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.
2,277
questions
5
votes
1
answer
123
views
A question about disembodied monsters and blinding spells on them
I am running a campaign with clerics, wizards and shadowcasters.
One of the characters, a cleric, wants to choose an invisibility spell. This is not the problem.
The problem is how this spell works ...
- 167
14
votes
1
answer
2k
views
What's the procedure for monsters/NPCs using stealth?
I've been GMing PF2e for a few months, but I still struggle with understanding stealth, especially when it comes to enemies.
An example from an upcoming dungeon I'm planning:
There's a room with an ...
- 141
7
votes
4
answers
1k
views
What to do when the monster is too strong for the players? [closed]
Good afternoon, I'm about to start an RPG campaign where the system has very strong monsters, and it's not to reveal that to the players either.
I would like to know the following situation: What to ...
- 131
2
votes
0
answers
176
views
Is there a list anywhere of humanoid undead? [closed]
I'm trying to build an undead sea witch. She is the main bad guy for my current campaign. She was a pirate captain who's entire set of islands were destroyed by an leviathan (it's complicated) ...
- 51
2
votes
1
answer
257
views
Is an angel's spellcasting alignment-dependent?
This question was prompted from a line towards the end of this answer:
Arcane spells, and the ability to use them, are not alignment dependent. The Planetar's spells, as they are innate to that ...
- 5,773
25
votes
4
answers
8k
views
What is the distinction between Monstrosities and Beasts?
I always assumed the difference between Beasts and Monstrosities was very simple: beasts are natural creatures that exist in our world, monstrosities are unnatural creatures that do not fit into any ...
- 6,305
4
votes
1
answer
468
views
CR for half-green dragon assassin
The party is in Rise of Tiamat and their next encounter will be
I am trying to budget for a Deadly encounter, as suggested in the adventure. One of the possible foes to include is a half-green ...
- 51k
0
votes
2
answers
467
views
My players have become determined to kill the dragon who has been helping them throughout the campaign - how should I handle this? [closed]
The dragon in question used to be a God and has been helping the party work up to defeating the BBEG (note that they still need him to complete the storyline at this point, but I can find a way around ...
-1
votes
2
answers
370
views
Does a Rakshasa take damage from the damage bonus granted by an Evocation wizard's Empowered Evocation feature?
The Rakshasa has the Limited Magic Immunity trait:
Limited Magic Immunity. The rakshasa can't be affected or detected by spells of 6th level or lower unless it wishes to be. [...]
As noted in this Q&...
- 51k
7
votes
1
answer
785
views
Can a Fire Elemental only set objects on fire by attacking them?
I've found an odd discrepancy in the Fire Elemental's ability to set "stuff" on fire.
In the Fire Elemental's statblock in the Monster Manual, the description of the Fire Form trait states (...
- 3,024
9
votes
2
answers
549
views
Is there an issue with making a Medium-sized monster use d10 Hit Dice?
I've been a long time DM for Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition, but I'm only now getting a solid grasp of designing monsters and monster encounters. There's a lot of hullabaloo about CR and how ...
18
votes
2
answers
4k
views
What to do when the new "Monsters of the Multiverse" book doesn't match "Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes" and "Volo's Guide to Monsters"?
The new book official 5e book, Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse, contains a lot of the same content as the two previous books Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes and Volo's Guide to Monsters.
...
- 9,984
16
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Does lore count as Rules-As-Written?
The monsters in the Monster Manual have two sections: a statblock, consisting of actual game mechanics and statistics, and a write-up about the creatures background, adressing such things as their ...
- 113k
-2
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Which monsters can scare players by harming their PCs long-term? [closed]
In 5e, most damage heals naturally over a long rest. Some monsters however have abilities or attacks that cause long-term harm, harm that is not cured by a long rest or by saving throws over time. ...
- 113k
4
votes
3
answers
979
views
What is the native plane of a larva or lemure?
When a creature dies, and it has a soul, their soul departs to the plane of their deity or their alignment. In case of evil creatures, they may end up in the lower planes.
For Hades, the DMG (p. 63) ...
- 113k
17
votes
3
answers
3k
views
How can you revive a character who was killed by a Night Hag's Nightmare Haunting?
The Night Hag has an ability that can reduce a character's hit point maximum via nightmares provided they are evil. It then proceeds to state:
If this effect reduces the target's hit point maximum to ...
- 113k
6
votes
2
answers
8k
views
How can you undo a Slaad infection?
Both the Red Slaad and the Blue Slaad's Claw attacks have an ability that, if they hit and the target is a humanoid that fails a Constitution saving throw, infects the target with a disease.
For ...
- 113k
-1
votes
4
answers
286
views
What creature can be weaponised to counter a modern Air Force? [closed]
I need a monster, preferably a flying one, that can be used by an army to fight a modern Air Force. The modern air force here is equivalent to the USAF, with jet fighters and B-52 bombers and all. Its ...
- 145
15
votes
3
answers
3k
views
How can I avoid accidentally deadly encounters from monsters that are more deadly than their challenge rating suggests?
Monster Deadliness: In the DMG (p.82) there is guidance about the calculating encounter deadliness. This is entirely based on the XP of the monsters encountered, and each challenge rating (CR) has a ...
- 113k
6
votes
1
answer
323
views
Are outsiders stronger in their native planes?
In the campaign I'm playing in, there is internal conflict in the upper planes, and one of the lead instigators is a solar. We've killed it multiple times, but it keeps coming back with reinforcements....
6
votes
1
answer
1k
views
If a hobgoblin is charmed using a Rod of Rulership and given commands that go against the orders of its normal leader, what happens?
The description of the Rod of Rulership says:
You can use an action to present the rod and command obedience from each creature of your choice that you can see within 120 feet of you. Each target ...
- 113k
12
votes
1
answer
667
views
Old thing-like race from D&D 3.5e?
I once watched a very interesting video about a race of beings which come from another dimension and seek to gain control over other dimensions through possessing hosts and bring more of their kind to ...
- 249
10
votes
1
answer
805
views
The Merfolk Salvager's melee attacks don't specify that they're "Weapon Attacks". Is there a reason for this?
I noticed that both of the two attack actions a Merfolk Salvager (GoS, p.244) has do not specify that they are Weapon attacks:
Coral Rapier. Melee Attack: +4 to hit, etc.
Inject Toxin (2/Day). Melee ...
- 2,359
5
votes
1
answer
4k
views
How does variant encumbrance affect monsters like Grells?
I'm running a game with variant encumbrance, and I'm wondering how the monsters would be affected. Obviously, heavily armed and armoured enemies would be hampered, but what about "drug and drag&...
- 57
8
votes
2
answers
2k
views
What is the duration of the doppelganger's Shapechanger ability, which lets them "polymorph" into a humanoid they have seen?
What is the duration of the doppelganger's Shapechanger ability, which lets them "polymorph" into a humanoid they have seen?
It isn't clear to me from its description in the Monster Manual.
...
- 83
3
votes
0
answers
43
views
Does a demilich's energy drain ability affect current hit points? [duplicate]
A demilich's Energy Drain ability says:
Each creature within 30 feet of the demilich must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature’s hit point maximum is magically ...
- 8,363
16
votes
3
answers
3k
views
How does the spell Reverse Gravity affect creatures with spider climbing?
I understand that such a question is rather left up to the DM. However that can come as a situation "DM against player" (which is not good but sometimes inevitable). So I'd like to know your ...
- 161
13
votes
1
answer
317
views
What do Salamanders eat?
In the D&D 5e Monster Manual, most elementals state explicitly that they do not require food or drink. This is not the case for salamanders. By omission, they need to eat and drink. The Forgotten ...
- 13.9k
17
votes
3
answers
3k
views
Who (or what) created the atropal?
Atropal are described in the 5th Edition adventure Tomb of Annihilation:
An atropal is a ghastly, unfinished creation of an evil god, cast adrift and abandoned long ago. Since an atropal was never ...
- 149k
14
votes
1
answer
579
views
Does referencing specific monster actions break the 5e SRD/OGL?
I'm writing my own supplement for 5e, using the OGL/SRD, and have a chapter on monsters. I'm wondering if I can safely use standard monster actions such as Brave, Aggressive, Charge, Camouflage, ...
- 143
4
votes
1
answer
3k
views
Can Vortex Warp be used to put a creature inside a Water Elemental?
Vortex Warp (Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos, p.38):
You magically twist space around another creature you can see within range. The target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw (the target ...
- 6,565
6
votes
3
answers
324
views
What purpose does the quickling's Fade from View ability serve?
In Pathfinder 2e the Quickling has an ability called Fade from View which, as a free action, lets the quickling become invisible until it uses an attack, manipulate, or move action. The quickling can'...
- 2,417
6
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Potential effects of non-standard creature size in combat (purple worm)
My players are about to finish G3 (Hall of the Fire Giant King) and start D1 (Descent into the Depths of the Earth) - note that I am converting these 1e modules to 5e.
I am rolling the wandering ...
- 51k
2
votes
1
answer
592
views
Are fungi considered plants? [duplicate]
A number of spells and abilities interact with plants specifically. For example, the Plant Growth spell does the following:
If you cast this spell using 1 action, choose a point within range. All ...
- 9,984
17
votes
1
answer
2k
views
How does an Otyugh move?
The Otyugh is typically depicted with three legs, three tentacles, and an asymmetric body layout.
While many have asked questions about the Otyugh like the number of melee attacks or the grapple, ...
- 1,971
6
votes
1
answer
377
views
Can an earth elemental see/hear while using Earth Glide?
As the title says, can an earth elemental see while using Earth Glide?
I don't see anything in particular in its stat block that would make me think it could see or hear. They have no tremorsense, and ...
- 2,737
9
votes
2
answers
772
views
How would permanent invisibility affect a monster's challenge rating?
I’m attempting to convert a phantom fungus to fifth edition. The creature is always invisible while alive, similar to an invisible stalker. When calculating challenge rating, how would this ...
- 641
2
votes
2
answers
425
views
What was the first original liminal being in D&D?
The first edition monster manual, and the OD&D sources that predate it, have the traditional mythological liminal beings - centaurs, chimeras, satyrs, sphinxes...
But was David Sutherland's ...
- 51k
9
votes
1
answer
781
views
What is the etymology of the term "drider"?
Gary Gygax took the word 'drow' from a Scots cognate of troll, with one of the meanings being 'dark elf'.
David Sutherland III introduced the 'drider' in module Q1, as a drow that has been transformed ...
- 51k
3
votes
0
answers
58
views
Can a succeeded saving throw against the Horryfing Visage from one banshee make the player immune against the Horryfing Visage from another? [duplicate]
If the players are facing two banshees and a player succeeds in the saving throw against one's Horrifying Visage, is he immune to the Horrifying Visage from another one?
- 918
17
votes
2
answers
5k
views
Why is an archmage only CR12?
The monster's manual archmage is overpowered, but has a CR12!?
It is a monster with Time Stop from 9th circle, mind blank and teleport.
If you put him with some other melee monsters (meat for the ...
- 187
8
votes
1
answer
259
views
What does "DC 20" refer to in the description of the Erinyes' "Entangle" ability?
The Erinyes has an ability called Entangle that functions "as an animate rope spell (CL 16th, DC 20)".
Normally, this format of ability description would set the save DC of the spell, but ...
- 883
6
votes
1
answer
280
views
Must a zombie hear the wight to be commanded by it?
So, a wight can have up to 12 zombies under its command. How does it work? Should it shout to the zombies what it wants? If yes, what's a good range for the zombies to understand its command? I saw a ...
- 918
4
votes
1
answer
195
views
Does a a Bullywug Croaker's Glaar-pat song count as magic for the purposes of the Gnome Cunning racial trait? [duplicate]
The Bullywug Croaker has an action:
Glaaar-pat (3/Day). The croaker sings a song of marshy doom. Each chosen creature within 30 feet of the croaker that can hear the song must make a DC 12 Wisdom ...
- 143
4
votes
2
answers
395
views
Metallic dragons, levels of sorcerer, and cleric spells
According to the entry for Copper Dragon, they can choose cleric spells for their sorcerer spells known, but it implies once they are of an age category where they gain spellcasting. If a wyrmling ...
- 2,737
8
votes
1
answer
672
views
Can an Air Elemental's Whirlwind ability hit multiple large targets?
The Air Elemental's Whirlwind ability reads:
Each creature in the elemental's space must...
Both the Air Elemental and the Minotaurs are large creatures. The Air Elemental's ability Air Form allows ...
- 439
13
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Can a legendary monster/NPC use a "free object interaction" as part of a legendary action?
By the book (PHB p.190):
You can also interact with one
object or feature of the environment for free, during either your move
or your action. For example, you could open a door during your move as
...
- 918
8
votes
2
answers
870
views
If someone is knocked unconscious by a Mind Flayer's tentacles and grappled, then healed, do they still make a saving throw against being stunned?
This seems to be a fairly unusual situation and I have not been able to find a ruling.
The description of the Mind Flayer's Tentacles attack states, in part:
[...] If the target is Medium or smaller, ...
- 81
2
votes
1
answer
657
views
Are there material components that could be harvested from monsters? [closed]
Back in the Forgotten Realms novels based on Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, there was a female wizard character introduced after having killed a monster (I believe an owlbear) and having harvested ...
- 10.6k
3
votes
1
answer
202
views
Can a wildshaped druid deal static attack damage? [duplicate]
If, for example, I wildshape into a boar, can I use Tusk to reliably deal 4 damage, rather than rolling 1d6 + 1 damage?
Is this one of the effects of:
Your game Statistics [being] replaced by the ...
- 5,627