guardian (CR 0-4)

September 28, 2023

CRAWLING CLAW: Using These CR 0’s as Flavor and as Foes

The crawling claw’s most obvious use is to showcase the fact that a specific NPC is a necromancer. With that said, unlike in a television show, where the hand can be doing different things in the background and Continue reading

guardian (CR 0-4), minion

battlemap, difficulty 2, difficulty 3, difficulty 4, social encounter, theater of mind, traps
August 31, 2023

CHUUL: Crazy Collecters, and a Ruined House

A brief look at the chuul’s picture tells us that this monster isn’t going to have trouble navigating difficult terrain. Between the extra legs for balance, and the pincer like grips that it clearly has at the end of each leg, it’s not going to slip, let alone fall, very often. Continue reading

animal, attacker (CR 0-4), guardian (CR 0-4)

Combat rating 5, Combat rating 6, Combat rating 7, Combat rating 8, difficulty 6, difficulty 7
August 17, 2023

CENTAUR: Tactics of Horse Archers

The Monster Manual doesn’t talk much about what centaurs are like. In almost every book I can think of, though, their personalities range from proud to arrogant jerks. They are certain of themselves and they look down on other creatures. Continue reading

guardian (CR 0-4), minion

battlemap, Combat rating 3, Combat rating 4, Combat rating 5, difficulty 4, social encounter
August 10, 2023

CARRION CRAWLER: The Monster on the Ceiling

The players have to climb a cliff, and there is a carrion crawler waiting for them on top of an outcropping (to stop them from shooting it down.) Continue reading

animal, guardian (CR 0-4)

Combat rating 3, Combat rating 4, Combat rating 5, difficulty 3, difficulty 4
July 27, 2023

BULLYWUG: Making Crossing Rivers Difficult

Bullywugs are ambushers. When running ambushers, especially at low levels, it is sometimes worth having a routine ambush first so that the players know what to expect. This prevents the more elaborate ambushes from overwhelming them. Continue reading

guardian (CR 0-4), minion

Combat rating 1, Combat rating 1/2, Combat rating 2, difficulty 3
July 20, 2023

BUGBEAR CHIEFTAIN: One-Round Challenges

The bugbear chieftain has a special feature that gives him immunity to most spell-inflicted conditions. This makes him a very good fit for a situation where he has an upper hand, and the players have only one round in order to avert disaster Continue reading

guardian (CR 0-4), minion

bugbears, Combat rating 4, Combat rating 6, Combat rating 7, difficulty 3
July 17, 2023

BUGBEAR: Ideas for Sneak Attacks

The bugbears’ entire style is to attack from behind, run for it as soon as they start losing, and then attack from behind again as soon as they can. Continue reading

guardian (CR 0-4), minion

bugbears, Combat rating 1, Combat rating 2, Combat rating 3, difficulty 4
July 13, 2023

VINE BLIGHT: Making Grapple More Dangerous, or More Inescapable

The most obvious way to use vine blights is for them to hold the prey still while needle blights and/or other ranged attackers pelt the captive from a distance. Continue reading

animal, guardian (CR 0-4)

blights, Combat rating 1, Combat rating 2, Combat rating 3, difficulty 1, traps
July 6, 2023

NEEDLE BLIGHT & How to Homebrew a Monster in Two-Minutes

I would suggest that blights should hide during the day [mostly applicable to twig and vine blights. Needle blights just remain motionless, perhaps going to sleep.] The reasons are threefold. Continue reading

animal, guardian (CR 0-4)

battlemap, blights, Combat rating 1, Combat rating 1/2, Combat rating 2, difficulty 3, homebrew ideas
June 29, 2023

SPECTATOR: Optimizing it With Simple Fences

Unlike the other beholders, the spectator is meant for a low-level party, and doesn’t need the complexity and difficulty surrounding the others (nor should they be used. Low level players can’t survive them.) Continue reading

guardian (CR 0-4), servant

beholders, Combat rating 4, Combat rating 6, Combat rating 7, difficulty 4

About Me

I’ve been a DM since I was about 10 years old. (Not of D&D, admittedly, but still.) After growing bored of fights that were all the same, dungeons heavily populated by one monster type, and a general shortage of ideas, I figured I’d embark on my own trip through the Monster Manual, one monster at a time. Feel free to join the quest.

Dragon Encounters

guardian (CR 0-4)

CHUUL: Crazy Collecters, and a Ruined House

CARRION CRAWLER: The Monster on the Ceiling

BULLYWUG: Making Crossing Rivers Difficult

BUGBEAR CHIEFTAIN: One-Round Challenges

BUGBEAR: Ideas for Sneak Attacks

VINE BLIGHT: Making Grapple More Dangerous, or More Inescapable

NEEDLE BLIGHT & How to Homebrew a Monster in Two-Minutes

SPECTATOR: Optimizing it With Simple Fences

About Me

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