The target must succeed on a Strength saving throw
(DC = 11 + 1/2 CR) or be pulled up to 80 feet directly toward
Not Dead Yet (Trait, 1/Day). When this creature is reduced to this creature.
0 hit points, they drop prone and are indistinguishable from
When characters like to hang back from the action,
a dead creature. At the start of their next turn, this creature
stands up without using any movement and has 2 × CR hit this power can draw them right into the heart of combat.
points. They can then take their turn normally. It can represent psionic ability, a spell, or mastery over
wind and air. You can also adjust the power to be a
This trait can represent a clever combatant playing
teleportation effect if that fits a monster’s concept.
dead, a warrior with incredible resolve, or a creature such
as an undead or an ooze that refuses to die. Vanish (Bonus Action). This creature can use the Disengage
action, then can hide if they have cover.
Parry and Riposte (Reaction, Recharge 6). This creature adds
+3 to their Armor Class against one melee attack that would Creatures accustomed to fighting from cover gain a
hit them. If the attack misses, this creature can immediately formidable edge with this power. Consider pairing Vanish
make a weapon attack against the creature making the with the Sneaky trait (above) to create an unstoppable
parried attack. ambusher.
This power works well for clever foes, especially those
who are experts in the use of the weapons they wield.

12
GENERAL-USE COMBAT
STAT BLOCKS
This section contains several general-use stat blocks SOLDIER (CR 1/2)
specifically built for reskinning into whatever monsters Representing seasoned guards, trained soldiers, powerful
you need for your combat encounters. Each is fully usable bandits, murderous humanoids, or armed undead, the
on its own, but you can improvise adjustments to them soldier stat block works well as a boss at 1st level, an elite
during play, or customize them with attacks and traits foe for two 2nd-level characters, one-on-one combatants
from “Building a Quick Monster” (page 4), “Monster at 4th level, and in large groups at 6th level and above.
Powers” (page 15), or “Monster Roles” (page 22). Strength is this stat block’s primary ability.
Each stat block uses d8 Hit Dice, but can be used for
creatures in a range of sizes. Each focuses on a primary SOLDIER
ability score, but you can shift abilities as needed to better Medium Creature
fit the story of the creature the stat block represents. Swap
Strength and Intelligence to run a spellcaster instead of Armor Class 12 (leather armor or natural armor)
a melee combatant, or switch Dexterity and Strength to Hit Points 22 (4d8 + 4)
Speed 30 ft.
turn a shifty rogue into a powerful fighter.
A stat block’s attack lets you choose the most STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
appropriate type of damage for a creature, and you can 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 12 (+1) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 10 (+0)
easily increase an attack’s reach or range. Ranges for Senses passive Perception 10
attacks are given as a single number indicating maximum Challenge 1/2 (100 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2
range, but you can modify that range or replace it with the
normal and long range of a specific weapon as you wish. ACTIONS
The spread of challenge ratings of these stat blocks Attack. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft. or
provides options for weak, moderate, and strong foes at range 60 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d12 + 2) damage.
any character level. Each stat block description includes
comparisons between the stat block and characters of BRUTE (CR 2)
different levels, providing guidelines for when a stat Heavy-hitting veterans, capable bodyguards, low-ranking
block can serve as a boss, an elite foe (suitable for two demons or devils, dangerous monsters in the wild, and
characters against one creature), a one-on-one combatant, powerful humanoids can all be represented by this stat
or in larger groups of two to four monsters per character. block. A brute can serve as a boss against 2nd-level
All these setups are geared toward a hard encounter (see characters, an elite foe against two 4th-level characters, a
“Defining Challenge Level” on page 105), but one that one-on-one opponent at 5th level, and in large groups at
the characters should definitely be able to win. 10th level. This stat block relies on Strength.
MINION (CR 1/8) BRUTE
The low-CR minions represented by this stat block might Medium or Large Creature
represent ravenous rats, weak skeletons, shifty bandits, or
low-ranking cultists. A minion can serve as a one-on-one Armor Class 13 (studded leather or natural armor)
Hit Points 45 (7d8 + 14)
combatant against 1st-level characters, or can be deployed Speed 30 ft.
in large groups at 4th level or above. This stat block
focuses on Dexterity as its primary ability. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
16 (+3) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 8 (−1)
MINION
Saving Throws Con +4
Small or Medium Creature Skills Athletics +5
Senses passive Perception 10
Armor Class 11
Challenge 2 (450 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2
Hit Points 9 (2d8)
Speed 30 ft. Actions
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Multiattack. The brute makes two attacks.
10 (+0) 12 (+1) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 12 (+1) 10 (+0) Attack. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft. or
range 60 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (1d12 + 3) damage.
Senses passive Perception 11
Challenge 1/8 (25 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2

Actions
Attack. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft. or
range 60 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) damage.
13
 SPECIALIST (CR 4) SENTINEL (CR 11)
This stat block can represent spies, assassins, hunters, This stat block is a good fit for strong, often-otherworldly
and trained elite forces. The specialist serves as a boss creatures such as demons, devils, impressive beings of the
for 4th-level characters, an elite opponent versus two Outer Planes, guardian constructs, or powerful undead.
5th-level characters, a one-on-one combatant for 10th- The sentinel can serve as a boss for 7th-level characters,
level characters, and in large groups against 16th-level an elite foe against two 12th-level characters, and can
characters. Dexterity is the stat block’s primary ability. stand one-on-one against 16th-level characters. This stat
block focuses on Strength.
SPECIALIST
Medium Creature SENTINEL
Medium, Large, or Huge Creature
Armor Class 14
Hit Points 84 (13d8 + 26) Armor Class 17 (natural armor or magical protection)
Speed 30 ft. Hit Points 165 (22d8 + 66)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
12 (+1) 18 (+4) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
20 (+5) 16 (+3) 16 (+3) 10 (+0) 14 (+2) 10 (+0)
Saving Throws Dex +6, Wis +4
Skills Acrobatics +6, Perception +4, Stealth +6 Saving Throws Str +9, Dex +7
Senses passive Perception 14 Skills Perception +6
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2 Senses passive Perception 16
Challenge 11 (7,200 XP) Proficiency Bonus +4
Actions
Multiattack. The specialist makes two attacks. Actions
Attack. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft. or Multiattack. The sentinel makes four attacks.
range 60 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (3d6 + 4) damage. Attack. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft. or
range 60 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (3d8 + 5) damage.
MYRMIDON (CR 7)
Powerful elite bodyguards, high priests, wizards, warlocks, CHAMPION (CR 15)
sorcerers, demons, and devils can all be represented by Representing greater demons, devils, vampires, liches,
this stat block. A myrmidon can serve as a boss monster or powerful spellcasters, the champion serves as a boss
for 5th-level characters, an elite combatant against two for 11th-level characters, an elite foe for two 15th-level
characters of 7th level, a one-on-one combatant against characters, or a one-on-one challenge against 17th-level
10th-level characters, or in large groups against 20th-level characters. This stat block focuses on Charisma.
characters. This stat block focuses on Intelligence.
CHAMPION
MYRMIDON Medium, Large, or Huge Creature
Medium or Large creature
Armor Class 19 (natural armor or magical protection)
Armor Class 15 (chain shirt or natural armor) Hit Points 212 (25d8 + 100)
Hit Points 130 (20d8 + 40) Speed 30 ft.
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 10 (+0) 12 (+1) 18 (+4) 12 (+1) 16 (+3) 22 (+6)
10 (+0) 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 18 (+4) 14 (+2) 10 (+0)
Saving Throws Wis +8, Cha +11
Saving Throws Dex +5, Wis +5 Skills Perception +8
Skills Perception +5 Senses passive Perception 18
Senses passive Perception 15 Challenge 15 (13,000 XP) Proficiency Bonus +5
Challenge 7 (2,900 XP) Proficiency Bonus +3
Actions
Actions Multiattack. The champion makes four attacks.
Multiattack. The myrmidon makes three attacks. Attack. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 5 ft. or
Attack. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 60 ft., one target. Hit: 24 (4d8 + 6) damage.
range 60 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (3d8 + 4) damage.

14
MONSTER POWERS
A monster power is a discrete trait or action that can be WHEN TO ADJUST CHALLENGE
quickly assigned to a monster to give them an extra edge RATING
in combat. As a GM, you can pick from the nearly forty In most cases, you’ll add monster powers because you
monster powers in this section, all of which are organized want a creature to be stronger than a typical creature of
by theme, adding powers that fit the type of creature and the same challenge rating, and you don’t want to rebalance
the story you’re trying to convey. Additional monster the encounter. If you’re deliberately making an encounter
powers can also be found in “Building a Quick Monster” a bit stronger, don’t worry about adjusting CR.
on page 4, and “Monster Roles” on page 22. If you’re adding monster powers to make creatures
Adding new powers to existing monster stat blocks lets more interesting but you don’t want the encounter to
you improve upon creatures who feel too simple, or which be harder, you’ll want to assess whether those powers
might have become familiar to your players. A creature significantly affect a creature’s CR. When a monster power
primarily focused on a single attack can be transformed offers an option a creature doesn’t have (for example, a
into something far more evocative with a fiery weapon ranged attack to a melee-focused foe) this generally won’t
that burns its target, a pinning blow that restrains an change challenge rating. But if a power grants a creature
enemy, and much more. additional actions or no-action damage (for example, a
Monster powers can also add features that a monster damaging aura or a bonus-action attack), the increase in
lacks, such as a ranged attack, a means of getting away the creature’s overall damage can increase CR. Increasing
from pesky heroes, or an aura to dissuade too many a creature’s CR by 1 is generally sufficient, or you can
characters from surrounding a creature. Monster powers use the Monster Statistics by Challenge Rating table to
can let foes deal stronger damage, or can provide a assess whether extra damage or a boost to AC changes the
more flexible means of dealing damage for an exciting expected challenge rating.
encounter. If you reward XP for defeating foes in your game,
consider having a creature with one or more monster
ADDING MONSTER POWERS powers provide the XP of a monster with a challenge
Monster powers function like any other trait or action a rating 1 higher than the baseline monster, to represent the
creature already has in their stat block, and are written up lessons learned from fighting this interesting creature.
in much the same way as those existing traits and actions.
HOW MANY POWERS IS TOO MANY?
POWERS BASED ON CHALLENGE It’s generally recommended to choose one monster power
RATING for a normal creature you want to enhance. For creatures
Monster powers sometimes make use of challenge rating playing a particularly important role in the encounter,
to calculate attack bonuses, damage, saving throw DCs, or including boss and solo monsters, choose two or three
similar values. This requires some quick math, but allows powers.
powers to be used at almost any CR. The one small fix to In combat, most foes will last 2 to 5 rounds before
keep in mind is that when using monsters below CR 1, being defeated. Those who drop more quickly are usually
any final result (such as a bonus to damage rolls) should weaker relative to other foes in the encounter, or might
have a minimum value of 1. be important enough to attract the characters’ attention.
It’s recommended that you note the final value for any Because of this, most monsters shouldn’t have more than
monster power incorporating CR in your session notes. three or four action options, including any added monster
For example, to give a mummy (CR 3) the Poisonous powers, unless the flexibility of many actions is needed.
Demise trait that has a DC of 10 + 1/2 CR and deals 2 + Features and actions tell a story. If you have too many,
CR poison damage, you would note: “Mummy (Poisonous the story becomes muddled. You want characters to react
Demise = DC 11, 5 poison damage).” to a creature’s fiery aura as they enter it, but the players
If you prefer, you can set the attack rolls, save DCs, might not even remember that aura if it’s part of a list of
or damage of monster powers according to the Monster several other things that happen. You want to pick a few
Statistics by Challenge Rating table (page 6 in elements and make them important to the encounter.
“Building a Quick Monster”). In some cases, this can give Likewise, the more features and actions your foes have,
a monster power’s math greater accuracy. For example, the harder they can be to run. Monster tactics are usually
the aberrant power Erase Memory has a DC of 13 + 1/2 more effective if you focus on using a few capabilities well.
CR, or DC 18 for a CR 10 creature. Looking up CR 10
on the table provides a suggested DC of 17. Regardless of GROUPS OF MONSTERS
what approach you use, final values for powers are always As a rule of thumb, an encounter is easier to manage
something you should feel free to change to fit your play when we assign a monster power to all creatures of the
style and your group’s capabilities. same name and type. In a fight with hobgoblin and goblin
mercenaries, you might give one power to the hobgoblins
to reinforce their role as leaders, even if you then reflavor
how the power manifests in each individual. For example, 15
 describing the same ranged monster power differently Repulsion is an excellent way to keep characters
can establish the story of how each hobgoblin sergeant away from an otherwise vulnerable foe. Even if only a
excels with a different weapon. Assigning the power to all few characters fail their saving throws, the number of
hobgoblins is easier to remember than if some hobgoblins characters who can fight the foe in melee is reduced.
have the power and others don’t. This is a powerful action to add to a monster acting as a
An exception to this is when you want to make a single guardian to other vulnerable creatures. You can explicitly
member of a group feel exceptional—for example, a trio make this a fear effect and use the frightened condition if
of skeletons fighting the party, with one of them on fire. doing so fits the foe and the situation.
By choosing one creature to be different, you make it Displace Enemies (Bonus Action). Each enemy within 30
easy to make that creature memorable. Adding a different feet of this creature must succeed on an Intelligence saving
monster power to each of the skeletons would also be throw (DC = 11 + 1/2 CR) or be teleported up to 20 feet
memorable, but harder to track. to an unoccupied space of this creature’s choice that this
creature can see.
WHAT DO POWERS REPRESENT?
As an alternative to Repulsion, this power can be used
It’s up to you to decide whether a monster power is to move targets away from a vulnerable foe. But it can
magical (and thus can be shut down in an antimagic field, also be used to place heroes over pits (allowing a DC 10
or dispelled with dispel magic if you treat it as a spell Dexterity saving throw to grab the edge), move characters
effect), or whether it is natural (representing physical next to dangerous foes, lift them up and drop them, and
capabilities or training). Thinking through the nature of explore other devious tactics. If you change the power to
the powers you add to creatures also helps you lean into target all creatures or target allies instead of enemies, it
the fiction when you use those powers. could be used to move companion creatures out of danger
(with those creatures allowed to intentionally fail their
MONSTER POWERS BY THEME saving throws).
The rest of this section contains monster powers you can
Adhesive Skin (Trait). When this creature is hit by a melee
use to enhance foes. Powers are organized by themes or
weapon attack, the weapon becomes stuck to them. A creature
types, though each of those themes is merely a suggestion can remove a stuck weapon with an action and a successful DC
touching on the most obvious flavor associated with a 14 Strength (Athletics) check. All items stuck to this creature
group of powers. Reskinning monster powers is very become unstuck when the creature dies.
much encouraged, so that you can use them on any type Sure to surprise your players, this power should be
of creature. A power like Repulsion might represent a used on a single creature to avoid frustration. It can lead
magical wave of force, a repulsive smell, a charm or fear to different tactics, or to characters drawing one weapon
effect, roots grabbing the characters, or anything else that after another to keep attacking in melee. Enjoy describing
fits a monster and the encounter they’re part of. the gross skin the monster has to enable this trait!
ABERRANT BESTIAL
Aberrant powers help to establish a creature as Bestial powers underscore the ferocious and wild nature
unimaginably alien or steeped in horror. of beasts and other feral creatures.
Erase Memory (Bonus Action). The next time this creature hits Earthshaking Demise (Trait). This creature must be size
a target with an attack, the attack’s damage becomes psychic Huge or larger. When this creature dies, they topple to the
damage and this creature becomes invisible to the target. The ground, forcing each smaller creature within 20 feet of this
target can make an Intelligence saving throw (DC = 13 + 1/2 creature to succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be
CR) as an action or at the end of each of their turns, ending the knocked prone.
invisibility on a success. A target who succeeds on the saving
throw is immune to this effect for 5 minutes. This power reminds players of the considerable size
and weight of creatures such as dinosaurs. It works
This power can easily be reskinned as an illusionary
best when several creatures all have this trait, so that as
effect usable by spellcasters, fey, or other magical
each one falls, the characters feel the effect impact the
creatures. A foe can use this power to prevent a specific
battle. Beyond bestial creatures, this trait works well for
creature from being able to see them (and perhaps forget
constructs, dragons, and other physically mighty foes.
they ever existed), forcing the characters to change tactics.
Retaliation (Reaction). When this creature is hit by a creature
Repulsion (Action, 1/Encounter). This creature targets up to
they can see, they can make an opportunity attack against
eight creatures they can see within 50 feet of them. Each target
the attacker.
must succeed on a Charisma saving throw (DC = 13 + 1/2 CR)
or immediately move their speed away from this creature, A beast that bites back feels feral and dangerous. This is
avoiding hazards or dangerous terrain if possible. On a failed also an effective power on other creature types, especially
save, a target creature can’t move closer to this creature. An boss monsters who can benefit from an off-turn attack.
affected target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each It’s a great power to improvise, applying it to any foe when
of their turns, ending the effect on themself on a success.
you want them to appear more dangerous and to surprise
the characters. Some boss monsters might have multiple
16 reactions, which also works well with this power.
 Improved Critical Range (Trait). This creature’s attacks score a
MAKE THESE POWERS YOURS critical hit on a roll of 17–20.
Though all these monster powers can be used exactly as This power works particularly well on multiple low-
written, they’re meant to be starting points that you can alter threat creatures, creating a better chance that one or
to fit your particular needs. For example, Displace Enemies is a more will score a crit. You can alter the critical hit range
strong effect, allowing a creature to rearrange the battlefield as based on the story you’re telling. For example, low-CR
a bonus action each turn. But for some encounters, it might be constructs with a critical range of 15–20 could be a lot of
appropriate to limit this power with a recharge so it comes up fun, hitting surprisingly hard but dying quickly. You can
less frequently. A power such as Armor of Frost is a reaction by also use this power with nearly any other creature type,
default, limiting it to being used once per round by a draconic representing preternatural acuity or battle training.
creature. But if you decide that power would work well for an Be careful with giving formidable foes this trait, and
ice elemental, you can represent that creature’s icy nature by considering reducing the range if you do—especially at
lowering the damage but making the power a trait that triggers low levels of play where critical hits can have a big impact
every time the elemental is attacked. For an ice titan, you might on play and easily result in character death. But, yes, a
keep the power as a reaction but increase the damage, to vorpal tyrannosaurus does sound awesome.
represent the titan’s elemental might.
Erratic Gears (Trait). At the start of each of this creature’s
turns, roll a d6 to determine what they do:
CHARM OR FEY 1: The creature’s internal mechanism stops working and they
Compulsion powers wielded by fey creatures and do nothing this turn.
others with a penchant for enchantment demonstrate 2: The creature acts normally.
a supernatural capability to influence characters. These 3–5: The creature has a surge of power that causes them to
deal an extra CR damage on each attack this turn.
powers should be used sparingly, so as to present an
6: The creature speeds up, letting them use two actions
interesting challenge without becoming frustrating or this turn.
repeatedly removing the sense of agency that players
enjoy. The chaotic nature of this power lends itself to
constructs experiencing malfunctions or not under the
Words of Treachery (Action). This creature speaks deceitful direction of a creator. It works best if used on several
words at a target within 20 feet of them who can see and hear
creatures, so that on average, they will still be effective and
them. The target must succeed on a Charisma saving throw (DC
= 12 + 1/2 CR) or immediately use their reaction to move up to
engaging. This power is meant to be as much evocative as
10 feet and make a melee or ranged weapon attack against a effective, but you can alter the effects to change that.
target of this creature’s choice. The compelled target uses an
attack they would typically make against a foe.
DRACONIC
This power works well when you roleplay what the Ancient and awe-inspiring creatures, dragons might grant
creature says, then have the player attempt their saving powers to any other creatures who serve them. Creatures
throw and roleplay the outcome. Turning a character might also seek to steal a dragon’s essence or emulate their
into an ally in combat can be a powerful option for a capabilities. The powers below are tied to specific dragon
foe, as many characters deal more damage with their types, but can be easily reskinned by changing damage
actions than monsters do. You can alter the power to types or effects to represent other dragons.
work without spending the target’s reaction if you feel Acidic Weapon (Trait). The first time on a turn that this
that losing a reaction might lessen a player’s fun. You can creature hits with a weapon attack, the attack deals an extra
also decide whether a creature immune to the charmed 2 + CR acid damage, and the target takes a cumulative –1
penalty to AC (to a maximum −3 penalty) until the end of the
condition is immune to this effect, or if it channels a
encounter.
different type of compulsion.
Charming Words (Action, Recharge 5–6). This creature Armor of Frost (Reaction). When this creature is hit by a
chooses any number of targets within 60 feet of them who can melee weapon attack, the attacking creature takes 4 + CR
hear them. Each target must succeed on a Charisma saving cold damage and their speed is halved until the end of their
throw (DC = 11 + 1/2 CR) or be charmed by this creature until next turn.
the end of their next turn.
Electrified Armor (Reaction). When this creature is hit by
This area-of-effect compulsion can keep a monster alive a melee weapon attack, the attacking creature takes 4 +
by preventing some or all of the characters from attacking CR lightning damage and has disadvantage on their next
them. It’s best used when a fight has other potential attack roll.
targets, so characters can attack a different creature and
Flaming Weapon (Trait). The first time on a turn that this
stay engaged. creature hits with a weapon attack, the attack deals an extra
4 + CR fire damage and the target’s armor or skin begins to
CONSTRUCT
smolder. While smoldering, the target has vulnerability to fire
Powers that suggest precision and programming damage. The target can make a Constitution saving throw
work well for golems, clockwork creatures, and other (DC = 11 + 1/2 CR) at the end of each of their turns, ending the
constructs. effect on themself on a success.
17
 Poison Strike (Trait). The first time on a turn this creature hits The short duration for this power makes it significantly
with a weapon attack, the attack deals an extra 2 + CR poison different from similar shield auras, but it can deal a lot of
damage and the target takes 2 + CR poison damage at the damage while it lasts. You can raise the number of times
start of each of their turns. The target can make a Constitution
per encounter the power can be used, or even tie its use
saving throw (DC = 10 + 1/2 CR) at the end of each of their
turns, ending the effect on themself on a success. to an object or mechanism in the encounter so that the
characters can disable the mechanism to turn the power
These powers can be used on humanoids or other
off.
creatures serving dragons, or can be reskinned to work as
If you want the shroud to function as a shield and
elemental powers or to represent beasts or monstrosities
really dissuade characters from attacking, it could provide
tied to elemental forces. For example, a massive winter
temporary hit points to the foe as well.
wolf might have a hide that radiates cold, represented by
the Armor of Frost power. Elemental Seepage (Trait). Whenever this creature is below
The Acidic Weapon power is assumed to harm armor in half their hit point maximum, they radiate an aura of elemental
energy of the type they are associated with (acid, bludgeoning,
a way that is easily repaired. However, you might decide
cold, fire, lightning, or thunder). Any creature who moves
that the penalty lasts until the target can repair their within 10 feet of this creature for the first time on a turn or
armor during a short or long rest. starts their turn there takes 5 damage (10 damage if this
creature is CR 12 or higher) of the associated type.
ELEMENTAL
When present on several creatures in an encounter,
The following powers can be modified to reflect a
this power encourages characters to focus fire so as to
particular type of elemental creature. Adding these
face fewer auras. You can contract or enlarge the aura to
powers to elementals not only strengthens them, but can
change its lethality and the number of characters who’ll
help better portray their elemental nature. These powers
be impacted tactically by it. The power’s relatively low
can also be used with other creature types, reflecting
damage means it works well on multiple creatures, but if
the creature’s association with an environment tied to a
used on only one or two creatures, the damage could be
particular element or some other factor that has imbued
equal to CR or even 5 + CR.
them with elemental energy.
Elemental Shroud (Reaction, 1/Encounter). When this LEADERSHIP
creature is hit by a melee attack, their body is shrouded with Leadership powers work best on a monster acting as a
energy of the type they are associated with (acid, bludgeoning, boss to other creatures, showcasing how they command
cold, fire, lightning, or thunder) until the start of their next turn. or bolster their underlings.
While this creature is shrouded, any creature who touches this
creature or hits them with a melee attack while within 5 feet of Commander (Trait). While this creature is at half their hit point
them (including the triggering attacker) takes 5 + CR damage maximum or above, each ally within 30 feet of them has a +2
of the associated type. bonus to attack and damage rolls.
Characters can choose to keep attacking Roleplay the instructions a creature with this trait gives
a foe with this power, but will take out to underlings, directing their attacks and lifting their
damage when doing so. This can be an morale. Establishing that the commander looking healthy
excellent way to convince characters is inspiring their troops can clue the players in to the need
to take other actions, such as to focus fire to end the benefit. For a stronger effect, the
interacting with important +2 attack bonus could be replaced with advantage.
noncombat elements of an Fanaticism (Trait). While this creature is below half their
encounter. hit point maximum, each ally within 30 feet of them has
advantage on attack rolls. In addition, when this creature
takes damage and an ally is within 5 feet of them, this
creature takes half the damage and the chosen ally takes the
remaining damage.
This power paints a different story in combat than the
Commander power, showing a leader whose
desperation fuels the fury and devotion of their
foolish followers.

18
 Inspire Troops (Reaction). When this creature succeeds on
a saving throw or when an attack roll against them misses,
one ally who can see this creature gains 5 + 1/2 CR temporary
hit points.
You can make this power a trait if you want it to be the
centerpiece of an encounter. Smart characters will attack
other creatures instead, but that might also work in the
leader’s favor.
MAGIC
Magic powers can represent spells and eldritch energy,
but might also connect to divine blessings, magic items
or artifacts, and the ability to tap into powerful sources of
otherworldly energy.
Many creature stat blocks feature attack options that
resemble spells but aren’t explicitly called out as being so.
The default intention in this section is that magic monster
powers should work equally well with a spell or an attack
that resembles a spell. So simply replace wording such
as “casts a spell” with “casts a spell or uses an action that
resembles a spell” to meet your intention.
Similarly, some creatures have traditional spell slots,
while others may have a number of uses of certain spells
per day. This section considers those two approaches to Most spellcasting monsters and NPCs can cast only a
spellcasting interchangeable, though you can adjust that few spells before being defeated, making them not much
to your preference. of a challenge. Allowing a spellcaster to have 2 rounds
where they cast any two spells makes them far more
Careful Sorcery (Trait). When this creature casts a spell that challenging. You can roleplay or describe the effort a
forces one or more creatures to make a saving throw, they can
spellcasting foe makes to accomplish this, so the players
choose up to three of those creatures. Each chosen creature is
immune to the effects of the spell.
know the creature can’t do so every single round.
Careful Sorcery allows a spellcaster to use powerful NECROMANTIC
area-of-effect spells and exclude some or all of their Wielding power over death adds an aspect of horror to
companions. This can be a fun surprise during a combat any foes, or enables necromancers or undead to better
in a small room. showcase their capabilities.
Dual Concentration (Trait). This creature can concentrate on Aura of Demise (Trait). Each enemy within 30 feet of this
up to two spells simultaneously. When making a concentration creature who makes a death saving throw does so with
check, the creature makes a separate check for each spell upon disadvantage.
which they are concentrating.
Seeing any character drop to 0 hit points while near a
Many spellcasting creatures have an abundance of creature with this power will have all the players on the
spells requiring concentration. This lets you employ two edge of their seats.
of those spells at a time, which can be explained as an
uncommonly powerful arcanist, the use of a magic item, Aura of Destruction (Trait). Each creature who ends their
turn within 5 feet of this creature (or within 10 feet of this
or an expendable focus used to cast the second spell.
creature if this creature is CR 12 or higher) must make a death
Spell Shield (Reaction). When this creature is the target of saving throw, regardless of their current hit points. With three
an attack, they can expend a spell slot or one use of a spell or successes, a creature no longer needs to make death saves
magical attack (other than an at-will magical attack) to add +4 against this effect. With three failures, a creature dies.
to their AC until the start of their next turn. Having to make a death saving throw for standing next
Many spellcasting creatures have more spell slots than to a creature? Your players won’t expect that. Truly cruel
they can use in a fight, so this power turns extra slots into GMs can combine this and Aura of Demise for a nail-
a powerful asset. You can modify this power to instead biting challenge. Alternatively, you can soften this power
grant a bonus to attack rolls or damage for 1 round if that by having three failures reduce an affected creature to 0
better fits the monster concept. hit points—at which point they begin making death saves
Quickening (Trait, 2/Day). When this creature casts a spell that again as normal.
has a casting time of 1 action, they can change the casting time
BRIAN PATTERSON

to 1 bonus action for this casting. The creature can cast up to

two spells this turn, including two spells that aren’t cantrips.

19
 Undying Allies (Trait). When an ally who can see this creature
is reduced to 0 hit points, that ally immediately becomes a
zombie (retaining their original stat block but gaining the
undead type), and stands up with 1 hit point. From that point
on, if damage reduces the zombie to 0 hit points, it must make
a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 5 + the damage taken,
unless the damage is radiant or from a critical hit. On a success,
the zombie drops to 1 hit point instead. Any ally who becomes
an undead from this trait is destroyed if this creature dies or is
destroyed.
Roleplay the necromancer with this power
urging their fallen allies to rise up and strike
down the heroes. This places an urgency on
defeating the necromancer rather than their
allies, since killing allies only results in more
undead.
Withering Blow (Bonus Action, Recharge 4–6). The
next time this creature hits with an attack, the target
takes 5 + CR necrotic damage at the start of each of their
turns. The target can make a Constitution saving throw
(DC = 10 + 1/2 CR) at the end of each of their turns, ending
the effect on themself on a success. The effect also ends if this
creature dies or is destroyed.
For maximum effect, describe how this blow
causes a character’s flesh to wither, shrivel,
and take on the gray color of undead
flesh. For even greater effect, you could
have the extra damage from this power
also reduce the target’s hit point maximum. But that’s ROGUE
probably too evil. Probably. Sneaky or skirmishing creatures can all benefit from these
PLANT AND POISON rogue-type powers.
These powers work equally well for plant creatures, Impersonate (Bonus Action, Recharge 6). Until the start of
reptiles, and other foes who might be poisonous or their next turn, this creature changes their appearance to look
exactly like another creature who is within 5 feet of them and
venomous.
is no more than one size smaller or larger than this creature.
Poisonous Demise (Trait). When this creature is reduced to 0 Other creatures must each make a Wisdom (Perception) check
hit points, they release a spray of poison. Each creature within (DC = 10 + 1/2 CR) each time they make an attack against this
30 feet of this creature must succeed on a Dexterity saving creature or the impersonated creature. On a failure, the attack
throw (DC = 10 + 1/2 CR) or take 2 + CR poison damage. is made against the wrong target.
This trait can be reskinned for other types of creatures, This power can be narratively rendered as shapeshifting
such as elementals and undead, by changing the damage ability, an illusion effect, beguiling words from a fey, or a
type. You can likewise change the area of effect to better confusing effect caused by an aberration.
reflect your monster or the desired challenge. The default Nimble Reaction (Reaction, Recharge 4–6). When this
distance is based on a single monster having this power. creature is the only target of a melee attack, they can
If multiple creatures in an encounter have it, reducing the immediately move up to their speed without provoking
distance to 5 or 10 feet works well. opportunity attacks. If this movement leaves this creature
outside the attacking creature’s reach, this creature avoids
Virulent Poison (Trait). This creature’s attacks that deal poison the attack.
damage ignore a target’s resistance to poison damage. If a
target has immunity to poison damage, that target instead has This reaction lets a foe avoid taking damage while
resistance to poison damage against this creature’s attacks. also conveying the feel of a nimble combatant capable
Additionally, the first time each turn that this creature deals of escaping certain danger. You can alter the recharge to
poison damage to a target, that target is poisoned until the reflect just how nimble a creature is.
end of their next turn.
Poison is a common damage type for characters to SOLO
resist, which can reduce the challenge of poisonous or Solo powers work well when a single creature is used in
venomous foes. You can simplify this power and reduce an encounter, or when one creature is the obvious target
its potency by removing the poisoned condition, or you and needs to survive focused fire.
can strike a balance by providing a Constitution saving
throw (DC = 10 + 1/2 CR) against that condition.
20
 Bloody Legendary Resistance (Trait). If this creature fails a challenged. A challenged creature has disadvantage on attack
saving throw, they can choose to succeed instead. Each time rolls against any creature other than the challenging creature.
they use this trait, this creature takes 4 + CR damage. At the end of each of their turns, a challenged creature can
make a Charisma saving throw (DC = 10 + 1/2 CR), ending the
This power provides an alternative to the Legendary
challenge on themself on a success.
Resistance trait, with the hit point cost making it more
rewarding for characters to cast spells and use features Perfect for a monster with the defender role (see
that require a saving throw, knowing that having a foe “Monster Roles” on page 22), this power incentivizes
succeed on those saves carries a different cost. At the characters to engage with a formidable foe rather than go
same time, a monster can use this power more often than after weaker targets.
Legendary Resistance, protecting them from the repetitive Pack Tactics (Trait). This creature has advantage on an attack
uses of features that can hinder a solo creature’s ability to roll against a target if at least one of this creature’s allies is
be effective. within 5 feet of this creature and the ally isn’t incapacitated.
For an alternative approach, replace the damage dealt A superb trait, Pack Tactics allows monsters to work
with the creature losing the ability to use one of their together in an obvious tactical fashion to gain advantage.
actions or traits until the end of their next turn. This trait can be used for many types of monsters,
Magic Resistance (Trait). This monster has advantage on representing the cunning tactics they employ.
saving throws against spells and other magical effects. Pinning Shot (Trait). When this creature hits with a ranged
A great option when building solo monsters is to give weapon attack, the target must succeed on a Strength saving
them the ability to shrug off spells and magical effects, throw (DC = 9 + 1/2 CR) or have their speed reduced to 0. An
affected creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of
common in most legendary or highly magical monsters.
their turn, ending the effect on themself on a success.
Magic Resilience (Trait). Whenever this creature is subjected
Just one or two combatants with this trait can force the
to a spell or other magical effect that does not grant a saving
throw, the creature can make a DC 15 Charisma saving throw,
characters to adjust tactics as some of them are pinned
avoiding the effect on a success. in place. To make this power stronger, it can impose the
restrained condition instead of just reducing speed. Either
This trait lets you build an even more potent magic-
way, be careful not to overuse this power and frustrate the
defiant foe. You can change the ability score used for the
players.
saving throw to reflect the nature of a particular creature,
or base it on the type of effect being avoided.
Things will get interesting for the characters
when a boss monster unexpectedly breaks
the walls shaped by a forcecage spell or
overcomes some equally powerful effect.
Use this power sparingly, though—and
don’t give your players our email addresses.
Ultimate Resolve (Trait). If this creature takes
damage while incapacitated, paralyzed, or
stunned, they gain an extra attack the next time
they use the Attack action. This trait can grant a
maximum of one extra attack if the creature is CR
6 or lower, two extra attacks if they are from CR
7 to CR 12, and three extra attacks if they are CR
13 or above.
This is an excellent power for boss or solo
monsters likely to be denied actions by the
characters’ tactics. That action denial still takes
place, but the creature has a chance to make up
for it.
WARRIOR
Warrior powers represent tactics and
capabilities honed through battle.
Challenge Foe (Bonus Action, Recharge 4–6). The
next time this creature hits a target, in addition
to the regular effect of the attack, that target is
BRIAN PATTERSON

21
 MONSTER ROLES
Thinking about the roles that creatures play in combat tension and pressure early in an encounter, followed by
helps to create better encounters. A monster who has tons increasing confidence as the heroes reach the artillery and
of hit points can stand up front, soaking up damage while quickly defeat them.
the more vulnerable evil wizard launches devastating Artillery creatures might strike at single targets or an
spells from behind cover. Skirmisher monsters can dart area, and their high accuracy lets them deal consistent
in from the sides and back away, forcing the characters damage. Because they operate at range, you might focus
to spread out and leaving them open to an ambusher foe. the attacks of artillery foes on characters who usually stay
Foes of different roles complement each other, creating an out of trouble, using the flexibility of range to put them
effective team. in peril. Alternatively, you can put their accuracy to use
Monsters in 5e don’t have defined roles with against the characters with the highest defenses.
connections to specific mechanics and tactics, as the When to Use Them. Artillery creatures work well in
creatures in some fantasy RPGs do. However, many 5e most encounters. Because of their placement at range,
foes either already fit a specific role or are flexible enough they draw attention away from other important targets
to allow us to assign roles to them. For example, a harpy such as controllers, leaders, or bosses. Artillery foes
is a highly effective controller, and a spy is an excellent encourage characters to use resources to reach them,
skirmisher or ambusher. We can also modify monsters to finish them off, and heal from their long-range damage.
enable them to play a role. By assigning a role to a foe, you Placement and Tactics. Artillery creatures seek cover
enable a specific set of tactics that allow you to challenge and elevation from which to rain down destruction. They
the characters more effectively. stand behind other monsters and blocking terrain so that
characters can’t easily get to them. They might also be
DEFINING ROLES placed without cover and to the sides of the battle, forcing
The following roles capture the most important tactical characters who want to attack them to spread out—so that
concepts in 5e combat, and cover virtually all the foes you ambushers or skirmishers can pick those characters apart.
might make use of in a 5e game. Place artillery closer to the action when you want them
to be easy to reach and draw attention deliberately away
AMBUSHER from other foes.
Ambushers have special features that allow them to hide, Artillery creatures like to focus fire and group up on
dart out of danger, render targets senseless, or otherwise one target when possible. However, you want to change
prevent characters from attacking them easily. An up that tactic if you start rolling too well, which can make
ambusher often deals more damage when hidden, and artillery creatures extremely dangerous even in relatively
might engage in a pattern of hiding, attacking, and hiding easy encounters. Make sure getting to artillery foes is
again. Ambusher foes are often less effective when they fun and not frustrating. A good rule of thumb is that
can’t hide, which incentivizes characters to force them characters shouldn’t need to spend more than 1 round of
into the open. Many ambushers have low hit points. movement to engage an artillery creature.
When to Use Them. Because ambushers can result in Example Artillery. Hill giant, mage, manticore, scout,
longer, drawn-out fights, you want to use them sparingly. solar. Of all the roles, artillery creatures are generally the
However, they can be a good choice for a villain who least represented in the 5e Monster Manual and other
needs to get away. Ambushers are likewise an excellent books, but you can easily build artillery with additional
choice if a combat encounter is preceded by a freeform monster powers (see “Reinforcing Roles with Powers”
roleplaying or social encounter, with foes hiding in plain below).
sight before the fight breaks out.
Placement and Tactics. An ambusher is usually most BRUISER
effective when they start out hidden, revealing themself A bruiser foe deals higher-than-average melee damage,
only when they attack. Some ambushers start out in the bringing the pain up close. But that focus on damage
open, then disappear and reposition once characters have often comes with lower AC, lower attack accuracy, or
moved to them. lower hit points. Bruisers draw attention with their
Example Ambushers. Dust mephit, ghost, mimic, phase damage, and make fun opponents because they’re often
spider, spy easy to hit or die quickly.
When a bruiser has low accuracy, a battle often feels
ARTILLERY swingy, with a sense of impending doom as each attack
With a high attack bonus and dealing good damage at roll creates tension. Even when an attack misses, the
range, artillery often have lower hit points or AC than players are usually watching that roll and wincing as they
other foes. Sacrificing survivability can be fun, allowing think about what would have happened if it hit.
these monsters to hit hard and die quickly. This creates When to Use Them. Bruisers should be used in most
encounters, surprising players with their impressive

22
 CONTROLLER
Controller creatures use their attacks and features to
impose conditions or otherwise impede characters from
being their most effective. This role covers many different
types of foes, and the extent of their control can vary.
Some controller creatures grapple, swallow, or otherwise
lock down targets, preventing movement. They might
impose disadvantage on attacks through conditions
such as poisoned or restrained, or use magic such as the
confusion or hold person spells to limit actions.
When to Use Them. Controllers create dilemmas for
a party to contend with. How do the characters change
tactics when the fighter is poisoned and the cleric is inside
a creature’s gullet? These situations can be exciting and
challenging, forcing characters to expend resources and
think of clever solutions. However, used too often, too
extensively, or too effectively, controller foes can feel like
punishment. Be wary of a character rendered ineffective
for several rounds, or of more than a couple of characters
being ineffective for longer than 1 round. When a control
effect feels clearly frustrating, try to change targets over
the course of combat so that the same character isn’t being
controlled round after round.
Placement and Tactics. Controllers should be placed
where they can’t be easily reached, but close to prospective
targets based on the range of their powers. Spellcaster
controllers might be careful to always start farther
than 60 feet from the characters—beyond the range of
counterspell. A controller pairs well with a defender whose
job is to keep the controller safe, or with skirmishers who
can easily move around controlled characters. Controllers
usually have trouble defeating characters one on one, due
to their lower damage, but they work well with bruisers
and artillery who can deal high damage to controlled
damage. However, they should be used in care in characters.
encounters against 1st-level characters, who are Example Controllers. Black pudding, cockatrice,
particularly susceptible to being dropped with a single ettercap, harpy
lucky blow. DEFENDER
Like artillery, bruisers can be used to draw attention
Defender foes soak up hits and damage. They might
away from other important targets such as controllers,
deal lower-than-average damage or be less accurate with
leaders, and bosses. Bruisers encourage characters to use
attacks, but have higher AC, saving throws, and hit points.
resources, first to finish off the bruiser more quickly, then
They often look big and imposing, drawing attention to
to heal up in the aftermath.
themselves by issuing challenges and making threats.
Placement and Tactics. Melee bruisers should be in
Some defenders have attacks or features that pin
the front lines, where they can deal damage as soon
characters in place—often referred to as “sticky” features
as possible. They might come out of side passages or
that make the defender hard to get away from once
otherwise surprise characters in the rear ranks, but
engaged. Stickiness can also take the form of imposing
bruisers seldom switch targets unless a different target
penalties to attack any creatures other than the defender,
is obviously easier to kill. Bruisers like to focus fire and
or similar features that help the defender soak up the
group up on one target when possible, so keep an eye on
heroes’ attacks.
their damage output to ensure that a few lucky attack rolls
When to Use Them. Defenders should be used
don’t push the challenge level of an encounter too high.
sparingly, as too many defenders in an encounter or too
Example Bruisers. Ettin, flesh golem, owlbear,
many encounters featuring defenders can make combats
shambling mound, wolf
longer and less interesting. Use them in fights where other
DANNY PAVLOV

vulnerable foes need assistance to prevent being taken

23
 down too quickly. Defenders work well with skirmishers supernatural movement can avoid or surpass terrain that
or ambushers, who can surprise characters focused on the challenges pursuing characters, who might trigger traps
defender. They excel at protecting key villains, especially or spread out so other foes can surround them.
artillery or controller spellcasters. Example Skirmishers. Bulette, copper dragon, goblin,
Placement and Tactics. Defenders are often placed in spy, wraith
the front lines to tie down characters. However, you can
also place them farther back, closer to another creature ADDITIONAL ROLES
they defend. Make sure defenders won’t lock down all Beyond the broad categories that define a creature’s role
the characters at once, though. Combat works best when in combat, many monsters also have a role shaped by how
most characters can move around the encounter area and weak or tough they are relative to other foes.
discover all it has to offer. You don’t want to design an
amazing encounter and then have the characters spend all BOSS
their time locked down in specific locations. A boss monster stands out because they are clearly
Example Defenders. Animated armor, chuul, gelatinous stronger than the creatures around them, most commonly
cube, knight, shambling mound because they have a higher challenge rating than
those creatures. You can also make a boss stand out by
LEADER providing them with either a high AC to make them
A leader has features that help other creatures. They harder to hit, or with high hit points to keep them in the
might heal, boost statistics such as attack modifiers or fight right to the end. Adding a unique monster power
saving throws, or move other creatures, and they often (see below) can also help distinguish a boss, particularly
have lower-than-average hit points, damage output, or if that power allows them to bolster or command a
accuracy. lieutenant and other monsters. Lieutenants can be
When to Use Them. Leaders are most interesting when thought of in much the same way as bosses, but have a
used sparingly, though they can be used more often when lower CR and fewer features than a main boss.
they are of different types. For example, a hobgoblin priest “Building and Running Boss Monsters” (page 31) and
NPC focused on healing feels different from a duergar “Bosses and Minions” (page 61) has more thoughts on
war priest who boosts their allies’ attacks. this topic. “Monster Combinations for a Hard Challenge”
Placement and Tactics. Leaders can be placed (page 67) offers up suggestions for how to build
according to the focus of their useful features, letting encounters with a boss.
them help as many of their allies as possible. Because
the characters often want to target them, leaders operate SOLO
best in the center or slightly back from the center of the When a creature is the only foe in an encounter, they
encounter area. will be a higher challenge rating than most creatures
Leaders make good bosses, or can act as lieutenants for the characters encounter. But because of the action
bosses. Be careful when using them with skirmishers and economy of the game, CR alone isn’t enough to make a
ambushers, though, since characters moving to pursue solo creature effective. Legendary actions and lair actions
those foes might go after the leader instead. A good help a monster act more often, keeping the pressure high
default setup is to have one or two defenders protecting a in combat and reducing the chance of a round where a
leader. solo foe accomplishes nothing. You can also add monster
Example Leaders. Couatl, knight, priest powers to help the creature stand out.
“Building and Running Legendary Monsters” (page
SKIRMISHER 28) and “Understanding the Action Economy” (page
Skirmishers dance around the battlefield, using high 42) offer guidance on solos. “Creating Lair Actions”
mobility to dart in for an attack and then get away. They (page 36) has additional tips for a solo creature who has
might have lower AC or hit points than other foes, but a strong connection to their lair.
possess features that let them evade blows, retreat, or
counterattack. Skirmishers are usually accurate, having a MINIONS AND UNDERLINGS
high attack bonus, and their damage might be especially As talked about in “Bosses and Minions”, we sometimes
high when using their mobility features. want a boss or a main monster to be accompanied by
When to Use Them. Use skirmishers to liven up battles. several weak foes. These minions and underlings can
They can draw characters farther into an area of combat, swarm a party, but are fun for the characters to easily
making good use of areas that have dividing features such defeat.
as interior walls, side chambers, or more than one level. Low-CR creatures make good underlings, which you
Placement and Tactics. Skirmishers should usually start can run using the advice in “Running Minions and
far enough from the characters to show off their ability Hordes” (page 54). But you can also make use of
to move in and then move back out, forcing characters the following quick minion concepts, built around the
to reposition themselves. Skirmishers with high speed or

24
 CHOOSE TWO TYPES REINFORCING ROLES WITH
Mike has a simple hack for making combat encounters more POWERS
engaging without getting too complicated in their design— In addition to determining what role a monster might
choose just two types of monsters. Two types of monsters play in combat based on their existing statistics and
offer enough variance to make a combat encounter tactically attacks, we can also treat roles as a template, adding
interesting without forcing you to spend a lot of time thinking features that reinforce a particular role. Any of the
about monster roles overall. Ideally, these two types come from monster powers in “Building a Quick Monster” (page
opposite ends of the monster spectrum. Melee bruisers paired 4) or “Monster Powers” (page 15) might help a
with sneaky ambushers. Powerful defenders protecting weaker creature fulfill a specific role, but this section presents
artillery. Controllers shaping the battlefield to the advantage additional powers specifically tied to each monster role,
of skirmishers. You can often simplify this concept down to “Big as well as advice for adjusting statistics to help a creature
dudes up front and weaker damage dealers in the back.” fulfill a role.
It’s also worth remembering that not every battle needs to “Monster Powers” talks in detail about the format and
be a mix of different monster types. Sometimes the characters use of powers.
just want to blow up a horde of skeletons, and sometimes the
AMBUSHER
pacing works best when five 7th-level heroes run into a pair of
bandits throwing dice. (“Running Easy Monsters” on page 124 To build an ambusher, reduce AC by 2 or reduce hit
talks more on that topic.) points by 20 percent. An ambusher gains proficiency
in Stealth and uses double their proficiency bonus for
minions of the 4e game who could survive only one solid Dexterity (Stealth) checks.
hit. For these minions, you use all of a monster’s normal Then give the ambusher one or more of the following
statistics, but you ignore their normal hit points and use powers:
one of the following mechanics instead. Distracting Attack (Trait). When this creature hits with
One-Quarter Health. A minion has one quarter of the an attack, they can become invisible until the start of their
hit points they would normally have, taking them out next turn.
of the fight quickly. A minion of this sort is worth one
Shadowy Movement (Trait). This creature can attempt to hide
sixth of their usual XP value if you use XP for encounter
in dim light or lightly obscured terrain. When this creature
building. moves, they can make a Dexterity (Stealth) check to hide as
Save or Die. Each time a minion would take damage, part of that movement.
they must attempt a DC 20 Constitution saving throw. On
a success, the minion survives, and on a failure, they die. Elusive (Bonus Action). This creature takes the Dash,
Each time a creature is hit after the first, the DC increases Disengage, or Hide action.
by 10. This allows for even creatures of high challenge Duck and Cover (Trait). When this creature hits a target with
rating to function as minions, with a failed save coming an attack and has advantage on the attack roll, they deal CR
eventually. You can alter this DC or the increase to change extra damage, or 2 × CR extra damage if the creature is CR
a foe’s survivability. A minion of this sort is worth one 4 or lower.
quarter of their usual XP value for encounter building. The Nimble Reaction power in “Monster Powers” is also
Even Odds. Each time a minion would take damage, a good fit for an ambusher foe.
they must roll a die. If an even number is rolled, the
minion dies. This is a variant of the save-or-die approach, ARTILLERY
with a flat 50 percent chance to survive with each hit, and To turn a stat block into an artillery foe, increase the
making no adjustment for a monster’s CR. A minion of creature’s attack bonuses by 2, or increase attack bonuses
this sort is worth one quarter of their usual XP value for by 1 and increase the damage of all attack actions by 1 for
encounter building. each damage die rolled for the attack (so that 2d8 damage
One Hit Point. A minion has just 1 hit point, but is gains a +2, 3d6 damage gains a +3, and so on). Then
only affected by damaging effects that target that specific either decrease hit points by 20 percent or decrease AC by
minion. The first time such minions are targeted by 2.
effects that deal damage to multiple creatures in an area, You can then give the creature any of the following
the minions are immune. But those minions die when powers:
targeted a second time with damaging area effects. This Ricochet (Reaction). When this creature misses with a ranged
approach allows greater tactical choices for those using attack, they can reroll that attack.
damaging spells or other effects that target an area. A
minion of this sort is worth one sixth of their XP value Quick Step (Reaction). When this creature would make a
for encounter building, though you can reduce this if the ranged attack, they can first move 5 feet without provoking
opportunity attacks.
characters can easily target multiple minions.

25
 BRUISER +2 bonus to saving throws, increasing to +5 at 11th level.
To build a bruiser, either decrease attack bonuses by 2, Then decrease their attack roll bonuses by 2, or reduce
decrease hit points by 10 percent and attack bonuses their attack roll bonuses by 1 and reduce the damage of
by 1, or decrease AC by 2. Then increase the damage all attack actions by 1 for each damage die rolled for the
of all attack actions by 2 for each damage die rolled for attack.
the attack. You can alternatively let each attack deal an You can then give the creature any of the following
extra CR damage. (At low challenge ratings, for specific powers:
powerful actions, or to provide a higher challenge, this Stick with Me (Trait). When this creature hits with an attack,
additional damage can be increased to 3 × CR.) the target has disadvantage on attack rolls against any creature
You can then give the creature any of the following other than this one until the end of the target’s next turn.
powers: For a slightly more complex version of the Stick with
Opportunist (Trait). This creature can make an opportunity Me power, see the Challenge Foe power in “Monster
attack when any creature moves within their reach, even if that Powers” (page 15).
movement would not normally trigger an opportunity attack. Blocker (Trait). Any creature starting their turn next to this
creature has their speed reduced by half until the end of the
Offense over Defense (Bonus Action). Until the end of their
affected creature’s turn.
turn, this creature deals an extra CR damage on attacks but
reduces their AC by 2. You might also wish to consider the Defender power in
You might also consider the Goes Down Fighting “Building a Quick Monster” (page 4).
power in “Building a Quick Monster” (page 4) or the LEADER
Improved Critical Range power in “Monster Powers”
To turn a foe into a leader, either reduce that foe’s attack
(page 15) for a bruiser foe.
bonuses by 2, reduce their hit points by 20 percent, or
CONTROLLER reduce the damage of all attack actions by 1 for each
A controller creature reduces the damage of all attack damage die rolled for the attack.
actions by 1 for each damage die rolled for the attack, and Then give the creature any of the following powers:
increases the saving throw DCs for all their non-damage- Shout Orders (Bonus Action). This creature chooses up to six
dealing attacks and features by 2. creatures who can see and hear them. Those creatures can
You can then give the creature any of the following immediately either move their speed or take an action.
powers:
Heal Ally (Bonus Action). This creature can choose another
Controlling Attacks (Trait). When this creature hits a target creature they can see and hear within 50 feet of them. The
with an attack, they impose one of the following conditions, chosen creature regains hit points equal to 25 percent of their
based on the creature concept: blinded, charmed, frightened, hit point maximum.
grappled, poisoned, prone, or restrained. The condition lasts
until the end of the target’s next turn. Lead by Example (Trait). When this creature hits a target with
an attack, any ally of this creature who can see the target has
Controlling Spells (Trait). Choose up to two of the following advantage on attack rolls against the target until the start of
spells: blindness/deafness, command, entangle, grease, gust of this creature’s next turn.
wind, hideous laughter, hold person, levitate, ray of enfeeblement,
silence, suggestion, or web. This creature can cast any of the SKIRMISHER
chosen spells as an action. If this creature does not yet have a
To create a skirmisher foe, reduce a creature’s AC by
spell save DC, the save DC for these spells is 10 + 1/2 CR. Once
chosen, the spells cannot be changed for this creature. 2 or reduce their hit points by 20 percent. Each of the
creature’s speeds increases by 20 feet.
Advanced Controlling Spells (Trait). Choose one spell from Then give the creature any of the following powers:
the Controlling Spells trait that this creature can cast. This
creature gains one of the following benefits: Nimble (Trait). This creature ignores difficult terrain.
• The spell can be cast as a bonus action.
Careful Steps (Bonus Action). This creature’s movement does
• The spell can be cast as a reaction to taking damage
not provoke opportunity attacks until the end of their turn.
from an enemy.
• If the spell normally targets one creature, it can instead Knock Back (Trait). When this creature hits a target with an
target two creatures within its normal range. attack, they can choose to push the target 5 feet away from
For a ranged controller, consider the Pinning Shot them. If this creature is CR 4 or higher, the target must also
power in “Monster Powers” (page 15). succeed on a Strength saving throw (DC = 10 + 1/2 CR) or be
knocked prone.
DEFENDER You might also wish to consider the Quick Step power
To make a creature into a defender, increase their AC by found in the artillery section above.
3 or increase their hit points by 30 percent. Grant them a

26
MONSTER DIFFICULTY DIALS
Balancing combat encounters is notoriously difficult. monster damage can help prevent a fight from becoming
Different groups of characters can bring very different overwhelming if the characters are having trouble.
capabilities to each battle, even at the same level. However, The static damage value noted in a monster’s stat block
because monsters as they are typically presented are the represents the average of the damage formula for the
average of their type, you can adjust the averages to subtly monster’s attack. If you use average damage, you can
or dramatically change the difficulty of a given monster or adjust the damage based on that formula. For example, an
group of monsters. By turning these “difficulty dials” for ogre deals 13 (2d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage with their
monsters, you can easily shift the tone of combat even in Greatclub attack, so you can set this damage at anywhere
the middle of a battle. from 6 to 20 and still be within the range of what you
might roll.
“HIT POINT” DIAL If you’re a DM who rolls for damage, you can also turn
Hit points given for monsters are the average of their Hit the damage dial up by adding one or more additional
Dice. This means you can adjust hit points within the damage dice. If you like, you can have an in-game reason
minimum and maximum of a monster’s Hit Dice formula for this increase. Perhaps an ogre sets its club on fire
based on the individual story for that particular monster, to deal an extra 4 (1d8) or 7 (2d6) fire damage. Or a
the current pacing of the battle, or both. particularly dangerous vampire with an unholy longsword
For example, an average ogre has 59 hit points from might deal an extra 27 (6d8) necrotic damage if you so
7d10 + 21 Hit Dice. This means a weak ogre might have as choose. Adding these kinds of effects to a monster’s attack
few as 28 hit points, while a particularly strong ogre might is an excellent way of increasing a monster’s threat in a
have 91. This lets you easily set up fights in which minion way the players can clearly understand—and it has no
ogres might have fewer hit points while boss ogres have upper limit.
more. (As an even lazier rule of thumb, you can halve or
double a monster’s average hit points to give you a weaker “NUMBER OF ATTACKS” DIAL
or stronger version of that monster.) Increasing or decreasing the number of attacks a monster
You can turn this dial before a battle begins or even makes has a larger effect on its threat than increasing its
during the battle itself. If a battle drags, reduce the hit damage. You can increase a monster’s number of attacks
points of a monster to get it out of the fight earlier. If a if it’s badly threatened by the characters, just as you can
battle feels as if it will be over too quickly, increase the reduce its attacks if the characters are having an easy time.
monster’s hit points to make it hold up longer. Start with An angry ogre left alone after its friends have fallen to
average hit points, and then turn the hit point dial one the heroes might start swinging its club twice per Attack
way or the other whenever doing so can make the game action instead of once. Single creatures facing an entire
more fun. party of adventurers often benefit from increasing their
number of attacks.
“NUMBER OF MONSTERS” DIAL
The “number of monsters in a battle” dial alters combat MIX AND MATCH
challenge the most dramatically of all the dials—but You can turn any or all of these dials to tune a combat
because it’s so clearly visible to players, this dial is also encounter and bring the most excitement to your game.
sometimes difficult to change during a fight. Don’t turn the dials just to make every battle harder,
If circumstances allow for it, some monsters might though. Sometimes cutting through great swaths of easy
flee or automatically fall depending on the events of a monsters is exactly the sort of situation players love.
fight. Undead might break if their necromancer master is Turning several dials together can change combat
killed, and many creatures know to flee a fight they can’t dramatically, helping to keep things feeling fresh. For
win. Other times, more monsters might enter the fray example, a group of starving ogres might be weakened
in a second wave if the first wave isn’t standing up to the (lowering the hit point dial) but also frenzied in combat
characters. (“Building and Running Boss Monsters” on (turning up the attack dial). By adjusting these dials when
page 31 talks more about running monsters in waves.) designing encounters and during your game, you can
When developing a combat encounter in which you keep the pacing of combat exciting and fun.
think you might turn this dial, consider beforehand how
monsters might leave the battle or how other monsters (This section originally appeared in The Lazy DM’s
might join the fight as reinforcements in a realistic way. Companion.)

“DAMAGE” DIAL
Increasing the amount of damage a monster deals
on each attack increases the monster’s threat and can
make a dull fight more fun. In the same way, decreasing
27
 BUILDING AND RUNNING
LEGENDARY MONSTERS
The overlap between legendary monsters and boss Any of these basic legendary actions can help a foe hit
monsters (talked about in “Building and Running Boss harder than they do with their regular stat block, letting
Monsters,” page 31) is extensive. At anywhere above them hold their own as a single combatant against a group
roughly challenge rating 10, legendary creatures become of characters.
the most prominent bosses, able to defend themselves
against any group of characters of higher than 5th level.
LAIR ACTIONS AND REGIONAL
This section provides tools for GMs to build or
EFFECTS
improvise legendary monsters, giving foes the ability to Some legendary monsters also have lair actions they can
survive and thrive in battle against powerful characters. use if fought in their lair, and might have regional effects
they can use in the area around their lair. “Creating
BEST ABOVE 5TH LEVEL Lair Actions,” page 36, talks more about that topic,
Typically, legendary monsters aren’t needed when facing and regional effects can be easily improvised based on a
characters of 1st to 4th level. The capabilities of legendary particular monster’s story.
foes only start to matter when characters get access to
spells and features that can take out a creature with one LEGENDARY RESISTANCE
failed saving throw, and that grant multiple attacks in a The Legendary Resistance trait gives legendary monsters
single turn. Against such higher-challenge foes, legendary a way to deal with a single instance of a “save or suck”
monsters need extra off-turn actions and resistances to feature—any attack by a character that can take a foe out
feel like a significant threat. of a fight with a failed saving throw. Legendary Resistance
is like a countdown timer for the players, who can pick
CORE COMPONENTS OF A away at that resistance by casting debilitating effects
LEGENDARY MONSTER that force a foe to burn their resistance to avoid those
effects. For this reason, making it clear how many uses
Legendary monsters typically have two components that of Legendary Resistance a creature has, and how many
separate them from normal monsters: the Legendary they’ve expended, can help the players see another path to
Resistance trait, and legendary actions. Legendary victory other than purely beating down a foe’s hit points.
Resistance helps a creature avoid situations where a single Most legendary monsters have three uses of Legendary
failed saving throw takes them out of the fight. Legendary Resistance. Assuming that a creature has a 50/50 chance
actions help a single monster better manage the action of succeeding on a saving throw, the characters might
economy against multiple foes. (See “Understanding the need to use four to eight spells or effects requiring a save
Action Economy,” page 42, for more on that topic.) before one lands with full effect. As such, if you want the
The sections below talk about ways to utilize Legendary characters to have a better chance of burning a legendary
Resistance and legendary actions. But you can use those monster down, you might give that monster only one or
ideas to build a quick and easy legendary monster in two uses of Legendary Resistance.
just two steps. First, give a creature one to three uses of
Legendary Resistance: TRACKING LEGENDARY
Legendary Resistance. If this creature fails a saving throw, they
RESISTANCE
can choose to succeed instead. Adding an in-world description that represents a
Second, give the creature three legendary actions. You creature’s ability to make use of Legendary Resistance
can build legendary actions yourself (including advanced can also be useful, as it lets the players easily track how
legendary actions, talked about below), borrow them many uses a foe has left. A powerful wizard might have
from other legendary monsters, or use the following basic three unique ioun stones floating around their head,
legendary actions: which they can sacrifice one by one to succeed on a failed
saving throw. A demon might have three fiery brands on
Quick Movement. This creature can move their speed without their chest, each one losing its red-hot glow as the fiend
provoking opportunity attacks.
Legendary Attack. This creature makes one melee or ranged
expends their Legendary Resistance.
attack using their lowest-damage attack option. If you want to make things a little more interesting, the
Blast (Costs 2 Actions). This creature can target up to three devices channeling Legendary Resistance might be objects
creatures within a 20-foot radius, a 60-foot cone, or a the characters can target. If a demon prince is protected
100-foot line that is 5 feet wide. Each target must make by four pillars imbued with magical power, shattering
a Dexterity, Constitution, or Wisdom saving throw (your those pillars removes those protections. This still reduces
choice; DC = 12 + 1/2 CR), taking 4 × CR damage of a type the risk of the characters burning down a boss in 1 round,
appropriate for this creature on a failed save, or half as much
damage on a successful one.
even as it gives them clear actions they can take to break
through the boss’s defenses.
28
 attacks. To thwart this, a beholder might employ guards
who don’t need to see to attack, whether they have the
Blindsight trait or make use of magic.
Movement is likewise a great defense against features
and magic that can pin a legendary monster down. The
monster might teleport (which has a chance to bypass
forcecage) or move without provoking opportunity
attacks. (As noted above, such movement works well as a
legendary action.)

FRIENDS ARE THE BEST

DEFENSE
Any single monster, legendary or not, finds themself at a
disadvantage against a group of characters. As such, one
of the best defenses for a legendary foe is the presence of
other foes fighting the characters. If a legendary dragon
gets taken out with a maze spell, for example, their
stone golem servant can punch the caster of maze in the
face until their concentration breaks. Good synergistic
allies can help legendary monsters offensively as well,
by locking down the characters or threatening back-
line attackers while their legendary leader finds a better
position.
ALTERNATIVES TO LEGENDARY Adding more monsters can complicate a fight, however,
RESISTANCE so be prepared for a longer battle the more creatures
the battle involves. Adding more monsters is typically
If you’re not a fan of Legendary Resistance, you might important when building encounters for five or more
instead allow a foe to take psychic damage to remove characters of higher levels.
debilitating conditions and other effects—perhaps
a number of d6s equal to the foe’s CR divided by 2. BALANCING LEGENDARY
Alternatively, you can make the concept of Legendary
Resistance more interesting by having each successful ACTIONS
saving throw impose a cost on a creature. For example, Legendary actions give a monster a boost in the action
each time a foe uses Legendary Resistance, they might economy of a fight (see “Understanding the Action
lose one use of a legendary action in the current round. Economy” on page 42), letting them deal more
(The Bloody Legendary Resistance trait in “Monster consistent damage. Instead of acting only on their turn,
Powers” on page 15 has a similar theme.) Just make a legendary monster can act up to three times between
sure it’s clear to the players what’s going on so they can see other creatures’ turns with specific legendary actions.
and understand the price the boss monster is paying for Sometimes these actions are just single attacks. Other
shaking off the characters’ attacks. times, they involve movement or big area effects.
By design, legendary monsters aren’t meant to deal
WHAT LEGENDARY RESISTANCE more damage than their nonlegendary counterparts at the
DOESN’T PROTECT AGAINST same challenge rating. The damage a legendary creature
Not all “save or suck” effects can be avoided with can do is divided up among the actions they take on their
Legendary Resistance. Even legendary monsters might get turn and their legendary actions, but it’s the same overall
physically pinned down by features and effects that don’t damage per round. But because legendary monsters
allow for a saving throw, or by effects that change the are intended to be something special, doing just the
combat environment. Hindering the senses of a creature appropriate damage for their challenge rating might not
with spells such as darkness or fog cloud can make them be enough. This is because even with legendary actions
much less effective in a fight. Other features like the force and Legendary Resistance, a single big boss monster is
cage spell or the monk’s Stunning Strike attack can bypass still at a disadvantage against a group of characters who
or burn through Legendary Resistance quickly. pour their wrath out against that boss before targeting any
It’s worth considering other ways that a legendary other foes.
creature can deal with such features and magic. For If you’re designing or improvising a legendary monster,
example, a beholder relies on eye rays to target creatures don’t worry if their overall damage output goes above
with their formidable magic. So if a beholder is engulfed the standard for their challenge rating—as they likely
ZOE BADINI

in magical darkness—or if the creatures they want to need the help. For example, you might want to create
target with their eye rays are—they can’t use those potent a legendary barbed devil, giving them three legendary
29
 action Claw attacks built on their standard-action attack. big attacks are spent. This is the perfect point to reveal a
Normally, you’d think about reducing the damage output legendary monster’s final action—the explosion.
for the Claw attack so that the devil’s overall damage The explosion is a single big damaging move. It might
per round stays the same. But you’re probably better off be a dragon recharging their breath weapon and getting to
not worrying about rebalancing damage across all the use it for free. It might be a mage hurling fire in a massive
creature’s actions and legendary actions. Your barbed ring to burn everyone around them. It might be a fast and
devil boss’s damage output will go beyond their challenge furious sword wielder making a final charge across the
rating, but that extra damage gives them a needed edge. battlefield to score a big hit against every target they pass.
The explosion is a legendary monster’s final, desperate
ADVANCED LEGENDARY blow. It’s their ticking time bomb. Often, this sort of final
ACTIONS attack takes two or three legendary actions.
In addition to the legendary actions in the Monster INITIAL POSITIONING
Manual and other books that you can use or draw At the start of a fight, an advanced legendary action
inspiration from, you can create and customize more might help a monster move into an optimal initial
advanced legendary actions that fit a foe’s theme and position. Characters sometimes find ways to get into
tactics. When default actions focused on simply moving advantageous or defensive positions early in the battle,
and attacking might not fit the story of a monster, meaning a legendary monster likewise needs a boon when
advanced legendary actions can focus on how a boss fight it comes to initial positioning. This might be the standard
unfolds, factoring in how characters typically behave and legendary action providing an extra move that doesn’t
how the situation escalates. provoke opportunity attacks. Or it might be something
Three of the following advanced legendary action more magical like teleportation. The key is that the action
setups are drawn from the “action-oriented monster” lets a foe get into a position where they can be effective at
concepts introduced by Matt Colville on the YouTube doing what they’re intended to do. Getting into position
channel “Running the Game,” and as seen in monsters usually requires only one legendary action.
published by MCDM Productions. Specific features
suitable for some of the other setups here can be found REPOSITIONING
in the monster powers presented in “Building a Quick Even if they have optimal initial positioning, a legendary
Monster” (page 4), “Monster Powers” (page 15), and monster eventually needs a way to reposition once a battle
“Monster Roles” (page 22). has commenced. In the middle of a fight, the characters
AURA CONTROL might have a boss pinned down with melee attackers
surrounding them and ranged attackers at a safe distance.
As talked about in “Understanding the Action Economy,” The characters have the boss under control—but that isn’t
page 42, auras are an incredibly powerful way to scale much fun for a dynamic and dangerous fight. So you can
up any creature based on the number of opponents they give a legendary monster a way to circumvent that control
face. Using legendary actions to alter and shift an aura is in fun and dangerous ways.
an excellent way to shake up a battle against a legendary For example, a legendary monster might quickly shift
creature. An aura might increase the amount of damage to switch places with one of their minions. They might
it deals at certain points in the fight, scaling up as the burrow beneath the ground, leaving a dangerous sinkhole
battle goes longer. A legendary creature might extend behind. They might sweep their wings, knocking any
the effect of their aura, making it larger and threatening nearby characters prone, then fly to a new position. They
more characters as a result. Or a boss might change the might teleport, leaving behind a fireball in their wake. A
shape of an aura, creating a donut-shaped ring that leaves legendary action focused on repositioning should be more
characters at its center within the boss’s melee reach, and than the standard move without provoking opportunity
characters outside being shredded by the aura’s power. attacks. It’s a move plus a kick to the face on the way
COMMANDING ALLIES out. This kind of repositioning should take one or two
legendary actions.
A legendary monster who operates with minions can
make great use of legendary actions that help those TRANSFORMATION
minions get into positions and make free attacks. When it makes sense for their story, some legendary
Alternatively, a legendary boss might cause their monsters transform. A humanoid might take on their
minions to explode or make one final sacrificial blow. werewolf form at some point during a battle, then
Commanding bosses are all about giving their minions a transform again into a huge wolf. A vampire might start
free move, a free attack, or both. off as a humanoid, become a swarm of bats, and finally
EXPLODING take the form of a towering bat-like monstrosity. Each
of these transformations can include new features and
Near the end of a fight, the characters often have the
attacks based on the new form. “Evolving Monsters” on
upper hand. The boss monster’s hit points are down. Their
page 62 has more thoughts and ideas on this topic.
30
BUILDING AND RUNNING
BOSS MONSTERS
When thinking about combat against boss monsters, we RISING DIFFICULTY
often think about what we see in movies, read in books, or When thinking about getting the most out of boss
watch on TV. During staged climactic encounters, the tide monsters and boss battles in your 5e games, the first
of battle turns one way, then the other, then back again. thing to understand is that protecting bosses typically
The hero gets a strong start, then suddenly loses ground, only starts to be a problem at 5th level and above. From
then gains the upper hand, then loses it again. Suddenly 1st to 4th level in 5e, characters rarely have the capability
they’re on their back, a sword at their throat, and it feels and resources to destroy or incapacitate bosses as quickly
as though all is lost—until the protagonist gets that final as they do at higher levels. The higher the level of the
surge, knocks the blade aside, and finishes off the villain characters, the easier it is for them to pin down or destroy
with a masterful flourish. bosses with ease, negating the full challenge the boss is
Tabletop RPGs seldom follow this model. Instead, intended to represent. Though some of the following
characters see the boss monster, wait for about half a line techniques might prove useful at all levels, GMs typically
of monologue, then unleash every single class feature, don’t need to worry about them when the characters are
magic item, and spell they possess to destroy the boss as just starting out.
fast as possible. They use every “save or suck” spell they
can cast. They use every single stunning strike they can RESOURCE ATTRITION
inflict. Anything to get that boss down fast. Many GMs are used to the idea of running the characters
Without careful planning on the GM’s part, these through numerous battles before they face the boss,
kinds of all-in attacks usually work. Sometimes this is ensuring that they’ve burned down their spells, Hit Dice,
great fun. The players love it, we laugh about it, and and limited-use class features before the final battle. This
we move on. But sometimes such spiked victories feel approach can help ensure that the heroes don’t come
hollow. They miss the pacing and feeling we’d hoped into the fight fully ready to unleash their most powerful
for. When you spend your entire campaign building up combat features in the first round. But it can also rob the
to the final encounter with the vampire mastermind, players of enjoying the full range of their capabilities the
only for the characters to pin that mastermind down in one time they’d love to have everything on hand. As such,
a beam of sunlight and smite them to death without a be careful not to weaken the characters so much that their
single counterattack, it can feel as though all that work favorite features are long gone before the climactic fight
was for nothing. Even the players who chose to have their begins.
characters pin the boss down might feel as if they were
robbed. RUNNING WAVES OF
As such, it’s worth paying attention to boss fights in COMBATANTS
your games, to ensure they meet the intention of the story
Whenever a boss reveals themself, particularly if they
and the pacing you want.
make themself vulnerable at the start of combat, the
THE ONE ENCOUNTER WORTH characters most likely aim everything they have on the
boss first. This can be easily prevented by ensuring that
FULLY PREPARING the boss simply isn’t there, or at least isn’t reachable when
As GMs, we can often get away without preparing combat begins.
individual combat encounters for most of an adventure Instead of starting a battle with the boss in combat,
or campaign, building our encounters during the game consider running waves of combatants before the boss
based on the locations and situation in an adventure. shows up. Each of these waves might be a hard or even
(“Choosing Monsters Based on the Story,” page 113, talks deadly encounter, with some overlap between the waves
about one approach to this kind of encounter design). as befits the situation and the difficulty of the encounter as
Boss fights, however, are worth the time and effort it takes it plays out.
to prepare them. For example, the first wave of a boss fight might involve
Boss battles are often the final peak of an adventure, or several creatures roughly equivalent in number and
of an entire campaign. We want our games to have those power to the characters. This first wave gets the characters
peaks and valleys—the upward and downward beats moving around, establishing positions, and using some of
that make play interesting and fun. But without careful their resources to control or take out these “normal” foes.
preparation, even legendary monsters can go down before A second wave might involve huge numbers of weak
they’ve had a chance to threaten the characters, turning monsters. A horde of fifty skeletons might charge a group
what should be a major high point into something much of 8th-level heroes, firing arrows and swinging swords.
flatter.

31
 This gives the characters a chance to go wild with area- USING LEGENDARY
effect or crowd-control spells or features, blowing away
huge swaths of their foes. Another wave might include
RESISTANCE
a small number of big brutes. Individual crowd-control Love it or hate it, Legendary Resistance is one of the
features might lock those foes down, or the characters can strongest ways to protect boss monsters from “save or
focus their high-damage attacks on them. suck” spells, or effects that allow a single attack to shut
Only then comes the boss—floating down from down a boss’s actions for a round or more. Most 5e
their shielded throne, flying in through a side passage, legendary monsters have Legendary Resistance, often
teleporting in, manifesting as a swarm of bats, or usable three times per day.
what have you. At this point, the characters are spread If you have a boss you want to protect, giving them
all over the battlefield. They’re wounded. They’ve Legendary Resistance covers 90 percent of the effects that
expended resources. They’re not in an ideal situation might pin them down and prevent them from doing their
to drop everything they have on the boss anymore. cool boss things—a dragon’s breath weapon, a lich’s deadly
And depending on how difficult things appear, the boss magic, a vampire’s life-draining bite, and so on.
might even arrive right in the middle of the previous Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If this creature fails a saving
wave, forcing the characters to either switch targets or to throw, they can choose to succeed instead.
continue fighting the threat in front of them. “Building and Running Legendary Monsters,” page
Running waves of combatants, either one after the other 28, offers lots of thoughts on Legendary Resistance,
or having them overlap, is a powerhouse tool to threaten including having a legendary boss manifest that trait
even the most commanding of boss monsters. You don’t physically so the players recognize how many uses are left.
need to use waves for every boss battle, but the more It also talks about ways to alter or fine-tune Legendary
powerful the characters become, the more that doing Resistance with additional effects.
so can help you maximize those upward and downward
beats in your final confrontations. HANDLING THE MOST
MITIGATING DAMAGE SPIKES POWERFUL FEATURES
Many features and attacks in 5e bypass Legendary
No matter how powerful they are, most bosses need
Resistance. This includes features that force a creature to
protection to survive an encounter with the characters.
make an ability check instead of a saving throw, making
Because they’re the most sought-after target in combat,
grappling and pinning down smaller foes such as liches
they often need features or magic to help them survive a
a common tactic. Likewise, high-level attacks such as the
barrage of attacks long enough to do boss things.
forcecage spell can easily pin down a boss and remove
One great threat faced by bosses are huge spikes of
their ability to threaten the characters with no saving
damage, delivered by paladins with Divine Smite, fighters
throw at all. And though features such as a monk’s
with Action Surge, and other characters with a knack for
Stunning Strike don’t bypass Legendary Resistance, being
unloading tremendous amounts of damage in a single
able to use such features on attack after attack means that
turn. Adding more hit points to a boss certainly helps
a monk might burn out all of a boss monster’s uses of
with this problem, and is the easiest way to mitigate
Legendary Resistance in a single turn.
tremendous amounts of damage. But there are other ways.
You can gauge if such situations are a problem in
One trick is to give the boss the capability to transfer
your game by running early boss monsters against the
half the damage they take to willing allies—or even all the
characters—even copies of the main boss. An evil wizard
damage. A lich might shunt damage into the iron golems
might create a simulacrum to harry the characters, or a
guarding them. A cult fanatic might transfer damage
lich might attack knowing while their phylactery remains
to her cultist minions. An ancient dragon might direct
intact, being destroyed is of no consequence. A vampire
damage to his fire elemental servants. (The Fanaticism
can test the characters, then simply return to their coffin
trait in “Monster Powers,” page 15, is an example of this
if defeated. These preliminary boss test fights can tell you
approach.)
a lot about what the characters bring to the table when
It helps to have an in-world explanation for such a
facing a boss.
feature, with one example being the control amulet of a
Sometimes you simply won’t worry about the party’s
shield guardian. A blood-pact ritual undertaken by the
arsenal of irresistible effects, instead letting the characters
cult fanatic might have the same effect. It also helps to
take control of the situation with their cool class features
telegraph this in-world connection to the players so they
and magic. But if you do feel as though these features get
can make choices about how to respond. Taking out the
in the way of the boss fulfilling their duty to the story and
minions first might be tactically advantageous, with their
their own place in the world, it’s worth considering how
lower Armor Class and closer physical proximity. Clarify
the boss can react to such situations. Do they have the
these advantageous tactics, and nudge players away from
magical means to escape a forcecage spell? Can they deal
their instinctive drive to focus on the boss.
with multiple stunning strikes in a row? Can they escape a
grapple with misty step used as a legendary action?
32
 Be wary of giving a boss monster the ability to servants don’t worry about fighting in a cavern filled with
circumvent the characters’ powerful features just because lava. Liches have no problem fighting in chambers filled
you don’t want those features used. Be a fan of the with poison gas. As such, the environment of a boss’s
characters and the cool stuff they can do. But you can sanctum can have a huge effect on the challenge they
have a boss monster bypass powerful features as long as bring to a battle. Pools of lava, places to fly, statues to
doing so still leaves the game fun for the players. topple over, glyphs of warding—these kinds of features
can easily turn the tide of a battle in favor of a boss.
RUN MULTIPLE BOSSES Bosses might have ways they can use the environment
Another common technique for protecting your boss to shake up how the players think about the battle.
monster is to have more than one. Three hags might For example, a powerful lich might use glyph-scribed
work together in a single battle, benefiting from their obelisks in their lair that allow them to have more than
coven magic, and even potentially sharing a pool of uses one concentration spell active at a time. This powerful
of Legendary Resistance. Likewise, a pair of twin black spellcaster might have one pillar letting them concentrate
dragons makes for a much stronger encounter than just on greater invisibility, another pillar granting them a
one. globe of invulnerability, another surrounding them in a
Spreading the hatred of a boss to more than one boss cloudkill, and a fourth granting them flight with a fly spell.
in a single encounter helps avoid the scenario of the Each pillar might have an AC of 15 and 50 hit points,
characters focusing everything on a single target. As one giving the characters multiple tactical goals as they decide
boss works to protect themself, the other boss can come whether to destroy the pillars so that the lich loses those
forward, unleashing their devastating attacks. spells.
Some bosses might be able to make multiple copies of
themselves, using the simulacrum spell or similar magic. KEEPING YOUR HANDS ON THE
Other bosses might have unique power that lets them DIALS
form three separate copies of themselves, perhaps sharing “Monster Difficulty Dials” on page 27 talks about how
a single hit point pool but having multiple actions and to make useful modifications to monsters right in the
multiple physical representations. middle of combat. Running boss battles is one of the
CONDENSING LEGENDARY ACTIONS best times to have your hands on those dials, letting you
easily adjust the threat level to keep the characters and the
When running multiple bosses, avoid including more
players on their toes.
than one with legendary actions in a single battle.
When running waves of combatants, you have a firm
Legendary actions are intended to offset the problems
hand on the “Number of Monsters” dial. When the second
with the action economy that arise from having multiple
wave comes out, you can decide how many monsters
characters take on a single foe. (“Understanding the
join that wave based on the outcome of the first wave.
Action Economy,” page 42, has more on this topic.)
Did the first wave take longer than expected and push
If you have multiple bosses, those bosses often don’t
the characters hard? Reduce the monsters in the second
need legendary actions to keep up with the characters,
wave, or remove that wave completely. Did the characters
allowing you to instead compress those legendary actions
steamroll the first wave? Add a few more foes.
down into normal actions. Because legendary actions are
Turning the “Hit Point” dial likewise tunes the entire
factored into a monster’s challenge rating, if you don’t
battle. When any of the monsters, including the boss,
want to add those legendary actions to a monster’s normal
have overstayed their welcome, turn their hit points down
actions, you can instead increase the damage of their
and let them fall on the next hit. Did the characters mow
regular attacks.
through monsters faster than expected? Consider turning
Taking an adult black dragon as an example, you can
the hit point dial up, especially for the boss. Typically,
add a Tail attack and a Wing attack, or three Tail attacks,
you want a boss to stick around for at least three rounds.
to their Multiattack action instead of taking those extra
Less than that, and the players never get to see what the
attacks as legendary actions. Or if you want a battle with
boss can do. But a battle that goes on forever can become
fewer attack rolls, you might instead add 15 damage to
boring.
the dragon’s Claw and Bite attacks (the same amount of
damage dealt by three legendary action Tail attacks per
round) to keep their damage output where it should be.

ADDING ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION
Most often, boss monsters battle in environments that
serve their needs. A red dragon and their fire elemental

33
 BUILDING SPELLCASTING
MONSTERS
Magic is a cornerstone of most fantasy RPG campaigns,
and nothing helps bring the magic of a world to life
better than having foes pound the characters with spells
and other magical attacks during combat. Many of the
game’s creatures already pack a magical punch, but adding
spellcasting to foes who don’t already have it can be great
fun. However, the baseline power of spellcasting means
that doing so requires some planning.
A creature’s general level of challenge for a party can
be assessed in many different ways. But when adding
spellcasting to existing stat blocks, the mechanics to focus
on are damage per round, followed by what conditions
can be imposed by a spell. After you’ve chosen magic for a
spellcasting creature, “Running Spellcasting Monsters” on
page 58 has great advice for working with that magic.

SPELL DAMAGE
Alongside hit points, damage output per round is the
most significant factor in determining the relative
challenge of combat-focused creatures. (This can be seen
in many NPC stat blocks, where spellcasters slinging
high-damage evocation magic can have a higher challenge
rating than diviners or enchanters, even when casting at
the same level.) When building a spellcasting foe from damage creature’s weapon attacks can skew a monster’s
an existing stat block, start by assessing the foe’s damage effective challenge by making them more likely to drop a
output (perhaps with reference to the Monster Statistics character with one attack.
by Challenge Rating table on page 6 of “Building a SAVE VS. ATTACK
Quick Monster”). Then think about how to best rework
A key component to calculating creature challenge ratings
that output in spell form.
is that attacks, spells, and special features are always
DAMAGE AND TARGETING assumed to deal full average damage. A monster’s attacks
Every combat-focused creature deals a certain amount of are always assumed to hit, and the characters are always
damage per round with their best attacks—often the sum assumed to fail their saving throws against a monster’s
total of all attacks in the Multiattack action. When adding spells and special features. But one area where you want to
spellcasting to a creature, you want to focus on that total keep an eye on this is spells that deal half as much damage
damage-per-round number, choosing spells that deal on a successful saving throw. Replacing a creature’s
roughly that same amount of damage to all their targets. weapon attacks with spells that deal partial damage on a
For example, a doppelganger’s Multiattack lets them deal failed save is akin to deciding that those weapon attacks
an average of 14 damage with their Bite and Claw attacks, deal partial damage on a miss. So be careful that dealing
so giving them spellcasting that deals 14 damage makes default damage round after round doesn’t make a creature
a nice surprise for the characters and doesn’t change the a bit too sweet in combat.
doppelganger’s threat level. AREA EFFECTS
If a creature has only one primary attack per round or
For spells that deal damage in an area, assumptions need
deals relatively low damage with Multiattack, a single-
to be made about how many targets those area-affect
target spell is a great fit. But if a creature’s damage-per-
spells will hit. A good general guideline is to assume that
round output is high and is spread out across multiple
most areas of effect will target two creatures on average.
attacks, look for a spell that allows multiple targets or
Extra-large areas such as the 60-foot radius of a freezing
deals damage to creatures in an area. A CR 2 gargoyle
sphere or sunburst spell will target three creatures.
dealing a relatively low 10 damage per round is equally
fine with an area spell or a single-target spell dealing 10 CHOOSING DAMAGE-DEALING
damage. But a CR 2 centaur hits harder with 20 damage SPELLS
per round, so is better with an area-effect spell dealing
JACKIE MUSTO

For characters, the damage output of spells can sometimes

that much damage in total to all its targets. Using a single- be a complex curve, tying into caster level and the level of
target spell that deals the same damage as all of a high- the spell slot used to cast. When building spellcasting foes
34
for combat, you can usually focus on baseline damage—5 alone. Each can take a character completely out of a fight,
(1d10 damage) for eldritch blast or firebolt; 10 (3d6) for shifting the overall balance of an encounter for a number
burning hands; 7 (2d6) for each scorching ray; 28 (8d6) for of rounds—or even for the entire battle.
fireball or lightning bolt; and so on. Conditions and Duration. When assessing any spell
That said, when trying to pick a spell appropriate to that imposes a condition, consider the different feel of
a creature’s normal damage output, don’t forget that spells that do so for 1 round or that allow a repeated
adjusting that damage is just as easy as adding the spell saving throw to end the condition, as compared to spells
in the first place. Want to build an inferno ettin who casts whose imposed conditions have a long duration and
fireball? Look at the ettin’s normal damage output of 28 no repeated save. Long-duration conditions with no
points, then make sure their fireball spell deals about 14 automatic opportunity to end them can be vexing for
damage (4d6 or 3d8) to each of its two expected targets. players if they cause characters to sit out multiple turns.
Even low-level spells such as charm person or sleep can
SPELL CONDITIONS feel quite different when it’s the characters using them
In most cases, conditions in combat make the creatures to turn the tide against a mob of foes, and when it’s a
dishing them out more effective in a fight, by reducing single spellcasting monster using them to make multiple
the effectiveness of the characters while those conditions characters sit on the sidelines during a fight.
hinder them. Adding spells that impose conditions to
CONDITIONS AS REVERSE BENEFITS
existing stat blocks is thus a slightly less straightforward
process than swapping weapon damage for magical The way combat changes across a broad range of character
damage. levels makes it impossible to come up with any hard-and-
The effectiveness of a particular condition can vary fast rule for how much damage a particular condition is
drastically depending on what type of character it’s equivalent to in a fight. So instead, think about conditions
imposed on, and on how enemies might take advantage of imposed by spells as granting benefits to the enemy side
the condition’s effects. A fighter who’s been poisoned takes akin to adjusting foes before combat. (“Monster Difficulty
a big hit in combat as disadvantage penalizes their attack Dials” on page 27 talks about how to adjust encounters
rolls, even as their wizard ally casting spells that require on the fly.)
saving throws can all but ignore the condition. Likewise, For example, conditions that impose penalties on
sleep is a 1st-level spell, and so might seem an easy option characters’ attack rolls decrease their chances of hitting
to add to any relatively low-CR creature. But a foe who foes. So giving a creature a spell that imposes the
casts sleep in order to run away from the characters frightened or poisoned condition is effectively the same
is a very different threat than one who does so to let as dialing up the Armor Class of the foes in an encounter.
their melee-focused allies run in and start auto-critting Conditions that limit characters’ actions have the same
unconscious foes. general effect on the action economy in a fight as giving
the enemy side additional actions, so think of spells that
CONDITIONS AS THREAT impose the charmed or stunned condition as equivalent
When looking at spells that impose conditions, think to adding extra attacks to the enemy side.
about those conditions as a kind of sliding scale of threat, At the high end of the condition hierarchy, being able to
from least to most significant. For the purpose of this render characters incapacitated in any way can be thought
approach, ignore grappled as a condition of its own, of as akin to having more foes on the enemy side, working
focusing instead on the restrained condition that being with the idea that a character taken out of the fight for
grappled typically imposes. Also ignore exhaustion, which a round is the same as a character spending that round
is a special-case condition that should generally not be fighting an additional “virtual foe.”
imposed during combat.
Charmed, Deafened, Poisoned, and Prone. These three CHECK SPELLCASTING ABILITY
weakest conditions are the easiest ones to make use of for As a final step in building spellcasting creatures, have a
spellcasting monsters. Each has the ability to take a fight look at a stat block’s spellcasting ability scores. The math
in an unexpected direction by hindering characters, but underlying a creature’s relative challenge in combat makes
none is powerful enough to upend a battle on its own the assumption that a creature is using one of their best
because none can take a character completely out of the abilities for their go-to attacks. So if you add spellcasting
fight. to a creature whose Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma
Blinded, Frightened, and Restrained. These conditions are all low compared to the Strength or Dexterity fueling
are a stronger threat, representing a greater ability to their weapon attacks, bump up one of those mental
hinder characters in combat. All can limit the actions abilities so the creature’s spell save DC and spell attack
or movement of characters, even as they also penalize modifier aren’t lagging behind their other attacks.
combat rolls. Alternatively, you can easily create a house rule stating
Incapacitated, Paralyzed, Petrified, Stunned, and that creatures known more for brawn than brains who
Unconscious. At the apex of the hierarchy of how badly channel spell magic innately can use Constitution as their
conditions can mess with characters, these four stand spellcasting ability.
35
 CREATING LAIR ACTIONS
When a legendary creature inhabits a location, their • A legendary undead pirate captain dwells in a shipwreck
presence can change the environment in which they live. upon a rocky coastline. Waves, sand, and rain all obey
After a hag moves into a forest, the trees become twisted, the pirate’s whims, even as their undead crew does
brambles grow, shadows darken, and the air becomes foul battle.
and oppressive. In the lair of a white dragon, bitter winds (“Building Engaging Environments” on page 79 also
howl through icy tunnels, whose walls reflect the frozen talks about the kinds of engaging elements that can factor
visages of countless of the dragon’s victims. into the design of lair actions.)
From a narrative perspective, lair actions allow us to tell
the story of a formidable creature and their environment. USING LAIR ACTIONS
The best lair actions capture the creature’s essence, and When in their lair, a legendary creature can use one of
how that essence permeates and alters the world around their lair actions on initiative count 20 (losing initiative
them. From a mechanical perspective, lair actions provide ties). They can’t use a lair action when incapacitated, or on
GMs with an additional set of combat options, allowing their first turn of combat if they were surprised.
greater flexibility in focusing on the characters and
creating a higher challenge level. TYPES OF LAIR ACTIONS
Most creatures have three to four lair actions, which
LEGENDARY IN NATURE provide one of three types of benefits. When creating lair
In most cases, only exceptional creatures should have lair actions, choose the benefit type that fits what a creature
actions. This represents the fact that it takes a particularly needs in each round of combat.
powerful or special creature to alter their surroundings in Damage. Lair actions might represent bursts of fire
such a formidable way. However, a good story can explain or other elemental energy, brambles tearing at heroes,
a lesser threat having access to lair actions, as with an spectral swords, or other effects. Damaging lair actions
alchemist in a workshop with potions brewing, each of allow a GM to target the characters outside of a creature’s
which can explode each round to affect combatants. normal turn, keeping a higher level of pressure on the
When a creature is legendary, take care to ensure heroes. By lessening the impact of conditions or other
that lair actions feel different from legendary actions. effects (other than being incapacitated), damaging lair
Legendary actions represent what a creature can do actions make a solo creature’s overall damage output more
directly with their body and their inherent capabilities. reliable.
Lair actions are external, representing the interplay Control or Impede. A column of stone or a stalactite
between the creature and their surroundings. (“Building might deal damage as it falls, but its primary benefit is
and Running Legendary Monsters” on page 28 has pinning a hero down and taking them out of the fight
advice for creating legendary actions.) for a time. Fumes from a swamp or a pool of acid might
poison heroes. Grasping skeletal hands or vines can
THE IMPORTANCE OF A LAIR grapple and restrain characters. These types of lair actions
Before you can add effective lair actions to a creature, take limit the characters’ effectiveness, allowing a creature to
the time to understand the key aspects of that creature, evade blows or to isolate and pick off foes more easily.
and what kind of environment their lair should be. Excessive control hurts fun, however, so limit your use
Thinking through the connection between creature and of these types of lair actions to make them stand out as
lair allows you to weave lair actions convincingly into a infrequent but significant challenges.
story. You can get lair ideas by reviewing a monster’s lore, Protection. Protective lair actions shield, heal, or
the myths of similar creatures, and the larger story and enhance a creature, providing them with important
setting of your campaign. survival capabilities they might otherwise lack. For
Consider the following examples: example, an artificer’s lab might contain a clockwork-
• A fire elemental could live in a lava-filled cavern, but generated shield that grants temporary hit points or
could also inhabit a burning forest. heals wounds. A fire elemental might be able to teleport
• A black dragon has transformed a valley into a fetid from one pool of fire to another to keep away from
swamp, with all its former beauty turned to rot and the characters. Obscuring gases or crashing waves can
undeath. occlude a battlefield, imposing disadvantage on attack
• A treant lord has deep roots that influence all the plant rolls.
life in an area. Even creatures living in the trees and soil (“Building and Running Boss Monsters” on page 31
obey this powerful leader. has thoughts on protecting important monsters that make
• A powerful giant has collected trophies in a vast great inspiration for lair actions.)
museum, with the spirits of creatures they’ve conquered
manifesting through each of those displays.

36
 from a creature directly. A power that creates a damaging
BOSSES NEED THE HELP aura can become a zone of energy spreading around a
Mike maintains that the damage created by lair actions is often specific point, while a power that grapples could originate
necessary, and shouldn’t be counted as part of a creature’s from a tentacle emerging from a pool or a portal.
regular damage output in all cases. Boss monsters, by virtue of As an example, consider the Telekinetic Grasp monster
being an obvious single target with limited actions, are often power:
underpowered for their challenge ratings. As such, having lair
Telekinetic Grasp (Action). This creature chooses one creature
actions for damage, control, and protection is often vital to
they can see within 100 feet of them weighing less than 400
ensuring a fun boss encounter. pounds. The target must succeed on a Strength saving throw
(DC = 11 + 1/2 CR) or be pulled up to 80 feet directly toward
TACTICS this creature.
When choosing which lair actions to use during combat, Then consider how that might be turned into a lair
think about whether damage, control, or protection are action:
more effective in any given round. Damage and control Telekinetic Grasp. One creature in the lair weighing
work particularly well early in combat, causing the players less than 400 pounds is grasped by a telekinetic force
to adjust their plans and break out of typical attack and must make a Strength saving throw (DC = 11 +
routines. The heroes might be forced to expend resources 1/2 CR). On a failure, the target is pulled up to 80 feet
or heal an ally rather than make an attack, or might have directly toward a location chosen by the creature using
to contend with conditions that leave them unable to this lair action.
reach their target.
Protection works well when a foe is pinned down TEMPLATE LAIR ACTIONS
in their lair, helping them make it through tough The following lair actions can be used as templates by
moments—or to escape those moments entirely. Such changing the exact nature of how the environment creates
actions surprise the characters, showing the full range of the indicated effect. The type of lair action is indicated in
their foe’s resources as the world around them bends to parentheses after the name.
that foe’s will. Elemental Damage (Damage). A blast of elemental
energy targets one creature who the creature using this
CREATING LAIR ACTIONS lair action can see within 100 feet of them. The target
When creating your own creatures with lair actions—or must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw (DC = 10
if you want to expand on the lair actions of an existing + 1/2 CR) or take 2 × CR damage of an appropriate
creature—you have several options. Regardless of which elemental type.
method you choose, it’s worth noting that the damage Falling Structure (Damage, Control). Part of a ceiling,
dealt by lair actions should be counted as part of a wall, column, or some other part of the lair collapses
creature’s damage output for the purpose of calculating onto one target who the creature using this lair action
their CR. Thus, if you add lair actions to a creature, their can see within 100 feet of them. The target must succeed
CR may increase. However, because creatures with lair on a Dexterity saving throw (DC = 10 + 1/2 CR) or
actions are typically high challenge, you can often not take CR bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone.
worry about this CR bump if you know the characters can The target is then restrained, and can be freed with a
handle the increased threat. successful DC 10 Strength check made as an action by
RESKINNING the target or a creature who can reach them.
Obscuring Cloud (Control, Protection). The creature
You can quickly create lair actions by looking at the lair using this lair action chooses a point they can see
actions of published monsters, many of which can be within 60 feet of them. A cloud fills a 30-foot-radius
easily reskinned to fit different environments. A falling area centered on that point. The creature using this lair
stalactite can become a falling chandelier or a stack of action can see normally within and through the cloud,
crates toppling onto the heroes. A teleportation effect can which is heavily obscured to all other creatures. The
be reproduced as a magical wind, movement through cloud lasts until the creature using this lair action does
shadows, or temporarily stepping into the Ethereal Plane. so again or is reduced to 0 hit points. It can also be
Divine healing can be reskinned as a healing spring, an dispersed by a wind of at least 20 miles per hour.
arcane device that knits flesh back together, or armor that Restorative Energy (Protection). Restorative energy is
repairs itself. channeled from the environment into the creature using
MONSTER POWERS this lair action. The creature regains 2 × CR hit points
and can attempt to end one condition or magical effect
Many of the monster powers found in “Building a Quick
affecting them. If ending an effect normally requires
Monster” (page 4), “Monster Powers” (page 15), and
a saving throw, the creature immediately makes the
“Monster Roles” (page 22) can be set up as though their
saving throw with advantage, ending the effect on
benefit is channeled from the environment rather than
themself on a success.
37
 LAZY TRICKS FOR
RUNNING MONSTERS
This section presents a number of tricks and tips that can Damage Reflection. Whenever a creature within 5
help you more easily prepare and run monsters during feet of this creature hits them with a melee attack, the
your games. We call them “lazy tricks” not because they’re attacker takes damage in return of a type appropriate to
about cheating or doing less work overall, but because the creature. The damage dealt is equal to half the damage
they’re meant to let you quickly accomplish things when of one of this creature’s attacks. If you give a creature this
your game is in progress, and you don’t have a lot of extra feature, give them one less attack than normal.
time. Misty Step. As a bonus action, this creature can teleport
Many of the concepts below are described in more up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space they can see.
detail in other sections of Forge of Foes. Knockdown. When this creature hits a target with a
melee attack, the target must succeed on a Strength saving
QUICK MONSTER STATISTICS throw or be knocked prone.
“Building a Quick Monster” (page 4) provides great Restraining Grab. When this creature hits a target with
guidelines for creating a foe for your game in just a few a melee attack, the target is grappled (escape DC based
minutes. But you can come up with an even quicker set of on this creature’s Strength or Dexterity modifier). While
monster statistics using the following steps. grappled, the target is restrained.
First, choose a challenge rating for your monster, Damaging Burst. As an action, this creature can create
based on their perceived power in the encounter. When a burst of energy, magic, spines, or some other effect in a
needed, compare your monster to existing monsters to 10-foot-radius sphere, either around themself or at a point
find a suitable challenge rating. Then use the following within 120 feet. Each creature in that area must make a
guidelines to craft their baseline statistics: Dexterity, Constitution, or Wisdom saving throw (your
• Armor Class = 12 + 1/2 CR choice, based on the type of burst). On a failure, a target
• Hit points = (15 × CR) + 15 takes damage of an appropriate type equal to half this
• Proficient saving throws and skills = 4 + 1/2 CR
• Nonproficient saving throws and abilities = −2 to +2,
based on the monster’s story
• Attack bonus = 4 + 1/2 CR
• DC for saving throws = 12 + 1/2 CR
• Total damage per round = (7 × CR) + 5
Start your monster out with one attack, then add
one additional attack at CR 2, CR 7, CR 11, and CR
15. Split the total damage noted above across all
attacks.
With a solid set of combat statistics at hand, you can
then use narrative descriptions to make your monster
unique, interesting, and evocative.

TEN USEFUL MONSTER

FEATURES
Give any custom monster impactful features and attacks
that make sense for their place in the game. When a
monster feature deals damage, choose a damage type
appropriate to the creature’s physiology, theme, or
story. A creature channeling magical power might
deal acid, cold, fire, lightning, force, poison,
psychic, necrotic, radiant, or thunder damage.
A creature making use of spines, spikes, or
projectiles might deal bludgeoning, piercing, or
slashing damage.
Damaging Blast. This creature has one or more
single-target ranged attacks using the attack bonus
and damage calculated above, and dealing damage
VÍCTOR LEZA

of an appropriate type.

38
creature’s total damage per round. On a success, a target (The monster powers that appear in “Building a Quick
takes half as much damage. Monster” on page 4, “Monster Powers” on page 15,
Cunning Action. On each of their turns, this creature and “Monster Roles” on page 22 often provide damage
can use a bonus action to take the Dash, Disengage, or expressions such as “4 × CR.” If you’re a GM who loves
Hide action. to roll dice, you can use this table to convert those fixed
Damaging Aura. Each creature who starts their turn damage values back into a dice-rolling expression by
within 10 feet of this creature takes damage of a type finding an average close to the fixed value.)
appropriate to the creature. The damage dealt is equal to You can also compute averages for dice expressions with
half the damage of one of this creature’s attacks. If you simple equations you can keep in your head. The average
give a creature this feature, give them one less attack than of two dice is the maximum value of one of those dice
normal. + 1, so that the average of 2d12 is 13. Then double that
Energy Weapons. The creature’s weapon attacks deal number for multiples of two, so that the average of 2d8
extra damage of an appropriate type. You can add this is 9, the average of 4d8 is 18, and so forth. Likewise, the
damage on top of the creature’s regular damage output average of a single die is half the size of the die, so add
to give them a combat boost, or can replace some of that number to a two-dice average to get odd numbers.
the creature’s normal weapon damage with this energy For example, the average of 4d6 is 14, so the average of
damage. 5d6 is 17. (The average of one die is actually half the size
Damage Transference. When this creature takes of the die plus 0.5, which is why the average of two dice is
damage, they can transfer half or all of that damage (your the maximum value of the die +1.)
choice) to a willing creature within 30 or 60 feet of them.
This feature is particularly good for boss monsters, as THE LAZY ENCOUNTER
discussed in “Building and Running Boss Monsters” (page BENCHMARK
31).
Build encounters based on the story, the situation, and the
location. When you want to check whether a particular
USING AVERAGES encounter is too challenging for the characters, you can
By default, 5e monster stat blocks calculate the average use a simple benchmark (detailed in “The Lazy Encounter
damage for any attack’s dice expression, as with “13 (2d8 Benchmark” on page 70) to see if the encounter might
+ 4) bludgeoning damage” for an ogre’s Greatclub attack. be inadvertently deadly.
Using average damage for a monster’s attacks is one of the
best ways to speed up combat. OTHER LAZY MONSTER TRICKS
Sometimes, though, you need to roll damage for effects
Once you’re in the middle of an encounter, you can make
that aren’t in a stat block. When you do, you can use the
use of a number of other quick tricks to make running
following table to quickly look up the average value of
monsters easier, with more flexibility and greater speed.
various dice equations. Simply find the number of dice in
Try any of the following options at your table, and make
the leftmost column, then go across to the appropriate die
use of any trick that helps your game:
type. As can be seen in the table, you can add up averages
to get an average value for higher numbers of dice—for • Use fixed initiative for monsters equal to 10 + each
example, adding the average of 2d10 and 6d10 to get the monster’s Dexterity bonus. Even faster? Just have all
average of 8d10. You can use this approach to find the monsters act on initiative count 12.
average for rolling more than twelve dice, so that if you • Reduce hit points on the fly to allow monsters to drop
need an average for 24d10, you can simply look at the or surrender more quickly, or increase a monster’s
12d10 average and double it. number of attacks or damage if the characters are
having too easy a time. (“Monster Difficulty Dials” on
# of dice d4 d6 d8 d10 d12 page 27 talks about these kinds of adjustments.)
1 2 3 4 5 6 • Have foes flee or surrender when it makes sense to
2 5 7 9 11 13 move the game forward. (“Exit Strategies” on page 91
3 7 10 13 16 19 and “On Morale and Running Away” on page 125 talk
4 10 14 18 22 26 more about this.).
5 12 17 22 27 32
• Have constructs and undead be destroyed when the
6 15 21 27 33 39
creature controlling them dies.
• Run multiple waves of monsters for big battles.
7 17 24 31 38 45
(“Building and Running Boss Monsters” on page 31
8 20 28 36 44 52
talks more on this topic.)
9 22 31 40 49 58
• Include creatures designed to eat “save or suck” attacks
10 25 35 45 55 65
such as banishment or polymorph. (“Lightning Rods” on
11 27 38 49 60 71
page 44 has more information on this.)
12 30 42 54 66 78

39
 RUNNING MONSTERS FOR
NEW GAMEMASTERS
Forge of Foes contains numerous tips and tools to help THE 5TH-LEVEL POWER SURGE
GMs run monsters. But as with any collection of advice, In the same way that the characters get much better at
some of what’s here can feel relatively advanced for GMs surviving when they reach 2nd level, 5e games have other
new to the game. This section offers tips to help relatively leaps in character power at 5th, 11th, and 17th level.
inexperienced GMs run monsters effectively—and can Starting at 5th level, you’ll see the characters pinning
serve as a refresher for advanced GMs as well. down powerful foes with a single failed saving throw.
You’ll see huge hordes of monsters taken out of the fight
1ST-LEVEL = VULNERABLE with spells such as hypnotic pattern and fireball. You’ll
Though it seems illogical, 1st level is the most dangerous watch fighters cleave through powerful opponents with
and potentially lethal level in an adventurer’s career. With ease, both from the increase to their attack modifier and
their low hit points making it easy for them to drop—and damage, and their ability to dish out four attacks in a turn
easy to be permanently dispatched if they take damage using Action Surge.
while dying—characters are significantly more likely to Even though combat changes at 5th level in the
die at 1st level than at any other point in the game. characters’ favor, that doesn’t mean you have to make
Monsters matched up against 1st-level characters at a everything harder. But understanding and expecting the
particular encounter difficulty are almost always more power jump at 5th level lets you think about different
dangerous than monsters matched up against higher-level ways to handle that jump. Easy battles are still a lot of
characters at the same difficulty. So when designing or fun (as talked about in “Running Easy Monsters,” page
running encounters for 1st-level characters, pay careful 124). And you can learn what kinds of foes are the
attention to how lethal those encounters might get. Run best challenge for the characters’ new capabilities in
fewer monsters than characters, and ensure that the “Lightning Rods” (page 44) and “Monsters and the
monsters are CR 1/4 or less. Even a CR 1/2 foe might Tiers of Play” (page 74).
prove deadly to a 1st-level character.
Though you might expect CR 1 monsters to be a good READ THE WHOLE STAT BLOCK
match for characters of 1st level based on hit points and When running a monster, it’s easy to focus on their big
defenses, many such monsters can deal potentially deadly combat statistics. You might look only at a creature’s hit
damage. A bugbear or a dire wolf, for example, can deal points, Armor Class, and attacks while getting ready to
enough damage to easily kill a low-hit point character run an encounter. However, many monsters have useful
with one attack. A specter can easily kill a 1st-level fighter and critical capabilities described in their other statistics,
or barbarian with a single hit. such as resistances, immunities, senses, and proficiencies.
So be nice when the characters are 1st level. You have A goblin’s +6 bonus to Dexterity (Stealth) checks might
nineteen more levels to turn up the heat. (“Monsters and be relevant to how you set up an encounter with goblin
the Tiers of Play” on page 74 also talks about the perils cultists, given the circumstances and situation. More
of 1st level.) complicated monsters often have important features noted
as bonus actions or reactions, and it’s easy to miss these
MORE MONSTERS, MORE features when you’re in the heat of the game.
DANGER Stat blocks also tell you the story of a monster. By
No matter whether the characters are fighting monsters looking at a creature’s ability scores and skill proficiencies,
of a challenge rating appropriate to their level, more you can recognize how those numbers might feed in to
monsters are almost always more dangerous than fewer that story. “Reading the Monster Stat Block,” page 102,
monsters. Even if a creature is significantly more powerful has more details on this.
than the characters, that creature is at a big disadvantage While preparing your game, review any stat blocks
due to their lower number of actions as compared to the you think you might run. Then review them again just
number of actions the characters can take. (This concept before you run them, right at the table. By taking thirty
is called the “action economy,” and is talked about in seconds to remind yourself what a monster brings to an
“Understanding the Action Economy” on page 42.) encounter, you’re less likely to forget a feature and miss an
When in doubt, keep the number of foes below the opportunity for a more memorable game.
number of characters to make an easier fight. Whenever
an encounter has more monsters than characters, the SANDWICH MECHANICS WITH
challenge goes up. FLAVOR
It’s easy to lose track of the fiction going on in the world
of your game when you’re focused on the mechanics of
combat. So consider sandwiching mechanical descriptions
40
with the flavor of what’s happening around the characters. UNDERSTANDING CHALLENGE
For example, rather than simply reporting the damage a
character takes on a successful hit, you can say something
RATINGS
like: “The cultists hisses at you and slashes with her The concept of challenge rating as it defines a monster’s
jagged curved blade. It hits you for 6 slashing damage as power level can be hard to grasp. “What Are Challenge
the blade cuts through your leather armor and into your Ratings?” on page 99 breaks down this measure of
flesh.” monster difficulty in detail, but you can keep a few simple
Likewise, the mechanics of rolling damage and saving rules in mind:
throws for a complicated spell can be made more • A challenge rating compares one monster to another.
interesting as part of a descriptive narrative. “Durrim, There isn’t a perfect comparison between character
you hurl your fireball into the room full of unsuspecting levels and monster challenge ratings.
ghouls, one of them turning your way just as the spell • A monster is a hard challenge for a single character
explodes in a roar of flame. Roll 8d6 damage. Two of the if their challenge rating is roughly 1/4 of a character’s
eight ghouls make their saving throws, but six of the eight level, or 1/2 of a character’s level if the character is 5th
burst into flames, leaving only two. They’re smoldering level or higher.
and burnt, but still fighting!” • A single creature might be particularly challenging to a
Even when crunching numbers, you can move the story group of characters if the creature’s challenge rating is
along. Use those silly vocal sound effects you used to greater than 1.5 × the average character level.
love in middle school, and don’t lose sight of the fiction • A battle might be more challenging then you want it
happening during the game. to be if the sum total of monster challenge ratings is
greater than 1/4 of the sum total of character levels, for
MONSTERS DON’T HAVE TO characters of 1st to 4th level; or greater than 1/2 of total
BEHAVE OPTIMALLY character levels if the characters are 5th level or higher.
A veteran might have three attacks at their disposal, but (The above comparisons are taken from “The Lazy
that doesn’t mean they have to take them. Sometimes the Encounter Benchmark” on page 70, which explains
characters’ foes make poor choices and bad decisions. them in more detail.)
They might let ego get in the way of making decisions. Challenge ratings are a rough gauge of monster
They make tactical errors. An enemy spellcaster might power—not a perfect measurement. Challenge rating
hold back their most powerful spells, thinking that the comparisons alone don’t determine the difficulty of a
characters are easy targets. A troll commander might toy battle, as many other factors can come into play:
with a hero, attacking only with a single claw. A gnoll • The specific situation
outlaw in a position to finish off a dying cleric might • The combat environment
turn their attention to the pesky fighter interrupting their • The experience of the players
finishing move. Whenever it increases the fun of the game • How well the characters’ attacks and features work
for the players, let the monsters make mistakes. together
• Whether most of the characters or most of the monsters
REDUCE HIT POINTS TO END come first in the initiative order
BATTLES EARLY • What kinds of magic items the characters possess
Proper pacing is one of the most important parts As the GM, you’ll develop a much better sense for the
of keeping a game fun for both you and the players. capabilities of the characters and the potential difficulty
Sometimes battles go on too long, threatening to end a of a battle as you gain more experience running games for
fun encounter as a final slog. If this happens, just reduce your group.
the hit points of monsters to let the next hit take them out
of the fight, letting you and the players move on to the
UNDERSTANDING A
next part of the story. MONSTER’S ROLE
Many monster statistics can be fine-tuned before or Some monsters like to get up in front of the characters
during the game, helping you focus on fun and helping and hit them with clubs. Some work better while lurking
the monsters play the part you want them to in the in the shadows. Others want to be up on a ledge raining
narrative. “Monster Difficulty Dials” on page 27 talks magic down upon their foes from a distance.
about the kinds of adjustments you can make on the fly to When reading a stat block, consider what role and
make a foe easier or harder in combat. These dials include position a monster might prefer in combat. An evil mage
a creature’s hit points, their number of attacks, and the can have a ton of powerful spells, but they might never
damage they deal, as well as the overall number of foes get a chance to use them if they’re up front getting hit.
in a battle. You can tweak all these dials to suit your story A squad of veterans can be mighty opponents, but not
and its pacing, but reducing a monster’s hit points can be if they’re stuck on the other side of a chasm. So always
the most powerful dial for keeping your game fast and put the veterans up front and stick the mage in the back.
fun. (“Monster Roles” on page 22 talks more on this topic.)
41
 UNDERSTANDING
THE ACTION ECONOMY
Often, GMs look at the powers, actions, and statistics
of characters and monsters and take those statistics at
face value. A fireball spell creates a huge blast of flame.
A paladin smites foes by channeling divine energy
into their attack. A wizard’s power is measured by
the number of spells they wield and the spell
slots with which they cast them. But there’s an
equally important element to the game that’s
not as obvious—the action economy.
The game’s action economy is the
comparison of the number of actions the
characters can take compared to the number
of actions their foes can take. If these numbers
of actions are imbalanced, one side has a
distinct advantage over the other, regardless
of how good their actions and attacks are,
because one side can simply do more things.
Understanding the action economy is
critical when considering the challenge
of an encounter. As you consider the
characters and the foes they face, consider
how the action economy is balanced—or
imbalanced—between them.

MORE MONSTERS!
Perhaps the easiest way to balance the action
economy is to include enough foes to roughly
balance the actions of the characters. Beyond having
more actions they can take, more monsters means more
targets. It means the characters’ damage is often spread
across multiple foes instead of focusing on one big threat. alone, putting them at an action economy disadvantage.
“Monster Difficulty Dials” on page 27 talks about how For this reason, those creatures are given legendary
a GM can adjust encounters before or during play. This actions—actions they take between other characters’
“number of monsters” dial is a powerful tool for tuning turns to make up for the lack of actions on their own
a battle’s difficulty. It’s perhaps the strongest dial you can turn. An adult red dragon can attack up to six times
turn, as it can affect both the challenge of a fight and the across a round—three on their turn and three times with
time it takes to complete it. legendary actions. Not bad.
When you want to run a single nonlegendary creature
LEGENDARY ACTIONS against a group of characters, consider increasing that
When a single foe faces a whole group of characters, that creature’s actions to account for the imbalance in the
foe is at a distinct disadvantage with the action economy. action economy. “Building and Running Legendary
In a typical party, four to six characters each have actions Monsters,” page 28, has more information on this topic.
they can take in a round, while the poor monster might
have only one. MODIFYING THE ACTION
The iconic CR 15 purple worm can probably swallow ECONOMY DURING A BATTLE
a house. But with only two attacks, it’s possible that the Even without building out a full-blown legendary
worm might do nothing at all in a round if they miss monster, you can change up a potential imbalance of
both times. The purple worm is a powerhouse monster actions by simply giving creatures more attacks as part
by virtue of how nasty their attacks are, but distinctly falls of their Multiattack action (or giving them Multiattack
short in the action economy. They just don’t have a lot of if they don’t already have it). This is a significant threat
actions they can take compared to the characters. boost to a creature, sometimes doubling the amount of
MATT MORROW

By contrast, other creatures such as the adult red damage they can deal in a turn, so take care. Giving a
dragon can do lots of things. The designers of 5e knew purple worm an additional tail sting attack represents a
that particular monsters often face groups of characters
42
significant jump in the danger that creature brings to an and hit the balor while next to them. The balor might
encounter. get only two attacks on their turn, but their aura deals
For something a bit less drastic, consider letting the significant damage without expending any actions, and
monster attack a second time if they miss with their first increases in threat as more characters move in close to
attack. There’s little difference between this approach attack.
and granting a creature advantage on their attack rolls, Damaging defensive effects and damaging auras,
except in how you describe the effect during the game. whether spells or innate abilities, are gifts that keep on
You might use this approach on a powerful creature who giving when it comes to balancing the action economy.
dishes out tremendous damage, allowing them to hit more Whenever you’re creating or running a boss monster or
reliably, but capping their damage lower than if they were some other creature likely to face the characters alone,
hitting twice. For example, a frost giant who attacks again these kinds of passive-damage features can help.
after a miss with their first attack has a greater chance of The monster powers in “Building a Quick Monster”
dealing their average 25 damage on a turn, but is still less (page 4), “Monster Powers” (page 15), and “Monster
likely to deal their full 50 damage per turn. Roles” (page 22) offer a number of such options, any
of which can help a foe scale up their threat without
THE ACTION ECONOMY AND requiring extra actions. You can also assign monster
SPELLCASTING powers to terrain features, such as an altar that has the
Damaging Aura power, or an arcane orb that targets
Monster and NPC stat blocks sometimes feature long
a hero each round with the Telekinetic Grasp power.
lists of castable spells presenting a wide range of combat
Setting the terrain features to activate on a specific
options. But a spellcasting creature can cast only one spell
initiative count, such as 20 or 15, gives you extra actions
per turn. Sometimes this is fine, as when a group of cult
each round that can shift the action economy in your
fanatics throw around inflict wounds spells one at a time
favor. You can then add simple ways for the characters to
just as the characters might. But noteworthy spellcasters,
deactivate such features by using their own actions.
including boss monsters, can improve their standing in
the action economy by casting spells as part of an existing THE ACTION ECONOMY AND
Multiattack action, replacing one of their normal attacks SPELLCASTING
with their spellcasting action. For creatures who don’t Many spellcasters have a number of spells that enhance
have the Multiattack action, you can give it to them, or protect them, but wasting a number of rounds to
letting them cast a spell as well as attack on their turn. cast those spells during combat greatly reduces the
Giving NPC spellcasters the ability to cast more than caster’s effectiveness. Instead, consider having foes
one spell on a turn increases the threat they can bring precast any such spells that last a long time and don’t
to a battle, so keep that in mind. But for other monsters, require concentration, such as mage armor, fire shield,
casting spells alongside other attacks can help them or true seeing. You can also select one long-duration
keep up with the characters’ actions, even as it lets them concentration spell that a foe can cast before a fight if
reinforce their place as a dual melee-and-magic threat in they suspect adventurers might be present, such as globe
the fiction of the game. of invulnerability, fly, or invisibility. Precasting spells frees
(“Building Spellcasting Monsters,” page 34, and up a foe’s actions during the actual battle, allowing you to
“Running Spellcasting Monsters,” page 58, both offer spend those actions on spells that target the heroes.
additional points of view on mixing monsters and magic.) The following table highlights a number of spells that
are particularly good at balancing the action economy
SPELLS AND FEATURES in favor of a creature making use of them. To further
THAT BALANCE THE ACTION improve their value, consider letting foes cast some of
ECONOMY these spells before combat begins, in addition to their
Some spells and features scale particularly well with personal protection spells.
efforts to improve the action economy for monsters and ACTION-BALANCING SPELLS
other foes, becoming more powerful the more characters Spell Spell
a foe faces. Spells such as fire shield directly affect enemies Spell Spell
Level Level
who hit the caster—every time. As such, it’s one of the 1 Fog cloud 3 Haste
few features in the game that becomes more effective as 1 Hellish rebuke 3 Slow
the caster becomes more outclassed in combat. A paladin
1 Shield 3 Spirit guardians
who smites an adult black dragon protected by fire shield
2 Blur 4 Fire shield
takes an average of 9 damage for each hit. A monk who
strikes the dragon four times with a flurry of blows takes 2 Darkness 4 Greater invisibility
27 damage! 2 Spiritual weapon 5 Antilife shell
The balor’s Fire Aura trait scales in two different ways— 3 Blink 5 Cloudkill
damaging characters who happen to be next to the balor 3 Fear 7 Divine word
at the start of the balor’s turn, and characters who attack 3 Fly 9 Foresight 43
 LIGHTNING RODS
When characters rise above 4th level, their ability to deal careful zombies staying 20 feet away from one another, or
with powerful foes takes a huge jump. But challenging a huge mob of undead in perfect position to be turned to
characters of 5th level and higher isn’t just about making ash or blown to pieces with a well-placed fireball?
things hard. It’s easy for GMs to fall into the trap of (“Running Minions and Hordes,” page 54, talks more
thwarting the coolest things the heroes can do, by giving about running large numbers of monsters in combat.)
monsters immunities to certain conditions, increasing
their hit points to offset the high damage a character
EXPENDABLE LIEUTENANTS
can deal, or running monsters with tactics clearly built Many legendary monsters can use Legendary Resistance
to bypass the characters’ best attacks. But thwarting the to avoid being taken out with a single casting of
characters’ best features can be frustrating to the players, banishment or polymorph, but their lieutenants have
for obvious reasons. no such advantage. When the characters have access to
So instead of shutting down the characters, build your such spells, add powerful monsters into your encounters
encounters around monsters specifically designed to show specifically designed to be banished, polymorphed, or
off—by eating up—the characters’ cool new capabilities otherwise controlled or incapacitated. Monsters with the
as they rise in level. You can think of these monsters as bruiser or defender role are often perfect targets for such
“lightning rods”—intended victims ready to take the full spells (see “Monster Roles” on page 22), especially those
effect of a character’s most powerful attacks and features. with terrible Wisdom and Charisma saving throws.
Keep in mind, though, that if you add one or two hard-
WATCH WHAT THE hitting foes to an encounter who don’t get controlled,
CHARACTERS BRING things can go south for the characters quickly.
When running encounters challenging enough for the FRAGILE DAMAGE-DEALERS
characters to use their top-tier features and attacks, pay For stunning-strike monks, hard-hitting paladins,
attention to what they do. Does the wizard blast enemies sharpshooter rangers, or great-weapon fighters, fragile
with high-damage spells like fireball? Does the cleric foes who deal a ton of damage make fantastic targets.
make liberal use of Turn Undead when faced with those These are creatures with a low Armor Class, low hit
monsters? Do spells like polymorph or banishment come points, and a low Constitution saving throw, but who are
into play to get rid of bosses and elite threats? deadly until taken out. (Creatures with the artillery or
Note which features the players enjoy having their skirmisher role are great choices; see “Monster Roles.”) It’s
characters use, and think about how to build for those extremely rewarding for a character to reach such a foe
features in your next big battle. If you aren’t sure what and cut them down with a single powerful attack.
features the characters have, ask the players. Each time
the characters level, start the session by having the players PLAY TO THE CHARACTERS’
talk about what new attacks, spells, and special abilities STRENGTHS
they’ve picked up. Then build encounters to show off Players and their characters love to outsmart their foes.
those features, not avoid them. You can help with this by placing artillery in locations that
For example, at higher levels, a monk gains the ability the foes assume will be hard to reach, but which you know
to stun creatures with a single strike, effectively taking present just a minor challenge to characters who can
a monster out of the fight for a round or more. So when climb, fly, or short-range teleport. Likewise, add hidden
you know a player’s monk has this feature, add monsters ambushers when you know that some of the characters
into big battles that you specifically want the monk to will be able to easily perceive them. These sorts of setups
stun. A smack-talking spellcaster with a low Constitution let the characters show off, and reward the players for
saving throw, and who only a monk can reach with their choosing those specific tactical capabilities.
enhanced movement, is just begging to have a hero leap
up and punch them in the face. TELEGRAPHING LIGHTNING
RUN HORDES FOR AREA EFFECTS RODS
At 5th level and above, characters get access to spells and Less tactically minded players might need help, or even
class features with large areas of effect, including hypnotic direct advice, to recognize the danger of not dealing with
pattern, fireball, and Destroy Undead. When you know lightning rods. If you intended for a fire giant bodyguard
the characters have such features at their disposal, add of the hobgoblin king to be banished and the characters
hordes of low-CR creatures who can charge at them, all don’t pick up on that, they might be in trouble when she
grouped up and ready to be blasted away. starts pounding them into the ground like tent pegs. If the
Ignore the fact that it might be more tactically characters are focused on the boss while getting pelted by
appropriate for such creatures to spread out, instead the fiery rays of flameskulls just begging to be stunned,
thinking of yourself as the director of an action movie. blasted, or turned, be prepared to project or reveal
What’s the coolest outcome for the scene—a group of outright to the players the dangers their characters face,
44 and how they might deal with them.
MODIFYING MONSTERS BEFORE
AND DURING PLAY
As a GM, you have many ways to customize monsters • When a monster needs to be more of a mini-boss
to make them the best fit for a particular encounter. You version of their type—one who stands out among their
might simply give them a few more hit points. Or you peers.
might revise them completely, changing their stats, adding
new features, or modifying their existing features. Some
INCREASING THE CHALLENGE OF A
of these modifications are quick and easy. You can often
MONSTER
do them in your head while running the game. Other Increasing the challenge a monster provides in combat is
modifications require time and thought best suited for another common reason to modify a stat block. Instead
game prep. of coming at it from the story first, you might know
This section discusses which monster modifications that a party of 9th-level characters won’t be challenged
work well before your game begins, and which facing CR 2 creatures. But the creatures still make sense
modifications you might make during play. for the situation, so you boost them mechanically, either
reskinning a higher-CR stat block or increasing the
WHY MODIFY MONSTERS? creature’s baseline stats directly.
Why modify a creature in the first place? Why not run It still helps to have an in-world reason for such
with the default monster stat blocks? changes, though. If a group of soldiers is much stronger
Most of the time, monsters run fine as written. With than normal CR 1/8 guards, what makes them so
dozens of excellent books of foes to use, you can almost formidable? If the evil queen’s bodyguard hits like a fire
always find one befitting the scene and situation of an giant, what makes him so strong and powerful? Even if
encounter. Even when reskinning an existing stat block a monster’s story is a secondary consideration to their
into something new (see “Reskinning Monsters,” page increase in challenge, it’s worth thinking about the
50), you likely don’t need to make many changes to the narrative behind that increase.
mechanics, letting the monster work as intended. MAKING THE GAME MORE FUN
Sometimes, though, the story of a creature in the world
Beyond story and mechanics, we modify monsters for the
of the game and the mechanics you find in a published
fun of the game. Reworking the baseline statistics of a foe
stat block don’t match. Sometimes, you know a monster
can make combat more exciting, showcase the characters,
just won’t hold up to the characters in your group.
enrich the story—and make it easier to get foes off stage
Sometimes an encounter promises to be less fun than you
when their time is done.
want if a monster doesn’t get a little something extra.
CHANGING THE MECHANICS TO FIT WHEN NOT TO MODIFY
THE STORY MONSTERS
You might want to modify the statistics of a monster so Never modify monsters to punish the players. Don’t
that they better fit their place in the story and the world. rebuild creatures specifically to circumvent the characters’
Maybe the basilisk the characters face is no normal most powerful capabilities. And don’t modify monsters
basilisk but a dire basilisk, twice the size of their kin. They just to beat the characters into the ground. Just because
have more hit points. Their attack bonuses and DCs are one of the characters picked up the banishment spell
higher. Maybe they can make more attacks per round. doesn’t mean all monsters should suddenly become
In such a case, the standard basilisk stat block isn’t immune to banishment. (“Lightning Rods” on page 44
enough. So you might decide to use the young black has more guidance on these topics.)
dragon stat block instead, giving them the Petrifying Gaze Before modifying any creature, ask yourself why you’re
trait of the normal basilisk, and losing the black dragon’s modifying them. Is it to fit the story or make the game
fly speed. This basilisk is new and different, but this sort of more fun? Are your modifications helping you keep up
reskin works well because the modifications fit the story. the right pace and beats to make your game exciting?
When any of the following issues present themselves, Make sure your monster modifications enrich the game
you can think about changing the mechanics of a monster and don’t diminish it.
to fit the story:
• When a creature you want to use needs to be MODIFYING MONSTERS
significantly bigger than the baseline stat block. BEFORE THE GAME
• When the monster of your story has a trait a published When preparing adventures and selecting monsters, ask if
monster doesn’t have. the standard stat blocks for the creatures you select work
• When a creature has unique skills, such as a dragon well enough as is. Most of the time, they should. You can
spellcaster or an undead knight.
45
 always make a given creature unique in the flavor of your didn’t bother to jot that down before they showed up in
descriptions—for example, giving them a proper name combat.
and a few scars to show their history. But a chimera is a Modifying monsters during play is also an excellent
chimera, and if the standard chimera stat block works fine way to change the pacing and challenge of an encounter
on its own, there’s no need to change it. during the game. Some GMs oppose this idea, and it’s
If you don’t have the right monsters on hand, look at fine if that’s how you feel. Changing a creature’s statistics
your toolbox of options and determine how to make the during an encounter can feel a bit like cheating. It’s
monster you need. Should you reskin an existing stat moving the goal lines while the game plays out—but
block? Should you build something from scratch? The sometimes you don’t realize that you accidentally set the
crunchier the details you want to add to a creature, the goal lines too far out to begin with. Decide for yourself if
more likely you’ll want to do this work ahead of time such changes are acceptable, and if so, when.
instead of at the table. (“Building a Quick Monster,” page “Monster Difficulty Dials” on page 27 offers lots of
4, and “Reskinning Monsters,” page 50, provide guidance for ways to modify monsters during play.
guidance for both these approaches.)
Often, you can make significant modifications or
LOWERING HIT POINTS TO END
entirely new monsters on an index card or in whatever
BATTLES EARLY
digital tool of choice you use to run your game. Don’t Of all the topics discussed in “Monster Difficulty Dials,”
worry about the formality of these changes or matching few are as important and valuable as lowering hit points
the style of mechanical wording perfectly. You know to speed up a dreary battle. Doing so is an incredibly
what you mean. Likewise, don’t bother recalculating useful tool for keeping the pace of your game moving
the challenge rating of a creature after you’ve modified forward. Even if you feel like changing damage, increasing
them just to assess how they fight an encounter. Your hit points, and adjusting a creature’s number of attacks
own understanding of the characters, their capabilities, are a form of “cheating,” consider reducing a monster’s hit
the environment of the encounter, and other potential points to keep your game moving quickly and staying fun.
factors paint a much more accurate picture of the
potential challenge than any encounter-building tool or
equation.
If you find yourself needing to figure out a
modified creature’s new challenge rating (for
example, if you’re giving out experience points
immediately after combat), you can do so by
comparing the creature’s capabilities to the
Monster Statistics by Challenge Rating table on
page 6, or compare the creature to other
monsters in your favorite monster book. Don’t
sweat it too much, though. These modified
monsters are just for you and your group.
Quick guesses and scratchy notes are just
fine.

MODIFYING MONSTERS
DURING THE GAME
Sometimes, a creature needs modifications
that are minor enough to make on the fly. To
determine what changes work well when made during a
game session, keep the following in mind.
First, if you’re playing fast and loose, you can save time
by modifying monsters as the need arises in a battle.
“Reskinning Monsters” describes how to omit details
when reskinning a creature unless and until you need
them. If the story of your custom monster means that
they have immunity to poison, just add that feature
during the game when you need it, rather than worrying
about it ahead of time. A skeletal frost giant is undead,
so you know they’re subject to Turn Undead even if you
FABIAN PARENTE

46
RUNNING MONSTERS IN THE
THEATER OF THE MIND
While many GMs run combat using a gridded battle map, Depending on the situation, you might decide that
online virtual tabletop, or other physical representation more or fewer creatures are caught in an area. For
of positioning in combat, some prefer to use a purely example, you can turn a monster’s use of a magical attack
narrative approach often called “theater of the mind.” mimicking the fireball spell into a fiery blast targeting
Even if you run games this way only occasionally—or if four creatures. If you want to add a fun negotiation when
you’re wanting to try theater of the mind—it’s good to a character casts fireball, ask the players if they’re willing
recognize how this style of play works, and to discuss it to add two more enemy targets into the blast—by being
with your players. willing to include one of the characters in the area as well!
In theater-of-the-mind combat, the GM describes the
physical situation, the players describe what they want ROLL RANDOMLY FOR THE
to do, and the GM arbitrates the results. On each player’s UNAFFECTED
turn, the GM clarifies the current situation, and might
In some situations, the flavor of a monster’s attack doesn’t
offer some options for what a character can do. However,
lend itself to the pinpoint accuracy of choosing specific
many monster features are described in ways that make it
targets. An adult blue dragon’s lightning breath might fork
difficult to run purely descriptive combat. If a creature has
out like chain lightning, hitting several specific targets
a spell blasting all targets in a 20-foot radius, how does a
instead of blasting out in a line, but a red dragon’s fire
GM decide which targets are in the blast and which are
breath is almost certainly a big cone of flame.
not?
When arbitrating such large areas in the theater of the
mind, consider letting the dice decide who’s in and who’s
CHOOSING NUMBERS OF out of the blast. Assuming four of six characters are hit by
TARGETS a young red dragon’s fire breath (a 30-foot cone), assign
One way to remove some of the uncertainty of descriptive each character a number from 1 through 6 (using either
combat is to make all creatures’ attacks less dependent the initiative order or the order of the players around
on physical positioning. As an example, a monster who the table to make it easy). Then roll a d6 twice, rerolling
uses the lightning bolt spell needs to know how many duplicates, and the two characters whose numbers
characters are currently in a line. But instead of thinking match the die rolls are considered to be outside the blast.
that way, consider instead how many creatures an attack Describe how this process works before the battle begins,
or feature feels likely to hit, and then target that number and make these rolls in the open so players recognize that
of creatures directly. Thus, instead of hitting each creature they’re not being picked on.
in a line with a lightning bolt spell, a foe’s Lightning If any players have good in-world reasons for their
Arc attack might target three creatures within 60 feet, characters to not become targets of a large area of effect
reducing its range to fit the theme of the attack. (“I was hiding behind the wall of force spell I cast last
When looking at monster attacks or offensive spells, round!”), take that into consideration. Always lean in
you can gauge how many creatures such an effect might favor of the characters when you can, as doing so can
target based on its size, as shown on the following table. help to build their trust of your approach to this narrative
combat style.
NUMBER OF TARGETS BY
AREA OF EFFECT FOES BLASTING FOES
Number of
Area Shape and Size Targets
Characters are often careful to not include their allies in
the areas of their bigger spells. Monsters don’t need to
5-foot-radius sphere 1
be. It can be great fun for players to watch foes blow up
10-foot-radius sphere 3
some of their own allies with big damage. But remember
20-foot-radius sphere 4
that powerful monsters often have allies or servants with
30-foot-radius sphere 12
resistance or immunity to such damage. For example, an
30-foot-long, 5-foot-wide line 2
adult red dragon might have fire elemental or fire giant
60-foot-long, 5-foot-wide line 3 allies who take no damage from the dragon’s fire breath.
90-foot-long, 10-foot-wide line 4 Even if their allies don’t have immunity or resistance to
120-foot-long, 10-foot-wide line 6 their area-effect attacks, many foes might choose to blast
15-foot cone 2 those allies if doing so gives them the upper hand in the
20-foot cone 3 battle. Monsters can be jerks that way.
30-foot cone 4
60-foot cone 6

47
 ROLEPLAYING MONSTERS
For campaigns that are heavily into roleplaying, few Once you have a monster’s motivations noted, you can
things are as much fun as a GM getting to dig into then look to two areas of information on the stat block.
the personality and idiosyncrasies of a monster while And just as you’ll use the rest of the stat block to guide
bringing them to life at the table. Trying to negotiate the monster’s offensive and defensive behavior in the fight
safe passage through a ruin claimed by an ogre or troll. (as talked about in “Reading the Monster Stat Block” on
Bargaining with a chuul in possession of important page 102), you’ll use the monster’s creature type and
magical lore. Attempting to convince a bored green mental ability scores to guide the way you roleplay those
dragon that the characters have more worth to them as motivations while the fight unfolds.
allies than as a light snack. These kinds of monstrous
interactions can make for great roleplaying scenes. CREATURE TYPE
However, when it comes to monster design, the game The broad classification of creatures in the game into
focuses to a large degree on the rules of combat first and different types reflects biology and morphology, origin,
foremost—to the extent that monster stat blocks are access to magic, and other key details that are shared
built mostly around traits and actions related to combat, between different creatures. And just as creature type
while largely relegating the other pillars of play to ability makes a useful shorthand for talking about different
check modifiers and flavor text. As such, when running monsters’ abilities, traits, resistances, and other combat
monsters, it becomes easy to all but ignore roleplaying details, it can be used to collectively examine the behavior
in combat in favor of focusing on the minutiae of attack of creatures to suggest specific roleplaying tropes.
mechanics. But actively engaging in roleplaying during Though specific creatures might have more detailed
a fight scene can be a great way to create fights that go suggestions for roleplaying in the write-ups that
beyond the usual exchanges of attacks and damage, accompany their stat blocks, you can use the following
shaping a more memorable encounter. quick guidelines as inspiration for roleplaying hooks as
needed:
MONSTROUS MOTIVATIONS Aberration: Chaotic, ravenous, craves destruction for its
The first step in roleplaying a monster in combat is own sake
understanding the broad scope of what that monster Beast: Territorial, cautious about combat, fights only if
wants in general, and the narrower scope of what they threatened, defends young
hope to attain in this particular fight. The narrative Celestial: Accustomed to power, superiority complex,
that accompanies the stat blocks of many monsters can immediately forgiving or unforgiving with little middle
provide good hooks touching on the creature’s overall ground
goals, but the specifics of the adventure and the encounter Construct: Programmed, focused, unrelenting,
as you’ve set them up are likely the more important unforgiving
baseline. Dragon: Accustomed to power, haughty, superiority
If you’re the kind of GM who jots down notes on which complex, expects adulation or fear from lesser creatures
attacks and effects you want a monster to make use of Elemental: Chaotic, capricious, treats destruction as the
during a fight, add notes on the monster’s motivations normal state of things
as well. If you’re not a note taker, you can instead think Fey: Capricious, joyful or maniacal, flighty, distractible
about the monster as if they were a character in a work of Fiend: Destructive, manipulative, fights for any reason,
fiction you were writing, asking: What does the monster fearless
want from the fight? What do they need? What obstacles Giant: Accustomed to power, dismissive of lesser
and conflicts do they perceive as getting in the way of creatures, jealous of equally powerful creatures
what they want and need? Humanoid: Self-serving or altruistic, fight if threatened,
A creature’s role in an adventure shapes their wants fight to save face
and needs in a big way. Are they a guard obligated to Monstrosity: Solitary, accustomed to not fitting in, like to
take on the threat the characters represent? Are they show off special abilities
simply in the wrong place at the wrong time when the Ooze: Mindless, driven to feed, fight in response to any
party stumbles into their lair? Do they have something to provocation
prove, giving them a perfect excuse to step into combat Plant: Mindless, fight in response to any threat
when well-armed adventurers wander into their territory? Undead: Vicious, relentless, fight for the sake of fighting,
Are they ravenously hungry and possessed of no moral driven to destroy life
compunction against having humanoids on the menu? Do
they have young or other family members to defend? And THINKING LIKE YOUR
should that provoke them to attack, or inspire them to
MONSTERS
leave the fight before being badly injured?
A creature’s overall intellect as defined by their mental
abilities—Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma—make a
48
 attacking a clearly superior foe to prove a point, fleeing
ROLEPLAYING MONSTERS AS PREP a fight if injured regardless of the state of their foes—are
“Put yourself in the place of your villain” is one of the best at odds with the assumed overarching goal of winning
pieces of advice for making a villain truly come to life. Stepping the fight. And that’s as it should be. Much combat time
into the metaphorical shoes of a boss foe and thinking about in the game revolves around the characters being given
the world as they think about it can give you a much more opportunities to assess, then counter the strengths of
realistic view of that foe, what they’re doing, what they want, their foes, and roleplaying those foes provides great
and the steps they’re taking to get there. Such mental exercises opportunities to reveal strengths and weaknesses.
are their own form of roleplaying—a kind of independent Creating a sense that monsters and NPCs have a stake
game you can play just in your head and as part of your prep. in every fight beyond simply stepping up as bags of hit
Putting yourself into your villain’s thoughts and mindset points—playing them as wary, or afraid, or desperate,
can guide you as you design your world and the adventures or cocky in ways that benefit the characters—can help
the characters are set to undertake within it. Perceiving the make those fights feel as real to the players as they do to
world as a boss monster does can tell you how they feel about the heroes. It can also help you use roleplaying to shorten
the characters, what minions they might send out to do their fights where the characters are so far ahead that finishing
bidding, what secrets the characters might learn about the a battle might feel tedious, or to find a different outcome
boss, what locations they’re focusing on, what treasures they for a fight that the characters will almost certainly lose
amass, what other allies the villains connect with, and so much if they stick it out to the bitter end. (“Exit Strategies” on
more. page 91 and “On Morale and Running Away” on page
125 both dig into this topic.)
great go-to roleplaying hook. A creature’s scores in those The familiar hook of “These creatures fight to the
three abilities shape the way in which that creature thinks death” is one straightforward and usually suboptimal
about the world, their instinctual understanding of the roleplaying choice. But there are many other excellent
world, and their sense of place and importance within the and entertaining choices toward the bottom end of
world. the spectrum of optimal combat tactics, and digging
Monsters with high Intelligence or Charisma might love deeper into the intellectual boundaries of your monsters’
to focus on their own mental and emotional superiority, roleplaying can help you find them.
making them hard to negotiate with, just as monsters with
high Wisdom are traditionally hard to dupe or trick. By HOOKS VS. STEREOTYPES
contrast, monsters with low mental ability scores have When playing to a monster’s intellectual weaknesses in
more trouble engaging with the world, whether a low combat, be careful that your roleplaying doesn’t cross
Intelligence that makes them easily confused or reluctant over into hurtful and offensive tropes or stereotyping.
to embrace complex concepts, a low Wisdom that makes With the exception of creatures who can be thought of
them naturally incautious, or a low Charisma making as “programmed” in some way (many constructs and
them easily manipulatable and standoffish. undead; most oozes; some aberrations), creatures with
Creatures with high mental ability scores often have a low Intelligence ability score might think differently
a strong sense of self, convincing them that everything than high-Intelligence creatures—but they’re still
they do is the right course. This can make intellectually thinking, conscious creatures nonetheless. As such,
superior creatures inclined to get into fights just for the when roleplaying creatures with a low Intelligence ability
sake of doing so—somewhat ironically, given that they’re score, you want to establish those creatures as having a
in the best position to understand what’ll happen to them particular type of intellect, rather than playing them as
if the fight goes bad. This can also make such creatures mentally inferior, for laughs or otherwise.
disinclined to surrender or back down in combat, unless Most people who’ve lived around animals can imagine
first offered some sort of overture or face-saving “out” by the conversations they might have with a dog or cat
their opponents. who somehow learned to talk, even with both having
By contrast, less intellectual monsters are focused Intelligence 3 by the rules of the game. A talking dog
mostly on the basic goals of food, shelter, and being might regale you with tales of how the world smells that
left alone. They often won’t enter a fight unless directly you have no ability to understand. A talking cat might
threatened, and are quick to abandon the fight if it goes alternate between doting on you and suddenly forgetting
against them, but might be difficult to negotiate with if you exist. So keep those kinds of ideas in mind when
their lack of intellect makes it difficult to grasp complex roleplaying creatures with a low Intelligence score,
terms of detente or surrender. treating them as simply having a different intellectual
focus and way of viewing the world, and avoiding ableist
THE FINE ART OF SUBOPTIMAL
tropes such as pidgin speech, sluggish reasoning, and
CHOICES
slurred words.
Many of the most interesting roleplaying choices a
monster can make in combat—fighting for no reason,

49
 RESKINNING MONSTERS
Of all the tools Gamemasters have at their disposal, you create. (“General-Use Combat Stat Blocks” on page
few are as powerful as reskinning monster stat blocks. 13 contains a number of monster stat blocks built
Reskinning a monster’s stat block lets us take the time, specifically for reskinning as well.)
energy, and money invested in professionally designed To use the table, look down the CR column to find the
monster statistics and turn them into just about any baseline challenge rating of the monster you need. The
monster imaginable, quickly and easily. This brings Example Monster column for that challenge rating lists a
incredible value to every book of monsters a GM owns. few easily reskinned monster stat blocks. The Reskinned
To reskin a monster, select an existing stat block and Role column then shows you what monster role this stat
describe it as a completely different monster in the story block can most easily be reskinned into, broken out by tier
and lore of the game. For example, the stat block of an of play and the monster’s role in combat (see below).
ogre might be described as a powerful humanoid warrior The tiers of play break down into the following tiers and
or the thick-necked bodyguard of a local guildmaster. levels:
At its simplest, reskinning takes little more effort than 1st Level: Though standard 5e includes 1st level in tier 1,
finding a stat block and describing it as something else. 1st-level characters are delicate enough that they really
There are layers to reskinning, however, some of which belong in their own tier of play.
go deeper than a simple surface-level description change. Tier 1: 2nd through 4th level
This section explores those layers and the benefits that Tier 2: 5th through 10th level
each provides. Tier 3: 11th through 16th level
Tier 4: 17th through 20th level
CHOOSING RESKINNABLE The monster roles that these stat blocks can easily
STAT BLOCKS reskin into are defined as follows:
As powerful as reskinning is, the process always starts Artillery: Ranged combatants who often attack with
with a GM finding the right stat block to reskin. An ogre spells, and who typically have lower hit points, Armor
stat block might be perfect for any tough and powerful Class, or both.
humanoid, but it won’t work as well for a tentacled horror Bruisers: Monsters with high hit points and relatively low
bursting out of the darkness. However, a giant octopus Armor Class, and which hit hard.
stat block does the trick for that horror nicely. Defenders: Creatures with high Armor Class and other
Simpler stat blocks—those of humanoids, NPCs, defenses, and which deal moderate damage.
animals, and giants—often work well when reskinning Skirmishers: Low-defense creatures which often deal
secondary monsters or groups of monsters. For example, high damage, and which have superior mobility.
the fire giant stat block easily becomes a powerful tomb- (“Monster Roles” on page 22 has more information
guardian knight. When looking to build a custom boss on breaking down monsters by role.)
monster, though, think about reskinning the stat blocks
of more powerful and complicated creatures—including CR Example Monster Reskinned Role
legendary creatures. An adult red dragon stat block is a 1/8 Bandit 1st-level skirmishers
great stand-in for a powerful fire-based sorcerer boss who 1/4 Goblin, skeleton Tier 1 skirmishers
slashes with fiery blades (reskinned claws and bite) and 1/2 Black bear, orc, thug Tier 1 bruisers
huge blasts of pyro-energy (the dragon’s breath weapon). 1 Animated armor, brown bear, Tier 1 defenders, bruisers,
Reading the Monster Manual or your other favorite spy and skirmishers
monster books offers tremendous dividends for your 2 Bandit captain, cult fanatic, ogre Tier 1 defenders, artillery,
games. Not only does it help you identify which stat and bruisers
blocks will work best for reskinning, but it also fills your 3 Knight, minotaur, shambling Tier 2 defenders
imagination with the lore of numerous monsters, giving mound, veteran
you a sense of how they might fit into or help you build 5 Gladiator; air, earth, fire, or water Tier 2 bruisers
your adventures. elemental; shambling mound
6 Mage Tier 2 artillery
COMMON RESKINNABLE 7 Giant ape, stone giant Tier 3 bruisers

MONSTERS 8 Frost giant Tier 3 bruisers

9 Fire giant Tier 3 defenders
The table on this page presents a list of common
10 Stone golem Tier 3 controllers
reskinnable monsters for standard nonboss creatures at
11 Horned devil Tier 3 skirmishers
several challenge ratings. The stat blocks of these creatures
focus on simple mechanics, with the intention that you’ll 12 Archmage Tier 3 artillery
reskin their descriptions with the flavor of the monster 13 Storm giant Tier 4 skirmishers
16 Iron golem Tier 4 defenders

50
 You need not limit yourself to the stat blocks above, ADD SPELL EFFECTS
of course. These simply work well as straightforward
creatures easy to reskin, suitable when you need several
AND MAGIC
monsters or minions to support a more powerful boss. Adding spell effects and other magical abilities to
reskinned monsters is a fantastic way to customize them,
MODIFYING FEATURES granting access to hundreds of predesigned thematic sets
Often, you don’t need to make any other changes to reskin of mechanics that can be easily applied to your monsters.
a stat block into a new monster. Sometimes, though, you’ll You can change up any creature by giving them one
want to add more details, whether you do it before or or more uses of a particular spell. The reskinned giant
during the game. Powerful tomb guardians (reskinned fire octopus playing the part of an otherworldly horror as
giants) clearly have the undead type. But unless they’re described earlier will be much more thematic if they can
hit with poison attacks or abilities such as Turn Undead, cast darkness or black tentacles. However, when adding
you can worry about adding the features associated with new magical features, ensure these are features your new
undead creatures as needed. monster needs and can actually use.
You might start off by writing down those features on Monsters are often limited by the numbers of actions
an index card, on a sticky note, or in whatever digital they can take, so that magic used as an action might
tool you use to take notes. The “Common Monster Type simply replace the thematic actions that define a creature.
Templates” section of “Building a Quick Monster” on As an example, spiritual weapon is a good spell to give
page 4 breaks down features and traits for undead an assassin reskinned as a priest, because it’s only a
and many other monster types. Additionally, the more bonus action to cast. As such, it won’t interfere with
experienced you become, the easier it gets to improvise the assassin’s ability to make Shortsword attacks fueled
these sorts of features on the fly. by their signature Sneak Attack and Assassinate traits.
If you’re changing saving throws, adjusting attacks or (“Understanding the Action Economy” on page 42 has
abilities, or changing the scope of magical effects in a stat more information on this topic.)
block, you might want to write those changes down as
well. You’re only taking these notes for yourself, though,
so they don’t have to be pretty. You’re the only one who
needs to understand these shortcuts.

ADDING FEATURES
Instead of—or in addition to—modifying
the features of your reskinned monster, you
can add new features to an existing stat block
to give a creature new mechanical flavor over
and above the baseline reskinned monster. For
example, you might add some fire damage onto
a reskinned veteran’s Longsword attack, or
give a fire giant reskinned into an undead
guardian an aura that deals necrotic damage
to creatures who hit the guardian with melee
attacks.
Monster powers built for specific sorts of
creatures can help your reskinning efforts. A
bugbear reskinned as a zombie is far more
convincing when you give them the Undead
Resilience power. A topiary in a magical
guardian that comes to life in the shape of
a dragon can become truly draconic with
the Poison Thorns or Grasping Roots powers.
“Building a Quick Monster” (page 4),
“Monster Powers” (page 15), and “Monster
Roles” (page 22) all present new monster
power options that you can add to your foe
of choice.
JACKIE MUSTO

51
 To make them even more usable, some spells can Multiattack action, helps them use these abilities without
easily be converted into traits. For example, the blink reducing what else they can do. Just be careful that
spell used as an always-on trait creates a creature able doing so doesn’t increase a creature’s damage output
to move between dimensions the way a blink dog does. significantly. (“Building Spellcasting Monsters” on page
A foe created from or armored by magical glass might 34 has more information on this topic.)
automatically activate the mirror image spell as a trait
at the end of each long rest, with that spell’s duplicates MASHING UP MULTIPLE
rendered as panes of glass the heroes must smash. When MONSTERS
an ooze moves, they might leave behind the effects of a
One further level of reskinning involves mashing together
grease spell, just as a creature reskinned as a monk might
two monster stat blocks. You can think of this process as
be able to use jump and feather fall as inherent traits
something like using one monster stat block as a template
rather than spells they cast using an action or reaction.
for another.
ESSENTIAL ADD-ON SPELLS This process works best when using the more
The Add-On Spells table sets out a list of spells that work complicated stat block as a baseline, and modifying it with
well as add-ons to any monster, organized by level and traits from another simpler stat block. For example, if you
indicating whether the spell is focused on dealing damage, want a fire giant death knight, use the death knight stat
on defense, or on control. When needed, use a spell attack block first (the more complicated of the two) and add fire
bonus of 4 + 1/2 CR for the monster using the spell, and a giant features like Huge size and immunity to fire damage.
spell save DC of 10 + 1/2 CR. If you’re feeling nasty, you might also bump the damage
You might consider changing the type of action the death knight deals with their Longsword attack from 9
required to activate spells normally cast as an action. slashing damage to the fire giant’s 28 damage.
Letting a creature activate such a spell as a bonus action, Knowing that the fire giant is significantly bigger
or as one of several attacks they can make with their means that the fire giant death knight probably has more
hit points than the baseline death knight. But instead
ADD-ON SPELLS of doing a lot of math to calculate new hit points with
Spell Level Spell Type Action a d12 Hit Die instead of a d8, just increase the death
1 Burning hands Damage Action
knight hit points by 50 percent. Always remember that
1 Guiding bolt Damage Action
you’re building a one-off monster, not a creature you plan
to publish. Rough changes save you time better spent
1 Hellish rebuke Damage Reaction
elsewhere in your preparation.
1 Inflict wounds Damage Action
1 Shield Defense Reaction
DESCRIBING RESKINNED
1 Sleep Control Action
2 Acid arrow Damage Action
MONSTERS
2 Darkness Control Action The key to making a reskinned monster work is how you
2 Invisibility Defense Action describe your new creature in the game. You’ll want to
2 Misty step Defense Bonus action
lean heavily on your narrative, focusing your descriptions
2 Scorching ray Damage Action
on the parts of the monster you’ve reskinned most
directly. Describe the aura of necrotic horror surrounding
2 Shatter Damage Action
the undead fire giant. Add the details of the tattoos the
2 Spiritual weapon Damage Bonus action
thick-necked bodyguard of the guildmaster wears. Lean in
2 Web Control Action
heavily on the description to make a new monster come
3 Counterspell Control Reaction
alive.
3 Dispel magic Control Action
Do the same thing with your narration of the reskinned
3 Fireball Damage Action creature’s attacks. If an adult-red-dragon-turned-sorcerer
3 Lightning bolt Damage Action attacks with the dragon’s breath weapon, describe how the
3 Spirit guardians Damage Action sorcerer’s body erupts with burning veins, and how she
4 Blight Damage Action unleashes a blast of fire hotter than any natural source as
4 Fire shield Damage Action she extends her hands toward the characters.
4 Greater invisibility Defense Action How we narrate our monsters is critical to helping the
5 Cone of cold Damage Action players think past those monsters’ game mechanics. As
6 Chain lightning Damage Action such, it’s particularly crucial when we reskin one monster
6 Circle of death Damage Action to incorporate the mechanics of another.
6 Disintegrate Damage Action
6 Harm Damage Action
7 Finger of death Damage Action

52
THE RELATIVE WEAKNESS
OF HIGH-CR MONSTERS
Challenging high-level characters is much harder than creature has Legendary Resistance, its defensive CR goes
challenging low-level characters. It often takes more up again. A monster’s CR increases the more special
monsters than expected—and often of a higher-than- features they have—yet monsters need those features to
expected CR—to push high-level characters to their stand any chance of challenging higher-level characters.
breaking point. A number of low-threat monsters can kill As a result of this, monsters don’t typically hit as hard
a 1st-level character with one hit, but it’s nearly impossible or have as many hit points as expected at higher challenge
for most high-threat monsters to do the same to a 20th- ratings. Even worse, features and traits that affect a
level character. creature’s calculated CR are often weighted high. For
example, the wight has a Life Drain attack calculated into
CHARACTER GROWTH their damage output even though they can’t effectively
Characters in 5e don’t just grow linearly when they use that attack while also attacking to full effect with
increase in level. In addition to more hit points, higher their longsword. Life Drain thus pulls down the wight’s
attack bonuses, and increased damage, they also gain new effective damage output below their challenge rating’s
features. They increase the number of things they can do expected effectiveness. (An easy fix for this is to give the
with their actions. They gain new defenses and become wight a damage boost on their Longsword attacks with
more versatile, working even better as a group. the Damaging Weapon power, part of “Building a Quick
Though a level ranging from 1 to 20 represents a Monster” on page 4, or a similar effect.)
character’s relative power, 10th-level characters aren’t It’s also worth noting that a creature’s challenge rating is
just twice as good as 5th-level characters—they’re better based on the idea that they hit with all attacks, and that all
in entirely new ways. They have spells and class features saving throws against their attacks and features fail. This
that can completely upend a battle, accomplishing with a often works out at lower levels, but the more powerful
single action what might have taken significant effort at the characters are, the more easily they can avoid attacks
lower levels. and pull off saving throws even against high DCs. A
This faster-than-linear growth continues all the way character’s proficient saving throws go up relatively
to 20th level, and spikes at levels where characters gain linearly as they increase in level, but all their saves get
additional attacks and access to more powerful spells. much better when they’re near a paladin ally and their
By 20th level, characters are able to mitigate incredible Aura of Protection feature.
amounts of damage, and to dish out far more damage
than most monsters can keep up with. Challenging a KEEPING THREATS HIGH
group of 20th-level characters is thus much harder than The more experienced you are at running 5e games, the
challenging a group of 4th-level characters. The game’s easier it becomes to improvise challenging battles without
standard encounter-building guidelines don’t keep up. checking any table or other reference. You quickly become
Neither does the general concept of challenge rating as aware when a monster is hitting below their expected
5e presents it. A CR 1 dire wolf might be an effective challenge compared to the characters, at which point,
challenge against a group of four 1st-level characters, you can use the other sections of this book to bring that
using the basic guidelines for what CR is supposed to challenge back up.
represent. But against four 20th-level characters, a CR 19 The Monster Statistics by Challenge Rating table in
balor isn’t nearly as dangerous. (See “What Are Challenge “Building a Quick Monster,” page 4, helps you create
Ratings?” on page 99 for more on this topic.) a baseline for the expected hit points and damage of a
creature at a given challenge rating. If you feel like a foe
THE LINEAR GROWTH OF isn’t holding their own, you can adjust their hit points and
MONSTER CHALLENGE damage to provide a threat more appropriate to their CR
and their place in the world of your game.
Although players often choose optimal new spells and
Beyond base damage, you can look to the monster
features as they increase in level, they continue to face
powers in “Building a Quick Monster” (page 4),
monsters who use average statistics. Unlike characters,
“Monster Powers” (page 15), and “Monster Roles”
monsters largely are linear creatures. And by virtue of the
(page 22) to boost a creature’s effectiveness in combat.
way monsters are designed, any special features they gain
And “Monster Combinations for a Hard Challenge”
by virtue of a higher challenge rating have a cost toward
(page 67) and “The Lazy Encounter Benchmark” (page
that challenge rating.
70) offer different approaches to determine encounter
Using the game’s standard monster-building rules,
difficulty that scales higher as the characters increase in
if a creature has the Magic Resistance trait to grant it
level.
advantage on saving throws against magical effects,
that creature’s defensive challenge rating increases. If a
53
 RUNNING MINIONS AND HORDES
A powerful sword fighter stands atop a hill, surrounded • Rules for tracking damage done to creatures fighting as
by a horde of murderous brigands. A cleric braces herself a horde.
against an ancient sarcophagus, holy symbol held aloft, • Rules for managing attack rolls and saving throws for
while hundreds of skeletons swarm around her. Five large numbers of creatures.
heroes stand in a narrow passageway, facing down an These rules follow certain design constraints, which are
army of charging cultists. worth understanding as you think about which rules to
Fantastic stories often place heroes in the paths of use:
dozens or even hundreds of foes. Most of us have had the • Any rules for horde combat should handle almost any
experience of reading or watching as those heroes cut number of monsters.
through the opposing hordes, sending foes flying through • Rules should use the normal 5e monster stat blocks and
the air as they smash through enemy ranks. combat setup as much as possible.
Unfortunately, the default 5e combat rules offer little • They should be easy to implement and use.
practical help for running dozens to hundreds of creatures • They should focus on the fantastic and heroic battle
against a group of heroes. So this section offers several going on in the story.
different approaches to running numerous low-threat • For ease of play, foes taken out during a battle (whether
creatures against a single party. These aren’t mass-combat reduced to 0 hit points, hypnotized, made unconscious
rules in which large groups of monsters fight each other. with a sleep spell, and so forth) are removed from play.
Rather, these tips focus on a small group of powerful • Rules shouldn’t require arduous preparation before use
heroes fighting a great horde of foes. at the table.
• They should be understandable to both players and
BUILD YOUR HORDE RULESET GMs.
Attempting to run large groups of monsters with existing • They should be easy to remember, so you can use them
rules typically breaks down in two areas: tracking damage without having to reference books, tables, or articles
and managing die rolls. As such, many of the guidelines in online.
this section focus on two things:
There’s no perfect way to run hordes in 5e, and all of
these optional rules abstract typical 5e combat in some
way. Every solution requires tradeoffs. As such, some of
the different approaches in this section might work better
in certain circumstances than others. If you’re mainly
worried about tracking damage, you might use 4e-style
minions or a single damage tally to avoid managing lots
of die rolls. If you find yourself needing to roll attacks or
saving throws dozens of times for a group of monsters,
you might use the “one quarter succeed” method or try
grouping rolls together. You can even switch approaches
in the middle of a battle, going with whichever rules help
you meet the intent and feeling of the narrative.
DESCRIBE YOUR MECHANICS
Whatever rules you choose when running hordes of foes,
let the players know how those rules work, so they know
how to interact with the horde most effectively. Don’t
surprise them when the wizard casts fireball against a
group of monsters, only to realize they’re all part of one
big stat block.
Battles against hordes aren’t typically intended to
challenge the characters in the way that waves of more
potent attackers are (as talked about in “Building and
Running Boss Monsters,” page 31). Instead, fighting
hordes is all about cleaving through foes, blowing groups
of enemies sky high, and looking awesome while doing so.
LEAN INTO NARRATIVE
Setting up a spectacular scene of action requires solid
in-world descriptions to show the players the
results of their characters’ actions. Describe
54
 what it looks like when a fireball spell explodes in the many minion creatures as the attack could conceivably
midst of the horde. Describe how the fighter’s blade hit, subtracting the hit points of each slain monster from
cleaves through three skeletons, destroying them all in the damage of the attack until no damage remains.
one fell swoop. Use in-world descriptions to make the For example, consider Avantra the paladin hewing into
battle against the horde feel like the cinematic action a horde of minion skeletons with her greatsword while
scene you want to represent. using Divine Smite. Each skeleton has 15 hit points, and
Avantra’s smite deals 38 damage. The first minion skeleton
ROUND HIT POINTS is destroyed automatically by the successful hit, and
When considering the hit points of creatures who are Avantra’s player subtracts 15 from the total damage of the
part of a horde, it’s far easier to deal with the math if you attack, leaving 23. That lets the attack hew into the next
round those creatures’ hit points to the nearest 5 or 10. skeleton, destroying that one and subtracting another 15
An average zombie has 22 hit points—so make that 20. damage to leave 8 damage remaining. The attack then
An average skeleton has 13 hit points, so round up to 15 cleaves into a third skeleton, destroying that minion foe as
or down to 10, depending on how challenging you want well and reducing the remaining damage to zero.
them to be. This trick works regardless of which style of
hit point tracking you choose for your horde (as discussed THE HORDE DAMAGE TALLY
below). Instead of treating the members of a horde as individual
creatures for the purpose of tracking damage, you can
TRACKING DAMAGE 4E STYLE track damage done to the horde as a whole. Whenever
In the fourth edition of Dungeons & Dragons, a minion any member of the horde takes damage, add that damage
was a special type of creature with all the baseline to an ongoing tally. Round each creature’s hit points to the
statistics of a normal creature—and only 1 hit point. To nearest 5 or 10 to make the math easier. Then each time
offset this lack of hit points, a minion didn’t take damage the tally reaches the hit points of an individual creature
if they were missed by an attack, even if that missed attack in the horde, the last creature damaged is killed and you
dealt damage. (Fourth edition didn’t have saving throws reset the tally to any damage left over. Additionally, if
that worked like 5e saving throws, instead using attack a single attack deals enough damage to kill more than
rolls for weapon attacks, area-effect spells, and other one monster, let that attack kill multiple monsters in the
damaging effects.) This meant never needing to track the horde, then reset the tally.
damage dealt to a minion, since the first damage dealt by
a hit killed them.
To use the same sort of approach for a horde of 5e
monsters, give those monsters the following trait:
Minion. If this creature takes damage when they are hit by an
attack or fail a saving throw, they drop to 0 hit points.
Using 4e-style minions avoids the need to track the
damage dealt to dozens or hundreds of individual foes.
A minion still has their normal hit points, but those hit
points act as a kind of damage threshold. Any damage
dealt to a minion from a missed attack or a successful save
that is equal to or greater than the minion’s hit points also
drops them to 0 hit points, as does damage from auto-
hit attacks such as the magic missile spell. Likewise, you
use a minion’s normal hit points when considering the
effectiveness of hit-point-dependent effects such as the
sleep spell. You just don’t bother tracking those hit points
as the fight unfolds.
CLEAVING MINIONS
You might also choose to allow the characters’ weapon
attacks to cleave through minions in a horde, giving
melee and ranged characters the same awesome feeling
of hewing down monsters that a wizard gets by throwing
a fireball spell. Whenever a character kills a minion
with a weapon attack, if the amount of damage dealt
by the attack is greater than the minion’s hit points,
JACKIE MUSTO

subtract the minion’s hit points from the damage

dealt and let the attack carry through into the
next minion in line. Repeat this process for as 55
 For example, imagine Thorgrim the fighter and Selvara ONE QUARTER SUCCEED
the ranger facing six zombies, each with 20 hit points. With a horde of sufficient size, the number of attack rolls
Thorgrim makes three attacks, hitting all three times and or saving throws needed might simply be too many. So
dealing 12, 21, and 18 damage on each hit. But instead of instead of rolling for those attacks and saves, assume
applying the damage to individual zombies, tally it up as that one quarter of the creatures in a horde succeed on
the total damage dealt to the zombies overall—41 damage, attacks or saving throws. For example, if a wizard casts
enough to destroy two zombies. Those two drop, and hypnotic pattern in the middle of a horde of twenty raging
the damage tally is reset at 1 point of damage remaining. orc mercenaries, assume that five of them succeed on the
Next, Selvara fires three arrows, dealing 9, 13, and 17 saving throw and the other fifteen are hypnotized. This
damage on three hits. Her 39 damage is added to the tally “one quarter succeed” abstraction is fast enough to use
to increase it to 40—enough to destroy two more zombies. for hundreds or even thousands of foes, and doesn’t get
When tracking damage in the tally, write down the base any harder to use as the number of creatures in a horde
hit points of a single creature in the horde as a reference, increases.
the number of creatures, and the current damage tally. It You can increase or decrease the number of monsters
might look something like this: who succeed based on the circumstances of the situation.
Zombies (20 hp) × 12: 4 For attacks against a character who’s particularly well
When a horde of creatures is hit with a high-damage armored or who casts shield, or if most or all foes have
area attack, rather than using the tally, it’s often easier disadvantage on their attack rolls, assume that one in ten
to simply remove all the creatures affected by the attack attack rolls succeed. Use the same guideline for horde
if doing so makes sense. For example, if a wizard casts saving throws if specific effects hinder the saving throws
fireball against twenty skeletons with 15 hit points each, of creatures in the horde, or if something has boosted the
it’s easier to remove all the skeletons than to figure out power of the characters’ features requiring saving throws.
which ones of them might have one or two hit points If there’s enough variance in power level between
remaining. the characters and the creatures of the horde, such as a
20th-level wizard dropping a meteor swarm spell on two
MULTIPLE ATTACKS AND hundred manes, assume that all creatures within the
SAVING THROWS area fail their saving throws. A 12th-level cleric might
simply destroy every skeleton surrounding them with the
Based on the physical circumstances of a horde battle,
radiant force of their Turn Undead feature, or leave one or
it’s often the case that only a handful of foes can attack
two survivors.
a single character, even if hundreds of those foes are
Because horde battles often involve edge cases such as
in the horde. If creatures are making between four and
part of a group being caught by a hypnotic pattern spell,
six attacks against a single character, you can still roll
or a bunch of undead who are turned but not destroyed,
individually for those attacks. But save yourself time by
work with your players and within the intent of your
calculating your target number before you roll.
game’s narrative to adjudicate such cases as they come up.
Ask the player of the character under attack for their
Lean into decisions that make the scene feel epic.
character’s Armor Class, and whether they plan to use any
abilities or spells to boost it (such as shield). Then subtract
COMBINE ROLLS
the attack modifier of the attacking creatures to get a
target number for the d20 roll—the minimum number If you prefer some dice rolling to anchor the action in
the attacker would need to roll in order to hit normally. your game, combine the foes of a horde into smaller
You roll one die for each creature attacking the character, groups, then make one attack roll or saving throw for each
compare to the target number, and count the successes. such group. You can put creatures into groups of four, ten,
Multiply the successes by the amount of damage the or any number that makes sense against the size of the
attacking creature deals, and you have the total damage horde. When you make one attack roll or saving throw
dealt to the character. for the group all at once, use the attack modifier or saving
Consider using the same technique when enemies throw modifier of one creature in the group, and add the
make saving throws. If a single effect requires multiple damage of all creatures together if the combined attack
creatures to make a save, ask the player for the save DC hits.
and subtract the saving throw modifier of the monster For example, a cleric might use her Turn Undead
to get the target number. Roll the appropriate number of feature on a horde of twenty wights. Instead of rolling
d20s based on the number of creatures affected, and see twenty saving throws, combine the wights into groups of
how many succeed. five so that each group makes one save. On a failed save,
When a number of creatures in a horde act at the same all five wights in a group are turned. Likewise, if nine
time and force one character to make multiple saving wights attack the cleric, put them into groups of three,
throws, have the character make a single saving throw roll three attack rolls using the wight’s normal attack
with disadvantage against the effect. modifier, and combine the damage of all three wights in
a group. Even though wights get two attacks each, you
56 can combine the damage from both attacks as part of this
abstracted approach—14 damage per wight for 42 damage their saving throw. You can help fix this by establishing
per group. that damaging areas of effect deal double damage, or
You can also use this approach to make mass attack that an area of effect controlling many creatures instead
rolls, rolling two attacks for an entire horde. Each attack deals damage to a horde’s hit points. But this often isn’t
uses the attack modifier of the type of creature in the as rewarding to the players as describing the characters
horde, and deals one quarter of the total damage of the actually tearing through or controlling a big pile of foes.
horde. For example, if ten skeletons attack a paladin, you If you use single stat blocks to represent hordes of
could roll two attacks at a +4 bonus (the skeleton’s attack monsters, let your players know, so they know what
modifier). Each attack that hits deals 12 damage—one to expect and can choose the right actions given the
quarter of the 50 points the ten skeletons can deal in total, mechanics you’re using for the horde.
with their Shortsword attacks dealing 5 damage each.
Like the “one quarter succeed” guideline, this two- CHOOSING HORDE-
attack rule scales for a horde of any size, and requires just APPROPRIATE CREATURES
a little math to compute the total damage dealt.
Certain foes work better in a horde than others. Often,
weaker monsters make more sense for a horde than
HORDE MONSTER STAT stronger ones—a good thing for the characters facing
BLOCKS them. Your story often dictates what kinds of creatures
Another common approach to handle hordes of creatures normally attack in large groups, whether skeletons,
is to combine multiple creatures together into a single stat bandits, guards, orcs, goblins, kobolds, or similar foes.
block resembling a much larger creature. This lets you run If your story calls for a particularly strange horde of
hordes the same way you run any normal big monster, creatures, consider reskinning an existing horde-friendly
akin to how a swarm of rats represents multiple rats. stat block as a starting point. “General-Use Combat Stat
For this approach, choose a challenge rating for the Blocks” on page 13 offers some simple examples.
horde and build the stat block for that challenge rating. If a single horde is made up of different types of
You can use the information in “Building a Quick creatures, use a single stat block for all those creatures,
Monster” (page 4) to build a stat block in a few then describe them differently in the narrative. Trying to
minutes, or reskin an existing stat block to represent your manage two separate stat blocks for multiple hordes of
horde. Rather than a single stat block, you can also create monsters becomes quickly complicated.
multiple stat blocks to represent groups within a larger For creatures with multiple attacks, combine those
horde. For example, a horde of sixty skeletons might be attacks into one attack roll that deals the creature’s total
broken up into four group stat blocks representing fifteen damage. For example, each veteran in a horde of veterans
skeletons each. combines their Longsword attacks from Multiattack into
If you’re not sure what challenge rating to use for a one attack dealing 14 damage (or 20 damage if you decide
horde, try multiplying the challenge rating of the creatures they’re using their Shortsword attack too).
in a horde or horde group by the number of creatures, Ignore bonus actions, reactions, and special attacks
rounding up for creatures with challenge ratings less for creatures in a horde. If a creature deals some sort
than 1. For example, a horde of fifteen skeletons with a of ongoing damage, add that damage to its regular
challenge rating of 1/4 would have a CR of 3.75, rounded attack, but ignore other damage and effects. If a horde of
up to 4. creatures has a damage-dealing attack requiring a saving
To represent a hoard of creatures, add the following throw, let a character targeted by that effect make a single
trait to the base stat block of the creatures in the horde: saving throw against it with disadvantage.
Horde. The horde can occupy another creature’s space and
vice versa, and can move through any opening large enough SWITCH RULES AS NEEDED
for the horde’s base creature to move through. The horde All the guidelines in this section are intended to make it
can’t regain hit points or gain temporary hit points. Damage easier for you to run large numbers of monsters. But at
dealt by the horde is halved when the horde is at half its hit some point, you can stop using them when they no longer
points or lower.
serve this purpose. This doesn’t have to be an all-at-once
One problem with horde stat blocks is that attacks process, though, as many of the guidelines above can be
affecting a large area often work less well against single- used, and removed, independently.
stat-block hordes than they would against the creatures You might switch from using “one quarter succeed”
in the horde individually. For example, a fireball spell is for large numbers of monsters to “combining rolls” when
tremendously effective against a group of ghouls, easily fewer are in play. You might use a damage tally at the
cutting their numbers down. But when that group of start of a horde battle, then switch to tracking damage
ghouls is represented by a single ghoul horde stat block, independently when only a handful of foes are left. You
that horde remains standing even after a lot of damage. might start with a single stat block used to represent
Likewise, casting hypnotic pattern on a horde of bandits a group of monsters, then “explode” that horde into a
either hypnotizes all of them or none of them, depending handful of individual monsters when the horde’s hit
on whether the horde collectively succeeds or fails on points are low enough. 57
 RUNNING SPELLCASTING
MONSTERS
Whether an NPC mage or priest, or a monster innately unique, but don’t let that force you into using unfamiliar
channeling potent magic, spellcasting foes create great spells that can slow down play and make running combat
flexibility for a GM wanting to challenge players and a chore. On the other side of the table, the players of
characters in combat. But that flexibility comes at a cost. clerics, wizards, and warlocks will be making use of repeat
Spellcasting is one of the most complicated subsystems castings of spiritual weapon, eldritch blast, and fireball
in the game, which can make running spellcasting encounter after encounter without a care, so cut yourself
creatures a challenge. Even stat blocks that focus the the same slack.
magic of creatures and NPCs into one or two fully In a pinch, a spellcasting creature you haven’t had time
broken-out key features usually come with a list of other to fully prep can make use of spells from your creature
spells the foe can use. But because using one of those caster suite even if those spells aren’t normally on their
spells often means a GM needing to look up its details, a spell list. Just make sure that the spells you use match the
foe’s key features can end up overused, while potentially level of spells normally available to the creature.
interesting spells from the spell list languish.
The following guidelines can help create a better
QUANTITY AND VARIETY
experience running spellcasting foes. The number of spells in your creature casting suite is
up to you, but try to have enough that you can go a few
LEARNING MAGIC encounters—or even a couple of sessions—without
Whenever you review the stat blocks of your favorite repeating yourself. In an ongoing campaign against death
spellcasting creatures, whether as part of game prep or cultists, two encounters against mini-boss high priests
just for fun, make yourself familiar with their spells by who favor flame strike might feel flat. But if one priest
making notes on those spells. The act of making notes, specializes in flame strike while the other loves to harry
whether handwritten or electronically, reinforces memory foes with insect plague, you keep the characters and the
in a much stronger way than simply reading. So by taking players on their toes.
down the details of interesting spells on index cards or in MIXING THINGS UP
an app, you help to fix those details in your memory—
Knowing that you have your creature casting suite set
even as you give yourself a useful tool for playing and
up and ready to run, you might then pick one new and
adjudicating those spells on the fly.
unusual spell to prep in each session. By being able to
GMs who have the ability to see stat blocks and look
deal quickly and easily with most of the spells your foes
up spells electronically might not see the value in this.
use, having to reference one spell while under the stress
But consider that clicking through to read the full text
of running combat is an easier task. And who knows? If
of wall of force creates a need to parse out the important
you have fun with that new spell, it might become another
information from the spell description, which takes time.
addition to your creature casting suite for future games.
However, making a note saying, “Any angle; dome or
sphere 10-foot radius; flat surface ten times 10-by-10;
SPELL SKINS
immune to all but disintegrate” gives you that information
at a glance when you need it quickly. “Reskinning Monsters” on page 50 talks about the ease
and usefulness of reskinning stat blocks to let them pose
A SUITE OF SPELLS as new and unique creatures. Even if you’re not reskinning
Throughout multiple editions of the game, a number of any other part of a stock creature, reskinning spells is a
spells have become classics—because they work. Fireball, particularly easy way to add new combat spice to familiar
lightning bolt, command, hold person, wall of force and foes. This technique works well with the spells of your
many more are the cornerstone of combat spellcasting, creature caster suite, which can be quickly reflavored to
and appear in numerous creatures’ stat blocks. So make it feel as if foes have access to an even wider range
when you’re making notes on the spells of your favorite of magic.
creatures, keep an eye out for spells that appear over DAMAGE TYPES
and over again, as well as spells you think should be
used more often. Then use the notes you make for those Trading out damage types is the first and most
selections as a suite of combat-friendly spells you know, straightforward approach to reskinning spells. Enemy
like, and can use easily in your game. mage casting fireball? Been there, done that. But when
As GMs, we often put a certain amount of pressure that mage unleashes sphere of ruin, a reskinned fireball
on ourselves to make sure every combat encounter feels that deals necrotic damage, the fight potentially gets a bit
more interesting.

58
 Each of the standard damage types is intrinsically AREAS OF EFFECT
connected to many classic spells, so swapping damage Many classic offensive spells are tied to specific types of
types makes a unique statement about a creature’s magic. areas, from fireball’s 20-foot-radius sphere to fear’s 30-foot
Likewise, changing up damage is a great way to work with cone. Changing up a spell’s area is thus an easy way to
a theme for spellcasting foes, whether it’s dark priests make it feel as though a spellcasting creature has a special
primarily channeling necrotic damage, elemental-adjacent edge. When you change a spell’s area, just make sure you
creatures favoring cold and fire damage, or an order of keep the number of possible targets roughly the same so
storm mages specializing in destroying enemies with as to not seriously increase or decrease the threat of the
thunder and lightning. spell.
In general, when a spell targets only creatures standing
Damage Type Example Spell
on a level surface, as opposed to flying creatures who
Acid Acid arrow, acid splash
might stack on top of each other in the area of effect, you
Bludgeoning Arcane hand, control water can use the following table to convert different types of
Cold Cone of cold, ice storm areas. To use the table, look for the area of the spell you
Fire Burning hands, fireball want to convert in the leftmost column, then read across
Force Disintegrate, magic missile to the cell under the type of area you want to convert to.
Lightning Lightning bolt, shocking grasp
Cylinder,
Necrotic Blight, finger of death
Cube or Sphere, or
Piercing Insect plague, spike growth Cone Square Circle Line*
Poison Cloudkill, poison spray Cone — Size ÷ 2 Size ÷ 2 Size × 3
Psychic Feeblemind, phantasmal killer Cube or Length × 2 — No change Length × 6
Radiant Guardian of faith, sacred flame square
Slashing Blade barrier, wall of thorns Cylinder, Radius × 2 No change — Radius × 6
Sphere, or
Thunder Shatter, thunderwave
Circle
Line* Length ÷ 3 Length ÷ 6 Length ÷ 6 —
SAVING THROWS
* These conversions assume a line 5 feet wide. For each additional 5
Changing up saving throws is another easy way to feet of width, divide the line’s length by 2.
mix things up spell-wise, and can go hand-in-hand
with retooling damage. Spells whose effects need to be For example, the 20-foot-radius area of a fireball or ice
physically avoided, including acid, cold, and fire damage, storm spell could be converted to a 40-foot cone, a 20-foot
often make use of Dexterity saving throws. But if you fine- cube or square, or a 120-foot line that is 5 feet wide.
tune the description of a spell’s effect so that it instead
overwhelms targets with destructive power, a Strength VARIETY, NOT PUNISHMENT
or Constitution save can represent trying to shrug off the In the course of reskinning spells to mix things up in
worst effects of the spell. Mental saving throws can also combat, be careful that these approaches don’t end up
be easily swapped around, with only a subtle difference accidentally—or intentionally—punishing characters for
between a character calling on Intelligence to resist their their defensive strengths. If all foes cast their spells with
mind being overwhelmed, Wisdom to keep their will areas of effect that conveniently fill whatever room the
focused, and Charisma to remain grounded in their sense characters are in, it’ll start to feel punitive. Likewise, if
of self. the rogue has Evasion and the barbarian has resistance to
everything except psychic damage, a lot of fun gets sapped
Saving Throw Good for… from the game when enemy spellcasters tee up mindball
Strength Resisting crushing effects, ignoring forced and cerebral bolt instead of fireball and lightning bolt,
movement
dealing psychic damage and calling for Intelligence saving
Dexterity Rolling with area-effect damage, avoiding hurled throws round after round.
effects
Constitution Resisting necromantic or poison effects, main-
taining bodily autonomy
Intelligence Resisting illusions, shrugging off psychic effects
Wisdom Resisting charms, shrugging off mind control
Charisma Resisting spiritual effects, shrugging off emotion-
al control

59
 USING NPC STAT BLOCKS
Of all the monster stat blocks GMs have at their disposal, When mashing up stat blocks in this way, add features
NPC stat blocks offer tremendous utility. Because many of the simpler or weaker stat block to the baseline stat
games prominently feature nonplayer characters as block of the more powerful or complex creature. In the
villains and opponents, a crafty GM can squeeze the most case of the stone giant, their physical ability scores, Armor
value out of NPC stat blocks with a few simple guidelines. Class, and hit points are higher than the archmage’s, so
it’s easier to add a high Intelligence and spellcasting (the
INHERENTLY RESKINNABLE primary feature defining the archmage) to the stone giant
STATS stat block than it would be to take the baseline archmage
and add the stone giant’s dominant features.
Though any monster stat block can be easily reskinned
into a unique creation, NPC stat blocks make particularly
useful baselines for reskinning because of their general
WORRY LESS ABOUT CR
utility. Simply change the creature type and the flavor, If you can’t find an NPC stat block at the exact challenge
and you can easily turn an NPC into an undead horror, rating you want, it’s often easier to just use the nearest
an otherworldly fiend, a commanding goblinoid, or many existing stat block that fits the story of the NPC. A few
other monstrous foes. (“Reskinning Monsters” on page points of CR up or down doesn’t make a huge difference
50 has more information on this topic.) in the story. If you’re worried an encounter might be too
NPC stat blocks are likewise easy to reflavor. Change easy or too hard, you can add more NPCs or reduce their
their weapons, their armor, and their mannerisms and numbers as you need. You can go especially far with the
you have an entirely new NPC. Every veteran can be baseline CR 3 veteran stat block, which serves well against
unique, with personalized armor and a sword tied to a characters as low as 2nd level (with the veteran serving
distinct history. Reskin and reflavor an NPC spellcaster’s as a powerful elite foe) all the way to 15th level (where
spells and damage types, and you can quickly create acidic hordes of veterans still provide a challenge).
sorcerers, ooze-worshiping cultists, psionic adepts, and If you want to fine-tune an NPC’s stat block for a
archmages of the infinite void. Such changes are often easy different challenge rating, you can use the Monster
enough to do in your head, making it easy to improvise Statistics by Challenge Rating table in “Building a Quick
unique foes during your game with the same simple NPC Monster” (page 4) to upgrade or downgrade an NPC
stat block. like any other stat block. Just replace the NPC’s hit points
and attack numbers with those in the table for your
BUILD MONSTROUS NPCS desired CR. Recalculate their damage either by changing
their number of attacks or replacing those attacks with
It’s easy to forget the wide range of potential creature
the attacks in the table. Likewise, if the NPC has attacks
types you can wrap over an NPC stat block. Humans,
or features that require a saving throw, replace the stat
elves, dwarves, and the other common humanoid
block’s save DC with the table’s value.
ancestries are obvious choices for NPCs, but goblinoids,
orcs, drow, giants, skeletons, zombies, and ghouls fit just
as easily. Making a quick change to a monster’s type, and
ADD ONE SPECIAL TRAIT
adding an ancestry trait if desired, is all that’s needed To make nonplayer characters stand out, use a default
to turn a common NPC stat block into a huge range of NPC stat block but add one unique feature for particular
potential foes. You can also look to the monster powers NPCs. Maybe you change a mage’s fireball into an acidic
presented in “Building a Quick Monster” (page 4), or necrotic blast. Or you could create a corrupting sphere
“Monster Powers” (page 15), and “Monster Roles” (page spell that creates a temporary hole in the world, through
22) for further quick customization. which demons claw at those trapped within—still
doing fireball-appropriate damage, but with some fancy
TEMPLATING reskinning.
A veteran serving a necromancer might bathe her
For more utility from NPC stat blocks, consider using
blades in necrotic flames, dealing an extra 3 (1d6)
them as templates that can be customized with the traits
necrotic damage on each hit. A psionic spy might add 7
of other creatures—or vice versa. This is a great way to
(2d6) psychic damage to their Shortsword attack. Or to
add a social role to a monster, or to give monstrous foes
make NPCs even more memorable, you can use any of the
the feel of having class levels. Want to turn a typical
monster powers in “Building a Quick Monster,” “Monster
duergar into a duergar veteran? Take the duergar’s
Powers,” or “Monster Roles,” tailoring a generic stat block
most defining traits and add them to the veteran stat
even more for the story you want to share.
block. Want to create a stone giant archmage? Take the
archmage’s Spellcasting feature and add it to the stone
giant stat block. A doppelganger scout, a goblin noble, a
troll priest—any such combination gives you a huge range
of options to turn existing monsters into foes who feel
60 more like characters.
BOSSES AND MINIONS
When creating a boss battle, thinking about which bosses For unique bosses, look to “Building and Running Boss
pair well with which minions can be a great starting point. Monsters” (page 31), as well as the monster powers
You can use the table below to match up minions and in “Building a Quick Monster” (page 4), “Monster
bosses in a number of classic adventure environments. Powers” (page 15), and “Monster Roles” (page 22).

Boss CR Boss Environments Minions

1 Goblin boss Caves, mountains Goblins, worgs
2 Bandit captain Cities, sewers, ruins Bandits, spies, thugs, berserkers, gladiators
2 Cult fanatic Cities, ruins Cultists, bandits, thugs, dretches
2 Ettercap Caves, ruins Giant spiders
2 Ghast Ruins, crypts, cities, sewers Ghouls, zombies
2 Gnoll pack lord Plains, caves, ruins Gnolls, hyenas
2 Ogre Ruins, caves Orcs, goblins
2 Sea hag Coves, swamps, grottos Giant constrictor snakes, crocodiles
3 Bugbear chief Keeps, fortresses, ruins, caves Bugbears, goblins, worgs
3 Green hag Forests, swamps Bullywugs, giant toads, giant constrictor snakes, imps, quasits
3 Winter wolf Frozen mountains, frozen ruins Dire wolves, ice mephits
4 Banshee Ruins, crypts Specters, skeletons
4 Bone naga Ruins, crypts Skeletons, specters, wights
4 Ettin Mountains, ruins, caves Ogres, orcs
4 Lamia Ruins, towers, caves Jackalweres
4 Lizard king/queen Swamps, sunken grottos Lizardfolk shamans, lizardfolk, monitor lizards
5 Hill giant Mountains, ruins, caves Ogres, orcs, bugbears, goblins, cave bears
5 Night hag Ruins, crypts, Lower Planes Hell hounds, quasits, manes, shadow demons
5 Sahuagin baron Coves, grottos, underwater ruins Sahuagin priestesses, sahuagin, reef sharks, giant octopuses, krakens
5 Wraith Ruins, crypts Flameskulls, specters, wights
6 Hobgoblin warlord Ruins, keeps, fortresses Hobgoblin captains, hobgoblins, bugbears, goblins, worgs
6 Mage Towers, cities Animated armor, imps, acolytes, flesh golems, veterans
6 Medusa Ruins, caves Basilisks, giant constrictor snakes, death dogs
7 Oni Ruins, caves, cities Hobgoblins, orcs
8 Frost giant Frozen mountains, frozen ruins Yetis, young white dragons, polar bears, winter wolves
9 Fire giant Volcanoes, caverns Hell hounds, young red dragons, salamanders, azers, fire mephits
9 Glabrezu Lower Planes, ruins, towers Barlguras, chasmes
10 Aboleth Caverns, coves, lakes Chuuls, cult fanatics, hydras, NPCs (enthralled), sea hags
11 Efreeti Ruins, volcanoes, cities, deserts Fire elementals, salamanders, fire snakes
11 Horned devil Lower Planes, ruins, towers Barbed devils, bearded devils, spined devils
12 Archmage Towers, cities Animated armor, imps, cambions, demons (any), elementals, golems
13 Adult white dragon Frozen mountains, frozen ruins Yetis
13 Vampire Ruins, crypts Vampire spawn, giant bats, dire wolves, specters, wights
14 Adult black dragon Swamps, sunken grottos Giant crocodiles, trolls, bullywugs, lizardfolk, kuo-toa
15 Adult green dragon Forests, ruins, caverns Treants, elves
15 Mummy lord Ruins, crypts Mummies, skeletons, wights, cult fanatics
16 Adult blue dragon Deserts, ruins, towers Air elementals, mages
16 Marilith Lower Planes, ruins, towers Hezrous, vrocks
17 Adult red dragon Mountains, volcanoes, ruins, caverns Fire elementals, kobolds
17 Death knight Crypts, ruins, Lower Planes Wights, wraiths, liches, flameskulls, nightmares, revenants
19 Balor Lower planes, ruins Mariliths, glabrezus, goristros, cambions, cult fanatics
20 Ancient white dragon Frozen mountains, frozen ruins Abominable yetis
20 Pit fiend Lower planes, ruins, towers Horned devils, bone devils, erinyes
21 Ancient black dragon Swamps, sunken grottos Giant crocodiles, trolls, bullywugs, lizardfolk
21 Lich Ruins, towers, crypts, caves Death knights, iron golems, wraiths, mages
22 Ancient green dragon Forests, ruins, caverns Treants, elves
23 Ancient blue dragon Deserts, ruins, towers Air elementals, mages
24 Ancient red dragon Mountains, volcanoes, ruins, caverns Fire giants, fire elementals, kobolds
61
 EVOLVING MONSTERS
Players usually feel safe assuming that a monster is exactly when the spider is hurt, the spiderling swarms advance to
what the characters see. But what if that monster changes change the nature of the fight.
partway through a fight? An evolving monster starts out Evolving monsters can let you make use of powerful
one way, and then at a specific point in the narrative, story material, including rebirth, divine transcendence,
raises their threat level significantly. When a monster foolish deals with malevolent forces, or a character
evolves, GMs are able to catch players by surprise and taken over by their baser emotions. Such a story can
crank up an encounter’s excitement. The evolution keeps appeal to the players, becoming a significant campaign
player interest high and communicates a shift in story. development, and reinforced through your descriptions
Something caused this monster to suddenly change, with of the evolution. A shelled creature might change
new and exciting capabilities! color before they molt. A creature with the power of
Evolving monsters change the assumptions made about rebirth might boast of their immortality and call upon
an encounter. For example, players and characters alike otherworldly magic before being reduced to 0 hit points.
know that goblins are skirmishers and easily defeated. But
if a goblin drinks a potion and is horribly transformed
FIFTEEN EVOLVING MONSTERS
into an enormous ooze, the nature of the confrontation The following ideas can be used to work up evolving-
changes significantly. The threat might feel mechanically monster encounters around many standard types of foes,
similar to an encounter with a goblin and an ooze or as inspiration for creating encounters of your own.
companion who enters combat once the goblin falls or Ritual of Transformation. A spellcaster stands within
flees. But the emotional reaction of the players is different. a ritual circle, and is transformed when the ritual is
Though any player can enjoy the surprise that comes complete. Character actions could change the efficacy
of seeing a monster in a different light, evolutions work of the evolution, perhaps transforming the caster into a
especially well for when experienced players become different creature than what was intended.
accustomed and even bored by familiar creatures. Undead Host. An undead creature holds another creature
inside them, either living or undead, which emerges
DEVELOP A STRONG CONCEPT once they are defeated.
Not every monster should evolve. This technique should Incorporeal Shift. A corporeal undead refuses to fall,
be used sparingly, and with a strong concept that will feel rising from apparent destruction as an incorporeal
right to the players. So think through that concept and the evolved form—a death knight becoming a powerful
reasons for the evolution. wraith, perhaps.
Cursed until Death. A monster bears a curse that
STORY has transformed them, and that is ended when the
Verisimilitude is important, whether the concept is characters kill them. This causes the villain to transform
mundane or supernatural. A goblin drank a potion and into their original form, whereupon they attack again
turned into an ooze … but why did that potion have such in a state of fear and anger, unable to remember what
a powerful effect? An encounter always works better if the happened.
story concept is strong. Perhaps a group of goblin zealots Sudden Curse. Desperate to defeat the characters, a
have taken over a tower once inhabited by an eccentric creature foolishly grabs a cursed magic item or artifact
wizard who collected oddities. Stating this up front and becomes transformed by it.
establishes the story. Molting or Shedding Skin. A juvenile kraken might molt
Mundane evolutions can be just as exciting. A crab their shell to become an adult, or a giant snake could
might molt, shedding their carapace to grow in size and shed their skin to become even larger.
become more formidable (though probably with a lower Youthful Vitality. A foe begins a fight as old and frail, but
Armor Class). A huge spider might have hundreds of baby magic in the area begins to rejuvenate them, improving
spiders on their back, something seen in nature. Then their statistics every other round.
Extraplanar Pact. A foe has made a pact with a fiend or
other extraplanar entity. The entity either rewards or
THE 2016 D&D OPEN
punishes the foe by transforming them in the middle of
When designing this competitive event, Teos combined battle, or when the foe dies.
a puzzle with an evolving monster. The characters found Wild Magic. Magic in the area is out of control, and
themselves in a room, sealed with an enormous gnomish changes one or more foes. It might be possible for the
contraption containing a metal tarrasque which looked certain characters to undo the change, or even to benefit from
to defeat them. Except that each time the characters solved it.
a short puzzle or riddle correctly, the gnomish contraption Power Armor. The foe climbs into a large suit of magic
reassembled the metal creature into a different, easier threat. armor partway through the fight, gaining powerful
The next-to-last form? A flumph. The final form? A helpless capabilities.
upside-down flumph.
62
 Escaped Meal. A creature has swallowed another
creature, which they cough up when hurt sufficiently.
SHAKE UP THE FAMILIAR
Both creatures now attack the characters, unless the Scott points out that players can easily become overly familiar
heroes can win the newly appeared foe to their side. with common monsters, either because they’ve fought them
Empowering Meal. A creature gains the powers of several times or because those players are also GMs with a high
creatures they consume—such as a dragon who level of monster knowledge. Turning a known commodity into
swallows an NPC spellcaster and now can cast their an evolving monster is an easy way to transform familiar foes
spells! into something new and exciting. But think about adding some
Shapechanger. A creature changes shape into a powerful kind of clear visual indication—an unusual piece of equipment,
new form when a fight starts to go against them, or was an eldritch tattoo, strange demeanor or behavior, and so on—
previously shapechanged and reverts to their true form to hint to the players that this isn’t the monster the characters
during battle. are used to.
Illusion Drops. A creature’s appearance is merely a
facade, which they use illusion magic to maintain. Once as found in “Building a Quick Monster” (page 4),
they realize that fighting is the only option, the creature “Monster Powers” (page 15), and “Monster Roles” (page
drops the illusion and reveals their true form and actual 22). Monster powers are specifically designed to be
capabilities. exciting and to surprise players, as well as to communicate
Parasite. A creature is controlled by a parasite. When story.
defeated, the parasite emerges from the creature and TRIGGER
attacks—trying to gain a new host.
Think about how the evolution should be triggered. Does
Remembered Power. A foe has repressed memories,
it happen when the creature is reduced to half their hit
letting them tap into their true strength even though
points? When reduced to 0 hit points? When a ritual is
they don’t remember having such capabilities.
complete, or on the second round of combat? The trigger
Primal Fury. When wounded, a creature taps into a
should always fit the story, and should feel inevitable—but
primal state of being to become more ferocious.
shouldn’t feel like you’re trying to fool the characters. If
Reversible Strength. Due to powerful magic or some
other effect, a foe begins a fight far stronger than the
characters. The characters can reverse the effect, letting
the foe devolve to a form that can be defeated.

MECHANICS
Because evolving monsters is a technique to be used
sparingly, you want the mechanics of that evolution to
be evocative and significant. The mechanical change
reinforces the story and the seriousness of what
has taken place.
STATISTICAL EVOLUTION
First, think through the type of evolution and
what it represents. Is a creature becoming
larger? Are they changing type, such as
from humanoid to elemental? What
capabilities should the new form have?
Depending on the nature of the
evolution, you might simply swap
creature statistics entirely. A goblin mage
becomes an ogre. A dwarf noble becomes
a fire elemental. Or you might borrow
aspects of one stat block, combining
them with the other. For example,
you might use the noble stat block
but add the fire elemental’s resistances,
immunities, and Fire Form trait, as well
as having all the noble’s attacks deal fire
damage.
CARLOS EULEFÍ

You can also apply new features

or actions using monster powers,
63
 the players feel as though their characters should have
been able to stop the evolution before it was triggered, a
DESIGNING VERAGON
fight might become frustrating rather than exciting. When writing the book Fantastic Lairs, Mike, Scott, and fellow
Foes might evolve a single time, or more than once. designer James Introcaso wanted to provide powerful foes
The evolution could be permanent, or something the even for the highest-level characters. One such foe was
characters can prevent or reverse. In the latter case, think Veragon, a demon-touched ancient gold dragon who was
through what circumstances would allow this, and which intended to do the impossible—work as a solo monster
of a monster’s mechanical aspects (such as stat block capable of truly challenging a group of 20th-level heroes.
features) might be lost based on how well the characters Anyone who’s run 20th-level encounters knows how hard it can
succeed on undoing the effect. be to challenge such characters, who have so many resources
Foreshadowing a trigger helps establish the story. A at their disposal and so many tricks up their proverbial sleeves
villain warns the characters not to strike them down, that any lone monster, no matter how big, is at a disadvantage.
with their death triggering the transformation, of course. A big part of addressing that challenge was having
A huge creature has a swollen belly, and striking them Veragon evolve as he faced the characters. The dragon has a
causes them to cough up a meal that also attacks the tremendous 546 hit points, enough to keep him alive even after
characters. multiple paladin smites and rogue sharpshooter sneak attacks.
For half the battle, he acts as a “standard” ancient gold dragon,
ENCOUNTER DYNAMICS though with a big pile of spells he can cast. But when reduced
Statistical changes can result in major changes to the to half his hit points, Veragon turns into something else as his
dynamic of the encounter. A foe who becomes part demon-touched nature takes hold.
spider might be able to walk on the ceiling, avoiding traps Suddenly, the dragon is throwing around the finger of death
and hazards on the battlefield. A foe who becomes part spell twice per round, even while surrounded by an aura that
fire elemental can ignore the river of lava in a cavern. chews through characters like a never-ending circle of death
Consider matching the evolution with an environment spell. But one trick that makes this approach work is that
that makes the most of the change, but do so in a way that Veragon becomes simpler to play when he switches forms,
doesn’t make the battle much harder for the characters. focusing on those new abilities and his regular attacks, and no
In some cases, a transformation might involve tradeoffs. longer having all his spells at his disposal in phase two of the
The monster might gain new abilities, even as they lose fight.
former resistances or gain new weaknesses. Either way, Veragon isn’t a simple monster by any means, but when
though, the expectation is that whatever narrative device building your own evolving monsters, always keep in mind
allowed a foe to evolve can’t be used by the characters to how to balance increased power with making your monster
gain similar benefits. easy to run at the table. Evolving monsters don’t just need to
Evolutions are meant for monsters. Monster statistics add new things. They can often take some things away as well.
are different from character statistics, and evolving
characters in the same way can have an impact on game its stakes. A young noble who went missing has been
balance. Thankfully, there are plenty of other ways to help transformed by terrible studies encouraged by the cult
the characters even the odds against a foe who is suddenly threatening the local area. A power that changes people
more formidable, as discussed in “Building Engaging into devils in one encounter might affect other creatures
Encounters” on page 76, and making use of the monster as well, prompting the characters to find the catalyst for
powers in “Building a Quick Monster” (page 4), the transformation and stop others from being exposed
“Monster Powers” (page 15), and “Monster Roles” (page to it.
22). The story impact of an evolution can merit providing
some extra time after combat ends so the characters
RESOLUTION can analyze what took place and learn from it. Story
Evolving a monster can be more than just a fun, one- implications, such as an aberrant spy among the nobility,
off change. It can tie into your campaign or drive up might result in the characters coming up with ideas to
detect or counter any other such spies. Think about what
manner of resolution works best to make an evolution a
ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE strong part of the story.
Mike notes that the environment might change along with a
monster’s evolved new form. The world might fall away into
a void, or rocks could start dropping from the ceiling as a
creature’s evolution disrupts the physical nature of the area
around them. A transformation into a fire elemental might set
a room ablaze. Such unexpected changes create a truly epic
scene.

64
THE COMBAT ENCOUNTER
CHECKLIST
Sometimes all a game needs is an interesting location might find maps that cartographers have released for free.
and some cool monsters to fight, setting up a combat Build a library of cool maps that inspire your players to
encounter that a GM might build right at the table. The enjoy the scenery while they’re kicking ass.
characters go somewhere, everyone decides it’s time for a However, you want to ensure that your fantastic
fun fight, and you whip something up. Or you determine location isn’t too big. It’s no fun to have a character spend
that, given the circumstances going on in the story, it’s multiple rounds running to the far side of an arena—only
time for the characters to run into some opposition, and to arrive just in time to watch the other characters drop
you’re off to the races. (“Building a Quick Monster” on the big bad to the mat. Let all the characters get to the
page 4 and “General-Use Combat Stat Blocks” on page meaty part of a location in two moves at most.
13 are great resources when you’re building those kinds
of on-the-fly encounters.) ZONE-WIDE EFFECTS
Sometimes we need more, though, particularly for big Sometimes a combat environment has a big ongoing
set-piece battles or boss fights. When it’s time to build effect—something that impacts all the creatures in the
an interesting and dynamic encounter, the following area, no matter where they are. Such zone-wide effects can
checklist can help determine what options a big combat make a fight more interesting, as with any of the following
might need: examples:
• Interesting monsters • Unholy energy in a crypt makes healing magic only half
• A fantastic location as effective as normal.
• Zone-wide effects • Supernatural fire negates any creature’s resistance to fire,
• Traps and hazards and turns immunity to fire into resistance.
• Advantageous positions • Psychic wailing forces each character to succeed on a
• Interactive objects DC 10 Constitution check to successfully cast a spell.
• Cover • Periodic bolts of lightning strike, with each creature in
• Difficult or fantastic terrain combat having a 1-in-4 chance of being struck at the
• A goal start of their turn.
No battle needs all these things, but it’s worth running • An arcane rift causes each damaging spell cast in a fight
through the list to see which options fit the sort of combat to deal an extra 2d6 force damage.
scenario you’re putting together. • An aura of bloody rage fills the area, granting each
combatant advantage on attack rolls.
INTERESTING MONSTERS • A rift to a realm of chaos causes all spells to trigger a
For a big, self-contained combat encounter, a single wild magic surge.
monster usually won’t do it. Even several monsters of the • The god of blood infuses all melee attacks with an extra
same type might not prove interesting enough for a big die of damage.
fight. Complex, climactic battles often work best with • A rift in space-time lets a creature swap places with
two or three creature types that work well together—big an enemy within 60 feet if that enemy fails a DC 12
bruisers up front and powerful artillery in the back, Wisdom saving throw.
for example. (“Monster Roles,” page 22, has more • A thick fog makes it impossible to see creatures more
information about choosing foes this way.) However, than 30 feet away.
having more than three types of creature in any one battle Avoid zone-wide effects that are just plain annoying.
is going to be hard to manage. As such, designing a big Having creatures fall down a lot because of icy floors
set-piece battle is also a great time to think about waves sounds fun—until all the characters are lying on their
of monsters (talked about in “Building and Running Boss backs and the players are wishing they’d never entered the
Monsters,” page 31). fight in the first place.
Likewise, certain effects hurt some classes more
A FANTASTIC LOCATION than others. Disadvantage on attack rolls hurts martial
An empty, 50-foot-square room doesn’t lend itself to combatants more than spellcasters. Limiting movement
an interesting set-piece battle. We want fantastic rooms hurts melee attackers, while limiting visibility hurts
with interesting shapes, lots of room to move around, ranged attackers. Be aware of when a zone-wide effect
and a cool environment for the characters to spend affects some characters more than others, so that you can
time in. Great self-contained fights are like theme parks change it up if needed.
where the characters can climb up big statues, swing
from chandeliers, and dance across elevated platforms. TRAPS AND HAZARDS
Whether you’re playing online or in person, you can Certain parts of a battlefield might contain traps or
purchase battle maps showing off interesting locations, or hazards. Some of these might be easily seen, such as 65
 bladed pillars or spike-lined pits. Others might come as a in history and now seeking just one follower to pull their
surprise, such as a trap door over an acid pool. spark of divinity from the edges of infinite darkness.
Characters with high passive Wisdom (Perception)
scores might notice hidden traps automatically, or you DIFFICULT OR FANTASTIC
might give each character a chance to make a Wisdom TERRAIN
(Perception) check requiring no action—maybe even
Different areas of a location might have some sort of
rolling on their behalf—to detect a trap before stumbling
terrain feature that can impact the fight. Difficult terrain
into it.
is the easiest option, making it challenging but not
Make sure these traps matter if you’re going to put them
impossible to take certain routes across the battlefield.
in an encounter. Traps that are too far out of the way
But other areas of interesting terrain can also shake up a
might never come into play. Likewise, it can be fun for
physical encounter. Icy floors where the characters might
players to spring traps on their opponents, so don’t use
slip don’t work well as a zone-wide effect, but can be great
them only as a threat against the characters.
in specific areas, forcing the characters to avoid those
areas as they move.
ADVANTAGEOUS POSITIONS Any of the following terrain features can make a big
Getting the characters to enter an arena (literal battle location more interesting:
or metaphorical) and move around can be hard.
• A crumbling bridge over a deep crevasse
Advantageous positions give them a reason to do so.
• Spikes of sharp glass that cut creatures when they fall or
Areas of high ground where they can gain cover against
are forced to move through them
their foes—and perhaps advantage on attacks—are highly
• Jets of flame that randomly erupt
sought after by ranged attackers. Arcane circles that infuse
• Swampy land that belches forth poisonous gas when
a spellcaster’s magic with greater power might draw
crossed
wizards into a room. This approach can turn a whole
• Oiled surfaces that cause creatures to slide across them
encounter into a fun game of “king of the hill” as the
uncontrollably.
characters and their enemies fight for superior position.
• Electrified floors that deal damage to creatures at the
“Building Engaging Environments” on page 79 has
start of each turn
more ideas on this topic.
• An area filled with antigravity magic that causes
INTERACTIVE OBJECTS creatures to fall to the ceiling
• An ethereal rift where creatures become invisible and
Make sure that the battlefield features some interactive
insubstantial
objects. This can include any physical features the
• Pockets of shadow where characters have their life
characters can manipulate and use to their advantage in a
energy drained away
fight, including things like the following:
• An area of antilife magic where living creatures gain
• Crumbling statues that can be easily toppled vulnerability to necrotic damage
• Pillars that collapse part of the ceiling
• Chandeliers upon which to swing A GOAL
• Ballistae the characters can use to fire upon their foes Finally, think about what objective an encounter might
• Obelisks infusing the villain with power until they’re have beyond simply taking out all the enemies. What
destroyed might the characters do to “complete” the encounter?
• Levers that physically or magically transform parts of The following sorts of goals work well in a big set-piece
the battlefield encounter:
• Catapults that can hurl allies to the far side of the fight
• Stop a ritual before cultists summon a demon.
• Cranes lifting heavy objects that can be dropped onto
• Recover an artifact and escape with it.
foes
• Kill the boss, but don’t worry about their minions.
• Fiery cauldrons or braziers ready to tip over
• Activate a gateway and escape through it.
• Deep wells into which enemies can be dumped
• Recover a prisoner.
COVER • Steal secret plans.
• Destroy a powerful monument.
Shattered pillars, crumbling statues, destroyed furniture,
• Activate the four altars around a temple site.
fallen trees, and other forms of cover can help break up
• Close a magical gateway and prevent the villain’s escape.
the otherwise open terrain of a big battleground. When
• Destroy a doomsday device before it blows up the
you drop in these elements of cover, be sure that the
multiverse.
players understand the advantages of hiding behind them.
For bonus points, tie the history of the location and This topic is touched on in more detail in “Building
other secrets and clues to these elements of cover. It’s not Engaging Encounters” on page 76, and “Exit Strategies”
just a statue—it’s a statue of the forgotten god Gan, lost on page 91.

66
 MONSTER COMBINATIONS
FOR A HARD CHALLENGE
When GMs design encounters, we often have a concept
that includes the number of foes the characters will face.
An encounter might feature a squad of four monsters
going against the characters one-to-one, or perhaps a
larger force of six or eight swarming the heroes. Or maybe
we want a stronger creature, acting as a boss or captain,
with only a few other creatures to back them up. And,
of course, it’s always fun for characters to face a single
dangerous foe.
This section provides guidelines for combining
creatures of different challenge ratings to enable these
various concepts. Simply pick your concept, consult the
appropriate table for the number of characters in your
game, look up their average character level, and you have
the monster challenge ratings you need to build different
types of encounters and boss scenarios. You can then
use the many other tips in this book to make encounters
unique, including “Building and Running Boss Monsters”
for any of the boss scenarios on the tables.

HARD CHALLENGE LEVEL

MONSTER COMBINATIONS
The challenge ratings in the tables are geared toward
creating encounters that are a hard challenge (see
“Defining Challenge Level” on page 105). The encounter
concepts are set up along specific lines, reflecting some of
the most common—and fun—combinations of foes.
One Monster. The leftmost column notes the challenge
rating expected for a solo creature whose statistics and
capabilities can build a hard challenge. As discussed
in “Building and Running Boss Monsters” (page 31) rating. For example, a group of four 3rd-level characters
and “Understanding the Action Economy” (page 42), could face one boss of CR 2 and two subordinates of CR
running an encounter for a single solo monster is always 1/2—perhaps an ogre explorer and the two rust monsters
tricky. So use the advice in those sections to ensure that they’ve befriended.
an intended solo creature is up to the challenge. The rightmost column under Boss Scenarios builds
Two, Four, Six, Eight, or Twelve Monsters. The other encounters with eight minions, two lieutenants of a higher
columns under Monsters of the Same CR allow you to challenge rating, and one boss whose CR is higher again.
challenge the characters with a number of creatures of
USING THE TABLES
the same CR, and usually of the same type. For example,
a hard challenge for four 4th-level characters could To build encounters using the tables, follow these steps:
constitute six scouts (CR 1/2) or two ogres (CR 2). • Select the appropriate table, based on the number of
Using creatures of the same type allows you to quickly characters in the party—four, five, or six.
and simply tell a story as the characters find themselves in • In the leftmost column of the selected table, find
an ogre market cavern, a caravan under attack, the room the row containing the average character level for
with mimics, and so forth. Using the same monsters also all the characters. (To find the average, add up all
lets you focus on a single stat block for ease of play. the characters’ levels, then divide by the number of
One Boss + X Monsters. Encounter concepts often characters and round down.)
suggest a group of creatures led by a more formidable • Follow that row to the column containing the encounter
leader. Each of the Boss Scenarios columns pairs up one concept you wish to use. For example, to create an
boss and a number of subordinates of lower challenge encounter with one boss and three lesser monsters,
you’d go to the 1 Boss + 3 Monsters column.
JACK KAISER

67
 FOUR CHARACTERS (HARD CHALLENGES)
Monsters of the Same CR Boss Scenarios
Character 1 Boss + 1 Boss + 1 Boss + 1 Boss + 2 Lieutenants +
Level 1 2 4 6 8 12 2 Monsters 3 Monsters 4 Underlings 8 Minions
1 1 1/2 1/8 1/8 0 — 1/2 + 1/8 (x2) 1/2 + 1/8 (x3) 1/4 + 1/8 (x4) —
2 3 1 1/2 1/4 1/8 0 1 + 1/4 (x2) 1 + 1/4 (x3) 1 + 1/8 (x4) 1/2 + 1/4 (x2) + 0 (x8)
3 4 2 1/2 1/2 1/4 1/8 2 + 1/2 (x2) 2 + 1/4 (x3) 2 + 1/4 (x4) 1 + 1/4 (x2) + 0 (x8)
4 5 2 1 1/2 1/2 1/4 2 + 1 (x2) 2 + 1/2 (x3) 3 + 1/4 (x4) 2 + 1/4 (x2) + 0 (x8)
5 8 4 2 1 1 1/2 4 + 2 (x2) 4 + 1 (x3) 4 + 1 (x4) 3 + 1/2 (x2) + 1/4 (x8)
6 9 5 3 2 1 1/2 5 + 2 (x2) 4 + 2 (x3) 5 + 1 (x4) 4 + 1 (x2) + 1/4 (x8)
7 10 6 3 2 1 1/2 5 + 3 (x2) 5 + 2 (x3) 6 + 1 (x4) 4 + 1 (x2) + 1/2 (x8)
8 12 7 3 3 2 1 7 + 3 (x2) 5 + 3 (x3) 6 + 2 (x4) 4 + 2 (x2) + 1/2 (x8)
9 12 8 4 3 2 1 7 + 4 (x2) 6 + 3 (x3) 6 + 3 (x4) 5 + 2 (x2) + 1/2 (x8)
10 14 8 4 3 2 2 7 + 5 (x2) 6 + 4 (x3) 7 + 3 (x4) 5 + 2 (x2) + 1 (x8)
11 16 9 5 4 3 2 8 + 5 (x2) 6 + 5 (x3) 9 + 3 (x4) 6 + 3 (x2) + 1 (x8)
12 18 11 6 5 4 2 9 + 7 (x2) 8 + 5 (x3) 8 + 5 (x4) 7 + 4 (x2) + 1 (x8)
13 19 12 7 5 4 3 11 + 7 (x2) 10 + 6 (x3) 10 + 5 (x4) 8 + 4 (x2) + 2 (x8)
14 20 13 8 6 4 3 11 + 8 (x2) 10 + 7 (x3) 10 + 6 (x4) 8 + 5 (x2) + 2 (x8)
15 21 14 8 7 5 4 12 + 9 (x2) 10 + 8 (x3) 10 + 7 (x4) 9 + 5 (x2) + 2 (x8)
16 22 15 9 7 5 4 12 + 10 (x2) 11 + 8 (x3) 11 + 7 (x4) 10 + 6 (x2) + 3 (x8)
17 24 16 10 8 5 5 14 + 10 (x2) 11 + 9 (x3) 11 + 8 (x4) 12 + 6 (x2) + 3 (x8)
18 26 17 11 8 6 5 14 + 12 (x2) 12 + 10 (x3) 12 + 9 (x4) 13 + 7 (x2) + 4 (x8)
19 27 19 11 9 7 5 15 + 12 (x2) 14 + 10 (x3) 13 + 9 (x4) 13 + 8 (x2) + 4 (x8)
20 29 19 12 9 7 5 15 + 13 (x2) 14 + 11 (x3) 13 + 10 (x4) 14 + 8 (x2) + 5 (x8)

• The entry you cross-referenced notes the challenge

ratings of the creature or creatures in your encounter. If
DON’T HANG ON TOO TIGHT
a multiplier is indicated, that’s the number of monsters It’s good to keep in mind that the guidelines in this section
for the preceding CR. For example, wanting to challenge aren’t perfect for every group and every situation. Building
four 3rd-level characters with the encounter concept of combat encounters will always be an art, not a science. As such,
one boss and three monsters yields an entry of “2 + 1/4 the tables can give you a rough idea about what combination
(×3).” This indicates that you want one CR 2 creature of monsters you might use in an encounter and what challenge
acting as the boss, and three CR 1/4 creatures acting as rating might be appropriate for a hard challenge level. But
subordinates. so many variables—not the least of which is the incredibly
• Choose your monsters! If you’re building a quick random d20 roll—can affect the outcome of an encounter that
encounter, the recommendations in “Monsters by no two battles ever run the same.
Adventure Location” (page 72) are a good starting Your own experience with your players and their characters
point. almost always offers a better gauge of how any given combat
scenario might play out. As such, always treat the advice in this
SCALING ENCOUNTERS section and the rest of Forge of Foes as loose guidelines, not
Each of the tables is intended to build a hard encounter fixed rules.
(see “Defining Challenge Level” on page 105). However,
you can easily build encounters with other challenge For example, when building an encounter for four
levels in mind by adding or subtracting a modifier to the 10th-level characters, you could use the row for 8th-level
party’s average character level: characters to create a medium challenge.
• For a deadly challenge: +1 or +2 In all cases, be cautious with scaling. Encounters
• For a medium challenge: −2 of certain types and at certain levels will be harder or
• For an easy challenge: −4 easier than the approximation would indicate. Always be
prepared to adjust encounters on the fly (with “Monster
Difficulty Dials” on page 27 providing great advice on
this topic).

68
FIVE CHARACTERS (HARD CHALLENGES)
Monsters of the Same CR Boss Scenarios
Character 1 Boss + 1 Boss + 1 Boss + 1 Boss + 2 Lieutenants +
Level 1 2 4 6 8 12 2 Monsters 3 Monsters 4 Underlings 8 Minions
1 1 1/2 1/4 1/8 0 0 1/2 + 1/4 (x2) 1/2 + 1/8 (x3) 1/4 + 1/8 (x4) —
2 4 1 1/2 1/4 1/8 0 1 + 1/2 (x2) 1 + 1/4 (x3) 1 + 1/8 (x4) 1/2 + 1/4 (x2) + 0 (x8)
3 5 2 1 1/2 1/2 1/4 2 + 1/2 (x2) 2 + 1/4 (x3) 2 + 1/4 (x4) 1 + 1/4 (x2) + 1/8 (x8)
4 6 3 1 1 1/2 1/4 3 + 1 (x2) 3 + 1/2 (x3) 3 + 1/2 (x4) 2 + 1/4 (x2) + 1/8 (x8)
5 9 5 2 2 1 1/2 5 + 2 (x2) 4 + 2 (x3) 5 + 1 (x4) 3 + 1 (x2) + 1/2 (x8)
6 11 6 3 2 1 1/2 6 + 3 (x2) 5 + 2 (x3) 6 + 2 (x4) 4 + 1 (x2) + 1/2 (x8)
7 12 7 4 3 1 1 7 + 3 (x2) 5 + 3 (x3) 6 + 2 (x4) 4 + 2 (x2) + 1 (x8)
8 13 8 4 3 2 1 7 + 4 (x2) 7 + 3 (x3) 6 + 3 (x4) 5 + 2 (x2) + 1 (x8)
9 14 8 5 3 2 1 8 + 4 (x2) 7 + 4 (x3) 7 + 3 (x4) 6 + 2 (x2) + 1 (x8)
10 15 9 5 4 3 2 8 + 5 (x2) 8 + 4 (x3) 8 + 4 (x4) 6 + 3 (x2) + 1 (x8)
11 17 11 6 5 4 2 10 + 6 (x2) 9 + 5 (x3) 8 + 5 (x4) 6 + 4 (x2) + 2 (x8)
12 19 12 7 6 4 3 11 + 7 (x2) 10 + 6 (x3) 9 + 5 (x4) 8 + 4 (x2) + 2 (x8)
13 20 13 8 7 5 3 11 + 8 (x2) 11 + 7 (x3) 10 + 6 (x4) 9 + 4 (x2) + 2 (x8)
14 22 14 9 7 5 4 11 + 9 (x2) 12 + 7 (x3) 10 + 7 (x4) 10 + 5 (x2) + 2 (x8)
15 22 15 9 7 5 4 12 + 10 (x2) 12 + 8 (x3) 12 + 7 (x4) 11 + 5 (x2) + 2 (x8)
16 24 16 10 8 6 4 12 + 11 (x2) 11 + 9 (x3) 11 + 8 (x4) 11 + 7 (x2) + 2 (x8)
17 25 17 11 9 7 5 15 + 11 (x2) 13 + 10 (x3) 14 + 8 (x4) 12 + 7 (x2) + 3 (x8)
18 27 18 11 9 7 5 15 + 12 (x2) 14 + 10 (x3) 13 + 9 (x4) 12 + 8 (x2) + 4 (x8)
19 28 20 12 10 8 6 15 + 13 (x2) 14 + 11 (x3) 13 + 10 (x4) 13 + 9 (x2) + 4 (x8)
20 29 20 13 10 8 6 16 + 14 (x2) 15 + 12 (x3) 14 + 11 (x4) 14 + 9 (x2) + 5 (x8)

SIX CHARACTERS (HARD CHALLENGES)

Monsters of the Same CR Boss Scenarios
Character 1 Boss + 1 Boss + 1 Boss + 1 Boss + 2 Lieutenants +
Level 1 2 4 6 8 12 2 Monsters 3 Monsters 4 Underlings 8 Minions
1 1 1 1/4 1/4 1/8 0 1 + 1/4 (x2) 1 + 1/4 (x3) 1 + 1/8 (x4) —
2 5 2 1/2 1/2 1/4 1/8 2 + 1/2 (x2) 2 + 1/4 (x3) 2 + 1/4 (x4) 1/2 + 1/4 (x2) + 1/8 (x8)
3 7 3 1 1 1/2 1/4 3 + 1 (x2) 3 + 1/2 (x3) 3 + 1/2 (x4) 1 + 1/2 (x2) + 1/4 (x8)
4 8 4 2 1 1/2 1/2 4 + 2 (x2) 4 + 1 (x3) 4 + 1/2 (x4) 2 + 1/2 (x2) + 1/4 (x8)
5 10 6 3 3 1 1 7 + 3 (x2) 7 + 2 (x3) 6 + 2 (x4) 3 + 1 (x2) + 1/2 (x8)
6 12 8 4 3 2 1 7 + 4 (x2) 6 + 4 (x3) 6 + 3 (x4) 3 + 2 (x2) + 1 (x8)
7 13 9 5 4 2 1 8 + 5 (x2) 7 + 5 (x3) 7 + 4 (x4) 5 + 2 (x2) + 1 (x8)
8 15 11 6 4 3 2 8 + 6 (x2) 8 + 5 (x3) 8 + 4 (x4) 6 + 3 (x2) + 1 (x8)
9 16 12 6 4 3 2 9 + 6 (x2) 8 + 6 (x3) 10 + 4 (x4) 6 + 4 (x2) + 1 (x8)
10 17 13 7 5 4 2 10 + 7 (x2) 9 + 6 (x3) 10 + 5 (x4) 7 + 4 (x2) + 1 (x8)
11 19 14 8 6 4 3 12 + 8 (x2) 11 + 7 (x3) 12 + 5 (x4) 8 + 4 (x2) + 2 (x8)
12 20 16 9 7 5 3 14 + 9 (x2) 13 + 8 (x3) 12 + 7 (x4) 9 + 5 (x2) + 2 (x8)
13 21 17 10 8 6 4 14 + 10 (x2) 13 + 9 (x3) 12 + 8 (x4) 10 + 6 (x2) + 2 (x8)
14 23 17 10 8 6 4 15 + 10 (x2) 15 + 8 (x3) 13 + 8 (x4) 9 + 7 (x2) + 2 (x8)
15 24 18 11 8 6 4 15 + 11 (x2) 15 + 9 (x3) 12 + 9 (x4) 9 + 7 (x2) + 3 (x8)
16 25 19 11 9 7 4 15 + 12 (x2) 15 + 10 (x3) 13 + 9 (x4) 11 + 7 (x2) + 3 (x8)
17 27 20 12 10 7 5 16 + 13 (x2) 16 + 11 (x3) 15 + 10 (x4) 11 + 7 (x2) + 4 (x8)
18 28 21 13 11 8 5 18 + 14 (x2) 17 + 12 (x3) 15 + 11 (x4) 12 + 8 (x2) + 4 (x8)
19 29 21 14 11 8 6 18 + 15 (x2) 16 + 13 (x3) 15 + 12 (x4) 13 + 9 (x2) + 4 (x8)
20 30 22 15 13 9 7 20 + 16 (x2) 18 + 14 (x3) 16 + 13 (x4) 13 + 10 (x2) + 5 (x8)

69
 THE LAZY ENCOUNTER
BENCHMARK
Forge of Foes offers multiple ways to think about and plan As another example, consider six 8th-level characters
combat encounters in your game. But this section sets out facing three CR 11 horned devils. Dividing the total
a simple calculation you can keep in your head to give character levels of 48 by 2 gives a result of 24. Adding up
you a gauge of the difficulty of an encounter. This “lazy the challenge ratings of the horned devils gives you 33. So
encounter benchmark” isn’t perfect or precise. Rather, it’s with 33 much higher than 24, that’s a potentially deadly
a tool for getting a rough sense of the potential challenge fight.
of a combat encounter—and for recognizing when an Still, even when a calculated benchmark suggests that
encounter crosses over from challenging to potentially an encounter might be too tough, that doesn’t mean
deadly. Think of it like a tachometer measuring how fast you should automatically change things up. The lazy
the engine is running in a car. If you go beyond the limit encounter benchmark is there to give you a warning sign
defined by the benchmark, you’re “in the red”—pushing that your encounter might be into the danger zone where
to a point where your encounter might be more than the it becomes more than the characters can handle. But your
characters can handle. own experiences with the characters and players should
ultimately tell you whether you should change things up
USING THE BENCHMARK or not.
The primary calculation of the lazy encounter benchmark The lazy encounter benchmark intentionally doesn’t
compares the challenge ratings of monsters with the levels provide specific measurements for easy, medium, or hard
of the characters in the following way: encounters. Instead, think of it like an analog gauge. The
lower the total monster challenge ratings are compared
An encounter might be deadly if the sum total of to the benchmark calculation from character levels, the
monster challenge ratings is greater than 1/4 of the easier the battle might be. The higher the total monster
sum total of character levels, for characters of 1st to 4th challenge ratings are above the benchmark, the deadlier
level; or greater than 1/2 of the sum total of character the battle might be.
levels, for characters of 5th level or higher.
OPTIONAL SCALING FOR
What exactly does “deadly” mean in this context? HIGHER LEVELS
“Defining Challenge Level” on page 105 explores this As characters rise in level above 10th, their increased
topic in detail, but it can be easily summarized. In a power and synergies mean that you might find the
deadly encounter: benchmark becomes less accurate about representing the
• Most characters might lose more than half their hit potential deadliness of encounters. If this is the case in
points. your games, you can scale up the benchmark equation for
• Several characters might go unconscious. higher-level characters with the following variation:
• There’s a chance that one or more characters might die.
For example, imagine an encounter pitting five 4th- An encounter might be deadly if the sum total of
level characters against four ogres of CR 2. To see how monster challenge ratings is greater than 3/4 of the sum
dangerous this fight might be, add all the character levels total of character levels, for characters of 11th to 16th
together and divide by 4 (because they’re lower than 5th level; or equal to the sum total of character levels, for
level), giving a result of 20 ÷ 4 = 5. Now compare that characters of 17th level or higher.
result to the sum of monster challenge ratings, with four
CR 2 ogres giving a total of 8. Because 8 is more than 5, Explore this option only if it feels as though encounters
this could be a potentially deadly encounter. assessed using the original benchmark are consistently
Above 4th level, you divide character levels by 2
instead of 4 because of the extra resources and synergies
WRITE DOWN THE BENCHMARK
characters gain at 5th level and higher. Going back to the
previous example, if the characters were 5th level instead
RESULT
of 4th, their total levels would be 25. The benchmark gives Because the benchmark result only changes when the
a result of 25 ÷ 2 = 12 (rounded down, as usual in the characters increase in level, you can write it down and keep it
game). The four ogres still have a total CR of 8, and with 8 in your notes. If you’re going to have five 8th-level characters in
less than 12, these fifth-level characters aren’t likely to find your next several sessions, you can write down “Lazy Encounter
this a deadly fight. Benchmark: 20” and reference that when throwing monsters
together for an encounter. It’s especially useful to keep this
number in front of you when improvising encounters during a
session.
70
underpowered for your group. But if you need it, this
option sets the benchmark for truly dangerous encounters
ALTERNATIVE BENCHMARK
at the highest levels, where characters of great heroic An alternative approach to the lazy encounter benchmark lets
capability might face several powerful creatures in a single you compare monster challenge ratings and character levels
battle. with a single straightforward formula, as follows:

THE CR CAP FOR A SINGLE To assess the strength of the characters relative to the
monsters they face, take the sum total of all character
MONSTER
levels and divide by 4. Then multiply that number by the
Although the lazy encounter benchmark uses the total characters’ tier.
challenge ratings of all monsters in an encounter, it
doesn’t take into consideration the maximum challenge At 1st tier (levels 1 to 4), the benchmark is simply the total
rating for any single monster, either alone or with a group. of all character levels divided by 4. But as characters rise in
For that, you can use a different benchmark calculation to level and across the tiers of play, they experience three distinct
describe when a single monster of a particular challenge bumps in power at 5th level (the start of the second tier,
rating might represent a deadly challenge for characters of multiplying the benchmark by 2), 11th level (the start of the
a given level, whether battled alone or in a group: third tier, for a ×3 multiplier), and 17th level (the start of the
fourth tier, for a ×4 multiplier).
A single monster might be deadly if their challenge In a broad sense, characters of the second tier can be
rating is equal to or higher than the average level of thought of as effectively twice as powerful as characters of the
the characters, or 1.5 times the average level of the first tier, with characters of the third and fourth tiers increasing
characters if the characters are 5th level or higher. in power yet again. However, as with the default versions of the
benchmarks, it’s important to remember that increasing the
TUNING THE BENCHMARK multipliers for the third and fourth tier is optional, and should
Given the many different circumstances that can affect be done only if you find that encounters created with the ×2
character power and encounter difficulty, you might want multiplier aren’t keeping up to the characters.
to tune the benchmark calculation up or down to serve as
a more accurate guideline for your own group. To do so, • The monsters are all surprised, or all act after the
simply increase or decrease the number of characters you characters in initiative.
use to calculate the sum total of character levels, treating • The characters have spells or features well suited for
that as a dial for tuning the benchmark for your own taking out foes.
group. • The players engage in excellent tactical behavior and
For example, if a party in your campaign has synergistic strategies.
companion NPCs who make combat easier, or if • The characters are well rested and coming in fresh.
characters employ spells that often remove monsters • The characters have an arsenal of powerful magic items.
from combat, you can pretend the group consists of six • The characters have useful companions.
characters instead of their actual five and calculate the Likewise, the monsters might be favored over the
benchmark that way. Likewise, if a group regularly gets characters in the following types of encounters:
into trouble in encounters where the sum total of monster
• The monsters outnumber the characters.
CR is well below the benchmark, pretend the party has
• The characters are surprised by the monsters.
four characters instead of five.
• Foes have advantageous position.
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS • The terrain favors the foes.
• The monsters fight with a strong tactical synergy.
Many circumstances can change how challenging an
• The characters are coming in well worn by previous
actual combat encounter might be. All of the following
fights and have no chance to rest.
examples set up types of encounters that often play out
more easily than the lazy encounter benchmark might As you make use of the benchmark, you’ll soon come to
suggest: recognize when the circumstances of a combat encounter
might steer it toward an easier or harder fight.
• The fight features significantly more characters than
foes.
• The characters’ goals in an encounter can be achieved
without eliminating all the foes from the fight.
• The environment favors the characters.
• The monsters come in waves instead of all at once.
• Foes are distracted or in disadvantageous positions.

71
 MONSTERS BY
ADVENTURE LOCATION
This section offers quick starting points for building CRYPTS, CATACOMBS, NECROPOLIS
encounters, in the form of tables that cover a broad range Level Example Encounters
of foes in twelve types of common adventure location. The 1st • A pair of skeletons rises from a pile of crawling
tables serve four purposes: claws.
• They show which creatures might inhabit a particular 2nd to 4th • A lost ghost wanders, surrounded by specters.
adventure location. • A bone naga rises from an obsidian sarcophagus
to command a host of skeletons.
• They highlight foes appropriate for a given level range
5th to 10th • A mummy lord entombed in a cold-iron sarcopha-
in that location.
gus is guarded by mummies and wights.
• They show which foes might naturally pair up with • A pair of wraiths float above unholy urns sur-
other foes. rounded by vengeful specters.
• They offer example relationships between creatures and 11th to 16th • A vampire in a gilded tomb is guarded by howling
suggest what they might be doing in a location. dire wolves and served by vampire spawn.
Though you can use the setups in the tables directly, 17th to 20th • A lich in an unhallowed laboratory is protected by
you’ll get even more value from them by customizing loyal death knights and iron golems.
your own list of foes for these common locations and
scenarios—or by adding environments and scenarios that CITY SEWERS
fit the specifics of your campaign. “Choosing Monsters Level Example Encounters
Based on the Story” (page 113) and “Building Engaging 1st • A wandering zombie is covered by a swarm of
Environments” (page 79) both offer thoughts on rats.
determining which creatures make sense for a situation or 2nd to 4th • An erudite ghast weaves fantastic tales to their
location. ravenous ghoul followers.
Each line in the “Example Encounters” column contains • A spy is guarded by unscrupulous bandits while
awaiting the arrival of a contact.
an example encounter with multiple monsters. You can
• An otyugh luxuriates in a watery pit, surrounded
decide how many monsters are appropriate given the by concealed gray oozes.
scenario, the number of characters, and their level. • Wererats make a show of feeding prisoners to
Monsters who are in bold represent potential bosses for their giant rat pets.
an encounter.
SEEDY CITY STREETS
ANCIENT RUINS
Level Example Encounters
Level Example Encounters
1st • A giant rat and the swarm of rats that travels with
1st • A thug leads bandits intending to rob a caravan.
them are feeding on a dead body.
• A shadow shifts in the darkness among a handful
• A thug and a pack of bandit toadies are waiting
of arisen skeletons.
for someone to rob.
2nd to 4th • A pair of bugbear entrepreneurs uses goblin
2nd to 4th • A spy assisted by thugs has been hired to steal
actors as bait to seek adventurers as prey.
something from the characters.
• A banshee orders specters to recreate their former
• A bandit captain with berserker bodyguards and
beautiful life.
bandit followers is easily insulted.
• A gnoll pack lord leading gnolls and hyenas hunts
• A cult fanatic leads cultists who have summoned
an escaped prisoner.
ravenous dretches into the world.
• A death dog protected by wolves lairs in a ruined
cave. 5th to 10th • A mage commanding veterans is seeking some-
• A lamia served by jackalweres dwells in an illusory thing the characters seek as well.
paradise. • A bandit captain protected by hired gladiators
and veterans seeks the characters with an offer
5th to 10th • A bugbear chief leads bugbear and goblin brig-
they can’t refuse.
ands from an obsidian throne.
• A careful assassin backed up by spies and thugs
• A cyclops matriarch leads fanatically loyal ogres.
hunts the characters.
• A medusa dwells in a mausoleum, surrounded by
petrified heroes and protected by death dogs.
• An oni in a posh den is guarded by loyal spirit
naga storytellers.
11th to 16th • An adult blue dragon is guarded by clay golems
in a jeweled lair.
17th to 20th • An ancient blue dragon protected by stone
golems and air elementals dwells in the shattered
remains of a tower.

72
WIZARD’S TOWER HELLISH CITADEL
Level Example Encounters Level Example Encounters
1st • A loyal imp commands a squad of guardian flying 2nd to 4th • A bearded devil draws lemures through a portal
swords. connected to the river Styx.
2nd to 4th • A summoned succubus or incubus directs ani- • A barbed devil and a host of imps keep watch on
mated armor serving as guards. enemy forces.

5th to 10th • Apprentice mages command elementals and flesh 5th to 10th • An armored erinyes commanding a host of spined
golems. devils prepares for war.
• An important chamber is guarded by two flame- • A horned devil leading bearded devil soldiers
skulls and a number of helmed horrors. guards an oracular sphere.

11th to 16th • An impatient archmage is protected by two stone 11th to 16th • Ice devil wardens and bone devil guards protect a
golems in an arcane laboratory. valuable prisoner.

17th to 20th • A lich studies the multiverse while protected by 17th to 20th • Pit fiend commanders and horned devil lieuten-
bound balors and iron golems. ants use scrying crystals to get the drop on the
characters.

VOLCANO LAIR
FROZEN FORTRESS
Level Example Encounters
Level Example Encounters
5th to 10th • A fire giant with pet hell hounds commands an
azer to dig for them. 5th to 10th • Frost giant hunters enjoy the sport of their remor-
• A trapped efreeti uses fire elementals to fight for haz pet stalking commoners.
freedom. • The bone-cluttered cave of an abominable yeti is
guarded by winter wolves.
11th to 16th • An adult red dragon served by salamanders
demands fealty from the characters. 11th to 16th • An adult white dragon is served by loyal frost
giants.
17th to 20th • An ancient red dragon worshiped by fire giants
awakens from slumber. 17th to 20th • An ancient white dragon lairing atop an inac-
cessible peak is worshiped by generations of
abominable yetis.
ABYSSAL KEEP
Level Example Encounters
DEEP CAVERNS
2nd to 4th • A night hag and their pet quasit schemes within a Level Example Encounters
chamber guarded by hell hounds.
• A summoning circle disgorges a barlgura and a 1st • A cockatrice pecks at a crumbling statue, while
clot of dretches. stirges linger above.
• A giant bat surrounded by swarms of bats skulks
5th to 10th • A glabrezu commands from a throne flanked by in the shadows.
chasmes.
2nd to 4th • Darkmantles and piercers lurk in pools of shadow.
11th to 16th • A marilith, their cambion advisor, and a number • A worg-riding goblin boss commands a squad of
of hezrou servants guard a planar gateway. goblin hunters.
17th to 20th • A balor, a servile archmage, and a squad of glabre- 5th to 10th • Basilisks and cockatrices lair in a hall full of petri-
zu soldiers guard an artifact. fied adventurers.
• A cloaker lurks above a pack of hook horrors
DARK FORESTS AND FETID SWAMPS disemboweling a dead bulette.
• Ropers and darkmantles hang above a waterfall,
Level Example Encounters
competing for prey.
1st • An elf cultist hunts prey with bloodthirsty wolves.
2nd to 4th • Two ettercaps and their giant spiders stalk adven-
SUNKEN GROTTO
turers.
• An ettin warlord commands a host of orc merce- Level Example Encounters
naries. 1st • A lizardfolk hunter is teaching their trained giant
• A green hag lurks in an old hut with a pet giant crabs how to hunt.
toad, and is guarded by loyal bullywugs. 2nd to 4th • A sea hag commands loyal kuo-toa to set up an
• A werewolf prowls the shadows with their dire effigy to a fictitious god.
wolf companions. • A lizardfolk king with a lizardfolk shaman advisor
5th to 10th • An orc war chief commands a force of ettin and commands a clan of lizardfolk from a coral throne.
orc scouts based in a ruined keep. 5th to 10th • An aboleth in a swirling pool is guarded by chuuls
11th to 16th • An adult black dragon commands a host of trolls and worshiped by enthralled veterans.
made loyal through fear. • A sahuagin baron watches a pack of sahuagin
• An adult green dragon lurks in a dead forest, fight water weirds.
protected by shambling mounds. • A sahuagin priestess feeds sacrificial victims to
17th to 20th • An ancient black dragon dwells in a sunken bog giant crocodiles.
filled with giant crocodiles. 11th to 16th • A kraken rules a deep-sea trench, surrounded by
• An ancient green dragon rules from an ancient reverent water elementals.
wooden throne guarded by loyal treants.

73
 MONSTERS AND THE
TIERS OF PLAY
How combat plays out against specific types of monsters
in D&D and other 5e games changes depending on the
level of the characters. Character power progression
isn’t smooth and linear across levels. Rather, it spikes
at particular levels, potentially changing the outcome
of a battle dramatically. As an example, the jump from
4th to 5th level gives melee characters twice as many
attacks, while spellcasters gain access to spells such as
fireball, significantly raising a party’s damage output
overnight. Recognizing when and how these changes
take place can help GMs understand and prepare for
these shifts in game play.

1ST LEVEL
Though not identified as its own tier of play in the fifth
edition core rules, games at 1st level are entirely different
from games at later levels. Characters of 1st level have few
resources—hit points in particular. Creatures of CR 1/2
can kill 1st-level characters with a single critical hit, and
1st-level spellcasters have few spells able to control more
than one or two monsters.
When designing combat encounters at 1st level, be
wary of using foes higher than CR 1/4, and lean toward
running fewer monsters than characters. A CR 1/2
creature might make a decent boss monster for 1st-level
characters, but a CR 1 monster might knock characters
unconscious with a single hit—or even kill them
completely.
Even when running a published adventure for 1st-level wolves, and veterans. Cult fanatics, hags, vampire spawn,
characters, take note of the encounters it offers. Many ettins, and lamias can work well for bosses at this tier.
such adventures include potentially deadly encounters at
1st level, so adjust them accordingly by running lower-CR 5TH TO 10TH LEVEL
monsters and fewer of them.
At 5th level, character power spikes up. Fighters can attack
Creatures of CR 1/8 to CR 1/2 work well for 1st-level
twice, and can double that double attack with Action
characters, including bandits, cultists, and skeletons, with
Surge. Spellcasters gain access to spells such as fireball,
maybe a thug for a boss.
spirit guardians, and hypnotic pattern. As characters rise
(The “Running 1st Level Adventures” sidebar in this
above 5th level, their capabilities increase quickly. Monks
section offers more thoughts on this topic.)
get Stunning Strike. Spellcasters learn spells able to take
out a foe with a single failed saving throw, including
2ND THROUGH 4TH LEVEL
banishment and polymorph.
At 2nd through 4th level, encounters most often play At 5th level and above, you can no longer trust a lone
out as expected for a heroic fantasy roleplaying game. nonlegendary monster to challenge a group of characters.
Characters are robust enough to face a range of monsters Often a single spell, class feature, or volley of attacks can
and not get killed. Most characters have a single attack, or incapacitate or kill any such creature. Against large groups
sometimes two if they fight with a weapon in each hand. of foes, a casting of fireball or a use of Turn Undead can
Spells usually target one or two creatures. end the fight. Get comfortable with this change to how
Combat encounters of 2nd to 4th level are often the your encounters are going to play out, and use lightning
easiest to balance compared to other levels of play. rod monsters (page 44) to let the characters show off
Characters of 2nd through 4th level can typically handle these potent capabilities without ruining your fun.
a group of monsters from challenge rating 1/8 to CR 1, a At these levels, the heroes’ defensive capabilities
pair of monsters of CR 2 or 3, or a single monster up to increase as well. Characters can fly, turn invisible, or block
FABIAN PARENTE

about CR 5. off entire sections of the battlefield with spells like wall
Great foes at these levels include all of those appropriate of fire. Healing becomes plentiful. Paladins can protect
for 1st-level characters, along with ogres, scouts, dire
74 entire parties with their defensive features. Even lower-
level defensive features such as the shield spell can be used
more often with a larger number of available spell slots.
RUNNING 1ST LEVEL ADVENTURES
At 5th level and above, a GM’s understanding of the At 1st level, 5e isn’t just effectively its own tier—it almost feels
capabilities of the characters and how those capabilities like its own game. Game play at 1st level feels different than at
relate to a monster’s stat block is vital to building just about any other level. Characters have far fewer resources
challenging encounters. (See “Reading the Monster Stat at their disposal. Fewer tactical options, fewer hit points, and
Block,” page 102, for more on this topic.) Creatures who often less experience as a player. Many groups love this style of
challenge characters at 5th level and above (roughly CR 4 play, something we see with D&D-inspired games that identify
and up) are usually more complicated than those of lower as part of the Old School Renaissance, hearkening back to a
challenge ratings. Hard encounters put together using time when characters were at greater risk of death, and players
default encounter-building rules might be less challenging had to trust to their wits rather than their characters’ die rolls
than expected. and class features to overcome challenges.
Characters of 5th to 10th level can often take on hordes As a GM running a 1st-level 5e game, you have some choices
of foes of CR 1/4 to CR 1. They can usually survive battles about how you want to handle this very different play style.
against groups of CR 2 to CR 5 monsters, small groups of First, you can get through that level quickly. Mike often quips
CR 6 to CR 10 foes, and single monsters up to CR 15. that 1st level should be a crucial conversation and a fight
Great foes at this tier include young dragons, giants, against a giant rat. Then boom, the characters are 2nd level
mages, and lower-CR demons and devils. Bosses can and can begin their adventuring careers in earnest. This takes
include medusas, lower-CR adult dragons, mid-CR the game past its initial potentially deadly stage, and into the
demons and devils, and maybe even an archmage. heroic-fantasy style of play faster. At 2nd level, character hit
points go way up in relation to the damage their foes can deal,
11TH TO 16TH LEVEL and new class features unlock to give characters more agency
At 11th level, characters become superheroes. They have in situations that might have crushed their 1st-level selves.
huge amounts of resources at their disposal to handle Alternatively, you can design adventures specifically for this
the hardest monsters in the game. The heroes’ ability to level of play. The guidance in this section can help you think
control or incapacitate foes continues to increase, along about which monsters of specific challenge levels work best
with their ability to dish out tremendous amounts of to not wipe out 1st-level characters. Or you might decide to
damage. have the stripling adventurers focus more on challenges in the
The variance in power and capabilities between world than combat encounters. Create opportunities for the
different groups at these levels of play is wide. Challenging characters to sneak around, so that maybe they drop a big pile
battles can take significantly longer to run than those of of logs on those pesky bandits instead of facing them head on.
lower levels. Monsters who feel like a good challenge often Your 1st-level games can also focus on roleplaying, letting the
end up easier to defeat than expected, and characters at characters engage with important NPCs before heading off on
this level can often take out a single powerful boss with more dangerous missions.
ease. Likewise, the characters have numerous options to Alternatively, you can embrace those earlier days of fantasy
mitigate the damage their foes deal—made worse by the roleplaying where death was around every corner. Many
fact that many published monsters appropriate for these people love 1st-level 5e games for this very reason. Two
levels deal too little damage for their challenge rating. shortbow attacks from a skeleton can put an average character
(See “The Relative Weakness of High-CR Monsters,” page into the dirt, and a critical hit from an ogre can turn even the
53, for more on that topic.) toughest fighter or barbarian into a red splotch on the wall.
Characters at these levels can often take on large groups Whichever approach you choose, discuss the style of the
of monsters of up to CR 3, medium-sized groups of CR game you plan to run with your players ahead of time. Find out
6 to CR 10, small groups of CR 11 to CR 14, and single if they want that grim and dangerous 1st-level adventure, or
opponents of up to CR 21. Good foes at this tier include if they’d prefer to have their stern conversation and giant-rat
all of those mentioned previously, along with ancient fight before their real heroic journey begins.
dragons, higher-CR giants, liches, and high-CR demons
and devils. And even at a high CR, a boss monster To build challenging encounters at these levels, GMs
almost certainly wants some friends to defend against the must customize those encounters around the powers and
characters. capabilities of the characters, and such battles can take
a long time to run. (“Building Challenging High-Level
17TH TO 20TH LEVEL Encounters,” page 86, has information and advice on
these sorts of encounters.)
From 17th level up, the characters are just short of
At these levels, characters can take on huge numbers of
god-like. They travel across worlds. They can often
foes below CR 5, large groups of CR 6 to CR 10, medium-
easily defeat any single monster of any challenge rating
sized groups of CR 11 to CR 15, and bosses of CR 22 and
unless the GM customizes that monster to face them.
above. Characters at these levels can fight—and triumph
Characters at the highest levels have the strongest
over—any monster in 5e, even when partnered with other
defenses imaginable, letting them absorb tremendous
monsters.
amounts of damage and wave off most detrimental effects. 75
 BUILDING ENGAGING
ENCOUNTERS
An engaging encounter is one that makes the players take engaging. An encounter with the zealots who attacked the
notice. They lean forward in their seats. They talk to each caravan from a previous scene? Much more engaging.
other excitedly. They come up with plans, interact with
scene elements, and stay focused as the scene develops.
FOES
But how do we achieve this? Certain monsters and types of monsters can provide
This section looks at the types of elements in an engagement in their own right. They might have
encounter that can serve as sources for engagement. It surprising features, story importance, interesting
then discusses the types of engagement we can tie to those roleplaying potential, or other compelling aspects.
elements, evoking in the players a desire to take action. ACTIONABLE FEATURES
WHAT DOESN’T ENGAGE? Encounter features that can be manipulated catch the eye
of players and characters alike. The more the interaction
Many aspects of a fantasy roleplaying game are fun but
feels rewarding, necessary, or interesting, the greater the
not necessarily engaging. This is especially true of the
engagement.
many repetitive elements of the game. A spellcaster
A rewarding feature is one that provides a benefit in
attacks with their cantrip. A rogue hides. The dwarf
combat. A statue might look obviously unstable as it
fighter attacks with her battleaxe. Players can do these
looms over a foe—inviting the characters to topple it onto
things, have fun, and be disconnected from play at the
that foe. An enemy spellcaster lobs spells from a raised
same time. A player might roll their dice, then go back to
platform, but a block-and-tackle can allow a character to
their phone.
reach the top of the platform. Archers fire on the party
Similarly, an encounter element can fail to engage. A
from an unreachable position, but furnishings can be
trap fires an arrow, but the players smartly
conclude that it isn’t a priority and agree to
ignore it for a time. That’s fine if the role
of the trap was solely to add a bit more
damage. But it’s lackluster if the trap
was supposed to engage the players.
Likewise, a GM might imagine an
encounter with a pack of gnoll reavers
as fearsome, but can clearly see that the
players aren’t on the edge of their seats.
Monster concepts, and even monsters with
fun stat blocks, are sometimes not enough
engagement on their own.

ENCOUNTER ELEMENTS
PROVIDING ENGAGEMENT
To create an encounter to which the characters
can fully respond, it’s good to break the
encounter down initially into its component
parts. Think about which elements can fit your
encounter concept—but be aware that you don’t
want to overwhelm the encounter with too many
engaging elements. Rather, look for the specific
elements that match the feel of the encounter best.
ENCOUNTER PREMISE
The premise of an encounter dictates from the start
how significant it is for the players. An encounter
with goblin religious zealots might or might not be
DANNY PAVLOV

76
turned on their sides to provide cover. The clearer the a battle on the edge of a ravine filled with molten lava
payoff of a feature, the more likely the engagement. can take on story relevance when a character spots an
Necessary features are ones that the characters important item they need sitting perilously close to the
immediately understand they must make use of during edge of the ravine.
an encounter. For example, planks next to a ravine must Story relevance can be an important add-on to random
be turned into a bridge to get to the other side to reach encounters, even beyond what such encounters can tell
enemies. Magic pillars must be interacted with to bring the characters and players about the world. Players pay
down a force field protecting a spellcaster. A vial of liquid attention when a random encounter features a direct
labeled “Sleep Potion” appears near a huge monstrosity connection to the villain they’ve been chasing, a clue they
who appears impervious to spells and weapons. need to obtain, or an NPC they care about who is in peril.
Interesting features are those that are as much fun
for the players to figure out as for the characters—or
PERSONAL OR GROUP GOALS
sometimes even more so. If an angry beast is held in An encounter has greater engagement when it ties to goals
a cage and the key is in the lock, it isn’t clear whether the players and their characters care about. A specific
letting the beast loose will help the party—but it sure is player might have a backstory to which an encounter
interesting! A lever on a wall bears a sign saying: “Pull element can be tied. A long-lost journal, information
when in danger.” An unlabeled potion sits on a table about a missing sibling, or a clue to the location of
halfway between the foes and the characters, and the foes a treasure they once lost can all engage individual
appear intent on seizing it first. characters.
The characters might also have goals as a group.
LOCATION AND TERRAIN Needing to earn the trust of a city’s rulers might be
The location of an encounter can easily drive engagement. necessary to gain permission to build a keep in the area.
A battle across a ravine filled with molten lava tends to So if the characters happen upon a spy who just murdered
wake the players up. A choice between using a swaying one of those rulers, the stakes are that much more
rope bridge to cross a ravine or take a longer but safer engaging.
path around it forces a decision.
AN ADVANTAGE OR OPPORTUNITY
BENEFITS AND TREASURE Encounters can provide clear boons the characters can
The presence of an obvious benefit engages players. To utilize or turn to their advantage. A barrel of lamp oil
reach the golden chest, the foes must first be defeated. is discovered, one room away from an enormous troll.
A noble shouts a promise of a reward if the characters A chandelier has a rope tied to it, ready for someone to
save them from an imminent threat. A foe fights with a swing across the area. A cavern features only sleeping
glowing longsword that promises unusual power to the foes, who stay that way if the characters can cross the
character who claims it. debris-strewn floor without making noise.

TYPES OF ENGAGEMENT THE UNEXPECTED

As you consider sources of engagement for your An encounter can grab everyone’s attention when an
encounters, also consider what types of engagement those encounter element is surprising or unusual—especially
encounter elements can provide. the encounter premise. Approaching a guardroom, the
characters hear goblin and human guards having a heated
STORY RELEVANCE argument that threatens a fight. In response, the players
Story relevance ties one or more encounter elements to can discuss how to use the conflict to their advantage
the arc of the adventure or the campaign. This relevance as they try to sneak past—or to goad the two sides into
is often tied to the encounter premise, but it can link to fighting each other.
other encounter elements as well. During a battle with Surprises can also be revealed during an encounter.
ruffians in a city, a character notes a foe’s tattoo—a symbol A young kraken might molt, shedding their skin and
associated with the secretive cult the party has been trying becoming larger and more capable as you add several new
to find. Suddenly, the foe has story relevance. Similarly, features to their stat block. Or an earthquake might strike
underground, threatening to throw all the characters into
a lava-filled ravine. In a dungeon, a foe pulls a lever and
START STRONG a wall begins to drop, closing off access to the treasure
Especially for experienced players with a wide knowledge of in 2 rounds unless the characters can reach it or stop the
what standard monsters can do, Scott likes to have monsters wall’s descent. Foes can also provide surprises by revealing
who play against type or immediately show off unusual traits information as they fight. What does the paladin do when
or abilities. This strong start can dial up the engagement in a an assassin says she’s tired of serving evil and offers to
hurry. follow them?

77
 scythe room.” Several rooms later, the characters find
FORESHADOWING VILLAINS a chamber filled with swinging scythes, making that
Mike likes to let characters hear tales of particular villains ahead encounter feel more engaging and less random because of
of time. The characters might encounter a captive, who tells of the earlier warning.
the fearsome gnoll captain Argvon the Black Foot. When the
characters later encounter a fearsome gnoll with one black PROVOCATION OR CHALLENGE
foot, they excitedly anticipate a challenge! A villain appears in court and whispers a challenge,
daring the characters to strike them down. An ogre
MYSTERIOUS OR INTRIGUING bellows that no foe has ever forced her to yield. A band
A mysterious encounter element is a promise that of goblins wear shirts saying “Unbeatable Goblin Fight
something will be revealed during the encounter, often Club.” Such provocations demand responses from the
in exchange for interaction and engagement. When a characters, and make a scene more memorable.
skeleton on the ground has an arm stretched toward one
of three levers sticking out of the wall, the characters and HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH?
players can discuss what this means. They can seek out An encounter with no engagement can be boring.
clues to tell them more, and hopefully learn enough to An encounter with too much engagement can be
make the exercise feel rewarding. overwhelming. When thinking about encounter elements
When facing creatures made of shadow, interacting that can create engagement, try to think through the
with a glowing source of light in the center of the room is perspective of the players when their characters first
likely to interest the characters. Likewise, when fighting enter the encounter. How much information is presented
an invisible foe in a chamber full of looking glasses and initially? How much additional information is presented
spectacles, the characters should be quick to suspect that as the encounter progresses? Is needing to process
interacting with those objects might let them discover a that information likely to help the characters during
way to reveal that foe. the encounter? Or will it cause the players to become
disengaged because they can’t keep track of everything
TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE going on around the party?
Characters and players can have fun interacting with As a rule of thumb, select no more than two or three
a situation that feels like an obvious setup. The players types of engagement for an encounter, and apply them
might second-guess themselves and trigger the setup sparingly. One goblin warlord issuing a challenge
anyway, or they might find clever ways to turn the can create a memorable scene. But that scene loses
situation against others. For example, a dungeon doorway engagement if the characters are already trying to
leads into an open-air garden, the warm sun visible swing on a chandelier, disarm a trap, and save a beloved
overhead. That can’t be possible, and the characters know NPC. Similarly, if every goblin in the war band issues a
it. Or an enemy on the far side of a room might flip a lever challenge to different characters, the engagement becomes
that activates a trap. Another lever near the characters has repetitive and harder to track. Less is more!
an inscription on the wall above it that reads, “Turn Off Engagement can also be overwhelming for you as a
Trap”—but the characters might suspect that pulling that GM. When GMs have to track too many variables, it can
second lever will only make the trap worse. become harder to also look after all the other parts of
the game, including roleplaying the foes, remembering
IMPENDING DOOM
character backstory, and running monsters tactically.
An obvious problem that gets worse over time creates Using whatever level of engagement you’re able to run
pressure and begs for action. An hourglass secured to a most effectively will help make that engagement fun for
wall rotates, the sand slowly running out—but what must you too.
the characters do in response? A shadowy form pushes As you create encounters and try out different methods
against a membrane, threatening to break through at any for increasing engagement, also keep an eye on what
moment. A gang of kobold inventors are assembling a works for your group. Some players like a simpler game,
huge trap or weapon, and will be able to use it against the while others will embrace complexity and enjoy trying
heroes in just a few rounds. Such clear signs of impending to track all the things they can do in an encounter. Over
doom provide a clarion call to action. time, you can modify your approach to find the best
FORESHADOWING common-ground fit between your preferred style and that
of your players.
When the characters have heard of a particular monster
or dungeon feature ahead of time, finally reaching that
foreshadowed element makes a big impression. A torn
journal in a dungeon corridor might record the account
of other adventurers who barely survived “the deadly

78
BUILDING ENGAGING
ENVIRONMENTS
Engaging environments are ones in which the terrain, to divide their tactics, with some going after the kobold
features, layout, and other elements excite players archers. Likewise, spreading all ten kobolds around the
and characters alike. In this section, we take a look room, perhaps in groups of two, forces the characters to
at the locations we choose for our battles, and the split up. This could leave them open for a surprise the
art of encouraging the characters to interact with the kobolds have planned, such as getting ready to use nets or
environment. standing on the far side of concealed pit traps.
For all these options, needing to decide what to do
REINFORCING STORY can engage the players, encouraging them to develop
When designing an encounter, consider the natural strategies and communicate with each other.
habitat of the foes in that encounter. The right
MOVEMENT
environment can reinforce the theme of the encounter
and enhance the story by creating a more realistic and An excellent skill to develop as a GM is understanding
engrossing setting. how an encounter drives, facilitates, or impedes
For example, in an encounter with several giant apes, movement. Consider an encounter with interesting
it’s almost mandatory for the encounter area to include features, but in which the monsters quickly run up to the
trees and vines from which the apes can swing down and characters and the fight ends up centered on the doorway
attack. Such an environment provides engagement as the into the area. To avoid this, consider the width of the
characters deal with the apes’ ability to climb out of reach entrance and the distances between the door, the foes, and
and move from branch to branch. the engaging aspects of the environment.
Even if an expected or ideal environment isn’t available, Moving foes back from the entrance allows characters
you can play off the baseline concept. Giant apes in a to get fully inside an encounter area. In many cases, it can
canyon could climb rocky pillars and navigate narrow be advantageous to start an encounter without obvious
rock ledges, providing the same advantages and attack foes, making it more likely that the characters will enter
options outside of a forest environment, and helping the the area—after which combat can begin. Gargoyles might
story resonate with and engage the players. wait until characters start to explore the interior of an
However, when selecting an environment, make old temple before revealing themselves. A group of gnoll
sure that what fits the story doesn’t hinder the fun. An sentries can enter a great hall from another door once the
encounter with giant frogs in pools or a swamp makes characters reach the center of that area.
great sense. But if the pools are so deep that the characters Once an encounter is underway, provide incentives to
can’t easily approach the frogs, the encounter could entice characters to move. An engaging environment can
become frustrating. Adding giant lily pads increases help, but think through all the lines of travel that exist in
engagement and reduces frustration, while still presenting an area. Are there bottlenecks where fights will impede
the thematically appropriate challenge. movement? Are there enough ways to reach key areas of
the encounter? How many 30-foot moves are required
TACTICAL ENGAGEMENT to reach those key areas? You don’t necessarily want
An environment that provides a tactical advantage almost to remove all elements that impede the characters, but
always creates engagement. This can be true regardless of providing ways to speed up travel or bypass bottlenecks
whether the environment favors the foes, the characters, can encourage movement.
or both. When providing a tactical advantage, think Forced movement can also provide good engagement.
of the benefit and how it might be countered, as with A monster who can use telekinesis, grasping tentacles, or
the examples below. (You can find additional ideas for some other means of dragging characters closer to desired
engagement in “Building Engaging Encounters” on page locations (including closer to themself) ensures that the
76.) characters will interact with the environment, whether as

FORMATION
STACK THE DECK
What the characters see when an encounter starts informs
Scott notes that GMs can easily entice players to take a
how they approach the encounter. If ten kobolds are in
particular course of action by giving their characters a tangible
the center of a room, the characters might opt to initially
benefit if they do so. Characters might not be inclined to take
engage with area spells and effects. Melee characters
the time to navigate stairs to reach a boss monster—unless the
lacking those options will rush forward, engaging the
stairs also provide half cover against attacks from the boss’s
closest foes.
minions, creating an environmental benefit that makes that
But if five of the kobolds are in the center of the room
route a more attractive option.
and five are farther back using bows, the tactics change.
Area spells are still useful, but the characters might want
79
 to reach their foes. But there are also times when placing
UNREALISTIC SIZES ARE OKAY foes out of reach works well, as doing so can let ranged
Scott points out that the goals of facilitating roles and enabling and spellcasting heroes shine.
movement often require larger encounter areas than would If melee characters are expected to try to reach the
be found in real life—and that this is fine. A 30-by-30-foot high ground, set up ways for them to do so in 1 round,
chamber is large in our world, but might work perfectly with and don’t create a scenario where they spend most of the
the backstory of a fantastic location to allow for monsters and combat running from foe to foe. Even risky ways to move,
characters to interact properly. such as making an ability check to ascend to a warehouse
Similarly, Teos points out that a 5-foot-wide corridor works balcony using a pulley, work better than spending
just fine for real people walking, but can be too narrow for successive rounds on movement.
the combat-focused reality of the game. This is because Both elevation and cover are excellent ways to boost
moving through a space containing an ally requires twice the survivability. Because spellcasting foes often have fewer
movement. As such, a 5-foot corridor can hinder any attempts hit points and can be easily pinned down in open terrain,
for characters or monsters to reposition or move tactically, and allowing spellcasting foes to begin combat hidden behind
should generally not be used anywhere that combat might cover causes characters to focus on other targets initially.
take place. Once the spellcaster takes their actions, the heroes can
change tactics to respond to the newly revealed threat.
a result of forced movement or of trying to stay out of the And whereas needing to spend 2 rounds to reach a
reach of a creature who can move them. goblin is usually frustrating, spending 2 rounds to reach a
FACILITATE ROLES dangerous spellcaster might be a worthwhile option for a
melee hero.
Even though monsters in 5e games don’t have defined
Cover is also a boon to any foes or characters who
roles (controller, defender, and so forth), you can always
benefit from stealth. A rogue always appreciates
think about the effect a monster’s stats have on the role
environments allowing them to hide, just as foes who
it plays in combat, then use the environment to facilitate
work best as lurkers or skirmishers can benefit from cover
that role.
and being able to fall back to hard-to-reach places.
A monster with high hit points or Armor Class
should go to the front, drawing the heroes’ attention and ENGAGING ELEMENTS
soaking up the damage that would otherwise reach more
Specific elements in the environment can help engage the
important monsters. A chokepoint forces heroes to work
players during an encounter, especially when the source of
through these combat-focused foes first. Monsters who
engagement gives the characters an edge. When designing
deal high damage, especially those with high mobility, can
encounters, look for opportunities to add dynamic
engage key heroes in the middle or rear party ranks and
elements that fit the location and reward interaction.
then move away to safety.
The environment facilitates this approach to monster DAMAGING OR HINDERING TERRAIN
roles when it provides ways for monsters to reach their In a forest frequented by fey creatures, the vegetation
intended targets. Likewise, monsters who hide should might grab at characters, slowing or restraining them.
be given cover so they can maximize their potential for A fight atop a volcano might feature pools of glowing
ambush. And monsters who can boost allies or attack at magma that damage any creature moving through them.
a distance should be given enough space to do so while When selecting such terrain, consider where to place
maneuvering to stay away from the characters. it in an encounter. Think through the likely routes
(For a look at how to more formally apply monster creatures will take during combat, and how to create or
roles to your game, see “Monster Roles” on page 22. break up obvious movement patterns to generate options
“Reskinning Monsters” on page 50 also makes use of or force particular behavior. Pools of lava might force
monster roles.) melee characters to spend time reaching foes, or might
ELEVATION AND COVER encourage them to focus on high-AC foes in front of
them, helping to protect vulnerable foes farther away.
Even easily defeated foes such as kobolds and goblins
When hindering or damaging terrain is obvious, the
become harder to take on if some of them are placed on
players can freely discuss options when the encounter
higher ground and behind cover. Similarly, providing
begins. Terrain can also be revealed during play when
characters with the benefits of elevation or cover can
it impacts a creature, though it’s often more effective to
allow them to take on stronger foes or additional waves of
hint at the terrain’s unusual nature and encourage ability
weak foes.
checks that can reveal its effects. “The vegetation is
When adding elevation, consider how one or both sides
moving, as if blown about by a wind you can’t sense” can
can use it, and how creatures can reach elevated areas.
inspire a player to ask if they can learn more, followed
Stairs or other means of access that are difficult terrain
by an Intelligence (Nature) or Wisdom (Survival) check
might require several rounds of movement. Many players
to determine the terrain’s effects. If the check fails, the
would rather have their characters stay below and make
80 inefficient ranged attacks than spend 2 or more rounds
 creature can drink to gain a benefit, a fact the characters
LEVEL MATTERS learn while observing their foes.
Damaging and hindering terrain can be exciting, but Scott Providing an obvious element meant to boost foes can
notes that they often have a disproportionate impact on also be interesting if the characters are allowed to prevent
lower-level characters, who often lack ways to mitigate its use. If kobold brigands begin an encounter near a siege
hindering terrain or come up short on the hit points needed weapon but their ammunition is some distance away, the
to weather continued damage. At the same time, high- characters have the ability to prevent the kobolds from
level characters might see such terrain as little more than a loading the weapon.
resource tax, requiring a couple of relatively low-level spells
or readily available class features to deal with. As such, setting DEFENSES
up engaging terrain at lower or higher levels often requires Encounter elements offering a defensive benefit can
additional work to maintain the story and the challenge. likewise provide solid engagement. If heroes are targeted
by ranged attackers, they might be in trouble if they have
character must decide whether to risk crossing the area to no cover. But a nearby clockwork fan has a large crank
learn what it does the hard way. that can be turned to create a wind that blows away
To create damaging terrain, you can use magic of a incoming arrows, and forces the foes to approach with
level the characters or their foes might use as inspiration, melee weapons.
including spells such as spike growth, entangle, grease, Defenses can be interesting when they have a limited
or sleet storm. You can also use the guidelines in the 5e duration or a means to disable them. An arcane shield
Dungeon Master’s Guide for creating traps, using the tables might protect an enemy spellcaster until special runes can
to determine how much damage terrain might deal. be removed from four pillars in the area. The fell undead
in a ruined temple regenerate all damage until a corrupted
FACILITATING OR DENYING
relic is restored by bathing it in holy water. The trick is
MOVEMENT
to provide ways the characters can discover this. If the
Swinging from a chandelier is great fun, and is more relic or the runes pulse with magical energy whenever
likely to become part of a scene when you point out the a foe would have taken damage, that can provide a clear
chandelier and the rope attached to it in an encounter indication to the heroes of what kind of power is in play.
area. Characters are more likely to cut a rope bridge the Mundane defenses can work just as well for creating
monsters are using when you describe how old the bridge engagement. A ritual is being conducted behind a closed
looks and how its ropes are fraying. door that the characters must get through, but monsters
Likewise, adding elements that make movement stand in the way. A pack of undead is on the move, but
easier increases the dynamic nature of the encounter the adventurers can loosen and drop a rusted portcullis
environment. Bridges, ropes, teleporters, slides, and to slow the horde’s approach. If ranged combatants stand
ramps can all add interest and engagement, helping on the other side of a ravine, the characters might topple
facilitate the use of the entire encounter area. a tree or move wooden planks to create a bridge. And
Such environmental elements can also change the tide if a red dragon breathes fire from above, the characters
of an encounter. The foes might start with the advantage can hide in one of two ruined homes—but each time the
of higher ground, but heroes who can pile up a number dragon breathes, that home will burn, preventing it from
of convenient crates can reach those foes. Or an area being used as cover a second time.
could feature ladders or even a trampoline the heroes can
utilize. When foes are attacking from a hayloft, a barrel
of torches can allow characters to turn the tables, lighting CHARACTERS ACT DEFENSIVELY
the loft on fire and forcing the creatures above to descend. Mike notes that players often have their characters act
defensively by default. As a result, giving the characters
ATTACKS AND POWER-UPS more defenses can cause play to become less dynamic if
An encounter environment can include elements that those defenses provide an incentive to hunker down in
provide or boost offensive capabilities. A siege weapon one place. To counter this, consider ways for additional
might add a potent way for characters to damage a giant, defenses to eventually break down, as with a monster tearing
or provide the means to tear down cover. In a bar fight, through cover or a magic circle in the process of fading out.
broken bottles can serve as improvised weapons, and Alternatively, create reasons why the characters can use the
alcohol spilled on the bar’s surface might be lit on fire. defenses only periodically.
Such elements can be even more fun when they initially Scott likewise points out that providing defensive-minded
favor foes but can eventually be used by the characters. characters with alternative—as opposed to additional—ways
Spellcasting foes might benefit from an arcane circle to defend themselves can help with this problem, especially
boosting their spells, until the heroes drive them back if those additional means of defense require or encourage
and make use of the circle’s magic themselves. A table movement.
in an alchemist’s laboratory might hold potions that any

81
 FIFTEEN ENGAGING CONTROLLED MOVEMENT
ENVIRONMENTS In a dwarven fortress, a central chamber set with levers
Presented below are fifteen examples of environments allows foes to open and close different sections of narrow
containing elements meant to engage your players and corridors, enabling dwarf guards to attack the characters
their characters. You can use any of these examples as is, and then retreat. Once the heroes reach the central
or as inspiration for creating your own environments. chamber, they can take control and dictate the conditions
of the battle.
SLIP AND SLIDE
FIRE BRIGADE
Frost-covered terrain features ramps shaped of ice, letting
foes or heroes quickly move across a battlefield that would During a battle in a burning building, in addition to
otherwise be difficult terrain. their normal actions, each creature can attempt to either
prevent the fire from approaching them or cause it to
ALCHEMY LAB spread toward their foes.
In an alchemist’s laboratory, any missed attack causes STAY DRY
bottles to break and spill, creating a range of short-term
hazards. While the characters fight in a sewer canal, it suddenly
begins to fill with water. Ramps and other devices can be
VERTICAL ACCESS climbed to keep the fight going.
Within a wizard’s tower, each level contains a narrow MARKETPLACE BRAWL
circular ledge beneath open ceiling along the inside wall,
creating a space from which the other levels can be seen. A marketplace erupts in an exciting battle. Errant blows
Teleportation alcoves on each ledge allow the fight to span might knock over stacks of crates to hinder the characters
several levels at the same time. or their foes, sacks of flour might split open to create
obscuring and flammable clouds, or angry merchants
SHIFTING FLOOR could enter the fray to demand that the characters pay for
A construction site features automated clockwork cranes damaged goods.
that move sections of the floor during a battle, and which PIT PUSH
suddenly bring different areas of the encounter together
or move them apart. The characters understand that they Multiple pits are set into the floors of a chamber where
can learn to manipulate the cranes, giving them control the walls shoot inward each round, potentially knocking
over the battlefield. creatures into a pit. It’s possible for the characters to
determine which walls will move next, and how far, so as
STEP LIGHTLY to find a safe place to fight.
While exploring a swamp, the characters quickly discover KING OF THE HILL
that what seems to be solid ground is actually a sleeping
tentacle beast. Missing with an attack or moving without A battle takes place along the outside of a pyramid, with
care causes the beast to strike. those atop the pyramid gaining a bonus to attack and
damage rolls, whether from magic or from the cheers of
CRYPT SHORTCUTS a crowd below. The uneven top of the pyramid has space
A battle unfolds in an abandoned crypt filled with secret for only four creatures, and creatures on the top can be
passages. The passages allow rapid maneuvering from one pushed off with successful blows, leading to constant
side of the fight to the other, but a few of them contain change at the top.
undead that dislike being disturbed. The presence of GEYSER RIDES
undead is random, and either side might trigger their
appearance. Geysers erupt in a cavern at unpredictable intervals,
sending creatures flying upward and spraying them with
DOWN TO EARTH scalding water. However, riding a geyser also allows
Enemies start the fight atop a wooden platform, letting creatures to reach the mushrooms growing on the cavern
them attack with ranged weapons from cover. However, ceiling, which provide magical benefits.
the heroes can cut the supports, causing their foes to take
falling damage as they crash down to the characters’ level.
WHITE WATER
A battle takes place on rafts heading down a river. Each
round brings a new threat from the environment, such
as low branches forcing all creatures to duck or take
damage, or fast-moving rapids requiring an ability check
to navigate.
82
 ASSESSING A PUBLISHED
ENCOUNTER
Despite all the care designers take, no published Which are the Key Sections? Which sections receive the
adventure is perfect. It’s impossible for the encounters most emphasis? In one encounter, terrain might receive
in an adventure to fit every group’s preferences, or to be a lot of emphasis. In another, the encounter’s focus is
playtested for the way every group of characters might the characters’ goals and how the monsters try to thwart
approach them. Designers recognize that there’s no way to them.
flawlessly select monsters, motivations, and engagement Where is the Fun? Ideally, the key sections also drive
that will work for every table. So they make use of flexible the fun—within the context of what that means to your
design to encourage GMs to personalize a published players. Ask yourself which sections excite you as a GM,
adventure’s encounters. because those will probably also be the ones to excite your
GMs didn’t always understand or even know this, players. You want to lean into those sections during play.
however. Historically, earlier editions of D&D carried a What’s Confusing? Sections that read poorly, are
mistaken sense that the words on the page were somehow confusing, or appear overly complex during a quick skim
sacred. “That’s the way the encounter is written,” was used might simply need review to fully understand them.
as an excuse to explain why an encounter didn’t work However, confusion can also be a sign that a section
well. doesn’t fit your play style. Note these sections for later
Using a published encounter offers many benefits. But review.
recognizing that published encounters are imperfect, What’s Missing? Is the encounter missing sections?
GMs must also accept the responsibility to tailor them Does it fail to mention what the monsters do, or lack
to our own needs. We want to learn how to assess what details for the environment and terrain? Does it seem too
an encounter offers, and the changes we can make to simple or lack fun? Make a note of these gaps.
improve how it runs at our table. Here’s how.

FIRST LOOK
When reviewing an encounter in a published adventure,
start by quickly skimming it from start to finish. Note
the major sections and what they tell you, at a high level,
about the encounter. Published encounters (particularly
encounters featuring combat) often have one or more of
the following sections, roughly in this order:
• Introduction or overview for the GM
• Descriptive text to read aloud for the players
• Lighting, ceiling or canopy heights, sounds and smells,
and other environmental information
• Goals or other story information not in the
introduction
• Terrain mechanics
• Features that the monsters or
characters might use
• Lists of monsters and traps
• Monster tactics or scaling
• Monster or NPC motivations and
roleplaying guidance
• Developments or phases of play
• Rewards and treasure
• Information for moving on to the
next adventure section
A quick glance over the
encounter’s sections can help
you understand the encounter
framework. Then ask yourself
the following questions.
ALLIE BRIGGS

83
 Consider which lore aspects are known to the heroes.
WHAT’S MISSING THAT EXCITES An ogre mercenary makes a straightforward foe,
YOU? recognizable on sight. You can describe their massive
Scott notes that we don’t have to focus on every one of these muscles and stature to emphasize their nature. Any
questions as GMs. Another way to approach our first read is to adventurer should know that a giant spider is dangerous,
look for the sections that normally excite you or are best for so you can freely describe the venom dripping from
your style of play. For example, if you like tactical encounters, their fangs to heighten the sense of danger. Low-level
you might specifically look for monster tactics and terrain. If adventurers probably won’t recognize what a cockatrice
you love roleplaying and exploration, you’ll look for creature can do, so you might instead describe the coloration of
motivations, lore, and interesting features. By using this their plumage and leave their capability for petrification
approach, you’ll be sure to focus on the elements you enjoy as a surprise to be experienced during play.
most, and can add those elements where they’re missing. Monster Stat Block. As described in “Reading the
Monster Stat Block” (page 102), you can review monsters
Does This Fit the Story? Does the encounter fit the in an encounter to understand how they operate, gauge
adventure, your campaign, and the developing stories of their strengths and weaknesses, and think about how to
the characters? make the most of their capabilities.
Does It Inspire Other Ideas? As you read, you might Whenever a monster uses a combination of actions
be inspired to add a plot twist, a new creature, or another or features to be effective, you want to highlight that on
element to the encounter. Or a published encounter might their stat block. You also want to look for intersection
give you an idea for another encounter you want to create, points between different monster types. If one foe knocks
perhaps tying into the published encounter through creatures prone, this benefits another creature with many
theme or plot. melee attacks, since they can now gain advantage on
each of those attacks. Conversely, creatures might have
SECOND READ features, actions, or spells not worth using. You can cross
After an initial skim, go back and read the encounter fully. those out to make your foes easier to run.
Some GMs like to do this immediately, while others prefer In general, ask yourself what makes a stat block
to give it a bit of time (even a day or two) for initial ideas interesting in the context of the encounter. If certain
to settle. aspects aren’t interesting, you can mark them up to
A second read prepares you to run the encounter, and change them, or add to them using the monster powers
might correct some aspects of your initial assessment. in “Building a Quick Monster” (page 4), “Monster
Something you thought was confusing might become Powers” (page 15), and “Monster Roles” (page 22).
clear, or a perceived deficiency might actually turn out For complex monsters, consider assigning specific
to be a strength. You might also confirm aspects of your features to particular rounds. An undead wizard might
initial assessment. You can make notes in the margins, blast characters with a fireball spell on the first round, use
underline or highlight text, or make notes in a separate a fear-based action on the second round, and then close
document to help you when you run the encounter. to use their life-draining melee attacks on characters not
During this second assessment, you want to focus affected by fear.
particularly on the following key aspects of the encounter. Goals and Tactics. An encounter might have creatures
performing unusual goals or employing specific tactics. If
ASSESSING THE FOES
not, you want to review the stat blocks and lore to create
In a few cases, the monsters, NPCs, and other foes aren’t appropriate goals compatible with the encounter.
the key to an encounter. If this happens, you can decide Encounters often feature more than one type of
not to worry about those foes, as they aren’t critical to the creature—hobgoblin gladiators fighting alongside an ogre
fun. For most encounters, though, the foes are a key part battle master, for example. You can examine these pairings
of the action. You therefore want to assess them carefully. and what makes them interesting, starting with whether
Lore and Story. It’s worth reviewing the lore behind allied foes have slightly different goals and tactics. You can
creatures appearing in a published encounter. Monster then highlight the differences during play, adding interest
lore can offer valuable information about a creature’s and realism to the encounter.
mannerisms and preferences, which you might otherwise Environment and Engagement. You can review how
forget. By reviewing monster lore, you get into the heads creatures fit into an encounter’s environment, and how
of those foes, and can better understand how they fit those creatures engage the players. If an encounter offers
into the story of the encounter, the adventure, and the this information, then review these aspects to make the
campaign. most of them during play. You might make a note next
to the stat block such as, “The ogre will try to destroy the
bridge,” or “The bandits use the ropes to move between
levels.”

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 If the environment doesn’t fit the monsters well or whether the encounter gives the characters reasons to try
their engagement with the environment is low, you can this. If anything that should be clear isn’t, you can make
add those details. “Building Engaging Encounters” (page a note to clarify that during play, or add ways that the
76) and “Building Engaging Environments” (page characters can learn the information.
79) have all the information you need to make those Some elements of the encounter might initially be
adjustments. hidden or unclear, with the intention of having those
Challenge Level. You can assess the overall challenge elements revealed during play. You should make a note
level of monsters based on their CR and the number of such elements, and think through the conditions
appearing, using the tables in “Monster Combinations for by which characters can discover them, or when they
a Hard Challenge” (page 67) or the information in the should be surprised by them. It’s okay if characters spoil a
“Lazy Encounter Benchmark” (page 70). You can then surprise through clever or lucky play, so always keep that
assess whether the encounter utilizes the monsters to their possibility in mind as well.
typical potential, or even above that potential. Developments are often events that take place after
For example, if normally weak gnome archers are the first round of combat—making them easy to forget
placed behind cover in a place the heroes can’t easily during play. To prevent this, make a note of when a
reach, you might treat the challenge level as higher—a development occurs, and place the note where you’ll see
medium encounter becoming hard, or a hard encounter it. For example, if a fog rolls in at the start of round 2, you
becoming deadly. You can then consider how that might add an entry to the initiative tracker reminding you
challenge level fits the resources the characters have of that. As noted earlier, for complex monsters, you might
available, and whether an encounter under those want to assign specific actions to particular rounds. And
circumstances will be fun. if certain creatures surrender when reduced to below half
If a different challenge level would work better, you their hit points, you might write that next to their stat
can make adjustments. Some published encounters come blocks.
with scaling advice—information on how to adjust the If an encounter is simple, you can consider possible
encounter for weaker or stronger characters—which developments for it. A foe might issue a challenge or
you can use to make changes. If not, you can make your share interesting information at a particular time. Making
own changes, or add features to monsters to increase the a note of this can help keep you from forgetting the
challenge. “Monster Difficulty Dials” (page 27) talks development.
about making adjustments to encounter difficulty on the
fly. “Building a Quick Monster” (page 4), “Monster
MINIATURES, MAPS, AND TERRAIN
Powers” (page 15), and “Monster Roles” (page 22) If you play with miniatures and maps or crafted terrain,
present lots of options for adding features to monsters. your read-through of an encounter should also assess
And challenge level is discussed in more detail in how best to portray the encounter physically. You don’t
“Defining Challenge Level” (page 105). need perfect miniatures or maps to have a great time,
but choosing miniatures effectively can help clarify who’s
SURPRISES AND DEVELOPMENTS involved in a battle. Can the players tell two groups of
When preparing an encounter, you want to differentiate creatures apart? If important terrain elements are featured
between what should be obvious to the characters initially, on the map, will those be clear? Can you use simple
and those elements that can be learned during the course tools like wooden blocks to signify elevation? A bit of
of the encounter. time spent in preparing miniatures, maps, and terrain
Aspects that should be known might need to be according to the specifications of the encounter can
clarified for characters. For example, if the published facilitate a great session.
encounter says negotiation is possible, you can review
ONLINE PLAY
You can ask similar questions for online play, selecting
EXITS AND ALTERNATIVE ENDINGS maps, creature tokens, and terrain markers that will
Scott advocates always checking a published encounter help players understand what they face and the options
for exit points and a range of possible endings, beyond available to them. When reviewing a published encounter,
the often-default expectation of all the foes—or all the ask yourself whether you can easily use a generic map
characters—being killed. Are the creatures in an encounter (a standard dungeon chamber, a default forest clearing,
likely to negotiate for surrender or offer an alliance? Will and so forth), or whether you want to look for a more
some of the creatures attempt to escape if overwhelmed? distinctive map and more detailed tokens to properly
Similarly, recognizing the difference between an encounter capture the features described in the encounter.
the characters can run from versus an encounter that demands
a fight to the finish can help you prepare for a range of
outcomes.

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 BUILDING CHALLENGING HIGH-
LEVEL ENCOUNTERS
As characters rise in level, many GMs find it harder and • Does the encounter engage the characters, giving them
harder to challenge those characters and their players. heroic and fun things to do?
Why is that? • Does the encounter matter? Are there choices with
Characters gain more features as they level than repercussions, opportunities for clever play, secrets to
monsters do, and the players choose many of those learn, plots to advance, and threats worth overcoming?
features carefully, if not optimally. Likewise, players hone • Are the decisions and actions epic, reflecting the
the use of their characters’ capabilities through repeated importance of the high-level heroes?
play, while GMs are often running higher-CR creatures At lower levels of play, a straightforward combat
for the first time. encounter can be exciting even when it’s not part of a
The game’s math also takes some of the blame. At low perfect story—because the risk of death creates its own
levels, monsters deal enough damage to kill characters story. So as the risk of death becomes mitigated at higher
outright, and the regular rules for building encounters levels, it becomes important for the GM to replace the
based on challenge rating often result in low-level narrative tension that the threat of death brings to the
encounters that can easily wipe an entire party out. At game.
high levels, the reverse is true. It can seem impossible for High-level play should therefore come with exciting
monsters to deal enough damage to threaten a character, story. The heroes are saving entire lands, if not the world
let alone kill one. or multiverse. Threats such as planar intrusions, the
So with all those factors in mind, let’s take a look at essential nature of magic becoming corrupted, or an
how we can build high-level encounters that will be ancient terror that can gain unstoppable power—if you
challenging, fun for the players, and fun for us to run. create an engaging story around such concepts, your
encounters will be fun regardless of whether the fights are
ANALYZING CHALLENGE hard or easy.
Challenging players and characters becomes easier if we
look at challenge as more than just hit points. It also helps CHALLENGE IS MORE THAN
if we understand our players and their characters, as well DAMAGE
as our own tendencies as GMs. Encounters inevitably become boring if the only
challenge the characters face is hit point loss. So by
STORY AND FUN ARE MORE remembering that challenge is more than damage, we
IMPORTANT can enable more ways to create engaging encounters that
In the quest for challenge, we should never forget what feel epic, especially as the characters gain levels and face
matters the most: whether the GM and the players are increasingly formidable threats.
having fun. Although a nail-biting encounter can be The basic nature of an encounter can make it seem
exciting, many players have even more fun with an easy challenging and rewarding, even if the combat ends up
win. Easy wins can make players feel awesome! being easy. Consider the following examples:
Story is one of the key ways to provide fun. A good • A mighty creature threatens to destroy a town or city
story resonates with the players. A game’s story is that is important to the heroes. Each round, in addition
more likely to be a good one when the players see their to their attacks, the creature also deals damage to
characters’ actions matter, when there are secrets to buildings. The faster the characters defeat the creature,
unravel, and when the characters’ goals and aspirations the more of the settlement they can save.
are woven into the game. If a fight is easy but has a • The villain is protected by an arcane energy field that
great story, that’s almost always preferable to having a greatly reduces incoming damage. Characters can
challenging fight with a so-so story. destroy the arcane engine, which hovers high above
The first step to making high-level play great is thus the ground. Flight and teleportation, as well as other
to create a great story alongside a fun and engaging capabilities, become part of the way to address the
encounter. That way, even if the encounter isn’t as challenge.
challenging as you might have hoped, the game session • The dragon the characters fight isn’t just flying—
can still be fun and interesting. Think about and ask they’re also ending each turn behind clouds. This puts
yourself the following questions when creating a high- spellcasters with the ability to cast control weather, or
level encounter, even before you work on making it other characters with similarly powerful mastery over
challenging: nature, in a position to cancel the dragon’s advantage.
• Are the monsters interesting, and fun to engage with? (“Lightning Rods” on page 44 has lots of ideas on
Do they do interesting things, and do they advance the how to customize creature traits and tactics to allow the
story? characters to show off—and to feel great doing so.)
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• As the heroes prepare to face the head of an enemy
army, they also must raise the spirits of their nation’s
IT’S NOT YOUR FAULT
people, and heal dozens of wounded soldiers so they Mike often talks about the “triangular growth of character
can return to the battle and keep the enemy from power” (discussed in “The Relative Weakness of High-CR
outflanking them. A scenario of this sort can challenge Monsters” on page 53). Characters don’t become stronger
players to come up with an inspiring speech, knowing linearly as they increase in level. They become vastly more
that the tide of battle might change if their speech is a powerful and capable. On his blog, Teos has analyzed the
good one. average hit points of characters and compared it to the average
damage of creatures in an encounter. As characters increase in
LEARNING OVER TIME level, foes appropriate for those characters fall farther behind.
As we run encounters as GMs, we can take measure of For example, a 12th-level party has somewhere around 375
what works and what doesn’t. By isolating what made an total hit points. The official rules state that a battle with a CR 16
encounter easy and how to change that, you can change creature should be a tough challenge, but such a creature deals
your approach to increase the challenge. “Building an average of 46 damage per round—meaning they need 8
Engaging Encounters” on page 76 has lots of ideas on rounds to defeat the heroes even if every attack hits!
this topic, in addition to the following examples.
Starting Distance. You might have been really excited toes. Similarly, characters who fight primarily at range
to use monsters who felt powerful for an encounter, only often avoid damage, but you can design surprises for them
to discover that most of them never got to do anything. as well. That obvious cover … it couldn’t possibly be an
Spells might have prevented some from acting, while advanced mimic who grapples and deals a ton of damage,
other creatures were cut down before they could reach the right? Surely not.
characters. So make a note on which types of monsters Smooth Operators. Some adventuring parties operate
become less effective when they start out grouped like a well-oiled machine. Each character has a role and
together and far from the characters. Then next time, plays it well. Make a note of this in your games. Usually,
test a way to place the monsters right among the heroes, it’s good to not just allow but to reward that kind of play.
perhaps cloaked by illusions or coming out of doors, But what happens when the character who bails others
crates, or thick underbrush. out of trouble is in trouble? When the healer can’t heal
Obvious Linchpin. You might spend time preparing a because healing magic doesn’t work in an encounter area?
powerful spellcaster mini-boss, setting them up at an altar, When the terrain restrains, making it hard for characters
guards before them, ready to tear into the characters with to move around? By playing against the characters’
their magic. The players, however, immediately focus fire. strengths, you can test what happens when the battle is
A few ranged attacks, spells and castings of counterspell, fought on your terms. However, this is a technique to be
and attacks by melee fighters with mobility—and your used sparingly. Otherwise, it can feel as though you’re
caster won’t get to do much. So make a note about being antagonistic toward the players by deliberately
how making the boss so high profile played against the countering their characters’ best combat options.
encounter setup, and think about providing the spellcaster What Works. Just as importantly, when a high-level
with some protection next time—an arcane barrier, a encounter is hard, you can examine that. Where were
shield guardian, resistances, and so forth—that can help the monsters in relation to the characters? What let the
prevent them from being taken down. Alternatively, you monsters be effective? How can you use this as a template
might have the caster appear from behind cover, making for future combats?
it likely that they get at least a round to cast a strong spell.
Darting behind full cover each time they cast could buy CHALLENGING HIGH-LEVEL
them a couple of rounds, and portals or other ways to CHARACTERS
move around to different areas of cover could protect You have a fun story. Your encounter challenges
them further. characters in ways other than damage. You’re analyzing
Unhittable Defense. A fearsome giant deals tremendous your games and learning as you play. Now it’s time to add
damage—if they can actually land a blow against the specific techniques to make your high-level encounters
characters. The one time you think you’ve actually hit more challenging.
the multiclassed tank, out comes a shield spell or a class
feature to make the attack miss. When this happens, make JUST ADD DAMAGE
a note of it. You want to reward the player of an optimized This sounds trite—and remember that challenge is about
character with their desired play experience, but when more than damage. But dialing up damage to boost the
you can’t count on hitting that character, you need more challenge for high-level characters is a good first step.
than one monster who hits hard, or ways for the hardest- If your encounters lack challenge, and especially if the
hitting monsters to reach other targets with lower ACs. players seem unimpressed, increase damage. A strong
When you want to challenge the tank in ways beyond blow, even if a character still has plenty of hit points, feels
weapon attacks, make use of damaging terrain, spells, dangerous. It wakes the players up.
illusions, and other complications to keep them on their
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 of combat, the grass begins to deal damage as well.
MORE THAN ONE BOSS OR (For more ideas on this topic, see “Building Engaging
MULTIPLE WAVES Environments” on page 79.)
Mike loves using two or even three bosses in one encounter!
When you take this approach, by describing each of the bosses KEEP THE HEROES BUSY
and showing off their capabilities, you can create an encounter When a bunch of high-level characters are dealing
with no obvious linchpin. significant damage, their foes can drop quickly. So
Similarly, Mike is a fan of waves of foes, as discussed in challenging encounters must find ways to tie up the
“Building and Running Boss Monsters” on page 31. The characters using more than just combat. This approach
characters might quickly defeat the spellcaster protected by functions like splitting the party, but all the characters are
guards, but when a second guard patrol then shows up, the present. They’re just pursuing more than the singular goal
loss of the first obvious linchpin isn’t as significant—and the of defeating enemies.
characters have expended the resources that enabled them To keep the heroes busy, consider any of the following
to take down the linchpin so quickly. Waves of foes from scenarios.
unexpected directions can also pressure the more fragile Save Something. The characters came to retrieve a holy
characters who hang back from battle, forcing a change in artifact or ancient tome—and during the battle, the item
tactics beyond just pummeling the obvious boss. is in danger. Maybe the fire used in a ritual grows out of
To make things even more interesting, the boss or linchpin control, and will destroy the item unless the characters
can arrive as part of a wave. Have the characters start out by do something. Or maybe a beloved NPC is dangling
battling guards, then have the boss arrive after resources have over a pit that looks like a giant maw. If the characters
been expended. must spend actions and resources to save someone or
something, it limits their ability to just fight monsters.
The easiest way to increase damage is to add more dice
to every attack a monster makes. If a foe deals 2d8 + 10
damage, try making that 3d8 + 10. If that’s not working,
try 4d8 + 20. If you’re comfortable doing so, you can
simply double a creature’s damage output if they need a
strong boost.
From a story perspective, you can
easily explain a change in a monster’s
damage as a response to something
the characters have done. When a
monster misses on their first attack,
they become enraged and start
to hit harder. When reduced to
half their hit points, a creature’s
tenacious nature drives them to hit
harder in an effort to stay alive.
You can also add one or more
monster powers (see “Building
a Quick Monster” on page 4,
“Monster Powers” on page 15,
and “Monster Roles” on page 22)
to increase the damage dealt by key
foes. If a foe hits hard but only takes
on single targets, add an aura so they
deal damage to every character who
comes near. You can also add a power
that gives an additional attack, or
even one that deals damage when a
creature dies, either exploding or
leaking lethal energy.
You can add damage in an
encounter from sources other than
creatures as well. If your original idea
MATT MORROW

for a warped Outer Planes landscape

was to have colored grass that restrains the
characters, you might decide that on the second round
88
 Activate or Disarm. A terrible trap drains the
characters’ life essence until it is disarmed. Four pillars
CAN YOU WEAR IT? CAN IT BE A
around the encounter area must be deactivated to bring MOUNT?
down the arcane shield protecting the villain. Any device Talking of mounts reminds Teos of some of the surprises
that needs to be shut down during a fight can keep organized play has provided. A fire giant with a pyrohydra
the characters busy—with the location of the device “backpack” they carried, the hydra’s heads breathing fire in
made difficult to reach, whether it’s floating in midair, every direction. Druids using Wild Shape to serve as mounts
surrounded by damaging terrain, or accessible only for powerful creatures. Teleporting creatures carrying foes into
through a portal that must be activated before use. battle, and then far away to safety. High-level encounters are a
Penalty Box. A glyph or other magic could put a great time to get a bit weird, because the characters can likely
character into a maze spell or take them to a pocket survive even if you accidentally push a concept too far. Plus the
dimension where they face a challenge before returning. unusual nature of such an encounter will surprise the players
Stepping on the wrong flagstone might teleport a and engage them.
character into a sarcophagus. A lot of monsters can
swallow characters, limiting their actions for a time. All challenging, build encounters as though the party had six
these scenarios are effective ways of isolating characters characters—or even more characters, until you find the
and keeping them busy, but you want to make sure right balance. This technique can easily be used with most
they’re fun. Perhaps while within the belly of a monster, online encounter-creation tools.
a character finds an unexpected treasure. The inside of a CUNNING TACTICS
sarcophagus might have a note hinting at how to defeat
the boss villain. Make any penalty box feel like part of the Because the effectiveness of a high-level party often comes
adventure, not a way to pick on specific characters. from the tactics of the characters and players, keep in
mind certain monster tactics specifically designed to
MODIFY THE ENCOUNTER BUDGET challenge high-level characters in return.
Some GMs create encounters using the core rules in the Prevent or Draw Focused Fire. Is it obvious to the
Dungeon Master’s Guide, adding up the XP of creatures players and characters which enemy should be ganged
in an encounter and using that total to determine the up on and defeated first? If so, describe all your foes as
challenge level (easy, medium, hard, or deadly). A benefit fearsome and interesting in different ways, making them
of this technique is that if encounters consistently feel too all seem worthy of attention. You can also use descriptions
straightforward, you can easily alter your budget, and thus during combat to make the least damaged foes seem more
alter the associated challenge. important than they are, leading characters to return fire
If moderate encounters consistently feel easy, try when attacked by those foes. You can adjust position on
increasing the XP budget of a moderate encounter—or the battlefield, so that the most important enemies aren’t
simply use the threshold for a hard encounter. When near the encounter locations where the characters want
building a deadly encounter, you can take the difference to be. This can split the party, forcing some to focus on
in XP between the minimums for hard encounters and specific foes or locations, while others chase down the one
deadly encounters, then add that as the new minimum for foe dealing a ton of damage at range.
a deadly encounter. Alternatively, sometimes having an obvious main foe
However, be careful to not adjust the budget in a way can be used to your advantage. The big elemental in an
that adds more creatures than you can easily run— encounter is a sack of hit points, and melee characters
especially creatures of different types. Adding another hill take fire damage each time they hit that foe. Meanwhile,
giant to an existing brute squad is fine. But adding a troll, the elemental’s seemingly unimportant allies are the
a cyclops, and an advanced ogre is likely to overwhelm real threat, but their innocuous appearance makes the
you. Any XP budget is usually better spent on creatures characters downplay that threat.
you can run easily and effectively. Monster Roles and Placement. As described in
Another way to modify the encounter budget is to “Monster Roles” (page 22), you can often think of
worry less about balancing encounters, and to simply the characters’ foes as a team, each using separate but
run more encounters before the characters can take a complimentary tactics. So place each foe where they can
long rest. As long as doing so fits the story and pacing of best fulfill their role. Defend vulnerable or key targets,
your game, “On Encounters per Day” on page 93 offers whether through harmful terrain, features such as
advice on this topic. self-firing arcane ballistas, or foes such as a spellcaster
The Lazy Encounter Benchmark. If you use the lazy benefiting from cover or magical defenses. Unless there’s
encounter benchmark (from the section of the same name a story reason to not do so, you can place creatures where
on page 70) instead of the core rules’ XP encounter they’ll be most effective right from the start of battle.
budgeting, you can increase the threshold of encounter Just ask yourself whether a particular foe would want to
challenge by pretending a party has more characters. If
five characters routinely find hard encounters less than

89
 start next to characters, near them, far away, or hidden or characters each round. And similar effects might hurt the
behind cover. characters even as they provide a boon to foes. In a dread
Counter Defenses. If the damage resistances high-level temple, waves of necromantic energy could heal undead
characters often have are a problem, you can consider while damaging the heroes. Curtains of fire could provide
ways to remove them periodically. A dragon’s breath concealment for fire elementals, while burning any
weapon might cling to characters, dealing damage for character who moves through them.
multiple rounds or temporarily removing resistance
to the breath’s damage type. A trap, magical effect, or
BREAK THE RULES
environmental feature can do the same. You might even Our world uses physics, but a magical world can ignore
let the characters learn that there are ways to reverse these or bend the expectations physics creates. Similarly, the
effects by interacting with some aspect of the encounter. world of the game creates expectations which we can
change, creating exceptions that can be validated through
MONSTER–TERRAIN INTERACTIONS story. A fire giant king might be no regular fire giant, as
A powerful way to give foes an advantage and increase you increase your encounter budget as described above to
the challenge in high-level encounters is to create an create a stronger threat. You can have the king deal more
interaction between the terrain and your monsters. damage, letting them hit harder than expected. You can
“Building Engaging Environments” (page 79) cautions also pair them with a powerful mount, such as a massive
about not overwhelming low-level characters. But with hydra that breathes fire and is immune to fire damage.
high-level characters, you can safely cut loose! A magical monster on another plane might be able
Many creatures can fly, letting them stay away from to use their movement to simply will themself to be
the heroes or forcing characters to expend magical anywhere in the encounter area. A creature who doesn’t
resources to take to the air. But a black dragon can also normally fly could be a winged variant who does. A
swim through pools of acid, while most characters can’t. creature might wear self-repairing armor, manifesting as
This lets the dragon use such pools to move around an temporary hit points granted at the start of each of their
encounter area—or even hide in a pool while their breath turns. A death knight becomes truly terrifying when you
weapon recharges. give them the ability to tear apart the magic of a forcecage
A giant might push a pillar down on a character, spell with their bare hands. You can usually exceed the
dealing the same damage as if the giant had hit with their game’s expectations when creating high-level challenges
best melee attack, and also causing the character to be because high-level characters are so resilient. They can
restrained. Incorporeal undead can fight in collapsing even recover from death … unless you counterspell their
ruins, uncaring as parts of those ruins fall and pin revivify.
characters underneath the rubble. One of the best ways to break the rules is to take
A massive demon might set an encounter area on monster features you love and add them to other
fire while fighting, potentially dealing damage to the monsters—but you need to do so convincingly. A
remorhaz is a great threat, because whenever characters
hit them with melee attacks, those characters take
RUNNING A BATTLE ACROSS damage. You can add that sort of trait to any elemental
TWO WORLDS creature, or to a monster covered in spikes or wearing
In a particularly memorable boss battle, Mike built an spiked armor. You can give a monster a reaction to reflect
encounter designed to split the party—not just into separate a spell back on a caster, with or without an opposed check
rooms but across separate worlds. For months, the game or saving throw. Or you might have a creature targeted by
had set up the idea that one of the characters had a deep a spell cause the spell to target the caster as well, evening
friendship with a giant they thought was dead. Unknown to the score a bit. You can have creatures who take a final
the characters, though, the nasty ancient blue dragon sorcerer attack when they die, upping their damage output as
boss had actually trapped the friendly giant in amber. When they go down fighting. The monster powers presented
the characters entered the dragon’s sanctum, the trapped in “Building a Quick Monster” (page 4), “Monster
giant was hanging above a pit leading into the Nine Hells— Powers” (page 15), and “Monster Roles” (page 22)
whereupon the dragon snapped her clawed fingers and the present all kinds of ready-to-use features that let you scale
amber prison fell. Without a second thought, the character damage and alter effects to meet your needs.
bound to the giant leaped in after them.
Thus began a battle across two worlds, with some characters
ON THE FLY
fighting the ancient blue dragon sorcerer on one side and When preparing encounters for powerful high-level
others fighting a host of devils to protect their friend in a characters, keep in mind that the tricks and tools
hellish arena. Only through the careful use of a powerful cubic discussed here can also be used on the fly to make
gate did the characters survive, teleporting across worlds for encounters more challenging. If you do so, don’t worry
the occasional bout of healing before popping back to their about picking just one or two. Use several ideas and
home world to defeat the dragon. options, one after the other, until the encounter becomes
compelling and fun for both you and the players.
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EXIT STRATEGIES
The other sections of this book talk about lots of different equally powerful motivations that can inspire them to
options for setting up and running combat with monsters get out of combat. (“Roleplaying Monsters” on page 48
and other foes. But when thinking about the beginning talks more on this subject.)
and middle of a fight, many GMs overlook all the possible
endings of a fight—and the ways in which having ending
STAYING ALIVE
options in mind can help keep an exciting combat from A monster who fights and runs away lives to fight another
becoming a total-party-kill scenario. day, and even creatures who can’t articulate that old adage
In the earliest editions of D&D, encounter design was can live it. Every NPC, from the most loyal guard to the
much more of an art than a science (as discussed in “The most fanatical cultist, has a sense of self-preservation that
History of Challenge” on page 97). As such, adventures can inspire them to flee when the fight goes bad. Likewise,
for those older editions typically set the GM up to assume animals, aberrations, draconic creatures, and more all
that every fight might go in any possible direction, have reasons to want to live, whether those reasons are
with four cardinal points on that combat compass: the guided by intellect and self-awareness or by instinctual
characters win; the monsters win; the characters flee; the need.
monsters flee. Monsters who draw part of their combat strength from
But as later editions of the game have pushed toward fighting as a team or in a pack are especially open to
the holy grail of balanced encounter design, and an reevaluating the odds of survival in a battle as their allies
implicit math-backed guarantee that a certain encounter start to drop around them. Whether the characters fight
should turn out a certain way, the fine art of not fighting a pack of wolves or a mercenary band, those enemies can
to the bitter end has become minimized. A whole lot of easily tell when the tide of battle shifts to create a fight
players have never learned the value of fleeing a fight their they can’t win, triggering a perfect opportunity for an
characters can’t win, and GMs are reminded to ignore offer of truce or the enemy side’s sudden flight from the
alternative options for ending fights by the number of battlefield.
published adventures making use of the words: “These ALTERNATIVE REWARDS
creatures fight to the death.”
To help prevent an exciting encounter from becoming A pack of wolves on the hunt most often have sustenance
memorable for all the wrong reasons, this section as their goal, not violence, when they surround characters
encourages GMs to think about monster motivations, in the wilderness. One way or another, bandits get into
a broader range of rewards for combat beyond just that line of work for material gain. And most sapient
“winning,” hooks that you can use to have foes roleplay creatures who routinely enter into combat understand
their way into a surrender scenario, and making sure that what kind of edge magic can give them in battle. As such,
the physical setup of encounters affords characters and player characters looking to end conflict early often have
monsters alike the ability to flee from a fight. the ability to buy their way out of a fight. Dropping food
for hungry predators; offering coin or other valuables to
PLAN YOUR ENDGAMES brigands, pirates, or cultists; or offering magic or service
to sapient creatures in the hope of ending a violent
Figuring out how to end a fight in a satisfactory way that
misunderstanding can easily let the characters reshape
doesn’t involve one side claiming complete victory is a
the scope of a fight. Alternatively, a foe aware that they are
difficult thing to do in the moment. While engaged in
about to be trounced by the characters might offer them
running combat, a GM already has a lot of things to think
a reward or their own promise of service in the interest of
about. As such, by the time you realize that an encounter
ending combat.
you thought would be an average challenge at best is
about to become a smorgasbord of player-character pâté, CUT OFF THE HEAD
coming up with a believable plot twist to take the fight to Many times, the ferocity of a group of creatures in battle
a different end can be tough. is inspired by strong leadership, whether a pirate captain
You want to think about those plot twists and possible able to whip her crew into a fighting frenzy, a mage
alternative endings ahead of time, so that you’ve always summoning magical creatures to do their bidding, or
got one or more ready to drop in to any fight. The a group of zombies responding to the will of the death
following guidelines can help. knight who directs them to attack. Having a clearly
ASSESSING MOTIVATIONS identified boss who controls the rest of the enemy
combatants in a battle gives the characters a clear line
Only rarely do the monsters in a fight have the single
on ending a fight early. Once the boss is dispatched, you
motivation of “destroy or be destroyed in turn.” Mindless
can have their minions flee, or let them fight on in a less
undead or constructs are great for those kinds of fight-
organized fashion to give the characters an edge.
to-the-finish encounters when that’s what you want to
run. But almost all other creatures, including intelligent
undead and the game’s full range of monstrous and NPC
foes, have other motivations for getting into combat—and 91
 to break off from an encounter without interrupting
CHANGE OF ALLEGIANCE the expected flow of adventure events. In a site-based
Teos likes the potential that comes from characters asking adventure, this idea most often manifests in a map that
surrendering foes to join them. As the GM, you get to decide features little or no empty or safe space for characters
how long this alliance will last, and how thoroughly the fleeing a fight to fall back to.
surrendering foes comply with requests—particularly ones If fleeing one encounter only brings the party
that endanger them. It can be good to come up with a goal immediately into the orbit of the next encounter, not
(other than treachery) for the surrendering group, whether much is gained—especially if some of the combatants in
that’s simply not to lose any more members, or to gain enough the previous encounter are in hot pursuit. Likewise, you
treasure to make the truce worthwhile. can set up the most entertaining surrender-and-flee scene
This kind of setup provides a realistic roleplaying hook to for a goblin mercenary band who realize the party are way
communicate to the players, and from which tension and above their pay grade. But if the mercenaries don’t have
compromise can emerge. If the characters’ newly made allies a way to slip safely and quietly out of the adventure, the
are pushed too far from their goal, it’s time for the alliance characters are just going to run into them again.
to end in a way that will further the goal. This might mean
retreating at night, renegotiating, or attacking when the SIDE ROUTES
characters are vulnerable. Whatever the main route the characters are expected
to take through an adventure (whether in a dungeon, a
CAN’T WE JUST TALK? city, a noble’s estate, or what have you), make sure the
Whether on its own or as a lead-in to convincing foes to adventure’s physical locations hold side routes that can
stand down in some of the scenarios above, negotiation be fallen back to. If you set out that the Forest of Eternal
and detente are time-honored traditions for ending a Death promises a horrid end to all those who stray from
fight. Though combat is one of the most exciting aspects its single path, characters or monsters breaking off from a
of fantasy roleplaying games, it’s almost always easier and fight in the forest might have nowhere to go. If it doesn’t
less costly for both sides in a conflict to not fight. So after make sense to have prebuilt side routes in a location,
a few rounds of exciting combat, don’t be afraid to show secret passages and alternative pathways (waterfalls, air
the players and characters that detente is a fine alternative shafts, fast-flowing streams, sinkholes, and so forth) also
to one side or the other being thoroughly beaten down. offer good escape routes for both characters and monsters.
Rather than having the party’s most charismatic SAFE HAVENS
character take a solo role in talk meant to end hostilities,
you can engage the whole party in negotiations by calling Unless it makes sense for creatures (especially characters)
for a group ability check using different abilities and skills. to not be pursued after fleeing a fight, it’s important
This lets everyone play a part, from the sorcerer making to have locations where a party can safely regroup.
Charisma (Persuasion) checks to set out the deal, to the Stumbling upon a secret room, or having previous
cleric making Wisdom (Insight) checks to help determine knowledge of a section of a fortress or ruin where guards
which foes are most open to negotiation, to the barbarian don’t regularly patrol, can give fleeing creatures respite
quietly making Strength (Intimidation) checks to warn before taking on new threats. And combatants on both
the other side what happens if discussions break down. sides of a fight might be able to make use of illusions or
In the event of a failed group check, you can allow the other magic to create a safe space while remaining in
negotiations to successfully end hostilities anyway, with enemy territory.
the failure simply creating a complication surrounding
the truce. For example, although the leader of a group of
RIPPLE EFFECTS
assassins agrees to end a potentially deadly fight with the Any group that can depart from an encounter rather
party, one prideful member of that band feels humiliated than falling victim to it provides a potential catalyst
at being forced to stand down, and can return as a long- for unexpected changes in an adventure—especially a
term foe of the characters in subsequent adventures. published adventure that doesn’t expect that group to
survive.
INS AND OUTS In a site-based setup, a group of NPC adventurers who
In addition to the many social baselines that might allow stand down from a fight with the characters and agree to
a combat encounter to be called off early, adventures— go their own way might take care of subsequent threats
particularly site-based published adventures—have before the characters get to them—or might rile up
another important requirement for GMs who want to those threats out of spite for when the characters finally
keep exit conditions in mind. Specifically, one or more arrive. In an event-based adventure, enemies who survive
actual exits. combat because the characters let them go might become
Just as recent editions of the game have seeded the reluctant allies of the party from a sense of hard-won
expectation that every fight should go to the bitter end, respect. Or they might double down on their nefarious
many of the adventures of those editions focus on a linear plots, furious at having been bested by the party and
encounter setup that can make it difficult for characters anxious for revenge.
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 ON ENCOUNTERS PER DAY
In many discussions, the ideal number of combat the challenge of running out of resources, that drawback
encounters a group of characters can face before taking a becomes a special experience. (This idea is expanded
long rest—often described as “the adventuring day”—is upon at “Dictating Rests” below.)
focused on resource attrition. But although draining When the story doesn’t force the heroes to continue,
resources is an important consideration, it isn’t the only players generally prefer to decide whether to press on
factor in assessing encounters, nor the most significant. for greater progress and rewards, or to stop to rest and
This section examines how the number of encounters in recuperate. As discussed in “Defining Challenge Level”
an adventuring day impacts play, enables specific stories, (page 105), the difficulty of an encounter does impact
and contributes to the overall level of challenge those when characters need to rest. However, resting is even
encounters create. more valuable as a way to establish the pace of play. Rests
are natural break points, allowing characters, players, and
WHAT THE RULES AND GM to step away from the tension of combat, engage in
OFFICIAL ADVENTURES SAY interparty roleplaying, discuss character and adventure
goals, and plan for the next set of adventures.
In talking about the adventuring day, the 5e Dungeon
Master’s Guide states that an adventuring party can handle
roughly six to eight medium or hard combat encounters
THE RIGHT NUMBER
in a day, interspersed by two short rests. These numbers So what number of encounters should a GM use?
are likely based on typical character resources—hit Ultimately, the right number of combat encounters in
points, spell slots, and so forth—but their context is never an adventuring day is as many as makes sense for the
explained. More importantly, those numbers aren’t given story and your world. You might set up few encounters
as a recommendation. (“Defining Challenge Level” on
page 105 provides recommended maximums based on
every encounter challenge level.)
The fact that these numbers aren’t recommendations
can be seen in the design of the game’s many official
adventures, which vary greatly in the number of
encounters per day. In some scenarios, the characters
might undertake a week-long wilderness trek
with only a single combat encounter. Other
scenarios might feature a dungeon with a dozen
encounters. A typical four-hour one-shot
or organized play adventure usually
features three to four encounters in
a single day, often of medium to
deadly difficulty.

DRAINING
RESOURCES
As noted, the arbitrary number
of six to eight combat encounters
in a day is likely based on available
resources. Characters start the adventuring
day fresh, and as they face foes and other
challenges, they use up spells, limited-use
class features, and magic items.
Running out of resources and
being forced to face another fight is
problematic. Characters who lack
healing, have minimal hit points,
have no spell slots, and have expended
their limited-use class features—yes,
that is challenging. It’s also frustrating if it
happens too often. As such, GMs should consider using
MATT MORROW

resource attrition sparingly, and tying it to strong story

developments. In situations where the players understand
93
 in an inhospitable region, then dial up to many possible swampland. The second encounter could feature zombies
encounters in a populated city or a forest teeming and skeletons in the uniforms of this nation and a
with beasts and monsters. The number dictated by the rival, painting the picture of an ancient battle. A third
story can then be adjusted based on play impact and encounter with ghouls and a ghost could take place at a
story beats. These design goals are the key reasons why main battle site, loaded with lore about how one of the
adventures often vary the number of encounters in a day. armies’ clerics tried to animate their dead soldiers to gain
victory, but instead doomed everyone.
STORY IMPACT
Start by thinking about the story. When the characters MULTIPLE APPROACHES
engage in an overland trek, a single combat encounter in a These approaches aren’t exclusive, and you can consider
day can break up the travel nicely, painting a picture of the both story impact and play impact based on your design
environment and the foes who live there. A self-contained goals. As GMs, we always want to periodically step back
encounter story, such as a lazy troll under a bridge who and assess the patterns of play in our games. Are our
demands payment to cross, or a chance encounter with a dungeon excursions always composed of three to four
pack of beasts, helps you tell the larger story of a desolate encounters? Are our wilderness treks always a single
wilderness where dangerous creatures live and hunt. encounter? Breaking out of established patterns can
When the characters explore a dungeon, you can surprise the players, even as it makes our storytelling
instead set up several encounters spread across a series of more complex.
cramped quarters joined by twisting, sarcophagus-lined
corridors. This larger number of encounters perfectly fits PACING AND THE PILLARS OF
the story of ruins crawling with threats. So ask yourself PLAY
what threats should be present in the setting, and how
When the adventuring day features a single encounter,
those threats can be best captured as encounters. Then
we have a limited canvas with which to capture the three
use the number that best fits the setting as you portray the
pillars of 5e play—roleplaying, exploration, and combat.
story you want to tell.
When we use multiple encounters in a day, we have more
PLAY IMPACT opportunities to play with pacing and activate different
An adventuring day with lots of short encounters feels pillars of play. As with the general approach to choosing
different from a day with one or two long encounters. how many encounters to run per adventuring day, think
Over one session of play, changing the number of about the effect of these broadly different approaches.
encounters helps you vary the feel of the game, keeping A SINGLE COMBAT ENCOUNTER
the players’ interest levels high. You can thus select the
In an attempt to keep play exciting, a single encounter
type of adventuring day that will help you create the
in a day often features just combat by default. But it’s
desired play experience.
better to choose the pillar you want to feature in a single
When a day features a single encounter, that encounter
encounter based on your story and the encounter’s place
is likely significant. You have one chance for this
in the campaign. There are times when roleplaying or
encounter to impart your vision of a particular part of
exploration deserve the focus and will create a better
the setting and the story. For example, on a wilderness
experience, just as there are times when combat is more
trek through a primeval forest, you might create a single
exciting for the players.
encounter featuring a gargantuan dinosaur among
When focusing on combat for a single encounter, you
bubbling tar pits. You can easily lean into the pulp feel of
can add separate roleplaying or exploration experiences
this encounter, with the monster making the most of their
during the remainder of the adventuring day. With no
capabilities, and the terrain helping to shape a memorable
further threats at hand, the pacing of additional events
and interesting fight. With just a single encounter, the
allows the characters to rest and regain resources. And
players get a strong feeling for the lands the characters
even when a single big encounter is primarily combat
travel through, in addition to a great play experience.
focused, you can increase its complexity by weaving
But you could instead use multiple encounters to mark
roleplaying or exploration elements into it. Make it clear
out one day of a wilderness trek. You might decide to
that sadistic dwarf warlords are forcing a band of goblins
make each encounter tougher than the previous one,
to fight, and the characters might encourage the goblins
building a sense of dread. Before they even begin travel,
to switch sides. In a fight against a golem who appears
the characters might hear stories of the swamp teeming
impossible to defeat, let the players deduce that arcane
with undead. As they traverse the swamp, they glimpse
machines along the walls of the golem’s sanctum can shut
roaming zombies, easily evaded at first. They then face a
down—or heighten—the construct’s defenses.
series of encounters, with your story goals spread across
In the same way, you can focus on exploration or
them so that each tells one facet of the overall story.
roleplaying as the main pillar of play, then add an
The first encounter could feature skeletons in the
aspect of combat to that play. While the characters
tattered military garb of the nation controlling the

94
explore a ruin, a spider attempts to leap onto an isolated expected. Variance in individual encounters usually
character for a quick fight before exploration resumes. evens out over time, with characters expending resources
Or an encounter might begin as a fight, then highlight on unexpected challenges and saving resources on
roleplaying when both sides realize they have a reason to encounters that go easier than expected. If you find that
work together. the characters are having too easy a time and you want
resource attrition to be part of the play experience, you
MULTIPLE COMBAT ENCOUNTERS can simply increase the challenge of later encounters.
When exploring a hillside riddled with caves, some of “Modifying Monsters Before and During Play” (page
those caves might feature foes who can be engaged in 45) has lots of ideas for this.
roleplaying encounters. At the same time, roleplaying or
investigation can provide insight into certain aspects of DICTATING RESTS
the setting, helping the players determine which creatures An average adventuring day allows characters to take a
live in the caves and why. You can adjust the length of the number of short rests before ending with a long rest. You
many possible encounters in and around the caves with can lessen the frequency of rests when needed to create
more or fewer foes, and by varying complexity. Doing so a sense of urgency and use up resources more quickly.
creates different experiences to keep the players on their You can also add more rests when you want to replenish
toes, and to surprise the characters as they explore each resources to compensate for heightened challenge.
cave and steadily gather more information.
With multiple encounters, you can decide how often DENYING RESTS
to insert scenes without combat. These interludes allow Successfully resting, whether the one hour of a short rest
characters to momentarily let their guard down, stop to or the eight hours of a long rest, requires two conditions.
rest, and reflect upon the adventure. As such, decreasing First, the characters must be able to rest without engaging
the number of noncombat breaks keeps the players on in strenuous activity. Second, the rest period must be
their toes as it builds a sense of relentless danger and uninterrupted. This means that you can reduce or prevent
pressure. A series of caves that are home to kobold resting by altering either of these conditions in any
trapsmiths could be an unending gauntlet the characters number of ways.
must run through until they reach the end. Or it could Clear Time Pressure. A volcano’s imminent eruption.
feature a number of exploration and roleplaying scenes in Poison gas slowly building up in a cavern. The timing of
which the characters learn about the folk who dwell in the a ritual. An army’s impending arrival. Upcoming story
caves, negotiate with some of those folk, and prepare to events such as these can help convince the characters to
sneak into the caverns occupied by oppressive forces. not take a rest by making it clear that resting will result
You can also consider the pacing when an encounter- in failing at their primary goals.
filled adventuring day ends. Will the next day feature A Need to Keep Moving. To stay in one place long
more of the same? Will you do a fast cut straight to the enough to rest might be impossible. For example,
next combat encounter to keep pressure going, or do the guards patrolling an area will surely find characters
characters get to return home or to a place of rest and if they stay in one place more than ten minutes (to
refuge? Allowing for slow moments and a return to base prevent short rests) or one hour (to prevent long rests).
provides many opportunities for play, including allowing Constant Threats. A location might be unsafe,
characters to follow up on personal goals or make the periodically dealing a small amount of damage to the
most of downtime activities. characters from magic, environmental effects, or the
CHALLENGE
A single encounter can be just as hard as several STAY FLEXIBLE
encounters strung together. But because the game can be Scott notes that some site-based adventure setups can lock a
swingy, a single encounter might have more variance than GM into needing to run a full slate of encounters, even if those
a series of encounters, ending up much easier or harder encounters end up depleting more of the characters’ resources
than expected. As such, when planning a single encounter, than expected. For example, consider the difference between
think through ways to adjust the challenge during play. exploring a haunted ruin and infiltrating an active military
For example, if you realize that damaging terrain is too outpost. The former can easily allow retreat and respite, but the
effective, you can prompt characters with possible ways latter forces the characters to keep going until they accomplish
to bypass it. If a boss monster foe isn’t dealing enough their goals.
damage, you can have them become enraged and boost When designing such scenarios, consider whether the
their damage output when they drop below a certain hit characters might get in over their heads and what changes
point total. you can make if they do. In the military outpost scenario,
When working with multiple encounters in an you should be able to easily remove some of your planned
adventuring day, you typically need to worry less about encounters, or allow the characters to use distractions or
any particular encounter being easier or harder than roleplaying to avoid them.

95
 Holy Restoration. Drinking from a healing font, praying
DON’T WORRY ABOUT IT at a temple, or receiving a divine gift can all provide a
Mike often takes a different approach when considering the restorative effect.
number of encounters per day—he doesn’t. Alchemy. Potions and draughts, ancient elixirs, or
If you want to experiment with this approach, just let alchemical concoctions can allow characters to
the game play out how the game plays out. Sometimes the replenish resources in unusual ways. Alchemy can be a
characters have good opportunities to take a lot of long good way to provide alternative types of rejuvenation,
rests, such as when they’re traveling vast distances in relative from temporary hit points to reproducing the effects of
safety. Other times, heroes exploring deep dungeons have magic potions.
few opportunities for a safe respite. Sometimes the characters Unusual Magic. Arcane equipment, sources of raw
have all their resources going into a big fight. Sometimes they eldritch power, or limited-use magic items can all
have hardly any. If the fun of the game is at risk from too many restore characters. As a potential benefit, you can also
or too few encounters between rests, it’s worth grabbing onto let characters attune to newfound magic items more
the reins and looking to the advice in this section for managing quickly than normal (or even instantly), either as a
your adventuring day. But otherwise, don’t be afraid to let property of those items or a one-time supernatural
things play out how they play out based on the evolving story benefit.
taking place at the table. Nature’s Gift. Natural sites with an abundance of
primal or elemental energy might heal or reinvigorate
attacks of lurking insects. Alternatively, poisonous gas characters.
or extreme temperatures might make it impossible for Meditation or Psionic Restoration. Places or sources
characters to rest. of deep mental calm can restore body and mind in
Nightmares and Hauntings. Short rests might be possible minutes rather than hours or days.
in a haunted area, but attempts to take a long rest result Safe Place. In a busy or well-trafficked environment,
in horrid dreams that deny characters the benefits of the the characters might find a secret door leading
rest. to a concealed space where they can rest without
Background Disturbances. The constant chittering interruption. This space might be temporary, or it could
of insects, the ground shaking due to tremors, the allow repeated use.
moaning of spirits, and similar disturbances can prevent Out of Time. An extradimensional space can allow for
rest. Likewise, a recurring loud gong in a nearby temple time to pass differently, so that a short or long rest can
or waves of magical energy washing through an area be taken with almost no time passing in the world.
could interrupt a rest. Chaos. Elements of chaos magic or wild magic can
If the environment denies characters the opportunity let characters restore resources, or not expend those
to rest, let the players determine this quickly. Heroes who resources in the first place. In areas of such magic,
enter a ruined abbey should immediately feel a sense of casting a spell might not use a spell slot. Or perhaps
overwhelming dread telling them they won’t be able to every critical hit or each fallen foe randomly recharges
rest even as they explore, creating a sense of urgency. one of a character’s limited-use class features.
When characters can’t rest, the number of encounters In some cases, it can be fun to surprise players
in an adventuring day becomes more impactful, and and characters with a source of rest or rejuvenation.
resources become precious. Even a single encounter The characters might feel like they are on their last
per day as a party crosses a haunted wilderness can be legs with many dangers still to come, only to find an
a challenge when no long rests are possible. A series of unexpected way to regain resources. However, when the
easy- and medium-challenge encounters becomes more players benefit from carefully tracking their characters’
exciting and formidable when no short rests are available. resources, it can be better to let them know up front
ADDITIONAL REST BENEFITS how they can replenish those resources once spent. For
example, characters trapped in a dungeon where resting
Sometimes it can be useful—or even necessary—to give
is impossible might quickly realize that each of a set
characters even more rests than normal, by granting the
of artifacts they must recover to exit the dungeon also
benefit of short or long rests in other ways. When rests are
provides the equivalent of a long rest. This mechanic
plentiful, characters can face repeated challenges with all
keeps the characters focused on finding the artifacts,
or most of their resources available, which can be fun for
while still encouraging them to use their capabilities to
the players.
the fullest.
When providing rest benefits, you can grant characters
the full effect of a short or long rest, or create a partial rest
effect that replicates a spell or other magic. Usually, the
time required to gain these benefits is reduced, even to
the point where the characters can gain the benefit during
an encounter by making use of a source of power that
bestows it.
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 THE HISTORY OF CHALLENGE
In the first comprehensive edition of the Dungeons & also complicated to explain.) There were no formulas or
Dragons game (the version commonly known as first checklists for building balanced encounters. There was, in
edition or 1e to those who remember it, though it was in fact, very little consensus on what a balanced encounter
fact the second full version of the game), that greatest of (in the sense that we talk about it with the current version
all mortal foes the ancient red dragon had 88 hit points of the game) even means. Instead, monsters were broadly
and an Armor Class of −1. organized into ten “level” groups according to their XP
Those aren’t typos. value (the number of base experience points a monster
Yes, Armor Class ran backward in those days. That’s was worth if defeated in combat). That XP calculation was
roughly equivalent to AC 21 in 5e. It’s complicated to in turn based on a monster’s Hit Dice (which were d8s
explain. across the board for all creature types and sizes, unlike
When we talk about encounter building within the later editions), hit points, and special features.
context of the 5e D&D ruleset, we’re discussing a topic Monster Hit Dice were also used to compare the relative
that’s been around for almost fifty years, and which has threat of a group of monsters with the party fighting
gone through multiple stages of evolution and revision. them, by dividing total Hit Dice by total character levels—
Each edition of the game had its own rules for how but with monsters granted extra virtual Hit Dice for
monsters and other enemies were to be stacked up bonus hit points and special attacks.
against the player characters, and its own guidelines (or Challenge in 1e was a complicated process, in other
charming lack thereof) that GMs were expected to follow words. But even more than that, challenge in 1e was never
to create challenging encounters. By looking back at the intended to be a process for selecting monsters to create
progression of challenge and encounter design, we can see balanced encounters. The ten tables into which creatures
where earlier editions fell short of the modern game—and were divided were used for stocking the 1e game’s default
where we can learn things as GMs from the more laissez- multi-level, increased-depth-equals-increased-threat
faire approach of earlier gaming generations. dungeons, where the level of the dungeon below the
ground was expected to indicate the level of characters
TURNING THE TABLES who would find it filled with suitable threats.
There was no such thing as challenge or CR in first Consulting the tables, a GM could see that the minor
edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons. (That name is monsters of Table I were most common on the first to
third levels of the dungeon (arbitrarily intended for 1st-
to 3rd-level characters), more powerful monsters from
Table IV were unseen on the first dungeon level and most
common on levels five through seven, and so forth. But
random encounter tables for wilderness areas paid no
attention to monster strength, with creatures there chosen
entirely on the basis of fitting the environment and
nothing else.

TRIAL AND ERROR

The second edition of AD&D (commonly called 2e
in current parlance) cleaned up and clarified the 1e
encounter approach somewhat. But for the most part,
encounter building in both those earliest versions of
the game was an art, not a science. Through trial and
error while keeping one eye on the tables and the other
on monster Hit Dice and special features, a GM would
develop a sense of which monsters were a reasonable fit
for characters by level, and then adjust the difficulty of
such encounters by adjusting monster numbers relative
to the party. But creating encounters against higher- or
lower-threat creatures was almost entirely an ad hoc
process. Then that process was made even more chaotic
by randomly rolling for the number of monsters in an
encounter before randomly rolling their hit points, as
many GMs did.
As such, encounters in the first- and second-edition
NIKKI DAWES

days often needed to feature things rarely considered

by modern GMs accustomed to setting up balanced
97
 encounters of specific challenge level (easy, medium, hard, and encounter design, making significant departures
and deadly). Things like fitting monsters to the narrative from third edition. The biggest of those departures was
(see “Choosing Monsters Based on the Story” on page replacing monster challenge rating with monster level,
113) and making sure that combat encounters can be and creating an encounter framework where one creature
resolved in ways other than a clear win for the characters of level X was considered equivalent to one character
(talked about in “Exit Strategies” on page 91 and “On of level X. That made building balanced encounters
Morale and Running Away” on page 125). as easy as matching the characters up against equal
At the height of second edition, the ancient red dragon numbers of same-level foes, using same-level elite and
received an upgrade to the red great wyrm, and averaged solo monsters to build mini-boss and boss encounters,
out at 103 hit points with an upgraded AC of −11 or using straightforward formulas to build more complex
(equivalent to AC 31 in the current game). encounters featuring monsters within one or two levels of
the characters.
GUIDELINES FOR CHALLENGE The rebuilt challenge paradigm of fourth edition
Starting in 2000, third edition D&D (no more “Advanced,” created what was arguably the game’s best encounter-
3e to most, divided into 3.0e and 3.5e releases) made building system—at least within the context of the never-
big changes to monsters and encounter building—and ending power creep that was the unintended baggage of
in so doing, laid the framework for encounter-building 4e’s tactical-combat focus. That focus owed much to the
guidelines whose reflection can be seen in the current broad math underlying the fourth edition game, which
game. used the horizontal scaling of minion, normal, elite, and
Across the board, monsters in 3e were tougher than solo monsters to fill in a roster of foes for each level of
their 1e and 2e counterparts, as 3e design embraced the challenge. (By comparison, the more tightly bounded
idea of monsters having ability scores (they didn’t in 5e monster math can see a creature like an ogre act as a
earlier editions) and making good use of their Strength solo monster at the lowest levels of the game, an elite or
and Constitution modifiers to dial up damage output and normal monster at low-to-middle levels, and a minion at
hit points. Characters in the 3e game got tougher and anything beyond the middle levels of the game).
more feature-rich as well, but that edition stuck close to To wit, the ancient red dragon in 4e was once again
the 1e/2e model in combat, with an average fighter still rebranded with that name, and tipped the scales at 1,390
dealing a baseline 1d8 + 4 damage with a longsword and hit points and an Armor Class of 48.
a fireball spell smacking down foes with 1d6 damage per
caster level. BACK TO THE FUTURE
GMs in third edition were the first to make use of The current 5e core rules are a wonderful amalgam of
challenge rating as a concept and game term, as each foe ideas, principles, and feel-of-play from previous editions,
in the game was assigned a fixed numerical CR based all reshaped within a contemporary design space that’s
on defenses, attacks, damage output, special features, produced the most popular—and arguably the most
and other factors. Famously, the 3e core rules didn’t solid—version of the game yet. Tightening the range of
provide any easy way to calculate a GM-created monster’s bonuses that can be applied to combat has created a more
challenge rating, describing instead an arduous process of focused math for determining the challenge of monsters.
eyeballing the monster’s stats against other monsters of a This means a thankful move away from the 3e and 4e
given CR. tendency of attack modifiers, hit points, and Armor Class
Challenge rating was used to determine XP rewards and other defenses to reach mid or high double digits,
for characters defeating a monster of a particular even as a controlled increase of character power across all
CR, with that reward adjusted depending on how the levels leaves room for the most powerful monsters to still
characters’ level and the monster’s CR compared. More feel forbidding.
importantly, though, 3e provided formulas and tables Looking over the history of challenge, one
in plenty for determining how to create a theoretically straightforward conclusion is that whether the game
balanced encounter for characters of a particular level, had loose systems or rigid systems, those systems never
using the baseline idea that one monster of CR X was an worked quite as well as their designers intended. Whether
appropriate challenge for four characters of level X. At it’s the loose Hit Dice gauge of 1e and 2e or a rigid level-
the same time, third edition formalized the sense of what based system like 4e, other factors and the subtle effects
“balanced” should mean by breaking out encounters into of the game’s mechanics can constantly send battles in
varying ranks of difficulty, from easy to overpowering. unexpected directions.
In 3.0e and 3.5e, the ancient red dragon remained the The rest of this book offers much advice for building
red great wyrm, and received an eye-popping update to and running encounters for the 5e game, keeping in mind
660 hit points and an Armor Class of 41. the importance of being able to navigate those unexpected
combat course changes. But as a starting point to all that,
NUMBERS GAME this section can offer up that the ancient red dragon of 5e
The tactical-focused fourth edition of D&D used has 546 hit points and an Armor Class of 22.
dramatically different foundations for monster building Roll for initiative.
98
WHAT ARE CHALLENGE
RATINGS?
Challenge ratings are a loose guideline with which we can creature’s place in the world. Giant rats aren’t as dangerous
compare monsters to evaluate their power and station, as ghouls, who aren’t as dangerous as ogres, who aren’t as
and to compare them to the level of the characters. dangerous as fire giants, who aren’t as dangerous as balors.
Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of 5e’s Challenge ratings offer quantifiable numbers that show
challenge rating system can help you build more dynamic the overall power hierarchy of creatures and NPCs in the
encounters and adventures. world. They show which foes are weak, which ones are
The concept and intent of a monster’s challenge strong, and which are epically dangerous.
rating is sometimes difficult to grasp. This comes from
one important yet often unspoken factor of challenge APPROPRIATE CHALLENGES
ratings: they don’t compare to anything else. A monster’s Challenge ratings also clarify what kinds of threats
challenge rating compares only to the similar challenge characters should face given their level. They help define
rating of other monsters—and this comparison is loose at what kinds of problems are worthy of the characters’
best. Even with the same challenge rating, creatures often attention at different points in their adventuring careers.
behave very differently in combat. It’s easy to conclude that 18th-level characters probably
shouldn’t be facing giant rats, even as 2nd-level characters
THE LIMITS OF GUIDELINES shouldn’t be facing frost giants.
As set out in the 5e Dungeon Master’s Guide, four Character level means something in the story of the
characters should be able to defeat a single monster with a game. A 2nd-level party typically handles problems of a
challenge rating equal to their level without suffering any local scale. At 7th level, characters are handling regional
deaths. But relating four characters to one foe is hardly a problems. By 13th level, they handle kingdom-level
solid comparison, because of the difference in the number problems. At 17th level, characters are taking on the
of actions the characters and a single foe can make use problems of the multiverse. And thanks to challenge
of. (“Understanding the Action Economy,” page 42, has ratings, we can see what foes are the best general fit for
more information on this topic.) those types of threats, knowing that 3rd-level characters
In general, a single monster doesn’t match well against are going to have significant trouble defending a town
four characters of a level equal to the monster’s challenge overtaken by an army of greater demons.
rating. The higher level the characters, the worse that In this regard, a monster of a specific challenge rating
match becomes. Further, challenge ratings don’t give shows roughly what level of characters are their “equals”
you any indication how well a group of foes matches up from a story perspective—even if knowing that doesn’t
against a group of characters. For that, the 5e core rules help perfectly balance the mechanics of combat.
offer a complicated two-dial system of experience points
budgets and multipliers, while other books provide THE WORLD DOESN’T FIT THE
tables to help compare groups of monsters to groups of LEVEL OF THE CHARACTERS
characters. But there’s one unfortunate truth underlying
That said, GMs shouldn’t shy away from exposing low-CR
these approaches: no system does an accurate job. There’s
monsters to higher-level characters—or vice versa—if
simply too much variance and too many variables to
doing so makes sense within the context of the story.
summarize combat with a single calculation.
Bandits are still bandits wherever they might be found,
This book includes different sets of loose guidelines
and if 9th-level characters get jumped by such brigands,
to help gauge the combat threat of creatures compared
it’s perfectly acceptable for them to mop the floor with
to characters, including “Monster Combinations for a
those NPCs—and potentially a lot of fun. (“Running Easy
Hard Challenge” on page 67 and “The Lazy Encounter
Monsters,” page 124, has thoughts on that topic.)
Benchmark” on page 70. Loose guidelines are as
On the other hand, the characters might witness foes far
good as any advice on this topic can get, given how
beyond their capabilities—hopefully from a distance. It
loose challenge ratings can be when applied to different
behooves GMs to telegraph the danger of encounters with
creatures, and the high variance of difficulty for any given
too-powerful creatures, so that the characters don’t run
encounter. Since no system of encounter building is
in with swords and spells at the ready, only to be quickly
particularly accurate, loose systems thus work better than
destroyed. Likewise, being directly threatened by high-
complex ones.
CR monsters can take agency away from the players and
characters alike, leaving them with few options other than
COMPARING MONSTERS surrender and capitulation. In general, try to avoid forcing
So if challenge ratings are of limited use in gauging encounters with deadly threats just to push the characters
encounters, why do we bother with them? It’s because in a particular direction—but if doing so makes sense in
challenge ratings are still generally useful for comparing the larger context of the story and won’t ruin the players’
one monster to another. They say something about each fun, go with it. 99
 WHAT MAKES
A GREAT MONSTER?
You flip through a monster book, seeking a foe for your Because of the Shield Bash reaction you created for the
next gaming session. But what should you look for? knight, you might decide to add a pit to the encounter
This section is all about breaking down the area, forcing the players to change their characters’ typical
characteristics that can help identify a great monster. But tactics to avoid being pushed in. Characters might focus
it can also help guide you when customizing a monster, on attacking the knight from range, or drawing them
letting you correct any lackluster aspects—by making away from the side of the pit. Similarly, observing the
use of the guidance found elsewhere in this book—and rogue using their custom-created Poison Weapon bonus
turning an okay monster into a great one. action might inspire the characters to focus fire, trying to
defeat the rogue before they can once more add deadly
FUN, ENGAGING, AND poison to their blade.
MEMORABLE Great monsters can create different types of
engagement. Undead who explode in waves of necrotic
A monster’s presence in an encounter should be fun for
energy encourage characters to spread out across the
both the GM and players, built on exciting features that
battlefield. A creature who strikes and then goes invisible
engage the characters. When a monster is both fun and
encourages the characters to locate the creature or ready
engaging, the encounter is more likely to be memorable,
actions for the foe’s next attack.
worth looking back on and retelling over time.
FUN TO PREPARE DISTINGUISHING FEATURES
Consider working up a fight against giants. What makes
A fun monster feels fun even as you read over their
that combat potentially memorable? What features do
details prior to the game. They have exciting combat or
noncombat features that jump off the page, making you
look forward to surprising the players.
EXCITING DURING PLAY
Consider a hypothetical stat block for an enemy knight,
with a Greatsword attack and a high AC to reflect their
formidable armor. Although those baseline details fit the
concept, they’re not particularly exciting. Now imagine
a similar stat block, but the knight can use a reaction to
perform a shield bash and push an approaching creature
away. That second stat block will likely provide more
excitement for the players.
Consider another hypothetical stat block meant
to represent an NPC rogue, and which features a
recharging bonus action to apply poison to a weapon
and deal extra poison damage until the end of the
rogue’s turn. In addition to its mechanical benefit, that
bonus action is something you can roleplay, describing
the sickly gleam of poison to make the players
understand that this foe just became a greater
threat.
FACILITATES ENGAGEMENT
When reviewing creatures, look
for features that create obvious
interactions with the environment,
other creatures, or the characters.
The examples of the hypothetical
knight and rogue aren’t just
potentially exciting—they also create
engagement that way.
ALLIE BRIGGS

100
giants have that can provide a foundation for an engaging
fight?
BALANCING MONSTER AND
In general, giants have a lot of hit points, have low AC, ENCOUNTER COMPLEXITY
and hit hard. But to build on that foundation, you might Scott notes that simple monsters can create interesting
imagine that a giant can stomp the ground to knock encounters when paired with great environments, novel tactics,
characters prone, or hits so hard that every blow can push and compelling goals (see “Building Engaging Encounters”
a target across the encounter area. Maybe you want your on page 76 and “Building Engaging Environments” on
giants to hurl furniture, driving home their incredible size page 79). Complex monsters, however, are made to create
and strength. interesting encounters just by virtue of their features and
You can use the table in “Building a Quick Monster” capabilities.
(page 4) to quickly improvise the attack modifier and
damage for any new action you want to give a creature, or easily a monster can be run, keep the following points in
use one of the common monster powers in that section. mind.
“Monster Powers” (page 15) and “Monster Roles” (page APPROPRIATE CHALLENGE
22) have even more powers you can consider, whether
to use as is or to reskin to make them an even better fit for First and foremost, a monster who runs well is typically
a specific concept. one chosen to be a suitable challenge for a specific
encounter. “Assessing a Published Encounter” (page
CONCEPT AND LORE 83), “What Are Challenge Ratings?” (page 99), and
“Defining Challenge Level” (page 105) all talk about the
A great monster’s description provides concepts and lore
process of assessing how well a monster can challenge a
that can inspire you as you design encounters. By grasping
party.
the nature of a foe and their place in the world, you can
best fit that foe into your campaign plans, making the THE RIGHT COMPLEXITY
monster far more than just a set of statistics. Most foes last 2 to 5 rounds in combat, so they don’t need
For example, you might be planning an encounter in more than a few actions and features to be interesting.
a swamp, and choosing a creature whose lore says they Consider the classic goblin stat block, with one melee
dwell in such locations. So look at how well the creature’s and one ranged attack, plus the simple but memorable
nature reflects this, and how their capabilities reinforce ability to slip out of combat or easily hide. It’s possible
the concept and lore. An amphibious frog-like creature for a monster to be simple to the point where they fail to
with a huge mouth, a grasping tongue, and the ability be interesting. But even then, they might make a perfect
to swallow prey whole nicely fits a swamp encounter. choice for followers or minions of more interesting foes.
Likewise, monster lore related to hiding underwater and A creature such as a dragon should be more complex,
ambushing creatures as they pass reinforces the concept because you want their features and actions to provide
of your encounter. you with options you can use in response to the
In addition to ecology, story lore works great to build an characters. As such, having multiple actions and features
encounter concept. For example, many myths and legends lets you fine-tune a combat encounter to create the best
talk about hags as creatures of the swamps. So when you challenge.
decide to make your frog-like monstrosity the pet of a
green hag who rides that pet through the swamp she INTUITIVE
rules, the concept really comes together. A great monster does their job intuitively, with just the
right number of actions and features for use in combat.
EASY TO RUN WELL In turn, those intuitive actions let you run monsters well,
Many encounters work fine with simple monsters, such granting a level of confidence that comes from monster
as when you imagine a group of gnome contract killers features and actions making sense. For example, when a
stabbing at the heroes. But there are times when you want creature can use a bonus action to knock a target prone,
a more complex monster, such as a dragon who can take you’ll understand that doing so grants that creature
on the whole party. In both cases, though, you want the advantage on its follow-up melee attack action.
stat blocks to be easy to run well. So when assessing how A great monster also establishes why they have the
features they do, based on the creature’s lore and their
place in the world. For example, an agile flying creature
IN DEFENSE OF THE KNIGHT
might have a flyby attack in combat, letting them attack
Scott and Mike both point out that there’s nothing wrong and move without provoking opportunity attacks, which
with just loving a creature who hits hard and is simple to run. reflects their normal method of hunting prey. Likewise, a
You can often look to the narrative for other ways to make creature resembling a turtle might be able to retreat into
an encounter engaging (as discussed in “Building Engaging their shell, with that defensive response making perfect
Encounters” on page 76), so don’t forget that narrative can sense in the context of the creature’s place in the world.
be as powerful a tool as an interesting stat block.

101
 READING THE MONSTER
STAT BLOCK
A stat block is the window through which a GM can and negotiate, or to run away from battle and leave their
understand all of a creature’s intricacies. How does a friends behind.
monster perceive the world and react to threats? What are
their capabilities and preferences? Are a creature’s tactics BASELINE STATS
fearsome or lackluster? This section discusses what a stat Roughly half of most stat blocks lies above the Actions
block can tell you about those things and more. section, and contains the baseline information necessary
Each section of the standard 5e stat block provides for running a foe in combat.
different insights into a creature, helping you better
represent that creature tactically and to breathe life ARMOR CLASS
into them through roleplaying. If you’re designing an Armor Class tells you how easy it is to break through a
encounter, review monster stat blocks to ensure they work creature’s defenses. AC is a function of size, Dexterity,
well with the encounter’s theme, goals, and dynamics. and the toughness of a creature’s armor or hide. A
And even if you’re using an encounter from a published small or quick creature is generally harder to hit than a
adventure, you should review monster stat blocks before large or slow creature, except where large creatures are
your game session, giving yourself enough time to make protected by scales or skin that is as tough as metal—or is
the most of those monsters during play. sometimes actually made of metal.
Take a moment to think through what a creature’s
BROAD STROKES Armor Class represents. Does a slow brute plod along
The first two lines of a stat block define a monster at their and barely bother to dodge? Does a rogue parry and
most basic level, and are the clearest parameters you can twist away from every blow? Is a villain’s armor nigh
share with players. impenetrable? Bringing AC to life can be a lot of fun for
GMs and players.
NAME AC is also important because of how tangibly it impacts
In many cases, a creature’s name can be informative and the play experience. It influences how often attacks hit or
evocative. A shambling mound. A mummy. A spy. Unless miss, which can feel frustrating or rewarding. High AC
a creature’s name should be unknown, say it aloud often tells a story of a mighty combatant capable of outlasting
to personify the creature. opponents through resilience or cunning. Describing this
can help establish expectations and increase the payoff
SIZE AND TYPE when a character finally lands a blow.
Whether humanoid or giant, aberration or fey,
monstrosity or undead, a creature’s type helps define how HIT POINTS
they fit into the world. Likewise, a creature’s size can help Hit points represent a creature’s health, linearly
you roleplay how they interact with other creatures and determining how long a foe can remain in an encounter.
the environment. They typically represent how physically fit a creature is.
The combination of Armor Class and hit points is
ALIGNMENT important, since a foe with both high AC and hit points
Whether alignment plays a big part in your game or not, can last a long time, defining a creature who can wade
a creature’s alignment in their stat block can help you into the action, take risks, and provoke opportunity
understand their moral outlook and how organized and attacks without worry. When AC and hit points are low,
logic-oriented they might be. A lawful creature follows the a creature falls quickly no matter how much damage they
rules and conventions of their society, works in organized dish out, instilling players with confidence. When AC is
teams, and embraces dependable tactics and planning. low and hit points are medium or high, the players feel
A chaotic creature thinks for themself, improvises, great while hitting often, but the foe can still endure long
easily breaks with social conventions, and might behave enough to make trouble. High AC and low hit points are
arbitrarily. A good creature looks for kindness and a wildcard, defining a monster who might last a long time
compassion in the world, values fair exchanges, and tries or go down quickly to a few lucky blows.
to help others. An evil creature seeks personal gain and is
largely bereft of compassion. Creatures who are neutral or SPEED
unaligned are uniformly unpredictable, and often more Speed doesn’t vary tremendously among monsters,
likely to flee a fight they can’t win than more dogmatic but having additional movement types such as flying,
foes. climbing, or burrowing can grant tactical advantages, and
Every creature is an individual, but a creature’s default can be used to surprise players and drive engagement.
alignment can help guide how they react to situations, Take a moment to assess a monster’s traits (see below),
including how likely they are to offer to cease combat as these might interact with speed in the form of special
102 capabilities such as charging, stealth, or teleportation.
ABILITY SCORES down the names of skills that a creature is likely to use,
Ability scores tell the story of a foe’s assets and particularly skills that interact with traits or actions.
weaknesses. They help you describe a creature as quick VULNERABILITIES, RESISTANCES,
or plodding, hardy or weak, dull or brilliant, uncouth or AND IMMUNITIES
compelling. Combined with a creature’s proficiencies,
Beyond their importance in combat, vulnerabilities,
ability scores determine the skills that foes feel most
resistances, and immunities are also amazing
confident using, such as Athletics or Stealth.
opportunities for encounter and story design. They let
Strength. Strong creatures often engage with the
you look for ways to bring story to the forefront during
environment and physical challenges. They are more likely
combat, highlighting the interaction between the nature
to try climbing a cliff to reach an opponent, jump across a
of a creature, the characters, and the environment.
pit, or break through a wooden barrier. A weaker creature
You can lean into a creature’s weaknesses to make
shies away from such trials, and might avoid the front
combat easier for the characters, as with a troll marauder
lines of battle unless they can dart in and out of danger.
fighting in a burning forest. Not only does such a scenario
Dexterity. Dexterous creatures are quick, often
make the troll easier to defeat, you get to explain how
acting first in combat, and looking for ways to seize the
the creature came to be there, and to roleplay them
advantage over stronger foes. They might favor ranged
appropriately. Resistances and immunities can likewise
weapons or skirmish tactics, and might bypass challenges
easily heighten a challenge. For example, in an encounter
by swinging on ropes, dodging out of danger, or hiding.
with a black dragon, you can add acid pools linked by
Constitution. A creature with a high Constitution has
submerged tunnels, providing the dragon with a refuge
a strong measure of health and hardiness. They can easily
and the means to surprise the heroes.
take physical risks and expect to survive, where a more
fragile creature will be cautious and seek cover or other SENSES
ways to improve their chances. If every foe in an encounter has the ability to fight in the
Intelligence. Creatures of high Intelligence are often dark (whether through darkvision, tremorsense, or other
analytical or experienced. They might have studied or means), that might be an advantage worth incorporating
faced similar challenges in the past, and are thus able into your encounter design. Tremorsense, truesight, and
to make good choices regarding future opportunities. blindsight defeat most of the ways in which characters can
Creatures with lower Intelligence might take longer to hide. Even a few creatures with special senses can work
fully assess their options, and might make mistakes or be well in that regard as they provide information to their
fooled easily. allies.
Wisdom. A wise creature is aware of their surroundings
and can read situations accurately. They understand LANGUAGES
other creatures and how they behave, with the insight It’s important to note whether foes can understand or
to potentially guide that behavior. An unwise creature be understood by the characters. When kobold brigands
misunderstands situations, potentially acting contrary to shout tactics in their own language and one character
available information. understands them, that’s fun! If a giant shouts at the
Charisma. A high Charisma is a boon in directing characters and no one understands what they’re saying,
others and preserving strong bonds. A charismatic it leaves the players to determine whether combat can be
creature can keep their allies from fleeing, or help avoided. Language differences highlight the importance
negotiate favorable terms with others. They can be of spells such as comprehend languages or features such as
intimidating or manipulative, covering up lies capably. telepathy.
Creatures with low Charisma might try to avoid social
interactions or could end up on the defensive in such CHALLENGE RATING
situations, easily giving away their intentions. A creature’s challenge rating (and the XP reward assigned
to that challenge) is a rough measure of that creature’s
SAVING THROWS AND SKILLS power compared to the characters. By the 5e core rules,
Saving throws and skills highlight which abilities a a creature of a particular challenge rating should present
creature uses most confidently. Proficiency in certain a medium encounter when fought by four characters
saving throws might define how easily a creature whose level is the same as that challenge rating—but
throws themself into specific types of peril, while skill there’s a lot more to creating encounters than that simple
proficiencies can determine how a creature acts outside of formula. You can find more on that topic in “Monster
combat. Combinations for a Hard Challenge” (page 67), “The
Because these lines in the stat block can be easy to Lazy Encounter Benchmark” (page 70), “Building
overlook or forget—and because many creatures don’t Challenging High-Level Encounters” (page 86), “What
have proficient saving throws or skills called out—make Are Challenge Ratings?” (page 99), and “Defining
note of these things. You might highlight or circle ability Challenge Level” (page 105).
scores that are a creature’s best saving throws, or jot
103
 TRAITS have honed over time, and they use the most favorable
A creature’s traits represent important features, of those tactics when possible. Reviewing a stat block’s
advantages, and characteristics, all of which are important actions can reveal superior choices to use whenever
to review before play begins. Unlike actions, which must possible, let you dismiss choices you can ignore, and
be chosen round to round, traits are typically “always on” highlight actions dependent upon other actions or specific
and thus easy to forget during play. Make special note of situations. For example, a chimera’s Multiattack action
traits you expect to come up during play to make them allows three attacks, but it almost always makes sense to
easier to remember. substitute the higher-damage Fire Breath for one of those
Traits can drive monster behavior and encounter attacks whenever it’s available.
design. A grick’s Stone Camouflage grants advantage Whenever an attack imposes a condition that makes
on Dexterity (Stealth) checks to hide in rocky terrain, subsequent attacks easier, a creature knows instinctively to
so let that monster make the most of it to set up an use that attack first. For example, an otyugh’s Multiattack
ambush encounter. An otyugh’s Limited Telepathy creates allows one bite and two tentacle attacks, but a hit with a
an interesting roleplaying encounter if the characters tentacle can restrain a foe to make them grant advantage,
can figure out what the creature wants—or a combat so tentacle attacks should be used first.
encounter if they can’t. Actions with a recharge are almost always superior
Traits can likewise determine how a creature to actions lacking them, but there can be situational
approaches combat. A tiger uses their Pounce trait advantages to waiting to use such actions. For example,
whenever possible, as does a minotaur with their Charge a dragon who recharges their breath weapon will wait to
trait, because they deal much more damage that way. A use it again until they have enough targets lined up.
wolf ’s use of Pack Tactics provides advantage on attack Creatures with spell attacks or complex actions can be
rolls, causing wolves to instinctively gang up on foes. hard to run, requiring tactical assessment and comparing
Whether a monster will risk an opportunity attack to damage output to determine the options the creature
move into position to use a combat-focused trait can should naturally favor. For example, a drider can cast
depend on their ability to judge risk and choose caution faerie fire to help their allies, or can cast darkness to
over opportunity, perhaps as indicated by their Wisdom, prepare an ambush or escape from battle. They otherwise
Intelligence, or alignment. deal more damage with three Longbow attacks, but
Some traits require careful attention because the should instead use two Longsword attacks and a Bite
moment when they trigger is easy to overlook. Examples attack if pressed to melee. This complex creature’s optimal
include remembering to use a gnoll’s Rampage trait, or attacks aren’t immediately obvious, however, so reading
determining whether a troll’s Regeneration trait functions the stat block carefully is important.
on their turn. If possible, avoid using more than a couple PLAY TO YOUR STRENGTHS
of monsters with hard-to-track traits in an encounter.
Encounters typically run better when you play to your
In some stat blocks, spellcasting and innate spellcasting
own strengths as a GM. If you enjoy discovering a
is included in traits, requiring special review. “Running
complex monster’s perfect attack sequence, then the time
Spellcasting Monsters” (page 58) has lots more
spent reviewing attack options will be rewarding. But if
information on this topic.
you prefer a simpler game, running complex monsters
could result in frustration—so when you review monster
ACTIONS
stat blocks, choosing the simpler options will be more
Although some traits can deal damage in their own effective and rewarding. If a published encounter has a
right, a creature’s primary damage output comes from complex monster, consider replacing their most complex
their actions. Actions are the dynamic means by which actions or traits with simpler options, either from another
a creature engages the characters, challenging and creature stat block or from the range of monster powers
potentially defeating them. The nature of each action presented in this book (in “Building a Quick Monster” on
provides tactical advantages, as well as a means by which page 4, “Monster Powers” on page 15, or “Monster
you portray the creature and their threat. Roles” on page 22).
In some cases, lore and statistics suggest that certain
monsters don’t often experience combat, or that they ROLEPLAYING ACTIONS
lack tactical acumen. For such monsters, you don’t need Actions are the primary way that creatures engage with
to worry about optimal combat choices, and having foes other creatures in a combat encounter. As such, your
making obvious mistakes can delight players. Roleplay the monsters will resonate more fully with the players when
creature’s confusion, frustration, or other signs that they you bring their actions to life through roleplaying. A
lack combat experience. Clever players might try to goad drider scout might cast their spells in a hissing voice, or
such creatures into making poor choices, creating a fun dip their arrows in poison before nocking and loosing
play experience. them. An otyugh might send telepathic images of food as
For the most part, though, monsters in a fantasy world they attack, revealing their simple goal.
must periodically face combat in order to survive. For
104 such monsters, their actions represent the tactics they
DEFINING CHALLENGE LEVEL
As GMs, we all want to design for a specific challenge are losing even if they actually have the upper hand. A
level at different points. Though we understand that the similar effect takes place when characters are rendered
players and their characters will often surprise us, we want unconscious by other means, stunned, paralyzed, or
to be able to shape a thrilling final encounter that pushes otherwise unable to act, though running out of hit points
the heroes to their limits, or a series of easy encounters feels far more dangerous.
that let players build confidence.
GMs using challenge levels might find that the
ABILITY TO PRESS ON
definitions of challenge in the 5e core rules—the idea After the fight ends, do the heroes feel they can
of breaking encounters out as easy, medium, hard, or continue adventuring and face future encounters? The
deadly—don’t match their expectations, or that the most challenging encounters erode the confidence of
definitions are unclear. This section can help with that, an adventuring party, hastening the point when the
by discussing the key factors that establish a particular characters stop for a short or long rest, and therefore
challenge level. Using these criteria, you can then provide impacting the length of the adventuring day. (“On
an alternative definition of the easy, medium, hard, and Encounters per Day” on page 93 talks more about rests
deadly challenge levels used for encounter building. and the concept of the adventuring day.)

WHAT DETERMINES CHALLENGE LEVELS

CHALLENGE LEVEL? By using these key criteria, you can define each challenge
level—easy, medium, hard, or deadly—in a way that
Challenge levels are useful because they can help craft
replaces the definitions found in the core rules. You can
specific experiences for the players. Understanding the
still use your current tools or the core XP-based rules to
factors that differentiate challenge levels can thus help
determine an encounter’s challenge level. But the tips and
GMs select the right challenge for a particular play
guidelines found throughout this book will help your
experience.
encounters meet these new definitions. (In particular,
The following elements, all related to monster challenge
“Monster Combinations for a Hard Challenge” on page
rating, establish the baseline challenge level of an
67 has specific guidelines for achieving a hard challenge
encounter.
level with different groups of foes. “The Lazy Encounter
HITS AND DAMAGE Benchmark” on page 70 talks about how to avoid a hard
Characters are challenged the more often they are hit by challenge level crossing over into deadly.)
attacks and the more damage they take from those hits. EASY CHALLENGE LEVEL
This is true even if the characters are not close to dying.
An easy encounter is relaxing and empowering for the
Hits and damage is the easiest key factor to assess before
players, as their characters show off their capabilities.
an encounter begins, and also the easiest to adjust during
Because no characters should take significant damage
play.
or be in danger, players have the freedom to be creative,
RESOURCE EXPENDITURE trying unusual or inefficient tactics for the sake of
When the challenge level feels high, players expend their roleplaying or fun.
character’s resources to achieve victory or prevent defeat.
Resources include class features or magic items with IF YOU DON’T USE CHALLENGE
a specified number of uses, consumable magic items,
LEVELS
spell slots, and other limited-use capabilities. Resource
expenditure feels important to players, even if they know Mike tends not to aim encounters at particular challenge levels,
the encounter is to be followed by a long rest. instead letting the challenge of an encounter shape itself as
a result of the story and the pacing of the game. Sometimes
FORMIDABLE FOES that creates an encounter with two half-drunk bandits playing
Foes feel formidable when they hit harder than expected, cards in the woods. Sometimes it’s a squad of merregon devils
hit more often than usual, have special tricks, control the conducting phalanx training.
battlefield, or are particularly well suited to the encounter Using the information in “The Lazy Encounter Benchmark”
environment. This often translates to monsters of higher (page 70), Mike determines if a battle might be inadvertently
challenge rating, but not always. A fearsome description deadly after he’s decided on the number and types of creatures
and great roleplaying can make a foe feel formidable to to drop into an encounter. This is a less exact but much faster
the players and their characters alike. approach to encounter building, which Mike favors. For your
own games, try different approaches for designing combat
DYING CHARACTERS encounters and see which work best for you and your group.
When a character is brought to 0 hit points, all the Keep all the options in your GM’s toolbox, and use whichever
players notice. The tenor of an encounter often changes works best for the moment.
immediately, creating the feeling that the characters 105
 Use easy encounters as warm-ups, to provide respite or
confidence, or in a dungeon or other area that works best
with many short encounters.
Hits and Damage: Low
Resource Expenditure: None
Formidable Foes: Stock creatures, dispatched quickly
Dying Characters: None
Ability to Press On: High. Characters can easily face
eight to ten easy encounters in an adventuring day.
MEDIUM CHALLENGE LEVEL
At the medium challenge level, monsters are of a high
enough CR to provide some measure of threat, and
one formidable foe could be grouped with weaker
foes. The encounter allows for moments when both
characters and monsters shine, but the characters are
expected to have the upper hand throughout the battle
by expending a few resources. Characters are unlikely
to drop to 0 hit points, unless they began the battle with
fewer than half their normal hit points. Dying Characters: One or two, and several characters
Use medium encounters when you want game play to might run low on hit points. Character death is possible,
be engaging but not high pressure. After the battle, the though rare.
characters are left less capable than when they began, but Ability to Press On: Moderate. Characters can face two to
should still be inclined to continue unless previous battles three hard encounters in an adventuring day.
have depleted their resources.
DEADLY CHALLENGE LEVEL
Hits and Damage: Average
In a deadly encounter, most or all of the foes are
Resource Expenditure: Low
formidable, feeling stronger than the characters even if
Formidable Foes: Stock creatures, dispatched quickly
they actually aren’t. They hit often and hard. In addition
Dying Characters: None, though one in four characters
to damage, higher-CR monsters often have features and
might run low on hit points.
other capabilities that add pressure to the encounter.
Ability to Press On: High. Characters should be able to
Players should be on the edge of their seats as they
face four medium encounters in an adventuring day.
carefully consider and reconsider tactics while the battle
HARD CHALLENGE LEVEL progresses. Resource expenditure is ongoing, as characters
A hard encounter features one or more formidable foes dig deep and use their strongest class features and magic.
who can function effectively, hitting reliably and dealing A deadly encounter is dangerous, but isn’t aiming to
damage that causes characters and players to take notice. be a slaughter or a TPK—a disastrous encounter that
Hit point levels can go up and down as healing resources ends in a total party kill. Most characters should lose
are consumed, driving characters to adjust tactics and half or more of their hit points in a deadly encounter.
expend vital resources to counter the threat. Several characters might be temporarily taken out of the
Most of the characters might lose from a quarter to fight by conditions or other effects, and there’s a chance
one-half of their hit points as a result of their foes’ high for one or more characters to take enough damage to
damage output. One or two characters might end up drop to 0 hit points. The pressures of combat might also
dying and unconscious, and there could be moments result in characters dying outright by failing death saving
when the battle looks like it could go either way, even as throws, especially from critical hits or taking damage
the heroes are expected to emerge victorious. Losing the while unconscious and dying. Deadly encounters are
fight is a slim possibility, but the challenge level of the particularly challenging when the party is already low on
encounter means the characters are likely in a position to hit points and resources.
negotiate or retreat to avoid dying en masse. After a deadly encounter, characters who began the
After a hard battle, the characters can continue, but encounter fully rested will typically take a short rest to
might decide to rest if they’ve had previous encounters. spend Hit Dice and regain a few resources. Characters
Use hard encounters to wake up the players, underscore who began the encounter without their full hit points or
the stakes and peril in an adventure, deplete resources, or resources usually choose to take a long rest. Use deadly
present a strong challenge that the characters will enjoy encounters to introduce key foes, surprise players with a
overcoming. thrilling challenge, or provide an exciting conclusion to a
gaming session or adventure.
CARLOS EULEFÍ

Hits and Damage: High

Resource Expenditure: Moderate to high Hits and Damage: Very high
Formidable Foes: One or more Resource Expenditure: Very high
106
Formidable Foes: Most or all
Dying Characters: Several, with a low-to-moderate
CHALLENGE LEVELS AS ANALYSIS
chance of character death. POINTS
Ability to Press On: Moderate. Characters can face one to Scott notes that we can use challenge levels to assess how
two deadly encounters in an adventuring day. closely our encounters hit the desired mark, and then adjust
our approach accordingly. When you run a medium challenge
BEYOND DEADLY? level encounter, do the benchmarks hold true? This analysis
The core rules set an XP value above which an encounter lets you know the relative strength and weakness of the
is deadly—and no amount of XP over that line changes characters—and your style as a GM—compared to the default
the definition. This might seem strange, especially given definition. You can then make adjustments to achieve the
that neither the core rules nor Forge of Foes use the term desired challenge more consistently.
“deadly” to mean “everybody dies.”
We don’t usually want a high chance of a total party kill easily use terrain to increase challenge level in ways that
in our games. We want the heroes to prevail because that’s monster CR fails to capture.
fun for the players. A deadly challenge level already feels
like high stakes, and going above that risks frustration and
GOALS
the end of a campaign. As such, it can be helpful to have The characters might need to stop the cultists, but also
a threshold that warns us when we’re at the upper level of to save a group of captives. A merchant trapped in a
deadly and veering into at TPK. burning shop calls for help, distracting a hero from their
To determine the upper end of a deadly encounter, goal of attacking an evil fire demon. A relic must be
take the difference between the XP thresholds of the recovered before it falls into lava. Having specific goals in
deadly and hard columns in the core rules of the Dungeon an encounter beyond simply defeating the foes increases
Master’s Guide, then add that number to the deadly the challenge level if those goals decrease the emphasis
column. This new number becomes the end of the deadly characters can place on combat.
threshold—meaning that above that number is where a
TPK becomes likely. For example, if the hard encounter USING CHALLENGE LEVELS
threshold is 3,000 XP and the deadly threshold is 4,400 When you create encounters, use the challenge level that
XP for a party of four characters, then the upper threshold most closely fits your goals for the encounter. If you’re
for deadly would be the difference (4,400 – 3,000 = 1,400) looking for a fun warm-up that shouldn’t use up resources
added to the deadly threshold (4,400 + 1,400 = 5,800). or threaten the characters, then go for an easy challenge
This tells you that using creatures in an encounter with level. If the encounter should feature formidable foes
a total XP value of 5,800 or higher takes you beyond the dealing maximum damage and pushing the characters
deadly threshold and puts you at risk of a TPK. to their limits, with high resource expenditure and the
chance of characters dropping to 0 hit points or dying
ADDITIONAL FACTORS NOT outright, that’s a deadly encounter.
RELATED TO CR As you create encounters, you’ll find yourself varying
the challenge level to fit the story and to create different
The following factors aren’t directly related to challenge
emotional responses from your players. This idea lends
rating or challenge level, and therefore don’t appear
itself to a number of different approaches for filling out a
in the discussion above. However, these factors are
party’s adventuring day.
important to also keep in mind, as they can impact how
you might need to modify the expected challenge level CLASSIC APPROACH
to make an encounter work as intended. (“The Lazy This straightforward method of encounter building
Encounter Benchmark” on page 70 talks about other tells a satisfying story and has an easy-to-manage linear
considerations that can have an effect on challenge level.) expenditure of resources. However, players can quickly
TACTICS become too accustomed to this approach.
The classic approach features the following setup:
Your tactical decisions as a GM impact the challenge.
You might make the enemy wizard obvious at the start of • An easy challenge to warm up the characters and
combat, or begin with them hidden behind a secret door. provide a fun start.
You might have monsters attack the rear ranks, forcing • A set of medium or hard encounters to expend
melee characters to choose between reinforcing their resources.
position and going after the boss ahead. • A deadly challenge as the climactic finish.
Examples of the classic approach include:
TERRAIN
• Entering a cultist hideout to stop the ritual taking place
Does reaching an enemy caster require crossing a rickety in the final chamber.
rope bridge, or swinging across a chasm? Are archers
positioned far from the heroes and behind cover? You can
107
 • Overcoming several wilderness challenges, then facing
off against a terrifying monster before reaching a
THE “ALL-OR-NOTHING” APPROACH
specific destination. Conventional wisdom suggests that if you want to challenge
• Following leads in the city to find and confront a series characters, you’ll want to wear them down first. Characters
of lesser members of the thieves’ guild, before battling who enter a battle fully rested have a lot of resources at their
the head of the guild. disposal, and especially if they have the opportunity to use
those resources all at once, they’re going to dominate the
REVERSE APPROACH battle.
The reverse approach flips the script to surprise players Sometimes, whether by accident or design, the characters
who expect encounters to become more progressively end up facing the boss monster fully rested. They haven’t been
difficult. Expending resources early on can shake the worn down first with a series of easy or medium battles, but
players’ confidence, though, requiring cues that the can push straight toward the big climactic boss fight. When this
characters should press on. happens, the hard encounter threshold probably isn’t enough
The reverse approach features the following setup: to truly challenge a party. You have to go harder than hard—
• A deadly challenge to start, knocking the characters into the realm of deadly encounters, or even beyond.
back and surprising the players. “Building and Running Boss Monsters” on page 31 talks
• A set of medium or hard encounters to expend more about running waves of monsters, and that approach works
resources. great for an all-or-nothing battle. You can effectively set up the
• An easy challenge to finish things off, allowing the characters facing the easy and medium battles they missed out
characters to relax and celebrate their success. on—but they face those challenges one right after the other, or
maybe even overlapping. Then in the final wave, the big boss
Examples of the reverse approach include:
and their guardians come out before the characters have any
• Attacking a keep, which results in numerous defenders chance to rest.
coming to stop the characters. Once past those defenses, Alternatively, you might set up a seemingly overwhelming
the number of foes drops down to reflect the number encounter, then dial it back by having many of the potential
of defenders that have been defeated or are unwilling to foes in the battle not focused on killing the characters. Some
challenge the characters. might be busy performing a ritual. They might be in the middle
• Deadly traps and terrible undead guardians have of a big vampire wedding ceremony. They might be getting
prevented anyone from making it into an ancient tomb. ready to raid the headquarters of a rival. Even if such a battle
Once this initial chamber is cleared, the characters can is well beyond deadly, the characters can maintain the upper
explore the inner chambers, finding that they need only hand by picking and choosing their foes. Sure, things can still
fight a few more undead and solve a relatively simple go sideways—but that’s where the real fun begins.
puzzle to gain the treasure they seek.
HILL APPROACH session to focus less on combat and more on exploration
or roleplaying.
In this approach, challenge is built up, then eased back
The valley approach features the following setup:
down. This creates a nice tension, with roughly half the
action taking place after vital resources have been spent. • A deadly or hard encounter to start, ratcheting up the
tension.
The hill approach features the following setup:
• Two easy encounters, or one medium and one easy
• Two medium encounters to start, or an easy and a hard encounter, to allow the characters to regain their
encounter. footing.
• A deadly challenge to anchor the action. • A deadly or hard encounter to maximize the tension
• Medium or easy encounters to finish things off. and drama of the conclusion.
Examples of the hill approach include: Examples of the valley approach include:
• The characters sneak their way into a keep, steal an item • Defeating bandits hiding out in ancient ruins is a tough
from a trap-and-guardian-filled central chamber, then challenge, but makes exploring the ruins easy. Then as
must flee the site before the defenders are fully alerted. night falls, the bandits rise as undead.
• A trek across the wilderness passes through a central • Secretly breaking into a bank is a dangerous operation,
highlight such as a lava field or a vast swamp. That but once inside, the characters face only minor traps as
central point offers potentially deadly challenges, but they explore the vaults. Then when they emerge, they
getting there and then getting away are relatively easy. find that the city watch has been called to confront
VALLEY APPROACH them.
• The characters defeat a deadly monster in their lair,
This approach keeps the characters focused with both
explore some low-threat caves at the back of the lair,
a strong start and a strong finish, but provides a respite
and return to find that the monster’s enraged partner
in between. This style of encounter building works well
has just arrived.
when you want the middle scenes of an adventure or a

108
BALANCING MECHANICS
AND STORY
Monsters serve two purposes in tabletop RPGs. First, and describe such details each time a monster attacks
their stat block includes the rules and mechanics by which or a character hits them. You don’t have to flood your
a GM can run that creature in the game—typically during description with details for every single monster. But
combat, but not always. Secondly, monsters also serve the every so often, when it feels right, mention the scar over a
story of our games. It’s easy to focus on the mechanics of a brass dragon’s left eye, or the creases in a bandit captain’s
foe when preparing to run them, but don’t forget the story well-worn leather boots, or the rusty blade decorated with
of that foe. They have things they do mechanically, yes, scalps wielded by a gnome murder cultist.
but each monster also has a representation in the world.
They have lore and flavor. Physical descriptions. History,
ASK PLAYERS TO IDENTIFY
motivations. The sounds they make. The smells …
MONSTROUS TRAITS
Game mechanics serve the story of each monster, A GM doesn’t need to be the only one responsible for
not the other way around. But it’s easy to forget about a filling in these details. During combat, you can ask the
monster’s narrative when combat begins. Each creature players to identify interesting physical characteristics of
in a fight moves their speed, makes their attacks, and the foes they face. Use these characteristics not only to
deals their damage. They react to the characters’ actions, enrich the flavor of the foe, but to identify them when
teleport, knock opponents prone, build articulated making attacks, applying damage, or otherwise targeting
walls of fire, and so on. With so many rules, it’s no them. “The ogre bodyguard with the huge scar across
wonder GMs sometimes forget there’s a story going on their chest” and “the skeleton with the green mohawk” are
in the background. It’s a lot to manage, and the more far more interesting than “ogre number three” and “the
complicated the monster, the easier it is to forget what skeleton on the left.”
they’re like in the world.
MORE THAN MECHANICS
DON’T FORGET THE STORY GMs often fall back on designing or implementing new
When preparing, designing, and running monsters, don’t mechanics when they want to change a monster from
forget the role they play in the story of your game. First their default presentation, and there’s nothing wrong
and foremost, every foe is an element of the story taking with that. (This book is filled with that sort of advice.)
place at the table. A troll is often (though not always) But you can also try changing the in-world description
a big, warty, green-skinned, regenerating giant who’s of a monster and their behavior to suit their fictional
no stranger to combat. Only within the context of that narrative. Tweak their description. Tweak their behavior.
description does the troll have a set of mechanics—their Tweak their history and their reaction to confrontation
stat block—to support that story. with the characters. Describe a creature’s unique armor
Use the story of monsters to your advantage. Make or weapons. Talk about their tattoos or scars. Talk about
foes unique and interesting by their descriptions, their the holy symbols around their necks. Every for can be as
mannerisms, their words, and their actions. A giant unique as you’re willing to describe them.
rat might be the most boring monster in the game—or WHEN TO CHANGE MECHANICS
could be the most horrific foe ever faced, based on the
description a GM uses when that oily-furred, red-eyed Alter the mechanics of a monster only when the default
horror slithers out of a slimy sewer pipe, screeching as stat block doesn’t support the monster’s story in the
they bare razor-sharp, plague-coated teeth. world. If a troll warlord stands atop a bone-cluttered
hill preparing to hurl the skulls of former victims at the
UNLIMITED NARRATIVE BUDGET characters, the troll stat block has no such ranged attack.
The narrative surrounding a monster is limited only So you improvise. Reskin the troll’s Claw attack into a
by imagination and time. You can describe monsters Thrown Skull attack that uses the same attack bonus
however you wish. Every ogre warrior’s club can be and deals the same damage, changing that damage from
uniquely carved to shows their exploits in combat. Every slashing to bludgeoning. Want to make that attack even
elf knight’s suit of scale armor can show the details of more dangerous? Increase the damage by another 2d6.
the battles they fought before. You needn’t change the Becoming comfortable making such modifications
mechanics of every veteran in a squad to make each of right at the table can help you improvise monsters all
them unique and interesting. The way they wear their throughout your games. “Monster Difficulty Dials” on
armor, the scars across their hardened skin, the style of page 27 offers more advice on making changes to
swords they wield—all these details can change without monsters on the fly. Additionally, the Monster Statistics
touching the stat block. by Challenge Rating table (part of “Building a Quick
You can jot these details down ahead of time if you Monster” on page 4) gives you a set of statistics to
want, or you can stretch your improvisational skills improvise new monster mechanics with little to no prep.
109
 BUILDING THE STORY
TO FIT THE MONSTER
In many cases, we can choose monsters to fit the story ESTABLISHING CREDIBILITY
of our adventures (as discussed at “Choosing Monsters When choosing monsters first and then selecting
Based on the Story” on page 113). Story matters the most the story, you want to find a story that establishes
in the long run, so it typically makes sense to start with verisimilitude. For some monsters, minor explanations
a larger premise and stock our adventures with monsters can suffice. Players and their characters will likely believe
who reinforce that story. But there are times when it’s that brigands have hired a bugbear from a nearby forest.
even more fun to do the reverse. We start with monsters Minor details such as the bugbear wearing a too-tight
who excite us, then we build the story to fit them. uniform can reinforce this already plausible story.
Even the goblins and the water elemental can work,
MONSTERS FIRST if at the start of the encounter, the goblins are arguing
While paging through any of the many monster books over who should use a magic item. When they see the
available for 5e games, you come across an amazing characters, one of the goblins takes the item and uses it …
monster. Filled with excitement, you wish that creature to cause the water elemental to appear!
could appear in your campaign. Or maybe a player
mentions a type of monster during a game session, saying, FISH OUT OF WATER
“I’ve never fought one of those before!” Or you might There are times when it can be fun to use monsters who
have long had an idea for a fun encounter with different don’t fit the situation, or monsters who shouldn’t be
types of unusual creatures, but those creatures don’t fit the working together. Strange combinations can be surprising
current locations in the campaign. and intriguing, as long as you take some care to make the
In these and other similar situations, it makes sense to fish-out-of-water scenario plausible.
think about the monsters first and then build a story to When a monster is a figurative fish out of water, you’ll
validate their presence. need to work a bit harder to establish verisimilitude. In
this case, you want to explain how the monster came to
VERISIMILITUDE be in its present environment, and make that a key part
Players have more fun when they can immerse themselves of the encounter. Start by asking yourself the following
in a world that makes sense. They know that every aspect questions:
of the game’s setting is imaginary, but they can suspend • Where did this creature come from, and how could it
that disbelief when it makes sense to do so. As such, it’s have ended up here?
important to make monsters and their presence in the • What would it take for this creature to be comfortable
game make sense. in this location?
Start by asking yourself whether a particular • In what ways is the creature changing or impacting the
monster fits the environment and setting. A monster’s location? In what ways is the location impacting the
lore often includes rich information on the types of creature?
environments they favor, as well as the role they play • What would this foe need or want to allow them to
in such environments. So as fantastic as creatures like remain in this location? How could someone else keep
water elementals are, they make the most sense when the creature here?
they’re encountered near a lake or other body of water. If • How do the answers to the previous questions impact
you place a water elemental in the middle of a dungeon the current story and the other creatures in this
corridor with no explanation for why they came to be location?
there, the players will likely find that jarring, making them • What can the characters notice or learn that explains
less likely to enjoy the session. the story of this monster?
You also want to take care when combining different
types of monsters, to make sure it makes sense for LORE AND STAT BLOCKS
them to work together. GMs should select monsters for A monster’s stat block tells us a lot about them, as
encounters the way a chef selects ingredients: choose a discussed in “Reading the Monster Stat Block” on page
few skirmishers, add a beefy monster to take some hits, 102. Likewise, the lore that accompanies a stat block
and done! But even though a squad of goblins fighting can provide ideas useful for thinking through a monster’s
with a water elemental might be tactically sound, that nature and what their story might be.
combination will inevitably be jarring in the game. As an example, wolves fight in packs, and they hunt
prey. Their desire for prey could force them into a village.
Maybe the first thing the characters see at night is a bush

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 moving. When they investigate, a deer bounds out
from shelter. Moments later, the wolves that hunt the
deer show up.
Kobolds have a reputation for liking traps, so you
can showcase their traps up front to foreshadow their
presence in a location. You might also leave related clues
in the form of notes written in Draconic. You can then
set up a fun encounter where kobolds are trying to create
or repair a big trap, with the final encounter reinforcing
the earlier discoveries and providing confirmation
for players who guessed what unseen foes they were
facing.
Novels and movies can also provide narrative
ideas that can be combined with monster lore to
set up plausible scenarios for a fish-out-of-water
creature. A construct or undead could have
escaped from their creator, creating a scenario
that works with the expectation that players
are familiar with the story of Frankenstein.
Depending on how much you borrow from the
novel, the players and characters might end up
asking who is the true monster and villain in the
story.

EXAMPLE STORIES
Like our larger campaign story, the story we create for
our monsters is just a starting point. The real narrative is
the one created by the intersection of the characters and
that initial tale. A great monster story is therefore one that
helps the characters engage with the scene as fully as they
can, creating a fun adventure that the players will want to visible to a character who carefully peers over the edge, or
talk about for years to come. could be noticed during battle.
This section presents several types of stories that can Oops, We Hired Swamp Creatures! A group of
explain the presence of a monster you want to use in an lizardfolk working as laborers in a village have been
unusual environment or location. Use any of these setups hidden away by the merchant who hired them, and have
and the example stories that come with them as is, or use flooded the basement of the merchant’s home trying
them as starting points that you can alter as needed to fit to make themselves comfortable. When the characters
your own game. discover them, it’s clear that the lizardfolk are being
taken advantage of, and pointing this out could turn the
SUMMONED, HIRED, OR CAPTURED laborers against their employer.
A creature who doesn’t fit their environment could have Spider Pet. Goblins feed giant spiders in a side tunnel
been deliberately brought to that environment. Magic or near their lair, and the arachnids no longer attack
other threats might bind the creature, or they might serve creatures providing food. In an adjacent cavern, the
willingly in exchange for something. goblins raise pigs, and are trying to drag one out of a cage
Bound Air Demon. An evil sorcerer binds an air to feed the spider when the characters happen by.
demon, convincing the fiend to stay by constructing
an area that has tall ceilings, many ledges, and is filled
SURPRISING PLAYERS
with smoke. The demon can speak of this as they attack,
explaining why they deign to serve a mere humanoid. Scott notes that intentionally using a fish-out-of-water scenario
Water Guardian. A water creature could be bound to can sometimes work better than making use of monsters who
a fountain, cistern, or moat. The characters might meet are the perfect fit. Players expect goblins in the goblin tunnels,
an NPC carrying buckets of water, with the scars along and might be less engaged when they see still more goblins
their arms a sign of the dangers of reaching into the water. in a larger cave. However, add another creature who doesn’t
Runes of binding are hidden under the water’s surface, seem to belong, and the players become intrigued. They’ll still
want to know why the monster is in a strange location, or why
MATT MORROW

two seemingly incompatible creatures are working together,

but those questions now tie to the encounter rather than
undermining it.
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 Give Us the Artifact! A band of drow seek a rumored
BREAK AWAY FROM STEREOTYPES artifact or lost lore. Their mission is vital, so they might
Mike notes that the act of building a story around an out-of- negotiate with the characters to gain what they seek—or
place monster pushes us away from stereotypical situations. fight the characters if their mission is opposed.
The very act of having to explain the weird occurrence of a Meet the Neighbors. A group of creatures who would
creature’s existence forces a GM to come up with a creative normally be more at home on a different dungeon level or
explanation that they might never otherwise have come up in an adjacent biome have come to the area the characters
with. Truly memorable encounters can arise from this process. are exploring with some purpose in mind. They might be
meeting up with other creatures to establish an alliance,
And That’s Why We Locked Them Up. A prison trying to claim (or reclaim) a valuable relic, or simply
holds an atypical creature, such as a mephit captured by seeking conflict for its own sake. The appearance of such
bandits. The creature’s personality, as well as a possibly creatures can add richness to an encounter, even as it sets
secret reason for their captivity, can then become a fun up new regions or dungeon levels the characters haven’t
part of the adventure. Is the creature a potential ally and yet visited.
source of information, or a potential foe biding their time What Dug This Hole? A burrowing creature has broken
before they turn against the heroes? Are they especially into a dungeon or city basement, seeking or escaping
obnoxious, or incessantly obsequious? Do they lie all too something. The broken wall or floor explains how the
convincingly, then quickly turn against any ally or enemy creature came to trade its former environment for a new
who believes them? one.
Another option is to have a captured creature seem
mundane when they’re actually far more dangerous. That A STORY WITHIN A STORY
dog held captive in the crate? It’s a hell hound or death We can make the presence of a monster believable by
dog. The trophy case displaying two crossed swords? telling that creature’s story and explaining how that
Those are flying swords. And of course, the empty cell telling fits into our larger story. Though discovering an
holding nothing but a mundane-looking object might be explanation for a monster’s presence after the monster has
a mimic, a cloaker, or a creature not normally known for been encountered sometimes works, providing at least a
camouflage fallen victim to a magical curse. partial explanation up front can make the actual moment
of meeting the monster feel more plausible.
Inventor Lost Control. To make use of some awesome
MINI-BIOME
clockwork monsters within a larger dungeon, you
A broader location might contain a small area where an can place a door barred from the inside with a “Keep
out-of-place monster fits in, even when the rest of the Closed” warning sign. The door leads to a mini-lair for
location is not a typical lair. Magic can always be used a gnome inventor. The first of three rooms holds her
to explain a mini-biome, though this might feel forced notes, indicating that her clockwork creations have gone
or trite. A more natural reason for a mini-biome usually out of control. The second and third rooms contain the
works best. aggressive creatures, and the third room also has the
Localized Swamp. Lizardfolk and their pet giant frog bound inventor. If freed, she can help turn the tide of
dwell in a cavern where an underground river has eroded battle.
the rock, creating swamp-like conditions. Long Cold Winter. You can establish that it’s been an
Brackish Waters. A sea creature is attacking settlements unusually harsh winter in town, and that the townsfolk
along a freshwater river. A village elder tells the characters are afraid. This sets the players and characters up nicely
that during heavy rains, the sea floods the estuary and the for a yeti attack, which seems entirely plausible.
waters turn brackish, explaining how a marine predator They Have Eyepatches and Say Yar. To make use of
has found a new home. some great bandit-type stat blocks while the characters
There Must Be a Volcano. A biome can sometimes are in a port town, simply reskin them as pirates. For extra
be foreshadowed. Setting up the appearance of a fire fun, place wanted posters for the pirate captain that the
elemental and magma mephits in a dungeon can be characters can find before the encounter.
accomplished by first creating a chamber where crude They Scuttled Off That Way. A remorhaz is a fun
drawings of volcanoes and fire creatures cover the walls. monstrosity, but doesn’t quite fit a dungeon milieu. So set
When the characters later come across a river of magma, up a scene where the characters can overhear two ogres by
the presence of fire creatures makes sense. a fire in a cave, talking about how a rock broke open and
ON A MISSION something nasty came out. Investigating the fire pit shows
that some of the rocks around it appear to have cracked
Sapient monsters might intentionally travel to an
open like eggs. Later, the characters can encounter a
unfamiliar location, becoming explorers just like the
young remorhaz—perhaps chewing on the remains of
characters. The reason for the monsters being there can be
another dungeon denizen they surprised.
just as interesting as the monsters themselves.

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CHOOSING MONSTERS
BASED ON THE STORY
Rather than building combat encounters based on the other monster books available for fifth edition fantasy
level of the characters and the difficulty of the intended games offer excellent summaries of each of their creatures,
challenge, consider choosing monsters for your adventure including lore, environment, behaviors, and allies. When
based on the story and the situation in the world around considering monsters to add to your adventure, start first
the encounter. with your favorite book of monsters.
This idea isn’t always easy to understand, and it departs Many monster books and Gamemaster guides include
from a common approach toward preparation for fantasy lists of monsters by ecology, often sorted by challenge
RPGs—building adventures as a set of encapsulated and rating. These lists show what monsters typically reside
predefined scenes or encounters, with a bit of exploration, in which environments, including forests, deserts, ruins,
some roleplaying, and (usually) a lot of combat. cities, and more. The challenge ratings in such lists are
As an alternative, write down a list of the monsters useful guides, but don’t be afraid to include weaker
who might be encountered in a larger area depending on monsters to let higher-powered characters show off
the situation taking place during the game. The seventh their skills. Likewise, you might choose a monster who’s
step of preparation from chapter 9 of Return of the Lazy technically too powerful for the characters, but you can
DM describes how to abstract lists of monsters from the give them a chance to see the creature from afar so they
scenes and situations in which they might appear during don’t simply wander in and get killed.
an adventure. This lets GMs “cook at the table,” dropping (“Bosses and Minions” on page 61 offers suggestions
in monsters who fit both the scene and the situation—and on which monsters might serve other more powerful
which make for the most fun in the moment as the GM creatures, all keyed to environment. “Monsters by
improvises encounters based on what happens during the Adventure Location” on page 72 features lists of
story and the game. monsters keyed to specific locations.)

UNDERSTANDING THE STORY REALISM AND FUN

Which monsters make sense given a particular story, When considering what monsters might inhabit the
situation, and location isn’t always clear. We must first locations of our adventures and in what numbers,
understand the story of our adventure, which we can do consider the issue from two angles. What makes sense
by asking the following questions: in relation to the fiction and location of the world? And
• Where does it take place? what best entertains your players? Instead of balancing
• Who would inhabit this location? both ideas at the same time, though, consider focusing
• What types of allies, followers, or symbiotic on realism first. What makes sense for the fiction of the
relationships exist alongside these primary inhabitants? game?
• In what numbers do these inhabitants typically gather? If the characters delve into the ruins of an ancient crypt,
• Do they wander alone? Do they travel in pairs or all sorts of undead come to mind, including skeletons,
groups? specters, wights, wraiths, ghosts, mummies, vampires, and
As an example, red dragons are usually solitary liches. But many other types of foes might also work in
creatures as regards living among other dragons—but such a location, including cultists, necromancers, grave-
they could certainly have allies. Some might have fire robbing bandits, or black puddings feasting on the flesh of
elementals who serve them unerringly, or hordes of the dead.
kobold worshipers to do their daily menial work. They Any such creatures can easily feel realistic given the
might have sworn knights or priests who serve them location. So when preparing a game set in a crypt, list the
on far-reaching quests, or who protect the dragon as various undead and other monsters who might show up
bodyguards and advisors. A particularly powerful red in an encounter. Then when running the game, choose the
dragon spellcaster might summon and bind a demon to type and number of monsters that feels like the best fit for
their service—a demon eager for a chance to break their the fun and pacing of the game.
bonds. Since the inhabitants of a location can move around,
you can decide what quantities and combinations of
UNDERSTANDING THE monsters might reside in or travel through any given
area moment by moment. Did the party just finish a big
MONSTERS battle with hard monsters? Maybe it’s time for a couple of
It always helps to have a deeper understanding of the lore weaklings to wander through. Have the characters been
behind monsters, whatever its original source. You might having an easy time so far? Maybe they stumble into a
seek out this lore from old folktales and stories from group of heavy hitters. Either scenario still makes sense
thousands of years ago. You might take monsters from given the larger story and situation, but you can choose
popular fiction. The D&D Monster Manual and the many
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 the scenario offering the right beat and the right element type of monster. These abstractions might include a skull,
of pacing for the game. a grim-looking humanoid, a wolf, a slime, a dragon, or
Such variability helps tremendously in pacing a game. any other general representation of creatures in the game.
You don’t ever have to throw your hands up and run Numerous examples of generic tokens can be found
an encounter as is just because it’s written that way. By online, which can be purchased or constructed at low
choosing the number and types of monsters, you can cost. Some virtual tabletops even include generic monster
easily tweak encounters toward what brings the right tokens built in. For others, you might have to import the
pacing and feeling to the overall game. tokens into your VTT, but having a set of generic tokens
on hand means never having to worry about having the
WHAT ABOUT ENCOUNTER exact right token at the exact right time.
BALANCE? ORGANIZE FOR EASY RETRIEVAL
If we’re choosing monsters strictly by what makes sense When you organize your tokens or miniatures, either in-
for the scene, location, and situation, then improvising the person or online, spend the time to organize them so you
number and combination of monsters during play, how can easily find the ones you need when you need them.
do we ensure encounters are balanced? There’s one simple Find the right categories that make it easier to dig out the
answer: right ones. Keep your most-used tokens or miniatures
We don’t. close at hand, and let your least-used tokens or miniatures
“Monster Combinations for a Hard Challenge” (page fall to the bottom of your organizational system.
67) offers guidelines for building groups of monsters to
challenge characters. But a story-focused approach toward FIND A FAST METHOD FOR
encounters means not worrying about encounter balance. ONLINE TOKENS
Instead, you can focus only on being aware of when an A number of online tools let you build a token from any
encounter might become inadvertently deadly, discussed image quickly and easily. Some virtual tabletops have
in “The Lazy Encounter Benchmark” on page 70. built-in token making software. Find these tools and
practice using them to quickly build tokens from the
CHOOSING TOKENS AND many monster images made available for purchase or free
MINIATURES download online. Get good and fast at this process, and
Whether you play in person or online, this free-flowing you’ll be able to build any monster token you need even in
way of choosing monsters might challenge you if you the middle of your game.
make extensive use of tokens or miniatures. However, CRAFT GENERIC TOKENS FOR
there are a few easy ways to make sure you can still use IN-PERSON PLAY
those tools even while running flexible story-based
encounters. For playing in person, you can build a set of generic
tokens with a little bit of crafting. Start by printing out
SELECT A SUBSET OF TOKENS black-and-white silhouettes of monsters, skeletons,
OR MINIATURES knights, and other images. Search for royalty-free game
If you know you’re going to be running an adventure in icons online. Pick the ones you like and print them out at
a crypt and you have an idea of the types and numbers just under one inch in size. Then punch them out with a
of monsters who dwell there, you can sift through your one-inch hole punch. Use one-inch magnets for the base
collection and set aside the tokens or miniatures you of the token and one-inch clear epoxy stickers for the top.
might need. This can be a little time consuming, and you You can put together a couple of dozen such tokens for
might not use every mini you pull out. But having them under $20.
all on hand means you can pick what you need when you
need it. BUILD SITUATIONS AND SEE
For online play, you don’t have to worry about the WHAT HAPPENS
number of tokens—just the style. You can keep a separate By abstracting monsters from encounters and choosing
folder with the tokens you think you might need given the monsters who fit the scenes, story, locations, and
scenario, then copy and paste as many of those tokens as situations in your adventures, you give yourself the
you need. freedom to let those adventures follow whatever
USE GENERIC TOKENS directions they might take in the game. Keep these
tools and guidelines in mind to help you facilitate the
A set of generic tokens is a fantastic lazy tool for online adventure—moving where the action takes you, and freely
or in-person play. A generic token is either a physical or adjusting the pace to fit the fun of the table.
digital token with an abstract representation of various
types of monsters, rather than specific art for only one

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 ROMANCING MONSTERS
It can happen in any campaign. Everybody’s focused storyline should be treated as narrative kryptonite. Many
on the endgame, dispensing with foes on every side, people talk about how there’s no wrong way to play the
digging in deep to uncover ancient lore, and unraveling game, but in fact, there are many, many wrong ways to
dire mysteries layer by layer. And then the player of the play the game. And invoking or alluding in any way to
warlock says: nonconsensual encounters of a romantic or passionate
“Hey. What if instead of trying to defeat the Shadow nature is one of the worst.
Sovereign and their Legions of Umbral Anguish, I just …
you know … turn on the charm?” CONSENT
Whether it starts as a simple jest around the table at Wait, didn’t we already do this?
the end of a very late night, an ironic attempt at Twilight Yes we did. But consent is such an important part of
actual-play fan fiction, an homage to all the players’ this topic that talking about it once isn’t enough. This
favorite anime, or some other slow-burning urge, many time, though, we’re talking about player consent. Because
campaigns come to the crossroads that is romancing the even for a romancing-the-monster story that involves
big bad. Whether that big bad is a feral monster, a wicked appropriate consent within the narrative, it’s important
villain, a capricious deity, a malevolent antihero, or worse to recognize that this might not be a type of story all
(which is to say, better), the characters’ ultimate goal of players want to engage in. Many players love a campaign
fiercely taking down their foe can suddenly remake itself that strays into romance and relationship side treks,
as the new goal of … well, fiercely taking down their foe. whether between player characters, characters and NPCs,
If you catch the drift. characters and emissaries from the Court of the Shadow
Romancing monsters and villains is a trope that’s Fey doomed to never find true love, or what have you. But
existed in human-told tales for millennia. It can be great lots of players find those topics uncomfortable when they
fun if it fits the story your game is telling and the narrative engage them in games, even if they have no problem with
sensibilities of the players. (Letting the game move in them in other fictions. And it’s important to respect that.
this direction also inevitably brings the roleplaying side If a full-on villain romance is something that feels
of things into sharp focus, discussed in “Roleplaying like it might come up in a campaign, GMs should make
Monsters” on page 48). But there are a few things to discussing that topic part of their session 0. If it comes
think about before taking your game to the delicious dark
side.

CONSENT
Any narrative form—prose fiction, film or video, video
game cut-scene, or tabletop roleplaying scenario—can
veer toward romantic interactions between characters
and all the things that can result from that. When
this happens, showing consent within that
narrative framework is the all-important first
point in any checklist of tropes and narrative
elements feeding the story. Always.
There’s perhaps no more archetypal moment in
a story revolving around an enemies-to-lovers
reversal than the villain and their heroic foil
fighting toe to toe, matching each other’s
ferocity, pressing each other closer and closer
in combat—and then having one or the other
plant a physical or metaphorical kiss on their
astonished foe. It’s a great scene. But no matter
how innocent it seems, don’t ever confuse
that momentary transition of violence into
romance with a scenario in which romance
is earned through violence, threats, or an
imbalance of power.
Especially in a roleplaying game, where our
engagement with the story as the players creating
it is so much stronger than as viewers or readers
JACKIE MUSTO

passively engaging with a book or film, the

loss of agency for any character in a romantic
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 narrative. In the simplest terms of story analysis, character
CAN’T WE JUST BE FRIENDS? versus character is one of the foundational forms of
Mike points out that even if romancing the monsters isn’t your dramatic tension and conflict, and is unsurprisingly the
thing (and especially if that kind of roleplaying isn’t a good fit conflict linchpin in tales of fighting monsters. As such,
for any member of your group), a lot of the issues discussed stories built around battle and struggles for interpersonal
here work perfectly well for creating an enemies-to-friends domination fit perfectly into the combat-focused
scenario. Fiction, movies, and comics are full of examples of this narrative framework of a fantasy roleplaying game.
sort of story, because that narrative packs a lot of punch. Think But at a level above the straightforward narrative
of the number of times in comics that villains have turned from tension of character versus character, the dramatic
their initial motivations to take a heroic turn (Bucky Barnes, contract of character versus themself offers a more
Harley Quinn, and many more), or villains and heroes finding complex conflict framework. Essentially, a story built
common ground to fight a mutual foe (one of the constant around the idea of a character fighting against their own
themes touched on by the X-Men comics and films). instincts and nature implicitly raises the question of how
the character can ever possibly win that battle. As such,
up without forethought or planning during a campaign, whichever character in the enemies-to-lovers scenario is
use your safety tools to take a pause in the game (whether the one most surprised by the sudden turn of romantic
during a session or as a conversation between sessions) to events ends up in a much more dramatically interesting
ask how that type of story fits with each player’s lines and place, as the question of how to handle their enemy
veils. (You can get more information on RPG safety tools, becomes increasingly complicated.
including lines and veils, in The Lazy DM’s Companion
and many places online.) THE COURSE OF TRUE LOVE
Remember that this conversation includes the GM A character’s attempt to romance a villain might start
as well. A group of players dead set on having the bard out as a ruse, intended to distract or confuse that foe, or
seduce the Three-Tongued Death King should make sure to allow the character to get close enough to the villain
that the GM is happy to run that particular scenario, and to learn vital information. In a similar vein, a villain
should ask whether that GM has any lines and veils of characterized as a cold, calculating despot might view
their own regarding that type of subject matter. caring for others as a fatal weakness—making their long-
ignored ability to feel emotion into a flaw the characters
ENEMIES TO LOVERS decide to exploit.
Part of the reason that so many games and campaigns But in the course of what initially feels like contrived
can move in the direction of characters romancing their romantic attraction, a character might learn that their
enemies is that characters romancing their enemies is enemy is more than what they first appeared to be—or is
a storytelling tradition as old as storytelling itself. The perhaps even worthy of redemption. So if the character’s
myths of Ancient Greece familiar to a great many fantasy false overtures are returned by real emotion, real
fans are chock-full of such stories—though many are romance, and a chance to turn the foe away from their
extremely problematic in their handling of character villainous path, what should they and their compatriots
agency (to put it mildly) and should be approached with do?
care if you’re looking to them for inspiration.
Shakespeare did a much better job with Beatrice and BAD BARGAIN
Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing, Romeo and Juliet Another angle that can play into a romancing-the-
in that eponymous play, and other works. (Still, though: monster scenario arises from the realization that both
content warning for those plays falling far short of being sides in that scenario can continue to have their own
feminist classics.) Even better was Jane Austen setting adversarial objectives even as the romance blooms.
the bar for the enemies-to-lovers trope with Elizabeth A player character who ends up drawn to the idea of
and Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice. And more recently, romancing a villainous foe might initially do so with
one can look to Daphne and the Duke of Hastings in the a particular goal in mind, even if that goal is just the
Bridgerton books and Netflix series, Ygritte and Jon Snow baseline idea of not wanting to kill or incarcerate the
from the A Song of Ice and Fire books, Satan and Emilia villain in the normal way of things.
from the anime The Devil Is a Part-Timer!—and of course, However, in the course of roleplaying the scenario, the
Han Solo and Princess Leia in The Empire Strikes Back, character and their allied party members might discover
with the frisson of adversarial tension carried between all that the foe has goals of their own for the romance—
those characters creating a narrative foundation that turns perhaps including objectives the characters have a hard
unlikely romance into compelling character story. time accepting. This sort of setup can lend itself to
strong roleplaying opportunities wrapped around moral
LEVELS OF CONFLICT dilemma, as the characters must decide whether having
The power of the enemies-to-lovers trope lies in the way an enemy become a lover creates more problems than it
it upends the expectation for the conflict that drives the solves.
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THERE BE MONSTERS
The rest of Forge of Foes is filled with all kinds of guidance evidence of the creature’s plots and attacks, and of the
for making monsters feel unique and memorable in your reaction you hope to see when they finally face the foe
games. But most of that advice is built around the idea in combat. Then give thought to what mechanics can
of adding on to a preexisting monster concept in some support that sense of the monster’s story.
way. Whether you’re starting with an existing stat block
and customizing it, or crunching the numbers underlying
RUMORS AND WHISPERS
monster design to create the most effective attacks and Even as you draw inspiration from the story your game
traits, fine-tuning a known creature is a great way to will tell, you can also think about the stories told within
match that creature to the fit and feel of your game. your game. How do the NPCs of your campaign or game
But what about creating new monsters from whole world speak about the monster you’re creating? What
cloth, or thinking about reskinning a monster not with tales do they tell about the creature’s depredations or
new stats and attacks but with a new story? Within reputation for evil? Have they grown up hearing legends
the world of the 5e game with all its infinite fantasy of the monster from an early age? Do heralds or other
possibilities, how do you come up with ideas for new minions appear as a warning of the monster’s own
monsters in the first place? imminent arrival? What warnings do people give their
children when rumors begin to spread that the creature
THE OLD TALES you’re creating prowls among them once more?
The lists of monsters assembled for the earliest editions One great way to tap into this internal sense of story is
of Dungeons & Dragons are an odd grab bag of creatures to create short pieces of flash fiction for your campaign—a
from European myth and folk tales, sprinkled through few hundred words written in character by specific or
with equally fantastic creatures borrowed (usually with no unnamed NPCs. You might eventually share your writing
acknowledgement, and often in problematic ways) from with your players, as part of setting the tone for the kind
other cultures. For years, many fantasy RPG players have of story you want your monster to tell. But even if you
learned of the wiles of minotaurs, wyverns, harpies, and don’t, the act of writing such fiction can help clarify the
the tarrasque at the gaming table long before discovering sense of the monster’s existence, helping bring them to life
the centuries-old tales in which those creatures first in your mind as you bring them to life in the world.
appeared—and learning how drastically the game lore for MONSTER AS PUZZLE
many monsters deviates from its classical roots.
The nature of the stories surrounding many classic real-
Just as the designers of the monsters in the earliest
world monsters involve puzzles that people can solve to
fantasy RPG rulebooks and periodicals did, you can create
help deal with the monster. In some European folkloric
monsters from the fantasy stories that define your own
traditions (not to mention Sesame Street), vampires
personal journey through the genre. Were you awestruck
are compelled to count grains or seeds spilled upon
by the sandworms of Dune? Pleasantly creeped out by the
the ground, preventing them from wreaking havoc. A
Children of the Forest in the A Song of Ice and Fire novels?
sphinx is a deadly guardian capable of destroying all
Overwhelmed by the towering beasts in Shadow of the
trespassers—except for those who answer a challenging
Colossus? Creatures from books, movies, TV, streaming
riddle. The original basilisk of Pliny the Elder was said
shows, video games, comics, and other entertainments
to be fatally weakened by the odor of a common weasel.
are ripe for rebuilding as part of your own games and
Creating a puzzle or a secret for a monster is a great story
campaigns, whether you want to perfectly clone a tabletop
hook, revealing a creature’s vulnerabilities and providing
version of a favorite fictional or video game foe, or pick
the characters with a tangible reward as they gain some
and choose bits of lore as a starting point.
measure of control over the monster.
ROOTS IN STORY
UNIVERSAL FEARS
The most memorable monsters are often those whose
Many monsters of myth and legend originated in the
inspiration doesn’t come first from cool attacks and
primal fears that kept our forebears huddled together in
other game mechanics, but from a creature’s place within
the dark of night or around the evolutionary leap forward
the story of your game and campaign. The way that the
that was the campfire. Even today, we often gravitate
interplay between players and GM, the characters and the
toward fiction whose antagonists—fantasy or otherwise—
game world, shapes a communal narrative stands at the
tap into those archetypal terrors. So when thinking
heart of the unique experience of tabletop RPGs. So when
about new monsters, you can keep in mind any of the
thinking about a new monster, think about the place
following fundamental human(oid) fears as an origin
that monster might occupy in your story—physically,
point. (Content warning: As indicated by their titles, some
mythically, and thematically.
of the following examples deal with themes that might be
Think about how you want the characters to feel when
upsetting.)
they first hear about the threat a monster presents. Think
about how you want them to respond to rumors and
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 a formidable threat, with heroes forced to watch helplessly
MODERN FOLKLORE as their vitality and essence is drained away.
The history of D&D and its monsters often connects to old
folktales and lore, but players and GMs today are all swimming LOSS OF IDENTITY
in our own modern folklore. Movies, TV shows, books and The fear of being replaced and having one’s life taken
comics, video games—all these entertainments can flood our over by another creature, whether evil shapeshifter or
minds with ideas for cool monsters to drop into our games. capricious changeling, is deeply connected to psychology
And as a bonus, many recent fictional works break away from and the concept of ego. This fear can work in two
the typical Eurocentric and male-dominated forms of fiction directions, causing characters to dread the thought of
and lore that inspired many of the traditional monsters of D&D. another creature stealing the thoughts, memories, and
As DMs and GMs, we can take our inspiration from all appearance that define them—as well as creating paranoia
around us, including traditional folklore, modern fiction, in those characters if they have reason to believe that a
real-world history, and current events. And when we do, we loved one or ally has already succumbed to that fate.
can easily combine inspiration to create a wholly new take.
Vampire folklore goes back thousands of years, and yet we
LOSS OF AUTONOMY
continually come up with new takes on those awesome Losing one’s personal autonomy by succumbing to
creatures. Spacefaring vampires, good-guy vampires, vampire physical or mental helplessness, or by having the ability
gunslingers, vampire governments—there’s no end to the to make choices taken away, is a powerful fear for
mash-ups. So whether you’re diving back into lore from two many people. As such, monsters who can shut down a
thousand years ago or the latest episode of your favorite TV or character’s physical responses by immobilizing them,
online series, take your ideas from everywhere and use them to wreck their mental faculties by making it impossible to
build the coolest monsters your players have ever seen. reason or assess the world, or take away their ability to act
through mind control make powerful foes. Such creatures
DEATH AS THE END must be handled carefully, however, given the importance
A fear of death is well understood and shared by most of character agency to the game.
people. But that fear changes within the context of a game Character agency is the idea that players should
in which the more powerful the characters, the more always be able to make free, meaningful choices for their
likely they can treat death less as a final end to the journey characters, and taking away those choices can drastically
of life, and more as a momentary detour to be overcome undermine the fun of a game. (This fear is thus one that
with magic and heirloom jewelry. As such, monsters in can frustrate and anger players almost as much as it
the game who have the ability to kill characters outright, frustrates and angers their characters.) When monsters
leaving no chance of being raised or resurrected, pack a establish the kind of control that takes away a character’s
powerful punch that can let the characters truly share in purpose, it’s good to keep that control short term, and to
the fear of death their players understand. give characters plenty of chances to break that control.
If you ever find that repeated saving throws or the other
BEING EATEN ALIVE regular mechanics of the game aren’t enough, you can
One of the most horrific understandings that comes think about options such as letting a character choose to
of observing nature in all its splendor and glory is the take 1d8 psychic damage per two levels to end charm or
idea of how many animals come to their end inside domination effects. You can also have a monster control
other animals, consumed while still conscious, their last only some of a character’s actions, leaving the character
terrified awareness focused on their own inescapable free to act independently some of the time.
demise. Monsters who have attacks allowing them to TALK TO THE PLAYERS
engulf characters or swallow them whole hit that primal
fear hard, and can create truly horrific moments in a When thinking about these or any other personal fears
campaign. as grist for your campaign story mill, it’s a great idea to
talk to your players in a session 0 or an in-game check-
BLOOD AND LIFE in to make sure the fear you want to make use of isn’t
Even before humans began to collate the earliest concepts something one or more players will find problematic.
of medicine and physiology, blood was seen as a precious (Information on using safety tools in your game can be
commodity linked inextricably to the power of life. found in The Lazy DM’s Companion, and many places
Creatures who drink blood have long been a mainstay online.)
of folklore, including vampires, demons, and evil Additionally, one universal fear to be wary of is the
spirits whose tales of exsanguination have existed since fear of “the other” that lies at the root of many myths
antiquity and can be found in countless cultures. In a and legends of the real world, and which has long fed
game in which a character’s combat health is measured imperialist and colonialist narratives. “Anticolonial Play”
in hit points, a monster who drains blood or steals life on page 119 has some thoughts on that particular trope
force in other ways—reducing a character’s hit point and how to avoid having it undercut your game.
maximum, reducing their Strength, and so forth—makes
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ANTICOLONIAL PLAY
In any family tree tracing out the evolution of modern Those deep historical faults at the heart of the games we
fantasy roleplaying games, the source of that hierarchy love make for tired, derivative storytelling. But by keeping
isn’t a roleplaying game at all. Tabletop miniatures a handful of course corrections in mind, we can move
wargaming was the forebear of fantasy roleplaying in its away from those old faults as we build better game worlds:
earliest forms. In fact, the primal edition of the Dungeons • Avoid monolithic ancestry cultures (“All elves/dwarves/
& Dragons game made the explicit assumption that new orcs are the same”) in favor of a broader cultural
players were already wargamers, and would automatically worldview.
understand the lexicon and context of those games. • Use ancestries as adjectives (“Gnoll bandits are
Some fifty years later, D&D and other 5e fantasy games attacking villages,” rather than “Gnolls are attacking
would be all but unrecognizable to the players of the game villages”) to avoid forcing narrow morality onto sapient
in its first wargame-adjacent incarnation. But despite that, creatures.
the DNA of all the editions that led to 5e still lingers in • Focus on villainy as a choice, not a biological or cultural
the game’s rules and its worldview. And that worldview imperative.
holds a starkly colonialist view of the relationships • Avoid the trap of perceiving civilization from a single
between the game’s heroes and too many of the other viewpoint (usually “Settled lands = civilized lands,” so
sapient peoples—humanoids and other creatures with that everywhere else is uncivilized).
intelligence, awareness, language, and culture—who often • Understand and move away from the trope of heroic
play the part of the game’s foes. characters as the saviors of “lesser” folk.
The ongoing legacy of colonialism is the foundation • Make use of cultural inspirations from reliable
of a great deal of what’s wrong with the world—and a sources, with the aim of centering other cultures and
book like this is clearly not the venue to try to fix what’s perspectives from a position of respect.
wrong with the world. However, as gamers, we can, The sections that follow explore this checklist in greater
should, and must think about how our experience of the detail. Ultimately, none of the thoughts and suggestions
real world feeds into the worlds we create together. We presented here are anything like a complete fix for the
need to understand the ways in which the traditions of harmful colonialist legacy of fantasy roleplaying, with
colonialism hardwired into common culture and media
can easily make us embrace potentially hurtful ideas even
without meaning to. COLONIALISM: THE SHORT VERSION
Colonialism is a topic far too broad to be properly summed up
A PROBLEM WORTH FIXING in this or any other short treatise. But in a nutshell:
The topic of colonialism in fantasy gaming deserves far The history of our modern age has been defined by specific
more discussion that any one section of a monster book groups of people laying claim to the entire world over centuries
can bring to bear. The sidebars in this section dig in just of exploration—and not caring that the rest of the world had
a little bit to the starting points of colonialist thought and other peoples living in it at the time. The history of colonialism
its pervasiveness in the real world. But even those brief is a history of conflict and warfare. Of groups clashing over
discussions aren’t the real point of us wanting to talk control of wealth and natural resources. Of one group of people
about decolonizing monsters in Forge of Foes. raiding into and claiming lands not their own, and treating the
We want to have this discussion because being lives and livelihoods of folk living in those lands as plunder.
aware of and rejecting colonialist ideals in our fantasy And if any of the above sounds vaguely similar to any fantasy
roleplaying games makes those games better. Because RPG you’ve ever played, you might get a sense of the problem.
the more interesting you make the peoples and sapient At its heart, every fantasy roleplaying game tells a story.
creatures of your world and their place in that world, Our stories take place in specific worlds, and often explore a
the more interesting your story. And because in the end, lot of the negative aspects of those worlds in the course of
building better stories with the help of a new perspective showing off the best parts of those worlds. All heroes need evil
doesn’t take any more effort than building the same old to fight against, after all. But colonialism needs to be treated
stories that fantasy gaming has been working with for the differently than many of the other negative aspects of our
past fifty years. game narratives, because the harm of unexamined colonialism
can hurt players and the people near them in very real ways.
A CHECKLIST FOR BETTER STORIES For many of us, the story of the game takes place entirely in
The point of this section isn’t to figure out how to fix our imaginations—both the good and the bad. But for just as
colonialist thinking in the real world, as much as we’d all many players, the bad aspects of a game’s narrative are made
like to. It’s about acknowledging how the harmful roots real in their own experiences, every day of their lives. For many
of that worldview (talked about in the “Colonialism: The of us, the stories of heroism and adventure we know best are
Short Version” sidebar) have long been a part of fantasy stories of colonialism—and being aware of how colonialism in
roleplaying, and the ongoing problems created by a a game can harm others who play the game is the first step in
pervasive “it’s just a game” moral setup in RPGs (talked addressing that harm.
about in the “Othering” sidebar below). 119
 that task sitting firmly in the hands of the designers intent (as with the elves and dwarves of The Lord of the
working on 5e D&D and other modern fantasy games. Rings), monolithic culture can only ever tell a single
But these are just some of the things we can do as GMs to story—and the best fantasy RPG campaigns tell stories in
help address that legacy—and to build better worlds and multitudes.
adventures as a result. We don’t have to look far to find monolithic culture
in our games, as that concept is baked into the selection
BEWARE MONOLITHIC of ancestry that’s been front and center in every D&D
THINKING Player’s Handbook, and in many of the games D&D has
inspired. Our first entry point into the world of the game
Though it’s part of a much broader conversation about
tells us that all dwarves are bonded by mining and forge
culture in fiction, the idea of monolithic culture in fantasy
craft, clan ties, and a hatred of specific other ancestries.
owes a lot to the world-building of J.R.R. Tolkien in The
All elves are lovers of art and nature, aloof and distant,
Lord of the Rings, which has long provided a bedrock
detached and vengeful. All orcs are shaped by barbarism
foundation for fantasy fiction and RPGs. Monolithic
and fury, embracing violence as a first resort.
culture is the idea that all members of a particular
As a steppingstone into roleplaying, monolithic culture
ancestry share a consistent set of outlooks, ideals, and
serves a purpose. By focusing on common archetypes,
behavior—to the point where any member of an ancestry
players can quickly grasp the familiar feel of their elf
who doesn’t show off their people’s acknowledged traits
wizard, their dwarf cleric, or their orc barbarian, and
might be treated as abnormal. Even in fictions where that
can start off with a useful sense of how their character
approach makes solid narrative sense and has benign
fits into and views the world. But the line between
archetypes and stereotypes is razor thin. And especially
OTHERING when the negative stereotypes of an in-game ancestry
The earliest versions of D&D worked on the assumption that show stark and hurtful parallels to the stereotypes used
the world of the game was one in which sophisticated humans for generations to attack the people of marginalized
and demi-humans (to use the parlance of the original edition— communities, the fantasy of the game gains the potential
elves, dwarves, gnomes, halflings, and so forth) were locked for harm.
into perpetual conflict with other peoples. Orcs and goblins,
kobolds and lizardfolk, hobgoblins, bugbears, and more were ANCESTRIES AS ADJECTIVES
the evil enemy, to be fought alongside more monstrous foes Instead of treating ancestries as nouns in the world of
such as dragons, aberrations, and the undead. your game, and inevitably making use of the “all X are Y”
When one group of people—whether in our game worlds trope created by monolithic thinking, think of ancestries
or in the real world—reduces another group of people to the as adjectives. An ancestry should be used to give flavor to
status of default enemies, that’s a process called “othering.” conflict, not to define conflict across the board.
As the name suggests, othering is about defining differences One of the most standard adventure hooks in fantasy
between ourselves and other people that allow us to eventually games goes something like this. “Goblins are attacking the
view those people as wholly different from ourselves. As village! The characters need to help!” It’s a straightforward
less than us, deserving only of contempt and violence. As setup. It’s fun. But as written, it embraces the explicit idea
sometimes not even people at all. that the goblins are attacking the village simply because
Unsurprisingly, othering plays a huge part in colonialist that’s what goblins do. So when that hook comes to mind
thinking, creating a mindset that allows one group of people or appears in a published adventure, put yourself in the
to see other people merely as obstacles to be overcome on frame of mind that attacking villages isn’t what goblins do
the path to conquest and control by way of conflict. Equally across the board—then figure out what kinds of goblins
unsurprisingly, othering is the first order of business in might engage in that sort of behavior.
warfare—and in the wargames that were inspired by the For example: Goblin cultists are attacking the village.
conflicts of history, originally created as a tool to teach the Or goblin bandits are attacking the village. Goblin
strategies of conflict and colonialism to European army officers. refugees are attacking the village. Goblin men’s-rights-
When playing a miniatures tactical skirmish a game, a activists are attacking the village. Any of these alternative
player doesn’t think about the morality involved in attacking, scenarios sets up the same basic adventure—but in these
defeating, and killing enemies on the other side. It’s just other scenarios, goblins aren’t the noun. They aren’t the
a game, after all. And as the earliest versions of fantasy agents of conflict simply because they exist to create
roleplaying gaming evolved from wargaming, that “it’s just a conflict. Rather, they’re the adjective giving more context
game” sense of not caring about the morality of fighting and to who the agents of conflict are, and letting you explore
killing sapient humanoid peoples was locked in. It established a the story of why they’ve embraced conflict as a choice.
narrative baseline for fantasy RPGs that was rooted in othering. Why are cultists or bandits or refugees or MRA activists
And so the idea that whole cultures of sapient humanoids can attacking a village? You can probably come up with any
be painted as irredeemably evil has lingered within fantasy number of good reasons on which you can hang a solid
games, even fifty years and more than five editions of D&D
later.
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 YOU ARE WHAT YOU DO
Mike, always seeking a lazy approach, likes to shake up
monolithic thinking by changing the game’s traditionally
ancestry-focused motivations into paths one chooses to follow.
If hobgoblins are raiding nearby trade roads, it’s never just
hobgoblins. It’s hobgoblin cultists of Krasar, demon prince of
war and bloodshed.
Mike also likes to provide a juxtaposition when making use
of members of an ancestry traditionally coded as “evil” in the
game by showing off explicitly good members of that ancestry.
Those orcs of Thrasix might be a bunch of jerks, sure. But those
orc paladins of Vorn? They’re good-hearted protectors of the
land.

Asking and answering that question lets us establish

a more level playing field between the sapient creatures
who fill the world of our games. You can move away from
the notion that orcs, goblins, kobolds, giants, duergar,
drow, hags, troglodytes, ogres, doppelgangers, and all the
rest of the wide range of sapient creatures in the game
are specifically prone to warmongering, casual violence,
betrayal, humanoid sacrifice, and any of the other
elements on your adventure-hook-conflict checklist.
As GMs, we can move away from the idea that certain
types of sapient creatures exist only as fodder for conflict.
story. But none of those reasons have to revolve around Rather than treating specific groups of sapient creatures
the weak idea of: “Because that’s the way they are.” as inherently violent and defined by the combat tactics
hardwired into their ancestry traits and stat blocks,
THE GANG’S ALL HERE
you can establish that those folk are no more likely to
As an additional side benefit, thinking of ancestries as be violent or aggressive than the player characters and
adjectives makes it easier to move away from the habit their own peoples. But if and when orcs, giants, goblins,
of forging threats in homogenous groups. If all goblins doppelgangers, hags, and more are pushed to conflict,
aren’t sneaky thieves and reavers by biological or cultural their combat tactics define the specific and different ways
necessity, maybe a goblin bandit gang in a published in which those foes will mess the characters up.
adventure consists of ne’er-do-wells from different
ancestries led by a goblin? Or maybe a group of goblins LET JUSTICE BE DONE
looking for easy money have been seduced into a life of Consistent with the morality of their wargame roots,
crime by a duplicitous dwarf con artist? In every way, earlier editions of D&D made it very clear that the player
moving your game away from the archetypes that feed characters were the arbiters of frontier justice in the game
stereotypes makes for better story. world. When evil arises, heroes are meant to deal with it,
acting as judge, jury, and all-too-often executioner. Even
BUT I JUST WANT BAD GUYS in the 5e rules, it remains easier to kill a foe than to safely
TO FIGHT! neutralize them while letting them live.
When shaping heroic story, it’s a given that the heroes Thankfully, not every combat in the game needs to be
need to do heroic things. And if the story of your a fight to the death (as talked about in “Exit Strategies”
campaign involves conflict between different peoples, on page 91, and “On Morale and Running Away” on
different kingdoms, different territories, different clans, page 125). However, many gaming groups—not to
it’s perfectly reasonable to want to make use of the wide mention many published adventures—struggle with the
range of creatures in the game as anchors for that conflict. idea of what the characters should do when a group of
(If that wasn’t the case, a lot of the rest of this book would foes are left alive at the end of a fight. It’s a problem that
be a waste of your time.) becomes an even bigger problem in campaigns where
Nothing in this section is meant to make you stop using every member of a specific ancestry is intrinsically
orcs, hobgoblins, giants, and other sapient folk as foes. But amoral, creating the narratively grotesque idea that good
when you do, just ask yourself: “What is it that’s making characters should feel compelled to kill evil humanoids
these orcs, these hobgoblins, these bugbears, these giants, just because.
JACKIE MUSTO

these hags drive the conflict?” And look for an answer

more interesting than: “Because they’re evil.”
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 and-file cultists into custody after dispensing with their
BIOESSENTIALISM depraved and evil-by-choice leadership, you can let the
“Bioessentialism” is a word that’s never appeared in any edition players and characters alike work through the process of
of D&D. But it’s the concept that underpins the game’s original shaping restitution for victims, and convincing defeated
colonialist worldview, and thus has been present in fantasy wrongdoers to chart a new path in life. Being thoroughly
gaming, unnamed and unseen, since the beginning. Short thrashed in combat and then shown mercy can be a
for “biological essentialism,” it’s the idea that the core traits powerful and life-changing event for any sapient creature
and behaviors of certain sapient peoples and creatures are or NPC—particularly one whose life of hardship has been
biologically hardwired in—and as a result, can’t be changed by lacking in mercy.
intent or will.
For centuries, bioessentialism has been a foundational THE CIVILIZING DIVIDE
component of bigotry, racism, and dehumanizing behavior The first incarnation of D&D made it clear that the
in the real world. But even as most people are quick to baseline world of the game was a battleground between
understand how abhorrent and wrong such beliefs in the real the forces of chaos and law, barbarism and civilization. As
world are, putting a fantasy spin on it can make bioessentialism story tropes go, that archetypal clash between the solidity
far too palatable in fiction and roleplaying games. of civilization and forces dedicated to destruction and
The most obvious aspect of bioessentialism in fantasy anarchy is pretty potent. But the concept of “civilization”
games is ability score modifiers and suggested alignments at the center of that trope is straight from the colonialism
based on ancestry, which once shoehorned characters into playbook.
specific archetypal tropes. Dour, lawful, and hard-drinking It’s said that history is written by the victors—and when
dwarves with robust Constitution and penalized Charisma. those victors write history, they’re usually quick to slap
Fragile and chaotic elves with heightened Dexterity and lower- the “civilized” label onto their own side. It’s always been
than-average Constitution. Half-orc characters established this way, whether we’re talking about the oldest historical
at character creation as strong, dull, and crude (as the third conflicts, the world-changing wars of the modern age, or
edition Player’s Handbook put it), and tending toward evil, the less subtle but equally destructive cultural warfare that
with a bonus to Strength and a penalty to Intelligence and colonialism epitomizes.
Charisma. The root of the word “civilization” connects to the
Thankfully, ability score penalties disappeared before the concept of living in towns and cities. But when those of
release of 5e, and the current rules detach ability modifiers us who’ve grown up unwittingly steeped in colonialist
from a character’s ancestry altogether. But the idea of locking thought use the term, that’s usually not what we mean.
in behavior and morality for all creatures of a specific ancestry We talk of civilized lands in our fantasy, and of characters
or type remains a problem in the representation of sapient dwelling among civilized folk, and of adventurers passing
creatures as potential foes on the GM’s side of the game. beyond the boundaries of civilization. And when we do
so, we should ask ourselves: What are we actually saying?
It’s quite telling that in so much fantasy world-building, When defining the world of our games, we can create
the fictional justice system looks an awful lot like the settled lands, filled with permanent farmsteads, villages,
worst parts of our broken real-world justice systems. towns, and cities. We can shape wilderness, sparsely
Corrupt city guards looking out only for themselves. populated and filled with peril. We can talk about
Robin Hood-style sheriffs brutalizing the people of peoples and creatures who live in nomadic settlements,
vulnerable communities. So in the world of fantasy that or who live under a tight code of law, or who are fiercely
you and your players create, don’t be afraid to engage in independent. But when we use the word “civilized” rather
the ultimate fantasy of real justice for the people of your than “settled” to exclusively describe lands dotted by
campaign. permanent towns and cities, we’re implicitly describing
In settled lands, you can establish that the law functions nomadic cultures as uncivilized. When we talk about
along real lines of fairness, impartiality, and restitution- the record of civilization being the written annals of a
based justice. Though if you do, be aware that for some particular culture or ancestry, that can easily be heard
players, that might look like an attempt to sugar-coat or as saying that histories recorded in story or song are the
mythologize real-world justice systems—and that many mark of less-civilized cultures.
people have experienced trauma within those systems, A conflict between a settled agrarian nation and a
making that topic a good one to discuss with safety tools land of wilderness nomads could be a great setup for a
in mind. (Information on using safety tools in your game campaign story. But avoiding the use of “civilization” to
can be found in The Lazy DM’s Companion, and many describe only the settled nation lets you easily make it
places online.) clear that both lands are equally civilized with respect to
A better approach is to make use of the characters’ their own specific cultures and histories.
status as larger-than-life heroes to try to redress harm
done in the world in ways that center the specific needs BARBARIAN RHAPSODY
of the harmed. Then when the characters allow the The other side of the “civilized” coin is the millennia-
bandits to surrender to them, or take a bunch of rank- long trope of labeling different groups of people with
122
descriptives such as “barbaric.” As many players are
aware, 5e fantasy roleplaying and the many other games
HARDWIRED FOR EVIL
descended from D&D are somewhat unique in having a Beyond baseline bioessentialism (as talked about in that
character class—the barbarian—named after what was sidebar), fantasy also engages in something we might call
originally an Ancient Greek cultural slur. But much more “theist-essentialism”—the idea that the traits of humanoids
recently—and much more importantly—“barbaric” and and other sapient creatures are instilled in them by their creator
similar terms have been used as epithets to harm the gods. Often, this feeds neutral stereotypes such as the dwarves’
members of marginalized groups, and to reinforce the love of stone and mountain, or the elves’ fascination with magic
divide between colonizing peoples and the victims of and nature. Other times, the effect is much less benign.
colonialism. With this trope on display, it’s not the case that orcs and
As with “civilized,” if the word “barbaric” ever comes bugbears and kobolds are biologically predisposed toward
to mind when describing a group of humanoids or other violence or trickery or evil. Rather, that’s just the way their
sapient creatures in your game, ask yourself what you violent, conniving, and evil gods made them. But whether
actually mean by that. When looking for words to replace named, renamed, or unnamed, this is effectively the same
“barbaric” when talking about the worst behaviors sapient bioessentialist idea that an entire group of sapient people are
creatures can engage in—humanoid sacrifice, ritual compelled to evil. It defines whole cultures of sapient beings as
murder, genocide, cannibalism, or what have you—“evil” having a single mode of thought, a single morality, and a single
remains a solid go-to. “Brutal” and “ruthless” are equally goal. And it drives the same wedge of flat, harmful narrative
apt, with all three terms implying that a conscious choice into the heart of any game.
underlies malevolent behavior.
But if you’re instead talking about a more general mode, having the characters and the NPCs as natural allies and
conduct, or worldview that clearly doesn’t push into evil equals, with each possessing assets and knowledge that
territory, treat that as a sign that “barbaric” is a word to allow them to create a stronger presence standing together
avoid. A group of nomadic peoples might live by a code than standing apart.
of law whose unforgiving nature is viewed as a reflection
of their harsh lives in the wilderness. But describing that CULTURAL INSPIRATION IN
code as barbaric creates an explicit contrast with the YOUR GAME
codes of other folk—and a sense that those other folk are Stories and lore from cultures not our own can be
morally or culturally superior. fascinating because of their newness. Our familiarity
with the tales and literature of our own cultures can make
AVOIDING THE SAVIOR those things feel too familiar, so that the tales, literature,
COMPLEX art, and legends of other cultures feel like a breath of fresh
A trope as old as fiction itself, the savior complex refers to air. But that becomes a problem when our experience of
a narrative in which a group of people (or, in the case of a and exposure to other cultures doesn’t come from reliable
fantasy roleplaying game, any group of sapient creatures) and authentic sources.
faces significant peril—and is saved from that peril not by Seeking out reliable voices talking about cultures
their own actions, but by the actions of another group of not your own is a great way to explore those cultures.
creatures. The savior complex is rooted deep in real-world Libraries, bookstores, and the Internet are full of histories,
colonialism, which was built for centuries on the idea that books of mythology and legend, and other sources of
the peoples subjected to colonial conquest and cultural cultural inspiration written by people within those
destruction were being “saved” by the beneficent actions cultures. And there are an increasing number of fantasy
of superior peoples and cultures. RPG campaign settings and player supplements based on
A common trope in the game involves the player real-world cultures and created by designers, illustrators,
characters stepping up to help NPCs unable to defend and others with concrete connections to those cultures.
themselves. It’s a workable (if overworked) campaign As a bonus, many such authentic game works present
hook. But be careful that the hook doesn’t cross over into great advice on how players who aren’t part of a particular
savior-complex territory by having the NPCs’ inability to real-world culture can approach using fantasy tropes
properly defend themselves revolve around their having built from that culture. But if you’re working on your
a “less advanced” culture or worldview than that of the own to make use of real-world inspiration, you can follow
characters. the basic advice those game works often lay down—be
Most of the time, a better option for that particular respectful of the cultures you want to explore in your
hook involves the people in trouble being able to take games. Don’t portray their peoples or traditions as exotic.
care of themselves, then having the characters’ presence Avoid the harm inherent in othering and treating new
solidify that capability, rather than standing in for it cultures as less advanced or less civilized than your
wholesale. Also a good idea is thinking about what game’s dominant cultures. Establishing a baseline of
things the locals are actually better at than the characters, respect grants you a better viewpoint into the process of
making it clear that needing aid against exceptional translating real-world culture into fantasy, and lets you tell
threats isn’t a one-note sign of inferiority. Work toward richer campaign stories as a result. 123
 RUNNING EASY MONSTERS
Many GMs like to run a string of hard battles, one right and sneak around them to avoid alerting a larger band of
after the other. For them, running easy monsters is a brigands.
waste of time. It takes too long to set up an encounter that How high-powered characters approach two bandits
won’t last more than a round or two, and easy battles bore can tell you a lot about those characters. What motivates
players. This section offers a few arguments against this them? What do they do when facing clearly surmountable
point of view, and a number of recommendations to get foes? How do they treat people weaker than they are? So
the most fun out of running easy monsters. instead of thinking of every situation in the game as a
combat encounter, let these kinds of easy confrontations
SHOWING A LIVING WORLD tie into all three pillars of the game, with sneaking,
The monsters in a typical fantasy world don’t suddenly all talking, or fighting driving exploration, roleplaying, and
become more challenging each time the party gains a new combat.
level. No doubt, the characters journey to new locations
with deadlier foes as their adventures take them to places COMBAT IN THEATER OF THE
appropriate for their station in the world. But that world MIND
remains filled with countless monsters less powerful than The common argument that easy battles take too much
the characters. Bandits are plentiful. Liches, not so much. time often comes from a requirement to set up battle
As such, it doesn’t make sense that every group of hostile maps with tokens or miniatures. Drawing maps in person
entities the party faces happens to be a perfectly balanced or finding the right map for online play takes time, as
group of five to eight foes of the appropriate CR, designed does finding the right tokens or minis. Who wants to do
to last exactly 3 rounds in an exciting fight. that for a battle against two bandits?
When 2nd-level characters go into a seedy tavern, it’s For quick, off-the-cuff battles against weaker foes, a
entirely plausible for them to find a bandit captain leading generic battle map and some generic tokens work well.
a bunch of drunken bandits at the bar. But it doesn’t make But running easy battles is also the perfect time to use
sense to find the same bar filled only with bandit captains “theater of the mind” play—running combat without
when the characters come back at 8th level, unless there’s maps or miniatures. In theater-of-the-mind combat, the
a bandit captain-convention in town. GM describes the situation, the players describe what they
When the characters run into monsters weaker than want to do, and the GM adjudicates what happens as a
they are, it reinforces the idea that they dwell in a large, result. (“Running Monsters in the Theater of the Mind”
living world—one that doesn’t shift its whole ecology and on page 47 talks about this process in detail.)
social structure just because the characters gained a level. In a clearly easy battle, players don’t need to worry
about optimizing positioning to make the most of their
SHOW OFF CHARACTER combat features. Because it doesn’t really matter where the
GROWTH bandits are or who they’re next to if a single hit can take
Running easy encounters also lets the players see the them out.
growth of their characters. Players are likely to remember
how hard an ogre was when the characters were 2nd EASY AND HARD BATTLES
level—but now they’re fighting eight of the brutes at 13th Though easy battles are fun, many easy battles can
level and wiping the floor with them. Few things are become boring—just as too many hard battles can come
more rewarding than casting fireball into a group of evil to feel frustrating and tiring. As such, you want to always
monsters and knowing none of them will survive, even switch things up between easy battles and hard battles as
if they make their saving throws. Fighting weak foes lets you run your adventures. By improvising encounters—
the players truly enjoy how powerful their characters have choosing the number and types of monsters during play—
become. (And as the number of those weak foes grows, you can easily craft easy, medium, and hard battles as the
“Running Minions and Hordes,” page 54, has lots of game unfolds. Don’t let the cycle of such battles become
advice for keeping combat moving.) a pattern, though. You don’t want only easy battles
always followed by hard battles, and so on. (“Monster
CHOICES OTHER THAN Combinations for a Hard Challenge” on page 67 and
COMBAT “The Lazy Encounter Benchmark” on page 70 both
provide guidance for encounter building.)
When a group of 7th-level characters are stopped by two
overconfident CR 1/8 bandits, a lot of things can happen.
Sure, the characters can easily dispatch the pair. But they
could just as easily persuade them to step aside. The
characters might interrogate them to find out who they’re
working with. They might recognize the bandits as scouts

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 ON MORALE AND RUNNING AWAY
Our games often feature situations in which one or defeat. By the time players finally agree to start running
more monsters would flee from the characters given the away, their characters are usually in bad shape.
opportunity. At other times, it’s the characters facing an When it comes to characters fleeing, initiative is a key
overwhelming challenge who would like to run away, problem. One character might start to retreat, even as
or characters with the upper hand wanting to convince others stay behind to try to accomplish a goal such as
a group of bandits to throw down their swords and retrieving a valuable item, or to buy time. This effectively
surrender. splits the party, and anyone still in the encounter is now
Novels and movies are full of these kinds of scenes, both injured and outnumbered. If one character drops,
where the villains or the heroes get to flee the fight and the characters who retreated might try to return to
return another day. Unfortunately, the rules of 5e don’t the encounter to save them—and suddenly you have a
support these scenarios the way we might picture them frustrating total-party-kill scenario on your hands.
in our minds. But by being aware of the factors that often Even if all characters can leave an encounter area, in an
prevent these scenarios from working, we can create a environment such as a dungeon, it might be unclear how
framework to handle them. easily the characters can elude the monsters coming after
them or reach a place of refuge. Initiative works against
MORALE the characters once again, because if they can move and
The concept of morale comes from the military games dash, so can the monsters.
that preceded roleplaying games. As a battle wore on, the
chance increased that one side would break and run, and A FRAMEWORK FOR HANDLING
it was perfectly acceptable for dice to decide this. Early MORALE
editions of Dungeons & Dragons implemented morale The key problem with making checks for morale is
using a single die roll. Later editions used checks and that the check is often abstract, failing to represent the
tables, often tending toward overly complex solutions. situation at hand in a tangible fashion tied to the story.
Fifth edition D&D returned to a simpler approach to Even with complex tables adjusting for various factors, the
morale, but one that still rests on a single saving throw.
Ultimately, both the simple and the complex die-roll
approaches can feel more like a game and less like a story.
Rolling to see whether foes surrender or run doesn’t
necessarily fit the narrative of who those foes are and the
purpose they play in the campaign. The players might also
be having fun with an encounter, so that you don’t want
the battle to be over just yet even if the dice say so.
A morale check can often feel like a coin toss. Roll
high, and enemies fight to the death. Roll low, and
they surrender or flee. But what makes sense for the
creatures and the situation? What would be the most
fun for the game? These questions are ignored when
morale is determined by simply rolling a die.
MONSTERS FLEEING
Sometimes it makes sense for a foe to flee
combat. At other times, you might feel that the
story should result in an enemy getting away.
This is especially true of key villains, who might
need to escape so they can show up in a later
scene. Unfortunately for their enemies, though, the
characters usually have multiple means to prevent fleeing.
Spells can immobilize or slow. Magic or class features
might allow a character to easily catch up to a fleeing
monster. Once a foe is hindered or grappled, that buys
enough time for the whole party to gang up on them, and
that foe is defeated. If it happens every now and then,
that’s fine. But all the time? Not cool.
DANNY PAVLOV

CHARACTERS FLEEING
When the tide of battle turns against the characters,
players often resist fleeing because doing so feels like 125
 dice make the result too unpredictable. But we can instead enables morale to become a tangible part of the narrative.
lean into the story as follows. This lets you move away from the on-off switch of a die
roll and instead allow morale to become a full part of the
UNDERSTAND THE MONSTERS story developed in concert with the players.
Before the encounter begins, review monster lore and
stat blocks as you consider the story of the encounter. A FRAMEWORK FOR RUNNING
What goals do the monsters have? What motivates them? AWAY
What’s the role they play in the story? One foe might fear
their boss villain overlord too much to surrender, while A few exceptions in the game prove the rule that sees the
another might gladly surrender or flee. By understanding initiative system make it all but impossible to flee from
the foes, you’re prepared to react to the characters and the combat. A monster designed specifically for escape might
encounter. be able to remain hidden and do so. If characters are
smart and flee before they’re badly wounded and close to
UNDERSTAND THE CHARACTERS dropping, they might run away. (“Exit Strategies” on page
During the encounter, listen to what the characters 91 talks about planning ahead for ways to bring combat
are saying and evaluate what they’re doing. Are they to a close.)
communicating with their enemies? Are they offering a In general, though, the characters have too many ways
truce or promising only death? Those enemies will react to stop one or two fleeing creatures in between each
to the characters based on their motives and mannerisms. of those creatures’ turns, and wounded characters flee
too slowly to withstand damage from pursuing foes. To
ASSESS THE PLAYERS counter this, we need to step away from typical initiative
Separate from how the characters might be feeling, assess for fight-to-flight scenarios, making use of the following
whether the players want the battle to continue longer and framework instead.
end through combat. Are they looking forward to pushing
ASSESS TIMING
their fun combat capabilities to the limit? Or do they have
broader motivations such as learning the boss villain’s Ideally, you want to monitor an encounter for the cues
location or plans? Even if the monsters offer to surrender, that tell you the characters are facing a potential total-
you don’t want to force that option on the players if it isn’t party-kill scenario, or that a foe needs to flee. You can
welcome. encourage characters to flee when needed by describing
the overwhelming power and confidence of their foes.
PROVIDE CUES Likewise, you can monitor the monsters’ hit points so you
If the motivation of foes would lead to surrender, those don’t wait too long to enact their escape.
foes can provide cues to indicate that. A boss villain
might glance nervously at the exit, or a once-confident
REDUCING FRUSTRATION
monster could look clearly overwhelmed. You can express
such details outright, or have the characters attempt easy Mike notes a few tricks that can be used to help boss foes
Wisdom (Insight) checks to note them. flee in ways that can feel more realistic and less like deus ex
machina:
REACT AND ADJUST • The boss was a simulacrum forged by the “real” boss.
Over the next round or two, have the monsters react to • The boss has a lich-like vessel holding their soul, which
what the characters do, playing off that to further facilitate resurrects them somewhere else.
a surrender. For example, a character might see how • After defeat, the boss is dug up and resurrected by faithful
nervous the monsters are and demand that they stand cultists.
down. The monsters might respond by asking for coin. • When the boss is mortally wounded, powerful magic or a
The characters choose to intimidate, so you improvise an special feature lets them teleport back to a sanctum, turn
easy DC, or ask a player to roleplay the scenario and have into mist and drift back to their lair, and so forth.
the foes react to that. • The defeated boss was one of many clones.
You also adjust as you continue to read the players. Then once a boss flees, you can have any of their servant
If they see enemies offering to surrender but prefer creatures—summoned monsters, created undead, bound
combat, so be it. Likewise, if the players express interest in fiends, constructs, and so forth—quit the fight as well. Some
negotiation, you can switch out of initiative and jump into might simply fall apart or magically unravel, while others are
a more narrative mode of play to let each side state their drawn back to their original dimensional realms when the
demands. Combat can resume if negotiations break down. magic binding them expires. It’s a great easy out for a GM,
Assessing what the participants want and allowing especially if the characters have exhausted their resources
monsters and characters to provide each other with cues pushing the boss to the point of flight but still have a huge pile
of underlings to deal with.

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MAKE AN IMPENDING TPK CLEAR DETERMINE SUCCESS OR FAILURE
Players usually know when their characters are having an An escape plan might simply work. The defenders in a
easy time with monsters. But they often fail to realize that goblin enclave could believe a tall tale that the characters
the characters are facing a total party kill, doubting the were sent by their boss to test their readiness. Good job!
risk of such a scenario until long after you as the GM see Mercenaries or brigands might accept gold or magic
it coming. As such, you need to make an impending TPK as payment to stop fighting. Other plans might require
as clear to the players as it would be to their characters. successful checks, parting attacks, or spells to succeed.
You can call out a looming TPK descriptively, clarifying A Strength (Athletics) check or an attack with a slashing
as a character is attacked that their foes have the upper weapon could snap a rope, causing drapes to collapse
hand and sense imminent victory. If that doesn’t work, on a group of guards. Failure might mean that escape is
you might need to be even clearer, telling the players delayed or comes at a cost.
that their characters recognize how the foes they face Escape plans implemented by foes can be handled
are stronger than the party, and that continuing to stand the same way. A villain sets a tavern on fire, and the
against them might mean the characters’ end. characters must decide whether to save innocent people
or go after their nemesis. It takes all the characters
DEFINE OPPORTUNITIES to put out the fire, so it’s an all-or-nothing decision.
Assessing the situation lets you identify any plausible Alternatively, a hobgoblin war boss might need to make
means of escape. The capabilities of the creatures fleeing, ability checks to swing across a pit, then cut the rope to
their positioning, and the terrain around them can all be prevent the characters from following.
factors. For example, strong foes could shove furniture
between themselves and the characters, blocking pursuit. MITIGATE OR HARNESS
A spellcaster might use a spell to impede a chase, to FRUSTRATION
obscure the area, to set fire to vegetation or furnishings, Players often hate it when villains escape, especially if
or to cause a column or other heavy object to topple over. that escape feels arbitrary or forced upon them. But
Foes might put noncombatants in the encounter area the frustration level can be reduced when the players
into danger, forcing the characters to deal with that threat understand clearly how the foe escaped, and especially if
instead of pursuing. the characters made the hard choice to allow that escape
so as to deal with a different threat. Whenever possible,
PAUSE INITIATIVE work to channel the players’ potential frustration toward
When you know that either the characters or their foes are the villain and not you—and understand that when the
ready to flee, pause normal initiative. Let the players know heroes next meet the villain, they will absolutely want
that to resolve the scene, you’ll employ side initiative— revenge.
an option presented in the Dungeon Master’s Guide
where each side (monsters and characters) takes a turn OPTIONAL CHASE
collectively. On each side’s turn, every member of that If doing so feels realistic and fun, you can use the chase
side acts in whatever order the players (for the characters) rules found in the 5e Dungeon Master’s Guide to play out
or the GM (for foes) chooses. The side initiating the a chase as one group of combatants flees from another.
escape goes first, after which the pursuers act. You can But such a chase should feel rewarding, rather than simply
also forego initiative entirely, simply narrating the scene dragging the characters back into a combat that the
as you would an exploration or roleplaying scene. players are ready to end.
COMMUNICATE THE OPPORTUNITY DESCRIBE SUCCESS OR RESUME
Players can often be encouraged to develop a plan COMBAT
around getting out of combat, which you can help with. Successfully running away can be described in loose
Alternatively, you might propose plans based on what the terms. Fleeing characters get away from their enemies,
characters observe. If a number of foes are all standing and can choose a safe location they want to reach. A foe
under a platform, suggest that the characters can cause can slip away, even as you let the players know that the
the platform to topple to buy themselves time to flee. If characters haven’t seen the last of that foe. Alternatively, if
the terrain doesn’t offer clear opportunities, encourage an attempt to flee fails, combat resumes with the original
the players to think through their characters’ capability to initiative order.
create illusions, obscure their enemies’ senses, or create At your discretion, a different attempt to flee can be
distractions. Throwing a sack of gold might stop ogre made, if that would be fun and if a new plan can be
mercenaries, and throwing rations will typically cause a employed. And remember that for both sides in a fight,
ravenous beast to pause long enough for the characters to surrender is always an option—and usually a far better
get a safe distance away. option than dying.

127
 ABOUT THE AUTHORS
This book comes from the minds and the partnership of
Teos Abadía, Scott Fitzgerald Gray, and Mike Shea. With
the combined experience of nearly a century’s worth of
writing, designing, and running D&D and other fantasy
RPGs, we all have lots to say about running monsters.
All three of us have designed monsters for decades,
working with publishers such as Wizards of the Coast,
Kobold Press, MCDM, Ghostfire Gaming, Pelgrane Press,
Sasquatch Game Studio, and many more. We’ve spent
years living and breathing monsters and other foes—and
we’re thrilled to be able to share that passion with you.

TEOS ABADÍA
Teos Abadía is a Colombian-American freelance author
and developer working with Wizards of the Coast,
Penny Arcade, MCDM, Hasbro, and others. Teos was a
primary author on the Acquisitions Incorporated D&D
book and on the vast Dungeon of Doom and Caverns
Deep adventures for Dwarven Forge. Board game work
includes the recent HeroQuest game relaunch. Teos shares
knowledge and advocates for a healthier RPG industry as
cohost of the Mastering Dungeons podcast, on his blog
at Alphastream.org, and on Success in RPGs—a YouTube
series helping creators identify what success in the RPG
industry is like … and the concrete steps we can take
towards achieving it.

SCOTT FITZGERALD GRAY

Scott Fitzgerald Gray (9th-level layabout, vindictive good)
is a writer of fantasy and speculative fiction, a fiction
editor, a story editor, and an RPG editor and designer—all
of which means he finally has the job he really wanted
when he was sixteen. His work in gaming covers three
editions of Dungeons & Dragons, including working as an
editor on all three 5e core rulebooks, and he’s the designer
of the CORE20 RPG.
Scott shares his life in the Western Canadian hinterland
with a schoolteacher named Colleen, two itinerant
daughters, and a number of animal companions and spirit
guides. More info on him and his work can be found by
reading between the lines at insaneangel.com.

MICHAEL E. SHEA
Mike Shea is the writer for the website Sly Flourish and
the author of Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master, the Lazy
DM’s Workbook, the Lazy DM’s Companion, Fantastic
Adventures, Fantastic Adventures: Ruins of the Grendleroot,
and a number of other books. Mike has freelanced for
a bunch of RPG companies, including Wizards of the
Coast, Kobold Press, Pelgrane Press, and MCDM. He’s
been playing RPGs since the mid ’80s, and writing for and
about RPGs since 2008.
Mike also happens to be the son of Robert J. Shea,
author of the ’70s cult science fiction novel Illuminatus!
He lives with his wife Michelle in Northern Virginia,
128 USA.