Dragon Encounters

June 26, 2023

DEATH TYRANT: Averting the Undead Massacre

In this scenario, the city has fallen to the death tyrant. * The death tyrant has zombies, giants (ogres, ettins, cyclopes) and possibly other monsters rampaging through the city and setting fire to some of the houses. Continue reading

boss battle (CR 11-16)

beholders, Combat rating 17, Combat rating 20, Combat rating 21, Combat rating 23, difficulty 17, theater of mind
June 22, 2023

BEHOLDER & Ideas For Challenging Pit Traps

No creature prepares for combat like a beholder. The text in Volo’s talked about beholders as impossibly paranoid, with any scenario thrown at them, no matter how improbable, being something they’ve already contemplated and worked out how to deal with. As such, their lairs should be infamous for their traps (more trap ideas later.) And… Continue reading

boss battle (CR 11-16), leader

beholders, Combat rating 16, Combat rating 19, Combat rating 21, Combat rating 22, difficulty 16, difficulty 19, traps
June 15, 2023

BEHIR: Forcing the Players Into Making a Deadly Pursuit

The behir’s strategy is simple. It will ambush the PCs, constrict one of them the first turn, drag them to a safe[er] area if possible, and swallow during the second turn. After that, it will flee through a tunnel. Continue reading

animal, attacker (CR 11-16)

Combat rating 14, Combat rating 16, Combat rating 19, Combat rating 20, difficulty 10
June 8, 2023

BASILISK: Exploring the Consequences of Fighting Blind

The base idea behind running a basilisk is running a monster that can’t be looked at without harsh penalties. Fighting a monster without being able to look at it is unfortunately quite complicated. I’m going to break it up into three parts. Continue reading

animal, guardian (CR 0-4)

battlemap, Combat rating 4, Combat rating 6, Combat rating 7, difficulty 4, difficulty 6, puzzle
June 1, 2023

BANSHEE: How to Combine Fear and Incorporeal Movement

Suggested setting: A grand manor, with a white marble staircase leading up into it. Manor and staircase and now partially in ruins. When the party enters it is evening, and a storm is beginning outside. Continue reading

guardian (CR 0-4), independent

Combat rating 5, Combat rating 6, Combat rating 7, Combat rating 8, difficulty 4
May 28, 2023

AZER: Turning its Terrain Into a Hazard

The azer are extremely neutral. They won’t seek out a conflict, but they won’t shy away from one either. If the players are coming after them, or if for some reason they need to attack the players, they won’t try to avoid it. Continue reading

guardian (CR 0-4), minion

Combat rating 3, Combat rating 4, Combat rating 5, difficulty 3, difficulty 4
May 25, 2023

ANKHEG: Four Ways to use for Burrowing Monsters

The ankheg’s preferred style of combat is to burrow, and to attack by coming out of its burrow right under the victim, so that only that one person can fight back at it. Continue reading

animal, guardian (CR 0-4)

Combat rating 3, Combat rating 4, Combat rating 5, difficulty 3, difficulty 4, difficulty 5, traps
May 23, 2023

RUG OF SMOTHERING: Setting the Trap

Put one or two spellcasters or archers on the far side of the rug. Leaving the area free of enemies and obstacles will give a hint about the trap being there. Continue reading

guardian (CR 0-4), servant

animated objects, Combat rating 2, Combat rating 3, Combat rating 4, difficulty 2
May 15, 2023

FLYING SWORD: Having it Defend or Take Down a Bridge

I’m going to begin with a rope bridge, and an objective on the other side of the bridge. I would suggest some kind of power stone that is helping the enemies Continue reading

guardian (CR 0-4), servant

animated objects, Combat rating 1, Combat rating 2, Combat rating 3
May 11, 2023

ANIMATED ARMOR: How to Make the Mundane Special

One of the main rules of animated objects, and animated armor in particular, is to let the players see it, and get used to it, in its non-animated form. That way, when it does animate, if feels a lot more magical, mystical. Continue reading

guardian (CR 0-4), servant

animated objects, Combat rating 1, Combat rating 2, Combat rating 3, difficulty 3, puzzle

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

DEATH TYRANT: Averting the Undead Massacre

BEHOLDER & Ideas For Challenging Pit Traps

BEHIR: Forcing the Players Into Making a Deadly Pursuit

BASILISK: Exploring the Consequences of Fighting Blind

BANSHEE: How to Combine Fear and Incorporeal Movement

AZER: Turning its Terrain Into a Hazard

ANKHEG: Four Ways to use for Burrowing Monsters

RUG OF SMOTHERING: Setting the Trap

FLYING SWORD: Having it Defend or Take Down a Bridge

ANIMATED ARMOR: How to Make the Mundane Special

About Me

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