Questions tagged [monsters]
For questions relating to either monstrous antagonists specifically, or all enemies of the player characters generally, depending on the traditions of specific games. Use as appropriate for the game in question.
2,279
questions
9
votes
4
answers
7k
views
Can a warlock be transformed into a devil for breaking their pact?
Baldurs Gate 3 is oriented in 5th Edition. We can see in the game that a cambion transforms a human into a devil after he breaks a term of his pact. Is this possible in D&D 5th Edition? Normally ...
8
votes
3
answers
1k
views
Intercepting a grappled Bite Swallow attack in place of an ally with Vigilant Guardian: What happens?
Let's use a Giant Toad as an example:
Bite. The target is grappled, escape dc 13 Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the toad can't bite another target
Swallow. The toad makes one ...
7
votes
1
answer
410
views
Does Change Shape alter a creature mechanically?
To better illustrate my doubt: a gray ooze has the false appearance ability:
False Appearance: While the ooze remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from an oily pool or wet rock.
Meanwhile, in ...
8
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Is there a RAW monster that can create large quantities of water without magic?
I've asked the google and can't find anything, and I feel as though I've looked pretty deeply into the monster manual, but I'm wondering if there's a monster that can naturally create large quantities ...
2
votes
0
answers
54
views
Are an Onyx Dog’s attacks magical? [duplicate]
The figurine of wondrous power is a magic item, and therefore by the definition in the SAC, magical in a game-mechanical sense, i.e. activating it would not work in an antimagic field, detect magic ...
10
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Are there consistent rules or lore guidelines about what creatures cannot be magically put to sleep?
I've recently become unreasonably annoyed by sleep effects and how the game seems to handle them. There is a story tied to this:
I play a level 11 bard in our bi-weekly 5e game. Our party was recently ...
6
votes
2
answers
982
views
Is a dead creature inside a Shambling Mound still Engulfed?
I was playing in a game where there was a shambling mound and after engulfing a creature and killing it, the creature goes about its turn and engulfs a second person. The DM didn't specify anything ...
6
votes
1
answer
2k
views
How often does a lich have to feed a soul to its phylactery?
Background info for this question: I’m working on a (mostly) homebrew campaign in Forgotten Realms, where the party finds a box/terrarium thing next to a skeleton in a dungeon, that they won’t be able ...
6
votes
2
answers
998
views
What's the DC of a Devourer's "trap essence" attack?
What's the DC of a Devourer's "trap essence" attack?
I checked several sources on the internet, but they just say the DC is "charisma-based" without saying what the number is. They ...
5
votes
1
answer
126
views
How strong is an on-hit dispel effect?
I am considering customising a monster that can make a dispel magic check (as the dispel magic spell in area use, but only affect the one it hits, CL=10) every time it hits someone. Normally at what ...
10
votes
6
answers
5k
views
Are there any monsters in D&D lore that focus on devouring memories?
Are there any monsters in D&D that would feed on memories/emotions?
I know about illithid and intellect devourers, but I was hoping there might be another type of monster that is known for that ...
11
votes
1
answer
2k
views
If an otyugh's bite attack misses, does the target have to make a saving throw?
Let's consider the following example of an action that an enemy (Guardian Naga) can perform during its turn (emphasis mine):
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one creature. Hit: 8 (...
12
votes
5
answers
3k
views
Are Tucker's Kobolds scarier under 5e rules than in previous editions?
We all know and fear Tucker's Kobolds, a bunch of ragtag CR:1/4 things that hit the party only on a lucky roll but use clever tactics that make a bunch of 10 of them far outstrip their weight class. ...
2
votes
1
answer
191
views
Is this homebrew creature(s) balanced?
I was thinking this kind of question would be closed due to it would be "opinion-based", but turns out there're tons of similar questions exist (and answered) already. So I am going to give ...
4
votes
1
answer
509
views
Balance Check: Monsters Team Work
I was thinking about an optional monster rule to make an encounter with more creatures fighting in the same space as a "Team Work". This would help adding more creatures in one combat ...
4
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Would A Green Abishai Be Considered A Lesser Devil Or A Greater Devil?
My question is kind of two fold in that I'm trying to figure out how these classifications work. In the Monster Manual, Devil's have a classification system: Lesser Devils and Greater Devils. Now, the ...
10
votes
2
answers
5k
views
Can multiple Legendary Actions be used in 1 round?
I had a whole thing typed for this and then saw I need to broaden the scope of my question.
If a creature has 4 legendary actions on its sheet (like the lich) and it states:
The lich can take 3 ...
8
votes
4
answers
556
views
Are Solars unkillable in a dead magic area or anti-magic field?
Solars have the regeneration special ability only to take lethal damage from evil epic weapons.
And it seems epic weapons are still subject to the dead magic area and the anti-magic field's effects. ...
22
votes
9
answers
5k
views
What are some monsters or spells that could trap NPCs for a long time without killing them?
I'm currently working on a campaign where time is moving faster within a certain region than in the rest of the world. As the players enter this region, I have some NPCs that I want them to rescue. ...
3
votes
3
answers
997
views
Is this Homebrew Wendigo in the appropriate CR?
I made a Wendigo and tried to incorporate all of the things of the legends into it, then I tried to use the CR calculator to have a baseline of CR for the monster, I just don't know if the way it has ...
12
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Would anything prevent a Displacer Beast from undergoing Ceremorphosis, and if not, what would the result be?
I've looked around wikis and question boards all over, but, as of the moment, I can't even find anything regarding an interaction of any kind between a displacer beast or similar creatures and ...
12
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Can a Shadow Mastiff be a pet?
In our last session my players stormed the lair of a priestess praying to her dark entity, who had summoned three shadow mastiffs for her protection.
The Blood Huntress decided she really wants to ...
7
votes
1
answer
84
views
How do Supernatural Transformation and Meta-Spell-Like-Abilities Feat work together?
Let's say a Pit Fiend turn its own spell-like ability, fireball, into a supernatural ability with the feat "Supernatural Transformation".
And before doing so, he has also taken Quicken Spell-...
6
votes
4
answers
4k
views
Tiny Creatures Can't Kill Players, Right?
I remember reading somewhere that tiny creatures can't kill players/bring them down to 0 hp in normal conditions, which makes sense to me. A rat biting someone's toe and dealing that 1 damage would be ...
19
votes
1
answer
3k
views
If a character grapples a phase spider, which shifts to the Ethereal Plane and then dies, is the character stranded there?
My players recently fought a phase spider. During combat, one of the PCs jumped on the phase spider and grappled it. During the phase spider's subsequent turn, it used Ethereal Jaunt to shift to the ...
5
votes
3
answers
3k
views
How does the Acolyte have 3 spell slots as a 1st-level spell caster?
The Acolyte stat block on page 342 of the 5e Monster Manual states
the acolyte is a 1st-level spellcaster.
However it also states, that the Acolyte has three 1st-level spell slots. This contradicts ...
4
votes
2
answers
266
views
Do any of a character's skills or other capabilities transfer to a Podling?
When a Bodytaker plant successfully produces a Podling based on the form & memories of an enveloped creature, does that Podling retain any of the creature's skills or other capabilities?
The ...
12
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Should Tiamat's cold breath target the ability score indicated in its save?
The party is looking at facing Tiamat as the 20th-level epic boss fight that will end the campaign. The evoker has only four spell slots that can directly affect her, due to her limited magic ...
2
votes
1
answer
2k
views
For the purpose of the Comprehend Languages spell, does beast speak (i.e. the language spoken by birds) count as a language?
I got into an argument with somebody regarding whether or not an incomprehensible language spoken by an animal (or monstrosity, as we argued) counts as a language for the Comprehend Languages spell.
...
5
votes
1
answer
573
views
Can a creature that can't understand any languages understand the languages of a creature that can't speak if it is polymorphed?
An earlier question about a creature that can't speak(a displacer beast) got me thinking: what if the creature was polymorphed into a creature that could understand languages but couldn't speak, such ...
13
votes
3
answers
2k
views
Are there any Monsters or NPCs that have spells or spell like abilities that take >1 round to cast, but <10 rounds (1 min)?
For reasons of dramatic tension, I want to have an enemy spellcaster (or monster) that is going to cast a really big, really bad (for the players), spell that the players need to disrupt in some way ...
9
votes
1
answer
979
views
When calculating CR, what is the damage per turn for a monster with multiple attacks?
The online tool https://iadndmn.neocities.org/CRcalc asks for my monster's average damage per turn, but my monsters has multiple attacks.
How do I find the average damage per turn?
6
votes
4
answers
485
views
On whose turn does the fright from a terror dive end?
In our last play session in Chult, the party faced a number of pterafolk, who used their Terror Dive on us:
If the pterafolk is flying and dives at least 30 feet straight toward a target, and then ...
10
votes
1
answer
378
views
Can a gelatinous cube block line of effect
If there is a 20-foot by 10-foot passage, can two adjacent gelatinous cubes (or similarly large ooze) block line of effect? If the cleric casts prayer, are enemies behind the cubes protected from the ...
13
votes
1
answer
3k
views
Does this creature, generated by ChatGPT, fit within the guidelines for monsters set by WoTC?
Context
This creature is supposed to be a miniboss in one of my adventures with a dark horror theme. It's intended to be a hard encounter for four 3rd level pcs.
The questions:
Is this monster ...
5
votes
1
answer
318
views
How do multiple Star Spawn Hulk interact with zone psychic damage?
The Star Spawn Hulk has the following feature :
Psychic Mirror. If the hulk takes psychic damage, each creature within 10 feet of the hulk takes that damage instead; the hulk takes none of the damage....
13
votes
2
answers
834
views
How can I deal positive damage to non-undead?
The Stone-Breasted Owl is an incorporeal beast (and spirit), has resistance 5 to all damage, except for force, ghost touch and positive.
Each spell I found that deals positive damage only does so to ...
8
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Spellcaster Dragons Casting with legendary actions?
I’m about to throw an adult dragon at my players, one that is using the variant spellcaster rules (7 spells, cast each once per day at 5th level). I was wondering, would it be able to cast any of its ...
12
votes
2
answers
2k
views
For the purposes of the Regenerate spell, does a snail shell count as a limb?
Looking at the article for Flail Snails on the Forgotten Realms Wiki, it states that removed flail snail tentacles can be regrown or restored using the regenerate spell.
The description of the ...
19
votes
3
answers
5k
views
What is a true dragon?
I was just reading the MM, and reading about dracolichs. It says:
Only ancient or adult true dragon can become a dracolich.
But what is a true dragon?
13
votes
3
answers
1k
views
Do we have to stick to the confines of a Multiattack description?
If a creature has Multiattack that says
1 spear attack and 1 longsword attack
am I limited to just that? Or is this just some template where we can substitute 1 attack for something else, like
2 ...
4
votes
1
answer
284
views
What happens to a PC lycanthrope's ability scores if it becomes cured? [duplicate]
I have a Fighter character who is a lycanthrope and had a very low Strength score originally, but thanks to her lycanthropic affliction, her Strength is now the highest score.
Will her Strength score ...
6
votes
1
answer
874
views
How Is Damage Determined For Sunlight Hypersensitivity?
So, as the title states, I'm curious about how the damage is determined with sunlight Hypersensitivity. I was looking through the monster manuals of DnD 5E and I came across a total of 4 monsters that ...
6
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Does any published monster have a "toss creature" attack or similar?
I was inspired by this question, where the answers propose improvised weapon and unarmed strike rules to ajudicate the effect of a monster picking up and tossing a (in this case unconscious) creature ...
0
votes
1
answer
306
views
Can a doppelganger detect another doppelganger's thoughts?
Surprised it took me this long to think of this, but should two or more doppelgangers come into contact, would their detect thoughts abilities work on each other?
10
votes
3
answers
419
views
Would an ethereal Night Hag's touch be picked up by the Alarm spell?
Our hapless 3rd-level party picked up a Night Hag and a Green Hag while we were trekking through the jungle in our last play session. They had disguised their forms to travel with us and before we ...
12
votes
2
answers
3k
views
Chimeric Animals from Icewind Dale
I've recently discovered the Chimeric Animals from Icewind Dale on DNDBeyond. I'm really curious about what they are, what the lore is behind them, etc. I've looked on the Forgotten Realms wiki, and I ...
3
votes
3
answers
733
views
What does "takes an action" mean?
The context of this question, is the following: I've recently joined a D&D table, which happened to be with only new players, including the DM himself.
The other day, our DM introduced us a new ...
16
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Are the plants animated by an Assassin Vine considered magical?
In our last play session the party was attacked by an Assassin Vine. The low-strength kobold ranger was trapped in the vines for several rounds (in part because he went unconscious from damage, but ...
0
votes
2
answers
230
views
Homebrew Parchment Golem monster v1.2
This is a continuation of my first attempt to get a review of a monster stat block. If I'm doing something wrong, let me know.
Homebrew Parchment Golem monster
My goal for this creature is to be a ...