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.
2,249
questions
1
vote
0
answers
54
views
What are some different predators I can add for my world building? [closed]
I'm currently building a fantasy world to use in a future campaign, and I need some ideas and descriptions of different apex predators, both rare and common, to add to my world.
4
votes
1
answer
175
views
Monkey Demon Boss Design
LATTER DAYS CAMPAIGN PLAYERS SHOULD SKIP THIS POST
In my campaign, there is a demon trapped in an artifact and forced to grant wishes. Though generally I rule wishes by intent and not trickery, this ...
- 141
8
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Can you use True Polymorph and an Intellect Devourer to potentially learn Deep Speech and a secret?
I have been thinking of making a homebrewed campaign where, as part of a bigger plot, the party needs to learn Deep Speech and a secret that a particular Intellect Devourer learnt from consuming the ...
- 9,373
10
votes
4
answers
878
views
Can an Intellect Devourer use Body Thief on body that already has an Intellect Devourer in its skull?
From looking at the mechanics of Body Thief I can't see why not, but I may be missing something.
The intellect devourer initiates an Intelligence contest with an
incapacitated humanoid [...] If it ...
- 9,373
6
votes
1
answer
222
views
How long do Intellect Devourers live?
I can't see any information on the lifespan of an Intellect Devourer in the 5th edition of D&D monster manuals. Is there any information that says or hints in other sources/books, including past ...
- 9,373
4
votes
2
answers
174
views
Can a Gnoll Pack Lord target itself for Incite Rampage?
Incite Rampage (Recharge 5–6).
One creature the gnoll can see within 30 feet of it can use its reaction to make a melee attack if it can hear the gnoll and has the Rampage trait.
A Gnoll pack lord ...
- 469
1
vote
2
answers
165
views
Can a psion with Metamorphosis and Assume Supernatural Ability create an army of Scythers of Thoon under his command?
Metamorphosis yourself and your psicrystal into Madcrafters of Thoon.
Use Assume Supernatural Ability: Launch Spawn to create as many Scythers of Thoon you want. Use some form of infinite healing to ...
- 380
2
votes
4
answers
2k
views
How to create systemless stats for monsters?
I'm writing a monster compendium that focuses on the lore of creatures, such as their behavior, habitat, and mythology, rather than on game mechanics. However, I'd like to include basic stats for each ...
- 163
13
votes
3
answers
3k
views
Do players/characters know when a monster uses its Legendary Resistance?
Assuming that players are causing a monster with the Legendary Resistance ability to make enough saving throws that it will use them all up, should the players be aware when that point has come? (As a ...
- 2,710
9
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Are undead immune to exhaustion?
Simple question, are undead immune to exhaustion? My DM seemed to think so just based upon the fact they are undead. I said that unless their stat block specifically states they are immune to ...
- 7,777
3
votes
1
answer
151
views
Obzedat Ghost summoning ability
Going to run some undead for a boss fight, and while I was looking through some potential bosses I found the Obzedat Ghost. They seemed pretty interesting, in particular this ability:
Convene the ...
- 469
5
votes
1
answer
208
views
Can an Intellect Devourer in its new body continue to gain levels? (D&D 5e)
In D&D 5e, When an Intellect Devourer consumes the brain of a 3rd-level fighter, for instance, can it continue to gain fighter levels?
Or due to its monstrous nature, is it locked to that 3rd-...
- 61
10
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Does Halfling's Brave trait grant advantage on Bodak's Death Gaze?
The Halfling's Brave trait states:
You have advantage on saving throws against being frightened.
But in the statblock the Death Gaze trait does not impose the condition frightened, it refers only to ...
- 111
4
votes
1
answer
137
views
Can a Devil variant of the Fiendish Spirit summoned by the Summon Fiend spell grapple a creature and also use its Hurl Flame action with multiattack?
Premise
Can a Devil variant of the Fiendish Spirit summoned by the Summon Fiend spell perform a Grapple as one of its attacks on its turn, and also use its Hurl Fire ranged spell attack?
Per the ...
- 319
14
votes
1
answer
2k
views
What is the origin of the Beholder?
The Beholder is one of the games most iconic monsters. It is on the title of the fifth edition monster manual. It has spawned a whole collection of creatures, including undead Death Tyrants, Gazers, ...
- 97.7k
7
votes
1
answer
372
views
What statistics are exactly eligible for polymorph?
This question came from trying to understand if you can polymorph someone into an armored sabre-tooth tiger, if that creature has no explicit printed stat block.
It's clear that an actual stat blocks, ...
- 97.7k
11
votes
2
answers
3k
views
What was the big pillar-shaped Beholder in 3.5?
There was a specific type of Beholder that I used as a shapechange target in 3.5, but I can't remember exactly what it was called, or its specific abilities. What I remember is that it wasn't a ...
- 48.5k
3
votes
1
answer
189
views
How does an angel's Protective Aura affect its spells and allies' spells?
Angels in Pathfinder 1E all have the Protective Aura supernatural ability:
Protective Aura (Su) Against attacks made or effects created by evil creatures, this ability provides a +4 deflection bonus ...
- 31.4k
-1
votes
2
answers
580
views
Are there magic items that allow a character to shapeshift?
I am trying to create a character that can temporarily change its form into that of a dragon, with wings, flight, breath weapon, claws and so on -- a real dragon, even if only a small one.
Are there ...
user83701
16
votes
2
answers
4k
views
Are all souls of equal value?
The Monster Manual's Devil entry describes how devils desire souls and enter into contracts with mortals to gain them.
To own a creature's soul is to have absolute control over that creature, and ...
- 97.7k
3
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Can a vampire spawn turn someone else into a vampire spawn
I don’t know much about DND, but this question keeps chewing on my brain. I know a vampire can turn someone into a spawn and after that they can turn them into a true vampire. But can the spawn ...
- 47
9
votes
4
answers
5k
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 ...
- 127
8
votes
3
answers
988
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 ...
- 105
6
votes
1
answer
344
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 ...
- 664
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 ...
- 4,228
2
votes
0
answers
52
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 ...
- 97.7k
9
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 ...
- 5,757
6
votes
2
answers
917
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 ...
- 879
6
votes
1
answer
1k
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 ...
- 285
6
votes
2
answers
990
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 ...
- 3,859
5
votes
1
answer
119
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 ...
- 3,859
10
votes
6
answers
4k
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 ...
- 3,301
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 (...
- 597
11
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. ...
- 40.1k
2
votes
1
answer
180
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 ...
- 3,859
4
votes
1
answer
503
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 ...
- 166
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 ...
8
votes
2
answers
2k
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 ...
- 879
8
votes
4
answers
532
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. ...
- 3,859
21
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. ...
- 313
2
votes
3
answers
561
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 ...
- 285
11
votes
2
answers
1k
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 ...
11
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 ...
- 311
7
votes
1
answer
76
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-...
- 3,859
5
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 ...
18
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 ...
- 803
4
votes
3
answers
2k
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 ...
- 1,828
3
votes
2
answers
221
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 ...
- 835
11
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 ...
- 43.2k
1
vote
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.
...
- 2,546