Volo's Guide To Monsters

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VOLO'S GUIDE ro MONSTERS�

CREDITS

ABOUT THIS BOOK

Lead Designer: Mike Mearls
Lead Rules Developer: Jeremy Crawford
Designers: Adam Lee, Kim Mohan, Christopher

Monsters are the heart of this book-where they live,
how they think, how they might befriend you, and how
they might harm you. Chapter 1 delves into the stories of
some of the monstrous groups presented in the Monster
Manual. Chapter 2 supplements the race options in the
Player's Handbook, and chapter 3 introduces a host of
monsters and their stat blocks. Appendix A provides a
few new beasts, and appendix B is stocked with non
player characters to populate your D&D adventures.
Appendix C lets you look up stat blocks in this book by
challenge rating, creature type, and environment.
Sprinkled throughout the book are observations and
musings from two denizens of the Forgotten Realms:
the legendary explorer Volothamp Geddarm (Volo to
his friends) and the Archmage of Shadowdale himself,
El minster Aumar. For the benefit of DMs and players ev
ery where, Volo and Elminster share their insights with
regard to some of the monsters found herein, and their
words hold a measure of truth regardless of the D&D
world in which these monsters are met.

Perkins,
Sean K Reynolds, Matt Sernett, Chris Sims, Steve Winter
Additional Design: Ed Greenwood
Managing Editor: Jeremy Crawford
Editors: Kim Mohan, Christopher Perkins, Michele Carter
Editorial Assistance: Chris Dupuis, Ben Petrisor, Stan!
Art Director: Kate Irwin
Additional Art Direction: Shauna Narciso, Richard Whitters
Graphic Designer: Emi Tanji
Cover Illustrator: Tyler Jacobson
Interior Illustrators: Tom Babbey, John-Paul Balmet, Thomas

M. Baxa, Mark Behm, Eric Belisle, Christopher Bradley, Filip
Burburan, Christopher Burdett, Sam Burley, Conceptopolis,
Stephen Crowe, Daarken, Eric Deschamps, Dave Dorman, Mike
Faille, Scott M. Fischer, Lars Grant-West, Rebecca Guay, Lake
Hurwitz:, Tyler Jacobson, Jeremy Jarvis, Jorge Lacera, Daniel
Ljunggren, Howard Lyon, Warren Mahy, Brynn Metheney, Scott
Murphy, Marco Nelor, Jim Nelson, Marc Sasso, Chris Seaman,
Craig J Spearing, Cory Trego-Erdner, Franz Vohwinkel, Richard
Whitters, Eva Widermann, Shawn Wood, Ben Wootten
Cartographer: Jared Blando
Greg Bilsland, Bart Carroll, John Feil,
Trevor Kidd, Christopher Lindsay, Shelly Ma:i:zanoble, Hilary
Ross, Liz Schuh, Nathan Stewart, Greg Tito

Other D&D Team Members:

Project Manager: Heather Fleming
Product Engineer: Cynda Callaway
Imaging Technicians: Sven Bolen, Carmen Cheung, Kevin Yee
Art Administration: David Gershman
Prepress Specialist: Jefferson Dunlap

Playtesters: Robert Alaniz, Jay Anderson, Kevin Baumann, Jerry
Behrendt, Bill Benham, Stacy Bermes, Matthew Budde, Mik
Calow, Anthony Caroselli, Chris Eadie, Frank Foulis, Jason
Fransella, Jason Fuller, Jeffrey Fuller, Nick Graves, Richard Green,
Gregory Harris, Ken Hart, Sterling Hershey, Eric Hufstetler, Paul
Hughes, Mark Knapik, Yan Lacharit�. Shane Leahy, Tom Lommel,
Jonathan Longstaff, Matt Maranda, Chris "Kong" McDaniel, Lou
Michelli, Mike Mihalas, Daren Mitchell, William Myers, Kevin
Neff, Robert Quillen II, David "Oak" Rice, Sam Robertson, Arthur
Severance, Pieter Sleijpen, Phil Tobin, Steve Townshend, Kyle
Turner, William Vaughan, Arthur Wright

ON THE COVER
Tyler Jacobson illustrates a fateful meeting between a suspicious
frost giant and a lone adventurer armed with Vo/o's Guide to
Monsters. Will the giant cleave our learned hero in two, or will
diplomacy win the day?
Disclaimer: Wizards of t.Jt, Coast does not voud1for, guarantee, or provide an)' p,romiu
r,gardlng lhe validily oflh• information provided in this volume by Vololhamp Geddarm.
Do not trust Volo. Do not go on quests offend by Volo. Do not listen to Volo. Avoid being
seen with him for risk of guilt by association. if Volo appears in yoi.,r campaign, your DM is
i.,ndoubtedly trying to kill your character in o manner that con be blamed on rour own a,.
lions. The DM is probably lrying ta do lhat anyway, &ul with Vo/o's appearance, you know
for sure. We're not ,orwinced that Elminster's commentary is all that trustworthy •ithcr,
but he turned us into flumplts the last time we mentioned him in one of these disclaimers.

620B8682000001 EN
ISBN: 978 -0-7869-6601-l
First Printing: November 2016
987654321

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Forgotten Realms, the dragon ampers.1nd, Plal"r's Handbook, MonsliTits of the hidden
tomba of fallen archma&ea now dust. Yes, in this very
tome, I set forth diven detail,._ never before &athered
with such coherence~ in one ,j,llce, of the creatures
varied and stran&e that it pl•ie• Auman& and moat
other civilized races to deea ",nonaters."
I cannot recommend the es,.ntial lore contained
in this volume hi&hly eno11Ah;' and cry it to be
"life•savin~y nece11ary• to e"f'ery adventurer and
wayfareT in the wilderlanda. asid the Underdark, be
they prospector, minet', or mejlly aeekin& shelter in a
cavern from prowlin& beast,' ot the claws of winter,
over the world •nfrte,' And: <6uld you .ind it within
yoursetrto complain tha1-f1i.ii- or thafltntry· 18 lackiii&
in v•racity or comprehensive completeness, 6 let it
be known that I, Volo, took no shortcuts, and stinted
not in the depth of my probin&s' or the courtin&
of discomforts in &atherin& the moat extensive and
authoritative lore possible. At &reat personal l'iakt
mit,ht I addl 8
Betimes I used my not-inconsiderable 9 ma&ic to
cli1&1aiae myself 88 a tree, atone, or even a puddle,
and so prepare the very beat ~uide I poaaibly could.
In the doin&, I have seen the moat wondrous vi1ta&,
from frosty hiAh mountain J>"ks where &iant castles
drift peat, to the deepest icy lakes beneath the earth,
where nameleaa tentacled thin&& stir and slither, and
.: w..a_s awed anew at the Ma,,ty_~ __the world that we all,
monstrous or otherwise, sharei1°
If you find this tome of use, please tell your
friends, busineaa partners, and acquaintances met
in pasain& in the street. Then perhaps I'll have the
chence to pen an even more useful Auide, in future.u
And whatever befalls you or me in our unfoldin&
lives, I remain your humble scribe and obedient
sefvant. and am now (and if the Aods &rant, forever
in ~aatin& fame),
V~othamp Oeddarm 12

NOTES FROM ELMINSTE/:l AUMAR, ARCl-4MAGE OF 5HAD0W0ALE,
SENIOR ADVISOR TO THE OPEN LORP OF WATERDE£P:

t. LAV IT ON tHICI(, WILL YE?

IF THIS IS MODEST, I DARE NOT THINK WHAT PREENING BE.

Cot-tERENCE, INOEED.1 VOLO, THY CLARITY IS AS THE CHURNING
SURFACE OF A LARGE CITY CESSPIT-WHEN TENTACLES ARE
ABOUT TO ERUPT FROM BENEATt-t.1

THE MODESTY IS BLINDING.' SucH A PARAGON OF ELUCIDATION,
S-ELFLESSLY SERVING ALL. OFTEN ON A PLATTER, WITH AN
APPLE IN EVERY MOUTH.

EARPl.UGS SOLO SEPARATELY.

C:,, HERE IT COMES, GET IN FIRST.' HEAD OFF Tt-lY LEGITIMATE
CRITICS,

THE SANITY OF THOSE WHO BABBLE OF PROBES IS SELDOM HELO

Ye MAV, THOUGH YE'RE OBVIOUSLY UNAWARE, YOUNG VOLO, HOW

IN Hlte-auch

warm

... l,a, tlte taveiin' P1eaaant me mor1es.
,

.n.

at:~:: mori

pluncGred her
Gohlinoida
e .~ ound. Those hf •ad urnt her to
appreciation lor th :thens ~~ve no
• aner thznla!
-Volo

their own society lower castes must scrape before those
of greater status and as goblin tribes bow before other
goblinoids.
BEAST MASTERS AND SLAVE DRIVERS

Goblins know they are a weak, unsophisticated race
that can be easily dominated by bigger, smarter, more
organized, more ferocious, or more magical creatures.
Their god was conquered by Maglubiyet, after all, and
now when the Mighty One calls for it, even their souls
are forfeit. It is this realization that drives them fo dominate other creatures whenever they can-for goblins,
life is short.
Goblins seek to trap and enslave any creatures they
encounter, but they flee from opposition that seems too
daunting. For miles around their lair, they employ pit
traps, snares, and nets to catch the unwary, and when
their hunting patrols encounter other beings, they
always look for ways to capture their foes instead of
killing them. Goblins that run up against the fringes of
a society first test its defenses by stealing objects, and if
these crimes go unpunished, they begin stealing people.
Enslaved creatures receive the worst treatment the
goblins can dish out while still getting decent performance out of the slaves. But humanoids and monsters
that are especially capable or that provide unusual services find themselves treated like favored (though occasionally abused) pets.
KHURCORBAEYAC: THE OVERSEER OF ALL

Goblins once had many gods, but the only one who survived Maglubiyet's ascendancy is cruet Khurgorbaeyag,
known as the Overseer. Khurgorbaeyag drives his worshipers to be the masters of others. Only by wielding the whip
can they hope to escape its lash. Khurgorbaeyag sometimes makes his presence or his desires known through
wrathful signs and magical blessings: the crack of a whip
without a visible source, chains or ropes that move of their
own accord, or a glowing cage that appears to trap foes or
those who displease him. Worshipers of Khurgorbaeyag
are sometimes overtaken by sudden onsets of depression, which they take as a sign that they have somehow
displeased their god. When they rouse themselves from
this despondency, they take up the master's whip with renewed zeal and seek out more creatures upon which they
can wield it.
Khurgorbaeyag's hoty symbof is a yellow-and-red striped
whip made ofleather. This mark of his authority is used by
its wielder against goblins of a lower caste as well as on
slaves and enemies. The knowledge of how to make such
a whip is enough to elevate a goblin to the master caste
of lashers. Often the secret is guarded by one family in a
tribe, which enjoys prestige and influence because it controls the supply of whips.

Virtually any kind of creature that can be browbeaten
into service might be found with a goblin tribe, but rats
and wolves are nearly always present. Both have lived
in concert with goblins for at least as long as humans
have worked with dogs and horses, and in goblin society
those two animals serve similar purposes.
FAMILY MATTERS

A goblin tribe is organized in a four-tiered caste system
made up of lashers, hunters, gatherers, and pariahs. The
status of every family in the tribe is based on its importance to the tribe's survival. Families that belong to the
higher-ranking castes keep their status by not sharing
their knowledge and skills with other families, while
those in the lower castes have little hope of escaping
their plight.
Outsiders who don't understand the goblins' social
system are sometimes surprised by how different castes
interact with them. A single human warrior might
frighten away a dozen gatherers, only to be shocked
when two hunters viciously attack. A captured group
of invaders might hang in a net while dozens of goblins
pass by and pay them no heed until a group of gatherers shows up.
Lashers. The closest thing a goblin tribe has to nobility is the caste of lashers-families of goblins trained in
the ways of battle, and also possessed of key skills such
as strategy, trap-building, beast taming, mining, smelting, forging, and religion. If the tribe has any spellcasters, this caste includes them. Lashers follow the lead of
the tribe's boss, and enforce their will on other goblins
with whips.

Hunters. The families of goblins that are skilled in the
use of weapons but not privy to any other special knowledge have the second highest status in the tribe. Hunters are often the best wolf riders and know the most
about the territory farthest from the tribe's lair. These
individuals hunt game in peaceful times, and in combat
they serve as scouts, foot soldiers, and cavalry.
Gatherers. Families in the second lowest caste are
responsible for getting food from the surrounding area,
taking what's naturally available or stealing whatever
they can. Gatherers also do the little amount of farming of which goblins are capable and are charged with
checking traps for captured people or beasts. Gatherers
aren't usually armed with weapons more deadly than a
sling or a knife, but they frequently carry nets, caltrops,
lassos, and nooses on poles for controlling captured
creatures. These goblins cook for the tribe, and in times
of war they are also responsible for making poison.
Gatherers, and the pariahs beneath them, greatly fear
for their lives in battle, believing that the lashers and the
hunters have special knowledge of how to survive. It is
the members of the lower castes that give goblins their
reputation for cowardice.
Pariahs. Some goblin families are the lowest of the
low, composed of the most dimwitted, least educated,
and weakest goblins. They get the worst jobs: mucking
out animal pens, cleaning up after other goblins, and doing any hard labor such as digging mines. If the goblin
tribe has slaves to do some of this work, the pariah families enjoy the opportunity to supervise and dominate
such creatures, which have no status at all.

CHAPTER 1 i MONSTER LORE

'-=~-....J.+.::::!.S:ft======================

STATUS SYMBOLS

d20

1
2
3
4

S
6

7
8
9
10
STATUS SYMBOLS

Goblins love symbols of authority, and thus the tribe's
boss often has such trappings wherever he or she goes.
Such a symbol can take a typical form, perhaps a crown
or a throne, but also can be a more distinctive objects
like a high-backed wolf saddle or colorful boots. The
castes in a tribe also adopt symbols to indicate membership or kinship, but the symbols used are rarely the
same between different tribes and often make little
sense to other creatures. Some possible status symbols
are given in the Status Symbols table. A caste or a boss
might display more than one of these items.

12
13
14
15
16
l7
18
19
20

Status Symbol

Earrings and notches in an ear
Rib bones tied into hair
A belt made from raccoon pelts
A gnome's boot used as a hat
A pouch of toenail dippings from an allied ogre
A frog kept in a jar
Fragile helmets-~-ade from axebeak eggs
Nose rings
Painted or stained hands
Bugs kept in a bag for snacking
War cry Ulttooed on chest
Shields made from ankheg chitin
Bracelet made of pieces of goblins turned to stone
Special breed of rat kept as pet
Teeth pulled out in certain places
Owl bear-feather cloaks
Scars from lashings
Ore-tusk lip piercings
Umbrellas made from dead darkmantles
Cloaks made of scraps from an elven tapestry

BOOYAHGS

Spellcasters of any sort among the goblins are rare.
Goblins typically lack the intelligence and patience
needed to learn and practice wizardry, and they fare
poorly even when given access to the necessary training
and knowledge. Sorcerers are less prevalent among
them than in many other races, and Khurgorbaeyag
seems to dislike sharing his divine power with his followers. And although many goblins would readily offer
anything to have the abilities of a warlock, the patrons
WHo's THE

Boss?

Goblins pattern the rule of their tribes after the whip-cracking rule of their god, Khurgorbaeyag, and thus each group
has one leader that exerts autocratic control. But as with
many tyrannies, the passing of a leader often results in a
chaotic transition to the next. Sometimes a goblin boss
has the foresight to declare a successor, often a child or
other family m~mber the boss has been able to trust. But
such a declaration doesn't always prevent a mad scramble
for influence and allies, or-secret backstabbing and out..
right fights over the title. Most often, the victor in such a
struggle comes from another family of the lasher caste,
and any allies of the previous boss count themselves lucky
if their only punishment is demotion to the pariah caste.
Sometimes another creature assumes control of a
goblin tribe, by killing or subjugating the current boss
and cowing most of the rest of the tribe. Jf the creature is
dimwitted, like a troll or ogre, the lower-class goblins give
it obeisance, but before long the upper-class goblins begin
to think that whoever can bend the ear of the new leader
can act as the real boss. If the creature brushes aside such
manipulation, the tribe falls into line behind the new ty~
rant-better to abide the new rule than conspfre against it
and be called out as a traitor.

that grant such power know a goblin is unlikely to be
able to uphold its end of any bargain.
Even when a goblin is born with the ability to become
a spellcaster, the knowledge and talent necessary to
carry on the tradition rarely persists for more than a
couple of generations. Because they have so little experience with magic, goblins make no distinction between
its forms. To them all magic is "booyahg," and the word
is part of the name they give to any of its practitioners. A
goblin with access to booyahg becomes a member of the~
lashers and can often rise to the role of boss.
Booyahg Caster. This goblin served under a hobgoblin wizard, stole a look at its master's spellbook,
and learned a little wizardry by aping the gestures and
words it remembered. The goblin can cast a randomly
determined 1st-level wizard spell once per day. Intelligence is its spellcasting ability.
Booyah; Wielder. This goblin found a magic item (a
necklace of fireballs, a circlet of blasting, or the like) and
learned how to use it.
Booyahg Whip. Khurgorbaeyag saw fit to gift this
goblin with powers that enable it to dominate others.
The goblin has ld3 other goblins that slavishly obey
its orders.
Booyahg Slave. This goblin warlock serves a patron
who can extract payment in flesh if the goblin doesn't do
as promised. Often this patron is a coven of hags serving as the tribe's boss, a fiend that has made its way into
the world, or an undying lord such as a Heh or a vampire. (For more information on undying lord patrons,
see the Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide.) Use one of
the warlock stat blocks in appendix B to represent this
goblin, adding darkvision and the Nimble Escape traits
common to all goblins.

NILBOCS: PRANKSTERS WITH POWER

A nilbog ("goblin" spelled backward) js a goblin possessed
by the spirit of a mischievous prankster god. Even though
goblins dwell at the bottom of the hierarchy in a goblinoid
host, the threat of a nil bog appearing in their ranks keeps
the bugbears and hobgoblins from inflicting too much cru·
elty upon their lessers.
A niJbog doesn't use its abilities indiscriminately. One
can be placated if it is provided with comfortable quarters,
good food, and free rein to do as it wishes, in which case it
holds its power at bay.
Hobgoblins have learned how to guard against the appearance of a nilbog: the crudest, most obnoxious goblin
in the host is given the title of jester. This goblin lounges in
a hobgoblin warlord's command center, free to behave as
it wishes without risk of punishment or rebuke.
For more information on nUbogs, see chapter 3 of
this book.

BooyahtJ BooyahtJ BooyahtJ. This goblin is a sorcerer
with the wild magic origin whose every casting, including cantrips, is accompanied by a wild magic surge. Use
the mage stat block in the Monster Manual to represent
this goblin, adding darkvision and the Nimble Escape
traits common to all goblins. Each time the goblin casts
a spell, there is an accompanying surge of wild magic;
roll on the Wild Magic Surge table in the Player's Handbook to determine the wild magic effect.
GOBLIN LAIRS

Tribes of goblins take up residence in shrouded valleys,
shadowy forests, and caves and tunnels beneath the
surface of the world. Capable miners and crafters, they
seek to settle in places where they can get the raw materials to make weapons and armor. Their need for iron
and other metals sometimes puts them in conflict with
other races, but just as often, goblins get what they need
by claiming mines abandoned by other races and scratching away at veins thought to be played out.
When goblins expand a mine, the tunnels they dig
are narrow and warren-like. Goblins live both within
these tunnels and on the surface around the outside of
the area. They guard the territory around the mine for
miles, sending out patrols of hunters equipped with war
horns and using wolves as watchdogs to alert them to
intruders.
Outskirts. The territory around a goblin lair has several hallmarks, most of which aren't readily apparent.
Packs of wolves allied with the goblins serve as effective
perimeter guards, without giving away the fact that a
tribe of goblins lives nearby. Hunters take up guard
posts in tall trees and atop high rocky outcrops from
where they can view the terrain while staying unseen.
Any obvious path through the territory (a valley, a clear
trail, or a river) might be turned into an ambush point
where a force of goblins can capture intruders. Such
places might also be set with net traps, snare traps, or
hidden pit traps that gatherers regularly check for new
slaves. The area also includes burial grounds for each
caste, always placed far from the lair.
Lair Exterior. Anyone who is skilled or fortunate
enough to pass through the territory of a goblin tribe
without being detected is likely to come upon some tell-

•
tale signs of habitation-complete with goblins at work
and other goblins standing guard over them.
If the lair was built around a mine, the tribe's smelting
furnace and forge will be in the vicinity. A lair inside a
forest likely has piles of cut timber (and suitable tools)
nearby. In appropriate terrain, the goblins might set
aside some land for simple farming (raising mushrooms
and gourds). If the lair doesn't have enough space underground for everyone, gatherers and pariahs are housed
in huts on the surface, near the areas where they work.
Lair Interior. The ideal place for a goblin lair is an
abandoned mine that features two or three large chambers and a few smaller ones, with tunnels connecting
them. In such a place, the tribe can protect its most valuable assets while providing for a modicum of comfort.
Most lairs have only a single entrance, but the goblins
might build a number of escape tunnels that emerge far
from that location.
Close inside the entrance, if a suitable area exists, the
goblins set up a den for their wolves. The animals come
and go as they please, unless the goblins have use for

them. Any tunnel in the lair, whether dug by goblins or
not, is likely to be trapped, typically in a way that not
only injures the enemy but also collapses the passage.
Open spaces inside a lair are useful for a number of
reasons, and the goblins will hollow out chambers for
their use if need be. Slaves and tamed monsters are best
kept in large areas with limited access, making them
easier to guard. The tribe's boss lays claim to a space
that's treated as a throne room of sorts. The lashers and
hunters of a tribe occupy other caverns and chambers,
enjoying the comfort and safety of underground living as
a reward for their status and their value to the group.

BUGBEARS
Bugbears feature in the nightmare tales of many racesgreat, hairy beasts that creep through the shadows as
quiet as cats. If you walk alone in the woods, a bugbear
will reach out of the bushes and strangle you. If you
stray too far from the house at night, bugbears will
scoop you up to devour you in their den. If a bugbear
cuts off your head, your soul stays trapped inside, and
the bugbears use your head to magically command all
whom you once knew.
Lurid tales such as these have flowered from the
seeds of truth. Bugbears do rely on stealth and strength
to attack, preferring to operate at night. They do take the
heads of enemy leaders, but they are no more likely to
eat people indiscriminately than humans are. Bugbears
aren't likely to attack lone travelers or wandering children unless they clearly have something to gain by doing
so. From the viewpoint of the rest of the world, their
aggression and savagery are thankfully offset by their
rarity and lethargy.
SHIFTLESS, SAVAGE LAYABOUTS

When they're not in battle, bugbears spend much of
their time resting or dozing. They don't engage in crafting or agriculture to any great extent, or otherwise
produce anything of value. They bully weaker creatures
into doing their bidding, so they can take it easy. When a
superior force tries to intimidate bugbears into service,
they will try to escape rather than perform the work or
confront the foe. Even when subsumed into a goblinoid
host and drawn into war, bugbears must often be roused
from naps and bribed to get them to do their duties.
This indolence offers no clue to how vicious the creatures are. Bugbears are capable of bouts of incredible
ferocity, using their muscular bodies to exact swift and
ruthless violence. At their core, bugbears are ambush
predators accustomed to long periods of inactivity broken by short bursts of murderous energy. Ferocious
though they may be, bugbears aren't built for extended
periods of exertion.
GANG MENTALITY

Since bugbears aren't a particularly fecund race, their
overall population is small and spread over a wide area.
Bugbears live in family groups that operate much like
gangs. The individuals in a group typically number
fewer than a dozen, consisting of siblings and their
mates as well as a handful of offspring and an elder or
two. A gang lives in and around a small enclosure, often

CHA.PTER I

I MONSTER LOR.E

a natural cave or an old bear den, and it might have supplementary dens elsewhere in its territory that it uses
temporarily when it goes on long forays for food.
In good times, a bugbear gang is tight-knit, and its
members cooperate well when hunting or bullying other
creatures. But when the fortunes of a gang turn sour,
the individuals become selfish, and might sabotage one
another to remove opposition or exile weaker or unpopular members to keep the rest of the gang strong. Fortunately for the race as a whole, even young and elderly
bugbears have the ability to survive alone in the wild,
and the cast-off members of a gang might eventually
catch on with a different group.
Left to their own devices, bugbears have little more
impact on the world than wolf packs. They subsist by
crafting simple tools and hunting and gathering food,
and gangs sometimes come together peacefully to exchange members and goods between them.
MALEVOLENT WORSHIP OF MALIGN Gons

Bugbears worship two deities who are brothers, Hruggek and Grankhul. Hruggek is the fearsome elder sibling, possessed of legendary might and prowess in battle. Bugbears believe their strength and bravery come
from him. Cunning Grankhul is the younger one, and in
the stories bugbears tell, he gifted them with stealth but
in return he sapped their vigor, so that bugbears sleep in
his stead while he remains eternally alert and awake.
According to bugbear legends, Hruggek and Grankhul
often fight alongside each other, preying upon all they
encounter as is their right as superior warriors. Hruggek takes the heads of those he kills and puts them
on spikes in his den, where they utter pleas for mercy
and sing paeans to his might. Grankhul watches over
Hruggek when he sleeps, but if he must be elsewhere,
he whispers commands to the severed heads to wake
Hruggek if ahy danger threatens him.
Bugbears admire the qualities of both brothers.
Because of Hruggek, they consider bravery and physical superiority to be their natural state. Thanks to
Grankhul, they can use their size and strength to work
as stealthy assassins rather than blundering around
like ogres.
Bullying, murder, and engaging in battle are ;ill holy
acts for bugbears. Garroting an unsuspecting creature and defeating foes in open battle are seen as acts
of worship, in the same way that dwarves consider
metalsmithing to be sacred to Moradin.
The bugbears recognize two other gods, both of which
they disdain and fear: Maglubiyet and Skiggaret.
Maglubiyet, the leader of the goblinoid pantheon,
forced both brothers to submit to his rule, but instead of
killing them, he showed mercy and even honored them
in a way by setting them free- under his control-so that
bugbears could continue to employ their talents against
his enemies. Bugbears understand that by venerating
Hruggek and Grankhul, they also give tribute to Maglubiyet, even though they don't openly pay homage to
their overlord. When bugbears are called to join a host,
bugbears believe Maglubiyet has again corralled the
brothers into a divine battle, and they honor their gods
by following suit.

Skiggaret is the bugbear version of the bogeyman, as
hateful and terrifying to them as bugbears are in the
eyes of many other races. His name is rarely spoken,
and never above a whisper. Skiggaret's influence manifests at times when bugbears are forced to act in a cowardly fashion; a bugbear that knows or feels itself to be
in mortal danger is affected by a form of madness and
will do anything, including trying to flee, in order to stay
alive. Bugbears believe that this feeling of fear comes
from being possessed by Skiggaret, and they don't relish
experiencing it. After the madness has passed, bugbears
don't dwell on things that were done in the presence of
Skiggaret. Talking about such acts might call him back.

ONE USEFUL TRICI(· IF
VE FACE B
'

HAYE SEVERED 1-f

UGBEARS IYHO
EADS ON SPIICE
CAST A SPELL TO 1\.1
S AS TROPl-flES,
AICE Tl-fE 1-fEAD
THAT, VE CAN CO
S SPEAI(, AFTER
1.EN Tl-fE BUGBE
ARS INTO DOING
ALMOST ANVTHING.

-E'LMI N S TER

BLESSINGS OF THE BUGBEAR GODS

HOBGOBLINS

Bugbears have no use for priests or shamans. No one
needs to tell them what their gods want. If the brother
gods are angry with them, they let the bugbears know
with bolts of lightning (Hruggek) or by striking them
blind or dead (Grankhul). Bugbears worship their
gods simply by preying on other creatures, using no
other sort of ceremony to show obeisance- with one
exception.
In an act of worship that also sometimes attracts
favorable attention from their gods, bugbears sever the
heads of defeated foes, cut away or stitch open the eyelids, and leave the mouths hanging open. The heads are
then placed on spikes or hung from ,cords around a bugbear den. The heads themselves are trophies that honor
Hruggek, and their ever-staring eyes are an homage to
sleepless Grankhul.
The heads of leaders and mighty opponents are particularly sacred, and offering up such a trophy can provide
a bugbear gang with a special boon. A gang that gains
the favor of Hruggek and Grankhul in this way might
find that the head will emit a shout when an enemy gets
too close (in the fashion of an alarm spell). Sometimes
the heads of people who have information the bugbears
need speak their secrets amid blubbered pleas for mercy
(as with the speak with dead spell).

War is the lifeblood of hobgoblins. Its glories are the
dreams that inspire them. Its horrors don't feature in
their nightmares. Cowardice is more terrible to hobgoblins than dying, for they carry their living acts into the
afterlife. A hero in death becomes a hero eternal.
Young hobgoblins start soldiering when they can walk
and heed the mustering call as soon as they can wield
their weapons capably. Every legion in the hobgoblins'
entire society forever stands prepared for war.
BRUTAL CIVILITY

Hobgoblins hold themselves to high standards of military honor. The race has a long history of shared traditions, recorded and retold to keep the knowledge fresh
for new generations. When hobgoblins aren't waging
war, they farm, they build, and they practice both martial and arcane arts.
These trappings of civil society do little to conceal an
underlying brutality that hobgoblins practice on each
other and perfect upon other races. Punishment for
infractions of hobgoblin law are swift and merciless.
Beauty is something hobgoblins associate only with images of conflict and warfare.
The iron grip their philosophy holds on their hearts
blinds hobgoblins to the accomplishments of other peoples. Hobgoblins have little appreciation or patience for

art. They leave little space for joyor leisure in their lives,
and thus have no reserves of faith to call upon when in
dire straits.
IMPLACABLE

Gons

Hobgoblins revere two gods unique to their race, the
only survivors of a pantheon that was decimated by
Maglubiyet so long ago that hobgoblins don't remember
the names of the fallen. Nomog-Geaya is the greater of
the two and the more frequently honored. He is seen as
a stoic, cold-blooded, and tyrannical leader, and hobgoblins believe he expects the same behavior from them.
Bargrivyek is a god of duty, unity, and discipline, and he
is thought to be pleased by displays of those principles.
In the stories that hobgoblins tell one another, Bargrivyek serves as Nomog-Geaya's second in command.
Nomog-Geaya would prefer the position were filled by
someone more like himself, but Bargrivyek was all he
was left with after Maglubiyet's conquest. Although
both deities are ultimately beholden to Maglubiyet, the
greater god allows them to retain a measure of their influence over the hobgoblins because their philosophies
are in line with his own.
Hobgoblins don't build temples to their gods, lest they
displease Maglubiyet, but the few priests among them
do tend small shrines and interpret the body of legends
about their gods. Nomog-Geaya's priests always wield
his favored weapons, a longsword and a handaxe. They
are responsible for martial training as well as instruction in strategy and battlefield tactics. Bargrivyek's
priests wield his symbol, a flail with a head dipped in
white paint. They work as a police force in hobgoblin
society, making judgments about honor, mediating disputes, and otherwise enforcing discipline.
RANK, STATUS, AND TITLE

As in any strict military hierarchy, every hobgoblin in
a legion has a rank, from the warlord down through a
cadre of officers to the soldiers that make up most of its
number. These ranks, using the titles most often applied
to them, are as follows:
1st rank: Warlord
2nd rank: General
3rd rank: Captain
4th rank: Fatal Axe

5th rank: Spear
6th rank: Fist
7th rank: Soldier

A legion is organized into units called banners, each
one made up of a group of interrelated families. Members of a banner live, work, and fight together, and each
banner has a separate status within the legion that is
reflected in the power of its officers. For instance, the
captains of the highest-ranking banners can expect their
orders to be followed by the captains of any banners of
lower rank.
Rank and responsibility aren't necessarily commensurate from one legion to another or even between banners in the same legion. A phalanx of foot soldiers led
by a captain in one legion might be two hundred strong,
while in another such a force numbers just twenty. One
banner might have four warriors mounted on worgs
led by a fist, while a fist in another banner of the same
legion might lead ten mounted warriors. If any rank

BLOODY BLUE NOSES

Hobgoblins are sometimes born with bright red or blue
noses. This attribute is thought to be a sign of potency and
potential. Blue- and red-nosed hobgoblins receive preferential treatment, and as a result they occupy most of the
leadership positions in hobgoblin society.
The noses of all hobgoblins become more colorful when
they are enraged or excited, much the way that humans'
cheeks can flush with emotion.

doesn't serve a purpose in the legion, the warlord eliminates it from the hierarchy to maximize efficiency.
HONOR BOUND, BY GLORY CROWNED

Advancement in rank comes as a result of attaining
glory, but for the achievement to mean anything, a
hobgoblin must abide by the race's code of honor
in doing so.
Glory can be earned by discovery of great resources
(such as finding a new vein of iron or a powerful magic
item), by fine performances (writing and performing
a great ballad about the legion), by designing and constructing a great defense or monument, and through
other means. But the greatest respect is reserved for
those who earn their glory in battle. In theory, the
fortunes of war can elevate the lowest-ranking banner
in a legion to the highest status. In practice, warlords
are careful to position themselves and their banners
to claim the greatest victories in any conflict, and they
portion out opportunities and responsibilities to other
banners as politics dictate.
Each hobgoblin legion has a distinct code of honor
and law, but all follow a few general precepts that are at
the heart of the hobgoblin honor system.
Follow Orders. Carrying out orders without question
is critical on the battlefield, and hobgoblins follow this
dictum in peaceful times as well in order to maintain
stability in their society. Hobgoblins don't shrink from
following orders that they know will result in death if
the act will bring glory to the banner or the legion.
Honor the Gods. Hobgoblins give regular recognition
to the deities left to them after Maglubiyet's conquest.
Idols of Nomog-Geaya, as well as standards and flags
with his image or symbol, receive a bow or salute at all
times except emergencies. Bargrivyek's peacemakers
receive due deference regardless of rank or banner
status. Of course, Maglubiyet's call to conquest is always answered.
Suffer nor Give Insult. As befits their warlike nature,
hobgoblins believe that any insult demands a response.
Suitably (and somewhat ironically), the outward politeness and civility that they demonstrate among each
other enables them to avoid conflicts in daily life. This
same form of "courtesy" is often extended to other races
the hobgoblins have dealings with, much to the outsiders' surprise. When such respect isn't reciprocated,
though, relations can swiftly deteriorate.
Reward Glorious Action. Hobgoblins never deny
advancement in status to a banner that has earned it,
nor do they withhold higher rank from a deserving individual. If a banner attains great glory in battle but is
nearly destroyed, the handful of members who remain
are welcomed into another banner, taking their banner's

name and colors along with them, and assuming places
of leadership in the group.
Uphold the Lesion. Hobgoblins care more for the survival of their legion than they do for others of their own
kind. Two legions might battle over territory, resources,
or power, or out of simple pride. Such a feud can continue over generations in an ongoing cycle of retribution.
Each legion has a list of grievances against any others it
knows about, and any legions meeting for the first time
view each other with immediate hostility. Only a truly
great warlord can force legions to work together as an
army if Maglubiyet has not called forth a host.
IRON SHADOWS

A few hobgoblins have mastered a system of unarmed
combat called the Path of the Iron Shadow. Its practitioners are known as Iron Shadows. They serve as a secret police force and a spy network in hobgoblin society.
Statistics for a typical hobgoblin Iron Shadow can be
found in chapter 3.
The Iron Shadows recruit from all ranks of hobgoblin
society. They answer only to the priests of Maglubiyet,
and use their talents for stealth, disguise, and unarmed
combat to squash potential insurrections and treachery
before an uprising can flourish.
These hobgoblins have the ability to command
shadow magic to conceal their true nature, create distracting illusions, and walk from on~ shadow to the next.
When they operate in the open, they wear masks that
resemble the leering faces of devils. As befits their role
in society, they receive proper deference from all other
hobgoblins that cross their path.
ACADEMY OF DEVASTATION

Hobgoblins know the value of arcane magic in warfare.
Where other cultures treat magic as an individual pursuit, a calling that only a select few can even attempt,
hobgoblins practice mass indoctrination and testing to
identify every potential caster in their ranks.
The Academy of Devastation is a hobgoblin institution
made up of spellcasters. Members are sent abroad to
test young hobgoblins. Those who show an aptitude for
magic are enrolled in the academy, brought to a hidden
school, and subjected to a rigorous regimen of drills,
exercises, and study. In the academy9s view, every young
student is a potential new devastator, destined to be
forged into a weapon of war.
Hobgoblin devastators have little knowledge of or use
for spells that have no use on the battlefield. They are
taught potent, destructive spells and also learn the fundamentals of evocation magic. The death and destruction they bring about is worthy of as many accolades
as the ruin wrought by traditional warriors. Luckily for
their enemies, devastators seldom employ sophisticated
tactics, functioning essentially as a mobile artillery battery. They can bring tremendous force to bear, but rarely
display the versatility and inventiveness of spellcasting
elves and humans. A few do become accomplished tacticians in their own right, and it isn't uncommon for such
an individual to serve as the warlord of a legion.
Statistics for a typical hobgoblin devastator can be
found in chapter 3.

HOBGOBLIN LAIRS

When hobgoblins aren't on the move, they have a stable
lifestyle and society wherein they can raise new generations, train them, and prepare for future battles. If
few enemies exist nearby and the hobgoblins in a legion
have room to spread out, the members of each banner
might live in a separate location, effectively its own settlement, with worg riders and messenger ravens passing
communications between the sites.
In lands dominated by other humanoids, hobgoblins
will settle for taking up residence in an old dungeon or
ruin where they can hide their numbers and keep their
presence secret. Such an arrangement isn't desirable,
because space is usually at a premium.
Permanent Visitors. If a hobgoblin legion is looking
for a place to set down roots, its first choice is an outof-the-way area that has adequate resources or can be
improved to suit the hobgoblins' needs. Land for farming or grazing is desirable, as is access to lumber, stone,
or metal ore. If the hobgoblins find a place that fits the
bill, they build non-portable facilities such as forges and
sawmills, marking their intention to stay either until all
the resources have been harvested or until Maglubiyet
calls them off to war. If the hobgoblins are interested in
doing business with the outside world, they might erect
a trading post on the fringe of their territory where other
people can come to exchange goods and coin.
Who Goes There? A hobgoblin lair resembles nothing
so much as a military base. It is always well guarded,
whether by lone sentries perched in trees or a stone
tower with a full garrison of troops. As space permits,
large areas are dedicated for use as training grounds,
marshaling fields, target ranges, combat arenas, and
similar facilities for the practice of warfare. Monuments,
typically statues and pillars, are erected around these
areas to remind the legion of past glories.
Every legiods headquarters includes a command
center where the warlord meets with banner leaders
and others of high rank. Inside the complex or somewhere near it is the Way to Glory-a road, river, tunnel,
or valley on either side of which the honored dead are
interred, each burial site complete with a description of
the banner, rank, and glories of its occupant.
The quarters for troops are austere but sufficient, as
are the necessary stables and dens to hold the legion's
animals and beasts. Legions that have need of such
amenities also set aside space for a library, which can

CHAPTER l

_ _-J....::::::!!!B:::========================

t :MONSTE.l i LORE

double as a school and training facility for spellcasters.
If a hobgoblin lair has a prison, it's usually a small onemiscreants are incarcerated for only a short time before
facing the hobgoblins' harsh justice.

encounter other types of goblinoids (or seek them out), it
is viewed by all as a divine sign- Maglubiyet has called
them together to do his bidding on a grand scale.

MAGLUBIYET'S WILL BE DONE

When the three types of goblinoids coalesce into a host,
this new societal and military arrangement fundamentally changes how virtually every individual behaves.
Leaders in Word and Deed. Hobgoblins form the
backbone of the new culture, taking up most leadership
roles and acting as the strong center in any military
action. Hobgoblins that are called to lead a host become
fired with purpose, overtaken by a fanaticism that lends
new urgency to their every action.
When multiple legions gather into a host, each of
those legions has a separate status, just as each banner
in a legion does. The legion of the host's warlord has the

CALL TO WAR: FORMATION OF THE HOST

When Maglubiyet conquered the goblins' gods, he taught
the goblins to fear his cruelty. They bowed in sniveling
obeisance to him and then turned their impotent wrath
upon others, becoming petty tyrants. When Maglubiyet
conquered the bugbears' gods, he taught the bugbears
the practicality of cold brutality. When Maglubiyet conquered the hobgoblins' gods, he knew he had to take the
hobgoblins firmly in hand. From him they learned discipline, and thus they became the natural leaders among
all the goblinoids.
The goblinoids are bound together by Maglubiyet's
subjugation of their individual deities. All types rightly
fear Maglubiyet's wrath, but each carries out the Mighty
One's divine will differently. Goblins typically flee from
obvious threats, and hobgoblins often have to round up
and threaten them before they can make use of them.
Bugbears accept hobgoblin demands for assistance only
grudgingly, and often they must be bribed with loot, spirits, battle gear, or the severed heads of enemy leaders-a
particularly holy gift. Hobgoblins operating on their own
will remain in their forts, content to deal with internal
politics of rank and matters of defense, but when they

OTHER

Goo

SHALL STAND

Goblinoids are indoctrinated from a young age to consider
all gods but their own as lesser, false entities. Maglubiyet
is the only true deity, they learn, and the world will be
wracked by chaos and despair until he one day conquers
all pantheons. Goblinoids harbor a special hatred for
clerics of enemy deities, focusing on them in battle and
desecrating their temple~ whenever they have the chance.
Whether a deity is good, evil, or neutral is immaterial. All
gods other than Maglubiyet and his servants are false and
must be destroyed.

highest status, and warlords of lower status are demoted
to the title of general. A member of the lowest-ranked
banner in the warlord's legion has a higher status than
those of other legions who share the same rank, but a
general at the head of another legion still outranks everyone in the warlord's legion except for the warlord.
Hobgoblins in a legion set aside their animosity for
other legions when·a host forms. The warlords of rival
legions don't seek to depose the leader of the host unless the fortunes of war create the opportunity. Each
legion records all the insults directed toward it while a
member of a host, and when the host disbands, those
grudges again come to the forefront.
Stealthy Shock Troops. Bugbears that are subsumed
into a host function as a special cadre of spies, assassins, and bodyguards, answering to the senior leadership of the host rather than to others of their own kind.
On occasion, their hobgoblin leaders will see fit to
equip the bugbear force with improved equipment, such
as metal-tipped javelins in place of stone-tipped ones, or
chain shirts instead of the usual hide armor. Bugbears
are never outfitted with ranged weapons (which they
refuse to use) or with heavy armor (which compromises
their stealthiness).
If some bugbears demonstrate a particular talent
for some facet of combat or subterfuge, the hobgoblins might separate them into squads that employ
those skills to best effect (see the "Bugbear Special
Forces" sidebar).
Reluctant Little Tyrants. One of the first steps hobgoblins take when a tribe of goblins joins the host is to
train the gatherers and the pariahs as soldiers, effectively elevating those goblins' status to that of hunters
and reducing the number of castes in the host to two.
Leaders and religious figures of the tribe still maintain
some of their authority, but the lowliest hobgoblin or
bugbear can give an order to a goblin chief, and that
chief must leap to obey or, as is often the case, immediately yell orders for other goblins to do it.
Goblins that are conscripted into a host resign themselves to their fate- which could well be to have their
souls claimed by Maglubiyet for eternal war in Acheron.
Thus reconciled, they become humorless and show no
pity toward whatever meager victims fall under their
dominion, usually enslaved laborers or monsters that
are pressed into service as battle beasts. When the need
arises, they also work as scouts, sappers during sieges,
and skirmishers on the battlefront.
Auxiliary Units. A host rarely consists of nothing but
goblinoids, especially if it has been on the move for a
while. In addition to wolf and worg mounts and flocks
of squawking ravens, a host might attract or press into
service many kinds of creatures. Some possibilities:
• A low, two-wheeled pushcart loaded with small
wooden cages containing cockatrices.
• A hydra with goblins riding on each head that direct
the beast by controlling the view of its blinkered eyes.
• Former slaves, often soldiers who once fought against
the host, who now fight alongside the host to gain better treatment and protect loved ones held captive.

Hob&oblins h•ve a code of honor. It.a details Vat'Y
&om le&ion to le~ion, but it's •lwaya brutal.

-VQJQ

• A carrion crawler ridden by several goblins in a row
and directed by a lead goblin using a long pole to suspend a lantern just out of reach of its tentacles.
THE HOST ON THE MARCH

A goblinoid host that is prepared for war doesn't wait for
the enemy to approach its doorstep. In pursuit of ever
greater glory for Maglubiyet, the host's leaders keep the
army on the move, occasionally breaking off small garrisons (often of one type of goblinoid) to guard territory
that needs to be held.
A host usually marches at night, with outriders,
who carry messenger ravens, traveling ahead, behind,
and on both sides of the main group. The ravens can
distinguish between individuals from a great height
and navigate over long distances. Thus, a raven can fly
back to the main body when it is released by someone
remote from the group, and it can be sent out again to
look for the individual that released it in order to deliver
a response.
Most of the army travels on foot, and wolf-riding goblins and worg-riding hobgoblins also make up a significant portion of the force. Hobgoblins might ride horses
or other mounts they could obtain, such as hippogriffs,
axe beaks, or giant vultures. Bugbears don't ride
mounts, but they aren't above hitching a ride in the howdah of an enormous battle beast such as an elephant
or a hydra.
BUGBEAR SPECIAL FORCES

Under any circumstances, bugbears are valued members
of a goblinoid host. If some of them are specialized (or
can be trained) in different aspects of warfare, their value
increases, especially when they work in concert.
Thugs. Bugbears that serve as thugs have more of Hruggek than Grankhul in them. They leap in among massed
foes and make wide, whirling swings with their weapons to
create openings in enemy formations.
Bulwarks. The wild attack of a group of thugs is often
followed by the charge of one or more bulwarks. A bugbear
bulwark carries a spiked shield into battle that it uses like a
plow, bashing aside whatever it encounters.
Murderers. Bugbears that are gifted in stealth are sent
out to kill enemy sentries and thus clear the way for others
to penetrate the foels defenses. Murderers carry many javelins with them, which they throw from hiding and wieJd
in melee, and they also carry garrotes to cut off sounds of
screaming.

THE WARBORN

MAGLUBIYET'S ARMY OF IMMORTALS

While a host pursues conquest, it is taboo for its members to copulate. Such proclivities must be suppressed
so that all effort js focused on the task at hand. Breach of
the taboo can bring summary execution, so jt is rare for
offspring to be born among the host even when it successfully campaigns for years.
The taboo doesn't extend to female goblinoids that
come into the host already pregnant and give birth while
on campaign. Such offspring are called Warborn, a title
they keep for life. The Warborn are thought to be blessed
by Maglubiyet, and as a result these young goblinoids are
carried into battle like a standard and used to rally troops.

The war horns of the host signal that every goblinoid has
the chance to prove his or her worth to Maglubiyet and
join his Army of Immortals in Acheron, the plane of eternal battle. There Maglubiyet marshals his host against
slavering ore hordes in a bid to bring Gruumsh and the
other ore gods to heel, a mythic contest that has pitted the
goblinoids and ores of the world against one another since
time immemorial.

If the host has slaves, they pull wagons or sledges in
the center of the army, dragging along the equipment
of war while surrounded by its users. If slaves have yet
to be acquired, goblins and beasts of burden perform
this function.
GONQ,UEST AND OccUPATION

Warfare in the name of Maglubiyet isn't conducted like
the raiding of ores or the wanton slaughter of gnolls. It is
instead a practice of claiming territory and subjugating
people. Those who surrender to the host with little or
no resistance get fair and honest treatment. If they offer
proper tribute, they can even look forward to avoiding
goblin whips and chains. Warriors among the conquered people might be accepted as auxiliary units in
the host, if they prove to be capable and trustworthy.
Typically, a goblinoid host seeks to retain enough of
the population in a conquered settlement for the community to continue to produce goods and services. The
labor force likely includes more youngsters and elderly
than before the goblinoids' conquest, with a corresponding drop-off in production. In any case, a group of conquered people serves the host best when it continues
to produce resources that the goblinoids can use. Only
when a settlement offers stiff resistance or has no lasting value to the host do the goblinoids resort to slaughter and slavery to empty it of enemies.
A host that gains many victories might end up claiming vast amounts of territory and eventually become a
true nation. Such an empire might last for generations
if the military can continue achieving new conquests
or at least claim victories when the goblinoids defend
territory they previously took over. If triumphs of some
sort don't keep coming, the bonds of allegiance among
the goblinoids eventually fray. Legions of hobgoblins
begin infighting, and goblins shirk their duties while the
hobgoblins are distracted. Then, seeing the disarray of
the host as a sign that Maglubiyet is no longer looking,
the bugbears turn on their hobgoblin leaders, take a few
of their heads as fresh trophies, and leave.
LIFE IN A SLAVE STATE

When a host conquers a settlement or a community, the
surviving victims quickly learn to adapt to life under goblinoid rule. The hobgoblins bring their own legal code
down upon the vassals, and it is liable to be harsher
than that to which the inhabitants were accustomed. Yet
the host will also respect traditions of law and custom
among those they conquer, as an aid to maintaining or-

der by pacifying the population. Some surviving civilian
leaders are allowed to retain their positions, often gaining more privilege and power than they previously possessed by serving as agents of the goblinoids, helping to
identify any who are disloyal to the host.
In matters of religion, there is little or no flexibility.
The host eliminates any spiritual leaders or temple
servants who offer any resistance. Clergy of gods that
are deemed harmless, such as a deity of the harvest,
can escape this fate. When the host encounters priests
of deities of battle or conquest, they offer them a simple
choice: Turn to the worship of Maglubiyet, or prove the
superiority of your god in combat. Any such priest who
remains faithful to some other god rarely lasts long, because the priest will face a succession of foes-as many
as it takes for the priest to succumb and for others to see
that resistance is pointless. Maglubiyet ultimately offers
only two options: submit or die.
If the settlement has holy sites dedicated to conquered
gods, these are converted into shrines to the Mighty
One. All representations of the defeated gods are
thrown down, ruined, or marred. Mosaics are broken
apart. Stained glass is shattered. Flags and pennants
are soaked in blood. Statues are put in chains. Altars
become chopping blocks where Maglubiyet's bloody axe
is used to decapitate all who refuse to bow to him.

GOBLINOID WAR CAMP
A goblinoid army doesn't stay on the move forever, but
when they make camp, it isn't for rest and recreation. A
goblinoid war camp is a place that is constantly ready
for war, and the hobgoblins run it accordingly.
A war camp might be a permanent settlement that a
hobgoblin legion uses as a garrison. The accompanying
map depicts one such place, and it can also be used to
represent a location constructed to serve as a staging
area by a host that is actively campaigning.
The basic layout of a war camp is circular. To prepare
the site, slaves, goblins, and any beasts fit for the purpose dig a ditch around the desired location, interrupted
in places where wide paths provide access to the center
of the enclosed area. Inside this ring of excavation are
sections of a wooden palisade, each part capped with a
gate and a tower on either end. These outer walls and
gates aren't regularly manned or patrolled, because the
occupants aren't concerned about being taken by surprise. If an enemy force does approach, though, these
barriers do a good job of delaying any incursion until the
goblinoids can rally their defenses.
Inside the surrounding bulwark, the goblinoids all
have their separate quarters, organized according to
their wonts. Typical of any camp are the wide paths that

crisscross it, running from each gate through the center
of the camp and out the other side. This configuration
enables all the goblinoids to swiftly rally and exit the
camp en masse to meet an approaching threat.
COMMAND CENTER

The camp's warlord resides in the command center,
which is a large wooden building in the middle of camp.
Here the warlord meets with advisors and makes plans
for future conquest. Most of the time, a command center
also holds elite bugbear bodyguards that protect the
warlord and a goblin jester that serves as insurance
against the appearance of a nilbog (see the "Nilbogs:
Pranksters with Power" sidebar).
In a camp that doesn't have separate facilities for a
library and a rookery, the command center subsumes
those functions. Library records are stored in a chamber
adjacent to where the war council meets, and posts for
ravens are set all around the exterior of the building.
GOBLINOID QUARTERS

Each type of goblinoid has its own accommodations
within the war camp.
Busbear Dens. After the hobgoblins stake out their
territory, bugbear gangs dig their dens wherever else
they wish, sometimes building them in the shadow of
the outer wall but most often scattering them about,
seemingly at random. A den typically consists of a hole
and a crawlspace big enough for a few bugbears.
Goblin Hovels. The camp's goblins settle wherever
their hobgoblin commanders tell them to. Their quarters

usually surround the areas where slaves and beasts.
The typical goblin hovel is a round tent where related
goblins sleep. In a permanent camp, these hovels often
take the form of wattle-and-daub huts.
Hobsoblin Barracks. Not surprisingly, hobgoblins
have the most spacious and well-appointed quarters in
a war camp. Each of the banners in a legion has its own
group of lodges in one of the quadrants of the interior,
each one facing the pathway that runs past its front door.
LIBRARY

Hobgoblins know the value of improving one's base of
knowledge, and so they value any documentation about
the world around them-maps, accounting records, battle reports, and other important facts. This knowledge
is sorted by a legion's librarian and stored in the camp's
library. The library serves as a hub for communication
and strategy, and it is never located far from the group's
leaders. In the field, the army's library is carried in a
fortified and fire-protected wagon, surrounded by battle-hardened caretakers (often devastators or Iron Shadows) willing to give their lives to protect it.
PENS AND PITS

Goblins are responsible for tending to the camp's slaves,
battle beasts, and beasts of burden. These are hobbled,
chained to posts, or placed in pens, cages, or pits as
needed. Most of these containment sites are surrounded
by goblin hovels, and those that aren't are nearby, so
that the goblins can keep track of their charges.

~EE TIMES THREE, AND
THE HAGS pUT A SPEL: ;:RMAE~HOUSAND OA"fS ,
MADE ME THEI R SLAV
'TIS TRUE BUT THOSE WERE DARI< DA"fS ,
FOOL,
'

1 WAS

A "fOUNG

_ E LMIN STE R

ROOKERY

Hobgoblins keep flocks of ravens that serve them as
messengers and spies. A huge, tree-like conglomeration of metal and wood serves the ravens as a roosting
and nesting place. If a camp doesn't use one of these
freestanding structures, its ravens are accommodated
by perches and outcrops built on the outside of the
command center. In the field, a wagon serves as a makeshift rookery.
SUPPLY WAGONS

Members of the army are expected to maintain their
own battle gear, but ammunition and replacement gear
are kept on hand, as well as other nonperishable sup~lies. Rather than being contained in a building, these
items are on wagons distributed throughout the camp in
such a way that all the vehicles are accessible and ready
to be moved if the rallying horn is blown.
Every wagon is under watch by at least two guards,
which are responsible for recording "withdrawals" and
reporting on inventory to the camp's leaders.

THE

BLOCK

Maglubiyet's holy symbol is a headsman's axe, and the
block is where it is blessed by feeding it the lifeblood of
conquered foes and goblinoids that neglect their duties.
In a temporary camp, the block might be a simple slab of
wood or stone laid on a hastily heaped-up pile of dirt. In
a permanent garrison, the block is often attached to the
command center and placed on a consecrated platform.
Near the block stands a post or a rack with various
weapons that represent the symbols of the goblinoid
gods, each placed in accordance with the god's rank.
Maglubiyet's headsman's axe is always highest. Then
comes Nomog-Geaya's sword and handaxe, Bargrivyek's
white-tipped flail, and at the bottom, often touching the
ground, the red-and-yellow whip of Khurgorbaeyag.
Notably absent from this grouping are the symbols
of the bugbear gods. Instead, severed heads hang in
bunches around the block or are impaled upon spikes,
their eyelids removed and mouths open. These honor
the bugbears' deities, Hruggek and Grankhul, and their
separate but subordinate positions in Maglubiyet's rule.

HAGS: DARK SISTERHOOD
Hags are crones who represent corruption of ideals and
goals, and they delight in seeing the innocent and good
brought low. They are inhuman monsters, their forms
twisted by evil. Shapechangers and blasphemers, they
ally with other hags to form magical covens with extra
powers. They collect and remember secret knowledge
that is better lost and forgotten. Desperate mortals come
to them looking for advice, only to have their requests
fulfilled in ways that bring great suffering to themselves
and their lqved ones.
CHA,l?~ER l

MONSTER LORE

UGLY, UNPREDICTABLE, AND OLD
Hags are mysterious, unfathomable, and dangerous,
especially from the viewpoint of mortals. One day a hag
might be stealing and eating children that wander into
the woods, on another day she might be making lewd
jokes to adventurers asking her for advice, and the next
she might be uprooting saplings to make a fence around
her home for impaling intruders. It is nearly impossible
to predict how a hag will act from day to day, sometimes
moment to moment, which is why folk with any wisdom
at all give hags a wide berth.
Hags perceive ugliness as beauty, and vice versa. They
revel in having a hideous appearance and sometimes go
out of their way "improve" upon it by picking at sores,
wearing skins and bones as decoration, and rubbing refuse and dirt into their hair and clothing.
Because both the Seelie Court and the Unseelie Court
appreciate and revere true beauty among the fey, hags
are almost never found in either place. The Summer
Queen and the Queen of Air and Darkness recognize
that hags have valuable knowledge and impressive
magic, but they can't abide the stain on the beauty of
their surroundings, so most hags are excluded from
both courts. The rare few accepted as courtiers are
either so influential that their entry can't be refused, or
young and humble enough to be willing to use magic to
put on a prettier appearance. Other hags aren't upset
by their exclusion; they like to be left alone to their own
schemes, not constrained by a fey queen's whims, and to
be able to talk out of both sides of their mouths.
Hags are virtually immortal, with a life span greater
than that of even dragons and elves. The oldest, wisest,
and most powerful hags are called "grandmothers" by
other hags. Some grandmothers are nearly as powerful
as some of the archfey.
Hags of lower but still respectable status are called
"aunties." An auntie gains her status from being very
old, a member of a powerful coven, directly serving a
grandmother, or having many offspring (whether adopted or birthed).

MASTER MANIPULATORS
Hags delight in corrupting others. They do so not by
imposing their will or being outwardly violent, but by
making sinister bargains with those who seek their aid.
This desire to orchestrate the downfall of others is why
so many hags make their homes near humanoid settlements, which gives them a ready supply of creatures to
tantalize and torment.
Folk with nowhere else to turn are some of a hag's
best customers. A farmer with a philandering spouse
might seek out the local hag for a potion to make the
spouse faithful again. The mayor with a demented father might ask the hag for something that makes him
lucid again. A merchant whose child is deathly ill might
go to the hag for a cure. The common element in these
situations is that the mortals approach the hag for help;
despite knowing that she is evil and dangerous, they are
desperate enough to risk making a bargain with her, or
foolish enough to think they can persuade her to be helpful without getting something in return.

Hags make bargains differently from how devils operate. A devil might approach a mortal to make a deal
because it wants the individual to become tainted with
evil, so that when the victim dies its soul goes to the
Nine Hells. Hags are usually content to wait and conduct
their own business, allowing mortals to come to them
when the perceived need is great enough. Instead of
being interested in a mortal's soul, a hag wants to bring
the mortal low during its life as compensation for fulfilling her end of the bargain. Devils barter with the soul as
the commodity; hags barter because they enjoy making
people miserable. Night hags, as fey turned fiends, use
aspects of both methods-corrupting a mortal's dreams
until the creature commits enough evil acts that she can
claim its soul.
As much as she enjoys offering and enforcing her bargains, a hag rarely goes out looking for people to make
deals with because she knows that someone coming
to her puts her in a position of power. The visitor likely
had to approach the hag in secret for fear of causing an
uproar in town, and is probably eager to return home
before being missed, which adds time pressure to the
process and tips the balance more in the hag's favor. All
these factors contribute to the hag's being able to set her
terms for the bargain, presenting an offer that appears
reasonable, and perhaps seems to have a tempting loophole or two that the mortal could exploit.
Hags understand mortal desires and vices, and know
how to manipulate people by preying on those qualities.
A hag's bargain might bring success and prosperity for
a time, but eventually have a drawback or side effect
that makes the mortal resent the agreement and seek

to get out of it. The philandering spouse now happy
to stay home might grow slothful, the mayor's father
might turn violent after regaining his senses, and the
merchant's child might relapse if not treated again every
few months.
Even when a bargain turns sour for a mortal and other
people in town hear about or see the person's misfortune, the hag will eventually attract new customers.
Other people will come to believe that they can outsmart
the hag, or that their need is simple and can't be perverted, or that the earlier victims got too greedy when
they were proposing a deal. Even if only one or two people make deals with a hag every year, over time many
unfortunates can come under her sway-and she remembers the exact terms of every one of those bargains.
MAKING A DEAL OUT OF DESIRE

Although it could be argued that there's no good time to
make a bargain with a hag, mortals are more likely to
get away in good shape if they offer up something a hag
needs or wants. In such a case, the hag might even start
the bidding.
A hag that faces a serious threat from enemies will
not hesitate to use promises or bribes to defuse the situation. For instance, most treasures in a hag's lair are
useless without her knowledge of how to identify and
handle them, so she might offer to provide such information in return for her life. If an item later backfires on
the one who uses it, or turns out to be cursed in some
way, that's just another lesson in why never to never
threaten or trust a hag.

....~
HAGS OFTEN APPEAR UNLOOKEO · FOR, IN MOMENTS OF
GREAT NEED, BECAUSE THEV HAVE BEEN SPVING ANO
SEE AN OP POR TU N ITV TO AID NOW TO SET UP DARKER
MISCHIEF LATER.

by holding out the prospect that someday she will undo
the curses that she has lain on them. For that reason,
the local leaders won't allow any outsiders to act against
her (which includes sabotaging adventurers who might
decide to confront her).

-ELMINSTER

ROLEPLAYING A HAG

Hags are curious about other creatures of power. They
enjoy receiving news and gossip about other hags and
influential creatures such as dragons, demons, genies,
and certain mortals. Offering a hag accurate information of this sort as part of a bargain earns a small measure of her respect, and might make her more receptive
to the idea of a "fair" deal.
When a hag bargains with other creatures of the Feywild, rather than mortals, she approaches the situation
with a more respectful attitude. She realizes that the
creatures of her native realm are more powerful than
common humanoids and therefore more dangerous
when disappointed or angered by a deal gone bad. Fey
are also long-lived and thus have more time to retaliate
against the hag, whereas most humanoids die within
a few short decades. These considerations don't mean
that hags are automatically pleasant in dealings with
other fey, just that they aren't as blatant or demanding
in the bargains they offer; hags know exactly how much
they can get away with, and they like pushing the limits
of what others will tolerate.
BARGAINER BEWARE

When a hag is generous with her help or requires only a
simple task as payment, that's no guarantee that the deal
will turn out as expected for both parties. By offering a
proposal that seems, or actually is, fair, chances are that
the hag is pursuing a hidden agenda. She still wants to
set events into motion that benefit her or bring about the
downfall of another, but she does so in an indirect way
that has no obvious connection to her. A bargain as simple as a villager agreeing to deliver a mysterious letter at
a crossroads at noon on a certain day could be the key
to ruining the mortal's life. The hag's reasons might not
become apparent for years or even decades, or won't be
meaningful except under specific circumstances, such
as an auspicious birth or a climactic encounter with a
dangerous villain. Even when she's offering a deal that
seems to have no downside, a hag is always secretive
about her motivations, the reasons for the payments she
requires, or how these things benefit her.
A hag that spends a long time in close proximity to
a human settlement often depletes the community of
good-hearted folk as they succumb to her evil and selfish
plans. The mood of the town becomes unwelcoming,
grim, moody, or outright hostile toward newcomers
and travelers. Even after a hag has done her worst in
such a place, she maintains leverage over her victims

Even when a hag acts indifferently or friendly toward
adventurers, inside she is still a twisted fey creature,
and she doesn't give two coppers about what anyone
else thinks or wants. She might casually comment about
how easily a visitor would fit in her cauldron or make a
blunt sexual comment about a guest. When a mortal visits a hag, the experience should be nerve-wracking, uncomfortable, and risky; at any point the hag might lose
her temper and decide to pull out someone's fingernails
with her iron teeth.
Hags look upon younger creatures from the perspective of a cantankerous grandparent who no longer cares
what anyone thinks-set in her ways, free to speak
her mind, and not afraid to bring down punishment if
pushed too far. Hags enjoy meddling with other people's
lives, like busybodies with cruel intentions. Any time
a hag agrees to help someone, the bargain includes a
price to be paid, plus a hidden plan by which she sets
the mortal up to fail, or a way that she g~ins leverage
(whether over the deal-maker or someone else).
When a hag is presented with an unusual spell, a rare
magic item, or a person who has a strange magical gift,
she will sniff it, shake it, listen to it, taste it, murmur odd
statements to herself, and mentally place a value on the
merchandise. Hags aren't subtle about showing their
intent at such times, and one might snatch away the
offering so she can examine it more closely, even if this
makes it obvious she is interested. If she doesn't have
anything dse like it, or can think of a use for it, or if having it means a rival can't get her hands on it, she'll value
the offering highly. A visitor who offers a desirable item
as a bribe or a gift is more likely to get a fair deal from
the hag, or at least likely to suffer less when the true
price of the deal is revealed.
If a hag's life is threatened, she will pretend to be
weak and helpless if she thinks it will spare her life or
buy her time to retaliate or escape. She'll use dangerous
treasures as bribes, not telling about their curses or
side effects. She will lie and deceive and try to turn her
enemies against each other, playing up their guilt and
fear and jealousy to tear them apart from the inside. She
is older, smarter, and more shrewd than any mortal who
dares to threaten her.
Hags prefer to cajole and bargain rather than confront
someone with actual violence; they reserve their aggressive outbursts for situations where they are overwhelmingly more powerful than their opponents (such as when
attacking children) or have an unfair advantage (such as
when their enemy is asleep). Although a hag can always
resort to attacking with her claws, if it comes to that
then something has gone very wrong with her plans.

HAG PERSONALITY TRAITS

d8
2

3
4
5

7
8

Personality Trait
I have made subtle insults into an art form.
I always act unpleasant so others never learn of my
secret affections.
I enjoy wagers as parts of my bargains, which increase the risk and the stakes.
I laugh at my own jokes-the darker, the better.
I never volunteer information, and I respond onJy to
questions.
I offer generous terms in my deals, but the cost for
defaulting is exceedingly high.
I require all of my bargains to be put in writing and
signed in the other party's blood.
I am very superstitious, and I see omens in every
event and action around me.

HAG IDEALS

Ideal
Change. I will metamorphose into every kind of hag

2
3

4
5
6

and live a century as each, becoming something even
greater in the end. {Chaotic)
Community. Loneliness is the path to madness. That
is why I have minions to keep me company. (Lawful)
Greed. I will acquire the r;~-;t and most valuable holy
treasures to keep them from being used for good.
{Evil)
Independence. I neither require nor want a coven. I
will not be someone's equal. (Neutral)
Power. I will become an auntie or a grandmother,
even if I have to kill my own mother to do it. {EvU)
Ugliness. I want to be envied for my appearance and
my cruel heart. {Evil)

HAG FLAWS

d6
2

S
6

HAG NAMES
Hags have whimsical names, often with a dark twist.
A hag gives her newborn daughter a name that the girl
keeps during her childhood, but upon gaining her full
hag powers the daughter chooses her own name, which
might or might not relate to her birth name. Some hags
use different names in different guises, but still prefer
their original name as their favorite.
The Hag Names table allows you to generate a hag's
name. You can also select from the table or use it as
inspiration.
Hags always have a title followed by a first name, or
a first name followed by a last name. You can randomly
determine (equal chance of either) whether a hag has a
title or a last name.
HAG NAMES

d12
2

3
4

5
HAG BONDS

2
3
4
5
6
7
8

Bond

I hate a certain mortal family and steal one of their
children each generation for my own purposes.
I am involved in a centuries-long feud with a rival of
similar power and status.
My house holds everything that I hold dear. I can't
abide visitors who threaten my hearth and home.
I owe a great favor to a hag grandmother.
I traded away something before I realized it was priceless, and now I want it back.
My daughter was taken from me, and I want to find
her and train her.
My greatest rival and I know a secret word that will
destroy both of us simultaneously.
The ones who looted and burned my home will pay
for their offense.

Flaw
I am too eager for gossip.
I can't resist flirting with a handsome man.
I have an allergy to a creature (such as cats or ravens)
or a substance (such as apples or blood) that is important to my work.
I will not tell a lie, but I can still say nothing, nod suggestively, or bend the truth a little to suit my needs.
I am greatly weakened on the nights of the full moon.
I can't resist a clever riddle.

7
8
9
10
11
12

Title
Auntie
Black
Cackling
Dismal
Dread
Driftwood
Granny
Old
Rickety
Rotten
Turtleback
Wicked

First Name

Last Name

Agatha

Bonechewer
Frogwart
Greenteeth
Gristlegums
Knuckle bones
Midden heap
Mudwallow
Pigtooth
Titchwillow
Toestealer
Twigmouth
Wormwiggle

Agnes

Ethel
May
Mathilda
Morga~
Olga
Peggy
Polly
Sally
Ursula
Zilla

WEIRD MAGIC
Over the course of a seemingly endless lifetime, a hag
typically discovers or creates several unusual ways to
use magic. The weird magic that hags can call upon
comes in a number of forms and with various means of
activation. Even those who have read scholarly books
about hag lore can't predict what a particular hag might
have up her sleeve.
A grandmother or some other hag of great age and
renown might know unique rituals that can temporarily
or permanently alter or transform a creature, bring back
the dead for a limited time, rewrite memories, or siphon

.....

emotions. At the other end of the spectrum, even a hag
without lofty status is likely to have strange, single-use
items that don't emulate common spells or even follow
the normal rules of magic. For inspiration in devising
the effects of such weird items, see "Charms" in chapter
7 of the Dungeon Master's Guide.
If you want a hag to use a weird object of this sort in a
combat situation, provide her with an item that produces
a CR-appropriate spell effect when the hag manipulates
or activates it. The effect might be a benefit to herself or
an attack against her enemies. For example, a green hag
(CR 3) might smash an ornate hand mirror, producing a
cloud of glass shards that damages creatures like cloud
of daggers (a 2nd-level spell). She might instead uncork
a bottle of wasps that surround her and stitch up her
wounds with their stingers, healing her as cure wounds
(cast as a 2nd-level spell). Or she could take a mummified toad from her pocket and throw it into her cauldron,
which immediately spews out inky blackness equivalent
to darkness (a 2nd-level spell).
A hag carefully shepherds her use of weird magic
because the items in her repertoire are often impossible
to duplicate or replace. To reflect this fact, a hag should
be able to use weird magic only once or twice per encounter in her lair, or only once per encounter if she is
elsewhere. A ha,g who is expecting a fight might be better prepared and able (or willing) to use weird magic one
additional time per encounter.
If a hag is faced with mortal peril, all thoughts of conserving her resources vanish-she will use any weird
magic at her disposal if it helps her stay alive. After all,
a hag that's not dead has a virtually limitless lifetime to
replace what was spent. No matter how hard it was to
acquire that jar of death slugs, or that book on how to
invoke the razor wind, or the runestone containing the
three syllables for crystallizing blood, it is better to use
such things than to risk death by not doing so.

MOUNTS AND VEHICLES
Many stories tell of hags using strange, enchanted creatures and objects for travel, and most of those stories
are accurate.
Instead of the usual horse or pony, a hag might ride
astride a giant pig, a goat, or a cow. It's not unknown for
a hag to use a sentient creature as a mount, perhaps as
the result of a bargain that creature struck with her. A
hag that wants to humiliate a mortal hero might require
that hero to serve as her mount for a year as part of
fulfilling her bargain. The giant raven that carries a hag
aloft could be in actuality one of the hag's victims transformed because that individual tried to go back on its
deal with her.
Some hags prefer nonliving conveyances from time
to time, and their imagination in this regard knows no
bounds. A hag might happily animate and "spruce up"
any sort of object she can tailor for the purpose, such
as a clay statue, a huge woven basket, a cauldron, a butter churn, a giant bird's nest, a mortar and pestle, or a
tombstone.
Usually only the hag that obtained or created them
can use her mounts and vehicles. They obey only her
commands, and their magic responds only to her will.

CH PTER l

If a hag allows any other creature to use one of them as
part of a bargain, she must be expecting an immense
return on her investment.

TYPES OF HAGS
Each of the five common types of hags prefers a particular environment. It is possible to find a hag in unusual
terrain, perhaps if she is traveling or is part of a coven
along with two local hags. Grandmothers and aunties
are more likely than other hags to take up permanent
residence in unfriendly terrain, since their long-range
plans sometimes require spending decades or years in a
certain area before returning home.
Annis hags live in mountains or hills. The terrain
is easy for them to navigate because they are the most
physically capable hags. Even with her hunched posture,
an annis hag is as tall as an ogre. Her skin is bruise-blue
or black and her claws are like rusty blades. Annis hags
love tormenting the weak and fearful, and seeing others
feel fear. Statistics for the annis hag appear in chapter 3
of this book.
Bheur hags live in wintry lands, favoring snow-covered mountain peaks. They are gaunt, have blue-white
skin, white hair, and are known for their gray wooden
staffs that give them access to extraordinary ice magic.
Bheur hags love seeing mortals freeze to death and have
little if any room in their hearts for kin and community. Statistics for the bheur hag appear in chapter 3 of
this book.
Green hags inhabit dismal forests, swamps, and
moors. A green hag's body, whether broad, narrow, fat,
or thin, is topped with a tangled mane of hair. A green
hag thrives on creating despair and tragedy in the lives
of her victims, using her skill with illusion magic to help
in this goal. Destroying the hopes of others brings her
unbridled joy.
Night hags have left behind the world of the fey
to roam the Lower Planes. They have dark blue or
purple-black skin with white or light-colored eyes and
thin, curving horns. A night hag is as least as tall as
a human, and most are stout or have a medium build
rather than being thin or emaciated. Night hags enjoy
corrupting the dreams of good people, compromising
the ideals of their victims to get them to eventually perform evil acts. Then, when a victim dies, the hag can
harvest its soul and bring it to Hades.
Sea hags live underwater or on the shore, favoring
bleak and despoiled places. They have pale skin like
that of a fish, covered in scales, with glassy dead eyes
and hair like lank seaweed. Sea hags are emaciated, but
one might be tall or short, frail or large-boned. A sea hag
hates beauty in any form and seeks to attack, deface,
or corrupt it so it has the opposite effect on its viewers.
One is more likely to defile the inspiring statue in a town
square, making it into a symbol of fear and sorrow, than
to destroy it outright.

SOLITARY BUT SOCIAL
Hags are selfish by nature, and each one cherishes her
independence- from the rest of the world as well as
from other hags. At the same time, every hag recognizes

t MO~STER LO:R:E:::===============================i2!!::::~~----j

HAG VEHICLES

that she and her sisters are kindred souls, like the members of a dark sorority or sisterhood.
Even though hags don't like each other, they share
knowledge and trade secrets, helping them to keep
abreast of worldly events and possible dangers. Even
a hag living in a remote, isolated location is aware of
goings-on that involve her neighboring hags, whether
through magical communication, personal visits, or
mundane messengers such as birds. In most cases,
these relationships with her sisters, though devoid of
emotion, are the closest a hag comes to having friends.
When a hag is attacked or killed, other hags are likely
to hear about it. If the victim was friendly with other
hags, those responsible for her death might find themselves the target of retaliation. If the victim died while
owing favors to another hag, that hag sees her killers as
now responsible for the dead hag's debts. If the victim
was unpopular or if other hags were indebted to her
(and thus are happy to see her go), her killers might
receive relatively cordial treatment from those other
hags instead.
HAG METAMORPHOSIS

Ifs commonly believed that five kinds of hags exist in the
world (and beyond it). What's not so widely known is that
some hags can change from one kind to another during
their lives.
A hag that lives long enough or has the necessary re·
sources can alter her basic nature, leaving behind her old
physiology and adopting that of a hag appropriate to the
environment of her current home. She might accomplish
this transformation through force of will over Hme, or
faster with the help of a ritual or assistance from her coven. The reasons for making such a change are as varied
as the personalities and goals of hags.

Every hag has a particular status relative to others of
her kind and to hags of all sorts, based on age, abilities,
influence, alliances, and experience, and is aware of her
place (though not necessarily satisfied with it). The few
grandmothers sit at the top of the hierarchy, a larger
number of aunties are beneath that, and all other hags
vie for prominence in a chaotic pecking order that no
mortal can truly figure out. A hag that is known to associate with an auntie has a higher status than a similarly
powerful hag without such a connection, and a young
hag born of a grandmother begins her existence already
benefiting from a greater measure of respect and status.
HAG COVENS
To a hag, the thought of sharing her home with other
creatures-even other hags-is disgusting. She has
nothing but dislike or disdain for anyone other than
herself, and she loves being alone (except for the company of minions and other creatures under her sway).
That's the ordinary state of affairs. But when a group of
hags have a common goal or they seek greater power to
combat a formidable threat, they suppress their basic
nature and come together to do their work. The result
is a coven.
Being part of a coven gives each individual hag more
magic and spellcasting ability, and to her these benefits
offset the inconvenience and bickering that goes with
living and working with other hags.
If a member of a coven is killed and the surviving
members intend to keep the group from dissolving,
they immediately attempt to recruit a replacement. This
process involves each prospective member committing
cruel acts with the aim of impressing the remaining
coven members. Adventurers who slay only one member of a coven might deal a blow to it in the short term,

Want to know a dark secret? Aak a ha,.
The tl'ick lies in P,ettin~ truth out of her.
-Volo

that purpose. Three examples of themed hag coven spell
lists are given below.
Death. For a coven whose members are obsessed
with death and the ability to manipulate it, an appropriate spell list would be:
1st level (4 slots):false life, inflict wounds
2nd level (3 slots): gentle repose, ray of enfeeblement
3rd level (3 slots): animate dead, revivify, speak with dead
4th level (3 slots): blight, death ward
5th level (2 slots): contagion, raise dead
6th level (l slot): circle of death

but later on the surrounding region is wracked with
plaguest curses, and other disasters as the applicants
attempt to outdo one another.
An unusually gifted mortal sorcerer, warlock, or
wizard of a deeply evil nature might be invited to join
a coven or allowed to compete for a vacancy. This arrangement is potentially a dangerous proposition for the
mortal, but a pair of hags might agree to it if their needs
are served. For instance, a human member of a coven
makes an ideal spy and infiltrator in and around a humanoid settlement.
WELCOME TO THE FAMILY

Hags make more hags by snatching and devouring human infants, birthing daughters who turn into hags on
entering the thirteenth year of their lives. Fortunately
for humanity and the rest of the world, such an occurrence is rare.
Rarer still, but not unheard of, is for a hag to repeat
this process twice or more in short succession, giving
her multiple offspring of about the same age. She might
do this to form a coven with two of her daughters, or
to create a coven made up entirely of her offspring.
Some hags cite ancient lore that suggests that if a hag
consumes twins or triplets, her offspring might have
additional, unusual abilities; similarly, devouring the
seventh-born child of a seventh-born is said to be a way
to pass on rare magic to the hag's daughter.
ALTERNATIVE COVEN SPELLS

Some covens gather for a specific purpose, such as to
defeat a champion of good, to serve as oracles for the
delivery of baleful prophecies, or to corrupt a pristine
wilderness. In such a case, because the coven strives to
bend its magic to a more directed purpose, the members
have different spells available for use with their Shared
Spellcasting trait, usually focusing on a theme related to

Nature. Hags might seek to exert control over their
environment and the creatures in it by mastering the
following group of spells:
1st level (4 slots): entangle, speak with animals
2nd level (3 slots):J/aming sphere, moonbeam, spike growth
3rd level (3 slots): call lightning, plant growth
4th level (3 slots): dominate beast, grasping vine
5th level (2 slots): insect plague, tree stride
6th level (1 slot): wall of thorns

Prophecy. The power to affect the future or perceive
things out of the norm could make these spells attractive to a coven:
1st level (4 slots): bane, bless
2nd level (3 slots): augury, detect thoughts
3rd level (3 slots): clairvoyance, dispel magic, nondetection
4th level (3 slots): arcane eye, locate creature
5th level (2 slots): geas, legend lore
6th level (1 slot): true seeing

HAG LAIRS
No matter what form it takes, a hag's home is a manifestation of her basic nature. It is ugly, eerie, or unnerving
in some way, often incorporating some aspect of decay,
such as a dead tree, a ruined tower, or a menacing cave
entrance that resembles a skull.
Whether naturally or by manufactured means, the
lair is well defended from intrusion. It might be reachable only by a steep mountain path, or it might be surrounded by a fence the hag builds out of posts capped
with magically warded skulls. Often, a lair reflects the
outlook of its primary inhabitant- a murderous hag's
home might be crafted to look like a coffin or a mausoleum, and that of a gluttonous one might look like a
tavern or a gingerbread house. Because such places are
convenient for them, sea hags often establish their lairs
inside the hulls of wrecked or abandoned ships.
BEST OF BOTH WORLDS

THE RULE OF THREE

They say that things come in threes. Good things. Bad
things. Strange things. Hags and purveyors of witchcraft
embrace the Rule of Three, as it is called: a coven has
three members, they believe that good or evil magic returns upon its source threefold, and the casting of many
spells requires the same words chanted three times.
Long ago, planar travelers came to recognize that many
of the realms and layers of the multiverse are configured in
multiples of three. It is possible that plane-traveling hags
learned of this planar-based superstition and adapted it
to their own uses, although some among the oldest hags
claim to have invented the concept or at least named it.

Many hags settle in places where the barriers between
the mortal world and the Feywild are thin, making it
easy for them to interact and bargain with creatures of
both realms. Other popular choices are a place where
the ambient energy augments certain kinds of magic, a
site related to death such as a burial ground, and within
a ring of fallen standing stones that still resonate with
ancient power. In order to facilitate bargaining with mortals, the home must be near enough to a populated area
that it attracts occasional visitors, but not so close that a
community would see the hag's presence as a threat and
try to defeat her or drive her off.

TREASURE, TREASURE EVERYWHERE

A hag's home is cluttered with mundane items, caged
creatures, oddities, objects that hint of a magical purpose, preserved specimens, scraps of lore, and curiosities that have a supernatural origin but aren't inherently
magical. For a selection of strange hag treasures, see
the "One-of-a-Kind Objects" section later in this chapter.

HAGS HATE TO BE IN DEBT TO SOMEONE WHO'S
DONE THEM A FAVOR SPONTANEOUSLV, OUTSIDE
OF ANV BARGAIN, AND SO WILL RETURN FAVORS
UNEX.PEC:TEDLV TO SUCH FOLi( ,
-CL.MINSTER

EXIT STRATEGY

A hag always has an escape plan, in case ambitious
do-gooders try to turn her home into her final resting
place. If she is outmatched, or wants to vacate her lair
quickly for some other reason, she uses a mix of her
innate spellcasting, rare magic, guile, and the assistance
of minions to get away. Most hags have three plans
prepared: one for general threats and two others for specific likely scenarios, such as "They've set the house on
fire" or "A necromancer with undead are attacking."
If a hag is forced to resort to such measures, she immediately begins to plot her retaliation against those
that caused her to flee. Like a vampire or a demon, a hag
has a long life over which to exact her vengeance, and no
dish of revenge is sweeter than one served cold and to
the next three generations of her enemy's family.

HAG LAIR ACTIONS
If a hag is a grandmother, she gains a set of lair actions
appropriate to her nature, knowledge; and history. A coven that includes a grandmother can use her lair actions
as well, but the grandmother's will prevails-if one of
the coven attempts this sort of action and the grandmother disapproves, nothing happens. A powerful auntie (or her coven) might also have access to lair actions
like these, but only at certain times of the year or when
the influence of the Feywild is strong.
The following lair actions are options for grandmothers and powerful aunties. Grandmothers usually
have three to five lair actions, aunties usually only one
(if they have any at all). Unless otherwise noted, any lair
action that requires a creature to make a saving throw
uses the save DC of the hag's most powerful ability.
LAIR ACTIONS

On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the hag can
take a lair action to cause one of the following effects,
but can't use the same effect two rounds in a row:
• Until initiative count 20 on the next round, the hag
can pass through solid walls, doors, ceilings, and
floors as if the surfaces weren't there.
• The hag targets any number of doors and windows
that she can see, causing each one to either open
or close as she wishes. Closed doors can be magically locked (requiring a successful DC 20 Strength
check to force open) until she chooses to make them
unlocked, or until she uses this lair action again to
open them.
A powerful annis hag might have the following additional lair action:
• The hag creates a thick cloud of caustic black smoke
that fills a 20-foot-radius sphere centered on a point
she can see within 120 feet her. The cloud lasts un-

til initiative count 20 on the next round. Creatures
and objects in or behind the smoke are heavily obscured. A creature that enters the cloud for the first
time on a turn or starts its turn there takes 10 (3d6)
acid damage.
A powerful bheur hag might have the following additional lair action:
• The hag creates a blizzard in a 40-foot-high, 20-foot
radius cylinder centered on a point she can see within
120 feet of her. The effect lasts until initiative count
20 on the next round. The blizzard lightly obscures
every creature and object in the area for the duration.
A creature that enters the blizzard for the first time on
a turn or starts its turn there is blinded until initiative
count 20 on the next round.
A powerful green hag might have the following additional lair action:
• The hag creates an illusory duplicate of herself, which
appears in its own space. As long as she can see her
duplicate, the hag can move it a distance equal to her
walking speed as well as make the illusion speak on
her turn (no action required). The illusion has the
same statistics as the hag but can't take actions or reactions. It can interact with its environment and even
pick up and hold real objects. The illusion seems real
in every way but disappears if it takes any amount of
damage. Otherwise, it lasts until the hag dismisses
it (no action required) or can no longer see it. If the
hag uses this lair action to create a new duplicate, the
previous one vanishes, dropping any real objects in its
possession.
A powerful night hag might have the following additional lair actions:
• One creature the hag can see within 120 feet of her
must succeed on a DC 15 Charisma saving throw or
be banished to a prison demiplane. To escape, the
creature must use its action to make a Charisma
check contested by the hag's. If the creature wins, it
escapes the demiplane. Otherwise, the effect ends on
initiative count 20 on the next round. When the effect
ends, the creature reappears in the space it left or in
the nearest unoccupied space if that one is occupied.
• The hag targets up to three creatures that she can see
within 60 feet of her. Each target must succeed on a
DC 15 Constitution saving throw or be flung up to 30
feet through the air. A creature that strikes a solid
object or is released in midair takes ld6 bludgeoning
damage for every 10 feet moved or fallen.

CHAPTER I I MONSTE,R LORE

A powerful sea hag might have the following additional
lair actions:
• The hag fills up to four 10-foot cubes of water with ink.
The inky areas are heavily obscured for 1 minute, although a steady, strong underwater current disperses
the ink on initiative count 10. The hag ignores the obscuring effect of the ink.
• The hag chooses one humanoid within the lair and
instantly creates a simulacrum of that creature (as if
created with the simulacrum spell). This hideous simulacrum is formed out of seaweed, slime, half-eaten
fish, and other garbage, but still generally resembles
the creature it is jmitating. This simulacrum obeys the
hag's commands and is destroyed on initiative count
20 on the next round.

REGIONAL EFFECTS
A hag's foul nature slowly suffuses the environment
around her lair, twisting it to evil.
Each hag's lair is the source of three to five regional
effects; the home of a grandmother, an auntie, or a coven
has more effects than the lair of a single hag, including
some that can directly harm intruders. Any regional
effect that requires a creature to make a saving throw
uses the save DC of the hag's most powerful ability.
These effects either end immediately if the hag dies or
abandons the lair, or take up to 2d10 days to fade away.

REGIONAL EFFECTS

The region within 1 mile of a grandmother hag's lair is
warped by the creature's fell magic, which creates one
or more of the following effects:
• Birds, rodents, snakes, spiders, or toads (or some
other creatures appropriate to the hag) are found in
great profusion.
• Beasts that have an Intelligence score of 2 or lower
are charmed by the hag and directed to be aggressive
toward intruders in the area.
• Strange carved figurines, twig fetishes, or rag dolls
magically appear in trees.
A powerful annis hag creates one or more of the following additional regional effects within 1 mile of her lair:
• The gravel stones on a safe-looking path, road,
or trails occasionally become sharp for 100-foot
intervals. Walking on these areas is like walking
on caltrops.
• Small avalanches of rock intermittently fall, blocking
a path or burying intruders. A buried creature is restrained and has to hold its breath until it is dug out.
• Strange laughter, sounding like that of children or the
hag herself, occasionally pierces the silence.
• Small cairns appear along the route of travelers, containing anything from mysterious bones to nothing at
all. These cairns might be haunted by skeletons, specters, or hostile fey.

A powerful bheur hag creates one or more of the following additional regional effects within 1 mile of her lair:
• Small avalanches of snow intermittently fall, blocking
a path or burying intruders. A buried creature is restrained and has to hold its breath until it is dug out.
• Human-sized blocks of ice appear, containing frozen
corpses. These corpses might break free and attack
as zombies, or their spirits might attack as specters.
• Blizzards come without warning. A blizzard occurs
once every 2d12 hours and lasts ld3 hours. During a
storm, creatures moving overland travel at half normal speed, and normal visibility is reduced to 30 feet.
• Roads, paths, and trails twist and turn back on themselves, making navigation in the area exceedingly
difficult.
A powerful green hag creates one or more of the following additional regional effects within 1 mile of her lair:
• Illusory duplicates of the hag appear in random places
at random times (but never more than one in any given
location). An illusory duplicate has no substance, but
it looks, sounds, and moves like the hag. The hag can
sense when one or more creatures are within 60 feet
of her duplicate and can interact with them as if she
were present and standing in the duplicate's space. If
the illusory duplicate takes any damage, it disappears.
• The region takes twice as long as normal to traverse,
since the plants grow thick and twfsted, and the
swamps are thick with reeking mud.
Trees transform into awakened trees and attack when
hostile intruders are near.
A powerful night hag creates one or more of the following additional regional effects within 1 mile of her lair:
• Shadows seem abnormally gaunt and sometimes
move on their own as though alive.
• Creatures are transported to a harmless but eerie
demiplane filled with shadowy forms, waxy corpses,
and cackling. The creatures are trapped there for a
minute or two, and then returned to the place where
they vanished from.
• Intelligent creatures see hallucinations of dead
friends, family members, and even themselves littering the hag's realm. Any attempt to interact with a
hallucinatory image causes it to disappear.

A powerful sea hag creates one or more of the following
additional regional effects within 1 mile of her lair:
• Most surfaces are covered by a thin film of slime,
which is slick and sticks to anything that touches it.
• Currents and tides are exceptionally strong and
treacherous. Any ability check made to safely navigate
or control a vessel moving through these waters has
disadvantage.
• Shores are littered with dead, rotting fish. The hag
can sense when one of the fish is handled and cause it
to speak with her voice.

MINIONS AND PETS
Although they are solitary by nature, hags sometimes
feel the need for companionship. Usually one scratches
this itch by acquiring servants she can insult and

10U

.
ma·• lair 1,y its sh~pe
will k:now lbckety Z.
ith a bent sp111e,
, h
dead tree 'W
1'1-

in the 111.00111ti t: a . out for a boulder u.e a
. . ireat roots reach1n,
-Volo
:!i:n for his severed head,

slap around as she wishes. Such a creature might be
charmed into compliance, or under a spell that stops
its heart if it disobeys, or too afraid of nonmagical punishment for failure to do what she says. Most hags have
some kind of slave or minion creature living with or
near them as a defense against attackers, even if it's just
a common animal.
Hags particularly delight in using mortals bound
to their service as minions. A paladin might have no
qualms about putting a hag coven to the sword, but
her conviction falters if she must first fight through a
crowd of innocent farmers that the hag has compelled
to defend her. Ordinary folk are also useful as minions
because they can serve the hag as her eyes and ears in
a nearby settlement, either operating secretly or actively
trying to persuade other townsfolk to pay her a visit.
The weird magic at a hag's disposal means that she
might have almost any type of creature helping or serving her-fey, giant, undead, and so on. Even a creature
much more powerful than she might be under her
command, working off the debt of a bargain for itself or
someone else. Favors beget favors, and under duress a
hag might speak a magic word to call upon a blood debt
from a dragon, a noble, or another hag, making her able
to wield magical, political, or physical power in a way
she can't do by herself.
Like the land near a hag's lair, over time her minions
are altered by her presence, becoming twisted versions
of their former selves (in a dark fey sort of way), but still
recognizable as what they once were. She might alter
them with magic, making them tireless, resistant to fire,
able to transform into a flock of crows, or able to teleport
through shadows-whatever the hag thinks best defends
or serves her.
RANDOM HAG MINIONS

To determine the minions and helpers in a hag's retinue,
roll once on the following tables or choose from the possibilities.
The Servants table includes faithful, trusted helpers
that a hag uses to protect herself and her home. These
creatures are either naturally wicked or warped by the
hag to better serve her. In either case, a hag is confident
that her servants will obey her orders without question.
The Brutes table gives examples of the muscle a hag
might employ, mercenaries that serve the hag only so
long as it benefits them. These creatures run errands
and take care of roughing up enemies or patrolling
areas that the hag considers beneath her personal attention. Hags prefer to employ clever, cruel creatures rather
than dumb oafs.
CHAPTER I

I MONSTER LORE'

SERVANTS

Servant(s)

1d4 flameskulls

without knowing the proper password or technique) is
likely to be very dangerous. At best, whatever was held
in a container merely escapes or dissipates. At worst,
just about anything can happen, none of it good.

ld2 flesh golems

1d2 helmed horrors

ONE-OF-A-KIND OBJECTS

4
5

1 rug of smothering
l d6 scarecrows ·

2d4 shadow mastiffs*

Above and beyond the items of obvious value a hag has
accumulated, she also has a few bizarre and unique
items in her collection. The Hag Objects table provides a
way to quickly add such weird items to a hag's home.

7
2d4 swarms ofinsects or swarms of rats
8
1d6 yeth hounds*
* See chapter 3 of this book for statistics.

HAG OBJECTS

dlO
BRUTES

dl 2

Servant(s)

2d 6 + 2 bugbears

1d6 + 2 doppelgangers

3
4

ld6+ 2 ettercaps

9
10
11

2d6 + 2 gargoyles
2d4 + 2 jackalweres
2d6 + 4 kenku
2d6 + 2 meenlocks*
1d4 oni
2d6 + 2 quicklings*
2d4 + 2 redcaps*
1d6 + 4 wererats

l d4 + 2 werewolves

5
6
7
8

* See chapter 3 of this book for statistics.

TREASURE
Much of a hag's treasure is strewn among all the clutter
in her lair, making it difficult for intruders to quickly
identify all the items that have use or value. But the hag
knows what, and where, everything is.
Every hag is infallible when it comes to keeping track
of her treasures and other possessions. Her organization and labeling, if such a system exists, is designed to
foil thieves and serve as a final, vexing puzzle for anyone
who tries to make use of an item without her consent.
A hag's treasure-like a gift from a fey being- should
be doubted and even feared rather than simply being
scooped up and carted away. Treasure-seekers are
likely to fare better if they consider a hag's booty to
be trapped, exercising caution rather than giving in to
greed or curiosity. Manipulating a container or other
item without knowing what's inside or what it does (or

MONSTER LORE

Object

The eye of a cleric, preserved in a liquid-filled jar.
When an undead creature comes within 100 feet of the
jar, the eye darts about as if it is looking around in a
panic. It otherwise remains motionless.
The leathery, preserved head of a dwarf. Anyone who
holds its 5-foot-long beard can see through its ~ye~.
A perfectly smooth, round stone the size of a human's
fist. ~f placed on the ground, it roUs 20 feet per round
toward the nearest source of fresh water.
A sickly crow with clipped wings. The only sound it can
make is to roar like a lion.
A seemingly empty, sealed jar. If opened, the person
standing closest to the jar suddenly recalls 1d6 happy
memories from the life of a long dead elf lord.
A seemingly mundane gold piece. Anyone who
touches it gains the unshakable belief that this is the
very first gold coin minted by humanity.
A black bo~:·3 feet on each side. Anyo~e who opens
it finds a set of three wooden, articulated figures that
are modeled after three members of the adventuring
party. If the figures are stood on the ground, they act
out insulting parodies of their duplicates' recent actions.
An oval-shaped disc made of an unknown metal. If it
is tossed in the air, it flies in circles around the tosser
for a minute, tiny lights winking on its surface, before
settling to the ground nearby.
A thick, dusty tome, every page filled with tiny, barely
legible writing. Careful study of the book reveals it to
be a written transcript of every conversation that took
place over the course of a year, three years ago, in a
nearby viliage.
A small painting that depicts a placid field. Just after
midnight each day, the painting changes to depict the
following day's weather.

KOBOLDS: LITTLE DRAGONS
Kobolds are often dismissed as cowardly, foolish, and
weak, but these little reptilian creatures actually have
a strong social structure that stresses devotion to the
tribe, are clever with their hands, and viciously work together in order to overcome their physical limitations.
In the kobolds' version of a perfect world, the creatures would be left alone to dig their tunnels and raise
the next generation of kobolds, all the while seeking
the magic that will free their imprisoned god (see the
"Kurtulmak: God of Kobolds" sidebar). In the world they
occupy, kobolds are often bullied and enslaved by larger
creatures-or, when they live on their own, they are constantly fearful of invasion and oppression. Although individually they are timid and shy away from conflict, kobolds are dangerous if cornered, vicious when defending
their eggs, and notorious for the dangerous improvised
traps they use to protect their warrens.

EXPERT ThNNELERS
Kobolds are naturally skilled at tunneling. Similar to
dwarves, they seem to have a near-instinctive sense of
what sections of stone or earth are strong or weak, are
bearing a load or are safe to excavate, or are likely to
contain minerals or offer access to water. This ability
enables them to fashion secure homes in places where
other creatures wouldn't feel safe.
Kobolds take advantage of their size by creating
small-diameter tunnels that they can easily pass
through, but that require larger creatures to hunch
over or even crawl to make progress. In places where a
tunnel opens into a chasm and continues on the other
side, the kobolds might connect the two passages with a
rope bridge or some other rickety structure, designed to
collapse under the weight of any creature heavier than
a kobold. On occasion, the route through a kobold lair
runs along a ledge that borders a cavern or a crevasse,
and the kobolds might erect a railing or a wall that prevents them from falling off the edge-high enough to
protect a kobold but low enough to serve as a tripping
hazard for a larger creature.
Those of other humanoid races have little good to say
about kobolds, but they do admit that the little reptilians
do respectable tunnel work using simple tools. If a band
of kobolds is enslaved by more powerful creatures, the
kobolds are usually put to work enlarging their masters'
living area and protecting vital areas of the lair with
traps and other defenses.
Some human communities hire kobolds to dig their
sewer tunnels, paying them with food and tools the
kobolds wouldn't have access to on their own. If they
are treated well and left alone to do the job, the kobolds
work industriously and build a network of passages beneath the streets, connecting them to a nearby waterway
and greatly improving the town's sanitation. If the kobolds like the area and aren't mistreated by the humans,
they might build a warren and make a permanent home
there, while continuing to expand the town's sewers as
the community grows. These so-called "city kobolds"
live underground but might make occasional nighttime
forays up to the surface. Roughly one quarter of the

towns and cities in the world have kobold communities
living under them, but the kobolds are so good at staying
hidden that the surface-dwelling citizens in the area often don't know what lies beneath them.
Because the kobolds make sure they stay out of the
way of anyone more dangerous than themselves, grow
their own subterranean food, and prefer to sneak about
at night, the people of a town might go for weeks or
months without noticing evidence that kobolds are in
the area, and years between actual sightings.

ABLE SCAVENGERS
Kobolds are adept at identifying broken, misplaced,
discarded, or leftover crafted items from other creatures
that can still be put to use. They prefer to scavenge objects that have clearly been lost or thrown away, which is
easy to do without attracting attention. At the same time,
they don't automatically shy away from trying to grab
items that are the property of other creatures, because
such objects are more likely to be in good condition and
thus more useful or valuable.
When they go after items that aren't free for the taking, kobolds try to remain undetected and don't give
their targets reason to harm them. For example, a group
of city kobolds might sneak into a cobbler's house at
night to loot it of knives, leather bits, nails, and other
useful items, but if they are at risk of discovery, they run
away rather than attack anyone in the house. By fleeing
before they can be seen or identified, they avoid getting
into a situation where the townsfolk would try to hunt
down all kobolds and put the tribe's survival at risk.
Some aggressive individual kobolds and tribes do
exist, but in general kobolds don't purposely provoke
retaliatory attacks from the creatures they steal from.
It's better to be cautious and overlooked than to be considered dangerous and a threat.
In a couple of situations, kobolds might abandon
this careful approach. First, because of their hatred of
gnomes, city kobolds often go out of their way to target
gnomes' houses and shops. Even in such cases, the
kobolds' fear of retaliation usually prevents them from
trying to directly harm the gnomes, but they might spit
in the milk, balance dishes on tables so they're easily
knocked over and broken, or scatter sewing needles all
over the floor-petty, vengeful acts that humiliate, injure,
or anger the gnomes, but not so much that the gnomes
want to hunt down and kill the kobolds. Because of the
kobolds' animosity, gnomes tend to avoid or abandon
settlements that have a severe infestation of kobolds,
and conversely kobolds are usually driven out of communities that have a large gnome population.
Second, kobolds are always on the lookout for magic
that might help them free their imprisoned god, Kurtulmak. Typical kobolds don't know how to use a wand, a
spellbook, or anything with more magical power than
a potion, but they all believe that the tribal sorcerer can
figure out how to use any such item they come across.
When kobolds sense an opportunity to separate a magic
item from its owner, they are often willing to take the
chance of revealing themselves because the potential
reward is worth the risk.

DRAGON SERVITORS

ARCANE MAGIC USERS

Kobolds believe that they were created by Tiamat from
the blood of dragons-a view supported by their reptilian (they would say draconic) appearance. In every kobold tribe, the legend of the creatures' origin is passed
down from elder to hatchling, giving each individual and
every generation a reason to feel pride and self-respect.
The kobolds prefer to run away than fight, to live off the
scraps of others, and they are often dominated by larger
humanoids, but they know that there is greatness within
them and they are proud that they were chosen to be the
blood-kin of dragons.
Kobolds willingly serve chromatic dragons and worship them as if they were demigods-mighty beings of
divine descent. This isn't a casual sort of worship or lip
service; kobolds are awed in the presence of a dragon,
as if an actual avatar of a deity were in their presence.
Kobolds fall all over themselves to obey orders from a
dragon, even if they are dangerous orders. Although
kobolds usually don't worship Tiamat directly, they recognize her as the dragon-goddess of all chromatic dragons, and as the master of their racial god, Kurtulmak.

Unlike some other humanoids, kobolds don't fear or
shun arcane magic. They see magic as part of their connection to dragons, and are proud to be blessed with the
ability to wield such power. Young kobold sorcerers are
trained by elders, and the training has an almost religious significance. Most kobold sorcerers are of the draconic bloodline origin and specialize in either damaging
magic (which can also be used in mining), augmentation
(of materials or allies), or divination (to find raw materials and foresee threats to the tribe).
The main reason why kobolds depend on arcane
magic rather than divine is Kurtulmak's imprisonment,
which makes it difficult for him to grant spells to mortals
and for those mortals to receive his favor. Furthermore,
kobolds are so frail that a single hit from a human's
weapon can kill one of them, so a tribe has little use
for healing magic, and a sorcerer can meet most of the
tribe's other magic-related needs. Kobold shamans are
very rare; priests of Kurtulmak, when they reveal themselves, are easily recognized by orange garb (usually just
a roughly torn sash or cloak) decorated with an image of
a gnome's skull.

KURTULMAK:

Coo

OF KOBOLDS

The god of kobolds was a vassal ofTiamat. When the
gnome god Gari Glittergold stole a treasure from Tiamat's
hoard, she sent Kurtulmak to retrieve it. Gari lured his
pursuer into a maze-like cavern, then collapsed the exits
behind him, trapping Kurtulmak for aH eternity.
Kurtulmak is a hateful deity, one who despises all ~ife
except for kobolds. He especially hates Gari Glittergold,
gnomes, and fey creatures that enjoy playing pranks. He
taught the first kobolds how to mine, tunnel, hide, and
ambush. He is dominated by his emotions-intelligent,
but not wise. Arrogant and prone to gloating, he carries
grudges, has a huge chip on his shoulder, and spends a
lot oftime fashioning·elaborate revenge scenarios against
those who have disrespected him.

LIFE AND OUTLOOK
Kobolds have a tribal society in which they all take on
specialized roles that protect and sustain the tribe.
The strongest kobolds are trained to be hunters and
warriors, the most clever are crafters and strategists,
the toughest are miners and beast-wranglers, and so
on. Even a stupid or physically weak kobold is given a
role in the tribe, whether something as simple as picking mushrooms for food or watching over hatchlings,
and they all understand that their actions contribute
to the survival of the group. The tribe practices for the
eventuality of defending the lair against intruders, and
their plans always include knowing the best escape

routes and who is responsible for blocking tunnels to
deter pursuit.
Kobolds feel a cool affinity or something like kinship
for other members of their tribe, but they are rarely affectionate with each other. Two kobolds who've known
each other for over a decade might consider each other
friends or enemies, but the strength of this sentiment
is much fainter than any comparable human emotion.
Since most of their waking time is spent working, adversarial kobolds rarely have opportunities to exchange
insults, let alone come to blows over their differences.
Kobolds choose mates primarily for convenience.
Their lack of emotional bonding means they have no
concept of marriage or permanent family relationships.
Their eggs are placed in a common tribal hatchery with
no effort to keep track of who each one's mother is. This
practice and the communal raising of the hatchlings
mean that the tribe operates like a group of cousins.
Because they lay eggs, and the eggs don't require
much tending, kobold females aren't exempted from
war or work. Furthermore, kobolds can slowly change
sex. If most males or females of a tribe are killed, some
survivors change over several months until the tribe is
balanced again. In this way, the tribe can quickly repopulate with just a few survivors. Because of these factors,
kobolds don't have assigned gender roles for young or
adults. A leader, sorcerer, miner, or crafter is as likely to
be female as male.
GROW FAST, DIE EARLY

Kobolds grow and mature much more swiftly than
members of other humanoid races. At 6 years old a kobold is considered an adult. Most succumb to violence,
accidents, or disease by age 20, but a kobold can live for
up to 120 years-a longevity they attribute to being distantly related to dragons. A female can lay up to six eggs
per year, and an egg matures for two to three months
before it hatches.
Kobolds don't engage in funeral ceremonies; a dead
kobold's body is burned or disposed of in some other
convenient way (or, in a cannibalistic tribe, eaten). Kobolds believe that if they die in service to their tribe,
Kurtulmak immediately sends each of them back to life
as the next egg laid in the hatchery. If a particularly important or respected member of a tribe dies, the hatchery is closely monitored. The next egg laid is immediately separated from the rest and carefully protected.
Once it hatches, the resultant young kobold is groomed
to fill a position of importance.
FOOD AND CANNIBALISM

Although their sharp teeth would suggest they are carnivores, kobolds are actually omnivores, and can eat
just about anything, including meat, fruit, tree bark,
bone, leather, and eggshells (a newly hatched kobold's
first meal is usually its own shell). A hungry tribe leaves
nothing behind from a kill, eating everything that's edible and using the rest to make tools or adornments.
Kobolds shed teeth as they wear out and grow new
ones their entire lives. Many wear their own shed teeth
as jewelry, with more teeth indicating an older-and
wiser- kobold. Some unscrupulous individuals wear

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teeth stolen or harvested from others in an attempt to
make them seem older and more respectable.
Most kobold tribes avoid eating what they call "talking
meat"-intelligent creatures- because such behavior
prompts retaliation. The fear of starvation can make
them flexible about this principle, however, and if their
options are either attacking such creatures or going
hungry, kobolds are practical. A few tripes, particularly
those in lightly populated areas, practice cannibalism,
believing it is foolish to waste good meat.
In any case, kobolds that eat humanoids don't simply
start consuming ·c orpses or prisoners right after a battle; they're more inclined to tie their victims to saplings
and slowly roast them over a fire, or put them in a giant
cook pot to make stew. Fortunately for the prisoners, the
kobolds' almost comedic preparations sometimes give
rescuers time to locate and free the captives before the
kobolds settle down for the main course.
HATRED

Because the gnome god Gari Glittergold trapped the
kobold god Kurtulmak in an inescapable maze, kobolds
are bitterly hateful toward gnomes. Although they usually don't seek out gnomes to do them violence, if hostile
kobolds encounter a mixed group of gnomes and other
humanoids, the kobolds instinctively attack the gnomes.
Kobolds in battle with gnomes are much less likely to
run away because their hatred overrules their sense of
self-preservation.
A kobold's cautious nature doesn't mean it can't get
angry. The blood of dragons flows in its veins, and like
a raging drake, a kobold that is pushed too far or has its
back against the wall can become a miniature storm of
fangs and claws as it desperately tries to defend its life.
Likewise, kinship to their own tribe can prompt kobolds
to battle another kobold tribe for resources or territory.
Such conflicts aren't common, because two tribes will
always prefer to expand in different directions if they
come into contact, but they do happen.
For example, two neighboring tribes that want exclusive claim to a flock of mountain goats might skirmish
with each other every few days. Eventually the leader of
one warring tribe realizes it is losing due to attrition and
moves its tribe to another area, ceding the contested territory to its more successful neighbors.
As demonstrated by their hatred of gnomes, kobolds
have a persecution complex and easily take offense at
the actions or deeds of other races. They aren't forgiving
of other races, and they enjoy nursing their hatred until
they get a chance to wreak revenge on a creature or a
race that has wronged them.

ENVIRONMENT

KOBOLD NAMES

Kobolds are cold-blooded and thus prefer temperate and
tropical climates. Kobold tribes in colder regions tend
to be smaller in population and more aggressive in their
hunting, since food is relatively scarce in such areas.
Partly out of fear and partly because their eyes are
sensitive to sunlight, kobolds prefer the security of a
cave to living in the open air, and can be found in any
sort of terrain that can support tunneling. In a swamp
or along a coastline where digging into the soft ground
is problematic, kobolds entrench themselves in dense
woods, hills, or large rock outcroppings, creating warrens above the water line.
Kobolds reside most commonly in hilly or mountainous terrain. Such locations usually have natural caves
suitable for living space, plenty of room to dig, and ready
sources of food. Although lairing in these locations
puts kobolds in competition with surface-dwelling humanoids, their ability to avoid detection often means
their warrens go unnoticed by their larger rivals. If it's
lucky, a tribe of kobolds that is discovered by a group
of larger humanoids might form a mutually beneficial
arrangement, relying on the humanoids for protection
from invaders and in return providing services such as
excavating new living spaces and disposing of trash. If
it's unlucky, the tribe is enslaved by the other humanoids, and the kobolds serve similar roles but under
threat of death.

Kobold names are derived from the Draconic tongue
and usually relate to a characteristic of the owner, such
as scale color, distinctive body parts, or typical behavior.
For example, "Red Foot," "White Claw," and "Scurry"
are Common translations of often-used names. A kobold
might change its name when it becomes an adult, or add
additional word-syllables after important events such as
completing its first hunt, laying its first egg, or surviving
its first battle. The Kobold Names table presents kobold
names suitable for any campaign.

ROLEPLAYING A KOBOLD
A kobold acknowledges its weakness in the face of a
hostile world. It knows it is puny, bigger creatures will
exploit it, it will probably die at a young age, and its life
will be full of toil. Although this outlook seems bleak, a
kobold finds satisfaction in its work, the survival of its
tribe, and the knowledge that it shares a heritage with
the mightiest of dragons.
A kobold isn't clever, but it isn't as stupid as an ore.
Someone can fool a kobold with smooth words or a
quick wit, but when the kobold figures out it has been
tricked, it remembers the affront. If it gets an opportunity to do so, it will retaliate against that person somehow, even if in merely a petty way.
A kobold doesn't like being cornered or alone. It wants
to know it has a safe path for escape, or at least an ally
nearby to improve its chances. A kobold without either
of these options will be nervous, its behavior alternating
between meek silence and hysteria.
URDS: WINCiED KOBOLDS

Winged kobolds, known as urds, natch seemingly at ran·
dom from kobold eggs, even in a tribe that has no adult
urds. Although being able to fly is an incredible gift, and
it would be expected for kobolds to interpret the wings as
a blessing from Tiamat, ordinary kobolds resent urds and
don't get along with them. Fragments of kobold legends
speak of Kuraulyek, a winged godling servant of Kurtulmak, who betrayed his master in some way. Kobolds see
urds as Kuraulyek's favorites, and they project their resent·
ment of this traitor onto their winged kin.

KOBOLD NAMES
d20

Name

d20

Arix
Eks
Ett
Galax
Garu
Hagnar
Hox
lrtos
Kashak
Meepo

11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20

2
3

4
5
6
1
8

9
10

Name
Molo
Ohsoss
Rotom
Sagin
Sik
Sniv
Taklak
Tes
Urak
Varn

PHYSICAL VARIATIONS
Kobolds vary widely in how their scales are colored
and patterned. Although a human might have difficulty
telling two similar-looking kobolds apart, the kobolds
themselves can easily recognize each other.
Most kobolds of the same tribe tend to have similar
coloration. For example, the Copper Tooth tribe might
be mostly gray with red stripes. Two tribes that merge
eventually,crossbreed enough to create a new look,
although occasional outliers and throwbacks are born
that bear the appearance of one of the original tribes.
Use the Scale Color table to randomly determine the
predominant appearance of kobolds in a tribe. If the roll
on the table indicates a patterned appearance, roll on
the Scale Pattern table to determine how the two colors
are combined.
SCALE COLOR

dlOO
01-05
06-10
11-25
26-30
31-35
36-40
41-55

56-60
61-75
76-85
86-90
91-00

Scale Color

Black
Blue
Brown
Gray
Green
Orange
0 range-brown
Red
Red-brown
Tan
White
Patterned (roll twice, ignoring duplicate results
and results of 91 or higher)

SCALE PATTE RN
d20

Scale Pattern

1-4

Mottled
Reticulated
Shaded
Spotted
Striped

5-8
9-12
13-16
17-20

TACTICS
Because they are physically weak individually, kobolds
know they have to use superior numbers and cunning
to take down powerful foes. In addition to their Pack
Tactics trait described in the Monster Manual, they use
traps, ambushes, terrain, allied monsters, and any other
advantage they can squeeze out of their environment.
Essentially, the only way kobolds can win is not to
play fair.
Kobolds work together to accomplish difficult tasks
they couldn't manage alone. They carve intricate tunnel
systems that enable them to hold off and discourage enemies several times their size. Without engaging in much
verbal communication, each kobold knows what has to
be done to succeed. Kobolds' ability to work together
is remarkable, especially compared to the behavior
of other small humanoids like goblins, which tend to
squabble among themselves and cooperate only when
threatened by a strong leader.
Kobolds avoid combat on a large scale, instead sticking to hit-and-run raids using smaller groups of warriors. If they have time, they prepare the battlefield with
small bolt-holes for them to hide in and simple pit traps
to hamper their opponents.
Standard kobold tactics include the following:
• Attacking light sources to extinguish them, so the kobolds can use their darkvision to best advantage.
• Leaving one defender in a room to lure invaders into
a trap or an ambush. Often this bait is a sick or weak
kobold who is otherwise unable to contribute to the
tribe's needs.
• Using hit-and-run maneuvers, fleeing between attacks to better or more secure vantage points. Often
their goal is to attract enemies and draw the foes into
greater danger, which can be especially effective if the
invaders have made camp, are injured, or are otherwise compromised (such as having to move by climbing or swimming).
• Using poison, usually harvested from vermin such as
centipedes and spiders. They might extract the poison
and use it on their weapons, or leave a chest or a clay
pot full of the vermin in obvious places as false "treasure," prompting intruders to open the container and
release a swarm.
In a combat involving large numbers of kobolds (such
as ten or more), consider spreading out their attacks
over the round instead of having them all act on the
same initiative count. Doing this gives the kobolds more
opportunities to react to what their enemies do, and
makes it harder for players to coordinate their characters' attacks because not all the kobolds take their actions at the same time.

TREASURE
Because they live underground, kobolds have access to
a remarkable amount of earth-based treasures such as
metal ores and unpolished gems. They have the basic
skill to extract metals found in their natural state and
to polish raw gemstones. Although they don't create
their own coinage, nuggets of raw metals used for trade,
bribes, or crafting are commonly found in kobold lairs.
Kobolds are talented at crafting, so most tribes have
a remarkable amount of treasure in the form of simple
jewelry, such as armbands, rings, necklaces, and other
items that are small or can be constructed out of small
pieces. These adornments are always fashioned so that
they don't make noise when the wearer moves, as that
would make it difficult for a kobold to sneak anywhere.
Even though the jewelry they make has no functional
purpose, kobolds savor these items, perhaps as some
echo of a dragon's inclination to collect treasure. Because the tribe's wealth is portable, the kobolds can
relocate quickly without needing to transport containers
of nuggets and gems, and they can offer these items as
bribes or tribute to more powerful creatures, or as religious offerings to a dragon.

ALLIESt MINIONS, AND PETS
Thanks to their lack of physical prowess and their
small size, kobolds are rarely in a position to dominate
other creatures, so they usually don't have minions.
Even when the opportunity presents itself, kobolds
would rather not try to enslave or hire any intelligent
creatures because they can't trust such creatures to not
turn on them.
Kobolds are good, however, at capturing and taming
smaller animals and beasts, particularly rats, dire rats,
and reptilian creatures like lizards that thrive in a cave
or underground environment. The kobolds corral these
pets or allow them to roam free, either feeding them
scraps or allowing them to forage for insects and other
morsels too small for the kobolds to care about. Much
in the way that human villagers keep chickens, these
animals help the kobolds with pest control and are occasionally used as food. Giant rats and similarly sized
lizards are also used as pack animals and guardians.
Some tribes train giant weasels to serve as mounts or
guardians, relying on their speed, keen senses, and ability to fit in kobold-sized tunnels. Other tribes use giant
bats as mounts and guard animals, but the bats require
a lot of space in which to move and are found only in
lairs that feature large caves or close access to the surface world.
Kobolds are cautious and fearful of bears, since bears
often seek to live in caves and the animals might wander
into the outermost parts of the lair, particularly when
they're about to begin hibernating. Kobolds are likely
to panic when they see a bear animal companion in the
company of another creature. This aversion extends to
owlbears and other bear-like creatures.

KOBOLD LAIRS
The lair of a kobold tribe is usually a maze of twisty
little passages, sometimes stretching for hundreds of
yards, and frequently guarded by traps. The area has
a host of intersections, abrupt dead-ends, tunnels that
cross over or under one another, concealed passages,
and other features that make the lair difficult for outsiders to navigate.
Creatures larger than a kobold have to squat or crawl
in order to fit through the tunnels of a kobold warren,
which by itself is enough to deter most hostile humanoids (such as ores or hobgoblins) from trying to invade
the kobolds' territory. Adventurers trying to eradicate
a kobold infestation often find themselves stuck in low
passages too narrow to turn around in, forcing them to
move in single file and putting the burden of combat on
the first and last people in line.
The layout of a kobold tribe's lair changes over time.
The inhabitants regularly collapse or seal off tunnels
and caves as they carve new ones. As such, any information that might be gleaned about the layout or location
of areas within the lair becomes increasingly inaccurate
as the kobolds "migrate" through the rock to meet the
needs and ensure the safety of the community.
Kobolds riddle their lairs with traps, using their gift
for tunneling in conjunction with their skill at repurposing found items. Even though these traps are often far
more deadly than the kobolds themselves, the kobolds
don't feel threatened by having these devices in their
home, any more than a human is afraid of its vicious but
loyal guard dog.
The most common traps in a lair are deadfalls, which
the kobolds set up either to kill intruders or to block
off key areas of the warren as invaders approach those
places. Since the tribe is continually migrating and
expanding its tunnel system, older tunnels are often
employed in these traps. A tunnel can be rigged to collapse by pulling a rope connected to a support beam; a
fleeing kobold can yank the rope, or the beam might be
in a space so tight that a larger creature can't keep from
dislodging it as the creature moves through area. Even
if a deadfall traps some kobolds in an enclosed space,
they and their fellows can usually chisel open an air vent
within an hour, and create an opening large enough for
the trapped kobolds to squeeze through in a few more.
Any place where a tunnel takes a sharp turn or becomes exceedingly narrow is a natural choke point that
forces invaders to fight from a disadvantaged position.
Such a location usually includes a small chamber in the
ceiling that features murder holes, allowing the kobolds
to drop rocks, poisonous vermin, and other annoyances
on those below.

KILN AND CRAFTING AREAS

A chamber that contains a kiln is usually one of the uppermost areas of the warren, because the fire needs to
be vented to the surface in order to keep it from depleting the breathable air in the lair. Kobold crafters spend
their time in this area, using the kiln to bake mud bricks
and harden pottery. The room is also used for other
noisy activities.
MINES

Any chamber in the kobolds' underground complex that
isn't immediately needed for another purpose is mined
and excavated, both to extract usable ore and minerals
and to provide room for later expansion of the den.
MUSHROOM FARMS

Kobolds aren't good at agriculture, but they can get
sustenance from subterranean mushrooms and hardy
plant life that can live underground. A farm area might
be completely underground, or a cavern near the surface
with holes in the ceiling to let in some sunlight.
ROOT CELLARS

Much as humans do in their dwellings, kobolds set aside
rooms with deep pits in which they preserve food for
lean times.
SLEEPING AREAS

Every lair has one or more spaces for living and sleeping, each large enough to comfortably hold ten to thirty
adult kobolds. Individual kobolds might rest in a shallow
pit or a personal-sized alcove, depending on the customs
of the tribe. These spaces are used primarily for resting,
although some kobolds might quietly work on crafts
while others sleep. The creatures' sanitary needs, such
as they are, are served by a deep pit near each sleeping
area where refuse is deposited.
Most of the sleeping areas in the lair also double
as hatcheries. Kobolds tend to their eggs by nesting them in a shallow pit lined with earth and dried
grass. Because the eggs are susceptible to cold, they
are kept near a slow-burning fire, or are protected by
an insulating layer of dung and decomposing matter
around the eggs.
THRONE ROOM

A warren's throne room is always protected by traps and
features a shrine to Kurtulmak in the form of a carved
idol behind the throne. Rather than entering the chamber to pay homage, kobolds offer prayers at its entrance
with the belief that their god hears them. The location
might include a basin where offerings such as metal
nuggets, raw gems, and teeth can be left.

ESCAPE TuNNELS

TRAPS

A kobold warren always has at least one escape tunnel
that leads to a concealed surface exit, and the residents
always know the shortest path to that tunnel. Usually an
escape tunnel is rigged with traps to slow pursuers and
ends in a narrow opening that requires even kobolds to
squeeze through, to keep larger creatures from following them out.

Kobolds are amazingly creative at building traps, especially when adapting natural hazards and salvaged
materials. They pound nails or spikes through a sapling
and bend it to create a spring-arm, line pits or pools with
sharp stones, rig platforms to collapse under anything
more than a kobold's weight, and so on. Kobold traps
might look flimsy or poorly designed, but a creature that
gets hit with a bent sapling adorned with sharpened

butter knives is liable to come away with a newfound
respect for the little creatures.
The following are examples of common kobold traps:
Barrels or small pots of oil (to be boiled, spilled,
lit, or both)
Bear traps that fall on tall creatures' heads
Bells to announce intruders
Block-and-tackle mine elevators rigged to fall
Caltrops in shallow mud or soft dirt (light kobolds can
walk on them without trouble)
Collapsing ceilings
Crates of centipedes
Falling blocks
Moats full of pitch or oil, which the kobolds can retreat
behind and ignite
Nets attached to ropes that pull creatures up vertical
shafts far away from anyone who can help
Pipes/shafts that dump boiling water (either from
cookpots or from cooling the kiln)
Pits with disease-covered spikes
Pots of green slime
Rolling boulders
Small-size bridges and ladders rigged to break if there
is too much weight on them
Snares
Tripwires, either connected to traps or just for tripping creatures
Volleys of needles

SURVIVAL SKILLS
Nearly every activity in a kobold lair contributes to the
tribe's survival. Guarding the lair keeps all of them safe
from harm. Setting snares, farming mushrooms, and
hunting provide food. Building traps deters intruders.
Training guard animals helps protect the lair. Mining
provides gems and ore for bribing enemies to leave them
alone. Carving tunnels and rooms creates spaces for the
next generation to live and improves the opportunity for
the tribe to escape an overwhelming force.
The kobolds in a lair sleep in shifts, and all activities
in the warren go on around the clock. Kobolds tend to
be more active at night than during daylight hours, but
unlike in a human settlement, there is no time when
most of the inhabitants are resting. Warrens are built
so that sleeping areas are somewhat isolated from the
noise of work areas, enabling miners and crafters to do
their work without awakening the sleepers. Kobolds
learn at a young age to fall asleep to the noise of hammering nearby, but they still wake quickly at the sound
of unusual activity.
Survival of the tribe is more important than the life
of any particular individual. Even a cowardly kobold
might sacrifice itself to give its fellows time to collapse a
nearby tunnel and prevent invaders from getting to the
rest of the tribe. All kobolds know that fleeing from danger, especially against bad odds, is the smart thing to do,
but they are smart enough to realize that the strategic
death of an individual can buy valuable time for the rest
of the tribe, and each individual reluctantly accepts this
need for sacrifice when it presents itself. This practice
contributes to the reason why most common folk (and

adventurers) think kobolds are stupid as well as weak;
they've seen or heard of a lone kobold trying to bold off
a group of armed attackers and attribute the act either
to idiocy or the creature's ridiculously inflated idea
of its prospects for success. The truth is that the lone
kobold-persuaded into this role by its peers-is just
hoping to slow down the invaders long enough to give
the rest of the tribe time to prepare a lethal trap, an ambush, or a quick getaway.
The tribe's leader is usually the oldest and smartest
kobold; the other kobolds respect the old one's ability to
survive so long, and they assume the leader will use that
knowledge to help the tribe survive. In some cases, the
best lesson a kobold leader can teach is "I don't have to
be faster than the bear. I just have to be faster than you."

MIND FLAYERS: SCOURGE
OF WORLDS
Mind flayers, also known as illithids, are horrific, alien
humanoids that lurk deep within the Underdark. Masters of psionic energy, they use their mental powers to
dominate other creatures. The fortunate among their
victims are slain, their brains devoured. The unlucky
ones have their psyches warped, leaving them as mindless slaves with little hope of being rescued.

CULTURE OF FUGITIVES

Despite all their unique and overwhelming abilities, the
mind flayers are a race on the edge of extinction.
Thousands of years ago, the illithids were the dominant power of the Inner Planes. From their astral
domains, they launched flying vessels called nautiloids,
able to cross between planes, so that they could harvest
intelligent humanoids from hundreds of worlds.
The mind flayers relied on a slave race, the gith, to
provide physical labor and sustenance when other
sources of food grew thin. Eventually, the gith revolted.
Whether the mind flayers became decadent or the gith
discovered a weakness, none can say. What is known
is that after centuries of domination, the mind flayer
empire collapsed in less than a year. The gith rose up,
slaughtered their masters, and destroyed almost all
traces of the illithids' astral domains.
Only the mind flayers that had infiltrated the worlds of
the Material Plane survived, and their safety was shortlived. Both the githzerai and the githyanki, two factions
that arose from the victorious gith, sent hunting parties
to root out and slaughter the remaining mind flayers.
To this day, isolated clutches of mind flayers remain
in hiding, seeking ways to recapture their former glory
but hampered by their paranoia of being discovered and
destroyed by their enemies.
LOST COLONIES

Speculation persists concerning mind flayer realms yet
adrift in the Astral Plane. Though no one has discovered
such a place, it is beyond dispute that an empire as vast
as the illithids' built great cities and other edifices. Most
sages, however, believe that the gith tore apart every last
bit of mind flayer artifice, ensuring that no evidence remained of the mind flayers' reign.

VARIANT: MIND FLAYER PSION

Mind flayers sometimes devote themselves to deeper
study of psionic power, and many excel at using their
innate psionic energy to duplicate the casting of spells. A
mind flayer psion has the same statistics as a mind flayer
(as presented in the Monster Manua~, except that its challenge rating is 8 (3,900 XP) and it has the following trait:

Innate Spellcasting (Psionics). The mind flayer is a 10thlevel spellcaster. Its innate spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 15; +7 to hit with spell attacks).
It can innately cast the following speffs, requiring no
components:
At will: guidance, mage hand, 11icious mockery, true strike
1st level (4 slots): charm person, command, comprehend
languages, sanctuary
2nd level (3 slots}: crown of madness, phantasmal force, see
invisibility
3rd level (3 slots): clairvoyance,fear, meld into stone
4th level (3 slots}: confusion, stone shape
5th level (2 slots}: scry;ng, telekinesis

A few skeptics suggest that the entire narrative of the
gith victory rings false. How could a slave race overpower the mind flayers? Where are the signs of this
great struggle? Perhaps the gith didn't actually win. Perhaps, instead, the mind flayers moved themselves and
their works into the future to avoid being overrun. That
theory would explain the mind flayers' disappearance
and the absence of any ruins from their empire.
Few folk take such talk seriously, yet no one can be
sure exactly what the illithids are and are not capable of.

THE IMPORTANCE OF BRAINS
Because of their dietary needs and their otherworldly bi.
ology, mind flayers must remain within hunting distance
of intelligent humanoids, even if doing so makes them
vulnerable to attack from their enemies. They use the
brains of such creatures as food, of course, but they also
need sentient humanoids to propagate.

Fooo FOR THOUGHT
When a mind flayer devours a brain, it acquires stray
memories from its victim and shares them with the
other members of its colony. Mind flayers also receive a
degree of sustenance from the physical substance of a
brain, but subsist primarily on the psionic energy that
they extract from it in its final moments of activity.
Through some quirk of the illithids' parasitic nature,
the cultural sophistication of a mind flayer depends
upon what sorts of brains are in its diet. For example,
members of a colony that feed on grimlocks are no less
intelligent than a colony that feeds on elves, but the former will pay almost no attention to crafting clothes to
wear, and the latter will dress in elaborate robes. This
phenomenon extends to all displays of culture, from
modes of architecture to the decorations that adorn illithid funerary brain jars.
ONE

MINO Fl.AYER SEES YE, ANO TcHEY AI.L St:E.

ON~

M!NO, ONE NASTY, SUSPICIOUS MIND,

-~t.MINSTER

\.. ·~
~

CEREMORPHOSIS

Mind fl.ayers don't reproduce in the traditional sense.
Instead, they lay eggs from which hatch tadpole-like
creatures that are used to make more of their kind
through a process called ceremorphosis. First, a captured humanoid is rendered docile by a blast of psionic
power. A newly hatched tadpole is inserted into the
victim's cranium, usually through a nostril or ear canal.
The tadpole grows as it devours the humanoid's brain,
attaching to the victim's brain stem and becoming its
new brain. Over the course of a week, the humanoid
body changes form, and a new mind flayer comes into
being. The emergent mind fl.ayer often retains a few dim
memories from its previous form, but these vague recollections seldom have any bearing on its new life as a
brain-eating monster.

THE ELDER BRAIN
Mind fl.ayers use telepathy to communicate with each
other and with other creatures. Among their own kind,
they form a network of minds. Each mind fl.ayer is an
individual node of the network, taking on specific tasks,
sharing information, and so on. At the center of this
network is the elder brain. The elder brain is the most
powerful member of a mind fl.ayer colony.Just as mind
fl.ayers treat thralls made from captured humanoids, an
elder brain expects perfect obedience from the illithids
that dwell in its colony.
If a single mind fl.ayer in a colony sees or hears something, the elder brain and the rest of the illithids in the
colony learn of it immediately. The colony relies on a collective memory, composed from the knowledge, experi-

R 1

MONSl'Elt- LO R

ences, and skills of all of its members and stored within
the elder brain.
In some ways, a mind fl.ayer colony is like a great library of lore stored within its members' minds, with the
elder brain as its librarian. Each individual illithid represents a category or subsection within the library. One
mind fl.ayer might specialize in biology, while another is
an expert in defending the colony. Given that an individual mind flayer has a near-genius intellect, the extent of
its knowledge is equivalent to the highest levels of scholarship attainable by humans.
There are limits to a colony's reach. An illithid can
be part of its colony's network of minds only while it
is within five miles of the elder brain. Beyond that distance, it is on its own. Mind flayers that venture away
from the colony do so only under strict orders from
the elder brain. Although such missions risk attracting
unwanted attention, they can yield a treasure trove of
knowledge and insights to be shared throughout the entire colony when a roaming mind fl.ayer returns.
It is convenient for humanoids to understand a mind
fl.ayer colony by thinking of it as a single individual-the
elder brain-directing a number of subservient, remote
minds, which are the individual mind flayers. Perhaps
at one time each mind fl.ayer was independent, but now
the elder brain is the only true power. The illithids know
that their continued survival and their eventual return to
power are possible only though perfect coordination and
absolute obedience to the elder brain.
An elder brain is arrogant, scheming, and power
hungry, yet quick to flee or beg for mercy in the face of
a powerful foe. It has no conception of joy, sympathy,
or charity, but is well acquainted with fear, anger, and
curiosity. It is an intellect utterly incapable of empathy or
concern for creatures other than itself.
An elder brain has a perfect recollection of its race's
history. Consequently, it views itself as both a refugee
and a victim, forced into hiding by barbaric monsters.
An elder brain also sees itself as a savior of the mind
fl.ayer race and a living memorial that preserves the
memories of the mind fl.ayers' prey. By its twisted logic,
humanoids whose brains are devoured by the colony are
rendered immortal, their memories preserved forever in
the elder brain's labyrinthine mind.
When a mind flayer grows old, becomes infirm, or is
grievously injured, the elder brain absorbs it-another
form of immortality, as the mind flayer's mind dwells
within the hive mind forever after.
See chapter 3 for more information on elder brains.
RENEGADE ILLITHIDS

Sometimes a mind flayer that's away from its colony
breaks free from the elder brain. Perhaps it ran into a
situation where its bonds of obedience were broken, or
perhaps the colony was destroyed while it was away. In
such a case, the mind fl.ayer becomes free-willed for as
long as it avoids contact with an elder brain.
A renegade illithid remains fearful of gith attacks,
and likely sets about creating a sort of colony of its own,
the better to remain undetected. It gathers minions,
establishes a lair, and makes defense of its territory a
top priority. Unlike colonial mind flayers, rogue illithids

develop a healthy respect for those not of their kind.
They treat especially powerful creatures and individuals
as equals, not adversaries, and seek to cooperate with
them. A renegade mind flayer might become a trusted
advisor or a powerful ally, so long as it is kept well fed.
Any alliance it makes, however, collapses if the mind
flayer falls under the sway of an elder brain once more.

ENEMIES EVERYWHERE
Elder brains seek stability and safety for their colonies,
and a colony can remain in a relatively peaceful state for
decades if it can evade discovery while it acquires food.
Two kinds of events can disrupt the tranquility of a
colony: an invasion and the appearance of an ulitharid.
THE GITH NEVER REST

Githzerai and githyanki remember the mind flayers'
enslavement of their ancestors. They dispatch hunting
parties to the Material Plane to root out and slaughter
illithids wherever they can find them. After centuries of
hunting, they have grown very skilled at it. Every mind
flayer colony is constantly on the alert for an incursion
of gith, even if it has never had to fight them off before.
Underdark predators, adventurers, and other kinds
of formidable creatures are just as much of a threat to a
colony. Although the mind flayers and their elder brain
are incredibly powerful, they aren't invincible: highly
accomplished heroes, drow raiding parties, rampant demons, and other hazards of the Underdark can decimate
a colony even if they don't succeed in destroying the
elder brain.

RISE OF A ULITHARID

Rarely, the process of ceremorphosis yields an ulitharid,
a more powerful mind flayer that isn't beholden to the
elder brain's whims.
The appearance of an ulitharid causes a surge in the
colony's collective intelligence, creativity, and strength.
As the ulitharid gains power by devouring brains and
honing its psionic abilities, the colony becomes more
aggressive, seeking to gather more and more thralls.
Eventually, if the colony grows to sufficient size, the
ulitharid strikes out on its own. Half the mind flayers
and thralls in the colony undertake a great migration,
seeking a new lair at least 100 miles away from the
old one. Once the ulitharid finds a suitable spot, its followers construct a new lair while it transforms into an
elder brain.
Although a creature as arrogant and ambitious as an
elder brain might resent an ulitharid's rise, it understands that the mind flayers can't rebuild their shattered
empire without expanding their reach. It might resent
its new rival, but it can take comfort that soon enough
the ulitharid will strike out on its own and the colony
will return to normal.

THE GRAND DESIGN
The first priority of any mind flayer colony is to survive.
The elder brain and its servants seek to remain hidden,
typically deep within the earth, while harvesting enough
intelligent humanoids to nourish themselves and allow
for slow but steady growth.

Once a colony is secure, it focuses on the Grand
Design- the mind flayers' plan to rebuild their lost empire. The illithids know that reclaiming their rightful
place in the world is possible only after the githzerai
and githyanki have been eliminated and the remaining
humanoids have been turned into docile slaves. To that
end, each colony conducts research into the nature of
the world and the creatures that inhabit it. The mind
flayers examine all facets of reality, seeking any knowledge that could give them the edge they need to confront, defeat, and subjugate their enemies.
Every colony investigates a wide variety of topics and
phenomena. A few members might focus on straightforward projects such as developing new uses for psionic
power or how to breed savage creatures to serve as foot
soldiers. Others pursue more theoretical subjects. A
mind flayer might study musical tones, for example, in
hopes of finding a way to manipulate the emotions of
humanoids. Another might research the food humanoids eat to see if their diet or agricultural practices can
be exploited. No line of inquiry is too esoteric if it might
provide the next step in enacting the Grand Design.

colony can use to its advantage. The mind flayers can
become more expansion-minded, confident that any
response from the humanoids will be too scattered to
threaten them.

STRATEGIC PRINCIPLES

Mind flayers are inhuman monsters that typically exist
as part of a collective colony mind. Yet illithids aren't
drones to an elder brain. Each has a brilliant mind, personality, and motivations of its own.

Since mind flayers need to settle near a source of food,
they must determine how best to interact with the humanoids they intend to conquer. A colony usually adopts
one of three approaches to dealing with its neighbors.
Control. A colony that desperately needs to increase
its population concentrates on capturing humanoids to
turn them into thralls and illithids. Operating individually or in small groups, its members use stealth and
deception to infiltrate the humanoid community while
keeping their presence secret. Lacking the numbers or
the ability to overwhelm and dominate the entire population, a colony turns its research toward more effective
ways to exert control, such as finding a way to amplify
an elder brain's power to enable it to exert influence over
a greater distance.
Destruction. Because mind flayers are physically
weak, they can't rely on simple combat to stand up
against their enemies. If a colony finds itself in circumstances where it can be outwardly aggressive, its
members likely focus their research on ways to cause
mass casualties with minimal risk to themselves, such
as plagues or methods to bring about famine and other
natural disasters. A mind flayer colony using this strategy collects and feeds on humanoids mainly to use
the knowledge they gain to understand their victims'
strengths and weaknesses, with the ultimate goal of
finding a way to dispense with all of them at once.
Subversion. As a compromise between control and
destruction, a colony might attempt to seize control of
a few key elements of a humanoid community, and then
mix in a few, calculated destructive acts to send the
humanoids into an inexorable decline. If the illithids
can engineer the collapse of a society's central authority, such as by inciting years of famine while driving
the local nobility to bouts of madness through psionic
assaults, they can create widespread unrest that the

SPECIAL GOALS

Many of the esoteric research topics pursued by a colony reflect the ambitions and priorities of the elder brain
that controls it. Each one has particular ideas about how
best to contribute to the ultimate success of the Grand
Design, including these possibilities:
• The discovery and destruction of all githyanki creches
• Collecting creatures and instigating insanity in them
to create new flavors of thought
• Fostering a school of wizardry to attract intelligent
minds for the colony to feed upon
• Rediscovering the secrets of nautiloid manufacture to
take to the sky
• Drawing a surface city into the Underdark so as to
have a population of ready victims

ROLEPLAYING A MIND FLAYER

MIND FLAYER PERSONALITY TRAITS

2
3
4

S
6

7
8

Personality Trait
I never let pass an opportunity to show my contempt
for lesser beings.
I like to flavor my meals by engendering positive emotions in my victims before feeding on them.
So as not to taint my thoughts, I avoid telepathically
communicating with lesser beings when possible.
I never eat unless the victim is conscious and aware.
I'm very picky. I feed only on the brains of a specific
kind of humanoid.
I'm curious about how other races live and how their
societies function.
I find battle stimulating.
I'm curious about the limits of other creatures' intelligence and devise situations to test them.

MIND FLAYER IDEALS

d6
1
2

3
4

Ideal

Knowledge. AU information is of value. (Neutral)
Obedience. Nothing is more important than following orders. (Lawful}
Selfishness. I do my best work when motivated by my
own self-interest. (Chaotic)
Truth. Truth is the foundation of knowledge, so I
never lie. (Lawful)
Superiority. Nothing can be gained from the study of
lesser being$. (Neutral)
Domination. All others should submit to my control.
(Evil)

MIND FLAYER BONDS
d6

2
3
4
5

SPEECH

Bond

I think the elder brain is wrong about something, and
I want to convince it.
I have a secret I wish to keep even from other mind
flayers.
The more the colony grows, the more powerful we all
become.
Nothing is more important than rebuilding our lost
empire.
Persistence of my colony is the greatest good.
I have important research that must be protected at
all costs.

The physiology of mind flayers doesn't leave them
well equipped for typical humanoid speech, and most
use telepathy exclusively. At times, however, they find
it necessary to speak, such as when casting a divine
spell, voicing the command word of a magic item, or
communicating with multiple creatures at once. A mind
flayer accomplishes such vocal feats by forcing one of its
tentacles down its own throat and curling the tip to act
as a tongue. The process is uncomfortable to the mind
flayer, can be disquieting for other creatures to witness,
and results in a sound that is often harrowing to the ear.
Despite the difficulty, some mind flayers make a study of
spoken communication and manage consistently intelligible (if not melodious) speech.

MIND FLAYER FLAWS
d6

2
3
4

5
6

Flaw

I am oblivious to the emotions expressed by others.
I believe my minions will always do precisely as I
intend.
I never assume others understand and always expJajn
everything.
I have a memory that isn't mine. I'm obsess about it.
It is inconceivable that another creature could out·
smart me.
I sometimes confuse others' thoughts with my own.

MIND FLAYER NAMES
Among mind flayers, thoughts aren't communicated in

language per se, but are instead transmitted telepathically as concepts and associations, which other human-

oids interpret in their own language.
Telepathic communication with a mind flayer is frequently accompanied by a mental static that "sounds"
to the receiver like an underlying sussuration peppered
with guttural clicks. The intensity of this static increases
when a mind flayer refers to itself, because with the saying of its name, the illithid is communicating far more
information about itself than other humanoids can com·
prehend. The syllables that make up mind flayer names
as expressed in other languages are thus weak approx·
imations of the sound that others hear in their minds
when illithids refer to themselves.
An illithid might adopt a name that is easier for minions and allies to speak or that makes it seem more fearsome to enemies, but each begins its life with a thoughtname such as the examples in the Mind Flayer Names
table, which are suitable for any campaign.
MIND FLAYER NAMES
d12
2

5
6

Name

Aurangaul
Cephalossk
Drukt
Drusiss
Lugribossk
Quoor

d12

7
8
9

11
12

Name

Ralayan
Sardsult
S'venchen
Tharcereli
Tobulux
Zellix

The "writing" of mind flayers, known as Qualith, isn't as
simple as a set of symbols representing sounds or ideas.
An inscription in Qualith captures the thoughts of its
creator and psionically transmits the thoughts to a mind
flayer who later reads the inscription by touching it with
its tentacles. Mind flayers write in Qualith by psionically
imprinting their messages on nonmagical, nonliving
material they grasp or caress with their tentacles. The
imprinting causes imperceptible surface changes to the
object, and abrasion or degradation of the material can
cause the inscription to fade and fail.
An expression in Qualith is made up of four-line stanzas packed into interlocking blocks, creating complex
patterns that are indecipherable by other creatures.
Someone that touches a Qualith inscription, however,
can receive fragmentary insight into the multilayered
thoughts contained within it. A non-illithid that wants
to understand a Qualith inscription can make an Intel·
ligence check (DC based on the complexity of the contained thoughts) to try to derive some of the inscription's
meaning. Multiple successful attempts might uncover
different aspects about the illithid author, its intended
meaning, and its intended audience. A failed attempt
results in a crushing headache and, in extreme cases,
madness. A comprehend languages spell provides
understanding of the inscription roughly equivalent to
what a mind flayer would get from it.

MIND FLAYER THRALLS
Mind flayers never truly ally with any creatures. They
either attempt to seize control of a population by subverting its leaders, or they use psionics to dominate a
humanoid and turn it into a thrall.
Illithids sometimes infiltrate an Underdark tribe of
humanoids and use their superstitions and traditions as
tools to make them useful followers. A mind flayer might
use its psionic ability to send visions to a humanoid shaman, causing it to proclaim the mind flayers as emissaries of the gods. With that ruse in place, the "gods" then
dictate strict rules that cause some members of the tribe
to be branded as heretics, to provide the pretense for occasionally seizing a humanoid and devouring its brain.
After the colony depletes and demoralizes the popula-

DUERGAR

Mind flayers have hated duergar ever since the gray
dwarves revolted against them, but consider their brains
a delicacy. Duergar serve as a constant reminder to the
illithids that any creatures that serve them must be kept
dimwitted and easily controlled. The clever duergar
threw off the long-ago attempt by the mind flayers to rule
them and have been enemies of the illithids ever since.

1 ,..9 Jer what a min.~
.;;.el''a brain t•stea hk.e.
••~
-Volo
.lli,1

VOLO, VE ARE THE F'O

OL OF FOOLS IL
.
LITHIO BRAINS ARE
IVE HUMA"'IS INS
MEMORIES AT EVERV 8
E
A"'IE WITH A FLOOD OF'
ITE. R, ASI( ME NOT HO. Y.l 1
l<"'IOW THIS,
P01so111ous, ANO DR

-:-:-----~-------

-ELMINSTER

tion sufficiently, the illithids might move in en masse
and attempt to turn the remaining followers into thralls.
The process of transforming a creature into a thrall
requires the entire colony's energy and attention, making it no small matter. Although it takes only one mind
flayer to perform the process, any illithid not directly
involved in the process is required to donate its psionic
power to the effort while otherwise remaining inactive.
A thrall-to-be is first rendered docile through psionic
means. Using a low-power version of its Mind Blast ability, the mind flayer bombards the victim with energy that
washes through its synapses like acid, clearing away its
former personality and leaving it a partially empty shell.
This step takes 24 hours. Over the next 48 hours, the
illithids rebuild the victim's memories and personality,
and the victim gains the skills and talents it needs to
perform its intended function.
The process that creates a thrall changes almost
everything about the victim. The creature retains its
Hit Dice, hit points, racial traits (but not proficiencies
granted by race), and all of its ability scores except for
Intelligence. After the first stage of the process, the creature's Intelligence is halved; when the second stage is
over, its Intelligence score increases by ld6.
To complete the process, the thrall receives a new set
of proficiencies, a new alignment, and a new personality.
Some colonies have learned how to salvage a victim's
psionic abilities during the process or how to implant
psionic powers into their thralls. Also, some colonies
know how to leave a victim's persona intact while infusing it with a fanatical loyalty to the colony's elder brain
as well as telepathic power that allows the victim to
communicate with its new masters as if it were a mind
flayer. This sort of thrall makes a perfect spy, since most
would never suspect its true nature.
A thrall can be restored to its former self through a
combination of spells and ministration. The thrall must
have regeneration, heal, and greater restoration cast on
it once per day for three consecutive days. The victim is
restored to normal when the final round of spells is cast.
Mind flayers vastly prefer to use humanoids as thralls,
since they have a good balance of physical attributes and
proper anatomy. Animals, in contrast, require a lot of
direct oversight and lack the ability to use tools to help
maintain the colony. Among the variety of humanoids
available to the illithids, they have some preferences and
tendencies.

GRIMLOCKS

The first grimlocks were descended from humans corrupted by mind flayers in ancient times, and today these
sightless humanoids are among the illithids' preferred
servants. Grimlocks are easily cowed by mind flayers,
because their culture still centers on worship of and
subservience to the illithids. Strong but dimwitted, they
lack the initiative and the cunning to rebel as long as
they are provided with food, shelter, and the opportunity
to pillage and slay. Also, the grimlocks' inability to see
gives their brains an exotic flavor that mind flayers love.

Kuo-TOA
Illithids once used kuo-toa as slaves extensively, since
they proved quite easy to control. In time, though, repeated exposure to the mind flayers' psionic intrusions
drove the kuo-toa mad. Nowadays, kuo-toa don't make
for good thralls because their insanity makes them difficult to control. Mind flayers consider kuo-toa brains a
great treat, but they prefer to eat them raw, unsullied by
psionic alteration. Thus, they tend to eat kuo-toa soon after capturing them, rather than attempting to keep them
penned up or docile.
QUAGGOTHS

Mind flayers find that the quaggoths' innate, though
rarely manifested, talent for psionics makes them excellent thralls.'When possible, they manipulate a tribe's
thonot (a psionic shaman) into pledging allegiance to a
colony. Quaggoths are naturally strong and quick, making them ideal shock troops without any additional modifications. The quaggoths' chaotic tendencies eventually
motivate most colonies to convert them into thralls or
food, rather than relying on the quaggoth thonot to keep
them under control.
HUMANOIDS

Only the most desperate colonies bother using goblins, kobolds, gnomes, and other small humanoids for
anything except food. Small humanoids do make a
good food source because they tend to gather in large
groups, and their fear and despair in the face of a mind
flayer incursion make their brains tasty to the illithid
palate. They are also relatively easy for larger, stronger
humanoid thralls to control. Small humanoids are only
rarely transformed into thralls or otherwise kept under
firm control.
Almost any humanoid creature can end up as a thrall,
and mind flayers sometimes work with whatever victims
fall into their grasp. Aside from the exceptions discussed above, they tend to see ores, bugbears, humans,
and other similar humanoids as largely interchangeable.
Their brains all have a similar taste, and their utility as
thralls is roughly equal.

MIND FLAYER MONSTERS
Mind flayers hardly ever use non-humanoid creatures as
thralls or develop other relationships with them. Most of
them are either too big and strong to keep penned up for
long or too limited in intellect to complete anything but
the simplest tasks. In general, non-humanoids found in
the company of mind flayers are those that the illithids
have created or bred for specific purposes. A few types
of these creatures warrant special mention.
INTELLECT DEVOURERS

Almost every mind flayer colony creates intellect devourers and seeds the areas around its lair with a few
to keep watch, slay intruders, and lure fresh victims to
their doom.
MINDWITNESSES

A mindwitness represents an exception to the typical
mind flayer pattern of reproduction. If a colony succeeds in capturing and subduing a beholder, it can use
a tadpole to convert the creature into a bizarre hybrid
known as a mindwitness. A mindwitness is a sort of
psychic hub, able to collect and amplify the illithids'
psionic power.
See chapter 3 of this book for more information on
mindwitnesses.
NEOTHELIDS

These horrors, hated by mind flayers, sometimes come
into being when those ignorant of mind flayer lore destroy a colony. A neothelid arises when a tadpole pool
is left untended. The tadpoles turn against each other,
and the survivor grows to immense size. Comparable to
purple worms, these behemoths devour everything in
their path.
See chapter 3 of this book for more information on
neothelids.

MIND FLAYER LAIRS
In the lair of a mind flayer colony, the safety and security
of its residents is all-important. As a result, illithid lairs
are always well hidden and well defended, almost always underground, and within easy reach of humanoids
and their succulent brains.
No two lairs are the same, as the resident elder brain
drives the form and function of each one. The lair shown
in the accompanying map is typical and includes many
elements found in every colony's stronghold.
The illithids, with their ability to levitate, design major
portions of their lairs so as to make movement as difficult as possible for ordinary two-legged creatures. In
such locations, thralls must climb or use ropes to move
from place to place.
BRAIN CHAMBER

Mind flayers sometimes preserve extracted brains in a
magical liquid. Still fully alive, they are kept in the brain
chamber. The mind flayers use these brains to advance
the study of how psionics affects their enemies. They
also enjoy the babble of confused, horrified thoughts
that emanates from these sources, and sometimes sit
here in quiet, comfortable contemplation. Brains that

prove boring or dull are evefttually consumed, while the
most interesting ones are added to the brain library.

prison, to prevent them from getting underfoot elsewhere in the lair: They are eventually processed in the
nearby library.

BRAIN LIBRARY

Extracted brains that are exceptional in some way are
kept in the colony's brain library. Here, the mind flayers
continue their examinations at a much greater depth.
CLEANSING CHAMBERS

Freshly captured victims are processed in the cleansing
chambers. Their gear is removed and either destroyed
or kept if it is of interest, their hair is shaved to prevent
parasites, and any sickly ones are disposed of.
COMMON ROOM

The lair's common room serves as a gathering spot for
the colony's thralls. As they complete tasks, they come
here to rest, eat, and wait for new orders. Any mind
flayer in need of assistance can visit this room to obtain
the needed muscle power. In the event of an attack,
the thralls gather here to arm themselves and ready
for battle.
ELDER BRAIN RESTING PooL

Usually centrally located, the lair's resting pool is where
the elder brain holds court in its brine pool, protected
by a nearly impenetrable layer of a glass-like substance
that blocks all attacks except for psionic abilities. The
elder brain relaxes here, and often assembles the colony
members to engage in debates on philosophy and the
nature of the planes. This particular colony's elder brain
is something of a bully, and has been known to destroy
illithids that outwit it in discussions.
GUARDROOMS

Chambers on the perimeter of the lair are continually
staffed by heavily armed thralls, constructs, and other
watchers. The inhabitants of these rooms attack strangers on sight and sound an alarm. Any entrance to a lair
is always hidden by a secret door, an illusion, or some
other barrier.
lLLITHID QUARTERS

Each member of the colony claims a single room or a
small series of chambers at its own and uses the space
to conduct its personal research. One illithid's quarters
might contain musical instruments and thralls with melodious voices; another might have cages of specimens
that teem with a variety of diseases the mind flayers
are studying.
LIBRARY (AND DISSECTION CHAMBER)

The library in a mind flayer lair isn't a collection of
books, but an array of still-living organs kept in the
same fluid that enables them to keep brains alive. The
mind flayers study the organs to refine their experiments. Failed experiments from the transformation
chamber eventually are brought here to be dissected so
that their organs can be added to the library's contents.
PRISON

The results of failed experiments from the transformation chamber are dumped into cages and cells in the

TADPOLE CHAMBERS

The elder brain dictates that populations of tadpoles be
kept in smaller pools under guard, away from the brine
pool. Should the brine pool be destroyed in an attack,
these tadpoles stand a better chance of survival.
TRANSFORMATION CHAMBER

The transformation chamber contains a number of
small cells. The subjects of promising experiments are
kept here, bombarded with psionic energy in an effort
to warp their physical development. Most creatures
that undergo this process are turned into twisted, crippled wretches, but a few emerge stronger and tougher
than before.

NAUTILOIDS
Mind flayers employ bizarre flying ships called nautiloids. Able to move through the Astral Plane, nautiloids
can also transport mind flayers between the various
worlds of the Material Plane.
A nautiloid looks like an enormous conch shell fitted
with an exterior deck and a large mass of rubbery tentacles. Ages ago, when the mind flayers could fly through
the worlds of the Material Plane without resistance,
they used the nautiloid's tentacles to scour the surface
for interesting creatures to take back home for study or
a feasting.
The most notable feature of a nautiloid is its ability to
move directly from one world to another in the Material
Plane. Normally, travelers must venture to Sigil, a city in
the Outer Planes, and find a doorway leading to the specific world t~ey seek. But mind flayers can use nautiloids
to move between worlds without going through Sigil. By
this means, they have been able to spread themselves
out into almost every corner of the multiverse.
Nowadays, a nautiloid is an incredibly rare sight. A
colony in possession of one takes great care to keep it
hidden, taking to the sky only out of necessity. Word of a
nautiloid seen soaring through the air travels quickly in
almost every world and is likely to attract the attention
of vengeful githyanki and githzerai. A gith hunting party
counts a nautiloid as the greatest prize it can claim,
above even an elder brain.
The illithids have lost the secret of manufacturing
nautiloids, meaning that the loss of any vessel brings
them one step closer to remaining trapped on the Material Plane.
OFFENSIVE AND DEFENSIVE USES

A colony that has access to a nautiloid uses it as a
weapon only in rare circumstances, perhaps as part of
the final phase of a plan to subvert, destroy, or control
an enemy. Nautiloids move quietly and are almost impossible to detect in the darkness. A sudden strike, with
the ship disgorging mind flayers and thralls to finish the
assault after it lands, can reduce an enemy settlement to
ruins in a single night.

SHIPS THAT SAIL BETWEEN THE

s~?

NE}(T VE

WILL SPIN TALES OF A TALKlll/'iw,t-llPP O POt'AMUS

FUNERARY BRAIN JARS

THAT WALKS ON TWO LEGS ANO CARRIES A BOW.

ASKED VE TO RESEARCH FACTS ABOUT OTHER

WORLDS, NOT SPENO A WEEK IN AN OPIUM OEN.

-ELMINSTER

Most colonies that possess a nautiloid save it for use
as an emergency escape vehicle. If pressed by attackers,
the surviving illithids and the elder brain move into the
vessel and immediately shift to another world, leaving
the attackers in their wake.
MOBILE LAIRS
A few nautiloids are large enough to hold an entire

colony, serving as a mobile lair. A colony that uses a
nautiloid in this way is much more aggressive than other
colonies, since it can effectively carry out hit-and-run
attacks and can vacate an area that has been depleted
of victims.
These immense vessels invariably have protections
that enable them to survive in extreme environments. As
such, the illithids typically locate their lair on a mountaintop, beneath the surface of the ocean, or at the upper
levels of the atmosphere- places where raids by their
enemies are almost impossible.

MIND FLAYER MAGIC
From their perspective as masters of psionic energy,
mind flayers view magic as a wild, unpredictable, and
primitive source of power. After all, anything that simple
humanoids can learn to use must be ineffectual compared to what illithids are capable of.
ARCANE MAGIC

Mind flayers consider arcane magic to be an abomination, a twisted cousin of psionic power that will be
erased from the multiverse when the illithids' empire
rises again. Some sages speculate that this attitude
arose among the mind flayers because magic played an
important role in the rebellion of the gith.
In any case, a few renegade mind flayers do pursue
arcane magic. Using some of the items or spells they
discover, they can shield their minds as they aspire to
break free of the elder brain's control.
Eventually, a mind fl.ayer thus separated from the
hive turns to the path of lichdom. Just as the elder brain
offers immortality to its faithful illithids, so does becoming a lich ensure life everlasting. The feeling of freedom
that comes from this change is liberating, but the specter of death forever after colors the mind flayer's actions.
An undead mind fl.ayer is hated and hunted by other
illithids, but many are powerful enough to stand on their
own against attackers.
See the alhoon entry in chapter 3 of this book for
more information on undead mind flayers.

R l

:MONSTER L

When a mind flayer dies, other mind flayers try to salvage
the dead illithid's brain and bring it to the colony's brine
poof for the elder brain to consume. For this purpose,
mind flayers craft funerary brain jars made of stone. Every
jar is made for an individual, inscribed with Qualith and
artwork that relate the mind flayer's accomplishments. Often a mind flayer's funerary brain jar rs created long before
the illithid's death and updated as the years pass, with the
jar serving as a diary of sorts for the one whose brain will
eventually fill it. After it is filled with brine, a funerary brain
jar can preserve a brain without spoiling for 1d4 + 10 days.
DIVINE MAGIC

Illithids acknowledge the existence of divine entities, but
it is unusual for any but a deviant mind fl.ayer to actively
worship such a power. Since they are capable of planar
travel, illithids don't view the afterlife and the Outer
Planes in the mythic way that most other races do. 11lithids don't believe they possess souls whose eternal
fate is governed by the gods. Instead; when a mind flayer's brain is returned to the elder brain to be consumed,
the creature's intelligence lives on. Only if an illithid's
brain isn't retrieved after death would its consciousness
be cast into oblivion.
Two divine entities have long been associated with
mind flayers by the scholars of other races. These aren't
deities, but rather manifestations of ideal psionic and
philosophical mental states that mind fl.ayers revere.
Illithids occasionally meditate on these ideals while
performing physical movements meant to help them
achieve the proper attitude- actions that have often
been misinterpreted by observers as worship.
Maanzecorian. The entity/concept called Maanzecorian embodies a complete comprehension of knowledge.
It is a state wherein memories, thoughts, and aptitudes
are dredged up from one's mind not one at a time as
needed, but are all laid bare and brought to the fore at
once. The perfect memories exhibited by aboleths have
long fascinated mind flayers that emulate Maanzecorian, leading to frequent conflict between the two races.
llsensine. Ilsensine is a broader philosophical ideal
than Maanzecorian, leading many sages to assume it
must be the more important or more powerful of the two
"gods." Ilsensine represents not just mastery of one's
own mind but a psionic union between oneself and the
realm of universal knowledge. Different elder brains
have different interpretations of what this state consists
of and how to achieve it. Elder brains and illithids that
devote themselves to Ilsensine sometimes pursue ways
to dominate gods of knowledge or even aspire to supplant those gods on the way to attaining the state of full
incorporation into the universal consciousness.

MIND FLAYER MAGIC ITEMS
Some mind fl.ayer colonies have developed the ability
to create or modify certain kinds of gear, imbuing them
with psionic energy. Mind fl.ayers craft magic items that
only they or their thralls can use- a sensible security
measure to keep enemies from turning the illithids' own
creations against them.

MIND BLADE

FLENSING CLAWS

Weapon (any sword), rare (requires attunement by a specific individual)

Illithids don't always provide their thralls with normal
weapons, such as swords and axes. Sometimes they
improve the natural capabilities of thralls by giving
them new anatomy. Flensing claws take the form of articulated digits that extend into long metal blades. The
claws are knitted into the flesh and bones of a creature's
arms and can't be removed without surgical amputation.
Each set of flensing claws is designed for a specific
creature and can't be used by anyone else. A creature
equipped with flensing claws can use its action to make
one melee weapon attack with the claws. The claws
deal slashing damage based on the creature's size:
Small, ld8; Medium, ldlO; Large, ld12; or Huge, 2d8.
The creature adds its proficiency bonus and Strength
modifier to any attack roll made with the claws, and its
Strength modifier to its damage roll when it hits a target
with the claws. Tiny and Gargantuan creatures can't be
fitted with flensing claws.

Mind flayers can turn any nonmagical sword into a mind
blade. Only one creature can attune to it: either a specific mind flayer or one of its thralls. In the hands of any
other creature, the mind blade functions as a normal
sword of its kind. In the hands of its intended wielder,
the mind blade is a magic weapon that deals an extra
2d6 psychic damage to any target it hits.
MIND CARAPACE ARMOR

Armor (any heavy armor), uncommon (requires attunement by a specific individual)
Any nonmagical suit of heavy armor can be turned
by mind flayers into mind carapace armor. Only one
creature can attune to it: either a specific mind flayer
or one of its thralls. While worn by any other creature,
the mind carapace armor functions as normal armor
of its kind. To its intended wearer, the armor grants advantage on Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma saving
throws and makes its wearer immune to the frightened
condition.
MIND LASH

Weapon (whip), rare (requires attunement by a mind
Rayer)

In the hands of a creature other than a mind flayer, a
mind lash functions as a normal whip. In the hands of
an illithid, this magic weapon strips away a creature's
will to survive as it also strips away flesh, dealing an
extra 2d4 psychic damage to any target it hits. Any creature that takes psychic damage from the mind lash must
also succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or have
disadvantage on Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma
saving throws for 1 minute. The creature can repeat the
saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the
effect on itself on a success.
SHIELD OF FAR SIGHT

Armor (shield), rare
A mind flayer skilled at crafting magic items creates a

shield of far sight by harvesting an eye from an intelligent humanoid and magically implanting it on the outer
surface of a nonmagical shield. The shield becomes a
magic item once the eye is implanted, whereupon the
mind flayer can give the shield to a thrall or hang it on
a wall in its lair. As long as the shield is on the same
plane of existence as its creator, the mind flayer can see
through the shield's eye, which has darkvision out to a
range of 60 feet. While peering through this magical
eye, the mind flayer can use its Mind Blast action as
though it were standing behind the shield.
If a shield of far sight is destroyed, the mind flayer that
created it is blinded for 2d12 hours.

MIND FLAYER AUGMENTATIONS
Some mind flayer colonies augment their thralls with
nonmagical gear to make them more effective as lair
guardians and bodyguards. Two examples of mind flayer
augmentations are presented here.

SURVIVAL MANTLE

This carapace-like augmentation encases portions of
the wearer's shoulders, neck, and chest. A survival mantle is equivalent to a suit of nonmagical half plate armor
and takes just as long to don or doff. It can't be worn
with other kinds of armor.
A creature wearing a survival mantle can breathe
normally in any environment (including a vacuum) and
has advantage on saving throws against harmful gases
(such as those created by a cloudkill spell, a stinking
cloud spell, inhaled poisons, and the breath weapons of
some dragons).

TREASURE
Mind flayers don't hoard coins, gemstones, jewelry, and
other sorts of treasure. However, a colony obsessed
with the study of biology would consider a new, alien
specimen a great prize, especially a living creature. One
concerned with improving its war machinery might seek
out new gear, weapons, and armor it can use. A colony
that collects gold coins or gemstones might do so not to
become rich but to contaminate them with a psychic effect it wants to spread through the surface world.
Adventurers who are motivated by the prospect of
vast wealth are best off avoiding mind flayer colonies.
Although illithids are evil, and defeating them makes
the world a safer place, they don't accumulate material
wealth the way many other powerful creatures do. Because of their disdain for arcane and divine power, they
discount most magic items as trivial baubles, unless
they are useful to the colony for a particular reason. A
mind flayer might ignore a bag of diamonds it is offered
as a bribe, but might listen to a proposal if a bargaining
creature offers it news of a new construction technique
developed by the dwarves of a faraway kingdom.
Mind flayers know that humans, ores, and other primitive creatures love shiny baubles and mysterious devices. They might use such objects they come across the
way a rat catcher uses a lump of cheese- a lure to draw
quarry into a trap.

0RCS: THE d'onSWORN
To feel the thunder of orcish war drums outside the gate
and to hear a chorus of voices growling, "Gruumsh!"
is the nightmare of every civilized place in the world.
For no matter how thick its walls, skilled its archers, or
brave its knights, few settlements have ever withstood a
full-scale onslaught of ores.
Every soldier who lives through a fight with ores tells
of confronting a hulking foe that can cleave through a
warrior with a single blow, part of a force that can cut
down enemies as though they were trembling stalks of
wheat before the scythe. Only a skilled and determined
hero can hope to survive single combat with an ore.
Savage and fearless, ore tribes are ever in search of
elves, dwarves, and humans to destroy. Motivated by
their hatred of the civilized races of the world and their
need to satisfy the demands of their deities, the ores
know that if they fight well and bring glory to their tribe,
Gruumsh will call them home to the plane of Acheron. It
is there in the afterlife where the chosen ones will join
Gruumsh and his armies in their endless extraplanar
battle for supremacy.

Gons

OF THE 0RCS

Ores believe their gods to be invincible. They see the
principles that define them and their deities at work
every day in the world around them-nature rewards
the strong and mercilessly eliminates the weak and the
infirm. Ores don't revere their gods as much as they fear
them; every tribe has superstitions about how to avert
their wrath or bring their favor. This deep-seated uncertainty and fear comes forth in the form of savagery and
relentlessness, as ores ravage and kill to appease the
gods in order to avoid their terrible retribution.
At the pinnacle of the ore pantheon is Gruumsh OneEye, who created the ores and continues to direct their
destiny. He is aided and abetted by the other warrior
deities, Bahgtru and Ilneval, who bring strength and
cunning to the battlefield. The followers of all three gods
are a tribe's raiders and ravagers-often the only part of
an ore tribe that its victims ever see.
Deep within the den of a tribe, far away from the warhearth where warriors gather and celebrate, dwell the
followers ofYurtrus, the god of disease and death, and
Shargaas, the god of darkness and the unknown. Ores
too weak for battle (because of bodily weakness, malformation, injury, or age) often join these cults instead of
facing daily humiliation, exile, or death.
Serving as the bridge between the two parts of the
tribe are the priestesses of Luthic, the ore goddess who
represents both life and the grave. It is her worshipers
that raise young ores to be warriors, and then, at the end
of their lives, take them to Yurtrus and Shargaas to be
carried into death and the great unknown.
GRUUMSH, "HE WHO WATCHES"
Gruumsh, the undisputed ruler of the ore pantheon,
pushes his children to increase their numbers so they
may be his instrument of revenge against the realms of
elves, humans, and dwarves. In order to spite the gods
who spurned him, Gruumsh leads his ores on a mission

Lord DaAult Nevere_ ber once told lne d . :&.
ad
k
· d
.
, ur1n0
~un en t1ra e~ thtit ores are learlul ol
their Aods, and, if one plays one's cards riAht
they can be controll«d throuAh that fear and '
made to dance to any tune.
-Volo

of ceaseless slaughter, fueled by an unending rage that
seeks to lay waste to the civilized world and revel in
its anguish.
Ores are naturally chaotic and unorganized, acting on
their emotions and instincts rather than out of reason
and logic. Only certain charismatic ores, those who have
been directly touched by the will and might of Gruumsh,
have the capacity to control the other ores in a tribe.
A Chosen Few. Ores don't become renowned in their
tribes by choosing Gruumsh; he chooses them. An ore
might claim its allegiance to Gruumsh, but only those
who have proven themselves through feats of strength
and ferocity in war are considered worthy of being true
worshipers. Gruumsh singles out these individuals by
bestowing upon each one a powerful dream or vision
that signifies acceptance into his inner circle.
Those who are visited by Gruumsh are transformed
psychologically and often physically by the experience.
Some are driven to the brink of madness, reduced to
muttering about omens and prophecies, while others
become imbued with supernatural power and rise to
positions of leadership.
NISHREK AND THE ETERNAL WAR

Ores believe that if they die with honor, their spirits go to
the plane of Acheron, the Infinite Battlefield-specifically
the layer of Nishrek, where they join Gruumsh's army and
fight on his behalf in the endless war against the goblinoid followers of Maglubiyet. Gruumsh sees this conflict
as a chance to pit his people against an eager foe and
enable them to prove their worth before their deities. He
relishes every short-term triumph and swears revenge for
every setback.
Luthic, though, takes a longer view. She understands the
cosmic implications of Maglubiyet's attacks. To prevent
the goblinoids from outstripping her people in population,
she urges the ores to have many offspring and teach them
the ways of battle not only for survival in the material
world, but to keep Maglubiyet at bay in the conflict on the
planes. Her children wiU remain in her care, and if need be
she wouldn't hesitate to take to the field herself and claw
Maglubiyet's beady eyes from his face to prevent him from
taking them from her.
The cosmic battle between the two pantheons has raged
for eons without resolution, leading those who study its
ebb and flow to expect the stalemate to continue. A different view is put forth by the archmage Tzunk, who notes
that Maglubiyet has never faced a foe as ferocious and
protective as Luthic. He predicts that the war will end with
luthic the only deity standing, as the cave mother ascends
to rule her warrior children.

Eyes ofGruumsh. A few of the ores touched by the
power of Gruumsh are given the ultimate honor of
carrying a small part of the god's overwhelming rage
into battle, in the form of magic that augments their
weapons and helps the tribe succeed. To become an eye
of Gruumsh, an ore that has been chosen by Gruumsh
must gouge out one of its eyes as a sign of devotion,
sacrificing half of its mortal vision in return for divine
power. These god-touched ores are revered as living
connections to Gruumsh, and are treated with respect
even when they are old and infirm.
ILNEVAL, "THE WAR MAKER"

Ilneval is the loyal right hand of Gruumsh. He is the god
who plans the attacks and devises the strategies that
allow the forces of Gruumsh to dominate the battle and
fill their war wagons with plunder and severed heads. 11oeval stands with his bloody sword, calling to those who
understand the ebb and flow of combat to sit around his
council fire and learn the ways of warfare.
SkiJJed Strategists. Ores that show aptitude for the
nuances of warfare at an early age are considered cho·
sen by Ilneval and are groomed to serve as blades of
Ilneval. These individuals are battle captains that follow
the orders of the tribe's chief, leading a portion of the
tribe's warriors into the thick of battle and bringing a
measure of strategy to the assault. Blades of Ilneval are
fearsome opponents, seeming to have an uncanny sense
of when to move and when to strike, able to exploit the
weakness of their enemy like a pack of hungry wolves.

BAHGTRU, "THE LEG BREAKER"

Despite the influence of Ilneval, ores are and will forever
be brutal and feral in how they wage war. Bahgtru is the
deity who epitomizes the physical might and ruthlessness that ores use to overwhelm their foes. He is the one
who drives every thrust of an ore's weapon, so that it
does as much harm as possible.
Fearless and Mighty. In the myths, it is said that
Bahgtru was out hunting when he was surprised by the
mightiest of the behirs, one with hundreds of legs. In a
flash, Bahgtru was wrapped in the creature's coils and
gripped by its legs. No one had ever escaped the grasp
of the behir, but Bahgtru saw this as the ultimate test
of his strength, and laughed at his good fortune. One by
one, Bahgtru broke the behir's legs, and freed himself
from its clutches. The creature's shrieks became the
lightning of the storm, and its broken femur became the
symbol of Bahgtru's followers, reminding them that anything can be broken and defeated by superior strength.
Competing in Cruelty. Most young ores that an
explorer or an adventurer might encounters are followers of Bahgtru. Ores of Bahgtru continually try to
prove their superior strength and endurance through
cruel contests against their tribe mates, acts of unprovoked belligerence, and great success in battle. It is
through these tests of strength that Bahgtru's followers
prove which among them will eventually be worthy of
Gruumsh's unwavering gaze.
The Sacred Bull. Ores of Bahgtru sometimes enter
battle astride aurochs, large creatures that resemble

Nor

"""'

ALL ORC. \VEAl(LIIIIGS ARE TAly their clan with an
important mission that takes them beyond their homes.
These firbolgs feel like pilgrims in a strange land, and
usually they wish only to complete their quests and return home as quickly as possible.
The Firbolg Adventurers table can serve as inspiration
for determining why a firbolg character leaves home.
FIRBOLG ADVENTURERS

2
3
4

5
6

7
8

Reason for Adventuring

Outcast for murder
Outcast for severely damaging home territory
Clan slain, by,inv,ding.humanoids
Clan slain by a dragon or demon
SeparJted from the tribe and lost
Homeland destroyed by natural disaster
Personal quest ordain~ by omens
Dispatched on a quest by tribe leaders

======================::::!:12?:!:::::.i..L---

FIRBOLG NAMES
Firbolg adopt elven names when they must deal with
outsiders, although the concept of names strikes them
as strange. They know the animals and plants of the forest without formal names, and instead identify the forest's children by their deeds, habits, and other actions.
By the same token, their tribe names merely refer to
their homes. When dealing with other races, firbolgs refer to their lands by whatever name the surrounding folk
use, as a matter of tact and hospitality, but among their
own kind they simply call it "home."
Sometimes firbolgs adopt the nicknames or titles outsiders give them under the assumption that those who
need names can call them whatever they wish.

FIRBOLG TRAITS
Your firbolg character has the following racial traits.
Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom score increases
by 2, and your Strength score increases by

Age. As humanoids related to the fey, firbolg have long
lifespans. A firbolg reaches adulthood around 30, and
the oldest of them can live for 500 years.
Alisnment. As people who follow the rhythm of nature and see themselves as its caretakers, firbolg are
typically neutral good. Evil firbolg are rare and are usually the sworn enemies of the rest of their kind.
Size. Firbolg are between 7 and 8 (eet tall and weigh
between 240 and 300 pounds. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Firbols Masic. You can cast detect magic and disguise
self with this trait, using Wisdom as your spell casting
ability for them. Once you cast either spell, you can't
cast it again with this trait until you finish a short or
long rest. When you use this version of disguise self, you
can seem up to 3 feet shorter than normal, allowing you
to more easily blend in with humans and elves.
Hidden Step. As a bonus action, you can magically
tum invisible until the start of your next turn or until
you attack, make a damage roll, or force someone to
make a saving throw. Once you use this trait, you can't
use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
Powerful Build. You count as one size larger when
determining your carrying capacity and the weight you
can push, drag, or lift.
Speech ofBeast and Leaf. You have the ability to
communicate in a limited manner with beasts and
plants. They can understand the meaning of your words,
though you have no special ability to understand them in
return. You have advantage on all Charisma checks you
make to influence them.
Languases. You can speak, read, and write Common,
Elvish, and Giant.

flRBOLCi CLASSES

Most firbolgs are druids, rangers, or fighters. Among
their kind, these vocations are passed down from one
generation to the next. The firbolgs' magical heritage also
expresses itself in other ways; those who become bards
preserve the clan's lore, and firbolg sorcerers defend their
communities. Firbolg wizards arise when a clan becomes
friendly with elves.
FirboJg rogues are typically scouts tasked with spying on
neighboring folk to determine their intentions. They are
most common among firbolgs whose homes border hu•
man settlements.
Firbolg barbarians are rare except among dans that face
constant threats from evil humanoids and other invaders.
Firbolg clerics and paladins are usually dedicated to nature gods and are seen as enforcers of that god's will.
Firbolg warlocks are rare, but some clans forge alliances
and arcane pacts with powerful fey beings.
Firboig monks are almost entirely unheard of, though a
monastery might take in the young survivors of a devas·
tated firbolg clan.

CHAPTER 2 [ CHARAC'l'JR. RACES

107

GOLIATH
GOLIATHS CAN PROVE USEFUL ALLIES, BUT NEVER TURN

to them in weakness. They are as hard and unforgiving as
the mountain stone, as cold and pitiless as its bitter, cold
winds. Jfyou approach them in strength, they might consideryou worthy of an alliance.
- Tordek, A Guide to the Peaks
At the highest mountain peaks-far above the slopes
where trees grow and where the air is thin and the frigid
winds howl-dwell the reclusive goliaths. Few folk can
claim to have seen a goliath, and fewer still can claim
friendship with one. Goliaths wander a bleak realm of
rock, wind, and cold. Their bodies look as if they are
carved from mountain stone and give them great physical power. Their spirits take after the wandering wind,
making them nomads who wander from peak to peak.
Their hearts are infused with the cold regard of their
frigid realm, leaving each goliath with the responsibility
to earn a place in the tribe or die trying.

DRIVEN COMPETITORS
Every day brings a new challenge to a goliath. Food,
water, and shelter are rare in the uppermost mountain
reaches. A single mistake can bring doom to an entire
tribe, while an individual's heroic effort can ensure the
entire group's survival.
Goliaths thus place a premium on self-sufficiency and
individual skill. They have a compulsion to keep score,

counting their deeds and tallying their accomplishments
to compare to others. Goliaths love to win, but they see
defeat as a prod to improve their skills.
This dedication to competition has a dark side. Goliaths are ferocious competitors, but above all else they
are driven to outdo their past efforts. If a goliath slays
a dragon, he or she might seek out a larger, more powerful wyrm to battle. Few goliath adventurers reach old
age, as most die attempting to surpass their past accomplishments.

FAIR PLAY
For goliaths, competition exists only when it is supported by a level playing field. Competition measures
talent, dedication, and effort. Those factors determine
survival in their home territory, not reliance on magic
items, money, or other elements that can tip the balance
one way or the other. Goliaths happily rely on such
benefits, but they are careful to remember that such an
advantage can always be lost. A goliath who relies too
much on them can grow complacent, a recipe for disaster in the mountains.
This trait manifests most strongly when goliaths
interact with other folk. The relationship between peasants and nobles puzzles goliaths. If a king lacks the
intelligence or leadership to lead, then clearly the most
talented person in the kingdom should take his place.
Goliaths rarely keep such opinions to themselves, and
mock folk who rely on society's structures or rules to
maintain power.

SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST
Among goliaths, any adult who can't contribute to the
tribe is expelled. A lone goliath has little chance of survival, especially an older or weaker one. Goliaths have
little pity for adults who can't take care of themselves,
though a sick or injured individual is treated, as a result
of the goliath concept of fair play.
A permanently injured goliath is still expected to pull
his or her weight in the tribe. Typically, such a goliath
dies attempting to keep up, or the goliath slips away in
the night to seek the cold will of fate.
In some ways, the goliath drive to outdo themselves
feeds into the grim inevitability of their decline and
death. A goliath would much rather die in battle, at the
peak of strength and skill, than endure the slow decay
of old age. Few folk have ever meet an elderly goliath,
and even those goliaths who have left their people grapple with the urge to give up their lives as their physical
skills decay.
Because of their risk-taking, goliath tribes suffer
from a chronic lack of the experience offered by longterm leaders. They hope for innate wisdom in their
leadership, for they can rarely count on a wisdom
grown with age.

GOLIATH NAMES
Every goliath has three names: a birth name assigned
by the newborn's mother and father, a nickname assigned by the tribal chief, and a family or clan name. A
birth name is up to three syllables long. Clan names are
five syllables or more and end in a vowel.
108

CHAPTER 2

i CHARACTER RACES

Birth names are rarely linked to gender. Goliaths see
females and males as equal in all things, and they find
societies with roles divided by gender to be puzzling or
worthy of mockery. To a goliath, the person who is best
at a job should be the one tasked with doing it.
A goliath's nickname is a description that can change
on the whim of a chieftain or tribal elder. It refers to a
notable deed, either a success or failure, committed by
the goliath. Goliaths assign and use nicknames with
their friends of other races, and change them to refer to
an individual's notable deeds.
Goliaths present all three names when identifying
themselves, in the order of birth name, nickname,
and clan name. In casual conversation, they use
their nickname.
Birth Names: Aukan, Eglath, Gae-Al, Gauthak, Ilikan,
Keothi, Kuori, Lo-Kag, Manneo, Maveith, Nalla,
Orilo, Paavu, Pethani, Thalai, Thotham, Uthal,
Vaunea, Vimak
icknames: Bearkiller, Dawncaller, Fearless, Flintfinder, Horncarver, Keeneye, Lonehunter, Longleaper, Rootsmasher, Skywatcher, Steadyhand,
Threadtwister, Twice-Orphaned, Twistedlimb,
Wordpainter
Clan Names: Anakalathai, Elanithino, Gathakanathi,
Kalagiano, Katho-Olavi, Kolae-Gileana, Ogolakanu,
Thuliaga, Thunukalathi, Vaimei-Laga

GOLIATH TRAITS
Goliaths share a number of traits in common with
each other.
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score
increases by 2, and your Constitution score increases by 1.
AAe· Goliaths have lifespans comparable to humans.
They enter adulthood in their late teens and usually live
less than a century.
All;nment. Goliath society, with its clear roles and
tasks, has a strong lawful bent. The goliath sense of fairness, balanced with an emphasis on self-sufficiency and
personal accountability, pushes them toward neutrality.
Size. Goliaths are between 7 and 8 feet tall and weigh
between 280 and 340 pounds. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Natural Athlete. You have proficiency in the Athletics skill.
Stone's Endurance. You can focus yourself to occasionally shrug off injury. When you take damage, you
can use your reaction to roll a dl2. Add your Constitution modifier to the number rolled, and reduce the damage by that total. After you use this trait, you can't use it
again until you finish a short or long rest.
Powerful Build. You count as one size larger when
determining your carrying capacity and the weight you
can push, drag, or lift.
Mountain Born. You're acclimated to high altitude,
including elevations above 20,000 feet. You're also naturally adapted to cold climates, as described in chapter 5
of the Dungeon Master's Guide.
Langua;es. You can speak, read, and write Common
and Giant.

KENKU
THE MAP WE FOUND SHOWED THE ENTRANCE TO THE

Priest King's treasure cache right in the middle of the ruined
section of the city. We approached our destination ,without
issue, but as we arrived at the burned-out building, a sudden cacophony erupted around us. Birds squawked, cats
hissed, and dogs growled. Lidda hustled us back to the city's
safer avenues. Onry when we were back within the area
patrolled by the guard did she explain that the noises indicated that the wingless folk had claimed that area, and that
to trespass would be to court death.
- Gimble, Notes from a Treasure Hunter
Haunted by an ancient crime that robbed them of their
wings, the kenku wander the world as vagabonds and
burglars who live at the edge of human society. Kenku
suffer from a sinister reputation that is not wholly unearned, but they can prove to be valuable allies.

AN ANCIENT CURSE
· The kenku once served a mysterious, powerful entity on
another plane of existence. Some believe they were minions of Grazz't, while others say that they were scouts
and explorers for the Wind Dukes of Aaqa. Whatever
the truth, according to legend, the kenku betrayed their
master. Unable to resist the lure of a beautiful sparkling
treasure, the kenku plotted to steal the item and escape
to the Material Plane.
Unfortunately for the kenku, their master discovered
their plan before they could enact it. Enraged, the entity imposed three dreadful curses upon them. First,
the kenku's beloved wings withered and fell away from
their bodies, leaving them bound to the earth. Second,
because their ingenuity and skill had turned toward
scheming against their patron, the spark of creativity
was torn from their souls. Finally, to ensure that the
kenku could never divulge any secrets, their master took
away their voices. Once the entity was satisfied that they
had been sufficiently punished, the kenku were set loose
on the Material Plane.
Since then, the kenku have wandered the world.
They settle in places that accept them, usually bleak
cities that have fallen on hard times and are overrun
with crime.

DREAMS OF FLIGHT
Above all else, kenku wish to regain their ability to fly.
Every kenku is born with a desire to take to the air, and
those who learn spellcasting do so in hope of mastering
spells that will allow them to fly. Rumors of magic items
such as flying carpets, brooms capable of flight, and
similar objects provoke a great desire for the kenku to
acquire the items for themselves.
Despite their lack of wings, kenku love dwelling in
towers and other tall structures. They seek out ruins
that reach to the sky, though they lack the motivation
and creativity to make repairs or fortify such places.

items with exceptional skill, allowing them to become
excellent artisans and scribes. They can copy books,
make replicas of objects, and otherwise thrive in situations where they can produce large numbers of identical
items. Few kenku find this work satisfying, since their
quest for the freedom of flight makes them ill-suited to
settle into a routine.

IDEAL MINIONS
Kenku gather in groups called flocks. A flock is led by
the oldest and most experienced kenku with the widest
store of knowledge to draw on, often called Master.
Although kenku can't create new things, they have a
talent for learning and memorizing details. Thus, ambitious kenku can excel as superb spies and scouts. A
kenku who learns of clever schemes and plans devised
by other creatures can put them to use. The kenku lack
the talent to improvise or alter a plan, but a wise Master
sets multiple plans in motion at once, confident that underlings can follow orders to the letter.
For this reason, many kenku make an easy living
serving as messengers, spies, and lookouts for thieves'
guilds, bandits, and other criminal cartels. A network of
kenku can relay a bird call or similar noise across the
city, alerting their allies to the approach of a guard patrol or signaling a prime opportunity for a robbery.
Since kenku can precisely reproduce any sound, the
messages they carry rarely suffer degradation or shifts
in meaning. Human messengers might switch words
or phrases and garble a message inadvertently, but the
kenku produce perfect copies of whatever they hear.

KENKU ADVENTURERS

Even so, their light weight and size allow them to dwell
in rickety structures that would collapse beneath a human or an ore.
Some thieves' guilds use kenku as lookouts and messengers. The kenku dwell in the tallest buildings and
towers the guild controls, allowing them to lurk in the
highest levels and to keep watch on the city below.

HOPELESS PLAGIARISTS
As,a r~sult of their lack of creativity, kenku function
comfortably as minions of a powerful master. Flock
leaders enforce discipline and minimize conflicts,
but they fail at effective planning or crafting longterm schemes.
Although unable to speak in,their own voices, kenku
can perfectly mimic any sound they hear, from a halfling's voice to the noise of rocks clattering down a hillside. However, kenku cannot create new sounds and
can communicate only by using sounds they have heard.
Most kenku use a combination of overheard phrases
and sound effects to convey their ideas and thoughts.
By the same token, kenku have no ability to invent new
ideas or create new things. Kenku can copy existing
CHAPTER 2

! dll.ARAC'T'ER

Kenku adventurers are usually the survivors of a flock
that has sustained heavy losses, or a rare kenku who
has grown weary of a life of crime. These kenku are
more ambitious and daring than their fellows. Others
strike out on their own in search of the secrets of flight,
to master magic, or to uncover the secret of their curse
and find a method to break it.
Kenku adventurers, despite their relative independence, still have a tendency to seek out a companion to
emulate and follow. A kenku loves to mimic the voice
and words of its chosen companion.

KENKU NAMES
Given that kenku can duplicate any sound, their names
are drawn from a staggering variety of noises and
phrases. Kenku names tend to break down into three
categories that make no distinction between male and
female names.
Kenku thugs, warriors, and toughs adopt noises made
by weapons, such as the clang of a mace against armor
or the sound made by a breaking bone. Non-kenku
refer to the kenku by describing this noise. Examples
of this type of name include Smasher, Clanger, Slicer,
and Basher.
Kenku thieves, con artists, and burglars adopt animal
noises, typically those common in urban settings. In this
manner, kenku can call out to each other while those
who overhear them mistake them for common animals.

Non-kenku use names that refer to the sound made or
the animal a kenku mimics, such as Rat Scratch, Whistler, Mouser, and Growler.
Some kenku turn their back on crime to pursue legitimate trades. These kenku adopt noises made as part of
their craft. A sailor duplicates the sound of a fluttering
sail, while a smith mimics the clanging of a hammer
on metal. Non-kenku describe these folk by their trade
sounds, such as Sail Snap, Hammerer, and Cutter.

KENKU TRAITS
Your kenku character has the following racial traits.
Ability Scare Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and your Wisdom score increases by 1.
Age. Kenku have shorter lifespans than humans. They
reach maturity at about 12 years old and can live to 60.
Alignment. Kenku are chaotic creatures, rarely making enduring commitments, and they care mostly for
preserving their own hides. They are generally chaotic
neutral in outlook.
Size. Kenku are around 5 feet tall and weigh between
90 and 120 pounds. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Expert Forgery. You can duplicate other creatures'
handwriting and craftwork. You have advantage on all
checks made to produce forgeries or duplicates of existing objects.
Kenku Training. You are proficient in your choice
of two of the following skills: Acrobatics, Deception,
Stealth, and Sleight of Hand.
Mimicry. You can mimic sounds you have heard,
including voices. A creature that hears the sounds you
make can tell they are imitations with a successful Wisdom (Insight) check opposed by your Charisma (Deception) check.
Languages. You can read and write Common and Auran, but you can speak only by using your Mimicry trait.
ROLEPLAYING A KEN KU

If you're playing a kenku, constant attempts to mimic
noises can come across as confusing or irritating rather
than entertaining. You can just as easily describe the
sounds your character makes and what they mean. Be
clear about your character's intentions unless you're deliberately aiming for inscrutable or mysterious.
You might say, "Snapper makes the noise of a hammer
slowly and rhythmically tapping a stone to show how
bored he is. He plays with his dagger and studies the
Lords' Alliance agent sitting at the bar." Creating a vocabulary of noises for the other players to decode might
sound like fun, but it can prove distracting and could slow
down the game.

LIZARD FOLK
IF YOU'RE CONSIDERING TAKING A SCALED ONE ALONG

on an adventure, remember this important fact. The
strange, inhuman glint in its eyes as it looksyou over is the
same look you might give a freshly grilled steak.
- Tordek, dwarffighter and adventurer
Only a fool looks at the lizardfolk and sees nothing more
than scaly humanoids. Their physical shape notwithstanding, lizardfolk have more in common with iguanas
or dragons than they do with humans, dwarves, or elves.
Lizardfolk possess an alien and inscrutable mindset,
their desires and thoughts driven by a different set of
basic principles than those of warm-blooded creatures.
Their dismal swamp homes might lie hundreds of miles
from the nearest human settlement, but the gap between their way of thinking and that of the smooth-skins
is far greater.
Despite their alien outlook, some lizardfolk make an
effort to understand and, in their own manner, befriend
people of other races. Such lizardfolk make faithful and
skilled allies.

ALIEN MINDS
The lizardfolk's reptilian nature comes through not
only in their appearance, but also in how they think and
act. Lizardfolk experience a more limited emotional life
than other humanoids. Like most reptiles, their feelings
largely revolve around fear, aggression, and pleasure.
Lizardfolk experience most feelings as detached
descriptions of creatures and situations. For example,
humans confronted by an angry troll experience fear on
a basic level. Their limbs shake, their thinking becomes
panicked and jumbled, and they react by instinct. The
emotion of fear takes hold and controls their actions.
In contrast, lizardfolk see emotions as traits assigned
to other creatures, objects, and situations. A lizardfolk
doesn't think, "I'm scared." Instead, aggressive, stronger
creatures register to the lizardfolk as fearsome beings
to be avoided if possible. If such creatures attack, lizardfolk flee, fighting only if cornered. Lizardfolk aren't
scared of a troll; instead, they understand that a troll is a
fearsome, dangerous creature and react accordingly.
Lizardfolk never become angry in the way others do,
but they act with aggression toward creatures that they
could defeat in a fight and that can't be dealt with in
some other manner. They are aggressive toward prey
they want to eat, creatures that want to harm them,
and so on.
Pleasurable people and things make life easier for
lizardfolk. Pleasurable things should be preserved and
protected, sometimes at the cost of the lizardfolk's own
safety. The most pleasurable creatures and things are
ones that allow lizardfolk to assess more situations as
benign rather than fearsome.

CRAPTE R 2

- ~-+t.:::::::!:SH:::==================~:===

I C HARM:::Tli R. R..a:C£ S

UTILITY AND SURVIVAL
The lizardfolk mindset might seem unnecessarily cruel,
but it helps them survive in a hostile environment. The
swamps they inhabit are filled with a staggering variety
of threats. Lizardfolk focus on survival above all, without sentiment.
Lizardfolk assess everyone and everything in terms
of utility. Art and beauty have little meaning for them. A
sharp sword serves a useful and good purpose, while a
dull sword is a dead weight without a whetstone.
Lizardfolk see little need to plan more than a season
or so into the future. This approach allows them to
maintain their current level of influence in the world,
but it limits their growth. Lizardfolk have no interest in
developing writing, making long-term plans, or cultivating other methods to progress beyond their simpie existence as hunters and gatherers.

HAPLESS SOFT ONES
At their core, lizardfolk view other humanoids with an
indifference verging on pity. Born into the world lacking
stout scales and sharp teeth, it's a wonder they have
managed to survive for so long. The typical human
would barely make it through a day in the swamps.
Still, if other creatures prove useful to lizardfolk,
those creatures can trigger a prote,ctive response made
all the stronger by their apparent weakness. The lizardfolk assess such beings as hatchlings, young ones
incapable of protecting themselves but who might prove
useful in the future if they receive care.

LIZARDFOLK PERSONALITY
You can use the Lizardfolk Quirks table to determine a
personality quirk for a lizardfolk character or to inspire
a unique mannerism.
LIZARDFOLK QUIRKS

COLD AND CALCULATING
Most humanoids describe cold-blooded people as lacking in emotion and empathy. The same label serves as
an apt depiction of lizardfolk.
Lacking any internal emotional reactions, lizardfolk
behave in a distant manner. They don't mourn fallen
comrades or rage against their enemies. They simply
observe and react as a situation warrants.
Lizardfolk lack meaningful emotional ties to the past.
They assess situations based on their current and future utility and importance. Nowhere does this come
through as strongly as when lizardfolk deal with the
dead. To a lizardfolk, a comrade who dies becomes a potential source of food. That companion might have once
been a warrior or hunter, but now the body is just freshly
killed meat.
A lizard folk who lives among other humanoids can,
over time, learn to respect other creatures' emotions.
The lizardfolk doesn't share those feelings, but instead
assesses them in the same clinical manner. Yes, the
fallen dwarf might be most useful as a meal, but hacking
the body into steaks provokes aggression in the other
humanoids and makes them less helpful in battle.
II2

CHAPTER 2

! CHARACTER RAC"£S

Quirk
You hate waste and see no reason not to scavenge
fallen enemies. Fingers are tasty and portable!

2
3

You sleep best while mostly submerged in water.
Money is meaningless to you.
·------

You think there are only two species of humanoid:
lizardfolk and meat.
You have learned to laugh. You use this talent in
response to all emotional situations, to better fit in
with your comrades.
You still don't understand how metaphors work.
That doesn't stop you from using them at every op·
portunity.
You appreciate the soft humanoids who realize they
need chain mail and swords to match the gifts you
were born with.
You enjoy eating your food while it's still wriggling.

LIZARDFOLK NAMES
Lizardfolk take their names from the Draconic language. They use simple descriptives granted by the tribe
based on an individual's notable deeds or actions. For
example, Garurt translates as "axe," a name given to a
lizardfolk warrior who defeated an ore and claimed his
foe's weapon. A lizardfolk who likes to hide in a stand of
reeds before ambushing an animal might be called Achuak, which means "green" to describe how she blends
into the foliage.
Lizardfolk make no distinction between male and female in their naming conventions. Each example name
includes its translation in parenthesis.
Lizardfolk Names: Achuak (green), Aryte (war), Baeshra (animal), Darastrix (dragon), Garurt (axe), Irhtos
(secret), Jhank (hammer), Kepesk (storm), Kethend
(gem), Korth (danger), Kosj (small), Kothar (demon), Litrix (armor), Mirik (song), Othokent (smart), Sauriv (eye),
Throden (many), Thurkear (night), Usk (iron), Valignat
(burn), Vargach (battle), Verthica (mountain), Vutha
(black), Vyth (steel)

LIZARDFOLK TRAITS
Your lizardfolk character has the following racial traits.
Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 2, and your Wisdom score increases by 1.
Age. Lizardfolk reach maturity arqund age 14 and
rarely live longer than 60 years.
Alignment. Most lizardfolk are neutral. They see the
world as a place of predators and prey, where life and
death are natural processes. They wish only to survive,
and prefer to leave other creatures to their own devices.
Size. Lizardfolk are a little bulkier and taller than
humans, and their colorful frills make them appear even
larger. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet, and you
have a swimming speed of 30 feet.
Bite. Your fanged maw is a natural weapon, which you
can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with it, you
deal piercing damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an
unarmed strike.
Cunning Artisan. As part of a short rest, you can harvest bone and hide from a slain beast, construct, dragon,
monstrosity, or plant creature of size Small or larger
to create one of the following items: a shield, a club, a
javelin, or ld4 darts or blowgun needles. To use this
trait, you need a blade, such as a dagger, or appropriate
artisan's tools, such as leatherworker's tools.
Hold Breath. You can hold your breath for up to 15
minutes at a time.
Hunter's Lore. You gain proficiency with two of the
following skills of your choice: Animal Handling, Nature, Perception, Stealth, and Survival.
Natural Armor. You have tough, scaly skin. When you
aren't wearing armor, your AC is 13 + your Dexterity
modifier. You can use your natural armor to determine
your AC if the armor you wear would leave you with a
lower AC. A shield's benefits apply as normal while you
use your natural armor.

LIZARDFOLK SPEECH

Lizardfolk can master Common, but their mindset results
in a speech pattern distintt from other humanoids.
Lizardfolk rarely use metaphors. Their speec;h is almost
alway$ literal. They might pick up idioms, but only with
some difficulty.
Names confuse them, unless they are descriptive. They
tend to a.pply their own naming conventions to other creatures using Common words.
Liiardfolk use active verbs to describe the world. A liz,
ardfolk in cold weather might say, "This wind brings cold"
rather than "·I feel cold." Lizardfolk tend to define things In
terms of actions, rather than effects.

HungryJaws. In battle, you can throw yourself into a
vicious feeding frenzy. As a bonus action, you can make
a special attack with your bite. If the attack hits, it deals
its normal damage, and you gain temporary hit points
(minimum of 1) equal to your Constitution modifier, and
you can't use this trait again until you finish a short or
long rest.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common
and Draconic.

TABAXI
WE HAD A TABAXI COME THROUGH ONCE, A FEW WINTERS

back. She kept the taproom packed each night with her stories and spent most days napping in a chair in front of the
fireplace. We thought she was lazy, but when Linene came
around looking for a missing broach, she was out the door
before I could blink an eye.
-Toblen Stonehill, innkeeper
Hailing from a strange and distant land, wandering tabaxi are catlike humanoids driven by curiosity to collect
interesting artifacts, gather tales and stories, and lay
eyes on all the world's wonders. Ultimate travelers, the
inquisitive tabaxi rarely stay in one place for long. Their
innate nature pushes them to leave no secrets uncovered, no treasures or legends lost.

WANDERING OUTCASTS
Most tabaxi remain in their distant homeland, content
to dwell in small, tight clans. These tabaxi hunt for food,
craft goods, and largely keep to themselves.
However, not all tabaxi are satisfied with such a life.
The Cat Lord, the divine figure responsible for the creation of the tabaxi, gifts each of his children with one
specific feline trait. Those tabaxi gifted with curiosity
are compelled to wander far and wide. They seek out
stories, artifacts, and lore. Those who survive this period of wanderlust return home in their elder years to
share news of the outside world. In this manner, the
tabaxi remain isolated but never ignorant of the world
beyond their home.

BARTERERS OF LORE
Tabaxi treasure knowledge rather than material things.
A chest filled with gold coins might be useful to buy food
or a coil of rope, but it's not intrinsically interesting.

THE CAT LORD

The deity of the tabaxi is a fickle e.ntity. as befits the patron
of cats. The tabaxi believe that the Cat Lord wanders the
world, watching over them and intervening in their affairs
as needed. Clerics of the Cat Lord are rare and typically
access the Trickery domain.

In the tabaxi's eyes, gathering wealth is like packing
rations for a long trip. It's important to survive in the
world, but not worth fussing over.
Instead, tabaxi value knowledge and new experiences.
Their ears perk up in a busy tavern, and they tease
out stories with offers of food, drink, and coin. Tabaxi
might walk away with empty purses, but they mull
over the stories and rumors they collected like a miser
counting coins.
Although material wealth holds little attraction for the
tabaxi, they have an insatiable desire to find and inspect
ancient relics, magical items, and other rare objects.
Aside from the power such items might confer, a tabaxi
takes great joy in unraveling the stories behind their creation and the history of their use.

FLEETING FANCIES
Wandering tabaxi are mercurial creatures, trading one
obsession or passion for the next as the whim strikes. A
tabaxi's desire burns bright, but once met it disappears
to be replaced with a new obsession. Objects remain intriguing only as long as they still hold secrets.
A tabaxi rogue could happily spend months plotting to
steal a strange gem from a noble, only to trade it for passage on a ship or a week's lodging after stealing it. The
tabaxi might take extensive notes or memorize every
facet of the gem before passing it on, but the gem holds
no more allure once its secrets and nature have been
laid bare.

TINKERS AND MINSTRELS
Curiosity drives most of the tabaxi found outside their
homeland, but not all of them become adventurers. Tabaxi who seek a safer path to satisfy their obsessions
become wandering tinkers and minstrels.
These tabaxi work in small troupes, usually consisting
of an elder, more experienced tabaxi who guides up to
four young ones learning their way in the world. They
travel in small, colorful wagons, moving from settlement
to settlement. When they arrive, they set up a small
stage in a public square where they sing, play instruments, tell stories, and offer exotic goods in trade for
items that spark their interest. Tabaxi reluctantly accept
gold, but they much prefer interesting objects or pieces
of lore as payment.
These wanderers keep to civilized realms, preferring
to bargain instead of pursuing more dangerous methods
of sating their curiosity. However, they aren't above a
little discreet theft to get their claws on a particularly interesting item when an owner refuses to sell or trade it.

TABAXI PERSONALITY
A tabaxi might have motivations and quirks much different from a dwarf or an elf with a similar background.
You can use the following tables to customize your character in addition to the trait, ideal, bond, and flaw from
your background.
The Tabaxi Obsession table can help hone your
character's goals. For extra fun, roll a new result every few days that pass in the campaign to reflect your
ever-changing curiosity.
TABAXI OBSESSIONS

My curiosity is currently fixed on ...

2
3

A god or planar entity
A monster
A lost civilization

5
6

1
8

Each tabaxi has a single name, determined by clan and
based on a complex formula that involves astrology,

CliAPTER 2 I CHARACTER RACES

A wizard's secrets
A mundane item
A magic item
A location
A legend or tale

TABAXI QUIRKS

dlO

1
2

3
4

5
6
7

TABAXI NAMES

II4

prophecy, clan history, and other esoteric factors. Tabaxi names can apply to both males and females, and
most use nicknames derived from or inspired by their
full names.
Clan names are usually based on a geographical feature located in or near the clan's territory.
The following list of sample tabaxi names includes
nicknames in parenthesis.
Tabaxi Names: Cloud on the Mountaintop (Cloud),
Five Timber (Timber), Jade Shoe Qade), Left-Handed
Hummingbird (Bird), Seven Thundercloud (Thunder),
Skirt of Snakes (Snake), Smoking Mirror (Smoke)
Tabaxi Clans: Bright Cliffs, Distant Rain, Mountain
Tree, Rumbling River, Snoring Mountain

Quirk
You miss your tropical home and complain endlessly
about the freezing,weather, even in summer.
You never wear the same outfit twice, unless you absolutely must.
You have a minor phobta of water and hate getting
wet.
Your tail always betrays your inner thoughts.
You purr loudfy when you are hap.py.
You keep a small ball of yarn in your hand, which you
constantly fidget with.
You are alway5 in debt, since you spend your gold on
lavish parties and gifts for friends.
When talking about something you're obsessed with,
you speak quickly and never pause and others can't
understand you .
You are a .font of random trivia from the lore and sto·
ries you have discovered.
You can't help but pocket interesting objects you
come across.

-·=====================::::l:2!::::~...,___

Size. Tabaxi are taller on average than humans and
relatively slender. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision. You have a cat's keen senses, especially
in the dark. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of
you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it
were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only
shades of gray.
Feline Asility. Your reflexes and agility allow you to
move with a burst of speed. When you move on your
tum in combat, you can double your speed until the end
of the tum. Once you use this trait, you can't use it again
until you move O feet on one of your turns.
Cat's Claws. Because of your claws, you have a climbing speed of 20 feet. In addition, your claws are natural
weapons, which you can use to make unarmed strikes.
If you hit with them, you deal slashing damage equal to
ld4 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning
damage normal for an unarmed strike.
Cat's Talent. You have proficiency in the Perception
and Stealth skills.
Lansuages. You can speak, read, and write Common
and one other language of your choice.

TRITON
AH, THE TRITONS. IMAGINE IF THE ELVES SPENT A FEW

centuries far beneath the sea, where their arrogance and
pretension could grow undisturbed. At least the tritons
spent that time fighting sahuagin and worse, so you know
you can count on them in a fight.
-Brego Stoneheart, sea captain
Tritons guard the ocean depths, building small settlements beside deep trenches, portals to the elemental
planes, and other dangerous spots far from the eyes of
land-bound folk. Long-established guardians of the deep
ocean floor, in recent years the noble tritons have become increasingly active in the world above.

T ABAXI TRAITS
Your tabaxi character has the following racial traits.
Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and your Charisma score increases by 1.
Ase. Tabaxi have lifespans equivalent to humans.
Alisnment. Tabaxi tend toward chaotic alignments,
as they let impulse and fancy guide their decisions. They
are rarely evil, with most of them driven by curiosity
rather than greed or other dark impulses.
TABAXI IN THE fORCOTTEN REALMS

In the Forgotten Realms, tabaxi hail from Maztica, a realm
located far across the ocean west of the Sword Coast. The
tabaxi of Maztica are known for their isolation, and until
recently they never ventured from their homeland. The
tabaxi say little of why that has changed, though rumors
persist of strange happenings in that distant land.

AQUATIC CRUSADERS
Centuries ago, tritons entered the world in response
to the growing threat of evil elementals. Tritons waged
many wars against their enemies on the Plane of Water, driving them into the Darkened Depths where they
escaped into the crushing pressure and utter darkness.
In time, the tritons noticed that their ancient elemental
foes had grown quiet. Expeditions to the depths revealed that krakens, sahuagin, and far worse foes had
fled the Plane of Water for the Material Plane.
The tritons, driven by a sense of duty and responsibility, would not allow their foes to escape so easily.
A great conclave of tritons chose volunteers skilled in
weapons and magic as part of an expeditionary force to
enter the Material Plane and seek out their enemies.
Those tritons spread across the world's oceans and established protectorates to watch over deep sea trenches,
portals, undersea caves, and other locations where their
enemies might lurk. They defeated their foes when they
found them and drove the rest into hiding.

CHAPTER 2 f CHARACTER RACES

allowance for such ignorance and are delighted to expound upon the great debt others owe them.
Tritons also have a tendency to emerge from their isolation under the assumption that other folk will welcome
them as respected allies and mentors. Again, distance
drives much of this attitude. The tritons' limited view of
the world leaves them ignorant of the kingdoms, wars,
and other struggles of the surface world. Tritons readily
see such concerns as minor events, a sideshow to the
tritons' role as the world's true protectors.

STAUNCH CHAMPIONS
Despite their off-putting manners, tritons are benevolent
creatures at heart, convinced that other civilized races
deserve their protection. Their attitude might grate, but
when pirate fleets prowl the waves or a kraken awakens
from its slumber, they are among the first to take up
arms to protect others.
Tritons readily sacrifice themselves for the common
good. They will fight and die for humans, merfolk, and
other creatures without question. Their self-absorbed
nature makes them overlook the history of other creatures, but they also endure a sense of guilt over allowing
the evils of the Plane of Water to enter the Material
Plane and threaten its inhabitants. The tritons believe
they owe a debt of honor to the world, and they will fight
and die to pay it.
At times their fervor and ignorance of the world can
lead them astray. Tritons encountering other creatures
for the first time can underestimate them, leaving the
tritons vulnerable to deception. With their strong martial tradition, tritons can sometimes be too eager to leap
into a fight.

STRANGERS TO THE SURFACE
Given their isolation, most tritons have never been to
the surface world. They struggle with the idea that they
can't easily move up and down out of water, and the
changing of the seasons mystifies them.
SPELL: WALL OF WATER

3rd-level evocation
With their foes banished to the deepest reaches of the
sea, tritons settled in to watch for any sign of their return. Over time, the tritons extended their stewardship
over the sea floor from their initial settlements and built
outposts to create trade with other races. Despite this
expansion, few folk know of them. Their settlements
are so remote even merfolk and sea elves rarely encounter them.

HAUGHTY NOBLES
As a result of their isolation and limited understanding of the Material Plane, tritons can come across as
haughty and arrogant. They see themselves as caretakers of the sea, and they expect other creatures to pay
them deep respect, if not complete deference.
This attitude might grate on others, but it arises from
a seed of truth. Few know of the tritons' great victories
over dreadful undersea threats. The tritons make little

CHAPTER 2

! CHARACTER RACES

Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V. S, M (a d-rop of water)
Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes
You conjure up a wall of water on the ground at a point
you can see within range. You can make the wall up to 30
feet long, 10 feet high, and l foot thick, or you can make
a ringed wait up to 20 feet in diameter, 20 feet high, and
1 foot thick~ The wall vanishes when the spell ends. The
wall's space is difficult terrain.
Any ranged weapon attack that enters the wall's space
has disadvantage on the attack roll, and fire damage is
halved if the fire effect passes through the wall to reach its
target. Spells that deal cold damage that pass through the
wall cause the area of the wan they pass through to freeze
solid (at least a 5-foot square section is frt>zen), Each
5-foot•square frozen section has AC 5 and 1S hit points.
Reducing a frozen section to Ohit points destroys it. When
a section is destroyed, the wall's water doesn't fill it.

=====================::::ti~~--

Tritons also find the variety of social institutions,
kingdoms, and other customs bewildering. For all
their proud culture, they remain innocent of the surface world. The typical triton protectorate is tightly
regimented, organized, and unified around a common
cause. A triton on the surface becomes easily confused
by the bewildering array of alliances, rivalries, and
petty grievances that prevent the surface folk from
truly unifying.
At its worst, a triton's arrogance compounds the tendency for the triton. not to understand the ways of the
surface world. It's easy for a triton to blame baffling
social practices on what the triton perceives as the barbarism, weakness, or cowardice of surface folk.

TRITON PERSONALITY
Far from flawless, these champions of good mean well,
but they are easily frustrated by others. You can select,
roll, or adapt a triton-specific quirk from the Triton
Quirks table. Use the quirk to inform how you portray
your character.
TRITON QUIRKS

3
4

5
6

Quirk
You phrase requests as orders that you expect to be
obeyed.
You are quick to boast of the gre,atness of your civilization.
You learned an antiquated version of Common and
drop '1thee 0 and "thou" into your speech.
You assume that people are telling you the truth
about local customs and expectations.
The surface world is a wondrous place, and you catalog all its details in a journal.
You mistakenly assume that surface folk know about
and are impressed by your people's history.

T RITON NAMES
Most triton names have two or three syllables. Male
names typically end with a vowel and the letter s, and
female names traditionally end with an n. Tritons use
their home protectorate as a surname, with the name
formed by adding a vowel followed by a "th" to the end of
the protectorate's name.

Female Triton Names: Aryn, Belthyn, Duthyn, Feloren,
Otanyn, Shalryn, Vlaryn, Wolyn
Male Triton Names: Corus, Delnis, Jhimas, Keros, Molos, Nalos, Vodos, Zunis
Triton Surnames: Ahlorsath, Pumanath, Vuuvaxath

TRITON TRAITS
Your triton character has the following racial traits.

Ability Score Increase. Your Strength, Constitution,
and Charisma scores each increase by 1.
A;e. Tritons reach maturity around age 15 and can
live up to 200 years.
Alisnment. Tritons tend toward lawful good. As
guardians of the darkest reaches of the sea, their culture
pushes them toward order and benevolence.

Size. Tritons are slightly sli'orter than humans, averaging about 5 feet tall. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet, and you
have a swimming speed of 30 feet.
Amphibious. You can breathe air and water.
Control Air and Water. A child of the sea, you can call
on the magic of elemental air and water. You can cast
fog cloud with this trait. Starting at 3rd level, you can
cast gust of wind with it, and starting at 5th level, you
can also cast wall of water with it (see the spell in the
sidebar). Once you cast a spell with this trait, you can't
do so again until you finish a long rest. Charisma is your
spellcasting ability for these spells.
Emissary of the Sea. Aquatic beasts have an extraordinary affinity with your people. You can communicate
simple ideas with beasts that can breathe water. They
can understand the meaning of your words, though you
have no special ability to understand them in return.
Guardians of the Depths. Adapted to even the most
extreme ocean depths, you have resistance to cold damage, and you ignore any of the drawbacks caused by a
deep, underwater environment.
Lansuages. You can speak, read, and write Common
and Primordial.

MONSTROUS ADVENTURERS
In some campaigns, humanoids normally regarded
as sinister threats can emerge to adventure alongside
humans and the other standard races. This section is
aimed at DMs who wish to expand the race selections
for their campaigns beyond the typical folk of D&D.

chitects of grand, heavily fortified edifices, which other
folk dwell in for a price. The cultural notes in chapter 1
are the standard D&D depiction of these creatures, but
by no means do they define them for your campaign.
Use them as a starting point for your own ideas.
OUTCAST OR AMBASSADOR?

Consider how a monstrous character's native culture
views the character. Is the character an outcast, a spy,
an ambassador, or something else? Work with the
player to determine how the character ended up as an
adventurer.
The character's bond is a great starting point to consider for this question. How did the bond drive the character to adventure? The character's trait, flaw, and ideal
can also play a role in fleshing out the story.
FRIENDS OR ENEMIES?

Figure out what special ties the character has to other
members of the adventuring party. An ore warlock
might be the dwarf ranger's sworn enemy, but the two
are forced to work together to defeat a mutual foe. Perhaps the kobold sorcerer was the tiefiing wizard's familiar, transformed by an irate archmage in return for some
petty insult. The hobgoblin paladin might have been
human once, but crossed the wrong hag and was cursed
to take on an evil guise. A creative tie betw:een a monstrous character and the rest of the party helps make for
a memorable campaign.
The Monstrous Origin table gives a number of ideas
for adding a monstrous character to the campaign.
MONSTROUS ORIGIN

WHY A MONSTROUS CHARACTER?
Creating characters as creatures normally cast as villains offers up some interesting roleplaying possibilities.
Whether played for comedy, as a tragic story of betrayal
and loss, or as an antihero, a monstrous character gives
a player a chance to take on an unusual challenge in
the campaign. Before allowing monstrous characters in
your campaign, consider the following three questions.
RARE OR MUNDANE?

CHAPTER 2

! CHARACTER RAC.ES

3
4
5

Consider how common ore, goblin, and similar adventurers are in your setting. Are they regarded as
no stranger than elves or dwarves? Are they met with
suspicion? The role these races play in your setting
should determine the kinds of reactions that such characters meet.
Don't be afraid to push things to an extreme. An ore
character might have to venture into town in disguise
or remain in the wilderness, for fear of imprisonment
or mob violence. Be sure to talk to the group about how
such characters can expect the world to treat them.
Some players like the challenge of taking on an outcast,
but don't set up one expectation and deliver another.
You can establish a monstrous creat\lr~ as just another culture in your campaign, one that has alliances
and rivalries with humans, elves, and dwarves. A
hobgoblin kingdom might serve as a buffer between a
human kingdom and a blighted region overrun by the
spawn of Kyuss. Kobolds might be city builders, the ar-

d8
l

7
8

Origin
You are a spy sent to undermine your enemies from
withi11.
You are the victim of a curse or polymorph spelll.
You were raised by humans, elves, or dwarves and
have adopted their culture.
At a young age, you adopted a human religion and
now serve it faithfully.
You received divine in$ight that sent you on your path,
and occasionally receive new visions that guide yot,1~ :
Your sworn enemy is an ally of your people, forcing
you to leave your tribe to gain vengeance.
An evil entity (orrupted your. people's society.
An injury or strange event caused you to lose all memory of your past, but occasional flashes of it return to
you.

RACIAL TRAITS
The game traits of the monstrous races are given here.
Refer to chapter 1 for their cultural and roleplaying
notes. Some of these races are unusual in that they have
a reduction to an ability score, and some are more or
less powerful than the typical D&D races-additional
reasons for the monstrous races to be used in a campaign with care.

=====================::tic~~--~

BUGBEAR TRAITS

HOBGOBLIN TRAITS

Your bugbear character has the following racial traits.
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 2 1 and your Dexterity score increases by 1.
Age. Bugbears reach adulthood at age 16 and live up
to 80 years.
Alignment. Bugbears endure a harsh existence that
demands each of them to remain self-sufficient, even at
the expense of their fellows. They tend to be chaotic evil.
Size. Bugbears are between 6 and 8 feet tall and
weigh between 250 and 350 pounds. Your size
is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet
of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it
were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only
shades of gray.
Long-Limbed. When you make a melee attack on your
turn, your reach for it is 5 feet greater than normal.
Powerful Build. You count as one size larger when
determining your carrying capacity and the weight you
can push, drag, or lift.
Sneaky. You are proficient in the Stealth skill.
Surprise Attack. If you surprise a creature and hit it
with an attack on your first turn in combat, the attack
deals an extra 2d6 damage to it. You can use this trait
only once per combat.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common
and Goblin.

Your hobgoblin character has the following racial traits.
Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 2, and your Intelligence score increases by 1.
Age. Hobgoblins mature at the same rate as humans
and have lifespans similar in length to theirs.
Ali;nment. Hobgoblin society is built on fidelity to a
rigid, unforgiving code of conduct. As such, they tend
toward lawful evil.
Size. Hobgoblins are between 5 and 6 feet tall
and weigh between 150 and 200 pounds. Your size
is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet
of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it
were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only
shades of gray.
Martial Trainin;. You are proficient with two martial
weapons of your choice and with light armor.
Savin; Face. Hobgoblins are careful not to show
weakness in front of their allies, for fear of losing status.
If you miss with an attack roll or fail an ability check or
a saving throw, you can gain a bonus to the roll equal to
the number of allies you can see within 30 feet of you
(maximum bonus of +5). Once you use this trait, you
can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common
and Goblin.

GOBLIN TRAITS

Your kobold character has the following racial traits.
Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and your Strength score is reduced by 2.
Age. Kobolds reach adulthood at age 6 and can live up
to 120 years but rarely do so.
Alignment. Kobolds are fundamentally selfish, making them evil, but their reliance on the strength of their
group makes them trend toward law.
Size. Kobolds are between 2 and 3 feet tall and weigh
between 25 and 35 pounds. Your size is Small.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet
of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it
were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only
shades of gray.
Grovel, Cower, and Be;. As an action on your turn,
you can cower pathetically to distract nearby foes. Until
the end of your next turn, your allies gain advantage on
attack rolls against enemies within 10 feet of you that
can see you. Once you use this trait, you can't use it
again until you finish a short or long rest.
Pack Tactics. You have advantage on an attack roll
against a creature if at least one of your allies is within 5
feet of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated.
Sunli;ht Sensitivity. You have disadvantage on attack
rolls and on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on
sight when you, the target of your attack, or whatever
you are trying to perceive is in direct sunlight.
Lan;uages. You can speak, read, and write Common
and Draconic.

KOBOLD TRAITS

Your goblin character has the following racial traits.
Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score
increases by 2, and your Constitution score increases by 1.
Age. Goblins reach adulthood at age 8 and live up
to 60 years.
Alignment. Goblins are typically neutral evil, as they
care only for their own needs. A few goblins might tend
toward good or neutrality, but only rarely.
Size. Goblins are between 3 and 4 feet tall and weigh
between 40 and 80 pounds. Your size is Small.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet
of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it
were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only
shades of gray.
Fury of the Small. When you damage a creature with
an attack or a spell and the creature's size is larger than
yours, you can cause the attack or spell to deal extra
damage to the creature. The extra damage equals your
level. Once you use this trait, you can't use it again until
you finish a short or long rest.
Nimble Escape. You can take the Disengage or Hide
action as a bonus action on each of your turns.
Lan;uages. You can speak, read, and write Common
and Goblin.

CHAPTER 2 f CHARACTER RACES

II9

YUAN-TI PUREBLOOD TRAITS

Your yuan-ti pureblood character- called a pureblood
for short-has the following racial traits.
Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score increases by 2, and your Intelligence score increases by 1.
Ase. Purebloods mature at the same rate as humans
and have lifespans similar in length to theirs.
Ali;nment. Purebloods are devoid of emotion and see
others as tools to manipulate. They care little for law or
chaos and are typically neutral evil.
Size. Purebloods match humans in average size and
weight. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet
of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it
were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only
shades of gray.
Innate Spellcastins. You know the poison spray
cantrip. You can cast animal friendship an unlimited
number of times with this trait, but you can target only
snakes with it. Starting at 3rd level, you can also cast
suggestion with this trait. Once you cast it, you can't do
so again until you finish a long rest. Charisma is your
spellcasting ability for these spells.
Masic Resistance. You have advantage on saving
throws against spells and other magical effects.
Poison Immunity. You are immune to poison damage
and the poi~oned condition.
Langua;es. You can speak, read, and write Common,
Abyssal, and Draconic.

HEIGHT AND WEIGHT
ORO TRAITS

Your ore character has the following racial traits.
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 2, your Constitution score increases by 1,
and your Intelligence score is reduced by 2.
A;e. Ores reach adulthood at age 12 and live up
to 50 years.
Alisnment. Ores are vicious raiders, who believe that
the world should be theirs. They also respect strength
above all else and believe the strong must bully the
weak to ensure that weakness does not spread like a
disease. They are usually chaotic evil.
Size. Ores are usually over 6 feet tall and weigh between 230 and 280 pounds. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet
of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it
were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only
shades of gray.
Assressive. As a bonus action, you can move up to
your speed toward an enemy of your choice that you can
see or hear. You must end this move closer to the enemy
than you started.
Menacins. You are trained in the Intimidation skill.
Powerful Build. You count as one size larger when
determining your carrying capacity and the weight you
can push, drag, or lift.
Lansuases. You can speak, read, and write Common and Orc.

120

CHAPTER ~

I CHARACTER RACES

You may roll for your character's height and weight on
the Random Height and Weight table. The roll in the
Height Modifier column adds a number (in inches) to
the character's base height. To get a weight, multiply the
number you rolled for height by the roll in the Weight
Modifier column and add the result (in pounds) to the
base weight.
RANDOM HEIGHT AND WEICHT

Base
Height

Base
Weight

Height
Modifier

Goliath
Hobgoblin

4'8"
6'0"
6'2"
3'5"
6'2"
4'8"

110 lb.
200 lb.
175 lb.
35 lb.
200 lb.
110 lb.

Kenku

4'4"

Kobold
Lizardfolk
Ore
Tabaxi
Triton
Yuan-ti

2'1"

50 lb.
25 lb.
120 lb.
175 lb.

+2dl0
+2d12
+2dl2
+2d4
+2d10
+2dl0
+2d8
+2d4

Race
Aasimar
Bugbear
Firbolg
Goblin

4'9"
5'4"
4'10"
4'6"
4'8"

90 lb.
90 lb.
110 lb.

+2dl0
+2d8
+2dl0
+2dl0
+2dl0

Weight
Modifier
X

(2d4) lb;

(2d6) lb.
(2d~) lb,
l lb.

(2d6) lb.

(2d4)
(ld6)
l lb.
(2d6)
(2d6)
(2d4)
(2d4)
(2d4)

X
X

X
X
X

lb.

lb.
lb.
lb.
lb.
lb.
lb.

!THIN THIS BESTIARY, YOU WILL FIND

game statistics and lore for nearly
one hundred monsters suitable for
any D&D campaign. Many of these
monsters, such as the froghemoth
and the morkoth, have been around
since the earliest editions of the
game. Others, such as the banderhobb and the vargouille, came later but are equally
beloved. Some of the new creatures found herein are
variants of the monsters discussed in chapter 1.
This chapter is a continuation of the Monster Manual
and adopts a similar presentation. If you are unfamiliar
with the monster stat block format, read the introduction of the Monster Manual before proceeding further. It
explains stat block terminology and gives rules for various monster traits-information that isn't repeated here.
As with the monsters in the Monster Manual, we've
tried to capture the essence of each creature and focus
on those traits that make it unique or that encourage
DMs to use it. You can do what you will with these monsters and change their lore to suit your game. Nothing
we say here is meant to curtail your creativity.

The creatures in this bestiary are organized alphabetically. A few are grouped under a banner heading; for
example, the "Ores" section contains stat blocks for various kinds of ores, including tanarukks (demonic ores).
Immediately following this chapter are two appendices
that contain additional stat blocks. Appendix A gathers
a handful of beasts that don't warrant longer entries. Appendix B provides generic NPCs whose statistics can be
customized to serve your campaign.
This chapter and appendices A and B are meant to be
used in conjunction with the rest of this book. Appendix
C contains lists of creatures by type, challenge rating,
and environment. These lists can help you find monsters
that are appropriate for your adventure or campaign.
If you're looking for ways to use the variant beholders,
giants, gnolls, goblinoids, hags, kobolds, mind flayers,
ores, and yuan-ti described in this chapter, the lore and
maps in chapter 1 might inspire you. Similarly, the racial traits in chapter 2 can be applied to the stat blocks
in appendix B to create such memorable NPCs as goliath champions, kenku master thieves, and tabaxi bards.

other object connected to the target. Possession of such
an item allows it to sense the creature's location from as
far as a mile away.
A banderhobb fulfills its duties until its existence ends.
When it expires, usually several days after its birth, it
leaves behind only tarry goo and wisps of shadow. Legends tell of a dark tower in the Shadowfell where the
shadows sometimes reform, and banderhobbs roam.
6£< ¥ · Mt! Ni¥·%S?ER&#u ~:, , -?W

BANDERHOBB

t.arae monstrosity, neutral evil
Armor Class lS (natural armbr}
Hit Points 84 (&d10 + 40)
Speed 30 ft.
STR
20 (+5)

DEX
12 {+1)

CON

INT

WIS

20 (+5)

11 {+O)

14 {+2)

CHA
8 (-1)

Skills Athletics +8, Stealth +7
Condition Immunities charmed, frightened
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 12
Languages understands Common and the languages of its

creator, but can't speak
Challenge 5 {1,800 XP)

Resonant Connection. If the banderhobb has even a tiny piece
of a creature or an object in its possession, such as a lock of
hair or a splinter of wood, it knows the most direct route to that
creature or object if it is within 1 mile of the banderhobb.
Shadow Stealth. While in dim light or darkness, the banderhobb can take the Hide action as a bonus action.

BANDERHOBB
A banderhobb is a hybrid of shadow and flesh. Through
dark magic, these components take on an enormous and
vile humanoid shape, resembling a bipedal toad. In this
form, a banderhobb temporarily serves its creator as a
thug, a thief, and a kidnapper.
Birthed by Hags. In the earliest days of the world, a
coven of night hags devised a ritual that led to the creation of the first banderhobb. A hag that knows the ritual
might be willing to teach it for the right price. Some
other dark fey and powerful fiends also know of the process, as do a few mortal mages. Instructions might also
be found in a tome devoted to debased wizardry.
Silent and Deadly. When the ritual to create a banderhobb is complete, flesh, spirit, and shadow combine to
produce a creature as big as an ogre. The newly formed
monstrosity has spindly limbs that belie great strength.
Its broad maw holds a long tongue and rows of fangs,
both of which it uses to grab and swallow a creature or
perhaps an object the banderhobb intends to steal. Despite its size, a banderhobb makes little noise, moving as
silently as the shadows that infuse it. A banderhobb isn't
capable of speech, but it can understand orders given to
it by its creator and communicates with nearby banderhobbs in a psychic manner.
Asents ofEvil. During its brief existence, a banderhobb attempts to carry out the bidding of the one who
birthed it. It accomplishes its mission with no concern
for the harm it suffers or creates. Its only desire is to
serve and succeed. A banderhobb that is assigned to
track down a target is particularly dangerous when it
is provided with a lock of hair, a personal belonging, or

ACTIONS

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 22 (5d6 + 5) piercing damage, and the target is grappled
(escape DC 15) if it is a Large or smaller creature. Until this
grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the banderhobb
can't use its bite attack or tongue attack on another target.
Tongue. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 15 ft., one creature. Hit: 10 (3d6) necrotic damage, and the target must make
a DC 15 Strength saving throw. On a failed save, the target is
pulled to a space within 5 feet of the banderhobb, which can
use a bonus action to make a bite attack against the target.
Swallow. The banderhobb makes a bite attack against a Medium or smaller creature it is grappling. If the attack hits, the
creature is swallowed, and the grapple ends. The swallowed
creature is blinded and restrained, it has total cover against attacks and other effects outside the banderhobb, and it takes 10
(3d6) necrotic damage at the start of each of the banderhobb's
turns. A creature reduced to O hit points in this way stops taking the necrotic damage and becomes stable.
The banderhobb can have only one creature swallowed at a
time. While the banderhobb isn't incapacitated, it can regurgitate the creature at any time {no action required) in a space
within 5 feet of it. The creature exits prone. If the banderhobb
dies, it likewise regurgitates a swallowed creature.
Shadow Step. The banderhobb magically teleports up to 30
feet to an unoccupied space of dim light or darkness that
it can see. Before or after teleporting, it can make a bite or
tongue attack.
E

? ·

- -25?-?

4& &N* -

:42 ¥ HE

BARGHEST
Long ago, Maglubiyet, master
of the goblinoid gods, bargained with the General of
Gehenna for aid. The General
provided yugoloths that died to
serve the cause of the goblin
god. Yet when the time came to
honor his part of the compact,
Maglubiyet reneged on the
deal. As an act of vengeance,
the General of Gehenna created the soul-devouring barghests to devour goblinoid souls
and deprive Maglubiyet of troops for his
army in the afterlife.
Consumers of Sauls. A barghest is born
to goblin parents just as normal offspring
are. The creature emerges in the form of
a goblin, then develops the ability to assume its true
form: that of a large, fiendish canine.
The mission of every barghest, implanted in it by the
General of Gehenna, is to consume seventeen goblinoid
souls by devouring the bodies of those it kills. Souls
consumed in this way are prevented from joining Maglubiyet's forces in Acheron. Why seventeen? Because the
oaths Maglubiyet broke in his compact with the General
totaled seventeen.
A barghest hungers for the day when it can complete
its mission, return to Gehenna, and serve the General directly in his yugoloth legions, but it doesn't kill
goblinoids indiscriminately. By devouring the souls of
goblinoid leaders and other powerful individuals, rather
than lowly goblins, a barghest earns elevated status in
the afterlife. Barghests typically keep their true nature
secret, preying upon a goblin or two when the opportunity arises, until they reach adult age and are old and
strong enough to seek out stronger prey. When goblins
discover that a barghest is among them, they react with
groveling obeisance, each member of the tribe eager to
show the barghest that it isn't worthy of being devoured.
Banished by Fire. A barghest avoids contact with
large, open fires. Any conflagration larger than its body
acts as a gateway to Gehenna and banishes the fiend to
that plane, where it is likely to be slain or enslaved by a
yugoloth for its failure.
SOUL FEEDING

A barghest can feed on the corpse of a humanoid that it

killed that has been dead for less than 10 minutes, de·
vouring both flesh and soul in doing so. This feeding takes
at least l minute, and it destroys the victim's body. The
victim's soul is trapped in the barghest for 24 hours, after
which time it is digested. If the barghest dies before the
soul is digested, the soul is released.
While a humanoid's soul is trapped in a barghest, any
form of revival that could work has only a 50 percent
chance of doing so, freeing the soul from the barghest ifit
is successful. Once a creature's soul is digested, however,
no mortal magic can return that humanoid to life.

Large fiend (shapechanger), neutral evil
Armor Class 17 (natural armor)
Hit Points 90 (l 2dl O+ 24)
Speed 60 ft. (30 ft. in goblin form)
STR

DEX

CON

INT

WIS

CHA

19 (+4)

15 (+2)

14 (+2)

13 (+l)

12 (+1)

14 (+2)

Skills Deception +4, Intimidation +4, Perception +5, Stealth +4
Damage Resistances cold, fire, lightning; bludgeoning,

piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Damage Immunities acid, poison

Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15
· Languages Abyssal, Common, Goblin, Infernal, telepathy 60 ft.
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)
Shapechanger. The barghest can use its action to polymorph
into a Small goblin or back into its true form. Other than its

size and speed, its statistics are the same in each form. Any
equipment it is wearing or carrying isn't transformed. The barghest reverts to its true form if it dies.
Fire Banishment. When the barghest starts its turn engulfed in
flames that are at least 10 feet high or wide, it must succeed on
a DC 15 Charisma saving throw or be instantly banished to Gehenna. Instantaneous bursts of flame (such as a red dragon's
breath or a fireball spell) don't have this effect on the barghest.
Keen Smell. The barghest has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.
Innate Spellcasting. The barghest's innate spellcasting ability is
Charisma (spell save DC 12). The barghest can innately cast the
following spells, requiring no material components:
At will: levitate, minor illusion, pass without trace
1/day each: charm person, dimension door, suggestion
ACTIONS

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack (true form only): +6 to hit, reach 5
ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) piercing damage.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack. +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 8 (ld8 + 4) slashing damage.

DEATH

Large aberration, neutral evil

True beholders are isolationists that despise others of
their kind, but their dreams can give rise to a variety of
lesser beholder-like creatures, a few of which are described here.

Armor Class 16 (natural armor)
Hit Points 161 (17dl0 + 68)
Speed Oft., fly 30 ft. (hover)

DEATH

Kiss

A death kiss is a lesser beholder that might come into
being when a beholder has a vivid nightmare about
losing blood. Instead of magical eye rays, it has ten
long tentacles, each ending in a mouth full of teeth. In
coloration and shape it is similar to the beholder that
dreamed it into existence, but its hue is more muted.
Blood Drinker. A death kiss survives solely on ingested blood, which it uses to generate electrical energy
inside its body. Paranoid about dying from starvation,
it obsessively drains even little creatures such as rats
in an effort to stave off this fate for as long as possible.
After it drains its prey, it abandons the corpse to scavengers. A death kiss prefers to hunt alone. If it meets
another death kiss, it might fight, flee, or team up, depending on its health and pride. When underground, it
uses its tentacles as feelers, prodding and examining
the environment in all directions. Above ground, it usually keeps its tentacles retracted when on the hunt, then
lashes out and extends them to their full length to catch
opponents off guard.
False Tyrant. In poor lighting and with its tentacles
extended, a death kiss can be mistaken for a true beholder. It might purposely present itself as a beholder
to an ignorant creature, but this behavior is rare, since
it usually is focused on hunting and lacks the self-importance and paranoia of a true beholder. It can speak
through any of its tentacle-throats, and its voice sounds
nasal and high-pitched. A true beholder has little to fear

Kiss

BEHOLDERS

STR
18 (+4)

DEX
14 (+2)

CON
18 (+4)

INT
10 (+O)

WIS
12 (+1)

CHA
10 (+O)

Saving Throws Con +8, Wis +5
Skills Perception +5
Damage Immunities lightning
Condition Immunities prone
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 15
Languages Deep Speech, Undercommon
Challenge 10 (5,900 XP)

Lightning Blood. A creature within 5 feet of the death kiss takes
5 (ldlO) lightning damage whenever it hits the death kiss with
a melee attack that deals piercing or slashing damage.
ACTIONS

Multiattack. The death kiss makes three tentacle attacks. Up
to three of these attacks can be replaced by Blood Drain, one
replacement per tentacle grappling a creature.
Tentacle. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 20 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (3d6 + 4) piercing damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 14) if it is a Huge or smaller creature. Until
this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the death kiss
can't use the same tentacle on another target. The death kiss
has ten tentacles.
Blood Drain. One creature grappled by a tentacle of the death
kiss must make a DC 16 Constitution saving throw. On a failed
save, the target takes 22 (4dl0) lightning damage, and the
death kiss regains half as many hit points.

. t ·

< ...

...

- i -&fSt

GAUTH
Me.dium abtmttloti, lawful evil
Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points 67 (9d8 + 27)

Speed Oft., fly 20 ft. (hover)

STR
10 (+O)

DEX
14 (+2)

CON

INT

WIS

CHA

16 (+3)

15 (+2)

13 (+1)

Saving Throws Int +5, Wis +5, Cha +4
Skills Perception +5
Condition Immunities prone
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 15
languages Deep Speech, Undercommon
Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)

Stunning Gaze. When a creature that can see the gauth's central eye starts its turn within 30 feet of the gauth, the gauth can
force it to make a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw if the gauth isn't
incapacitated and can see the creature. A creature that fails the
save is stunned until the start of its next turn.
Unless surprised, a creature can avert its eyes at the start
of its turn to avoid the saving throw. If the creature does so, it
can't see the gauth until the start ofits next turn, when it can
avert its eyes again. If the creature looks at the gauth in the
meantime, it must immediately make the save.
Death Throes. When the gauth dies, the magical energy within
it explodes, and each creature within 10 feet of it must make a
DC 14 Dexterity saving throw, taking 13 (3d8) force damage on
a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
ACTIONS

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 9 (2d8) piercing damage.

Eye Rays. The gauth shoots three of the following magical eye
rays at random (reroll duplicates), choosing one to three targets it can see within 120 feet of it:
1. Devour Magic Ray. The targeted creature must succeed on

a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw or have one of its magic items
lose all magical properties until the start of the gauth's next
turn. If the object is a charged item, it also loses 1d4 charges.
Determine the affected item randomly, ignoring single-use
items such as potions and scrolls.
2. Enervation Ray. The targeted creature must make a DC 14
Constitution saving throw, taking 18 (4d8} necrotic damage on
a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
3. Pushing Ray. The targeted creature must succeed on a DC
14 Strength saving throw or be pushed up to 15 feet directly
away from the gauth and have its speed halved until the start of
the gauth's next turn.
4. Fire Ray. The targeted creature must succeed on a DC 14
Dexterity saving throw or take 22 (4dl0) fire damage.
5. Paralyzing Ray. The targeted creature must succeed on a
DC 14 Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed for l minute.
The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its
turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
6. Sleep Ray. The targeted creature must succeed on a DC 14
Wisdom saving throw or fall asleep and remain unconscious
for l minute. The target awakens if it takes damage or another
creature takes an action to wake it. This ray has no effect on
constructs and undead.

from a death kiss, since it can easily kill or subdue the
death kiss long before the death kiss gets into melee
range. Thus, out of self-preservation, a death kiss usually submits to the rule of a beholder that it encounters,
though it might attempt to escape as soon as its master
is preoccupied.
Simple Tactics. A death kiss lacks the combat fi.
nesse and intelligence of a beholder. It might attempt
an unusual maneuver to control its prey (such as flying
up while grappling), but in most cases, it attaches one
or more of its tentacles to a creature and drains blood
until its prey collapses. If it is in a superior position and
its opponent poses no threat, it might toy with its food,
slowly squeezing and draining the life out of a creature.

GAUTH
A gauth is a hungry, tyrannical beholder-like creature
that eats magic and tries to exact tribute from anything
weaker than itself. Its body is about 4 feet in diameter,
with six eyestalks, a central eye (sometimes surrounded
by multiple smaller eyes), and four small grasping tentacles near its mouth. It has color and texture variations
similar to a true beholder.
Magical Metabolism. A gauth can survive on meat but
prefers to sustain itself with power drained from magic
objects. If starved of magic for several weeks, it is forced
back to its home plane, so it constantly seeks new items
to drain. A gauth might employ creatures to serve it by
bringing it items that provide it with sustenance.
Accidental Summoning. When the ritual to summon a spectator goes wrong, a gauth might push itself
through the flawed connection, arriving immediately
or several minutes later. It might present itself as a beholder to ignorant creatures in an attempt to intimidate
them, or as a spectator to its summoner in order to drain
magic items it is expected to guard.
CHAPTER

..,...
I met a Aud in t e ¥awlttt\~ 1>o•tal
tavern ,rho had a tiny behk\e• ;pal. A.
~azer. sh• called it. When I ri•c'hed to
pet it, the creature atruck me with one of
its eye beams and flun~ me back a&ainst
a ,nil with such force that I almost
my ale.
-Volo

.,med

Inferior Tyrant. A beholder usually drives away or
kills any gauths that enter its territory, but it might choose
to enslave them and use them as lieutenants. Gauths are
less xenophobic than beholders, so they might form
small clusters and work together, though they're just as
likely to ignore each other entirely.
GAZER
A gazer is a tiny manifestation of a beholder's dreams. It
resembles the beholder who dreamed it into existence,
but its body is only 8 inches wide, and it has only four
eyestalks. It follows its creator like a devoted, aggressive
puppy, and sometimes small packs of these creatures
patrol their master's lair for vermin to kill and lone creatures to harass.
Nuisance Pet. A gazer can't speak any languages but
can approximate mimicking words and sentences in a
high-pitched, mocking manner. Beholders find gazers
amusing and tolerate their presence like spoiled pets.
A gazer can't be tamed by anyone but its creator, except
through the use of magic or by bonding with a spellcaster (see sidebar). Some beholders with wizard minions insist they take a gazer as a familiar because they
can see through the eyes of these creatures.
AUressive Vermin-Eater. A wild gazer (one living
separately from a beholder) is territorial, eats bugs and
small animals, and is known for playing with its food.
A lone gazer avoids picking fights with creatures that
are Medium or larger, but a pack of them might take
on larger prey. A gazer might follow humanoids in its
territory, noisily mimicking their speech and generally
being a nuisance, until they leave the area, but it flees if
confronted by something it can't kill.
VARI.ANT! C.AZER FAMILIAR

Spellcasters who are interested in unusual familiars find
that gazers are eager to serve someone who has magical
power, especially those who make a point of bullying and
harassing others. The gazer behaves aggressively toward
creatures smaller than itself, and it tends to randomly attack house pets, farm animals, and even children in town
unless its master is very strict. A gazer serving as a familiar
has the following trait.
·
Familiar. The gazer can serve another creature as a fa.
miliar, forming a telepathic bond with its willing master,
provided that the mater is at least a 3rd-level spellcaster.
While the two are bonded, the master can sense what
the ga2!er senses as long as they are within 1 mile of each
other. If its master causes it physical harm, the gazer will
end its service as a familiar, breaking the telepathic bond.

GAZER
r;,,y aberration, neutral evil
Armor Class 13
Hit Points 13 (3d4 + 6)
Speed Oft .• fly 30 ft. (hover)
STR
3 {-4)

DEX
17 {+3)

CON

14 {+2)

INT
3 {-4)

WIS
10 (+O)

CHA
7 {-2)

Saving Throws Wis +2
Skills Perception +4, Stealth +5
Condition Immunities prone
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14
LanguagesChallenge 1/2 (100 XP)

Aggressive. As a bonus action, the gazer can move up to its
speed toward a hostile creature that it can see.

Mimicry. The gazer can mimic simple sounds of speech it has
heard, in any language. A creature that hears the sounds can
tell they are imitations with a successful DC 10 Wisdom (Insight) check.
ACTIONS

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 1 piercing damage.
Eye Rays. The gazer shoots two of the following magical eye
rays at random (reroll duplicates), choosing one or two targets
it can see within 60 feet of it:
1. Dazing Ray. The targeted creature must succeed on a DC
12 Wisdom saving throw or be charmed until the start of the
gazer's next turn. While the target is charmed in this way, its
speed is halved, and it has disadvantage on attack rolls.
2. Fear Ray. The targeted creature must succeed on a DC 12
Wisdom saving throw or be frightened until the start of the
gazer's next turn.
3. Frost Ray. The targeted creature must succeed on a DC 12
Dexterity saving throw or take 10 (3d6) cold damage.
4. Telekinetic Ray. If the target is a creature that is Medium or
smaller, it must succeed on a DC 12 Strength saving throw or
be moved up to 30 feet directly away from the gazer.
If the target is an object weighing 10 pounds or less that
isn't being worn or carried, the gazer moves it up to 30 feet in
any direction. The gazer can also exert fine control on objects
with this ray, such as manipulating a simple tool or opening a
container.

Even nature despises bodaks. The sun burns away a
bodak's tainted flesh. The creature's gaze lays waste to
the living. Anyone a bodak slays with its gaze withers,
its face frozen in a mask of terror. The monster's mere
presence is so unnatural that it chills the soul. Animals
untrained for war instinctively flee just before a bodak arrives.
Ravaged Saul. The soul of a creature that becomes
a bodak is so damaged that it is unfit for most forms of
magical resurrection. Only a wish spell or similar magic
can return a bodak to its former life.
Undead Nature. A bodak doesn't require air, food,
drink, or sleep.

BODAK
Medium undead, chaotic evil
Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points 58 (9d8 + 18)
Speed 30ft.
STR

15 (+2}

DEX
16 (+3)

CON

15 (+2}

INT
7 (-2)

WIS

CHA

12 (+l)

12 (+1)

Skills Perception +4, Stealth +6
Damage Resistances cold, fire, necrotic; bludgeoning, piercing,

and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Damage Immunities lightning, poison

BODAK
A bodak is the undead remains of someone who revered Orcus. Devoid of life and soul, it exists only to

cause death.
Marked by Orcus. A worshiper of Orcus can take
ritual vows while carving the demon lord's symbol on
its chest over the heart. Orcus's power flays body, mind,
and soul, leaving behind a sentient husk that sucks in all
life energy near it. Most bodaks come into being in this
way, then unleashed to spread death in Orcus's name.

Orcus created the first bodaks in the Abyss from
seven devotees, called the Hierophants of Annihilation.
These figures, as mighty as balors, have free will but
serve the Prince of Undeath directly. Any one of these
bodaks can turn a slain mortal into a bodak with its
gaze. Like each Hierophant of Annihilation, every bodak
bears the mark of Orcus as a chest wound, an opening
where a mortal humanoid's heart would be.
Orcus can recall anything a bodak sees or hears. If he
so chooses, he can speak through a bodak to address
his enemies and followers directly. Bodaks are extensions of Orcus's will outside the Abyss, serving the demon prince's aims and other minions.
Unhallowed Fragments. A bodak retains vague
impressions of its past life. It seeks out both its former
allies and its former enemies to destroy them, as its
warped soul seeks to erase anything connected to its
former life. Minions of Orcus are the one exception to
this compulsion; a bodak recognizes them as kindred
souls and spares them from its wrath. Anyone who
knew the individual before its transformation into a bodak can recognize mannerisms or other subtle clues to
its original identity.

Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, poisoned
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 14
Languages Abyssal, the languages it knew in life
Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)
Aura ofAnnihilation. The bodak can activate or deactivate this
feature as a bonus action. While active, the aura deals 5 necrotic damage to any creature that ends its turn within 30 feet
of the bodak. Undead and fiends ignore this effect.
Death Gaze. When a creature that can see the bodak's eyes
starts its turn within 30 feet of the bodak, the bodak can force
it to make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw if the bodak isn't
incapacitated and can see the creature. If the saving throw fails
by 5 or more, the creature is reduced to O hit points, unless it
is immune to the frightened condition. Otherwise, a creature
takes 16 (3d10) psychic damage on a failed save.
Unless surprised, a creature can avert its eyes to avoid the
saving throw at the start of its turn. If the creature does so, it
has disadvantage on attack rolls against the bodak until the
start of its next turn. If the creature looks at the bodak in the
meantime, it must immediately make the saving throw.
Sunlight Hypersensitivity. The bodak takes 5 radiant damage
when it starts its turn in sunlight. While in sunlight, it has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks.
ACTIONS

Fist. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit:
4 (ld4 + 2) bludgeoning damage plus 9 (2d8} necrotic damage.
Withering Gaze. One creature that the bodak can see within 60
feet of it must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw, taking
22 (4dl0) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much
damage on a successful one.

.. ;-.

·tS

BOGGLE
Sm()// fey, thaotic neutral
Armor Class 14
Hit Points 18 (4d6 + 4)
Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft.
STR
8 (-1)

DEX

CON

18 (+4)

13 {+1)

INT
6 (-2)

WIS
12 (+l}

CHA
7 (-2)

Skills Perception +3, Sleight of Hand +6, Stealth +6
Damage Resistances fire
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
Languages Sylvan
Challenge 1/8 (25 XP)

I--------------------- BOGGLE
Boggles are the little bogeys of fairy tales. They lurk in
the fringes of the Feywild and are also found on the Material Plane, where they hide under beds and in closets,
waiting to frighten and bedevil folk with their mischief.
A boggle is born out of feelings of loneliness, materializing in a place where the Feywild touches the world
in proximity to an intelligent being that feels isolated or
abandoned. For example, a forsaken child might unintentionally conjure a boggle and see it as a sort of imaginary friend. A boggle might also appear in the attic of a
lonely widower's house or in the caves of a hermit.
Irksome Pests. Boggles engage in petty pranks to
amuse themselves, passing the time at their hosts'
expense. A boggle isn't above breaking dishes, hiding
tools, making frightening sounds to startle cows and
sour their milk, or hiding a baby in an attic. Although a
boggle's antics might cause distress and unintentional
harm, mischief-not mayhem-is usually its intent. If
threatened, a boggle flees rather than stand and fight.
Oily Excretions. A boggle excretes an oil from its
pores and can make its oil slippery or sticky. The oil
dries up and disappears an hour later.
Twisting Space. A boggle can create magical openings to travel short distances or to pilfer items that
would otherwise be beyond its reach. To create such a
rift in space, a boggle must be adjacent to a space defined by a frame, such as an open window or a doorway,
a gap between the bars of a cage, or the opening between the feet of a bed and the floor. The rift is invisible
and disappears after a few seconds-enough time for
the boggle to step, reach, or ~attack through it.
Unreliable Allies. A boggle makes a decent servant
for a strong-willed master, and wicked creatures such as
fomorians and hags sometimes shelter boggles in their
lairs. Warlocks who form pacts with archfey have also
been known to command boggles, and charismatic individuals who make the right offers have enjoyed temporary alliances with these little tricksters. A bored boggle
always finds some way to entertain itself.

Boggle Oil. The boggle excretes nonflammable oil from its
pores. The boggle chooses whether the oil is slippery or sticky
and can change the oil on its skin from one consistency to another as a bonus action.
Slippery Oil: While coated in slippery oil, the boggle gains
advantage on Dexterity (Acrobatics} checks made to escape
bonds, squeeze through narrow spaces, and end grapples.
Sticky Oil: While coated in sticky oil, the boggle gains advantage on Strength (Athletics) checks made to grapple and any
ability check made to maintain a hold on another creature, a
surface, or an object. The boggle can also climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to
make an ability check.

Dimensional Rift. As a bonus action, the boggle can create an
invisible and immobile rift within an opening or frame it can
see within 5 feet of it, provided that the space is no bigger than
10 feet on any side. The dimensional rift bridges the distance
between that space and any point within 30 feet of it that the
boggle ~an see or specify by distance and direction (such as
"30 feet straight up"}. While next to the rift, the boggle can see
through it and is considered to be next to the destination as
well, and anything the boggle puts through the rift (including
a portion of its body) emerges at the destination. Only the
boggle can use the rift, and it lasts until the end of the boggle's
next turn.
Uncanny Smell. The boggle has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.
ACTIONS

Pummel. Melee Weapon Attack:+l to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 2 (ld6 - 1) bludgeoning damage.
Oil Puddle. The boggle creates a puddle of oil that is either slippery or sticky (boggle's choice). The puddle is l inch deep and
covers the ground in the boggle's space. The puddle is difficult
terrain for all creatures except boggles and lasts for l hour.
If the oil is slippery, any creature that enters the puddle's area
or starts its turn there must succeed on a DC 11 Dexterity saving throw or fall prone.
If the oil is sticky, any creature that enters the puddle's area
or starts its turn there must succeed on a DC 11 Strength saving throw or be restrained. On its turn, a creature can use an
action to try to extricate itself from the sticky puddle, ending
the effect and moving into the nearest safe unoccupied space
with a successful DC 11 Strength check.

CATOBLEPAS
The catoblepas is as loathsome as the vile swamplands
in which it lives. Like such wastelands, this conglomeration of bloated buffalo, dinosaur, warthog, and hippopotamus parts has few redeeming qualities. Few travelers
willingly traverse the territory of a ,catoblepas.
Animalistic Nature. Despite their ungainly physiology, ca.toblepases resemble natural beasts. A catoblepas
behaves much like an animal, too, ambling through its
marshy home, munching choice vegetation, eating the
occasional bit of carrion, and wallowing in mire. A catoblepas might be found with the one mate it chooses for
life and, on occasion, a calf. Especially if it's guarding its
young, a catoblepas attacks anyone that moves too close.
Stench ofDeath. A catoblepas's stink, like that of
death mixed with swamp gas and skunk musk, gives it
away as being much more ghastly than its appearance
suggests. When it is on the attack, a catoblepas reveals
the extent of its horrific nature. The creature's serpentine neck has trouble lifting its head, but one glare from
its bloodshot eyes can rot flesh. At the end of its tail is a
club that can rattle body and soul if it strikes true, leaving a victim unable to act. If the target of its attacks dies,
the catoblepas feasts on the fresh remains.
Blighted Territory. A catoblepas's nature as a creature of disease and decay brings out similar characteristics in the creature's swampy habitat. Such a wetland
becomes gloomy, tangled, and more fetid than it was
before. Beneficial qualities of the environment, such
as healing herbs and clean water, diminish when a catoblepas lives nearby. Swamp gases have a hint of the
catoblepas's foulness to them. Animals in the area are
more aggressive and liable to be diseased. Degenerate
creatures are likely to take up residence near a catoblepas's territory, as are those seeking to avoid notice.
Sinister Folklore. Ordinary folk rarely see a catoblepas, but the creature has such a feared reputation
that stories about it are ingrained in the popular culture.
Any rumor of a catoblepas taking up residence nearby
is taken to be a bad omen, even if the rumor is proven
false. The silhouette of a catoblepas, with its tail extended over its body and its head held low, is a baleful
heraldic figure signifying death or doom.

Sages say that gods of pestilence and rot created catoblepases as embodiments of their influence. Whatever
the origin of the creature, stories link the catoblepas
to misfortune, and many of these yarns have elements
of truth. Some such tales claim that hags tend catoblepases like cattle, and that a swamp that contains a
catoblepas might also be home to a hag that drinks the
monster's milk. Although a particular catoblepas might
not be linked to a hag, a coven of hags might keep one
or more of these beasts as guardians or pets. Other
legends say that those of impure heart can tame a catoblepas. Indeed, some tales have circulated of malevolent
warlocks and dark knights who have discovered how to
domesticate the beasts and use them as mounts.

CATOBLEPAS
Large monstrosity, unaligned
Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
Hit Points 84 (8dl O+ 40)
Speed 30 ft.

STR
19 (+4)

DEX
12 (+1)

CON

INT

WIS

21 (+5)

3 (-4)

14 (+2)

CHA
8 (-1)

Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12
Languages-

Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)

Keen Smell. The catoblepas has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.
Stench. Any creature other than a catoblepas that starts its
turn within 10 feet ofthe catoblepas must succeed on a DC 16
Constitution saving throw or be poisoned until the start of the
creature's next turn. On a successful saving throw, the creature
is immune to the stench of any catoblepas for 1 hour.

Actions
Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target.
Hit: 21 (5d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage, and the target must

succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or be stunned
until the start of the catoblepas's next turn.

Death Rav (Recharge 5-6). The catoblepas targets a creature
that it can see within 30 feet of it. The target must make a DC
16 Constitution saving throw, taking 36 (8d8) necrotic damage
on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
If the saving throw fails by 5 or more, the target instead takes
64 necrotic damage. The target dies if reduced to O hit points
by this ray.

CAVE FISHER
A cave fisher is a subterranean arachnid with a long
snout that houses spinnerets, enabling the creature to
produce sticky filament, much like the strands of a spider's webbing, which the creature uses to snag prey.
Ambushers. A cave fisher usually hunts small animals and is fond of bats, so it stretches its filament over
an opening that such prey might travel through. It then
climbs to a hiding spot and adheres itself to the surface
to rest and wait. When prey blunders into the filament,
the cave fisher reels in its meal. A group of cave fishers
might work together to cover a large area with filaments,
but as soon as one captures potential food, every cave
fisher in the area competes for the prize. If a victim escapes from the initial ambush, a cave fisher can reclaim
its prey by shooting a filament out to capture it again.
Mavin; Up in the World. Scarce food might draw a
group of cave fishers up to the surface, into a shadowy
canyon or a gloomy forest that features both native animal prey and creatures such as explorers or travelers
occasionally moving through the area.
A cave fisher instinctively knows that larger targets
such as humanoids are more difficult to overcome, so
the creatures shy away from attacking such prey unless
they come across a solitary target. They might try to
pick off a scout moving ahead of a group of travelers or
a straggler lagging behind, rather than attracting the
attention of the entire group.
Valuable Innards. Nearly every part of a cave fisher is
useful after the creature has been dispatched. Its blood
is alcoholic and tastes like strong liquor. Several dwar-

ven spirits include cave fisher blood as part of the recipe, and some dwarves, especially berserkers, drink the
blood straight. If they are gathered after being extruded,
cave fisher filaments can be woven into rope that is thin,
tough, and nearly invisible. Cave fisher meat is edible,
tasting much like crab cooked in strong wine. The creature's shell is used in the manufacture of tools, armor,
and jewelry.
Reluctant Servants. While some folk hunt cave
fishers to kill them for their filaments and their blood,
others capture cave fisher eggs and rear the hatchlings.
Cave fishers have a natural aversion to fire, since their
blood is flammable. As such, chitines and hobgoblins
sometimes use the threat of fire to train cave fishers
then employ them to guard passages or as beasts of ~ar.

CAVE FISHER
Medium monstrosity, unaligned
Armor Class 16 (natural armor)
Hit Points 58 (9d8 + 18)
Speed 20 ft., climb 20 ft.

STR
16 (+3)

DEX
13 (+l)

CON

INT

WIS

14 {+2)

3 (-4)

10 (+O)

CHA
3 (-4)

Skills Perception +2, Stealth +5
Senses blindsight 60 ft., passive Perception 12
LanguagesChallenge 3 (700 XP)

Adhesive Filament. The cave fisher can use its action to extend
a sticky filament up to 60 feet, and the filament adheres to
anything that touches it. A creature adhered to the filament is
grappled by the cave fisher {escape DC 13), and ability checks
made to escape this grapple have disadvantage. The filament
can be attacked (AC 15; 5 hit points; immunity to poison and
psychic damage), but a weapon that fails to sever it becomes
stuck to it, requiring an action and a successful DC 13 Strength
check to pull free. Destroying the filament deals no damage to
the cave fisher, which can extrude a replacement filament on
its next turn.
Flammable Blood. If the cave fisher drops to half its hit points
or fewer, it gains vulnerability to fire damage.
Spider Climb. The cave fisher can climb difficult surfaces including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an
ability check.
ACTIONS

Multiattack. The cave fisher makes two attacks with its claws.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach S ft., one target.
Hit: 10 {2d6 + 3) slashing damage.
Filament. One creature grappled by the cave fisher's adhesive
filament must make a DC 13 Strength saving throw, provided
that the target weighs 200 pounds or less. On a failure, the
target is pulled into an unoccupied space within S feet of the
cave fisher, and the cave fisher makes a claw attack against it as
a bonus action. Reeling up the target releases anyone else who
was attached to the filament. Until the grapple ends on the target, the cave fisher can't extrude another filament.

CHITINES
Chitines are multiarmed humanoids
with arachnid qualities that serve
Lolth. They operate in well-organized
colonies that prove to be effective
fighters in the war against the enemies
of the Demon Queen of Spiders. On
occasion, Lolth pits chitines against dark
elves-even though both groups worship
her-as a way of punishing the drow, who
created the chitines but displeased their goddess by doing so.
Unnatural Orisin. Long ago, the drow first
subjected elf prisoners to horrible rituals that
transformed the captives into creatures with both humanoid and spider traits, which their creators dubbed
cbitines. The dark elves' intention was to create slaves
dedicated first of all to the drow and, by association with
them, to Lolth. As the drow ultimately discovered, the
goddess found this arrangement unacceptable.
The creation process required cooperation between
magical disciplines. Drow wizards and warlocks used
arcane magic and demonic powers, and drow priestesses invoked Lolth's aid for the divine spark needed to
ensure the subject's survival. Lolth watched, expecting
at some part of the process to see these new abominations dedicated to her, but no such ritqal was performed.
In retribution for this lack of respect, the Spider Queen
twisted the drow's creation rituals to serve her own
purposes.
Lolth's Revenge. As the drow continued to perform
the rituals, the process usually transformed the subject
into the spindly, stunted creature they expected. Occasionally, though, the elf changed into a monstrosity that
was more spider than elf, resembling Lolth in her spider
form, and more cunning than a chitine, that the drow
dubbed a choldrith.
At first, the drow were unaware that the new creatures were signs of Lolth's displeasure with them.
Instead, they were pleased, because choldriths could
lay eggs that birthed more chitines (and the rare choldrith) and could direct the chitines in their work. But
the dark elves came to realize their mistake- choldriths
belonged to Lolth, body and soul. They whispered to
the chitines of their adoration of the Spider Queen and
their enmity of the drow, and the seeds of a rebellion
took root and grew. The chitines and choldriths rose up
against their would-be masters; soon afterward most of
the creatures were free, and a number of the drow who
helped breed and tend them were dead.
Nowadays, drow still create chitines when they have
need to. Outside the presence of a choldrith, chitines
make good workers for the drow, and they can be useful
if the drow find an independent chitine colony and want
to infiltrate it. If the creation process yields a choldrith,
though, the drow destroy the creature immediately.
Lolth's Chosen. Choldriths are born with a fanatical devotion to Lolth, which leads them to develop
some skill in divine magic. They preach that chitines
are Lolth's favored people, and that choldriths are the
Spider Queen's rightful worldly representatives sent to

CHITINE
Small monstrosity, chaotic evil
Armor Class 14 (hide armor)
Hit Points 18 (4d6 + 4)
Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft.

STR

DEX

CON

INT

WIS

10 (+O)

14 (+2)

12 (+1)

10 (+O)

CHA
7 (-2)

Skills Athletics +4, Stealth +4
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages Undercommon
Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)

Fey Ancestry. The chitine has advantage on saving throws
against being charmed, and magic can't put the chitine to sleep.
Sunlight Sensitivity. While in sunlight, the chitine has disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception) checks
that rely on sight.
Web Sense. While in contact with a web, the chitine knows
the exact location of any other creature in contact with
the same web.
Web Walker. The chitine ignores movement restrictions caused
by webbing.
ACTIONS

Multiattack. The chitine makes three attacks with its daggers.
Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft.
or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (ld4 + 2) piercing damage.

LOOI( Lll(E SPIDERS, BUT A
C.OLONV OF THEM BEHAVES
Lll(E ANTS, OBEVING A
Q.UEEN-AND HE R Q.UEEN I S
LOLTM. AND LOLTH IS AL L
TEMPER. ANO C.RUEL \VHI M.
-ELMI NSTER

Medium monstrosity, chaotic evil
Armor Class 15 (studded leather armor)
Hit Points 66 (12d8 + 12)

Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft.

free the chitines from slavery. Although choldriths and
chitines lack sexual characteristics, and choldriths need
no mate to lay eggs, these creatures choose the gender
identity of their goddess. Choldriths also believe and
teach that Lolth's spider form, much like that of a choldrith, is her truest shape. Any idol to Lolth in a chitine
colony depicts Lolth in this way.
As servants of Lolth, choldriths and chitines love
spiders and spiderlike creatures. They rear spiders and
similar arachnids, such as cave fishers. Chitine colonies
erect shrines to Lolth that serve as beacons, attracting
spiders and other evil, brutish beings that serve her.
Anywhere chitines set up a colony quickly becomes a
web-shrouded, gloomy, and treacherous place.
Communal Spiders. Chitines and choldriths resemble spiders, but they behave more like social insects
such as ants. Chitines are divided into worker and warrior castes, and choldriths occupy the top levels of a colony's hierarchy. Each chitine has a social position that
comes with duties related to that rank, and all chitines
are expected to willingly sacrifice themselves to protect
the choldriths. Every chitine has spinnerets and slowly
produces webbing that is used to build floors, walls,
structures, objects, and traps that benefit and protect
the colony. A warrior might be responsible for crafting
web armor (which is as tough as hide or leather), while
a group of workers might be tasked to dig a pit trap and
cover it with fragile webbing disguised with loose dirt to
appear as a solid surface.
A colony can support numerous choldriths, which
serve as commanders, priests, and supervisors. The
choldriths continually jockey for position, although they
rarely confront one another in a way that puts the colony at risk. The colony is ruled by a singular sovereign
that determines which colony members perform which
tasks, including whether she or any other choldrith is
permitted to lay eggs. If this supreme ruler receives a
vision from Lolth, she might change her colony's entire
course of action. At such times, chitines have emerged
from the Underdark to settle in remote, gloomy places
on the surface, from where they can wage war on other
species, especially drow and elves.

STR
12 (+l)

DEX

CON

INT

16 (+3)

12 (+l)

11 (+O)

WIS
14 (+2)

CHA
10 (+O)

Skills Athletics +5, Religion +2, Stealth +5
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12
Languages Undercommon
Challenge 3 (700 XP)

Fey Ancestry. The choldrith has advantage on saving throws
against being charmed, and magic can't put the choldrith to sleep.
Spellcasting. The choldrith is a 4th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Wisdom (save DC 12, +4 to hit with spell attacks). The choldrith has the following cleric spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will) : guidance, mending, resistance, thaumaturgy
1st level (4 slots): bane, healing word, sanctuary, shield offaith
2nd level (l slots): hold person, spiritual weapon (dagger)

Spider Climb. The choldrith can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an
ability check.
Sunlight Sensitivity, While in sunlight, the choldrith has disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception)
checks that rely on sight.
Web Sense. While in contact with a web, the choldrith knows
the exact location of any other creature in contact with
the same web.
Web Walker. The choldrith ignores movement restrictions
caused by webbing.
ACTIONS

Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft.
or range 20/60 ft ., one target. Hit: 5 (ld4 + 3) piercing damage
plus 10 (3d6) poison damage.
Web (Recharge 5-6). Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range
30/60 ft., one Large or smaller creature. Hit: The target is
restrained by webbing. As an action, the restrained target
can make a DC 11 Strength check, bursting the webbing on a
success. The webbing can also be attacked and destroyed (AC
10; 5 hit points; vulnerability to fire damage; immunity to bludgeoning, poison, and psychic damage).

A rat separated from the swarm becomes an ordinary
cranium rat with an Intelligence of 15. It loses 1 point of
Intelligence each day that it remains separated from the
swarm. Its Intelligence can't drop below 4 and becomes
15 again if'it rejoins the swarm or another one.
Telepathic Vermin. A single, low-intelligence cranium
rat uses its natural telepathy to communicate hunger,
fear, and other base emotions. A swarm of cranium rats
communicating telepathically "speaks" as one creature,
often referring to itself using the collective pronouns
"we" and "us."
Spies for an Elder Brain. Mind flayer colonies use
cranium rats as spies. The rats invade surface communities and act as eyes and ears for the elder brain, transmitting their thoughts when they swarm and are within
range of the elder brain's telepathy.
Cranium rats occasionally spread beyond the elder
brain's range of influence. Whatever these rats do is of
no concern to the elder brain, and the illithids can always make more if they so desire.

SWARM OF CRANIUM RATS
Medium swarm of Tiny beasts, lawful evil

CRANIUM RATS
Mind flayers create cranium rats by bombarding normal
rats with psionic energy.
Evil Collectives. Cranium rats are no smarter than
ordinary rats and behave as such. However, if enough
cranium rats come together to form a swarm, they
merge their minds into a single intelligence with the
accumulated memories of all the swarm's constituents.
The rats become smarter as a result, and they retain
their heightened intelligence for as long as the swarm
persists. The swarm also awakens latent psionic abilities implanted within each cranium rat by its mind flayer
creators, bestowing upon the swarm psionic powers
similar to spells.

Tiny beast, lawful evil

Armor Class 12
Hit Points 2 (ld4)
Speed 30 ft.

STR

DEX
14 (+2)

CON

10 (+O)

STR
9 (-1)

DEX
14 (+2)

CON

INT

10 (+O)

15 (+2)

WIS
11 (+0)

CHA
14 (+2)

Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, slashing
Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, grappled,
paralyzed, petrified, prone, restrained, stunned
Senses darkvision 30 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages telepathy 30 ft.
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP}

Illumination. As a bonus action , the swarm can shed dim light
from its brains in a 5-foot radius, increase the illumination to
bright light in a 5- to 20-foot radius (and dim light for an additional number offeet equal to the chosen radius), or extinguish
the light.

CRANIUM RAT

2 (-4)

Armor Class 12
Hit Points 36 (8d8}
Speed 30 ft.

INT
4 (-3)

WIS

CHA

11 (+O)

8 (-1)

Senses darkvision 30 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages telepathy 30 ft.
Challenge O ( l OXP)

Illumination. As a bonus action, the cranium rat can shed dim
light from its brain in a 5-foot radius or extinguish the light.
Telepathic Shroud. The cranium rat is immune to any effect
that would sense its emotions or read its thoughts, as well as
to all divination spells.

Innate Spellcasting (Psionics). The swarm's innate spellcasting
ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 13). As long as it has more
than half of its hit points remaining, the swarm can innately
cast the following spells, requiring no components:
At will: command, comprehend languages, detect thoughts
1/day each: confusion, dominate monster
Swarm. The swarm can occupy another creature's space and
vice versa, and the swarm can move through any opening large
enough for a Tiny rat. The swarm can't regain hit points or gain
temporary hit points.
Telepathic Shroud. The swarm is immune to any effect that
would sense its emotions or read its thoughts, as well as to all
divination spells.
ACTIONS

CTIONS

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: l piercing damage.

Bites. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach Oft., one target in
the swarm's space. Hit: 14 (4d6) piercing damage, or 7 (2d6)
piercing damage if the swarm has half of its hit points or fewer.

DARKLI NGS
Ancient legends speak of a seelie fey who betrayed the
Summer Queen. His true name has been stricken from
history, but the stories call him Dubh Catha ("Dark
Crow" in Common). So great was the Summer Queen's
wrath that she cursed every member of his house. Other
fey refer to the descendants of Dubh Catha's house as
the dubh sith~or, in Common, "darklings." Darklings
most often settle in secluded caverns and chambers
beneath the towns of other species. From such enclaves,
they quietly ply their trade as thieves and assassins.
The Killing Light. The Summer Queen's curse causes
a darkling's body to absorb light, and doing so wizens
the creature, much like the effect of rapid aging. For this
reason, darklings cover every part of their body with
clothing when exposure to light is a risk. The light a
darkling absorbs over the course of its lifetime explodes
outward when the darkling dies, incinerating the creature and much of its possessions.
Love ofArt. Despite their curse, darklings retain a
fondness for the beauty of art. A darkling might risk
taking a peek at a sunset or lighting a tiny candle to
glimpse the colors in a painting or a jewel.
Elder Transformation. A wise and respected darkling
can qualify to undergo a ritual to become an elder. Other
elders mark the supplicant with glowing tattoos, channeling some of the darkling's absorbed light away from
its body. If the ritual succeeds, the darkling grows into
a tall and fair form, like that of a gray-skinned elf. The
darkling perishes if the ritual fails.

Small fey, chaotic neutral
Armor Class 14 (teather armor)
Hit Points 13 (3d6 + 3)
Speed 30 ft.

9 (-1)

DEX
16 (+3)

Medium fey, chaotic neutral
Armor Class 15 (studded leather armor)
Hit Points 27 (5d8 + 5)
Speed 30 ft.

DAR.KLING

STR

DARKLING ELDER

STR
13 (+l)

CON

INT

WIS

CHA

12 (+l)

10 (+O)

12 (+l)

10 (+O)

Skills Acrobatics +5, Deception +2, Perception +5, Stealth +7
Senses blindsight 30 ft., darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 15
Languages Elvish, Sylvan
Challenge l /2 (100 XP)

Death Flash. When the darkling dies, nonmagical light flashes
out from it in a 10-foot radius as its body and possessions,
other than metal or magic objects, burn to ash. Any creature in
that area and able to see the bright light must succeed on a DC
10 Constitution saving throw or be blinded until the end of the
creature's next turn.
Light Sensiti11ity. While in bright light, the darkling has disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception)
checks that rely on sight.
ACTIONS

Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft. or
range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (ld4 + 3) piercing damage. If
the darkling has advantage on the attack roll, the attack deals
an extra 7 (2d6) piercing damage.
· a•

. &&&e

DEX
17 (+3)

CON

INT

12 (+l)

10 (+O)

WIS
14 (+2)

CHA

13 (+l)

Skills Acrobatics +5, Deception +3, Perception +6, Stealth +7
Senses blindsight 30 ft., darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 16
Languages Elvish, Sylvan
Challenge 2 (450 XP)

Death Burn. When the darkling elder dies, magical light flashes
out from it in a 10-foot radius as its body and possessions,
other than metal or magic objects, burn to ash. Any creature
in that area must make a DC 11 Constitution saving throw. On
a failure, the creature takes 7 (2d6) radiant damage and, if the
creature can see the light, is blinded until the end of its next
turn. If the saving throw is successful, the creature takes half
the damage and isn't blinded.
ACTIONS

Multiattack. The darkling elder makes two melee attacks.
Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 6 (ld6 + 3) piercing damage. If the darkling elder
had advantage on the attack roll, the attack deals an extra 10
(3d6) piercing damage.
Darkness (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). The darkling
elder casts darkness without any components. Wisdom is its
spellcasting ability.

)'01I mNt • human and tlt'*'e'a something
aalty about them, they mitht be a deep scion.
Or a crook. or just a 8.11'm0Jiler. Sometimes
Isla nink i1 just flah stink..

Cold-Hearted Killers. The training to which a deep
scion is subjected rids it of empathy for those whom it
spies on. Though one might behave as though infatuated, laugh at the joke of a friend, or appear incensed at
some injustice, each of these acts is artificial to the deep
scion, a means to an end. It believes that its true form
is the shape it takes when it returns to the sea that it
thinks of as home. Ironically, however, a deep scion that
is killed when in its piscine form is stripped of the magic
that robbed it of emotion, leaving behind the corpse of
the person the deep scion once was.
g
:s- g;;g S: SAS
5S
di

DEEP SCION
Medium humanoid (shapechanger), neutral evil
Armor Class 11

Hit Points 67 (9d8 + 27)
Speed 30 ft. (20 ft. and swim 40 ft. in hybrid form)
STR

18 (+4)

DEX
13 (+1)

CON

INT

WIS

CHA

16 (+3)

10 (+O)

12 (+1)

14 (+2)

Saving Throws Wis +3, Cha +4
Skills Deception +6, Insight +3, Sleight of Hand +3, Stealth +3
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 11
Languages Aquan, Common, thieves' cant
Challenge 3 (700 XP)

DEEP SCION
Deep scions began life as people who were stolen from
shore or saved from sinking ships and offered a terrible
bargain by an undersea power: surrender, body and
soul, or drown. Those who submit are subjected to an
ancient ritual widespread among evil aquatic creatures.
Its methods are painful and the result never certain, but
when it works, the magic transforms an air-breathing
person into a shapechanger that can take a form that is
fully at home beneath the waves.
Spies from the Sea. A deep scion emerges from the
depths in service to its underwater master, which is
likely a kraken or some other ancient being of the deep.
While wearing the mind and body of the person it once
was as a sort of mask, the creature is bent on fulfilling
its master's desires. Sometimes a deep scion returns to
its former home and a hero's welcome-unexpectedly
found alive when all hope was lost. At other times the
deep scion takes on a new identity. In any case, it is the
deep scion's duty to infiltrate the air-breathing world
and report back to its master. When set to its task, a
deep scion worms its way into the life of an unsuspecting enemy as a new best friend, an irresistible lover, the
perfect candidate for a job, or in some other role that enables the minion to carry out its master's commands.

Shapechanger. The deep scion can use its action to polymorph
into a humanoid-piscine hybrid form, or back into its true form.
Its statistics, other than its speed, are the same in each form.
Any equipment it is wearing or carrying isn't transformed. The
deep scion reverts to its true form if it dies.
Amphibious (Hybrid Form Only). The deep scion can breathe
air and water.
ACTIONS

Multiattack. In humanoid form, the deep scion makes two melee attacks. In hybrid form, the deep scion makes three attacks:
one with its bite and two with its claws.
Battleaxe (Humanoid Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to
hit, reach S ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) slashing damage, or
9 (ldlO + 4) slashing damage if used with two hands.
Bite (Hybrid Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach
S ft., one creature. Hit: 6 (ld4 + 4) piercing damage.
Claw (Hybrid Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit,
reach S ft., one target. Hit: 7 (ld6 + 4) slashing damage.
Psychic Screech (Hybrid Form Only; Recharges after a Short
or Long Rest). The deep scion emits a terrible scream audible
within 300 feet. Creatures within 30 feet of the deep scion must
succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or be stunned until
the end of the deep scion's next turn. In water, the psychic
screech also telepathically transmits the deep scion's memories of the last 24 hours to its master, regardless of distance, so
long as it and its master are in the same body of water.

Maw demons appear among gnoll war bands, usually
summoned as part of ritual offerings of freshly slain humanoids made to Yeenoghu. The gnolls don't command
them, but these demons accompany the war band and
attack whatever creatures the gnolls fall upon.

SHOOSUVA
A shoosuva is a hyena-demon gifted by Yeenoghu to an
especially powerful gnoll (typically as a fang of Yeenoghu). A shoosuva manifests shortly after a war band
achieves a great victory, emerging from a billowing, fetid
cloud of smoke as it arrives from the Abyss. In battle,
the demon wraps its slavering jaws around one victim
while lashing out with the poisonous stinger on its tail to
bring down another one. A creature immobilized by the
poison becomes easy pickings for any gnolls nearby.
Each shoosuva is bonded to a particular gnoll and
fights alongside its master. A gnoll that has been gifted
with a shoosuva is second only to a flind in status within
a war band.

BABAU
Medium fiend (demon), chaotic evil
Armor Class 16 (natural armor)
Hit Points 82 (lld8 + 33)
Speed 40 ft.
STR
19 (+4)

DEX
16 (+3)

CON

INT

WIS

CHA

16 (+3)

11 (+O)

12(+1)

13 (+l)

Skills Perception +5, Stealth +5
Damage Resistances cold, fire, lightning; bludgeoning,

piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks

DEMONS
Demon lords create lesser demons for the purpose of
spreading chaos and terror throughout the multiverse.
Three such demons are described here.

BABAU
Demons and devils clash endlessly for control of the
Lower Planes. One of these battles pitted the legions of
the archdevil Glasya against the screaming hordes of
the demon lord Graz'zt. It is said that Glasya wounded
Graz'zt with her sword, and the first babaus arose where
his blood struck the ground. Their sudden appearance
helped rout Glasya and secured Graz'zt's place as one of
the preeminent demon lords of the Abyss.
A babau demon possesses the cunning of a devil and
the bloodthirstiness of a demon. It has leathery black
skin pulled tight over its gaunt frame, and a curved horn
protruding from the back of its elongated skull. A babau's baleful glare can weaken a creature.

MAW DEMON
Maw demons share Yeenoghu's ceaseless hunger for
carnage and mortal flesh. After a maw demon rests for
8 hours, anything devoured by it is transported directly
into the Lord of Savagery's gullet.

Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses darkvision l 20 ft., passive Perception l 5
Languages Abyssal
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)

Innate Spe/lcasting. The babau's innate spellcasting ability is
Wisdom (spell save DC 11). The babau can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
At will: darkness, dispel magic.fear, heat metal, levitate
ACTIONS

Multiattack. The babau makes two melee attacks. It can also
use Weakening Gaze before or after making these attacks.

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 8 (ld8 + 4) slashing damage.
Spear. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft. or
range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (ld6 + 4) piercing damage,
or 8 (ld8 + 4) piercing damage when used with two hands to
make a melee attack.

Weakening Gaze. The babau targets one creature that it can
see within 20 feet of it. The target must make a DC l 3 Consti·
tution saving throw. On a failed save, the target deals only half
damage with weapon attacks that use Strength for l minute.
The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its
turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Large fiend (demon), chaotic evil
Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
Hit Points l l O (l 3dl O + 39)
Speed 40 ft.
STR
18 (+4)

Medium fiend (demon), chaotic evil
Armor Class 13 (natural armor)
Hit Points 33 (6d8 + 6)
Speed 30 ft.

DEX
8 (- 1)

CON
13 (+l)

CON
17 (+3)

INT
7 (-2)

WIS
14 (+2)

CHA
9 (-1)

Saving Throws Dex +4, Con +6, Wis +5
Damage Resistances cold, fire, lightning; bludgeoning,
piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12
Languages Abyssal, Gnoll, telepathy 120 ft.
Challenge 8 (3,900 XP)

MAW DEMON

STR
14 (+2)

DEX
13 (+l)

INT

5 (-3)

WIS
8 (-1)

CHA

5 (-3)

Damage Resistances cold, fire, lightning
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 9
Languages understands Abyssal but can't speak
Challenge l (200 XP)

Rampage. When it reduces a creature to O hit points with a melee attack on its turn, the maw demon can take a bonus action
to move up to half its speed and make a bite attack.

ACTIONS

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft_, one target.
Hit: 11 (2d8 + 2) piercing damage.

Rampage. When it reduces a creature to O hit points with a melee attack on its turn, the shoosuva can take a bonus action to
move up to half its speed and make a bite attack.

ACTIONS

Multiattack. The shoosuva makes two attacks: one with its bite
and one with its tail stinger.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 26 (4dl0 + 4) piercing damage.
Tail Stinger. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 15 ft., one
creature. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) piercing damage, and the target
must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or become
poi soned. While poiso ned, the target is also paralyzed. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns,
ending the effect on itself on a success.

a horrible transformation, springing forth from the devourer's body to begin its new existence as an undead
servitor of the monster that spawned it.
Fiendish Nature. A devourer doesn't require air, food
(other than souls), drink, or sleep.

DEVOURER
Large fiend, chaotic evil
Armor Class 16 (natural armor)
Hit Points 178 (17dl0 + 85)

Speed 30 ft.

STR
20 (+5)

DEX
12 (+l)

CON
20 (+5)

INT

WIS

CHA

13 (+l)

10 (+O)

16 (+3)

Damage Resistances cold, fire, Iightning

DEVOURER
Of all the abominations Orcus has unleashed, devourers
are among the most feared. These tall, mummy-like
fiends wander the planes, consuming souls and, by example, spreading Orcus's creed of replacing all life with
everlasting death.
Instruments of Orcus. A lesser demon that proves
itself to Orcus might be granted the privilege of becoming a devourer. The Prince of Undeath transforms such
a demon into an 8-foot-tall, desiccated humanoid with a
hollowed-out ribcage, then fills the new creature with a
hunger for souls. Orcus grants each new devourer the
essence of a less fortunate demon to power the devourer's first foray into the planes. Most devourers remain
in the Abyss, or on the Astral or Ethereal Plane, pursuing Orcus's schemes and interests in those realms.
When Orcus sends devourers to the Material Plane, he
often sets them on a mission to create, control, and lead
a plague of undead. Skeletons, zombies, ghouls and
ghasts, and shadows are parti_cularly attracted to the
presence of a devourer.
Tormentors ofSauls. Devourers hunt humanoids,
with the intent of consuming them body and soul. After
a devourer brings a target to the brink of death, it pulls
the victim's body in and traps the creature within its
own ribcage. As the victim tries to stave off death (usually without success), the devourer tortures its soul with
telepathic noise. When the victim expires, it undergoes

Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages Abyssal, telepathy 120 ft.
Challenge 13 (10,000 XP)
ACTIONS

Multiattack. The devourer makes two claw attacks and can use
either Imprison Soul or Soul Rend.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +l Oto hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5) slashing damage plus 21 (6d6) necrotic damage.
Imprison Soul. The devourer chooses a living humanoid with
0 hit points that it can see within 30 feet of it. That creature is
teleported inside the devourer's ribcage and imprisoned there.
A creature imprisoned in this manner has disadvantage on
death saving throws. If it dies while imprisoned, the devourer
regains 25 hit points, immediately recharges Soul Rend, and
gains an additional action on its next turn. Add itionally, at the
start of its next turn, the devourer regurgitates the slain creature as a bonus action, and the creature becomes an undead.
If the victim had 2 or fewer Hit Dice, it becomes a zombie. Ifit
had 3 to 5 Hit Dice, it becomes a ghoul. Otherwise, it becomes
a wight. A devourer can imprison only one creature at a time.
Soul Rend (Recharge 6). The devourer creates a vortex of
life-draining energy in a 20-foot radius centered on itself. Each
humanoid in that area must make a DC 18 Constitution saving
throw, taking 44 (8dl0) necrotic damage on a failed save, or
half as much damage on a successful one. Increase the damage
by 10 for each living humanoid with O hit points in that area.

DINOSAURS
The Monster Manual has statistics for several kinds of
dinosaurs. This section provides several more.

BRONTOSAURUS

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This massive four-legged dinosaur is large enough that
most predators leave it alone. Its deadly tail can drive
away or kill smaller threats.

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Subservient Enforcers. Although it plays an important part in the welfare of its house, a draegloth can't
rise above the status of a favored slave or a consort to
a priestess. Before a draegloth is given any duties, it receives instruction in accepting the role set for it and not
challenging authority. Draegloths instinctively resist this
sort of treatment, but most of them take out their frustration on their house's enemies. A draegloth that can't
suppress its ambitions might abandon its house and
strike out on its own. Whether these rebellious draegloths are part of Lolth's plan for sowing even greater
chaos is unclear.
Brute Cunning and Dark Magic. A draegloth loves
the feeling of tearing opponents apart with its claws and
teeth and of wielding the magic that courses through its
veins. Most are too impatient to bother with complicated
tactics, but a few go on to learn more destructive magic.

DRAEGLOTH
Large fiend (demon), chaotic evil
Armor Class 1S (natural armor)
Hit Points 123 (13d10 + 52)
Speed 30 ft.
STR

DRAEGLOTH
A draegloth is a half-drow, half-glabrezu demon, born
of a drow high priestess in an unholy, dangerous ritual.
Gifted with innate magic and physical might, it usually
remains in the service of its mother's house, lending its
thirst for destruction to that house's plans to triumph
over its rivals.
A draegloth is an ogre-sized, four-armed humanoid
with purple-black skin and yellow-white hair. Two of its
arms are huge and muscular, tipped with sharp claws;
the other two are the size and shape of drow arms, capable of delicate movements. Although the creature is
heavily muscled, it is graceful and quiet like a drow. Its
face is clearly demonic, with bestial features, glowing
red eyes, an elongated doglike snout, and a mouth full of
sharp teeth.
Blessing on the House. The ritual to create a draegloth succeeds only rarely, but when it does, it is a great
event that is seen by the drow of the house as a sign
of the demon lord Lolth's favor-and a sign of Lolth's
disregard for the family's rivals, which were not thus
gifted. The birth prompts the leaders of the house to
begin crafting new plans to strike at its rivals when the
draegloth is fully grown. These plans always use the
draegloth in a significant role, because its abilities can
turn the tide in a battle against a house that doesn't have
a draegloth of its own.

20 (+S)

DEX
1S {+2)

CON
18 {+4)

INT

WIS

13 {+1)

11 (+0)

CHA
11 {+0)

Skills Perception +3, Stealth +S
Damage Resistances cold, fire, lightning
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 13
Languages Abyssal, Elvish, Undercommon
Challenge 7 (2,900 XP)

Fey Ancestry. The draegloth has advantage on saving throws
against being charmed, and magic can't put it to sleep.
Innate Spellcasting. The draegloth's innate spellcasting ability
is Charisma (spell save DC 11). The draegloth can innately cast
the following spells, requiring no material components:
At will: darkness
1/day each: confusion, dancing lights.faerie fire
ACTIONS

Multiattack. The draegloth makes three attacks: one with its
bite and two with its claws.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach S ft., one creature.
Hit: 16' (2d10 + 5) piercing damage.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target.

Hit: 16 (2dl0 + 5) slashing damage.

FIRE NEWTS
In regions that contain hot springs, volcanic activity,
or similar hot and wet conditions, :firenewts might be
found. These humanoid amphibians live in a militaristic theocracy that reveres elemental fire in its worst
incarnation.
Heat Seekers. Firenewts need hot water to live and
breed. A firenewt becomes sluggish, mentally and physically, after spending a week away from an external
source of moist heat. A prolonged lack of heat can shut
down a firenewt community, as the creatures within go
into hibernation and their eggs stop developing.
Firenewts delve for sources of heat in the earth, such
as boiling mud and hot springs, that make ideal places
to settle. Through excavation and mining in the area,
they fashion living space and obtain an ample supply
of minerals for other uses, such as smelting, smithing,
and alchemy. A firenewt lair features a network of
channels and sluices to circulate hot liquid through the
settlement.
The alchemy practiced by firenewts focuses on fire.
One of their favorite mixtures is a paste of sulfur, mineral salts, and oil. Firenewts chew this blend habitually,
because doing so produces a pleasant internal heat and
it enables a firenewt to vomit forth a small ball of flame.
Most firenewts carry a container with this mixture in it.
Religious Militants. Firenewt society and culture are
based on the worship of Imix, the Prince of Evil Fire.
This veneration of Imix leads firenewts to be aggressive,
wrathful, and cruel. Firenewt warlocks of lmix teach
that by demonstrating these qualities, a firenewt warrior
in combat can become "touched by the Fire Lord," entering a nearly unstoppable battle rage.
Warlocks of Imix command warriors to prove their
worth by going on raids to bring back treasure and captives. The warlocks take the choicest loot as a tithe to
lmix, and then those who participated in the raid divide
the rest according to merit. Prisoners that have no apparent usefulness are sacrificed to Imix and then eaten.
Those that are deemed capable of mining and performing other chores around the lair are kept as slaves for a
while before meeting the same fate.
When firenewts muster for war, rather than merely
staging occasional raids, they take no prisoners. Their
goal is nothing less than the annihilation of their foesand they reserve their greatest animosity for others of
their kind. If two groups of firenewts come upon each
other, it's likely that they're in competition for the same
territory, and a bloody battle is the usual result.
Giant Striders. Firenewts have a close relationship
with a type of monstrous beast they believe Imix sent
to aid them- borne out by the creatures' ability to send
a gout of flame against distant enemies. Called giant
striders, these monsters appear birdlike and reptilian,
but are truly neither. Firenewts provide shelter, food,
and breeding grounds in their lairs for giant striders,
and the striders voluntarily serve as mounts for elite firenewt soldiers.

FIRENEWT WARRIOR
Medium humanoid (firenewt), neutral e11il
Armor Class 16 (chain shirt, shield)
Hit Points 22 (4d8 + 4)

Speed 30 ft.

STR

DEX

CON

INT

WIS

10 (+O)

13 (+l)

12 (+l)

7 (-2)

11 (+O)

CHA
8 (-1)

Damage Immunities fire
Senses passive Perception 10
Languages Draconic, lgnan
Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)

Amphibious. The firenewt can breathe air and water.
ACTIONS

Multiattack. The firenewt makes two attacks with its scimitar.
Scimitar. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft. , one target. Hit: 4 (ld6 + l) slashing damage.
Spit Fire (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). The firenewt
spits fire at a creature within 10 feet of it. The creature must
make a DC 11 Dexterity saving throw, taking 9 (2d8) fire
damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

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FIRENEWT WARLOCK OF IMIX
Medium humanoid (firenewt), neutral evil
Armor Class l O (13 with mage armor)
Hit Points 33 (6d8 + 6)

Speed 30 ft.

GIANT STRIDER

13 (+l)

Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
Hit Points .22 (3dl0 + 6}

DEX

CON

INT

WIS

13 (+l)

14 (+2)

4 (-3)

12 (+l)

CON

12 (+l)

INT
9 (-1)

WIS

CHA

11 (+O)

14 (+2)

Damage Immunities fire
Senses darkvision 120 ft. (penetrates magical darkness) ,
passive Perception 10
Languages Draconic, lgnan

Speed 50 ft.
STR
18 (+4)

DEX
11 (+O)

STR

Large monstrosity, neutral evil

CHA
6 (-2)

Challenge l (200 XP)

Damage Immunities fire
Senses passive Perception 11
Languages Challenge l (200 XP)

Amphibious. The firenewt can breathe air and water.

Fire Absorption. Whenever the giant strider is subjected to fire
clamage, it takes no damage and regains a number of hit points
equal to half the fire damage dealt.

Spel/casting. The firenewt is a 3rd-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 12, +4 to hit with
spell attacks). It regains its expended spell slots when it finishes a short or long rest. It knows the following warlock spells:

Innate Spellcasting. The firenewt's innate spellcasting ability
is Charisma. It can innately cast mage armor (self only) at will,
requiring no material components.

ACTIONS

Cantrips (at will):.fire bolt, guidance, light, mage hand, prestidigitation
1st-2nd level (22nd-level slots): burning hands,jlaming sphere,
hellish rebuke, scorching ray

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 8 (ld8 + 4) piercing damage.
Fire Burst (Recharge 5-6). The giant strider hurls a gout of
flame at a point it can see within 60 feet of it. Each creature in
a 10-foot-radius sphere centered on that point must make a
DC 12 Dexterity saving throw, taking 14 (4d6) fire damage on a
failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. The
fire spreads around corners, and it ignites flammable objects in
that area that aren't being worn or carried.

lmix's Blessing. When the firenewt reduces an enemy to O hit
points, the firenewt gains 5 temporary hit points.
ACTIONS

Morningstar. Me/ee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 5 (ld8 + 1) piercing damage.
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FLAIL SNAIL

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LCJrge elemental, unaligned
Armor Class 16 (natural armor)
Hit Points 52 (5dl0 + 25)
Speed 10 ft.

STR
l7 (+3)

DEX
5 (-3)

CON

INT

WIS

CHA

20 (+5)

3 (-4)

10 (+O)

5 (-3)

Damage Immunities fire, poison
Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 60 ft., passive

Perception 10
LanguagesChallenge 3 (700 XP)

Antimagic Shell. The snail has advantage on saving throws
against spells, and any creature making a spell attack against
the snail has disadvantage on the attack roll. If the snail
succeeds on its saving throw against a spell or a spell attack
misses it, an additional effect might occur, as determined by
rolling a d6:

FLAIL SNAIL
A flail snail is a creature of elemental earth that is
prized for its multihued shell. Hunters might be lulled
into a false sense of confidence upon sighting this ponderous, seemingly nonhostile creature. If any other creature large enough to be a threat approaches too close,
though, the snail unleashes a flash of scintillating light
and then attacks with its mace-like tentacles.
Trail of Treasure. Left undisturbed, a flail snail
moves slowly along the ground, consuming everything
on the surface, including rocks, sand, and soil, stopping
to relish crystal growths and other large mineral deposits. It leaves behind a shimmering trail that quickly
solidifies into a thin layer of a nearly transparent substance inedible to the snail. This glassy residue can
be harvested and cut to form window panes of varying
clearness. It can also be heated and spun into glass
objects of other sorts. Some humanoids make a living
from trailing flail snails to collect this glass.
USING THE SHELL OF A FLAIL SNAIL

A flail snail shell, which weighs about 250 pounds, has numerous uses. One intact shell can sell for 5,000 gp.
Many hunters seek the shell for its antimagic properties.
A skilled armorer can make three shields from one shell.
For 1 month. each shield gives its wielder the snaWs Antimagic Shell trait. When the shield's magic fades, it leaves
behind an exotic shield that is the perfect item from which
to make a spellguard shield.
A flail snail shell can also be used to make a robe ofscintillating colors. The shell is ground and added to the dye
while the garment is being fashioned. The powder is also a
material component of the ritual that enchants the robe,

1-2. If the spell affects an area or has multiple targets, it fails
and has no effect. If the spell targets only the snail, it has no
effect on the snail and is reflected back at the caster, using the
spell slot level, spell save DC, attack bonus, and spellcasting
ability of the caster.
3-4. No additional effect.
5-6. The snail's shell converts some of the spell's energy into
a burst of destructive force. Each creature within 30 feet of the
snail must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking ld6
force damage per level of the spell on a failed save, or half as
much damage on a successful one.

Flail Tentacles. The flail snail has five flail tentacles. Whenever
the snailitakes 10 damage or more on a single turn, one of its
tentacles dies. If even one tentacle remains, the snail regrows
all dead ones within ld4 days. If all its tentacles die, the snail
retracts into its shell, gaining total cover, and it begins wailing,
a sound that can be heard for 600 feet, stopping only when it
dies 5d6 minutes later. Healing magic that restores limbs, such
as the regenerate spell, can halt this dying process.
ACTIONS

Multiattack. The flail snail makes as many Flail Tentacle attacks as it has flail tentacles, all against the same target.
Flail Tentacle. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 10 ft., one
target. Hit: 6 (ld6 + 3) bludgeoning damage.
Scintillating Shell (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). The
snail's shell emits dazzling, colored light until the end of the
snail's next turn. During this time, the shell sheds bright light
in a 30-foot radius and dim light for an additional 30 feet, and
creatures that can see the snail have disadvantage on attack
rolls against it. In addition, any creature within the bright light
and able to see the snail when this power is activated must
succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or be stunned until
the light ends.
Shell Defense. The flail snail withdraws into its shell, gaining a
+4 bonus to AC until it emerges. It can emerge from its shell as

a bonus action on its turn.

FROGHEMOTH
Huge monstrosity, unaligned
Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
Hit Points 184 (l 6dl 2 + 80)
Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft.
STR

DEX

CON

INT

23 (+6)

13 (+l)

20 (+S)

2 (-4)

WIS
12 (+1)

Saving Throws Con +9, Wis +S
Skills Perception +9 1 Stealth +5
Damage Resistances fire, lightning
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 19
LanguagesChallenge 10 (5,900 XP)

Amphibious. The froghemoth can breathe air and water.

FROGHEMOTH

Shock Susceptibility. If the froghemoth takes lightning damage,
it suffers several effects until the end of its next turn: its speed
is halved, it takes a -2 penalty to AC and Dexterity saving
throws, it can't use reactions or Multiattack, and on its turn, it
can use either an action or a bonus action, not both.

A froghemoth is an amphibious predator as big as an
elephant. It lairs in swamps and has four tentacles, a
thick rubbery hide, a fang-filled maw with a prehensile
tongue, and an extendable stalk sporting three bulbous
eyes that face in different directions.
Otherworldly Entities. Froghemoths are creatures
not of this world. A journal purportedly written long ago
by the wizard Lum the Mad describes strange, cylindrical chambers of metal buried in the ground from which
froghemoths emerged, but no reliable reports of the location of such places exist.
Hungry from Birth. Every few years, a froghemoth
can lay a fertile egg without mating. The froghemoth
cares nothing for its egg, and might eat it the hatchling.
A young froghemoth's survival is most often predicated
on its parent leaving it behind in indifference. A newborn froghemoth grows to full size over a period of
months by indiscriminately preying on other creatures
in its swampy domain. It learns to hide its enormous
body in murky pools, keeping only its eyestalk above
water to watch for passing creatures. When food comes
within reach, the froghemoth erupts from its pool, tentacles and tongue flailing. It can grab several targets
at once, keeping them at bay while it wraps its tongue
around another one and pulls it in to be devoured.
Revered by Bullywugs. If a bullywug tribe
comes across a froghemoth, the bullywugs treat the
froghemoth as a god and do all they can to coax the
monster into their den. A froghemoth can be tamed
(after a fashion) by offering it food, and bullywugs can
communicate with it on a basic level, so the creature
might eat only a few bullywugs before following the rest.
Bullywugs gather food as tribute for it, provide it with a
comfortable lair, fanatically protect it from harm, and try
to ensure that any young froghemoth reaches maturity.

ACTIONS

Multiattack. The froghemoth makes two attacks with its tentacles. It can also use its tongue or bite.
Tentacle. Mefee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 20 ft., one
target. Hit: 19 (3d8 + 6) bludgeoning damage, and the target is
grappled (esc~pe DC 16) if it is a Huge or smaller creature. Until the grapple ends, the froghemoth can't use this tentacle on
another target. The froghemoth has four tentacles.
Bite. Mefee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 22 (3dl0 + 6) piercing damage, and the target is swallowed
if it is a Medium or smaller creature. A swallowed creature is
blinded and restrained, has total cover against attacks and
other effects outside the froghemoth, and takes 10 (3d6) acid
damage at the start of each of the froghemoth's turns.
The froghemoth's gullet can hold up to two creatures at a
time. If the froghemoth takes 20 damage or more on a single
turn from a creature inside it, the froghemoth must succeed on
a DC 20 Constitution saving throw at the end of that turn or regurgitate all swallowed creatures, each of which falls prone in a
space within 10 feet of the froghemoth. If the froghemoth dies,
a swallowed creature is no longer restrained by it and can escape from the corpse using 10 feet of movement, exiting prone.
Tongue. The froghemoth targets one Medium or smaller
creature that it can see within 20 feet of it. The target must
make a DC 18 Strength saving throw. On a failed save, the
target is pulled into an unoccupied space within 5 feet of
the frog_hemoth, and the froghemoth can make a bite attack
against it as a bonus action.
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GIANTS
The giants presented here are more powerful than others of their kind, either because their gods have shown
them favor or because fate has dealt them a bad hand
and forced them to seek out other paths to power.

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CLOUD GIANT SMILING ONE
H"ge giant (cloud giant), chaotic neutral
Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points 262 (2ldl2 + 126)
Speed 40 ft.

CLOUD GIANT SMILING ONE
Cloud giants aren't, on the whole, religious. They tolerate many conflicting ideas about their patron deity,
Memnor. The smiling ones strain that tolerance.
Smiling ones are cloud giants who honor and emulate
Memnor's craftiness and deceit above all else. They are
tricksters supreme who use sleight of hand, deception,
misdirection, and magic in their pursuit of wealth. They
also possess a flair for unpredictability and a wicked
sense of humor.
While cloud giants expect a certain amount of trickery
and deceit in their dealings with others of their kind,
smiling ones overstep the bounds of decorum with their
behavior, doing and saying things that nobler cloud giants consider beneath the dignity of their kind.
Mysterious Masks. Smiling ones take their name
from the strange two-faced masks they wear. The smiling half of the face often looks more like a smirk or a triumphant sneer than a pleasant grin. The frowning half
represents the displeasure smiling ones feel about their
place in the ordning- second to the storm giants. The
masks serve as symbols of their devotion, but they also
conceal their wearers' true facial expressions.

STR
26 (+8)

DEX
12(+1)

CON
22 (+6)

INT
15 (+2)

WIS
16 (+3)

CHA
17 (+3)

Saving Throws Con +10, Int +6, Cha +7
Skills Deception +11, Insight +7, Perception +7, Sleight of Hand +9
Senses passive Perception 17
Languages Common, Giant
Challenge 11 (7,200 XP)

Innate Spellcasting. The giant's innate spellcasting ability is
Charisma (spell save DC 15). It can innately cast the following
spells, requiring no material components:
At will: detect magic.fog cloud, light
3/day each:feather fa/1,jly. misty step, telekinesis
1/day each: control weather, gaseous form

Spellcasting. The giant is a 5th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting
ability is Charisma (spell save DC 15, +7 to hit with spell attacks). The giant has the following bard spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will): minor illusion, prestidigitation, vicious mockery
l st level (4 slots): cure wounds, disguise self, silent image,

Tasha's hideous laughter
2nd level (3 slots): invisibility, suggestion
3rd level (2 slots): major image, tongues

Keen Smell. The giant has advantage on Wisdom (Perception)
checks that rely on smell.
ACTIONS

Multiattack. The giant makes two attacks with its morningstar.
Morningstar. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 10 ft., one
target. Hit: 21 (3d8 + 8) bludgeoning damage. The attack deals
an extra 14 (4d6) damage if the giant has advantage on the
attack roll.
Rock. Ranged Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, range 60/240 ft., one
target. Hit: 30 (4dl0 + 8) bludgeoning damage. The attack
deals an extra 14 (4d6) damage if the giant has advantage on
the attack roll.
Change Shape. The giant magically polymorphs into a beast
or humanoid it has seen, or back into its true form. Any equipment the giant is wearing or carrying is absorbed by the new
form. Its statistics, other than its size, are the same in each
form. It reverts to its true form if it dies .
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FIRE GIANT DREADNOUGHT
The ordning for fire giants emphasizes not just strength
but also skill at forgecraft. The foundry is the heart of
any fire giant community. It is temple, school, proving
ground, and political hub rolled into one.
Those who have brawn but little brain are usually consigned to the lowliest of tasks such as working forge bellows or moving coal. However, there is one role at which
the strongest among them can excel and gain rank: the
dreadnought.

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FIRE GIANT DREADNOUGHT
Huge giant (fire giant), lawful evil
Armor Class 21 (plate, shields)
Hit Points 187 (15d12 + 90)
Speed 30 ft.
STR

DEX

CON

27 (+8)

9 (-1)

23 (+6)

INT
8 (-1)

WIS

CHA

10 (+O)

11 (+O)

Saving Throws Dex +4, Con +11, Cha +5
Skills Athletics +13, Perception +5
Damage Immunities fire
Senses passive Perception 15
Languages Giant
Challenge 14 (11,500 XP)

Dual Shields. The giant carries two shields, each of which is accounted for in the giant's AC. The giant must stow or drop one
of its shields to hurl rocks.
ACTIONS

Multiattack. The giant makes two fireshield attacks.
Fireshield. Melee Weapon Attack:+13 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 22 (4d6 + 8) bludgeoning damage plus 7 (2d6) fire
damage plus 7 (2d6) piercing damage.
Rock. Ranged Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, range 60/240 ft., one
target. Hit: 30 (4d10 + 8) bludgeoning damage.

Shield Charge. The giant moves up to 30 feet in a straight line
and can move through the space of any creature smaller than
Huge. The first time it enters a creature's space during this
move, it makes a fireshield attack against that creature. If the
attack hits, the target must also succeed on a DC 21 Strength
saving throw or be pushed ahead of the giant for the rest of
this move. If a creature fails the save by 5 or more, it is also
knocked prone and takes 18 (3d6 + 8) bludgeoning damage, or
29 (6d6 + 8) bludgeoning damage if it was already prone.

Weapons of War. Dreadnoughts are massively powerful fire giants who wield two huge shields like plow
blades. These shields bear spikes on their exterior and
have hollow interiors into which the dreadnought pours
hot coals at the first sign of danger. Armed with its two
shields, the dreadnought can present a fiery wall to any
attacker. When the dreadnought has finished, often all
that is left of a foe is a smoking smear on the floor.
When not called on to fight, dreadnoughts maintain
their strength by using their shields to shove huge quantities of coal, stone, or ore about the foundry. Occasionatly, dreadnoughts are called on by their superiors to accompany a war or diplomatic delegation, The presence
of the dreadnoughts presents a fierce face in either case.

FROST GIANT EVERLASTING ONE
To hold its place or rise within the ordning, a frost giant
must routinely face mighty foes in single combat. Some
setk out magic that will aid them, but enchanted objects
can be taken or lost. True greatness relies on personal
prowess. Faced with this truth, a frost giant might seek
a supernatural gift from Vaprak the Destroyer.

Troll Eater. Frost giants mainly turn to Vaprak, a rapacious god of strength and hunger worshiped by ogres
and trolls, out of desperation. Vaprak likes to tempt frost
giants with dreams of glory followed by nightmares
of bloody cannibalism. Those who don't shrink from
such visions or report them to priests of Thrym receive
more of the same. If a frost giant comes to relish these
dreams and nightmares, as some do, Vaprak sets a troll
upon a sacred quest to find the frost giant and meet it in
secret. The troll offers up its own body to be devoured in
Vaprak's name. Only the boldest and most determined
frost giants can finish such a gory feast.
Vaprak's Blessing. After devouring the troll sent by
Vaprak, bones and all, a frost giant becomes an everlasting one, gaining tremendous strength, an ill temper, and
a troll's regenerative ability. With these gifts, the frost
giant can swiftly claim the title of jarl and easily fend
off rivals for decades. However, if the frost giant doesn't
give enough honor to Vaprak or fails to heed Vaprak's visions, injuries the frost giant sustains heal wrong, often
resulting in discolored skin, warty scars, and vestigial
body parts, such as extra digits, limbs, and even extra
heads. The touch of Vaprak can no longer be hidden
then, and the everlasting one is either killed or exiled by
its clan. Sometimes small communities of everlasting
ones gather and even reproduce, passing the "blessing"
and worship of Vaprak from one generation to the next.

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FROST GIANT EVERLASTING ONE
Huge giant (frost giant), chaotic evil
Armor Class 1S (patchwork armor)
Hit Points 189 (14dl2 + 98)
Speed 40 ft.
STR
25 (+7)

DEX
9 (-1)

CON
24 (+7)

INT
9 (-1)

WIS
10 (-0)

CHA
12 (+1)

Saving Throws Str +11, Con +11, Wis +4,
Skills Athletics +11, Perception +4
Damage Immunities cold
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14
Languages Giant
Challenge 12 (8AOO XP)

Extra Heads. The giant has a 25 percent chance of having
more than one head. If it has more than one, it has advantage
on Wisdom (Perception) checks and on saving throws against
being blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, stunned, or
knocked unconscious.
Regeneration. The giant regains 10 hit points at the start of its
turn. If the giant takes acid or fire damage, this trait doesn't
function at the start of its next turn. The giant dies only if it
starts its turn with O hit points and doesn't regenerate.
Vaprak's Rage (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). As a
bonus action, the giant can enter a rage at the start of its turn.
The rage lasts for 1 minute or until the giant is incapacitated.
While raging, the giant gains the following benefits:
• The giant has advantage on Strength checks and Strength
saving throws
• When it makes a melee weapon attack, the giant gains a +4
bonus to the damage roll.
• The giant has resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.

ACTIONS

Multiattack. The giant makes two attacks with its greataxe.
Greataxe. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 10 ft., one
target. Hit: 26 (3dl2 + 7) slashing damage, or 30 (3d12 + 11)
slashing damage while raging.
Rock. Ranged Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, range 60/240 ft., one
target. Hit: 29 (4d10 + 7) bludgeoning damage.

MOUTH OF GROLANTOR
Hill giants know the kinds of foods that make them
fatter, and they understand that exerting themselves too
much tends to make them thinner. What the lazy brutes
don't comprehend are the things that make them sick.
They consume spoiled food and diseased carcasses
with as much enthusiasm as childreri. eating dessert.
Fortunately for hill giants, they have a vulture's constitution and rarely suffer for such eating habits. This makes
it all the more mysterious to them when one of their
kind becomes ill and incapable of keeping down food.
Vomiting hill giants are seen as vessels of a message
from Grolantor.

The clan separates the sickened giant from the others,
often trapping the giant in a cage or tying the giant to
a post. A priest of Grolantor or chieftain visits the fam·
ished giant daily, trying to read portents in the puddles
of bile the hill giant retched up. If the sickness soon
passes, the hill giant can rejoin society. If not, the hill
giant is instead starved to the point of madness so that
Grolantor's hunger can be given a mouth in the world.
Starved and Insane. A mouth of Grolantor is so disgraced that it ceases to be an individual and becomes
an object. Paradoxically, that object is revered as a holy
embodiment of Grolantor's eternal, aching hunger.
Unlike a typical thick, sluggish, half-asleep hill giant, a
mouth of Grolantor is thin as a whippet, alert like a bird,
and constantly twitching around the edges. A mouth of
Grolantor is kept perpetually imprisoned or shackled;
if it breaks free, it's sure to kill a few hill giants before
it's brought down or it sprints away on a killing spree.
The only time a mouth of Grolantor is set loose is during
a war, a raid against an enemy settlement, or in a lastditch defense of the tribe's home. When the mouth of
Grolantor has slaughtered and eaten its fill of the tribe's
enemies, it passes out amid the gory remains of its victims, making it easy to recapture.

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MOUTH OF GROLANTOR
Huge giant (hill giant), chaotic evil
Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
Hit Points 105 (10dl2 + 40)
Speed 50 ft.

STR

DEX

21 (+5)

10 (+O)

CON
18 (+4)

INT

5 (-3)

WIS
7 (-2)

CHA

5 (-3)

Skills Perception +l
Condition Immunities frightened
Senses passive Perception 11
Languages Giant
Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)

Mouth of Madness. The giant is immune to confusion spells and
similar magic.
On each of its turns, the giant uses all its movement to move
toward the nearest creature or whatever else it might perceive
as food . Roll a dlO at the start of each of the giant's turns to
determine its action for that turn:
1-3. The giant makes three attacks with its fists against one
random target within its reach. If no other creatures are
within its reach, the giant flies into a rage and gains advantage on all attack rolls until the end of its next turn.
4-5. The giant makes one attack with its fist against every creature within its reach. If no other creatures are within its reach,
the giant makes one fist attack against itself.
6-7. The giant makes one attack with its bite against one random target within its reach. If no other creatures are within
its reach, its eyes glaze over and it becomes stunned until the
start of its next turn.
8-10. The giant makes three attacks against one random target
within its reach: one attack with its bite and two with its fists.
If no other creatures are within its reach, the giant flies into
a rage and gains advantage on all attack rolls until the end of
its next t1i1rn.
ACTIONS

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature.
Hit: 15 (3d6 + 5) piercing damage, and the giant magically regains hit points equal to the damage dealt.

Fist. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target.
Hit: 18 (3d8 + 5) bludgeoning damage.

STONE GIANT DREAMWALKER
The surface of the world is an alien realm to stone giants: fluctuating, temporary, exposed to gusting wind
and sudden rain. It is as wildly changeable as a dream,
and that's how they regard it-as a dream. Nothing there
is permanent, so nothing there is real. What happens on
the surface doesn't matter. Promises and bargains made
there needn't be honored. Life and even art hold less
value there.
Dream Dwellers. Stone giants sometimes go on
dream quests in the surface world, seeking inspiration
for their art, to break a decades-long ennui, or out of
simple curiosity. Some who go on these quests let themselves become lost in the dream. Other stone giants are
banished to the surface as punishment. Regardless of

the reason, if they don't take shelter under stone, such
individuals can become dreamwalkers.
Dreamwalkers occupy an odd place of respect outside
of stone giant ordning. They are considered outcasts,
but their familiarity with the surface world makes them
valuable guides, and their insights can help other stone
giants grasp the dangers of living in a dream.
Mad Wanderers. Dreamwalkers are driven mad
by isolation, shame, and their unendingly alien surroundings, and this madness leeches out into the world
around them, affecting other creatures that get too
close. Believing that they're living in a dream and that
their actions have no real consequences, dreamwalkers
act as they please, becoming forces of chaos. As they
travel the world, they collect objects and creatures that
seem especially significant in their mad minds. Over
time, the collected things accrete to their bodies, becoming encased in stone.

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STONE GIANT DREAMWALKER
Huge giant (stone giant), chaotic neutral
Armor Class 18 (natural armor)
Hit Points 161 (14dl2 + 70)
Speed 40 ft.
STR

DEX

CON

INT

23 (+6)

14 (+2)

21 (+5)

10 (+O)

WIS
8 (-1)

CHA

12 (+l)

Saving Throws Dex +6, Con +9, Wis +3
Skills Athletics +14, Perception +3
Condition Immunities charmed, frightened
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
Languages Common, Giant
Challenge 10 (5,900 XP)

Dreamwalker's Charm. An enemy that starts its turn within 30
feet of the giant must make a DC 13 Charisma saving throw,
provided that the giant isn't incapacitated. On a failed save, the
creature is charmed by the giant. A creature charmed in this
way can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns,
ending the effect on itself on a success. Once it succeeds on
the saving throw, the creature is immune to this giant's Dreamwalker's Charm for 24 hours.
ACTIONS

Multiattack. The giant makes two attacks with its greatclub.
Creatclub. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 15 ft., one
target. Hit: 19 (3d8 + 6) bludgeoning damage.
Petrifying Touch. The giant touches one Medium or smaller
creature within 10 feet of it that is charmed by it. The target
must make a DC 17 Constitution saving throw. On a failed
save, the target becomes petriiied, and the giant can adhere
the target to its stony body. Greater restoration spells and other
magic that can undo petrification have no effect on a petrified
creature on the giant unless the giant is dead, in which case the
magic works normally, freeing the petrified creature as well as
ending the petrified condition on it.
Rocle. .Ranged Weapon Attack:+10 to hit, range 60/240 ft., one
target. Hit: 28 (4d10 + 6) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a
creature, it must succeed on a DC 17 Strength saving throw or
be knocked prone.
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STORM GIANT QUINTESSENT

To forestall the inevitable, some storm giants approaching the end of their natural life spans seek an escape
from death. They plumb the depths of their powerful
connection to the elements and disperse themselves
into nature, literally transforming into semiconscious
storms. The blizzard that rages unendingly around a
mountain peak, the vortex that swirls around a remote
island, or the thunderstorm that howls ceaselessly up
and down a rugged coastline could, in fact, be the undying form of a storm giant clinging to existence.
Elemental Weapons. A storm giant quintessent sheds
its armor and weapons, but gains the power to form
makeshift weapons out of thin air. When the giant has
no further use of them, or when the giant dies, its elemental weapons disappear.
CHAPTER 3

I BESTIARY

Forsaken Form. A storm giant quintessent can revert
to its true giant form on a whim. The change is temporary but can be maintained long enough for the giant to
communic~te with a mortal, carry out a short task, or
defend its home against aggressors.

A QUINTESSENT'S

LAIR

A storm giant quintessent has no need for castles or
dungeon lairs. Its lair is usually a secluded region or
prominent geographic feature, such as a mountain peak,
a great waterfall, a remote island, a fog-shrouded loch,
a beautiful coral reef, or a windswept desert bluff. As
befits the environment, the storm in which the giant
lives could be a blizzard, a typhoon, a thunderstorm, or
a sandstorm.
Lair Actions. A storm giant quintessent can use
lair actions in giant form and while transformed into
a storm. On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties),
the giant can take a lair action to cause one of the following effects; the giant can't use the same effect two
rounds in a row:
• The giant creates a thunderclap centered on a point
anywhere in its lair. Each creature within 20 feet of
that point must succeed on a DC 18 Constitution saving throw or be deafened until the end of its next turn.
• The giant creates a 20-foot-radius sphere of fog (or
murky water within water) centered on a point anywhere in its lair. The sphere spreads around corners,
and its area is heavily obscured. The fog lasts until the

giant disperses it (no action required), and it can't be
dispersed by wind.
• The giant creates a 60-foot-long, 10-foot-wide line of
strong wind (or strong current within water) originating from a point anywhere in its lair. Each creature
in that line must succeed on a DC 18 Strength saving
throw or be pushed 15 feet in the direction the wind
is blowing. The gust disperses gas or vapor, and it
extinguishes candles, torches, and similar unprotected flames in its area. Protected flames, such as
those of lanterns, have a 50 percent chance of being
extinguished.

Regional Effects. The region containing a storm giant
quintessent's lair is warped by the giant's presence,
which creates one or more of the following effects:
• High wind blows within 1 mile of the lair, making it
impossible to light a fire unless the location where the
fire is lit is protected from the wind.
• Rain, snow, or blowing dust or sand (whichever is
most appropriate) is constant within 1 mile of the lair.
Rain causes rivers and streams to fill or overflow their
banks; snow, dust, or sand form deep drifts or dunes.
• Flashes of lightning and peals of thunder are continual, day and night, within 5 miles of the lair.
If the giant dies, the lightning, thunder, and high wind
regional effects end immediately. Rain, snow, and blowing dust abate gradually within ld8 days.

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STORM GIANT QUINTESSENT
Huge giant (storm giant), chaotic good
Armor Class 12
Hit Points 230 (20dl2 + 100)

Speed 50 ft., fly 50 ft. (hover), swim 50 ft.
DEX
14 (+2)

STR

29 (+9)

CON

INT

WIS

CHA

70 (+5)

17 (+3)

20 (+5)

19 (+4)

Saving Throws Str +14, Con +10, Wis +10, Cha +9
Skills Arcana +8, History +8, Perception +10
Damage Resistances cold; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing

from nonmagical attacks
Damage Immunities lightning, thunder
Senses truesight 60 ft., passive Perception 20
Languages Common, Giant
Challenge 16 (15,000 XP)

Amphibious. The giant can breathe air and water.
ACTIONS

Multiattack. The giant makes two Lightning Sword attacks or
uses Wind Javelin twice.
Lightning Sword. Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 15 ft .,
one target. Hit: 40 (9d6 + 9) lightning damage.
Wind Javelin. The giant coalesces wind into a javelin -like form
and hurls it at a creature it can see within 600 feet of it. The
javetin is considered a magic weapon and deals 19 (3d6 + 9)
piercing damage to the target, striking unerringly. The javelin
disappears after it hits.
LEGENDARY ACTIONS

The giant can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at
a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. The giant
regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Gust. The giant targets a creature it can see within 60 feet of it

and creates a magical gust of wind around it. The target must
succeed on a DC 18 Strength saving throw or be pushed up
to 20 feet in any horizontal direction the giant chooses.
Thunderbolt (2 Actions). The giant hurls a thunderbolt at a
creature it can see within 600 feet of it. The target must make
a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw, taking 22 (4dl0) thunder
damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
One with the Storm (3 Actions). The giant vanishes, dispersing
itself into the storm surrounding its lair. The giant can end
this effect at the start of any of its turns, becoming a giant
once more and appearing in any location it chooses within
its lair. While dispersed, the giant can't take any actions other
than lair actions, and it can't be targeted by attacks, spells, or
other effects. The giant can't use this ability outside its lair,
nor can it use this ability if another creature is using a control
weaiher spell or similar magic to quell the storm.
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G IRALLON

Lorg13 monstrosity, unaligned
Armor Class 13
Hit Points 59 (7d10 + 21)
Speed 40 ft., climb 40 ft.

STR
18 (+4)

DEX
16 (+3)

CON

INT

WIS

16 (+3)

5 (-3)

12 (+l)

CHA
7 (-2)

Skills Perception +3, Stealth +5
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13

LanguagesChallenge 4 (1,100 XP)

Aggressive. As a bonus action, the girallon can move up to its
speed toward a hostile creature that it can see.
Keen Smell. The girallon has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.

ACTIONS

Multiattack. The girallon makes five attacks: one with its bite
and four with its claws.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature.
Hit: 7 {ld6 + 4) piercing damage.

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target.
Hit: 7 (ld6 + 4) slashing damage.
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A girallon looks like an oversized, four-armed ape
with gray skin and white fur. Its fangs and claws set
it apart from a normal ape, revealing it to be a monstrous predator.
Forest Hunters. Girallons are most common in temperate or warm forest environments abundant with life.
They share the ape's adeptness at climbing, although
these half-ton creatures shy away from scaling trees
that can't support their bulk. Instead, they stalk the
forest floor, lurk in narrow ravines or shallow caves, or
hide in ruined sites while waiting for prey to come near.
A girallon is surprisingly stealthy, considering its size
and its lack of camouflage.
Girallons form loose bands of several individuals and
their offspring, usually led by a dominant adult that also
tends to be the oldest member of the group. When on the
hunt away from their lair, girallons use roars and body
language to communicate with one another over distance. Each individual typically hunts alone and widely
separated from the others, to ensure that everyone gets
adequate fodder. The leader might organize members to
work together to make a big kill. If they succeed, everyone in the group shares the spoils, with the best parts
going to mothers caring for their young.
Wall Climbers. The ruins of humanoid habitations,
especially those found in deep forests and jungles, seem
to attract girallons. They move effortlessly along stairs
and balconies, as well as on the sloped rooftops and
buttresses of such formations. To a girallon, a city's
buildings are just another sort of forest- and better yet,
one whose uppermost "branches" can easily support
the creatures. In such a setting, the girallons take full
advantage of their skill in climbing. The creatures can
easily scale walls and battlements, and they perch on
tower tops and other high vantages to keep an eye on
the surrounding area.
Magical Origin. The social habits of wild girallons
are unusual for apes, as is their instinctive attraction to
humanoid structures. These facts, together with the girallon's appearance, lead sages to believe that girallons
were created through magic to serve as guardians for
some lost empire. When that empire fell ages ago, girallons turned feral and spread out across the world.
In the time since then, numerous creatures have tried
to tame, subjugate, or cooperate with the monsters. For
instance, yuan-ti enslave girallons, turning them into
border sentinels for their serpent kingdoms. Because
girallons are known to be peaceful among their own
kind, some humanoids have learned how to approach a
group's leader, offering food and other gifts in hopes of
establishing an alliance with the creatures.
Girallons that are well treated might be willing to
serve as guards, though they lack the intelligence to take
on tasks more complicated than attacking strangers that
enter their domain. If one is taken young and properly
trained, a girallon could end up in a seemingly unlikely
place, such as guarding the entrance to a city's thieves'
guild. Those who would keep a girallon as a pet must
always be wary, because the creature could revert to its
predatory nature at any time.

FLIND
Medium humanoid (gnoll), chaotic evil
Armor Class 16 (chain mail)
Hit Points 127 (l 5d8 + 60)
Speed 30 ft.
DEX
10 (+O)

STR

20 (+5)

CON
19 (+4)

INT
11 (+O)

WIS

n (+l)

CHA
12 (+ l)

Saving Throws Con +8, Wis +S
Skills Intimidate +5, Perception +5
Senses da rkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15
Languages Gnoll, Abyssal
Challenge 9 (5,000 XP)

WHEN GNOLLS ARE WEAKENED, THEV
SEEi< OUT ISOLATED SE T TLEME N TS,
MAIM ANO DISABLE ITS INHABITANTS,
AND FEED UPON THEM AS THEV REST
ANO REGAIN STRENGTH.

Aura of Blood Thirst. If the flind isn't incapacitated, any creature with the Rampage trait can make a bite attack as a bonus
action while within 10 feet of the fl ind.

-ELMINSTER

ACTIONS

Multiattack. The fl ind makes three attacks: one with each of its
different flail attacks or three with its longbow.
Flail of Madness. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
one target. Hit: 10 (ldlO + 5) bludgeoning damage, and the target must make a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save,
the target must make a melee attack against a random target
within its reach on its next turn. If it has no targets within its
reach even after moving, it loses its action on that turn.
Flail of Pain. Me lee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 10 (ldlO + 5) bludgeoning damage plus 22 (4dl0)
psychic damage.
Flail of Paralysis. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
one target. Hit: 10 (ldlO + 5) bludgeoning damage, and the
target must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or
be paralyzed until the end of its next turn.
Longbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range l 50/600 ~ .•
one target. Hit: 4 (ld8) piercing damage.
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GNOLLS
A gnoll war band might include one or more of the special kinds of gnolls described in this section.

FLIND
A fl.ind is an exceptionally strong and vicious gnoll that
commands and directs the war band it is a part of. It
wields a flail imbued with powerful magic by Yeenoghu himself.
A war band can have only one fl.ind, and that creature
sets a war band's path. Because of its special connection
to Yeenoghu, a fl.ind uses god-given omens and demonic
insight to guide the gnolls toward weak prey ripe for
slaughter.
Unlike other humanoid leaders that might skulk behind their minions, a flind leads the charge in battle. Its
flail causes wracking pain, paralysis, and disorientation
in those struck by it.

GNOLL FLESH GNAWER
If any group of gnolls could be said to be more feral than
the others, that distinction would go to the flesh gnawers. These gnolls eschew the use of ranged weapons in
favor of short blades that they wield with speed and efficiency. In the thick of a fight, they are capable of dashing
across the field, slashing and snarling as they run down
stragglers and finish off wounded foes.

GNOLL HUNTER
Hunters are the stealthiest gnolls in a war band, and
they put their talents to use on the battlefield in a number of ways. In the vanguard of a war band, hunters
creep around, picking off isolated opposition while
clearing the way for the rest of the force to run roughshod over the enemy's territory.
Hunters are particularly skilled with the longbow,
and they fire arrows with viciously barbed heads. Even
when a hunter doesn't kill its target with its first shot,
the arrow strike brings so much pain that the victim is
hobbled in its attempt to run away. When a hunter on the
prowl finds prey and isn't concerned about remaining
stealthy, it sounds a horn crafted from bone that pr~
duces a keening wail similar to a banshee's yell.

GNOLL HUNTER
Medium humanoid (gno/1), chaotic evil
Armor Class 13 (leather armor)
Hit Points 22 (4d8 + 4)
Speed 30 ft.

Medium humanoid (gnoll), chaotic evil
Armor Class 14 (studded leather)
Hit Points 22 (4d8 + 4)
Speed 30 ft.

STR
12 (+l)

DEX
14 (+2)

CON
12 (+l)

STR
14 (+2)
INT
8 (-1)

WIS
10 (+O)

CHA
8 (-1)

Saving Throws Dex +4
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages Gnoll
Challenge 1 (200 XP)

Rampage. When the gnoll reduces a creature to O hit points
with a melee attack on its turn, the gnoll can take a bonus action to move up to half its speed and make a bite attack.
ACTIONS

DEX
14 (+2)

CON
12 (+l)

INT
8 (-1)

WIS
12 (+l)

CHA

8 (-1

Skills Perception +3, Stealth +4
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
Languages Gnoll
Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)

Rampage. When the gnoll reduces a creature to O hit points
with a melee attack on its turn, the gnoll can take a bonus action to move up to half its speed and make a bite attack.
ACTIONS

Multiattack. The gnoll makes two melee attacks with its spear
or two ranged attacks with its longbow.

Multiattack. The gnoll makes three attacks: one with its bite
and two with its shortsword .

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 4 (ld4 + 2) piercing damage.

Spear. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft. or
range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (ld6 + 2) piercing damage,

Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 5 (ld6 + 2) piercing damage.
Sudden Rush. Until the end of the turn, the gnoll's speed increases by 60 feet and it doesn't provoke opportunity attacks.
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or 6 (ld8 + 2) piercing damage when used with two hands to
make a melee attack.

Longbow. Ranged Weapon AUack: +4 to hit, range 150/600 ft.,
one target. Hit: 6 (ld8 + 2) piercing damage, and the target's
s.peed is reduced by 10 feet until the end of its next turn.
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Medium undead, chaocic evil
Armor Class 12 (natural armor)
Hit Points 11 (2d8 + 2)
Speed 30 ft.

STR

DEX

CON

INT

WIS

14 (+2)

8 (-1)

12 (+1)

5 (-3)

CHA
5 (-3)

Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities exhaustion, poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 7
Languages understands Gnoll but can't speak
Challenge 1/4 (SO XP)

GNOLL WITHERLING
Sometimes gnolls turn against each other, perhaps to
determine who rules a war band or because of extreme
starvation. Even under ordinary circumstances, gnolls
that are deprived of victims for too long can't control
their hunger and violent urges. Eventually, they fight
among themselves.
The survivors devour the flesh of their slain comrades
but preserve the bones. Then, by invoking rituals to Yeenoghu, they bring the remains back to a semblance of
life in the form of a gnoll witherling.
Witherlings act much as gnolls do in life, traveling
with their comrades and trying to kill anything in their
path. They don't eat and aren't motivated by hunger,
leaving more flesh for the rest of the war band. Gnoll
witherlings are incapable of wielding any weapon more
sophisticated than a simple club.
Undead Nature. A gnoll witherling doesn't require air,
food, drink, or l)leep.

Rampage. When the witherling reduces a creature to O hit
points with a melee attack on its turn, it can take a bonus action to move up to half its speed and make a bite attack.
ACTIONS

Multiattack. The witherling makes two attacks: one with its
bite and one with its club, or two with its club.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft ., one target.
Hit: 4 (ld4 + 2) piercing damage.
Club. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 4 (ld4 + 2) bludgeoning damage.
REACTIONS
.,

Vengeful Strike. In response to a gnoll being reduced to O hit
points within 30 feet of the witherling, the witherling makes a
melee attack.
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GRUNGS
Grungs are aggressive froglike humanoids found in rain
forests and tropical jungles. They are fiercely territorial
and see themselves as superior to most other creatures.
Tree-Dwelling Amphibians. Grungs live in trees and
prefer shade. A grung hatchery is maintained in wellguarded ground-level pools. About three months after
hatching, a grung tadpole takes on the shape of an adult.
It takes another six to nine months for a grung juvenile
to reach maturity.
Castes and Colors. Grung society is a caste system.
Each caste lays eggs in a separate hatching pool, and
juvenile grungs join their caste upon emergence from
the hatchery. All grungs are a dull greenish gray when
they are born, but each individual takes on the color of
its caste as it grows to adulthood.
Green grungs are the tribe's warriors, hunters, and
laborers, and blue grungs work as artisans and in other
domestic roles. Supervising and guiding both groups
are the purple grungs, which serve as administrators
and commanders. (Use the grung stat block to represent members of the green, blue, and purple castes.)
Red grungs are the tribe's scholars and magic users.
They are superior to purple, blue, and green grungs and
given proper respect even by grungs of higher status.
(Use the grung wildling stat block to represent members of the red caste.)
Higher castes include orange grungs, which are elite
warriors that have authority over all lesser grungs, and
gold grungs, which hold the highest leadership positions. A tribe's sovereign is always a gold grung. (Use
the grung elite warrior stat block to represent members
of the orange and gold castes.)
A grung normally remains in its caste for life. On
rare occasions, an individual that distinguishes itself
with great deeds can earn an invitation to join a higher
caste. Through a combination of herbal tonics and ritual
magic, an elevated grung changes color and is inducted
into its new caste in the same way that a juvenile of the
VARIANT: GRUNC POISON

Grung poison loses its potency 1 minute after being removed from a grung. A similar breakdown occurs if the
grung dies.
A creature poisoned by a grung can suffer an additional
effect that varies depending on the grung's skin color. This
effect lasts until the creature is no longer poisoned by
the grung.
Green. The poisoned creature can't move except to
climb or make standing jumps. Jf the creature is flying, it
can't take any actions or reactions unless it lands.
Blue. The poisoned creature must shout loudly or otherwise make a loud noise at the start and end ofits turn.
Purple. The poisoned creature feels a desperate need to
soak itselfin liquid or mud. It can't take actions or move
except to do so or to reach a body offiquid or mud.
Red. The poisoned creature must use its action to eat if
food is within reach.
Orange. The poisoned creature is frightened of its allies.
Gold. The poisoned creature is charmed and can
speak Grung.

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caste would be. From then on, the grung and its progeny
are members of the higher caste.
Naturally Toxic. All grungs secrete a substance that
is harmless to them but poisonous to other creatures. A
grung also uses venom to poison its weapons.
Slavers. Grungs are always on the lookout for creatures they can capture and enslave. Grungs use slaves
for all manner of menial tasks, but mostly they just like
bossing them around. Slaves are fed mildly poisoned
food to keep them lethargic and compliant. A creature
afflicted in this way over a long period of time becomes
a shell of its former self and can be restored to normalcy
only by magic.
Water Dependency. A grung that fails to immerse
itself in water for at least 1 hour during a day suffers one
level of exhaustion at the end of that day. A grung can
recover from this exhaustion only through magic or by
immersing itself in water for at least 1 hour.
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GRUNG
Small humanoid (grung), lawful evil
Armor Class l 2

Hit Points 11 (2d6 + 4)
Speed 25 ft., climb 25 ft.
STR
7 (-2)

DEX
14 (+2)

CON

INT

WIS

CHA

15 (+2)

10 (+O)

11 (+O)

10 (+O)

Saving Throws Dex +4
Skills Athletics +2, Perception +2, Stealth +4, Survival +2
Damage Immunities poison

Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses passive Perception 12
Languages Grung
Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)

Amphibious. The grung can breathe air and water.
Poisonous Skin. Any creature that grapples the grung or otherwise comes into direct contact with the grung's skin must
succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or become
poisoned for l minute. A poisoned creature no longer in direct
contact with the grung can repeat the saving throw at the end
of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Standing Leap. The grung's long jump is up to 25 feet and its
high jump is up to 15 feet, with or without a running start.
ACTIONS

Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft.
or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (ld4 + 2) piercing damage,
and the target must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving
throw or take 5 (2d4) poison damage.

GRUNG WILDLING
Small humanoid (grung), lawful e11il

GRUNG ELITE WARRIOR
Small humanoid (grung), lawful ei,i/

Armor Class 13 (16 with barkskin)
Hit Points 27 (5d6 + 10)
Speed 25 ft., climb 25 ft.

Armor Class 13
Hit Points 49 (9d6 + 18)
Speed 25 ft., climb 25 ft.
STR
7 (-2)

DEX
16 (+3)

CON

INT

WIS

CHA

15 (+2)

10 (+O)

11 (+O)

12 (+l)

Saving Throws Dex +5
Skills Athletics +2, Perception +2, Stealth +5, Survival +2
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses passive Perception 12
Languages Grung
Challenge 2 (450 XP)

STR
7 (-2)

DEX
16 (+3)

CON

INT

WIS

CHA

l 5 (+2)

10 (+O)

15 (+2)

11 (+O)

Saving Throws Dex +5
Skills Athletics +2, Perception +4, Stealth +5, Survival +4
Damage Immunities poison

Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses passive Perception 14
Languages Grung
Challenge 1 (200 XP)

Amphibious. The grung can breathe air and water.
Amphibious. The grung can breathe air and water.
Poisonous Skin. Any creature that grapples the grung or otherwise comes into direct contact with the grung's skin must
succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or become
poisoned for 1 minute. A poisoned creature no longer in direct
contact with the grung can repeat the saving throw at the end
of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Standing Leap. The grung's long jump is up to 25 feet and its
high jump is up to 15 feet, with or without a running start.
ACTIONS

Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft.
or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (ld4 + 3) piercing damage,
and the target must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving
throw or take 5 (2d4) poison damage.
Shortbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 80/320 ft.,
or,e target. Hit: 6 (ld6 + 3) piercing damage, and the target
must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or take 5
(2d4) poison damage.
Mesmerizing Chirr (Recharge 6). The grung makes a chirring
noise to which grungs are immune. Each humanoid or beast
that is within 15 feet of the grung and able to hear it must succeed on a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw or be stunned until the
end of the grung's next turn.
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Poisonous Skin. Any creature that grapples the grung or otherwise comes into direct contact with the grung's skin must
succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or become
poisoned for l minute. A poisoned creature no longer in direct
contact with the grung can repeat the saving throw at the end
of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Spellcasting. The grung is a 9th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 12, +4 to hit with spell
attacks). It knows the following ranger spells:
1st level (4 slots): cure wounds.jump
2nd level (3 slots): barkskin, spike growth
3rd level (2 slots): plant growth

Standing Leap. The grung's long jump is up to 25 feet and its
high jump is up to 15 feet, with or without a running start.

ACTIONS
Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft.
or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (ld4 + 3) piercing damage,
and the target must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving
throw or take 5 (2d4) poison damage.

Shortbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 80/320 ft.,
one target. Hit: 6 (ld6 + 3) piercing damage, and the target
must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or take 5
(2d4) poison damage.

GUARD DRAKE
A guard drake is a reptilian creature created out of
dragon scales by means of a bizarre and grisly ritual.
When trained properly, a drake is obedient, loyal, and
territorial, which makes it an excellent watchbeast that
can follow simple commands.
Gifts from Dragons. The ritual to create a guard
drake was originally devised by the cult of Tiamat, but
has spread to other groups that are skilled in arcana and
associated with dragons. The cooperation of a dragon
is necessary for the ritual to succeed, and a dragon typically provides its help when it wants to reward its allies
or worshipers with a valuable servant.
The ritual, which takes several days, requires 10
pounds of fresh dragon scales (donated by the dragon
allied with the group), a large amount of fresh meat,
and an iron cauldron. When the process is complete,
a halfling-sized egg emerges from the cauldron and is
ready to hatch within a few hours.
Eager to Learn. A newly hatched guard drake imprints upon the first creature that feeds it (usually the
one planning to train it), establishing an aggressive but
trusting bond with that individual. A guard drake is fully
grown within two to three weeks and can be trained in
the same length of time. One is the equivalent of a guard
dog in terms of what it can be trained to do.
A guard drake resembles the type of dragon it was created from, but with a wingless, squat, muscular build.
A drake can't reproduce, nor can its scales be used to
make other guard drakes.

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VARIANT! CHROMATIC GUARD DRAKES

Each type of chromatic dragon's scales and blood creates
a guard drake that resembles a wir1gless, stunted version
of that ty-pe of dragon, with unique abilities related to that
type. Each has the speciaJ features described below.
Black Cuard Drake. A black guard drake is amphibious
(it can breathe air or water)) has a swimming speed of 30
feet, and has resistance to acid damage.
Blue Guard Drake. A blue guard drake has a burrowing
speed of 20 feet and resistance to lightning damage.
Creen Guard Drake. A green guard drake is amphibious
(it can breathe air or water), has a swimming speed of 30
feet, and has resistance to poison damage.
Red Cuard Drake. A red guard drake has climbing speed
of 30 feet and resistance to fire damage.
White Guard Drake. A white guard drake has a burrow.
ing speed of20 feet, a climbing speed of 30 feet, and resistance to cold damage.

HAGS
Hags delight in bringing ruin and misery to the world.
Malevolence is such a core part of a hag that it shapes
her physical form and molds her magical powers.

ANNIS HAG
Annis hags lair in mountains or hills. Despite being
hunchbacked and hump-shouldered, they are the largest
and most physically imposing of their kind, standing
eight feet tall.
Tormenting the Weak. Although annis hags can easily tear a grown man apart, they love hunting children,
preferring their flesh above all others. They use the
flayed skin of such victims to make supple leather, and a
hag's lair often shows the signs of this industry.
Annis hags leave tokens of their cruelty at the edges
of forests and other areas they claim. In this way, they
provoke fear and paranoia in nearby villages and settlements. To an annis hag, nothing is sweeter than turning
a vibrant community into a place paralyzed with terror,
where folk never venture out at night, strangers are met
with suspicion and anger, and parents warn their children to "be good, or the annis will get you."
Child Corrupter. When an annis feels especially
cruel, she disguises herself as a kindly-looking elderly
woman, approaches a child in a remote place, and gives
it an iron token that it can use to confide in her. Over
time, "Granny" convinces the child that it's okay to have
bad thoughts and do bad deeds-starting with breaking
things or wandering outside without permission, then
graduating to pushing someone down the stairs or setting a house on fire. Sooner or later, the child's family
and community become terrified of the "bad seed" and
must face the awful decision of whether the child should
be punished or exiled.
Tribe Mather. Much in the way that they befriend
children in order to corrupt them, annis hags have a
tendency for adopting a group of ogres, trolls, or other
loutish creatures, ruling them through brute strength,
verbal abuse, and superstition.
Covens. An annis hag that is part of a coven (see the
"Hag Covens" sidebar in the Monster Manual) has a
challenge rating of 8 (3,900 XP).
IRON TOKEN

An annis hag can pull out one of her iron teeth or nails and
spend 1 minute shaping and polishing it into the form of
a coin, a ring, or a tiny mirror. Thereafter, any creature that
holds th1s iron token can have a whispered conversation
with the hag, provided the creature and the hag are on the
same plane of existence and within 10 miles of each other.
The holder of the token can hear only the hag's voice, not
those of any other creatures or any ambient noise around
the hag. Similarly, the hag can hear the holder of the token
and not the noise around it.
A hag can have up to three ;,on tokens active at one time.
As an action, she can discern the direction and approximate distance to all of her active tokens. She can instantaneously deactivate any of her tokens at any distance (no
action required), whereupon the token retains its current
form but loses its magi-cal properties.

ANNIS HAG
Large fey, chaotic evil
Armor Class 17 (natural armor)
Hit Points 75 (lOdlO + 20)

Speed 40 ft.
STR

DEX

CON

INT

WIS

CHA

21 (+5)

12 (+1)..

14 (+2)

13 (+l)

14 (+2)

15 (+2)

Saving Throws Con +5
Skills Deception +5, Perception +5
Damage Resistances cold; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing

from nonmagical attacks
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15
Languages Common, Giant, Sylvan
Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)

Innate Spellcasting. The hag's innate spellcasting ability is
Charisma (spell save DC 13). She can innately cast the following spells:
3/day each: disguise self (including the form of a Medium humanoid), fog cloud
ACTIONS

Multiattack. The annis makes three attacks: one with her bite
and two with her claws.
Bite. Mefee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 15 (3d6 + 5) piercing damage.
Claw. Mefee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 15 (3d6 + 5) slashing damage.
Crushing Hug. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 36 (9d6 + 5) bludgeoning damage, and the target is
grappled {escape DC 15) ifit is a Large or smaller creature. Until the grapple ends, the target takes 36 (9d6 + 5) bludgeoning
damage at the start of each of the hag's turns. The hag can't
make attacks while grappling a creature in this way.

she often forgoes a direct attack on her remaining enemies and instead takes a moment to feed on the corpse,
dismembering it and tearing meat from bone. The sight
of this savagery is enough to render witnesses temporarily insane.
Covens. A bheur hag that is part of a coven (see the
"Hag Covens" sidebar in the Monster Manual) has a
challenge rating of 9 (5,000 XP).
dS§

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BHEURHAG
Medium fey, chaotic evil
Armor Class 17 (natural armor)
Hit Points 91 (14d8 + 28)
Speed 30ft.
STR
13 (+1)

DEX
16 (+3)

CON

INT

14 (+2)

12 (+1)

WIS
13 (+1)

CHA

16 (+3)

Saving Throws Wis +4
Skills Nature +4, Perception +4, Stealth +6, Survival +4
Damage Immunities cold
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14
Languages Auran, Common, Giant
Challenge 7 (2,900 XP)

BHEURHAG
Bheur hags live in wintry lands, favoring snow-covered
mountains. They become more active during winter, using their ice and weather magic to make life miserable
for nearby settlements.
A bheur hag's skin is blue-white, like that of a person
who has frozen to death. Her hair is pale white, and she
is emaciated, as if she were a person who had survived
winter by eating bark and leather. Her eyes are pale and
surrounded by dark, bruise-colored flesh. A bheur carries a twisted gray wooden staff, which she can ride like
a flying broom and augments her magical powers.
Cold Hearts. Bheur hags are attracted to selfish actions justified by deadly cold, such as murdering a traveler for a winter coat, chopping down a dryad's grove for
firewood, and so on. These actions are especially sweet
to a bheur if they are unwarranted, such as a greedy
merchant hoarding more food for the winter than he
could possibly eat while others starve. Bheurs love to
seed such ideas and thoughts in mortals. They use their
ability to manipulate weather to batter villages with
snow and freezing cold, hoping to instill despair that
turns the villagers against each other.
A bheur hag loves watching unprepared people suffer
and die for their mistakes during the winter. She is delighted when mortals make petty, pathetic attempts to
survive, such as eating boots and leather scraps when
no real food is to be found.
Awful to Behold. When a bheur hag is fully in the
throes of combat and has recently slain one of her foes,

Craystaff Magic. The hag carries a graystaff, a length of gray
wood that is a focus for her inner power. She can ride the staff
as if it were a broom offlying. While holding the staff, she can
cast additional spells with her Innate Spellcasting trait (these
spells are marked with an asterisk). If the staff is lost or destroyed, the hag must craft another, which takes a year and a
day. Only a bheur hag can use a graystaff.
Ice Walk. The hag can move across and climb icy surfaces without needing to make an ability check. Additionally, difficult terrain composed of ice or snow doesn't cost her extra moment.
Innate Spellcasting. The hag's innate spellcasting ability is
Charisma (spell save DC 14, +6 to hit with spell attacks). She
can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material
components:
At will: hold person,* ray offrost
3/day each: cone of cold,* ice storm,* wall of ice*
1/day each: control weather
ACTIONS

Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d8 + 1) bludgeoning damage plus 3 (ld6)
cold damage.
Maddening Feast. The hag feasts on the corpse of one enemy
within 5 feet of her that died within the past minute. Each creature of the hag's choice that is within 60 feet of her and able
to see her must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or
be frightened of her for 1 minute. While frightened in this way,
a creature is incapacitated, can't understand what others say,
can't read, and speaks only in gibberish; the OM controls the
creature's movement, which is erratic. A creature can repeat
the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the
effect on itself on a success . If a creature's saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to the
hag's Maddening Feast for the next 24 hours.
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Devastators have the respect of other members of the
host, and they receive obedience and deference from
many quarters. Their ability to lay waste to entire formations with a single use of magic allows them to gain far
more glory in battle than a single warrior.
Other cultures might view the use of such abilities as
a short cut to glory, but to hobgoblins a gift for magic is
as valued and useful as a strong sword arm or brilliance
in tactics. They are all boons from Maglubiyet that must
be cultivated and unleashed upon the enemy.
Only Results Matter. Devastators study a simplified
form of evocation magic. Their training lacks the theory
and context that other folk study, making them skilled in
battle but relatively illiterate on the finer points of how
and why their magic works.
The Academy of Devastation believes that an academic approach to magic is a sign of weakness and
inefficiency. A warrior doesn't need to know about metallurgy to wield a blade, so why should a wizard care
about where magic comes from? Devastators love to
prove their superiority in battle by seeking out enemy
spellcasters and destroying them.

HOBGOBLINS
Hobgoblins of the cruelest bent gain admittance to elite
organizations that provide special training above and
beyond what military service has to offer. The Academy
of Devastation and the Iron Shadows are two such organizations, and their graduates are feared among the
ranks of goblinkind.

HOBGOBLIN DEVASTATOR
In hobgoblin society, the Academy of Devastation identifies hobgoblins with a talent for magic and puts them
through a grueling training regimen that endows them
with the ability to call down fireballs and other destructive magic on the host's behalf. A hobgoblin devastator
on the battlefield is simultaneously a boon to all its allies
and a threat to every foe around it.
Into the Fray. While other cultures treat their wizards
as cloistered academics, hobgoblins expect their spellcasters to fight. Devastators learn the basics of weapon
use, and they measure their deeds by the enemies defeated though their magic.

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HOBGOBLIN DEVASTATOR
Medium humanoid (goblinoid), lawful evil
Armor Class l 3 (studded leather)
Hit Points 45 (7d8 + 14)
Speed 30 ft.
STR
13 (+l}

DEX
12 (+l}

CON
14 (+2)

INT
16 (+3}

WIS
13 (+l)

CHA
11 (+O}

Skills Arcana +5
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception l l
Languages Common, Goblin
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)

Arcane Ad11antage. Once per turn, the hobgoblin can deal an
extra 7 (2d6} damage to a creature it hits with a damaging spell
attack if that target is within 5 feet of an ally of the hobgoblin
and that ally isn't incapacitated.

Army Arcana. When the hobgoblin casts a spell that causes
damage or that forces other creatures to make a saving throw,
it can choose itself and any number of allies to be immune to
the damage caused by the spell and to succeed on the required
saving throw.

Spel/casting. The hobgoblin is a 7th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 13, +S to hit with
spell attacks). It has the following wizard spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will}: acid splash,.fire bolt, ray offrost, shocking grasp
1st level (4 slots):fog cloud, magic missile, thunderwave
2nd level (3 slots): gust ofwind, Melfs acid arrow, scorching ray
3rd level (3 slots):.fireba/1,jly, lightning bolt
4th level (1 slot): ice storm
ACTIONS

Quarterstaff. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 4 (ld6 + 1) bludgeoning damage, or 5 (ld8 + 1)
bludgeoning damage if used with two hands.

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other hobgoblins, but is now also empowered to conduct
assassinations and spy missions, both against enemies
and among goblinoids. These missions are ordained by
the clerics of Maglubiyet, who keep a careful eye on the
goblinoid community to ensure that it functions according to Maglubiyet's will.
Masked Devils. Iron Shadows on a secret mission
wear masks crafted to resemble devils, both to conceal
their identities and to strike fear into their foes.
Their masks also signify the supposed origin of their
fighting techniques. The priests of Maglubiyet teach
that the Great One stole the secrets of shadows from
an archdevil, allowing his followers to conceal their
identities, walk between shadows, and craft illusions to
confuse and confound their enemies.

HOBGOBLIN IRON SHADOW
Medium humanoid (goblinoid), lawful evil
Armor Class 15
Hit Points 32 (5d8 + 10)
Speed 40 ft.
STR

14 (+2)

DEX
16 (+3)

CON

INT

15 (+2)

14 (+2)

WIS
15 (+2)

CHA
11 (+0)

Skills Acrobatics +5, Athletics +4, Stealth +5
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12
Languages Common, Goblin
Challenge 2 (450 XP)

HOBGOBLIN IRON SHADOW
The Iron Shadows are hobgoblin monks that serve
as secret police, scouts, and assassins. Among other
hobgoblins, they spy to ferret out treachery, rebellion,
and betrayal.
Trained in Secret. Iron Shadows are recruited from
across the hobgoblin ranks. Each member keeps her
eyes open for potential recruits, those whose agility and
stamina are matched only by an ironclad commitment to
Maglubiyet's will.
A candidate for admission undergoes a series of
tests designed to reveal any potential for treachery.
Those who fail are slain, while those who pass receive
secret training in the magical and martial arts. This
indoctrination is a slow and arduous process; many
aspirants don't finish it, and years might go by during
which the Iron Shadows welcome no new members
into their ranks. While a recruit is in training, it serves
the Iron Shadows by looking for and reporting suspicious behavior.
Masters of Shadow and Fist. When a recruit's training is complete, she is ready to wield a deadly combination of unarmed fighting techniques and shadow magic
to deceive and defeat her foes. She continues to spy on

Spellcasting. The hobgoblin is a 2nd-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 12, +4 to hit with
spell attacks). It has the following wizard spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will): minor illusion, prestidigitation, true strike
l st level (3 slots): charm person, disguise self, expeditious retreat,
silent image

Unarmored Defense. While the hobgoblin is wearing no armor
and wielding no shield, its AC includes its Wisdom modifier.
ACTIONS

Multiattack. The hobgoblin makes four attacks, each of which
can be an unarmed strike or a dart attack. It can also use
Shadow Jaunt once, either before or after one of the attacks.
Unarmed Strike. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
one target. Hit: 5 (ld4 + 3) bludgeoning damage.
Dart. Ranged Weapon Attack. +5 to hit, range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (ld4 + 3) piercing damage.
Shadow Jaunt. The hobgoblin magically teleports, along with
any equipment it is wearing or carrying, up to 30 feet to an
unoccupied space it can see. Both the space it is leaving and i!s
destination must be in dim light or darkness.

KI-RIN
Ki-rins are noble, celestial creatures. In the Outer
Planes, ki-rins in service to benevolent deities take a
direct role in the eternal struggle between good and evil.
In the mortal world, a ki-rin is celebrated far and wide
as a harbinger of destiny, a guardian of the sacred, and a
counterbalance to the forces of evil.
Good Personified. Ki-rins are the embodiment of
good, and simply beholding one can evoke fear or awe in
an observer. A typical ki-rin looks like a muscular stag
the size of an elephant, covered in golden scales lined
in some places with golden fur. It has a dark gold mane
and tail, coppery cloven hooves, and a spiral-shaped
coppery horn just above and between its luminous violet
eyes. In a breeze or when aloft, the creature's scales and
hair can create the impression that the ki-rin is ablaze
with a holy, golden fire.
Beyond their coloration, ki-rins vary in appearance,
based on the deity each one reveres and the function
it typically performs in service to that god. Some are
horse-shaped, looking like gigantic unicorns, and are
often used as guardians. Others have draconic features
and tend to be aggressive foes of evil. One horn is most
common, but a ki-rin of fierce demeanor might have two
horns or a set of antlers like those of a great stag.
Brinsers ofBoons. Common folk consider ki-rins to
be rare and remote heralds of good fortune. Seeing a ki-

KI-RIN
Huge celestial, lawful good
Armor Class 20 (natural armor)
Hit Points 152 (16dl2 + 48)
Speed 60 ft., fly 120 ft. (hover)

STR
21 (+5)

DEX
16 (+3)

CON

INT

WIS

CHA

16 (+3)

19 (+4)

20 (+5)

Skills Perception +9, Insight +9, Religion +8
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses blindsight 30 ft., darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 19
Languages all, telepathy 120 ft.

rin fly overhead is a blessing, and events that happen on
such a day are especially auspicious. If a ki-rin alights
during a ceremony, such as a birth announcement or
a coronation, everyone present understands that the
creature is telling them great good could be in the offing.
The ki-rin conveys its gifts and omens, then rises back
into the sky. Ki-rins have also been known to appear at
the sites of great battles to inspire and strengthen the
side of good, or to rescue heroes from certain death.
A ki-rin in the world claims a territory to watch over,
and one ki-rin might safeguard an area that encompasses several nations. On other planes, ki-rins that
serve good deities go wherever they are commanded,
which could include coming to the Material Plane on a
mission. A ki-rin disciple in the world usually serves its
deity as a scout, a messenger, or a spy.
Ki-rins are attracted to the worship of deities of
courage, loyalty, selflessness, and truth, as well as the
advancement of just societies. For instance, in Faerfin,
ki-rins rally mostly to Torm, although ki-rins also serve
his allies Tyr and Ilmater.
O,Uects ofAdoration. Because a ki-rin is renowned
for its wisdom, other creatures would naturally seek it
out with questions and requests if they could. For that
reason among others, the creature makes its lair atop a
forbidding mountain peak or in some other equally inaccessible location. Only those that have the tenacity to

Cantrips (at will): light, mending, sacred flame, spare the dying,
thaumaturgy
1st level (4 slots): command, cure wounds, detect evil and good,
protection from evil and good, sanctuary
2nd level (3 slots): calm emotions, lesser restoration, silence
3rd level (3 slots): dispel magic, remove curse, sending
4th level (3 slots): banishment.freedom of movement, guardian offaith
5th level (3 slots): greater restoration, mass cure wounds, scrying
6th level (1 slot): heroes'feast, true seeing
7th level (1 slot): etherealness, plane shift
8th level (1 slot): control weather
9th level (1 slot): true resurrection
ACTIONS

Challenge 12 (8,400 XP)

Multiattack. The ki-rin makes three attacks: two with its
hooves and one with its horn.

Innate Spellcasting. The ki-rin's innate spellcasting ability is
Charisma (spell save DC 17). The ki-rin can innately cast the
following spells, requiring no material components:

Hoof. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target.
Hit: 10 (2d4 + 5) bludgeoning damage.

At will: gaseous form, major image (6th-level version), wind walk
1/day: create food and water

Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the ki-rin fails a saving throw,
it can choose to succeed instead.

Horn. Mefee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 14 (2d8 + 5) piercing damage.
LEGENDARY ACTIONS

Magic Resistance. The ki-rin has advantage on saving throws
against spells and other magical effects.

The ki-rin can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at
a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. The ki-rin
regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

Magic Weapons. The ki-rin's weapon attacks are magical.

Detect. The ki-rin makes a Wisdom (Perception} check or a

Spellcasting. The ki-rin is a 18th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 17, +9 to hit with spell
attacks). It has the following cleric spells prepared:

Smite. The ki-rin makes a hoof attack or casts sacred flame.
Move. The ki-rin moves up to its half speed without provoking

Wisdom (Insight) check.

opportunity attacks.

I was awed to teaH at the mere

sitlit of my bst ki-rin, and
I've met tods.
-Volo

enough objects made of wood, or similarly hard plantbased material, to fill a cube 10 feet on a side. The third
version creates enough objects made of stone or metal
to fill a cube 2 feet on a side, but any materials created
in this way last for only 1 hour.
complete the daunting journey to a ki-rin's lair can prove
themselves worthy of speaking with its occupant.
Many who seek a ki-rin's guidance end up pledging
service to the creature. They study as monks under its
tutelage and serve as its agents in the world. The followers of a ki-rin might travel incognito across the land,
seeking news of growing evil and working behind the
scenes, or might be champions of their master's cause,
out to defeat villainy wherever it is found.

LAIR OF LUXURY
On the celestial pl'anes, ki-rins reside in lofty, elegant
aeries filled with luxurious objects. In the world, a ki-rin
chooses a similar location, such as atop a tall pinnacle
or within a cloud solidified by the ki-rin's magic. When
viewed from the outside, a ki-rin's lair is indistinguishable from a natural site, and the entrance is difficult for
visitors to find and reach. Inside, the lair is a serene and
comfortable place, its ambiance a mix between palace
and temple. If the ki-rin has taken creatures into its service, its lair doubles as a sacred site wherein the ki-rin
not only rests, but also teaches of holy mysteries.
Inside its lair, a ki-rin has the power to ~onjure objects
up to three times per day, using each of the following
versions of the power once. One version permanently
creates enough objects made of soft, plant-based material-including manufactured objects such as cloth,
pillows, rope, blankets, and clothing- to fill a cube 20
feet on a side. The second version permanently creates

REGIONAL EFFECTS

The ki-rin's celestial nature transforms the region
around its lair. Any of the following magical effects is
possible for travelers to encounter in the vicinity:
• Water flows pure within 3 miles of a ki-rin's lair. Any
purposeful corruption of the water lasts for no longer
than 3 minutes.
• Animals, plants, and good creatures within 3 miles
of the ki-rin's lair gain vigor as they evolve toward an
idealized form. Such creatures are rarely aggressive
toward others that aren't normally prey. Evil creatures
can't tolerate the holy atmosphere within the same
distance, and usually choose to live much farther from
the domain of a ki-rin.
• Curses, diseases, and poisons affecting good-aligned
creatures are suppressed when those creatures are
within 3 miles of the lair.
• A ki-rin can cast control weather while it is within 3
miles of its lair. The spell's point of origin is always
the point outdoors closest to the center of its lair. The
ki-rin doesn't need to maintain a clear path to the sky
or to concentrate for the change in weather to persist.
• Within 3 miles of the lair, winds buoy non-evil creatures that fall due to no act of the ki-rin or its allies.
Such creatures descend at a rate of 60 feet per round
and take no falling damage.
When the ki-rin dies, all these effects disappear immediately, although the invigorating effect on flora and
fauna remains for 3 years.

KOBOLDS
Some kobolds have gifts bequeathed to them by dragons
or gods, enabling them to rise above their peers. Others
are born with a cruel inventiveness that few can match.

KOBOLD DRAGONSHIELD
A kobold dragonshield is a champion of its race. Almost
all dragonshields begin life as normal kobolds, then are
chosen by a dragon and invested with great powers for
the purpose of protecting the dragon's eggs, but once
every few years a kobold hatches with an innate version
of the dragonshield's abilities. Accomplished at hand-tohand combat, it bears many scars from desperate fights
and carries a shield made out of cast-off dragon scales.
Uncommon Courage. A dragonshield knows that it
has a place of honor in the tribe, but-being kobolds at
heart-most of them feel unworthy of their status and
thus desperate to prove themselves deserving of it. A
dragonshield's natural kobold cowardice is still present
in its makeup, and thus it might still run away from a
threat. But it also has the ability to rally in the face of
certain death, inspiring other kobolds to follow it in a
charge against the invaders of their warren.

KOBOLD INVENTOR
A kobold inventor, crafty and with quick hands, builds
improvised weapons in the hope of gaining some new
advantage in combat. An inventor captures bugs, scoops
up exotic dungeon slimes, and claims the best stolen
goods as ingredients in its experiments. Its creations
are sometimes comical in appearance, but-like kobolds' traps- they work a lot better than their materials
would suggest.
Good While They Last. An inventor's new weapons
last for only one or two attacks before they break, but
might be st,1rprisingly effective in the meantime. Most
inventors are skilled enough that their improvised weapons don't backfire on them, but other users might not be
so lucky. The weapons don't have to be lethal-in many
cases one serves its purpose if it distracts, scares, or
confuses a creature long enough for other kobolds to kill
the enemy. In any particular encounter, an inventor usually has one or two improvised weapons at its disposal.

KOBOLD SCALE SORCERER
A kobold scale sorcerer has an innate talent for arcane
magic, making it a highly valuable member of the tribe
for several reasons. Because the kobolds' deity remains
imprisoned, most tribes lack individuals that can use
divine magic, and so the scale sorcerers fill the roles of
advisor and historian. In times of peace, they use their
spells to fortify and enhance the warren and aid the rest
of the tribe. When the tribe is threatened, a scale sorcerer lashes out with fire and poison against enemies,
saving a bit of magic for itself in case it needs to flee or
take advantage of a captor.
Duty-Bound to a Dragon. In a kobold tribe associated
with a dragon, typically one that resides in or near the
dragon's lair, the scale sorcerer also serves as diplomat
and mouthpiece-anticipating the dragon's needs, issu-

KOBOLD DRAGONSHIELD
Small humanoid (kobold), lawful evil
Armor Class 15 (leather, shield)
Hit Points 44 (8d6 + 16)
Speed 20 ft.
STR

DEX

CON

12 (+1)

15 (+2)

14 (+2)

INT
8 (-1)

WIS
9 (-1)

CHA

10 (+O)

Skills Perception +l
Damage Resistances see Dragon's Resistance below
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
Languages Common, Draconic
Challenge l (200 XP)

Dragon's Resistance. The kobold has resistance to a type of
damage based on the color of dragon that invested it with
power (choose or roll a dlO): 1-2, acid (black); 3-4, cold
(white); 5-6, fire (red); 7-8, lightning (blue); 9-10, poison (green).
Heart of the Dragon. If the kobold is frightened or paralyzed
by an effect that allows a saving throw, it can repeat the save
at the start of its turn to end the effect on itself and all kobolds
within 30 feet of it. Any kobold that benefits from this trait (including the dragonshield) has advantage on its next attack roll.
Pack Tactics. The kobold has advantage on an attack roll
against a creature if at least one of the kobold's allies is within
S feet of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated.
Sunlight Sensiti~ity. While in sunlight, the kobold has disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception)
checks that rely on sight.
ACTIONS

Multiattack. The kobold makes two melee attacks.
Spear. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach S ft. or
range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (ld6 + 1) piercing damage, or
5 (ld8 + l) piercing damage if used with two hands to make a
melee attack.
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CHAPTER '.5

ing commands to other kobolds on the dragon's behalf,
and reporting information back to the dragon. The
sorcerer is just as awed by and respectful of dragons as
common kobolds are, but it knows that its duty requires
it not to fawn over its master at all times. It also understands that its frequent proximity to the dragon means
it would probably be the first to die if its master became
angry or displeased, and so it frantically maintains a
balance between adoration and terror in its behavior
toward the dragon.

KOBOLD INVENTOR
Small humanoid (kobold), lawful evil
Armor Class 12
Hit Points 13 (3d6 + 3)

Speed 30 ft.
STR
7 (-2)

DEX

CON

INT

WIS

15 (+2)

12 (+l)

8 (-1)

7 (-2)

CHA
8 (-1)

Skills Perception +O
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages Common, Draconic
Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)

Pack Tactics. The kobold has advantage on an attack roll
against a creature if at least one of the kobold's allies is within
5 feet of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated.
Sunlight Sensitivity. While in sunlight, the kobold has disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception)
checks that rely on sight.
ACTIONS

Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft.
or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (ld4 + 2) piercing damage.
Sling. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 30/120 ft., one
target. Hit: 4 (ld4 + 2) bludgeoning damage.
Weapon Invention. The kobold uses one of the following options (roll a d8 or choose one); the kobold can use each one no
more than once per day:
1. Acid. The kobold hurls a flask of acid. Ranged Weapon
Attack: +4 to hit, range 5/20 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (2d6)
acid damage.
2. Alchemist's Fire. The kobold throws a flask of alchemist's
fire. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 5/20 ft., one target. Hit: 2 (1 d4) fire damage at the start of each of the target's
turns. A creature can end this damage by using its action to
make a DC 10 Dexterity check to extinguish the flames.
3. Basket of Centipedes. The kobold throws a small basket into
a 5-foot-square space within 20 feet of it. A swarm ofinsects
(centipedes) with 11 hit points emerges from the basket and
rolls initiative. At the end of each of the swarm's turns, there's
a 50 percent chance that the swarm disperses.
4. Green Slime Pot. The kobold throws a clay pot full of green
slime at the target, and it breaks open on impact. Ranged
Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 5/20 ft., one target. Hit: The
target is covered in a patch of green slime (see chapter 5 of the
Dungeon Master's Guide). Miss: A patch of green slime covers
a randomly determined 5-foot-square section of wall or floor
within 5 feet ofthe target.

5. Rot Grub Pot. The kobold throws a clay pot into a 5-footsquare space within 20 feet of it, and it breaks open on impact.
A swarm of rot grubs (see appendix A) emerges from the shattered pot and remains a hazard in that square.
6. Scorpion on a Stick. The kobold makes a melee attack with
a scorpion tied to the end of a 5-foot-long pole. Melee Weapon
Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1 piercing damage,
and the target must make a DC 9 Constitution saving throw,
taking 4 (ld8) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much
damage on a successful one.
7. Skunk in a Cage. The kobold releases a skunk into an unoccupied space within 5 feet ofit. The skunk has a walking speed
of 20 feet, AC 10, 1 hit point, and no effective attacks. It rolls
initiative and, on its turn, uses its action to spray musk at a
random creature within 5 feet of it. The target must make a DC
9 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the target retches
and can't take actions for 1 minute. The target can repeat the
saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect
on itself on a success. A creature that doesn't need to breathe
or is immune to poison automatically succeeds on the saving
throw. Once the skunk has sprayed its musk, it can't do so
again until it finishes a short or long rest.
8. Wasp Nest in a Bag. The kobold throws a small bag into
a S-foot-square space within 20 feet of it. A swarm ofinsects
(wasps) with 11 hit points emerges from the bag and rolls
initiative. At the end of each of the swarm's turns, there's a 50
percent chance that the swarm disperses.

i/
Never !make the mistake of th~nkinA
kobold/s are stupid or backward just
because they're small. Size has nothin~
to do ith it.

-Volo

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KOBOLD SCALE SORCERER

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Sorcery Points. The kobold has 3 sorcery points. It can spend

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Small humanoid (kobofd), lawful e11il

l or more sorcery points as a bonus action to gain one of the
following benefits:

Armor Class 15 (nat ural armor)
Hit Points 27 (5d6 + 10)
Speed 30ft.

Heightened Spell: When it casts a spell that forces a creature
to make a saving throw to resist the spell's effects, the kobold
can spend 3 sorcery points to give one target of the spell disadvantage on its first saving throw against the spell.
Subtle Spell: When the kobold casts a spell, it can spend l
sorcery point to cast the spell without any somatic or verbal
components.

STR
7 (-2)

DEX
15 (+2)

CON
14 (+2)

INT
10 (+O)

WIS
9 (-1)

CHA
14 (+2)

Skills Arcana +2, Medicine +l
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perceptio n 9
Languages Commo n, Draconic
Challenge l (200 XP)

Spellcasting. The kobold is a 3rd-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 12, +4 to hit with spell
attacks). It has the following sorcerer spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will): fire boli, mage hand, mending, poison spray
1st level (4 slots): charm person, chromatic orb, expeditious retreat
2nd level (2 slots): scorching ray

Pack Tactics. The kobold has advantage on an attack roll
against a creature if at least one of the kobold's allies is within
5 feet of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated.
Sunlight Sensiti11ity. While in sunlight, the kobold has disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception)
checks that rely on sight.
ACTIONS

Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft.
or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hii: 4 (ld4 + 2) piercing damage.

KORRED
Small fe y, chaotic neutral
Armor Class 17 (natural armor)
Hit Points 102 (12d6 + 60)

Speed 30 ft., burrow 30 ft.
STR

DEX

CON

INT

WIS

23 (+6)

14 (+2)

20 (+5)

10 (+O)

15 (+2)

CHA
9 (-1)

Skills Athletics +9, Perception +5, Stealth +5
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, pierci ng, and slashing from

nonmagical attacks
Senses da rkvision 120 ft., tremorsense 120 ft., passive

Perception l S
Languages Dwarvish , Gnomish, Sylvan, Terran, Undercommon
Challenge 7 (2,900 XP)

Command Hair. The korred has at least one SO-foot-long rope
woven out of its hair. As a bonus action, the korred commands
one such rope within 30 feet of it to move up to 20 feet and
entangle a Large or smaller creature that the korred can see.
The target must succeed on a DC l 3 Dexterity saving throw or
become grappled by the rope (escape DC 13). Until this grapple
ends, the target is restrained. The korred can use a bonus action to release the target, which is also freed if the korred dies
or becomes incapacitated.
A rope of korred hair has AC 20 and 20 hit points. It regains
l hit point at the start of each of the korred's turns while it has
at least l hit point and the korred is alive. If the rope drops to 0
hit points, it is destroyed.

KORRED
Korreds are unpredictable, secretive fey with strong
ties to earth and stone. Because of their magical hair
and their mystical understanding of minerals, they are
sought after by treasure-hunters, dwarves, and others
that desire wealth beneath the earth.
Earthy Fey. Korreds prefer to keep their own company and occasionally consort with creatures of elemental earth such as galeb duhr. A tribe of korreds
gathers weekly to perform ceremonial dances, beating
out rhythms on stone with their hooves and clubs. In the
depths of the Material Plane, korreds typically flee from
other creatures but become aggressive when they feel
insulted or are annoyed by the sounds of mining.
Stone Sympathy. No one knows the ways of stone
and earth better than a korred. Korreds can seemingly
smell veins of metal or gems. A korred on the surface
can feel the rise and fall of bedrock under the earth and
where caves lie, and underground it knows the pathways through the stone for miles. Secret doors that lead
through stone are as obvious as windows to a korred.
Korreds can hurl boulders far larger than it seems
they should be able to, shape stone as though it were
clay, swim through rock, and summon earth elementals and other creatures. They also gain supernatural
strength just from standing on the ground.
Enchanted Hair. Korreds have hair all over their bodies, but the hair that grows from their heads is magical.
When cut, it transforms into whatever material was
used to cut it. Korreds use iron shears to cut lengths of
their hair, then weave the strands together to create iron
ropes that they can manipulate, animating them to bind
or snake around creatures and objects. Korreds take
great pride in their hair, and equally great offense at anyone who attempts to cut it without permission.

Innate Spellcasting. The korred's innate spellcasting ability is
Wisdom (save DC 13). It can innately cast the following spells,
requiring no components:
At will: commune with nature, meld into stone, stone shape
1/day each: conjure elemental (as 6th-level spell; galeb
duhr, gargoyle, earth elemental, or xorn only), Otto's irresistible dance

Stone Camouflage. The korred has advantage on Dexterity
(Stealth) checks made to hide in rocky terrain.

Stone's Strength. While on the ground, the korred deals 2
extra dice of damage with any weapon attack (included in
its attacks).
ACTIONS

Multiattack. The korred makes two attacks with its greatclub
or hurls two rocks.
Greatclub. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach S ft., one
target. Hit: 10 (ld8 + 6) bludgeoning damage, or 19 (3d8 + 6)
bludgeoning damage if the korred is on the ground.
Rock. Ranged Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, range 60/120 ft., one
target. Hit: l S (2d8 + 6) bludgeoning damage, or 24 (4d8 + 6)
bludgeoning damage if the korred is on the ground.
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LEUCROTTA
A leucrotta is what you would get if you took the head of
a giant badger, the brain of a person who likes to torture
and eat people, the legs of a deer, and the body of a large
hyena, put them together, and reanimated them with
demon ichor without bothering to cover up the stink
of death.
Spawn ofYeenoshu. The first leucrottas came into
being alongside the gnolls during Yeenoghu's rampages
on the Material Plane. Some of the hyenas that ate Yeenoghu's kills went through different transformations
rather than turning into gnolls. Among these bizarre
results, leucrottas were the most numerous.
As clever as it is cruel, a leucrotta loves to deceive,
torture, and kill. Because leucrottas are smarter and
tougher than most gnolls, one could occupy an elevated
position within a gnoll tribe. Although a leucrotta is
unlikely to lead a group of gnolls, it can influence the
leader, and it might even agree to carry a leader into battle and offer advice during the fight.
Gnolls see leucrottas as a form of entertainment,
partly because a leucrotta can mimic the squeals of
a suffering victim- a sound that always gives gnolls
pleasure- even when no victims are to be had. Further,
a gnoll is bloodthirsty and sadistic, but unable by its
nature to prolong the fun of killing. Most leucrottas are
consciously cruel, to the point of being meticulous about
their savagery to draw out a kill into better and longer
sport. Gnolls enjoy watching a leucrotta work almost as
much as they like doing their own killing.
Foulness Embodied. The leucrotta is so loathsome
that only gnolls and others of its kind can stand to be
around one for long. Its horrific, hodgepodge body oozes
a foul stench that pollutes anywhere the creature lairs.
This reek is outdone only by the creature's breath, which
issues from a maw that drips fluid corrupted with rot
and digestive juices. In place of fangs, a leucrotta has
bony ridges as hard as steel that can crush bones and
lacerate flesh. These plates are so tough that a leucrotta
can use them to peel plate armor away from the body of
a slain knight.
A leucrotta's stench would normally warn away prey
long before the creature could attack. It has two
natural capabilities, however, that give it an advantage. First, a leucrotta's tracks are nearly
impossible to distinguish from those of common deer. Second, it can duplicate the call
or the vocal expressions of just about any
creature it has heard. The monster uses
its mimicry to lure in potential victims,
then attacks when they are confused or
unaware of the actual threat.

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LEUCROTTA
Large monstrosity, chaotic evil
Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
Hit Points 67 (9dl 0 + 18)
Speed 50 ft.

STR

DEX

18 (+4)

14 (+2)

CON
15 (+2)

INT
9 (-1)

WIS
12 (+l)

CHA
6 (-2)

Skills Deception +2, Perception +3
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Pe rce ption 13
Languages Abyssal, Gnoll
Challenge 3 (700 XP)

Keen Smell. The leucrotta has advantage on Wisdom (Perceptio n) checks that rely on smell.
Kicking Retreat. If the leucrotta attacks with its hooves, it can
take the Disengage action as a bonus action .
Mimicry. The leucrotta can mimic animal sounds and hu manoid voices . A creature that hears the sounds can tell they are
imitations with a successful DC 14 Wisdom (Insight) check.
Rampage. When the leucrotta reduces a creature to O hit points
with a melee attack on its turn, it can take a bonus action to
move up to half its speed and make an attack with its hooves.
ACTI ONS

Multiattack. The leucrotta makes two attacks: one with its bite
and one with its hooves .
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 8 (ld8 + 4) piercing damage. If the leucrotta scores a criti·
cal hit , it rolls the damage dice three times, instead of twice.

Hoo11es. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage.
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MEENLOCK

MEENLOCK
Small fey, neutral evil
Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points 31 (7d6 + 7)
Speed 30 ft.

STR

DEX

CON

INT

WIS

7 (-2)

15 (+2)

12 (+l)

11 (+O)

10 (+O)

CHA
8 (-1)

Skills Perception +4, Stealth +6, Survival +2
Condition Immunities frightened
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 14
Languages telepathy 120 ft.
Challenge 2 (450 XP)

Fear Aura. Any beast or humanoid that starts its turn within 10
feet of the meenlock must succeed on a DC 11 Wisdom saving
throw or be frightened until the start of the creature's next turn.

Light Sensiti11ity. While in bright light, the meenlock has disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception)
checks that rely on sight.
As a bonus action, the meenlock can teleport to an unoccupied space within 30 feet of it,
provided that both the space it's teleporting from and its destination are in dim light or darkness. The destination need not
be within line of sight.
Shadow Teleport (Recharge 5-6).

ACTIONS

Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 7 {2d4 + 2) slashing damage, and the target must succeed
on a DC ll Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed for l
minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of
each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
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CHAPTER 3 I 'SES'I'IARY

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Meenlocks are deformed fey that invoke terror and seek
to destroy all that is good, innocent, and beautiful. They
primarily live in forests, although they adapt well to urban and subterranean settings.
Fear Incarnate. Meenlocks are spawned by fear.
Whenever fear overwhelms a creature in the Feywild,
or in any other location where the Feywild's influence
is strong, one or more meenlocks might spontaneously
arise in the shadows or darkness nearby. If more than
one meenlock is born, a lair also magically forms. The
earth creaks and moans as narrow, twisting tunnels
open up within it. One of these newly formed passageways serves as the lair's only entrance and exit.
Meenlocks give other creatures the creeps and project
a supernatural aura that instills terror in those nearby.
So evil and twisted are they that a palpable sense of
foreboding haunts those who intrude upon a meenlock
lair. Inside the warren, black moss covers every surface,
muffling sound. A large central chamber serves as the
meenlocks' den, where they torment captives.
Dark Dwellers. A meenlock shuns bright light. It can
supernaturally sense areas of darkness and shadow in
its vicinity and thus is able to teleport from one darkened space to another-enabling it to sneak up on its
prey or run away when outmatched.
Telepathic Tormentors. Meenlocks have no form of
communication other than telepathy. They can use it to
project unsettling hallucinations into the minds of their
prey. These hallucinations take the form of terrible whispers or fleeting movements just at the edges of one's
peripheral vision.
During the day, meenlocks confine themselves to their
dark warrens. At night, they crawl out of their tunnels to
torment sleeping prey, particularly those who seem to
embody all that is good in the world. Meenlocks like to
paralyze creatures with their claws, drag them back to
their hidden den, beat them unconscious, and telepathically torture them over a period of hours. A humanoid
that succumbs to this psychic torment undergoes a
transformation into an evil, full-grown meenlock (see
the "Telepathic Torment" sidebar).
TELEPATHIC TORMENT

Up to four meenlocks can telepathically torment one incapacitated creature, filling its mind with disturbing sounds
and dreadful imagery. Participating meenlocks can't use
their telepathy for any other purpose during this time.
though they can move about and take actions and reactions as normal. This torment has no effect on a creature
that is immune to the frightened condition. If the creature
is susceptible and remains incapacitated for 1 hour, the
creature must make a Wisdom saving throw. taking 10
(3d6) psychic damage on a failed save, or half as much
damage on a successful one. The save DC is 10 + the num·
ber of meenlocks participating in the torment, considering
only those that remain within sight of the victim for the
entire hour and aren't incapacitated during it The process
can be repeated. A humanoid that drops to O hit points as
a result of this damage instantly transforms into a meen·
lock at full health and under -the DM's controL Only a wish
spell or divine intervention can restore a transformed creature to its former state.

========================~=-+,.~-~,~

MIND FLAYERS
Three members of the horrific illithid family appear
here, joining the regular mind flayer in the Monster Manual.

ALHOON
Mind flayers that pursue arcane magic are exiled as
deviants, and for them no eternal communion with an
elder brain is possible. The road to lichdom offers a
way to escape the permanency of death, but that path
is long and solitary. Alhoons are mind flayers that use
a shortcut.
Arcane Temptation. Elder brains forbid mind flayers
from pursuing magic power aside from psionics, but it
isn't an interdiction they must often enforce. Illithids
brook no masters but members of their own kind, so it
isn't in their nature to bow to any god or otherworldly
patron. However, wizardry remains a rare temptation.
In the pages of a spellbook, an illithid sees a system
to acquire authority. Through the writings of the wizard
who penned it, the illithid perceives the workings of a
highly intelligent mind. Most mind flayers who find a
spellbook react with abhorrence or indifference, but for
some a spellbook is a gateway to a new way of thinking.
For a time, the study of such forbidden texts can be
hidden from other illithids and even from an elder brain.
Understanding of wizardry eludes the mind like a living
thing. Yet eventually, understanding comes, and a mind
flayer arcanist must accept itself as deviant and flee the
colony if it is to live.
Existential Fear. Arcanist deviants that taste freedom
from the colony react in a variety of ways. Some prize
their privacy, others seek to commune with similar
minds, and still others seek to dominate a colony, elevating themselves to the position of leadership normally
held by an elder brain. Regardless of the arcanist's personal indinations, it faces the same stark fact: When it
dies, it will not join the host of minds in the elder brain.
Deviant minds are never accepted as part of the collective. For it, death means oblivion.
Dreadful Deliverance. Lichdom offers salvation and
the prospect of being able to pursue knowledge indefinitely. Having feasted on the brains of people when
alive, a mind flayer has no compunction about feeding
souls to a phylactery. The only hindrance to a mind
flayer becoming a lich is the means, which is a secret
some mind flayer arcanists stop at nothing to discover.
Yet lichdom requires an arcane spellcaster to be at the
apex of power, something many mind flayers find is far
from their grasps.
Confronting this awful reality, a group of nine mind
flayer deviants used their arcane magic and psionics to
weave a new truth. These nine called themselves the
alhoon, and ever afterward, all those who follow in their
footsteps have been referred to by the same name.
A Psionic Secret. Alhoons can cooperate in the creation of a periapt ofmind trapping, a fist-sized container
made of silver, emerald, and amethyst. The process
requires at least three mind flayer arcanists and the sacrifice of an equal number of souls from living victims in
a three-day-long ritual of spellcasting and psionic com-

munion. Upon its completion, free-willed undeath is conferred on the mind flayers, turning them into alhoons.
Initially, an alhoon can be difficult to distinguish from
a normal mind flayer. The most obvious difference is
the lack of the mind flayer's ever-present mucus coating. Without that protection, an alhoon's skin becomes
dry and cracked. Its eyes might appear shriveled and
sunken. Both of these clues are easily missed by someone who hasn't seen a mind flayer. However, in short
order, an alhoon's flesh withers away and its empty
eye sockets gleam with cold pinpricks of light like
other liches.
Precarious Immortality. Unlike with true lichdom,
the periapt of mind trapping doesn't restore the alhoons
to undeath if they are destroyed. Instead, a destroyed
alhoon's mind is transferred to the periapt where it
remains in communion with any other trapped alhoon
minds, as well as the souls of those sacrificed.
The undeath conferred by a periapt of mind trapping
lasts only so long as the life of the living victim selected.
Thus an alhoon who brought a 200-year-old elf to be
sacrificed looks forward to a much longer existence than
one that sacrifices a 35-year-old person. Alhoons can
extend their existence by repeating the ritual with new
victims, effectively resetting the clocks for themselves.
Destruction of a periapt of mind trapping consigns
those trapped within it to oblivion, and thus alhoons often work together to create elaborate protections about

the periapt and their preferred ritual site. Sometimes a
single alhoon is entrusted with the periapt of mind trapping, but this is a dangerous proposition. Anyone who
holds the periapt of mind trapping gains advantage on
attacks, saves, and check against the alhoons associated
with its creation, and those alhoons in turn suffer disadt§ --

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·-ii

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ALHOON

VARIANT: MIND FLAYER LICH (ILLITHILICH)
The path to true tichdom is something only the most powerful mind flayer mages can pursue, since it requires the
ability to craft a phylactery and cast the imprisonment spell.
A mind flayer lich uses the lich stat block (see the Monster
Manual), with the following changes:

Medium 1.mdead, any evil alignment
Armor Class 15 (naturaJ armor)
Hit Points 120 (16d8 + 48)
Speed 30 ft.
STR
11 (+O)

DEX
12 (+l)

CON
16 (+3)

vantage on attacks, saves, and check against the holder.
In addition, the holder of the periapt can telepathically
communicate with any sacrificed soul trapped within,
and alhoons within the periapt can speak telepathically
with the holder. A creature carrying the periapt can't
prevent communication from alhoons but can silence
trapped souls.

INT
19 {+4)

WIS
17 {+3)

CHA
17 {+3)

Saving Throws Con +7, Int +8, Wis +7, Cha +7
Skills Arcana +8, Deception +7, History +8, Insight +7,
Perception +7, Stealth +S
Damage Resistances cold, lightning, necrotic
Damage Immunities poison; bludgeoning, piercing, and
slashing from nonmagical attacks
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened,
paralyzed, poisoned
Senses truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 17
languages Deep Speech, Undercommon, telepathy 120 ft.
Challenge 10 (5,900 XP)

Magic Resistance. The alhoon has advantage on saving throws
against spells and other magical effects.
Innate Spellcasting (Psionics). The alhoon's innate spellcasting
ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 16). It can innately cast the
following spells, requiring no components:
At will: detect thoughts, levitate
1/day each: dominate monster, plane shift (self only)

Spell,asting. The alhoon is a 12th-level spellcaster. Its
spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 16, +8 to
hit with spell attacks). The alhoon has the following wizard
spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will): chill touch, dancing lights, mage hand, presti-

digitation, shocking grasp
1st level (4 slots): detect magic, disguise self. magic missile, shield
2nd level (3 slots): invisibility, mirror image, scorching ray
3rd level (3 slots): counterspe/1,fly, lightning bolt
4th level (3 slots): confusion, Evard's black tentacles, phan-

• It has a chatlenge rating of 22 (41,000 XP).
• It speaks Deep Speech and Undercommon, and has telepathy out to a range of 120 feet.
• It has the Magic Resistance and Innate Spellcasting
(Psionics) traits, as well as the Tentades, Extract Brain,
and Mind Blast action options (all described below). So
long as a mind flayer lich feeds captured souls to its phylactery, it maintains the musc;ular power ofits tentades
and the ability to extract brains.
• Its suite of legendary actions (described below) is different from that of the normal lich.

Magic Resistance. The lich has advantage on saving throws
against spells and other magical effects.
Innate Spellcasting (Psionics). The lich's innate spellcasting
ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 20). It can innateJy
cast the following spells* requiring no components.
At will: detect thoughts, levitate
1 /day each; dominate monster, plane shift (self only)

ACTIONS

Tentacles. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit; reach 5 ft., one
creature. Hit: 21 ,(3d10 + 5) psychic damage. If the target
is Large or smaller, it is grappled {escape DC 15) and
must succeed on a DC 20 Intelligence saving throw or be
stunned until this grapple ends.
Extract Brain. Melee Weapon Attack: + 12 to hit, reach 5 ft. 1
one incapacitated humanoid grappled by the lich. Hit: 55
(lOdlO) piercing.damage. If this damage reduces the target to O hit points, the lich kills the target by extracting and
devouring its brain.

5th level (2 slots): modify memory, wall offorce
6th level (1 slot): disintegrate, globe of invulnerability

Mind Blast (Recharge 5-6). The lich magically emits psychic energy in a 60-foot cone. Each creature in that area
must succeed on a DC 18 lntelJigence saving throw or take
27 (Sd8 + 5) psychic damage and be stunned for 1 minute.
A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each
ofits turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Turn Resistance. The alhoon has advantage on saving throws
against any effect that turns undead.

LEGENDARY ACTIONS

tasmal killer

ACTIONS

Chilling Grasp. Melee Spell Attack: +8 to hit. reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 10 (3d6) cold damage.

Mind Blast (Recharge 5-6). The alhoon magically emits psychic energy in a GO-foot cone. Each creature in that area must
succeed on a DC 16 Intelligence saving throw or take 22 (4d8 +
4) psychic damage and be stµnned for 1 minute. A target can
repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending
the effect on itself on a success.

The lich gains the following legendary action options,
which replace all of the lich's legendary actions.
Tentacles. The lich makes one attack with its tentades.
Extract Brain (Costs 2 Actions). The lich uses Extract Brain.
Mind Blast (Costs 3 Actions). The lich recharges its Mind
Blast and uses it.
Cast Spell (Costs 1-3 Actions). The lich uses a spell slot to
cast a 1st-, 2nd-, or 3rd-level spell that it has prepared.
Doing so costs l legendary action per level o_f the spell.

ELDER BRAIN
The ultimate expression of illithid domination, an elder
brain sprawls within a vat of viscous brine, touching the
thoughts of creatures near and far. It scrawls upon the
canvas of their minds, rewriting their thoughts and authoring their dreams.
Psychic Infiltrators. When an elder brain infiltrates
a mind, it alters the creature's perception and deceives
its senses, causing it to see, hear, touch, taste, or feel
reality according to the elder brain's intent. From across
great distances, it implants subconscious suggestions or
subtly influences dreams to compel creatures toward a
course of action that benefits its grand plan.
When its insidious suggestions fail to take hold, an elder brain asserts its dominance more directly. It seizes
control of a resistant mind and controls the creature's
body as it would a puppet. Against the rare, strongwilled stalwart that defies it or attacks it, an elder brain
sends a blast of overwhelming psychic force to crush the
upstart's mind, rendering the creature a thoughtless,
drooling shell.
Devourer of Thoushts. An elder brain sustains itself by consuming the brains of other creatures. When
the mind flayer servants that guard and tend to an
elder brain don't bring its meals directly to it, the elder
brain reaches out with tendrils of thought, ~entally
compelling creatures to come to it so that it may feed
upon them.
When a mind flayer perishes, the elder brain's servants feed the contents of its skull to their master, which
absorbs the illithid's brain and all the knowledge and
experience contained therein. In this way the elder
brain continually increases its knowledge, uniting the
thoughts and experiences of the illithid colony into a
unified whole. Mind fl.ayers conceive of this "oneness"
as a sacred state in the same way that a worshiper of a
human deity might view an eternal afterlife in the heavens-for an elder brain can evoke the persona of any
illithid it has ever absorbed.
Hive Mind. Non-illithids call this creature an elder
brain because it acts as the central communication hub
for an entire mind flayer colony just as a brain does for
a living body. Linked to the elder brain, the colony acts
like a single organism, acting in concert as if each illithid were the digit of a hand.
Eso Unhindered. Each elder brain considers itself
and its desires the most important things in the multiverse, the mind flayers in its colony nothing more than
extensions of its will. But no two elder brains are alike,
and each presides over its colony according to its own
unique personality and storehouse of collected knowledge and experience. Some elder brains reign as domineering tyrants, while others serve more benignly as
sages, counselors, and repositories of information and
lore for the mind flayers that protect and nourish them.
The ambitions of an elder brain are always tempered
by its relative immobility. Although its telepathic senses
can reach for miles, moving anywhere is always a dangerous proposition. If forced outside its brine pool, an
elder brain will swiftly expire, and transporting an elder
brain in its pool through confining and tortuous subterranean tunnels frequently proves difficult or impossible.

AN ELDER BRAIN'S LAIR
The lair of an elder brain always lies deep in the heart
of a mind flayer colony. The creature dwells in a dimly
glowing brine pool, filled with foul and brackish water infused with the elder brain's vital fluids and with
psionic energy.
LAIR ACTIONS

When fighting inside its lair, an elder brain can use lair
actions. On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), an
elder brain can take one lair action to cause one of the
following effects; the elder brain can't use the same lair
action two rounds in a row:
• The elder brain casts wall of force.
• The elder brain targets one friendly creature it can
sense within 120 feet of it. The target has a flash of
inspiration and gains advantage on one attack roll,
ability check, or saving throw it makes before the end
of its next turn. If the target doesn't or can't use this
benefit in that time, the inspiration is lost.
• The elder brain targets one creature it can sense
within 120 feet of it and anchors it by sheer force of
will. The target must succeed on a DC 18 Charisma
saving throw or be unable to leave its current space.
It can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its
turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

REGIONAL EFFECTS

The territory within 5 miles of an elder brain is altered
by the creature's psionic presence, which creates one or
more of the following effects:
• Creatures within 5 miles of an elder brain feel as if
they are being followed, even when they are not.
• The elder brain can overhear any telepathic conversation happening within 5 miles of it. The creature
that initiated the telepathic conversation makes a DC
18 Wisdom (Insight) check when telepathic contact is
first established. If the check succeeds, the creature is

Large aberration, lawful evil
Armor Class l 0
Hit Points 210 (20dl0 + 100}
Speed Sft., swim 10 ft.

15 (+2}

DEX
10 (+O}

If the elder brain dies, these effects immediately end.

Mind Blast (Recharge 5-6). The elder brain magically emits
psychic energy. Creatures of the elder brain's choice within 60
feet of it must succeed on a DC 18 Intelligence saving throw or
take 32 (5d10 + 5) psychic damage and be stunned for 1 minute. A target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of
its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

ELDER BRAIN

STR

aware that something is eavesdropping on the conversation. The nature of the eavesdropper isn't revealed,
and the elder brain can't participate in the telepathic
conversation unless it has formed a psychic link with
the creature that initiated it.
• Any creature with which the elder brain has formed a
psychic link hears faint, incomprehensible whispers in
the deepest recesses of its mind. This psychic detritus
consists of the elder brain's stray thoughts commingled with those of other creatures to which it is linked.

CON

INT

WIS

CHA

20 (+5)

21 (+5)

19 (+4}

24 (+7}

Saving Throws Int +10, Wis +9, Cha +12
Skills Arcana +10, Deception +12, lnsight+l4, Intimidation +12,

Persuasion +12
Senses bli ndsight 120 ft., passive Percept ion 14
Languages understands Common, Deep Speech, and

Undercommon but can't speak, telepathy 5 miles
Challenge 14 (11,500 XP}

Creature Sense. The elder brain is aware of the presence of
creatures within 5 miles ofit that have an Intelligence score of
4 or higher. It knows the distance and direction to each creature, as well as each one's Intelligence score, but can't sense
anything else about it. A creature protected by a mind blank
spell, a nondetection spell, or similar magic can't be perceived
in this manner.
Innate Spellcasting (Psionics). The elder brain's innate spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 18). It can innately
cast the following spells, requiring no components:
At will: detect thoughts, levitate
1/day each: dominate monster, plane shift (self only)

Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the elder brain fails a saving
throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Magic Resistance. The elder brain has advantage on saving
throws against spells and other magical effects.
Telepathic Hub. The elder brain can use its telepathy to initiate
and maintain telepathic conversations with up to ten creatures
at a time. The elder brain can let those creatures telepathically
hear each other while connected in this way.
ACTIONS

Tentacle. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 30 ft., one target.
Hit: 20 (4d8 + 2) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a Huge or
smaller creature, it is grappled (escape DC 15} and takes 9 (1d8
+ 5) psychic damage at the start of each of its turns until the
grapple ends. The elder brain can have up to four targets grappled at a time.

Psychic Link. The elder brain targets one incapacitated creature
it can perceive with its Creature Sense trait and establis~es a
psychic link with that creature. Until the psychic link ends, the
elder brain can perceive everything the target senses. T~e target becomes aware that something is linked to its mind once
it is no longer incapacitated, and the elder brain can terminate
the link at any time (no action required). The target can,use an
action on its turn to attempt to break the psychic link, doing so
with a successful DC 18 Charisma saving throw. On a successful save, the target takes 10 (3d6) psychic damage. The psychic
link also ends if the target and the elder brain are more than
5 miles apart, with no consequences to the target. The elder
brain can form psychic links with up to ten creatures at a time.
Sense Thoughts. The elder brain targets a creature with which it
has a psychic link. The elder brain gains insight into the target's
reasoning, its emotional state, and thoughts that loom large in
its mind (including things the target worries about, loves, or
hates}. The elder brain can also make a Charisma (Deception}
check with advantage to deceive the target's mind into thinking
it believes one idea or feels a particular emotion. The target
contests this attempt with a Wisdom (Insight} check. If the elder brain succeeds, the mind believes the deception for l hour
or until evidence of the lie is presented to the target.
LEG ENDARY ACTIONS

The elder brain can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from
the options below. It can take only one legendary action at a
time and only at the end of another creature's turn. The elder
brain regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Tentacle. The elder brain makes a tentacle attack.
Break Concentration. The elder brain targets a creature within
120 feet of it with which it has a psychic link. The elder brain
breaks the creature's concentration on a spell it has cast. The
creature also takes ld4 psychic damage per level of the spell.
Psychic Pulse. The elder brain targets a creature within 120
feet of it with which it has a psychic link. Enemies of the
elder brain within 10 feet of that creature take 10 (3d6} psychic damage.
Sever Psychic Link. The elder brain targets a creature within
120 feet of it with which it has a psychic link. The elder brain
ends the link, causing the creature to have disadvantage on
all ability checks, attack rolls, and saving throws until the end
of the creature's next turn.

--::s;cc::

AA . ,sc;s: 9A:§:3o+

ULITHARID
Large aberrDtion lawful evil
1

Armor Class 15 {breastplate)
Hit Points 127 (17dl O+ 34)
Speed 30 ft.
STR

DEX

CON

INT

WIS

CHA

15 {+2)

12 (+l)

15 (+2)

21 (+5)

19 (+4)

21 (+5)

Saving Throws Int +9, Wis +8, Cha +9
Skills Arcana +9, Insight +8, Perception +8, Stealth +5
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 18
Languages Deep Speech, Undercommon, telepathy 2 miles
Challenge 9 (5,000 XP)

Creature Sense. The ulitharid is aware of the presence of creatures within 2 miles of it that have an Intelligence score of 4 or
higher. It knows the distance and direction to each creature,
as well as each creature's Intelligence score, but can't sense
anything else about it. A creature protected by a mind blank
spell, a nondetection spell, or similar magic can't be perceived
in this manner.
Magic Resistance. The ulitharid has advantage on saving
throws against spells and other magical effects.
Psionic Hub. If an elder brain establishes a psychic link with the
ulitharid, the elder brain can form a psychic link with any other
creature the ulitharid can detect using its Creature Sense. Any
such link ends if the creature falls outside the telepathy ranges
of both the ulitharid and the elder brain. The ulitharid can
maintain its psychic link with the elder brain regardless of the
distance between them, so long as they are both on the same
plane of existence. If the ulitharid is more than 5 miles away
from the elder brain, it can end the psychic link at any time (no
action required) .
Innate Spellcasting (Psionics). The ulitharid's innate spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 17). It can innately cast
the following spells, requiring no components:
At will: detect thoughts, levitate
1/day each: confusion, dominate monster, eyebite.feeblemind,
mass suggestion, plane shift (self only), project image, scrying,
telekinesis
ACTIONS

Tentacles. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10 ft., one
creature. Hit: 27 (4dl0 + 5) psychic damage. If the target is
Large or smaller, it is grappled (escape DC 14) and must succeed on a DC 17 Intelligence saving throw or be stunned until
this grapple ends.
Extract Brain. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
incapacitated humanoid grappled by the ulitharid. Hit: 55
(lOdlO) piercing damage. If this damage reduces the target to
0 hit points, the ulitharid kills the target by extracting and devouring its brain.
Mind Blast (Recharge 5-6). The ulitharid magically emits psychic energy in a 60-foot cone. Each creature in that area must
succeed on a DC 17 Intelligence saving throw or take 31 {4dl2
+ 5) psychic damage and be stunned for 1 minute. A target can
repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending
the effect on itself on a success.

ULITHARID
Very rarely, a tadpole from an elder brain's brine pool
transforms an individual into an ulitharid, a larger and
more potent mind flayer that boasts six tentacles.
Master Minds. Illithids innately recognize that an ulitharid's survival is more important than their own. An
elder brain's reaction to the rise of an ulitharid varies.
In most colonies, the ulitharid becomes an elder brain's
most favored servant, invested with power and authority.
In others, the elder brain perceives an ulitharid as a potential rival for power, and it manipulates or quashes the
ulitharid's ambitions accordingly.
Birth ofa Colony. When an ulitharid finds sharing
leadership with an elder brain to be insufferable, it
breaks off from the colony, taking a group of mind
flayers with it, and moves to another location to form a
new colony. After the death of the ulitharid's body, mind
flayers take its brain and place it in a brine pool, where
it grows into an elder brain over a few days. This process doesn't work on the brain of an ulitharid that dies a
natural death, as a brain that succumbs to old age is too
decrepit to be used in the creation of an elder brain.
Extractor Staff. Each ulitharid carries a psionically
enhanced staff made of black metal. When the ulitharid
is ready to give up its life, it attaches the staff to the back
of its head, and the staff cracks open its skull and peels
it apart, enabling its brain to be extracted. The brain and
the staff are then planted in the ulitharid's corpse, causing it to dissolve into ichor. This psionically potent slime
helps to fuel the transformation of the area into a brine
pool that surrounds an embryonic elder brain.
CHA.PTElt

MINDWITNESS
If the beholder can be stunned and brought safely to the
brine pool of the elder brain, it can be converted through
ceremorphosis into a mindwitness. The process of ceremorphosis transforms four of the beholder's eyestalks
into tentacles similar to those of a mind flayer, and alters
some of the beholder's eye rays.
Less intelligent than beholders and less liable to
endanger the colony, mindwitnesses are psionically imprinted with devotion to the elder brain and submission
to illithid commands, making them almost as obedient
as intellect devourers.
Telepathic Hub. The primary function of a mindwitness is to improve telepathic communication in a mind
flayer colony. A creature in telepathic communication
with a mindwitness can converse telepathically through
it to as many as seven other creatures the mindwitness
can see, allowing the rapid spread of commands and
other information.
Solitary Seekers. If separated from its illithid masters, a mindwitness seeks out other telepathic creatures
to tell it what to do. Mindwitnesses have been known
to ally with flumphs and telepathic planar beings such
as demons, shifting their worldview and changing their
alignment to match that of their new masters.
Eye Rays. The mindwitness shoots three of the following magical eye rays at random (reroll duplicates), choosing one to three
targets it can see within 120 feet of it:

Large aberration, lawful evil
Armor Class 15 (natural armor}
Hit Points 75 (lOdlO + 20}
Speed O ft., fly 20 ft. (hover}
STR

10 (+O}

DEX
14 (+2}

CON

INT

WIS

CHA

14 (+2}

15 (+2}

10 (+O}

Saving Throws Int +5, Wis +5
Skills Perception +8

Condition Immunities prone
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 18
Languages Deep Speech, Undercommon, telepathy 600 ft.
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP}

Telepathic Hub. Wh~n the mindwitness receives a telepathic
message, it can telepathically share that message with up to
seven other creatures within 600 feet of it that it can see.
ACTIONS

Multiattack. The mindwitness makes two attacks: one with its
tentacles and one with its bite.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature.
Hit: 16 (4d6 + 2) piercing damage.
Tentacles. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 20 (4d8 + 2) psychic damage. If the target is Large
or smaller, it is grappled (escape DC 13} and must succeed
on a DC 13 Intelligence saving throw or be stunned until this
grapple ends.

1. Aversion Ray. The targeted creature must make a DC 13
Charisma saving throw. On a failed save, the target has disadvantage on attack rolls for 1 minute. The target can repeat the
saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect
on itself on a success.
2. Fear Ray. The targeted creature must succeed on a DC 13
Wisdom saving throw or be frightened for l minute. The target
can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
3. Psychic Ray. The target must succeed on a DC 13 Intelligence saving throw or take 27 (6d8} psychic damage.
4. Slowing Ray. The targeted creature must make a DC 13
Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the target's speed is
halved for l minute. In addition, the creature can't take reactions, and it can take either an action or a bonus action on its
turn but not both. The creature can repeat the saving throw
at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on
a success.
5. Stunning Ray. The targeted creature must succeed on a
DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be stunned for 1 minute.
The target can repeat the saving throw at the start of each of its
turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
6. Telekinetic Ray. If the target is a creature, it must make a
DC 13 Strength saving throw. On a failed save, the mindwitness
moves it up to 30 feet in any direction, and it is restrained by
the ray's telekinetic grip until the start of the mindwitness's
next turn or until the mindwitness is incapacitated.
If the target is an object weighing 300 pounds or less that
isn't being worn or carried, it is telekinetically moved up to 30
feet in any direction. The mindwitness can also exert fine control on objects with this ray, such as manipulating a simple tool
or opening a door or a container.

thin!, odd, unusual. and
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CollectoH of eveTY

MORKOTH
Ancient and devious, morkoths are voracious collectors.
Each one travels the planes, amassing the valuables,
oddities, and castoffs of the multiverse to make its collection ever more complete.
Spawned by a God. Long ago, a deity of greed and
strife perished in the battles among the immortals. Its
body drifted through the Astral Plane, eventually becoming a petrified husk. This corpse floated up against
a pearlescent remnant of celestial matter imbued with
life and life-giving magic. The collision shattered both
objects and released a storm of chaotic energy. Countless islands of mixed matter spun away into the silvery
void. Within some of them, a vein of pearl-like material
held a bit of the deity's rejuvenated supernatural vitality,
which spontaneously created a habitable environment.
On those same islands, bits of the god's petrified flesh
came back to life, in the form of tentacled monstrosities brimming with malice and greed. Ever since that
time, each morkoth has had an extraplanar island to
call home.
No Rhyme or Reason. A morkoth's island has the
qualities of a dreamscape in which nature and predictability take a back seat to strangeness and chaos. Upon
it is a jumble of objects and a mixture of creatures,
some of which date from forgotten times. An island
might have natural-looking illumination, but most are
shrouded in twilight, and on any of them, mists and
shadows can appear without notice. The environment
is warm and wet, a subtropical or tropical climate that
keeps the morkoth and its "guests" comfortable.
The pearly matter inside an island enables it to glide
on planar currents, maintains the island's environment,
and keeps the place safe from harmful external effects.
A morkoth's island might be found anywhere from the
bottom of the ocean to the void of the Astral Plane. One
could float in the skies of Avernus in the Nine Hells
without being destroyed and without causing harm to its
residents. Whatever is on or within a certain distance
of a morkoth's isle travels with it in its journey through
the planes. Thus, people from lost civilizations and creatures or objects from bygone ages might be found within
a morkoth's dominion.
Some islands travel a specific route, arriving at the
same destinations regularly over a cycle of years. Others
are tied to a particular place or group of locales, and still
others move erratically through the cosmos. Rarely, a
morkoth learns to control its island's movement, so the
island goes wherever its master wishes.
Primeval Hoarders. Morkoths are driven by greed
and selfishness, mixed with a yearning for conflict. They
desire anything they don't possess, have no scruples
about taking what they crave, and endeavor to keep everything they collect.
A morkoth spends its time watching over its collection
and plotting to acquire more possessions. The monster
hoards vast stores of treasure and knowledge. Its island
holds numerous captives, which it considers part of its
collection. Some inhabitants, such as descendants of
original prisoners, might view the morkoth as a ruler
or a god. A morkoth's storehouse of wealth and lore at-

tracts would-be plunderers, of course, as well as those
seeking something specific the morkoth has or knows.
The creature shows no mercy to those that try to steal
from it, but it can be bargained with by a visitor that offers the morkoth something it desires.
No morkoth freely gives away what it owns. Morkoths
exist to acquire, and they give up possessions only if doing so helps their hoard grow.
A morkoth knows every object in its collection and can
track its possessions through the planes. Someone who
dares to steal from a morkoth, or breaks a deal with one,
will know no rest until the morkoth is slain or all promises are kept.

MORKOTH 'S LAIR

A morkoth claims dominion over an entire island, and it
also maintains a central sanctum on that isle. This lair
is most often a twisted network of narrow tunnels that
connect several underground chambers, although other
structural forms might be incorporated. The morkoth
dwells among its most prized possessions in a spacious
vault at the core of the warren, where the pearly matter
of the island is also located. Sections of the lair and its
center might be kept dry to better protect and preserve
collected objects and creatures, but most of the lair is
underwater.
A morkoth encountered in its lair has a challenge rating of 12 (8,400 XP).
I.

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MORKOTH

ACTIONS

Medium aberration, chaotic evil

Multiattack. The morkoth makes three attacks: two with its
bite and one with its tentacles or three with its bite.

Armor Class 17 (natural armor)
Hit Points 130 (20d8 + 40}
Speed 25 ft., swim SO ft.
STR

14 (+2}

DEX
14 (+2}

CON
14 (+2)

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 9 (2d6 + 2} slashing damage.
INT

WIS

20 (+S)

15 (+2)

CHA
13 (+l)

Saving Throws Dex +6, Int +9, Wis +6
Skills Arcana +9, History +9, Perception +10, Stealth +6
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from

nonmagical attacks
Senses blindsight 30 ft., darkvision 120 ft., passive

Perception 20
Languages telepathy 120 ft.
Challenge 11 (7,200 XP)

Amphibious. The morkoth can breathe air and water.
Spellcasting. The morkoth is an 11th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Intelligence (save DC 17, +9 to hit with spell
attacks). The morkoth has the following wizard spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will): acid splash, mage hand, mending, ray offrost,
shocking grasp
1st level (4 slots): detect magic, identify, shield, witch bolt
2nd level (3 slots): darkness, detect thoughts, shatter
3rd level (3 slots): dispel magic, lightning bolt, sending
4th level (3 slots): dimension door, Evard's black tentacles
5th level (3 slots): geas, scrying
6th level (l slot): chain lightning

LAIR ACTIONS

When fighting inside its lair, a morkoth can invoke the
ambient magic of the island to take lair actions. On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the morkoth takes
a lair action to cause one of the effects described below:
• The morkoth uses its Hypnosis action, originating at a
point within 120 feet of itself. It doesn't need to see the
effect's point of origin.
• The morkoth casts darkness, dispel magic, or misty
step, using Intelligence as its spellcasting ability and
without expending a spell slot.
REGIONAL EFFECTS

The island surrounding a morkoth's lair is warped by
the creature's presence, creating the following effects:
• The morkoth is aware of any new arrival, whether an
object or a creature, on its island or in its sanctum.
As an action, the morkoth can locate any one creature
or object on the island. Visitors to the island feel as
though they are being watched, even when they aren't.
• Each time a creature that has been on the island for
less than a year finishes a short or long rest, it must
make a DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation) check. On
a failure, the creature has misplaced one possession
(chosen by the player, if the creature is that player's
character). The possession remains nearby but con-

Tentacles. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach l 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 15 (3d8 + 2) bludgeoning damage, and the target
is grappled (escape DC 14) if it is a Large or smaller creature.
Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained and takes
l 5 (3d8 + 2) bludgeoning damage at the start of each of the
morkoth's turns, and the morkoth can't use its tentacles on
another target.
Hypnosis. The morkoth projects a 30-foot cone of magical
energy. Each creature in that area must make a DC 17 Wisdom
saving throw. On a failed save, the creature is charmed by the
morkoth for l minute. While charmed in this way, the target
tries to get as close to the morkoth as possible, using its actions to Dash until it is within 5 feet of the morkoth. A charmed
target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its
turns and whenever it takes damage, ending the effect on itself
on a success. If a creature's saving throw is successful or the
effect ends for it, the creature has advantage on saving throws
against the morkoth's Hypnosis for 24 hours.
REACTIONS

Spell Reflection. If the morkoth makes a successful saving
throw against a spell, or a spell attack misses it, the morkoth
can choose another creature (including the spellcaster) it can
see within 120 feet of it. The spell targets the chosen creature
instead of the morkoth. If the spell forced a saving throw, the
chosen creature makes its own save. If the spell was an attack,
the attack roll is rerolled against the chosen creature.

cealed for a short time, so it can be recovered with a
successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check. An object that is misplaced but not recovered ends up in the
morkoth's lair 1 hour later. If the creature later goes to
the morkoth's lair, its lost possessions stand out in its
perception and are easily recovered.
Entrances to the morkoth's lair have an enchantment
that the morkoth can activate or suppress at any time
while it's in its lair and not incapacitated. Any creature
within 30 feet of such an entrance and able to see it
must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed
save, the creature feels an intense urge to use its
movement on each of its turns to enter the lair and to
move toward the morkoth's location (the target doesn't
realize it's heading toward a creature). The target
moves toward the morkoth by the most direct route.
As soon as it can see the morkoth, the target can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a
success. It can also repeat the saving throw at the end
of each of its turns and every time it takes damage.
• With a thought (no action required), the morkoth can
initiate a change in the water within its lair that takes
effect 1 minute later. The water can be as breathable
and clear as air, or it can be normal water (ranging in
clarity from murky to clear).
If the morkoth dies, these regional e:ffects end
immediately.

NEOGI
Neogi are hateful slavers that consider most other creatures, even weaker neogi, to be servants and prey. A
neogi looks like an outsize spider with an eel's neck and
head. The creature can poison the body and the mind of
its target, able to subjugate other beings that are otherwise physically superior.
Alien Tyrants. Neogi usually dwell in far-flung locations on the Material Plane, as well as in the Feywild,
the Shadowfell, and the Astral and Ethereal Planes.
They invaded the world long ago from a remote location on the Material Plane, abandoning their home to
conquer and devour creatures in other realms. To meet
their need to navigate great distances, the neogi first
dominated and assimilated the umber hulks of another
lost world. Then, with these slaves providing the physical labor, the neogi designed and built sleek vessels,
some capable of traversing the planes, to carry them to
their new frontiers. Some neogi groups still create and
use such vehicles, which have a distinct spidery aspect.
Some neogi use magic-the result of a pact between
the neogi and aberrant entities they met during their
journey from their home world. These entities look
like stars and embody the essence of evil. They are
known by such names as Acamar, Caiphon, Gibbeth,
and Hadar.
Nothing about the neogi is more unf3rthomable than
their mentality. Because they have the power to control
minds, neogi consider doing so to be entirely appropriate. Their society makes no distinction between
individuals, aside from the ability that a given creature
has to control others, and they don't comprehend the
emotional aspects of existence that humans and similar
beings experience. To a neogi, hatred is as foreign a
sensation as love, and showing loyalty in the absence of
authority is foolishness.
Cycle ofDeath and Life. A neogi lives about as
long as a human, and like a human it faces physical and mental infirmity as it ages. When an
individual is rendered weak by advanced age,
the other neogi in the group overpower it and
inject it with a special poison. The toxin transforms the old neogi into a bloated, helpless
mass of flesh called a great old master. Young
neogi lay their eggs atop it, and when the hatchlings emerge, they devour the great old master
and one another, until only a few of the strongest
newborns are left.
Hierarchy ofOwnership. Surviving neogi
hatchlings begin their lives under the control
of adult neogi. They must learn about their society and earn a place in it, and each one starts
its training by gaining mastery over a young
umber hulk.
Neogi mark themselves and their slaves
through the use of dyes, transformational magic,
and tattoos intended to signify rank, achievements, and ownership. By these signs, each neogi
can identify its betters-and it must defer to those
of higher station or risk harsh punishment.

7....

AS:SN

·i-S

§ii

e+tJWWI

NEOGI HATCHLING
Tiny aberration, lawful evil
Armor Class 11
Hit Points 7 (3d4)

Speed 20 ft., climb 20 ft.
STR

3 (-4)

DEX
13 (+1)

CON

INT

10 (+O)

6 (-2)

WIS
10 (+0)

CHA
9 (-1)

Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
LanguagesChallenge 1/8 (25 XP)

Mental Fortitude. The hatchling has advantage on saving
throws against being charmed or frightened, and magic can't
put the hatchling to sleep.
Spider Climb. The hatchling can climb dtfficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an
ability check.
ACTIONS

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 3 (ld4 + 1) piercing damage plus 7 (2d6) poison damage,
and the target must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving
throw or become poisoned for 1 minute. A target can repeat
the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

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NEOGI

NEOGI MASTER

Small aberration, tawful evil

Medium aberration, lawful evil

Armor Class 1S (natural armor)
Hit Points 33 (6d6 + 12)
Speed 30~ .• climb 30 ft.

Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points 71 (l 3d6 + 26)
Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft.

STR
6 (-2)

DEX
16 (+3)

CON

INT

WIS

CHA

14 (+2)

13 (+1)

12 (+1)

15 (+2)

Skills Intimidation +4, Perception +3
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
Languages Common, Deep Speech, Undercommon
Challenge 3 (700 XP)

STR
6 (-2)

DEX
16 (+3)

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CON

INT

WIS

14 (+2)

16 (+3)

12 (+l)

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CHA
18 (+4)

Saving Throws Wis +3
Skills Arcana +5, Deception +6, Intimidation +6, Perception +3,

Persuasion +6
Senses darkvision 120 ft. (penetrates magical darkness),

passive Perception 13
Languages Common, Deep Speech, Undercommon,

Mental Fortitude. The neogi has advantage on saving throws
against being charmed or frightened, and magic can't put the
neogi to sleep.

Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)

Spider Climb. The neogi can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an
ability check.

Mental Fortitude. The neogi has advantage on saving throws
against being charmed or frightened, and magic can't put the
neogi to sleep.

ACTIONS

Spellcasting. The neogi is a 7th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 14, +6 to hit with spell
attacks). It regains its expended spell slots when it finishes a
short or long rest. It knows the following warlock spe~ls:

Multiattack. The neogi makes two attacks: one with its bite
and one with its claws.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 6 (ld6 + 3) piercing damage plus 14 (4d6) poison damage,
and the target must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving
throw or become poisoned for 1 minute. A target can repeat
the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 8 (2d4 + 3) slashing damage.
Enslave (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). The neogi
targets one creature it can see within 30 feet of it. The target
must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or be magically
charmed by the neogi for 1 day, or until the neogi dies or is
more than 1 mile from the target. The charmed target obeys
the neogi's commands and can't take reactions, and the neogi
and the target can communicate telepathically with each other
at a distance of up to l mile. Whenever the charmed target
takes damage, it can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect
on itself on a success.

Outside the obligations of a servant to its master,
neogi are willing to engage in any activity that profits
them, and they are as devious as devils when doing so.
Neogi buy and sell, but they pose a grave risk to potential patrons that might instead be easily enslaved, so
their customers generally consist of desperate or evil
individuals, or creatures that are formidable enough
to treat with the neogi as equals. Neog~ traders might
set up shop in a planar bazaar, on the edge of a drow
city, or near a mind flayer enclave. In other locations,
the natives are more likely to join together to destroy a
neogi caravan than to allow it safe conduct and trading
privileges.

telepathy 30 ft.

Cantrips (at will): eldritch blast (range 300 ft., +4 bonus to each
damage roll), guidance, mage hand, minor i/Jusion, prestidigitation, vicious mockery
1st-4th level (24th-level slots): arms of Hadar, counterspell,
dimension door, fear, hold person, hunger of Hadar, invisibility,
unseen servant

Spider Climb. The neogi can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an
ability check.
ACTIONS

Multiattack. The neogi makes two attacks: one with its bite
and one with its claws.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 6 (ld6 + 3) piercing damage plus 14 (4d6) poison damage,
and the target must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving
throw or become poisoned for 1 minute. A target can repeat
the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 8 (2d4 + 3) piercing damage.
Enslave (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). The neogi
targets one creature it can see within 30 feet of it. The target
must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or be magically
charmed by the neogi for 1 day, or until the neogi dies or is
more than 1 mile from the target. The charmed target obeys
the neogi's commands and can't take reactions, and the neogi
and the target can communicate telepath ically with each other
at a distance of up to 1 mile. Whenever the charmed target
takes damage, it can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect
on itself on a success.

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NEOTHELID
A slime-covered worm of immense size, a neothelid is
the result of the mind flayer reproductive cycle gone
horribly wrong. On rare occasions, an illithid colony collapses, typically after an external assault, and the elder
brain is killed. When that happens, the colony's tadpoles
are suddenly freed from their fate. They no longer serve
as food, and in turn are no longer fed by their caretakers. Driven by hunger, they turn to devouring one another. Only one tadpole survives out of the thousands in
the colony's pool, and it emerges as a neothelid.
Abhorrent to lllithids. Among the strongest taboos in
illithid society is the idea of allowing a mature tadpole to
survive without implanting it into a donor brain. Under
normal circumstances, any tadpole that grows larger
than a few inches in length is killed by the elder brain
to be food for it or for less mature tadpoles. Any tadpole
that survives beyond that state is perceived as a threat
to the colony, and the mind flayers organize hunting
parties to exterminate the abomination. Lacking enough
intelligence to be detected by an elder brain's power to
sense thoughts, neothelids warrant such precautions.
Savage Behemoth. As a feral thing, a neothelid
knows nothing beyond the predatory existence it has
lived so far and struggles to comprehend its new psionic
abilities. Neothelids prowl subterranean passages in
search of more brains to sate their constant hunger,
growing ever more vicious. These creatures can spray
tissue-dissolving enzymes from their tentacle ducts,
reducing victims to a puddle of slime and leaving only
the pulsing brain unharmed. They have no knowledge of
their link to illithids, so they're just as likely to prey on
mind fl.ayers as on anything else.

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NEOTHELID
Gargantuan aberration, chaotic evil
Armor Class 16 (natural armor}
Hit Points 325 (2ld20 + 105)
Speed 30 ft.

STR
27 (+8}

DEX

CON

7 (-2}

21 (+5}

INT
3 (-4}

WIS

16 (+3}

CHA
12 (+1}

Saving Throws Int +l, Wis +8, Cha +6
Senses blindsight 120 ft., passive Perception 13
LanguagesChallenge 13 (10,000 XP)

Creature Sense. The neothelid is aware of the presence of creatures within l mile of it that have an Intelligence score of 4 or
higher. It knows the distance and direction to each creature,
as well as each creature's Intelligence score, but can't sense
anything else about it. A creature protected by a mind blank
spell, a nondetection spell, or similar magic can't be perceived
in this manner.
Innate Spellcasting (Psionics). The neothelid's innate spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 16). It can innately cast the
following spells, requ iring no components:
At will: levitate
1/day each: confusion,feeblemind, telekinesis

Magic Resistance. The neothelid has advantage on saving
throws against spells and other magical effects.
ACTIONS

Tentacles. Me/ee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 15 ft., one
target. Hit: 21 (3d8 + 8) bludgeoning damage plus 13 (3d8)
psychic damage. If the target is a Large or smaller creature, it
must succeed on a DC 18 Strength saving throw or be swallowed by the neothelid. A swallowed creature is blinded and
restrained, it has total cover against attacks and other effects
outside the neothelid, and it takes 35 (10d6) acid damage at
the start of each of the neothelid's turns.
If the neothelid takes 30 damage or more on a single turn
from a creature inside it, the neothelid must succeed on a DC
18 Constitution saving throw at the end of that turn or regurgitate all swallowed creatures, which fall prone in a space within
10 feet of the neothelid. If the neothelid dies, a swallowed
creature is no longer restrained by it and can escape from the
corpse by using 20 feet of movement, exiting prone.
Acid Breath (Recharge 5-6). The neothelid exhales acid in a 60foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw, taking 35 (10d6) acid damage on a failed
save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

NILBOG

NILBOG
Small humarroid (goblinoid), chaotic evil
Armor Class 13 (leather armor)

Hit Points 7 (2d6)
Speed 30 ft.

STR

DEX

CON

INT

WIS

8 {-1)

14 (+2)

10 {+O)

10 (+O)

8 {-1)

CHA
15 {+2)

Skills Stealth +6
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 9
Languages Common, Goblin
Challenge l {200 XP)

Innate Spellcasting. The nilbog's innate spellcasting ability is
Charisma (spell save DC 12). It can innately cast the following
spells, requ1ring no material components:
At will: mage hand, Tasha's hideous laughter, vicious mockery
l /day: confusion

Nilbogism. Any creature that attempts to damage the nilbog
must first succeed on a DC 12 Charisma saving throw or be
charmed until the end of the creature's next turn. A creature
charmed in this way must use its action praising the nilbog.
The nilbog can't regain hit points, including through magical
healing, except through its Reversal of Fortune reaction.
Nimble Escape. The nilbog can take the Disengage or Hide action as a bonus action on each of its turns.
ACTIONS

Fool's Scepter. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 5 (ld6 + 2) bludgeoning damage.
Shortbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 80/320 ft. ,
one target. Hit: 5 (ld6 + 2) piercing damage.
REACTIONS

Reversal of Fortune. In response to another creature dealing
damage to the nil bog, the nilbog reduces the damage to O and
regains ld6 hit points.

When Maglubiyet conquered the goblin gods, he intended to leave only Khurgorbaeyag alive as a harsh
overseer who would keep the goblins under heel. But the
goblins' pantheon included a trickster deity who was determined to get the last laugh. Although its essence was
shattered by Maglubiyet, this trickster god survives in
splintered form as a possessing spirit that arises when
goblinoids form a host, causing disorder in the ranks unless it is appeased. Goblins have no name for this deity
and dare not give it one, lest Maglubiyet use its name to
ensnare and crush it as he did their other deities. They
call the possessing spirit, and the goblin possessed by
it, a nilbog ("goblin" spelled backward), and they revel in
the fear that a nilbog sows among the ranks of the bugbears and hobgoblins in the host.
Goblins' Reven;e. When goblinoids form a host, there
is a chance that a goblin will become possessed by a
nilbog, particularly if the goblin has been mistreated by
its betters. This possession turns the goblin into a wisecracking, impish creature fearless of reprisal. It gives
the goblin strange powers that drive others to do the opposite of what they desire. Attacking a goblin possessed
by a nilbog is foolhardy, and killing the creature just
prompts the spirit to possess another goblin. The only
way to keep a nilbog from wreaking havoc is to treat it
well and give it respect and praise.
No joking Matter. The possible presence of a nilbog
in a host has given rise to a practice among goblinoids
that each host include at least one goblin jester. This
jester is allowed to go anywhere and do whatever it
pleases. The position of jester is a much sought-after
one among the goblins, because even if the jester is obviously not a nilbog, hobgoblins and bugbears indulge its
manic behavior.
NILBOCISM

A nilbog is an invisible spirit that possesses only goblins.
Bereft of a host, the spirit has a flying speed of 30 feet and
can't speak or be attacked. The only action it can take is to
attempt to possess a goblin within 5 feet of it.
A goblin targeted by the spirit must succeed on a DC
15 Charisma saving throw or become possessed. While
possessed by the spirit, the goblin's alignment becomes
chaotic evil, its Charisma becomes 15 {unless it was al~
ready higher), and it gains the nilbog's Innate Spellcasting
and Nilbogism traits, as well as its Reversal of Fortune
reaction. If the save succeeds, the spirit can't possess that
goblin for 24 hours. If its host is killed or the possession is
ended by a spell such as hallow, magic circle, or protection
from evil and good, the spirit searches for another goblin
to possess. The spirit can leave its host at any time, but
it won't do so willingly unless it knows there's another
potential host nearby. A goblin stripped of its nilbog spirit
reverts to its normal statistics and loses the traits it gained
while possessed.

ORCS
To the common folk of the world, an ore is an ore. They
know that any one of these savages can tear an ordinary
person to pieces, so no further distinction is necessary.
Ores know better. Different groups of ores exist within
a tribe, the actions of each dictated by the deity they pay
homage to. To complement the various kinds of warriors
that spill forth to ravage the countryside, each tribe has
members that remain deep inside the lair, seldom if ever
seeing what lies outside the darkness of their den.
In addition, ores have special relationships with two
creatures that are sometimes found in their company:
the aurochs, a great bull that serves as a mount for
warriors that revere Bahgtru, and the tanarukk, a
demon-ore crossbreed that is so depraved and destructive that even ores seek to kill it. The aurochs is described in appendix A. The tanarukk is described below.

0RC BLADE OF lLNEVAL
Ilneval is Gruumsh's battle captain, a devious strategist
who directs Gruumsh's soldiers with boldness. Among
ores, warriors that venerate Ilneval emulate their deity.
Such ores learn to command their fellows in ways that
are unpredictable but help to ensure victory.

0RC BLADE OF ILNEVAL
Medium humanoid (ore), chaotic evil
Armor Class 18 (chain mail, shield)

0 RC CLAW OF LUTHIC

Hit Points 60 (8d8 + 24)
Speed 30 ft.
STR

17 (+3)

DEX
11 (+O)

Medium humanoid (ore), chaotic evil

CON

INT

WIS

17 (+3)

10 (+0)

12 (+1)

CHA
14 (+2)

Armor Class 14 (hide armor)
Hit Points 45 (6d8 + 18)

Speed 30ft.
Saving Throws Wis +3
Skills Perception +3, Insight +3, Intimidation +4
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
Languages Common, Ore
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)

Aggressive. As a bonus action, the ore can move up to its speed

STR

14 (+2)

DEX
15 (+2)

CON

INT

WIS

16 (+3)

10 (+O)

15 (+2)

CHA
11 (+O)

Skills Intimidation +2, Medicine +4, Survival +4
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12
Languages Common, Ore
Challenge 2 (450 XP)

toward a hostile creature that it can see.

Foe Smiter of llneval. The ore deals an extra die of damage
when it hits with a longsword attack (included in the attack).

Aggressive. As a bonus action, the ore can move up to its speed

ACTIONS

Spellcasting. The ore is a 5th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting
ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 12, +4 to hit with spell attacks). The ore has the following cleric spells prepared:

Multiattack. The ore makes two melee attacks with its longsword or two ranged attacks with its javelins. If llneval's Command is available to use, the ore can use it after these attacks.

Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d8 + 3) slashing damage, or 14 (2d10 + 3) slashing damage when used with two hands.

toward a hostile creature that it can see.

Cantrips (at will): guidance, mending, resistance, thaumaturgy
1st level (4 slots): bane, cure wounds, guiding bolt
2nd level (3 slots): augury, warding bond
3rd level (2 slots): bestow curse, create food and water

Ja11elin. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft. or

ACTIONS

range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (ld6 + 3) piercing damage.

Multiattack. The ore makes two claw attacks, or four claw attacks if it has fewer than half of its hit points remaining.

llneval's Command (Recharge 4-6}. Up to three allied ores
within 120 feet of this ore that can hear it can use their reactions to each make one weapon attack.

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 6 (ld8 + 2) slashing damage.

The wisest among these leaders gain Ilneval's favor
and rise to become known as blades, tactical experts
who advise their chief in matters of war. Blades lead
from the front, wading into combat fearlessly while barking orders at lesser soldiers. A blade knows how to use
orcish ferocity to best advantage, and helps the ordinary
warriors to work together against their adversaries.

0RC CLAW OF LUTHIC
Luthic is Gruumsh's wife and the paragon of maternity
to all ores. She is the Cave Mother, a fierce dweller in
the darkness who raises new broods of ores to be vicious and strong. Her symbol is the cave bear, and ore
females raise such bears alongside ore whelps. Females
particularly attracted to Luthic grow long nails and
lacquer them, learnirtg to use these claws as weapons
much as Luthic uses her own.
Ore females devoted to Luthic are in charge of fortifying and maintaining an ore stronghold. They help to
guarantee the survival of the tribe, and most are skilled
in the healing arts. The most powerful among Luthic's
disciples are the claws of Luthic, which can use the
Cave Mother's magic to heal, protect, and curse.
g;~ -

4 '

r::{ SGES#

· -

0RC NURTURED ONE OF YURTRU S
Medium humanoid (ore), chaotic evil
Armor Class 9
Hit Points 30 (4d8 + 12)
Speed 30 ft.

0RC HAND OF YURTRUS
Medium humanoid (ore), chaotic evil

STR
Armor Class 12 (hide armor)
Hit Points 30 (4d8 + 12)
Speed 30 ft.

STR
12 (+1)

DEX
11 (+O)

15 (+2)

CON

INT

WIS

CHA

16 (+3)

11 (+O)

14 (+2)

9 (-1)

Skills Arcana +2, Intimidation +1, Medicine +4, Rel igion +2
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12
Languages understands Common and Ore but can't speak
Challenge 2 (450 XP) '

Aggressive. As a bonus action, the ore can move up to its speed
toward a hostile creature that it can see.
Spellcasting. The ore is a 4th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting
ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 12, +4 to hit with spell attacks). It requires no verbal components to cast its spells. The
ore has the following cleric spells prepared:
Cantrips (at-wi ll ): guidance, mending, resistance, thaumaturgy
l st level (4 slots): bane, detect magic, inflict wounds, protection
from evil and good
2nd level (3 slots) : blindness/deafness, silence

DEX
8 (-1)

CON

16 (+3)

INT
7 (-2)

WIS

CHA

11 (+O)

7 (-2)

Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages Common, Ore
Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)

Aggressive. As a bonus action, the ore can move up to its speed
toward a hostile creature that it can see.
Corrupted Carrier. When the ore is reduced to O hit points, it
explodes, and any creature within 10 feet of it must make a DC
13 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature
takes 14 (4d6) poison damage and becomes poisoned. On a
success, the creature takes half as much damage and isn't poisoned. A creature po isoned by this effect can repeat the save
at the end of each of its turn , ending the effect on itself on a
success. While poisoned by this effect, a creature can't regain
hit points.
Nurtured One of Yurtrus. The ore has advantage on saving
throws against poison and disease.
ACTIONS

ACTIONS

Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 4 (ld4 + 2) slash ing damage plus 2 (ld4) necrotic damage.

Touch of the White Hand. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit,
reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (2d8) necrotic damage.

Corrupted Vengeance. The ore reduces itself to O hit points,
triggering its Corrupted Carrier trait.

As befits followers of a god who doesn't speak, hands
of Yurtrus remove their tongues to emulate their deity,
for a reason similar to why an eye of Gruumsh puts out
one of its eyes.

0RC NURTURED ONE OF YURTRUS
When plague strikes a tribe, the hands of Yurtrus isolate
the sick. The priest~ then minister to those who can be
saved but not healed. The hands cultivate the sickness
of these nurtured ones, turning them into instruments
of defense and weapons of war. When ores go to battle,
a band of nurtured ones might charge in first-to give
themselves up while softening up the enemy by spreading Yurtrus's vile blessing in its ranks.

0RC RED FANG OF SHARGAAS
Shargaas is the ore deity of deep darkness and sneakiness, a murderous god who hates anything that lives
that isn't an ore. Ores consider Shargaas to be a divinity
suited to pariahs and weaklings, all of them unfit for

ORC RED FANG OF SHARGAAS
Medium humanoid (ore). chaotic evil
Armor Class 15 (studded leather)
Hit Points 52 (8d8 + 16)
Speed 30 ft.
STR
11 (+O)

DEX
16 (+3)

CON
15 (+2)

INT
9 (-1)

WIS
11 (+O)

CHA
9 (-1)

Skills Intimidation +1, Perception +2, Stealth +5
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12
Languages Common, Ore
Challenge 3 (700 XP)

Cunning Action. On each of its turns, the ore can use a bonus
action to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action.

Hand of Shargaas. The ore deals an 2 extra dice of damage when it hits a target with a weapon attack (included in
its attacks).
Shargaas's Sight. Magical darkness doesn't impede the ore's

0RC HAND OF YURTRUS

darkvision.

Yurtrus is the ore god of death and disease. He is a horrifying abomination covered in rot and infection, except
for his perfect, smooth white hands.
Ore priests that oversee the line between life and
death are known by the others in the tribe as hands of
Yurtrus. They dwell on the fringes of an ore lair, usually
communing with other ores through the auspices of
those who follow Luthic. The hands of Yurtrus wear
pale gloves made of the bleached skin of other humanoids (preferably elves), symbolizing their connection
with Yurtrus, and are sometimes called "white hands"
as a result.
Every ore knows that the hands ofYurtrus are the
tribe's gateway to the ancestors. Ores who die having
served the tribe well go on to rituals meant to send them
to Gruumsh's realm.

Slayer. In the first round of a combat, the ore has advantage on
attack rolls against any creature that hasn't taken a turn yet. If
the ore hits a creature that round who was surprised, the hit is
automatically a critical hit.

ACTIONS

Multiattack. The ore makes two scimitar or dart attacks .
Scimitar. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (3d6 + 3) slashing damage.
Dart. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (3d4 + 3) piercing damage.
Veil of Shargaas (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). The ore
casts darkness without any components . Wisdom is its spellcasting ability.
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e :z+eces
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through the tribe, attempting to take over by force.
Most such coups fail, but at great cost to the tribe. If a
tanarukk does seize the leadership of a tribe, reckless
war is the course it inevitably chooses.
If a tanarukk manages to breed, its blood taints numerous subsequent generations, so its female descendants randomly produce tanarukks. Rather than risk
raising a natural-born tanarukk, most tribes slay such
abominations.

TANARUKK
Medium fiend (demon, ore), chaotic evil
Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
Hit Points 95 (10d8 + 50)
Speed 30 ft.

STR

true roles in tribal life. These outsiders live in the most
remote, deepest parts of the tribe's domain.
The elite among Shargaas's followers are the assassins and thieves that follow the cult of the Red Fang.
They perform assassinations, stealthy raids, and other
covert operations on the tribe's behalf. They rely on
a mix of intense training and magic granted to them
by Shargaas.
Most Red Fang enclaves keep and nurture giant bats,
creatures that are sacred to Shargaas. Red Fangs ride
these bats into battle or on secret raids and assassination missions into enemy territory.

TANARUKK
When demonic corruption taints a tribe's leadership,
ores might turn to abyssal magic to make tanarukks.
Evil humans who control ores also use such power to
bolster their followers' strength.
The demon lord Baphomet gladly shares the secret
of creating tanarukks with those who entreat him for
power. The process corrupts an unborn ore of the tribe,
transforming it at birth into a creature much more savage than an ore.
Although tanarukks are fearsome fighters, they are a
threat to their allies off the battlefield. Within the tribe's
lair, a tanarukk is destructive and volatile, and best kept
imprisoned. Sooner or later, a free tanarukk rampages

DEX
13 (+l)

18 (+4)

CON

20 (+5)

INT
9 (-1)

WIS

CHA

9 (-1)

9 {-1)

Skills Intimidation +2, Perception +2

Damage Resistances fire, poison
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12
Languages Abyssal, Common, Ore
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)

Aggressive. As a bonus action, the tanarukk can move up to its
speed toward a hostile creature that it can see.
Magic Resistance. The tanarukk has advantage on saving
throws against spells and other magical effects.
ACTIONS

Multiattack. The tanarukk makes two attacks: one with its bite
and one with its greatsword.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 8 (ld8 + 4) piercing damage.
Greatsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) slashing damage.
REACTIONS

Unbridled Fury. In response to being hit by a melee attack, the
tanarukk can make one melee weapon attack with advantage
against the attacker.
Ed

......

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Tt-tEV RACE TM~MSELVES TO OEA"C'l-f.
AND SC.tUEME AS FAST AS THEV R\IN.
- E1.~INSTER

QUICKLING
Quicklings rocket through haunting, twisted forests
where the unseelie fey hold sway, both in the Feywild
and in the world. Racing faster than the eye can track,
each appears as little more than a blurry wavering
in the air.
A quickling is a small, slender fey, similar to a miniature elf with sharp, feral features. Its cold, cruel eyes
gleam like jewels.
Live Fast, Die Youns. Quicklings owe their existence-and their plight- to the Queen of Air and Darkness, the dread ruler of the Gloaming Court. Once a
race of lazy and egotistical fey, the creatures that would
become the quicklings were late in answering the
queen's summons one time too many. To hasten their
pace and teach them to mind her will, the queen shrank
their stature and sped up their intern'al clocks. The
queen's curse gave quicklings their amazing speed but
also accelerated their passage through life-no quickling lives longer than fifteen years.
Too Fast for Words. The mortal realm is a ponderous
place to a quickling's eye: a hurricane creeps gradually
across the sky, a torrent of rain drifts earthward like
lazy snowflakes, lightning crawls in a meandering path
from cloud to cloud. The slow and boring world seems
to be populated by torpid creatures whose deep, mooing
speech lacks meaning.
To other creatures, a quickling seems blindingly fast,
vanishing into an indistinct blur as it moves. Its cruel
laughter is a burst of rapid staccato sounds, its speech a
shrill squeal. Only when a quickling deliberately slows
down, which it prefers not to do, can other beings properly see, hear, and comprehend it. Never truly at rest,
a "stationary" quickling constantly paces and shifts in
place, as though it can't wait to be off again.
Mischief, Not Murder. Quicklings have a capricious
nature that goes well with their energy level: they think
as fast as they run, and they are always up to something.
A quickling spends most of its time perpetrating acts of
mischief on slower creatures. One rarely passes up an
opportunity to tie a person's bootlaces together, move
the stool a creature is about to sit on, or unbuckle a saddle while no one's looking.
Tricks of that sort are hardly the limit of their artful
malice, however. They don't commit outright murder,
but quicklings can ruin lives in plenty of other ways:
stealing an important letter, swiping coins collected for
the poor, planting a stolen item in someone's bag. Quicklings enjoy causing suffering that transcends mere mischief, especially when the blame for their actions falls
on other creatures and creates discord.

QUICKLING
Tiny fey, chaotic evil
Armor Class 16
Hit Points 10 (3d4 + 3)
Speed 120 ft.

STR
4 (-3)

DEX
23 (+6)

CON
13 (+l)

INT

10 (+O)

WIS
12 (+l)

CHA
7 (-2)

Skills Acrobatics +8, Sleight of Hand +8, Stealth +8 1

Perception +S
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception l 5
Languages Common, Sylvan
Challenge l (200 XP)

Blurred Movement. Attack rolls against the quickling have disadvantage unless the qu ickling is incapacitated or restrained.
Evasion. If the quickl in g is subjected to an effect that allows it
to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, it instead takes no damage if it succeeds on the saving throw, and
only half damage if it fails.
ACTIONS

Multiattack. The quickling makes three dagger attacks.

Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft.
or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (ld4 + 6) piercing damage.
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XVARTS
Xvarts are cruel, cowardly humanoids spawned by a
cowardly, renegade demigod. They have blue skin, vivid
orange eyes, and receding hairlines, mirroring their ere·
ator's appearance. They stand about 3 feet tall.
Xvarts live in remote hills, forests, and caves. Each
tribe is led by a speaker, who is usually the brightest
one among them. The speaker serves as the tribe's am·
bassador, and often dons short wooden stilts and heavy
robes to look taller and more imperious. The rest of the
tribe hunts for food, plundering crops and livestock from
nearby farms if the hunt goes poorly. Xvarts aren't much
of a threat to civilized locations because they are somewhat fearful of humans, dwarves, and elves.
Raxivort's Betrayal. All xvarts are the degenerate
offspring of an entity named Raxivort, who once served
Graz'zt the Dark Prince as treasurer. Raxivort spent
long centuries watching over the treasury, and in time
he grew to lust after his master's riches. In one bold
move, he plundered a treasure vault and fled to the Material Plane. One of the treasures he stole was the Infinity Spindle, a crystalline shard from the early days of the
multiverse that could transform even a creature as low
as Raxivort into a demigod.
After he ascended to godhood, Raxivort forged a
realm called the Black Sewers, within Pandesmos, the
topmost layer of Pandemonium. He enjoyed his divine
ascension only briefly, though, before Graz'zt unleashed
his vengeance. The demon prince had no need to regain
the Infinity Spindle, since he already possessed power
greater than what it could grant. Instead, he dispatched
agents far and wide to spread news of what the spindle
could do and the puny, pathetic creature that claimed
its ownership. Soon enough, Raxivort was pursued by
a variety of enemies, all eager to claim the Spindle as
their own.
In the face of his imminent destruction, Raxivort
hatched a plan. Fleeing to the Material Plane, he wandered across a variety of worlds and spawned creatures
that were his exact duplicate. These are the xvarts,
creatures that not only look identical to Raxivort in
appearance but also foil any magic used to track him
down. Spells, rituals, and other effects that could reveal
Raxivort's location instead point to the nearest xvart.
Although the initial rush of enemies against him has
subsided, Raxivort knows that the planar powers are patient. He remains in hiding, a wretch of a demigod who
does little more than wander the planes, spawning ever
more xvarts to ensure his continued safety.
Greedy Thugs. Xvarts have all of their creator's flaws
and few redeeming qualities. They lack the physical
equipment to reproduce, as well as the inclination to do
so. They are greedy, conniving, and obsessed with the
acquisition of valuables-the more ornate or bizarre,
the better. They know they are flawed, and this minor
amount of self-awareness only magnifies their other deficiencies. They hate almost any creature they perceive
as better than they are, which includes almost anyone,
but they lack the courage or wherewithal to act on their
hatred most of the time. Their fear has led them to dwell
either in gloomy places on the far fringes of civilized

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lands or in areas neglected or forgotten by mightier
creatures. In other words, xvarts usually live in places
where normal vermin might flourish.
Despite their muddled nature, all xvarts have an unshakable devotion to Raxivort. The desire to please Raxivort weighs heavily on all their decisions. When things
aren't going well for them, xvarts naturally assume that
Raxivort is angry. To appease their troubled lord, they
stage kidnappings. They fashion nets to capture their en·
emies, which are dragged back to the lair and sacrificed
on a makeshift altar. Raxivort can hear their supplications, but he's too afraid to come out of hiding most of
the time. Occasionally, he does appear before a tribe of
worshipers as a 9-foot-tall xvart carrying an empty sack.
In every such instance, Raxivort takes all of the treasure
that the tribe has accumulated, stuffs it in his sack, and
disappears, leaving nothing behind as compensation.

XVART SPEAKERS

A xvart tribe has one speaker that serves as its leader. The
speaker has the statistics of a normal xvart. except that it
has an Intelligence of 13 (-f 1) and knows one additional
language (usually Common or Goblin).

Vermin Masters. Rats and bats (including giant-sized
specimens) are naturally attracted to xvarts, and xvarts
domesticate such beasts for food and battle. Xvarts also
form alliances with wererats, although the lycanthropes
are dominant in any such arrangement. This relationship traces back to Raxivort's divine nature. Even
though the xvarts inherited Raxivort's greed and cowardice, they also gained his ability to form bonds with
such creatures.
Xvart Warlocks. A xvart can forge a pact with Raxivort by stealing an item of such great value that the
demigod himself appears before the xvart to claim it. After surrendering the item to Raxivort, the xvart asks for
magical power so that it can find and deliver more great
treasures into Raxivort's custody. If the demigod feels
so inclined, he imbues the xvart with greater wisdom
and charisma and grants it the spellcasting abilities
of a warlock before returning to the howling chaos of
Pandemonium. Raxivort's warlocks are respected and
feared in xvart society, but they have little interest in political power. They scour the wilderness, old ruins, and
dungeons for treasures, often with a handful of xvart
sycophants and giant rat bodyguards in tow.

Small humanoid (xvart), chaotic evil
Armor Class 13 (leather armor)
Hit Points 7 (2d6)
Speed 30 ft.

STR

DEX

14 (+2)

CON
10 (+O)

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Small humanoid (xvart), chaotic evil
Armor Class 12 (15 with mage armor}
Hit Points 22 (Sd6 + 5)
Speed 30 ft.

STR
8 (-1)

DEX
14 (+2)

CON
12 (+1}

INT
8 (-1)

WIS

CHA

11 (+O)

12 (+ l}

Skills Stealth +3
Senses darkvision 30 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages Abyssal
Challenge 1 (200 XP}

XVART

8 (-1)

VE DESERVE NO l.ESS.

INT
8 (-1)

WIS
7 (-2)

CHA

7 (-2)

Innate Spellcasting. The xvart's innate spellcasting ability is
Charisma. It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no
material components:
At will: detect magic, mage armor (self only)

Skills Stealth +4
Senses darkvision 30 ft., passive Perception 8
Languages Abyssal
Challenge 1/8 (25 XP)

Spellcasting. The xvart is a 3rd-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 11 , +3 to hit with spell
attacks). It regains its expended spell slots when it finishes a
short or long rest. It knows the following warlock spells:

Low Cunning. The xvart can take the Disengage action as a bonus action on each of its turns.

Cantrips (at will): eldritch blast, mage hand, minor illusion, poison spray, prestidigitation
1st-2nd level (22nd-level slots): burning hands, expeditious retreat, invisibility, scorching ray

011erbearing Pack. The xvart has advantage on Strength (Athletics) checks to shove a creature if at least one of the xvart's allies is within 5 feet of the target and the ally isn't incapacitated.

Low Cunning. The xvart can take the Disengage action as a bo·
nus action on each of its turns.

Raxi11ort's Tongue. The xvart can communicate with ordinary
bats and rats, as well as giant bats and giant rats.

Raxivort's Blessing. When the xvart reduces an enemy to O hit
points, the xvart gains 4 temporary hit points.

ACTIONS

Raxivort's Tongue. The xvart can communicate with ordinary
bats and rats, as well as giant bats and giant rats.

Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 5 (ld6 + 2) piercing damage.
Sling. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 30/120 ft., one
target. Hit: 4 (ld4 + 2) bludgeoning damage.
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ACTIONS

Scimitar. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1 d6 + 2) slashing damage.
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Foiled by Sunlight. Yeth hounds can't stand sunlight.
A pack never willingly prolongs a hunt beyond the night
hours and always seeks to return to its dark den before
the first rays of dawn. No amount of coercion by a pack's
master can deter this behavior. If a yeth hound is exposed to natural sunlight, it fades away, vanishing into
the Ethereal Plane, from where its master can retrieve it
only after the sun has set.
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YETH .H QUND
Large fe't, ne.utral evil
Armor Class 'M (natural armor)
Hit Points 51 (6dl0 + 18)
Speed 40 'ft., fly 40 ft. (hover)

STR
18 (+4)

DEX
17 (+3)

CON

INT

WIS

16 (+3)

5 (-3)

12(+1)

CHA
7 (-2)

Damage Immunities bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from

nonmagical attacks not made with silvered weapons
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
Languages understands Common, Elvish, and Sylvan but can't
speak
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)
Keen Hearing and Smell. The yeth hound has advantage on
Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell.

YETH HOUND
Granted by powerful fey to individuals who please them,
yeth hounds serve evil masters like hunting dogs. Yeth
hounds fly in pursuit of their prey, often waiting until it
is too exhausted to fight back. Only the threat of dawn
drives the pack back into hiding.
Minions ofa Dark Master. A pack of yeth hounds can
be created by powerful fey such as the Queen of Air and
Darkness. Once it is brought into existence, a pack must
have a master, who is often someone the creator wishes
to reward. The master can telepathically communicate
with its yeth hounds to give them commands from afar.
If the master of a pack is killed, the hounds seek and
choose a new master, typically an individual of great evil
such as a vampire, a necromancer, or a hag.
A yeth hound stands about 5 feet tall at the shoulder
and weighs around 400 pounds. Often all that can be
seen of one in the darkness is the red glow of its eyes
against its night-black fur. The head of a yeth hound has
a human-like face, held up by a neck more flexible than a
dog's. The creature gives off an odor like smoke.
Sound ofLoomins Death. Yeth hounds make a
ghastly baying sound that can be heard all around. Creatures that can see a hound when it bays are filled with
supernatural fear and usually flee in terror. When a victim tries to run away, a hound delights in chasing after it
and tormenting it before bringing the hunt to a close.
Those that stand their ground and fight back discover
that mundane weapons partially pass through the
hound as if it was made of fog, but magic weapons and
silvered weapons can strike true.

Sunlight Banishment. If the yeth hound starts its turn in sunlight, it is transported to the Ethereal Plane. While sunlight
shines on the spot from which it vanished, the hound must
remain in the Deep Ethereal. After sunset, it returns to the
Border Ethereal at the same spot, whereupon it typically sets
out to find its pack or its master. The hound is visible on the
Material Plane while it is in the Border Ethereal, and vice versa,
but it can't affect or be affected by anything on the other plane.
Once it is adjacent to its master or a pack mate that is on the
Material Plane, a yeth hound in the Border Ethereal can return
to the Material Plane as an action.

Telepathic Bond. While the yeth hound is on the same plane of
existence as its master, it can magically convey what it senses
to its master, and the two can communicate telepathically with
each other.
ACTIONS
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach S ft., one target.
Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) piercing damage, plus 14 (4d6) psychic damage if the target is frightened.
Baleful Baying. The yeth hound bays magically. Every enemy
within 300 feet of the hound that can hear it must succeed on
a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened until the end
of the hound's next turn or until the hound is incapacitated. A
frightened target that starts its turn within 30 feet of the hound
must use all its movement on that turn to get as far from the
hound as possible, must finish the move before taking an action, and must take the most direct route, even if hazards lie
that way. A target that successfully saves is immune to the baying of all yeth hounds for the next 24 hours.

YUAN-TI
Yuan-ti malisons who become priestly devotees of a
particular god- be it Sseth, Dendar the Night Serpent,
or Merrshaulk-often rise through the ranks to become
spiritual leaders among the serpent folk. These priests
perform sacrificial rites to appease their vile gods.
Also described here are the degenerate yuan-ti broodguard and the horrifying yuan-ti anathema.

YUAN-TI ANATHEMA
A yuan-ti abomination's quest for godhood might lead it
to perform a ritual that, if successful, transforms it into
an even greater form: a yuan-ti anathema. This ritual demands the sacrifice of hundreds of snakes and requires
the abomination to bathe in the blood of its enemies.
The transformation is quick yet painful.
Not all yuan-ti are eager to see one of their own become an anathema, since anathemas brutally subjugate
their lessers for their own evil ends.
Not Quite Divine. An anathema considers itself a
demigod on the path to greater divinity. It demands obeisance from weaker yuan-ti and uses every resource at

YUAN-TI ANATHEMA
Huge monstrosity (shapechanger, yuan-ti), neutral evil
Armor Class 16 (natural armor)
Hit Points 189 (18d12 + 72)

Speed 40 ft., climb 30 ft.• swim 30 ft.
STR

DEX

CON

INT

WIS

23 (+6)

13 (+1)

19 (+4)

17 (+3)

CHA
20 (+S)

Skills Perception +7, Stealth +S

Damage Resistances acid, fire, lightning
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses blindsight 30 ft., darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 17
Languages Abyssal, Common, Draconic
Challenge 12 (8,400 XP)

Innate Spellcasting (Anathema Form Only). The anathema's
innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 17). It
can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material
components:
At will: animal friendship (snakes only)
3/day each: darkness, entangle.fear, haste, suggestion, polymorph
1/day: divine word
Magic Resistance. The anathema has advantage on saving
throws against spells and other magical effects.
Ophidiophobia Aura. Any creature of the anathema's choice,
other than a snake or a yuan-ti, that starts its turn within 30
feet of the anathema and can see or hear it must succeed on a
DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened of snakes
and yuan-ti. A frightened target can repeat the saving throw at
the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a target's saving throw is successful or the effect ends
for it, the target is immune to this aura for the next 24 hours.

Shapechanger. The anathema can use its action to polymorph
into a Huge giant constrictor snake, or back into its true form.
Its statistics are the same in each form. Any equipment it is
wearing or carrying isn't transformed.
Six Heads. The anathema has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks and on saving throws against being blinded,
charmed, deafened, frightened, stunned, or knocked
unconscious.
ACTIONS

Multiattack (Anathema Form Only). The anathema makes
two claw attacks, one constrict attack, and one Flurry of
Bites attack.
Claw (Anathema Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit,
reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d6 + 6) slashing damage.
Constrict. Melee Weapon Attack:+10 to hit, reach 15 ft., one
Large or smaller creature. Hit: 16 (3d6 + 6) bludgeoning
damage plus 7 (2d6) acid damage, and the target is grappled
(escape DC 16). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained
and takes 16 (3d6 + 6) bludgeoning damage plus 7 (2d6) acid
damage at the start of each of its turns, and the anathema can't
constrict another target.
Flurry of Bites. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft.,
one creature. Hit: 27 (6d6 + 6) piercing damage plus 14 (4d6)
poison damage.

MAKINC A BROODCUARD

Yuan-ti create broodguards from captured humanoids.
Each subject is fed a special potion that immediately renders it incapacitated and transforms it into a broodguard
over th( next 1d6 + 6 days. A subject forced to imbibe the
brew can make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw; on a
success, it takes 14 (4d6) poison damage and isn,t other·
wise affected.
A speH such as lesser restora#on or remove curse can end
the transformation process at any time before it runs its
course. After the process is complete, only a wish spell can
reverse the effect.

its disposal to launch small-scale wars against its neighbors. Each conquest brings new slaves and sacrifices,
as well as glory and riches, that the anathema thinks it
needs to achieve true divinity.
An anathema's most loyal yuan-ti followers see it as
the pinnacle of the serpentine form, an unbelievable
improvement on the nearly perfect abomination. Its
devoted human followers think of it as "divine flesh in a
mortal body," and cultists serving an anathema tend to
be more bloodthirsty and self-sacrificing in its presence.
Immortal. Anathemas don't age, allowing them to
pursue their goals until the end of days. Truly powerful
ones can grow to rule multiple yuan-ti cities and bring
entire regions, including humanoid realms, under
yuan-ti control.

YUAN-TIBROODGUARD

Broodguards are humanoids transformed by yuan-ti into
simple-minded, scaly creatures that do their masters'
bidding. The transformation process warps not only a
subject's body but also its mind, making it instinctively
obey any yuan-ti and filling it with a seething rage that
rises at the sight of non-reptilian creatures.
Although broodguards have low intelligence, they
are able to perform simple yet important tasks in the
community, such as guarding eggs or patrolling for intruders. The yuan-ti refer to broodguards as "histachii,"
which means "egg-watchers."
Human Na Mare. Most broodguards are made from
human prisoners forced to consume a magical brew that
renders them helpless and unable to fight off the inevitable. A human transformed into a broodguard loses all
semblance of who it once was, and even its human origin is barely discernible. A broodguard is hairless and
emaciated, with yellow-green, scaly skin. It has beady,
bloodshot eyes and a forked tongue, and smells faintly of
rotting meat. Broodguards can speak but rarely do so,
preferring to use snake-like hisses and guttural noises.

Medium humanoid (yuan-ti), neutral evil

YUAN-TI MIND WHISPERER
Mind whisperers are malison spellcasters that enter into
a pact with the serpent god Sseth, the Sibilant Death.
They use their abilities to convert others to their faith,
increase their personal power, and befuddle the minds
of their enemies.
A mind whisperer is elusive, manipulative, unpredictable, and willing to cheat or kill comrades and rivals
alike if doing so benefits it. The worshipers of Sseth
have their hands in many schemes, often plying the

Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
Hit Points 45 (7d8 + 14)

Speed 30 ft.
STR

15 (+2)

DEX
14 (+2)

CON

INT

WIS

CHA

14 (+2)

6 (-2)

11 (+O)

4 (-3)

Saving Throws Str +4, Dex +4, Wis +2
Skills Perception +2
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12
languages Abyssal, Common, Draconic
Challenge 2 (450 XP)

Mental Resistance. The broodguard has advantage on saving
throws against being charmed, and magic can't paralyze it.
Reckless. At the start of its turn, the broodguard can gain advantage on all melee weapon attack rolls it makes during that
turn, but attack rolls against it have advantage until the start of
its next turn.
ACTIONS

Multiattack. The broodguard makes three attacks: one with its
bite and two with its claws.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 6 (ld8 + 2) piercing damage.

Claws. Me/ee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 5 (ld6 + 2) slashing damage.
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CHAPTER 3

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YUAN-TI MIND WHISPERER
Medium monstrosity (shapechanger, yuan-ti), neutral evil
Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
Hit Points 71 (13d8 + 13)
Speed 30 ft.
STR

16 (+3)

DEX
14 {+2)

CON

13 (+l)

INT
14 (+2)

WIS

CHA

12 (+2)

l 6 (+3)

Saving Throws Wis +4, Cha +5
Skills Deception +5, Stealth +4
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses darkvision 120 ft. {penetrates magical darkness),
passive Perception l 2
Languages Abyssal, Common, Draconic
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)

Shapechanger. The yuan-ti can use its action to polymorph into
a Medium snake or back into its true form. Its statistics are
the same in each form. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying
isn't transformed. If it dies, it stays in its current form.
Innate Spellcasting (Yuan-ti Form Only). The yuan-ti's innate
spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC l 3). The yuan-ti
can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material
components:
At will: animal friendship (snakes only)
3/day: suggestion

Magic Resistance. The yuan-ti has advantage on saving throws
against spells and other magical effects.

middle ground between two factions, and thus spend a
lot of energy making sure neither of their allies learn of
their conflicting connections. Even among yuan-ti, mind
whisperers are known for being self-important, sneaky,
and prone to flee at the first sign of trouble.
This malison is the type that has a human body and a
snake head.

YUAN-TI NIGHTMARE SPEAKER
Nightmare speakers are female yuan-ti malison priests
that make a pact with the Dendar the Night Serpent to
feed their deity the fears and nightmares of their victims
in exchange for power in the mortal worid. The priestesses receive nightmarish visions from Dendar, which
they interpret as prophecies, and then use their magic
and influence to make these visions come true.
The cruelest of all yuan-ti, nightmare speakers revel
in torturing prisoners and slaves, leaving them in a
constant state of fear and dread. They prefer to terrify
rather than kill their opponents. They manipulate humanoid communities for the purpose of acquiring more
victims, and enjoy the company of undead.
This malison is the type that has a human head and
upper body with a serpentine lower body instead of legs.

Mind Fangs (2/Day). The first time the yuan-ti hits with a melee
attack on its turn, it can deal an extra 16 (3dl0) psychic damage to the target.
Spellcasting (Yuan-ti Form Only). The yuan-ti is a 6th-level
spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC
13, +5 to hit with spell attacks). It regains its expended spell
slots when it finishes a short or long rest. It knows the following warlock spells:
Cantrips {at will): eldritch blast (range 300 ft., +3 bonus to each
damage roll),friends, message, minor illusion, poison spray,
prestidigitation
1st-3rd level (23rd-level slots): charm person, crown ofmadness, detect thoughts, expeditious retreat,jly, hypnotic pattern,
illusory script

Sseth's Blessing. When the yuan-ti reduces an enemy to O hit
points, the yuan-ti gains 9 temporary hit points.
ACTIONS

Multiattack (Yuan-ti Form Only). The yuan-ti makes one bite
attack and one scimitar attack.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 5 (ld4 + 3) piercing damage plus 7 (2d6) poison damage.
Scimitar (Yuan-ti Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit,
reach Sft.; one target. Hit: 6 (ld6 + 3) slashing damage.
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YUAN-TI NIGHTMARE SPEAKER
Medium monstrosity (shapechanger, yuan-ti), neutral evil
Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
Hit Points 71 (13d8 + 13)
Speed 30 ft.

DEX
14 (+2)

STR

16 (+3)

CON
13 (+l)

INT

WIS

CHA

14 (+2)

12 (+l)

16 (+3)

Saving Throws Wis +3, Cha +5
Skills Deception +5, Stealth +4
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses darkvision 120 ft. (penetrates magical da rkness),

Multiattack (Yuan-ti Form Only). The yuan-ti makes one constrict attack and one scimitar attack.

passive Perception 11

Shapechanger. The yuan-ti can use its action to polymorph into
a Medium snake or back into its true form. Its statistics are
the same in each form. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying
isn't transformed. If it dies, it stays in its current form .
Death Fangs (2/Day). The first time the yuan-ti hits with a
melee attack on its turn, it can deal an extra 16 (3dl0) necrotic
damage to the target.
Innate Spellcasting (Yuan-ti Form Only). The yuan-ti's innate
spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 13). The yuan-ti
can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material
components:
At will: animal friendship (snakes only)
3/day: suggestion
Magic Resistance. The yuan-ti has advantage on saving throws
against spells and other magical effects.
.

-·

Cantrip (at will): chill touch, e/dritch blast (range 300 ft. , +3 bonus to each damage roll), mage hand, message, poison spray,
prestidigitation
1st-3rd level (23rd-level slots): arms of Hadar, darkness.fear,
hex, hold person, hunger of Hadar, witch bolt
ACTIONS

Languages Abyssal, Common , Draconic
Challenge 4 (1 ,100 XP)

-. ;

Spellcasting {Yuan-ti Form Only). The yuan-ti is a 6th-level
spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC
13, +5 to hit with spell attacks). It regains its expended spell
slots when it finishes a short or long rest. It knows the following warlock spells:

Constrict. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 10 ft. , one
target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage, and the target
is grappled (escape DC 14) if it is a Large or smaller creature.
Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the yuan-ti
can't constrict another target.
Scimitar (Yuan-ti Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit,
reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (ld6 + 3) slashing damage.
Invoke Nightmare (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). The
yuan-ti taps into the nightmares of a creature it can see within
60 feet of it and creates an illusory, immobile manifestation of
the creature's deepest fears, visible only to that creature. The
target must make a DC 13 Intelligence saving throw. On a failed
save, the target takes 11 (2dl0) psychic damage and is frightened of the manifestation, believing it to be real. The yuan-ti
must concentrate to maintain the illusion (as if concentrating
on a spell), which lasts for up to l minute and can't be harmed.
The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its
turns, ending the illusion on a success, or taking 11 (2dl0) psychic damage on a failure.

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YUAN-TI PIT MASTER

Medium monstrosity (shapechanger, yuan.ti), neutral evil
Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
Hit Points 88 (16d8 + 16)
Speed 30 ft.
STR

DEX

CON

INT

WIS

CHA

16 (+3)

14 (+2)

13 (+l)

14 (+2)

12 (+1)

16 (+3)

Saving Throws Wis +3, Cha +5
Skills Deception +5, Stealth +4
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses darkvision 120 ft. (penetrates magical darkness),
passive Perception 11
Languages Abyssal, Common, Draconic
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)

Shapechanger. The yuan-ti can use its action to polymorph into
a Medium snake or back into its true form. Its statistics are
the same in each form. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying
isn't transformed. It doesn't change form if it dies.
Innate Spellcasting (Yuan-ti Form Only). The yuan-ti's i,nnate
spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 13). The yuan-ti
can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material
components:
At will: animal friendship (snakes only)
3/day: suggestion

Magic Resistance. The yuan-ti has advantage on saving throws
against spells and other magical effects.
Poison's Disciple (2/Day). The first time the yuan-ti hits with a
melee attack on its turn, it can deal an extra 16 (3dl0) poison
damage to the target.
Spellcasting (Yuan-ti Form Only). The yuan-ti is a 6th-level
spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC
13, +5 to hit with spell attacks). It regains its expended spell
slots when it finishes a short or long rest. It knows the following warlock spells:
Cantrips (at will): eldritch blast (range 300 ft., +3 bonus to
each damage roll).friends, guidance, mage hand, message,
poison spray
1st-3rd level (23rd-level slots): command, counterspe/1, hellish
rebuke, invisibility, misty step, unseen servant, vampiric touch

YUAN-Tl PIT MASTER
Pit masters are yuan-ti malison priests that have made
a pact with the god Merrshaulk and seek to rouse him
from his slumber by sacrificing humanoids to him. They
are the most traditionalist in attitude among yuan-ti and
believe that they are best equipped to achieve the goals
of their people.
Pit masters are deeply involved in the race's long-term
plan to take over humanoid governments, as well as in
the ongoing effort to protect their cities from discovery
or attacks by hostiles. They oppose reckless behavior
and argue for a slow, cautious approach in all matters.
This malison is the type that has a human head and
body and snakes for arms.
...

(

ACTIONS

Multiattack (Yuan-ti Form Only). The yuan-ti makes two bite
attacks using its snake arms.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 5 (ld4 + 3) piercing damage plus 7 (2d6) poison damage.
Merrshaulk's Slumber (1/Day). The yuan-ti targets up to five
creatures that it can see within 60 feet of it. Each target must
succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or fall into a
magical sleep and be unconscious for 10 minutes. A sleeping
target awakens if it takes damage or if someone uses an action
to shake or slap tt awake. This magical sleep has no effect on a
creature immune to being charmed.
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APPENDIX A: ASSORTED BEASTS
This appendix contains statistics for various beasts, expanding on appendix A of the Monster Manual.

AUROCHS
Bahgtru, son of Gruumsh and Luthic, is the ore deity
of unbridled strength. Legend says Bahgtru needed a
mount as fierce as him for making war, so he sought a
mighty aurochs, subjugated the creature with his bare
hands, and hauled it to Nishrek, Gruumsh's realm. Bahgtru named the beast Kazaht, or "Bull" in Ore. On Kazaht's bare back, Bahgtru charges into battle, ramming
into an enemy host and leaping over the aurochs's horns
to land in the midst of his foes.

Ores that revere Bahgtru might tend a stable of war
bulls that carry them into combat. Trained to be fierce
mounts from a young age, aurochs are sacred symbols
ofBahgtru. No ore will eat such creatures, which are
treated as honored warriors when they perish.

CATTLE
There are many kinds of cattle, from common oxen to
more unusual, magical variants. Use the cow stat block
to represent them, with the changes noted below.

AUROCHS
Large beast, urraligned

Cow

Armor dass 11- {natural armor)
Hit Points 38 (4d10 + 16)

Large &east, urraligned

Speed 50 ft.

Armor Class 10
Hit Points 15 (2dl O + 4)

STR

DEX

CON

INT

WIS

20 (+5)

10 (+O)

19 {+4)

2 (-4)

12 (+1)

CHA
5 (-3)

Senses passive Perception 11
LanguagesChallenge 2 (450 XP)

Charge. If the aurochs moves at least 20 feet straight toward a
target and then hits it with a gore attack on the same turn, the
target takes an extra 9 (2d8) piercing damage . If the target is a
creature, it must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or
be knocked prone.

Speed 30 ft.

STR

DEX

18 (+4)

10 (+O)

CON
14 {+2)

INT
2 (-4)

WIS

10 (+O)

CHA
4 (-3)

Senses passive Perception 10
LanguagesChallenge 1/4 (50 XP)

Charge. If the cow moves at least 20 feet straight toward a
target and then hits it with a gore attack on the same turn, the
target takes an extra 7 (2d6) piercing damage.

ACTIONS

Gore. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.

Gore. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 7 (ld6 + 4) piercing damage.

Hit: 14 (2d8 + 5) piercing damage.

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Ox
An ox is mainly used for draft work rather than meat or
milk. Oxen have the following additional trait:
Beast of Burden. The oxen is considered to be a Huge animal
for the purpose of determining its carrying capacity.

ROTHE
Ordinary rothe resemble musk oxen and have darkvision out to a range of 30 feet.
Deep rothe are stunted Underdark variants of rothe.
They are Medium instead of Large, have 13 (2d8 + 4) hit
points, and communicate with each other by using magical flashing lights. They have darkvision out to a range
of 60 feet and the following additional trait:
Innate Spellcasting. The deep rothe's spellcasting ability is
Charisma. It can innately cast dancing lights at will, requiring no
components.
STENCH

Kaw

These orange and green misshapen bison are native to
the Lower Planes. They have resistance to cold, fire, and
poison damage, darkvision out to a range of 60 feet, and
the following additional trait:
Stench. Any creature other than a stench kow that starts its
turn within 5 feet of the stench kow must succeed on a DC 12
Constitution saving throw or be poisoned until the start of the
creature's next turn. On a successful saving throw, the creature
is immune to the stench of all stench kows for 1 hour.

DOLPHIN
Dolphins are clever, social marine mammals that feed
on small fish and squid. An adult specimen is between 5
and 6 feet long.
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DOLPHIN

Rot grubs are finger-sized maggots that eat living or
dead flesh, although they can survive on plant matter.
They infest corpses and piles of decaying matter and attack living creatures that disturb them. After burrowing
into the flesh of a living creature, a rot grub instinctively
chews its way toward the heart in order to kill its host.
Rot grubs pose a threat both singly and as a swarm.
See the accompanying stat block for the mechanics of a
swarm of rot grubs. A single rot grub has no stat block.
Any creature that comes into contact with it must make
a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the rot
grub burrows into the creature's flesh and deals 3 (ld6)
piercing damage at the start of each of the host creature's turns. Applying fire to the wound before the end
of the host creature's next turn deals 1 fire damage to
the host and kills the infes ting rot grub. After this time,
the rot grub is too far under the host creature's skin
to be burned. If a creature infested by one or more rot
grubs ends its turn with O hit points, it dies as the grubs
burrow into its heart and kill it. Any effect that cures
disease kills all rot grubs infesting the target. But;"ning a
body kills any rot grubs infesting it.
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SWARM OF ROT GRUBS
Medium

swarm .of.Tiny beasts,

unotlgned

Armordass 8
Hit Points 22 (Sd8)

Speed 5 ft., climb 5 ft.
STR

DEX

CON

INT

2 (,-4)

7 (-2)

10 (+O)

1 (-5)

WIS
2 (-4)

CHA

1 (-5)

Damage Resistances piercing, slashing
Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, grappled,

Medium beii~; un9/igned

paralyzed, petrified, prone, restrained

Armor dass 12- (natural armor)
Hit Points 11 (2.dS + 2)

Senses blindsight 10 ft., passive Perception 6
LanguagesChallenge 1/2 (100 XP)

Speed Oft., swim 60 ft.
STR

DEX

CON

INT

WIS

CHA

14 (+2)

13 (+1)

13 (+l)

6 (-2)

12 (+l)

7 (-2)

Skills Perception +3
Senses blindsight 60 ft., passive Perception 13
LanguagesChallenge 1/8 (25 XP)

Charge. If the dolphin moves at least 30 feet straight toward a
target and then hits it with a slam attack on the same turn, the
target takes an extra 3 (ld6) bludgeoning damage.
Hold Breath. The dolphin can hold its breath for 20 minutes.
ACTIONS

Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 5 (1 d6 + 2) bludgeoning damage.

APPENDIX A

SWARM OF ROT GRUBS

! AS,SOllTED

BEASTS

Swarm. The swarm can occupy another creature's space and
vice versa, and the swarm can move through any opening large
enough for a Tiny maggot. The swarm can't regain hit points or
gain temporary hit points.
ACTIONS

Bites. Melee Weapon Attack: +Oto hit, reach Oft., one creature
in the swarm's space. Hit: The target is infested by ld4 rot
grubs. At the start of each of the target's turns, the target takes
ld6 piercing damage per rot grub infesting it. Applying fire to
the bite wound before the end of the target's next turn deals
l fire damage to the target and kills these rot grubs. After this
time, these rot grubs are too far under the skin to be burned.
If a target infested by rot grubs ends its turn with O hit points,
it dies as the rot grubs burrow into its heart and kill it. Any
effect that cures disease kills all rot grubs infesting the target.

B: NONPLAYER CHARACTERS

APPENDIX

This appendix contains statistics for various humanoid
nonplayer characters (NPCs)-whether friend or foeexpanding on appendix B of the Monster Manual. These
stat blocks can represent human and nonhuman NPCs,
and you can add racial traits to further customize them.

ABJ URER
Abjurers are specialist wizards who feel secure when
warded by layers of magical power. Kings, nobles, and
other wealthy individuals commonly hire abjurers to
cast protective spells on their homes and vaults.

APPRENTICE WIZARD
Apprentices are novice arcane spellcasters who serve
more experienced wizards or attend school. They perform menial work such as cooking and cleaning in exchange for education in the ways of magic.
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ABJURER
Medium hurfranoid (any race}; any alignment
Armor dass 12 {l 5 with mage armor)
Hit Points 84 (Bd8 + 26}
Speed 30 ft.
STR
9 (-1}

DEX
14 (+2)

CON

14 (+2}

INT
18 (+4}

WIS

CHA

12 (+l}

11 (+0}

Saving Throws Int +8, Wis +5
Skills Arcana +8, History +8
Senses passive Perception 11
Languages any four languages
Challenge 9 (5,000 XP}

Spellcasting. The abjurer is a 13th-level spellcaster. Its
spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 16, +8 to
hit with spell attacks). The abjurer has the following wizard
spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will): blade ward, dancing lights, mending, message,
ray offrost
1st leveJ (4 slots) : alarm,* mage armor,* magic missile, shield*
2nd level (3 slots) : arcane lock,* invisibility
3rd level (3 slots): counterspe/1,* dispel magic,* fireball
4th level (3 slots): banishment,* stoneskin*
5th level (2 slots): cone of cold, wall offorce
6th level (1 slot}:flesh to stone, globe of invulnerability*
7th level (1 slot): symbol,* te/eport
*Abjuration spell of 1st level or higher

Arcane Ward. The abjurer has a magical ward that has 30 hit
points. Whenever the abjurer takes damage, the ward takes
the damage instead. If the ward is reduced to O hit points, the
abjurer takes any remaining damage. When the abjurer casts an
abjuration spell of 1st level or higher, the ward regains a num·
ber of hit points equal to twice the level of the spell.

APPRENTICE WIZARD
Medium hum.ar1.oid (any race), any·olignment
Armor Class l 0

Hit Points 9 (2d8)
Speed 30 ft.
STR

10 (+O}

DEX
10 (+O)

CON

INT

WIS

CHA

10 (+O)

14 (+2)

10 (+O)

11 (+O)

Skills Arcana +4, History +4
Senses passive Perception 10
Languages any one language (usually Common)
Challenge 1/4 (SO XP)

Spellcasting. The apprentice is a 1st-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 12, +4 to hit with
spell attacks). It has the following wizard spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will):.fire bolt, mending, prestidigitation
1st level (2 slots): burning hands, disguise self, shield

A CTI ONS

Quarterstaff. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 2 (ld6 - l} bludgeoning damage, or 3 (ld8 - 1)
bludgeoning damage if used with two hands.

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ACTIONS

Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft. or
range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 2 (ld4) piercing damage.

ARCHDRUID
Archdruids watch over the natural wonders of their do~
mains. They seldom interact with civilized folk unless
there is a great threat to the natural order. An archdruid
typically has one or more pupils who are druids (see the
Monster Manual for statistics), and the archdruid's lair
is usually guarded by loyal beasts and fey creatures.
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AltCBDRUID
Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
Armor Class 16 {h_ide armor, shield)
Hit Points 132 (24d8 + 24)

Speed 30ft.
STR

10 (+0)

DEX
14 (+2)

CON

INT

WIS

CHA

12 (+1)

20 (+5)

11 (+0)

Saving Throws Int +S. Wis +9
Skills Medicine +9, Nature +5, Perception +9
Senses passive Perception 19
Languages Druidic plus any two languages
Challenge 12 (8,400 XP)

Spellcasting. The archdruid is an 18th-level spellcaster. Its
spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 17, +9 to hit with
spell attacks). It has the following druid spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will) : druidcraft, mending, poison spray,
produce flame
1st level (4 slots): cure wounds, entangle.faerie fire, speak
with animals
2nd level (3 slots): animal messenger, beast sense, hold person
3rd level (3 slots): conjure animals, meld into stone, water breathing
4th level (3 slots): dominate beast, locate creature, stoneskin,
wall offire
5th level (3 slots): commune with nature, mass cure wounds,
tree stride
6th level (1 slot): heal, heroes'feast, sunbeam
7th level (l slot): fire storm
8th level (1 slot): animal shapes
9th level (1 slot):foresight

ARCHER
Archers defend castles, hunt wild game on the fringes of
civilization, serve as artillery in military units, and occasionally make good coin as brigands or caravan guards.

ARCHER
Medium humanoid (ony race), ony alignment
Armor Class 16 (studded leather)
Hit Points 75 (1 Od8 + 30)

Speed 30 ft.

ACTIONS

Scimitar. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach S ft., one target. Hit: 5 (ld6 + 2) slashing damage.
Change Shape (2/Day). The archdruid magically polymorphs
into a beast or elemental with a challenge rating of 6 or less,
and can remain in this form for up to 9 hours. The archdruid
can choose whether its equipment falls to the ground, melds
with its new form, or is worn by the new form. The archdruid
reverts to its true form if it dies or falls unconscious. The
archdruid can revert to its true form using a bonus action
on its turn.
While in a new form, the archdruid retains !ts game statistics
and ability to speak, but its AC, movement modes, Strength,
and Dexterity are replaced by those of the new form, and it
gains any special senses, proficiencies, traits, actions, and
reactions (except class features, legendary actions, and lair
actions) that the new form has but that it lacks. It can cast its
spells with verbal or somatic components in its new form.
The new form 's attacks count as magical for the purpose of
overcoming resistances and immunity to nonmagical attacks.

STR

11 (+O)

1 NONPI.AYER CHA'RACTERS

CON

INT

WIS

CHA

16 (+3)

11 (+O)

13 (+l)

10 (+0)

Skills Acrobatics +6, Perception +5
Senses passive Perception 15
Languages any one language (usually Common)
Challenge 3 (700 XP)

Archer's Eye (3/Day). As a bonus action, the archer can
add ldlO to its next attack or damage roll with a longbow
or shortbow.
ACTIONS

Multiattack. The archer makes two attacks with its longbow.
Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach S ft., one
target. Hit: 7 (ld6 + 4) piercing damage.
Longbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range l 50/600 ft.,
one target. Hit: 8 (ld8 + 4) piercing damage.
i?·

APPENDlX B

DEX
18 (+4)

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BARD
Bards are gifted poets, storytellers, and entertainers
who travel far and wide, but are commonly found in
taverns or in the company of jolly bands of adventurers,
rough-and-tumble mercenaries, and wealthy patrons.

BLACKGUARD
Blackguards are paladins who broke their sacred oaths
and now indulge their own dark ambitions. They consort with fiends and undead, and they reject all goodly
things from their former lives.
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BLACKGUARD

BARD
Medium huifranoid (any ra,e); any alignment

Medium humanoid (any ra,e}, any Mn-good alignment

Armor Class 15 (chain shirt)
Hit Points 44 (8d8 + 8)
Speed 30 ft.

Armor Class 18 {plate)
Hit Points 153 (18d8 + 72)
Speed 30 ft.

STR

11 (+O)

DEX
14 (+2)

CON

INT

WIS

CHA

STR

12(+1)

10 (+O)

13 (+1)

, .. (+2)

18 (+4)

DEX
11 (+O)

CON
18 (+4)

INT

WIS

CHA

11 (+O)

14 (+2)

15 (+2)

Saving Throws Dex +4, Wis +3
Skills Acrobatics +4, Perceptio n +5, Performa nce +6
Senses passive Perception 15
Languages any two languages
Challenge 2 (450 XP)

Saving Throws Wis +S, Cha +5
Skills Athletics +7, Deception +5, Intimidation +5
Senses passive Perception 12
Languages any one language (usually Common)
Challenge 8 (3,900 XP)

Spellcasting. The bard is a 4th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting
ability is Charisma (spell save DC 12, +4 to hit with spell attacks). It has the following bard spells prepared:

Spellcasting. The blackguard is a 10th-level spellcaster. Its
spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 13, +5 to hit with
spell attacks) . It has the following paladin spells prepared:

Cantrips (at will):friends, mage hand, vicious mockery
1st level (4 slots): charm person, healing word, heroism, sleep,
thunderwave
2nd level (3 slots): invisibility, shatter

1st level (4 slots): command, protection from evil and good,
thunderous smite
2nd level (3 slots): branding smite,find steed
3rd level (2 slots): blinding smite, dispel magic

Song of Rest. The bard can perform a song while taking a
short rest. Any ally who hears the song regains an extra ld6 hit
points if it spends any Hit Dice to regain hit points atthe end
of that rest. The bard can confer this benefit on itself as well.

ACTIONS

Taunt (2/Day}. The bard can use a bonus action on its turn to
target one creature within 30 feet of it. If the target can hear
the bard, the target must succeed on a DC 12 Charisma saving
throw or have disadvantage on ability checks, attack rolls, and
saving throws until the start of the bard's next turn.
ACTI O NS

Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach S ft., one
target. Hit: 5 (ld6 + 2) piercing damage.
Shortbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 80/320 ft.,
one target. Hit: 5 (ld6 + 2) piercing damage.

Multiattack. The blackguard makes three attacks with its glaive
or its shortbow.
Glaive. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target.
Hit: 9 (ldlO + 4) slashing damage.
Shortbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, range 80/320 ft.,
one target. Hit: 5 (ld6 + 2) piercing damage.
Dreadful Aspect (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). The
blackguard exudes magical menace. Each enemy within 30 feet
of the blackguard must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving
throw or be frightened for l minute. If a frightened target ends
its turn more than 30 feet away from the blackguard, the target can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on itself on
a success.

CHAMPION
Champions are mighty warriors who honed their fighting skills in wars or gladiatorial pits. To soldiers and
other people who fight for a living, champions are as
influential as nobles, and their presence is courted as a
sign of status among rulers.

C ONJURER
Conjurers are specialist wizards who summon creatures from other planes and create materials out of thin
air. Some conjurers use their magic to bolster armies or
destroy enemies on battlefields, while others use summoned creatures to guard their lairs.
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Co~JVJ.ER
Medium humanoid (any race)r any afignment
Armor Class 12 fl 5 with ma~ armor}
Hit Points 40 (9d8)
Speed 30 ft.

CHAMPION
Medium hurnario.id (any race), any 11/ignment

STR

9 .(-1)

Armor Class 18 (plate)
Hit Points 143 ·(22d8 +· 44)
Speed 30 ft.
STR

20 (+5)

DEX
15 (+2)

CON

INT

WIS

14 (+2)

10 (+O)

14 (+2)

CHA
12 (+1)

Saving Throws Str +9, Con +6
Skills Athletics +9, Inti midation +5, Perception +6
Senses passive Perception 16
Languages any one lan guage (usually Com mon)
Challenge 9 (5,000 XP)

CON

11 (+O)

INT
17 (+3)

WIS
12 (+1)

CHA
11 (+O)

Saving Throws Int +6, Wis +4
Skills Arcana +6, History +6
Senses passive Perception 11
Languages any four languages
Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)

Spellcasting. The conjurer is a 9th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 14, +6 to hit
with spell attacks). The conjurer has the following wizard
spells prepared:

Indomitable (2/Day). The,champion rerolls a failed
saving throw.
Second Wind (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). As a bonus action, the champion can regain 20 hit points.
ACTI ON S

Multiattack. The champion makes three attacks with its greatsword or its shortbow.
Greatsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, r~ach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5) slashing damage, pfus 7 (2d6) slashing damage if the champion has more than half of its total hit
points remaining.
Light Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range 80/320
ft., one target. Hit: 6 (ld8 + 2) piercing damage, plus 7 (2d6)
piercing damage if the champion has more than half of its total
hit points remaining.
a
APPENDIX B I NONPLAYER CHARACTERS

DEX
14 (+2)

Cantrips (at will): acid splash,* mage hand,* poison spray,* prestidigitation
1st level (4 slots): mage armor, magic missile, unseen servant*
2nd level (3 slots): cloud of daggers,* misty step,* web*
3rd level (3 slots): fireba//, stinking cloud*
4th level (3 slots): Evard's black tentacles,* stoneskin
5th level (2 slots): cloudkill,* conjure elemental*
*Conjuration spell oflst level or higher

Benign Transportation (Recharges after the Conjurer Casts a
Conjuration Spell of 1st Le11el or Higher). As a bonus action, the
conjurer teleports up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space that it
can see. If it instead chooses a space within range that is occupied by a willing Small or Medium creature, they both teleport,
swapping places.
ACTIONS

Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft. or
range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (ld4 + 2) piercing damage.

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DIVINER
Diviners are specialist wizards who know that knowledge is power. They might act aloof and mysterious,
hinting at omens and secrets, or they might be know-italls, spilling secrets and insights to advance their own
status or reputation.

DtYtNER's
S1'AF1"

ENCHANTER
VARIANT: FAMILIARS

Any spellcaster that can cast the find familiar speU (such
as an apprentice, warlock, or wizard) is likely to have a
familiar. The familiar can be one of the creatures described
in the spell (see the Player's Handbook} or some other Tiny
monster, such as a cranium rat, a crawling claw, a gazer,
an imp, a pseudodragon, or a quasit.

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Armor Class 12 (15 with mage armor)
Hit Points 40 (9d8)
Speed 30 ft.

Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
Armor Class 12 (15 with mage armor)
Hit Points 67 (l Sd8}
Speed 30 ft.

DEX
14 (+2}

CON

11 (+O)

INT
18 (+4}

ENCHANTER
Medium humanoid (any race); any alignment

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DIVINER

STR
9 (-1)

Enchanters are specialist wizards who understand how
to alter and control minds using magic. They might be
personable and interesting, using magic to manipulate
people only when banter and conventional persuasion
fails, or they might be rude and demanding, using and
relying on charmed, obedient minions.

STR

9 {-1)
WIS

CHA

12 (+1}

11 (+O}

Saving Throws Int +7, Wis +4
Skills Arcana +7, History +7
Senses passive Perception 11
Languages any four languages
Challenge 8 (3,900 XP}

Spellcasting. The diviner is a 15th-level spellcaster. Its
spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 15, +7 to
hit with spell attacks). The diviner has the following wizard
spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will}:fire bolt, light, mage hand, message, true strike
1st level (4 slots): detect magic,* feather fall, mage armor
2nd level (3 slots): detect thoughts,* locate object,* scorching ray
3rd level (3 slots): clairvoyance,* fly,fireball
4th level (3 slots): arcane eye,* ice storm, stoneskin
5th level (2 slots}: Rary's telepathic bond,* scrying*
6th level (1 slot}: mass suggestion, true seeing*
7th level (1 slot): delayed blast fireball, teleport
8th level (1 slot): maze
*Divination spell of 1st level or higher

Portent (Recharges after the Di11iner Casts a Di11ination Spell of
1st Le11e/ or Higher). When the diviner or a creature it can see
makes an attack roll, a saving throw, or an ability check, the
diviner can roll a d20 and choose to use this roll in place of the
attack roll, saving throw, or ability check.
ACTI ON S

Quarterstaff. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 2 (ld6- 1) bludgeoning damage, or 3 (ld8 - 1)
bludgeoning damage if used with two hands.

DEX
14 (+2)

CON

INT

WIS

CHA

11 (+0)

17 (+3)

12(+1}

11 (+O)

Saving Throws Int +6, Wis +4
Skills Arcana +6, History +6
Senses passive Perception 11
Languages any four languages
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP}

Spellcasting. The enchanter is a 9th-level spellcaster. Its
spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 14, +6 to hit
with spell attacks}. The enchanter has the following wizard
spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will):friends, mage hand, mending, message
1st level (4 slots): charm person,* mage armor, magic missile
2nd level (3 slots): hold person,* invisibility, suggestion*
3rd level (3 slots}:fireba/1, haste, tongues
4th level (3 slots): dominate beast,* stoneskin
5th level (2 slots): hold monster*
*Enchantment spell of 1st level or higher
ACTI ON S

Quarterstaff. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 2 (ld6 -1) bludgeoning damage, or 3 (ld8-1)
bludgeoning damage if used with two hands.
REACTIONS

lnstincti11e Charm (Recharges after the Enchanter Casts an
Enchantment Spell of 1st Le11el or Higher). The enchanter tries
to magically divert an attack made against it, provided that the
attacker is with in 30 feet of it and visible to it. The enchanter
must decide to do so before the attack hits or misses.
The attacker must make a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw. On a
failed save, the attacker targets the creature closest to it, other
than the enchanter or itself. If multiple creatures are closest,
the attacker chooses which one to target.

APPENDIX B

1------..i~::!Sl:t======================

1 NONPLAY.Ell CJiARACTERS

EvoKER's
STAFF

EVOKER
Evokers are specialist wizards who harness magical
energy and elemental forces to destroy. Many tend to
be hotheaded and aggressive. Others are cold and reserved, unleashing their power at just the right moment
to exploit an opponent's weakness.

ILLUSIONIST

lt..1JU$IONIST S

S1'AFF

Illusionists are specialist wizards who twist light,
sound, shadow, and even minds to create false and
quasi-real effects. They can be flamboyant and use their
powers in spectacular and obvious ways, or quiet and
subtle, using their magic to conceal the truth.
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ILLUSlONIST
Medium humairoid (any race), any alignment

EVOKER.
Medium humanoid (any raaJ; any atignment

Armor Class 12. (15 with mage armor}
Hit Points 38 (7d8 + 7)

Armor Cass 12 (15 with mage armor)
Hit Points 66 (12d8 + 12)

Speed 30 ft.

Speed 30 ft.
STR
9 (-1)

STR
9 (-1)

DEX

CON

INT

WIS

14 (+2}

12 (+1}

17 (+3}

12 (+1}

CHA
11 (+O)

Saving Throws Int +7, Wis +5

Skills Arcana +7, History +7
Senses passive Perception 11
Languages any four languages
Challenge 9 (5,000 XP)

Spellcasting. The evoker is a 12th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 15, +7 to hit with spell
attacks). The evoker has the following wizard spells prepared:
Can trips (at will):.fire bolt,* light,* prestidigitation, ray offrost*
1st level (4 slots): burning hands,* mage armor, magic missile*
2nd level (3 slots): mirror image, misty step, shatter*
3rd level (3 slots): counterspe/1,fireball,* lightning bolt*
4th level (3 slots): ice storm,* stoneskin
5th level (2 slots): Bigby's hand,* cone of cold*
6th level (l slot): chain lightning,* wall ofice*
*Evocation spell

DEX
14 (+2}

CON
13 (+1)

INT

WIS

16 (+3)

11 (+O}

CHA
12 (+l)

Saving Throws Int +5, Wis +2

Skills Arcana +5, History +5
Senses passive Perception 10
Languages any four languages
Challenge 3 (700 XP)'

Spellcasting. The illusionist is a 7th-level spellcaster. Its
spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 13, +5 to hit
with spell attacks). The illusionist has the following wizard
spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will): dancing lights, mage hand, minor illusion,
poison spray
1st level (4 slots): color spray,* disguise self.* mage armor,
magic missile
2nd level (3 slots): invisibility,* mirror image,* phantasmal force*
3rd level (3 slots): major image,* phantom steed*
4th level (1 slot): phantasmal killer*
*Illusion spell of 1st level or higher

Sculpt Spells. When the evoker casts an evocation spell that
forces other creatures it can see, it can choose a number of
them equal to l + the spell's level. These creatures automatically succeed on their saving throws against the spelt. If a successful save means a chosen creature would take half damage
from the spell, it instead takes no damage from it.

Displacement (Recharges after the Illusionist Casts an Illusion
Spell of 1st Level or Higher}. As a bonus action, the illusionist
projects an illusion that makes the illusionist appear to be
standing in a place a few inches from its actual location, causing any creature to have disadvantage on attack rolls against
the illusionist. The effect ends if the illusionist takes damage, it
is incapacitated, or its speed becomes 0.

ACTIONS

Quarterstaff. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 2 (ld6- 1) bludgeoning damage, or 3 (ld8 -1)
bludgeoning damage if used with two hands.

Quarterstaff. Melee Weapon Attack: +l to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 2 (ld6- l) bludgeoning damage, or 3 (ld8 -1)
bludgeoning damage if used with two hands.

KRAKEN PRIEST
A kraken can seem godlike to folk who have witnessed
its fury. Those who mistake its might for divine power
and those who seek to appease the monster through
veneration are sometimes rewarded with power, to
serve thereafter as kraken priests.
The kraken can make itself dimly aware of a kraken
priest's thoughts if the two are on the same plane of ex-istence, and it can then push aside the priest's personality and control it. Kraken priests can thereby act as eyes
and ears for their masters, and when the kraken has
something to say, the priest becomes its mouthpiece.
Every kraken priest undergoes a change in appearance that reflects the kraken's influence, although each
one differs in how its reverence is displayed. One kraken
priest might have ink-black eyes and a suckered tentacle
for a tongue, while another has a featureless face and a
body covered in eyes and mouths that dribble seawater.
These horrific manifestations intensify when the kraken
possesses its minion to utter its dire pronouncements.
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KR.A.KEN PRIEST
Mepjum hunifanoid (any ra,e), any evil alignment
Armor Class 10
Hit Points 75 (10d8 + 30)
Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft.
STR
12 (+1)

DEX
10 (+O}

CON
16 (+3)

INT
10 (+O)

WIS
15 (+2)

CHA
14 (+2)

Skills Perception +5
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from
nonmagical attacks
Senses passive Perception 15
Languages any two languages
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)

Amphibious. The priest can breathe air and water.
Innate Spellcasting. The priest's spellcasting ability is Wisdom
(spell save DC 13, +5 to hit with spell attacks). It can innately
cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
At will: ,ommand, create or destroy water
3/day each: control water, darkness, water breathing, water walk
1/day each: call lightning, Evard's black tentacles

ACTIONS

Thunderous Touch. Melee Spell Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
creature. Hit: 27 (SdlO) thunder damage.
Voice of the Kr aken (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). A
kraken speaks through the priest with a thunderous voice audible within 300 feet. Creatures of the priest's choice that can
hear the kraken's words (which are spoken in Abyssal, Infernal,
or Primordial) must succeed on a DC 14 Charisma saving
throw or be frightened for 1 minute. A frightened target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the
effect on itself on a success.

APPENDIX B I NONPLAY:£R CMARACTERS

MARTIAL ARTS ADEPT
Martial arts adepts are disciplined monks with extensive training in hand-to-hand combat. Some protect
monasteries; others travel the world seeking enlightenment or new forms of combat to master. A few become
bodyguards, trading their combat prowess and loyalty
for food and lodging.

MASTER THIEF
Master thieves are known for perpetrating daring heists.
They tend to develop a reputation and a cult of personality. A master thief might "retire" from hands-on work to
run a thieves' guild, spearhead some covert enterprise,
or enjoy a quiet life of luxury.

MARTIAL ARTS ADEPT
Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment

Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment

Armor Class 16
Hit Points 60 (lld8 + 11)
Speed 40 ft.

Armor Class 16 (studded leather)
Hit Points 84 (13d8 + 26)
Speed 30 ft.

STR

11 (+O)

DEX
17 (+3)

CON

INT

WIS

CHA

STR

13 (+1)

11 (+O)

16 (+3)

10 (+O)

11 (+O)

DEX
18 (+4)

CON

INT

WIS

CHA

14 (+2)

11 (+O)

12 (+1)

Skills Acrobatics +5, Insight +S, Stealth +5
Senses passive Perception 13
Languages any one language (usually Com mon)
Challenge 3 (700 XP)

Saving Throws Dex +7, Int +3
Skills Acrobatics +,7, Athletics +3, Pe rception +3, Sleight of

Unarmored Defense. While the adept is wearing no armor and
wielding no shield, its AC includes its Wisdom modifier.

Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)

ACTI ON S

Cunning Action. On each of its turns, the thief can use a bonus
action to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action.

Multiattack. The adept makes three unarmed strikes or three
dart attacks.
Unarmed Strike. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
one target. Hit: 7 (ld8 + 3) bludgeoning damage. If the target
is a creature, the adept can choose one of the following additional effects:
• The target must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or
drop one item it is holding (adept's choice).
• The target must succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw
or be knocked prone.
• The target must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving
throw or be stunned until the end of the adept's next turn.

Hand +7, Stealth +7
Senses passive Perception 13
Languages any one language (usually Com mon) plus

thieves' cant

E11asion. If the thief is subjected to an effect that allows it to
make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, the
thief instead takes no damage if it succeeds on the saving
throw, and only half damage if it fails.
Sneak Attack (1fTurn). The thief deals an extra 14 (4d6) damage when it hits a target with a weapon attack and has advantage on the attack roll, or when the target is within 5 feet of an
ally of the thief that isn't incapacitated and the thief doesn't
have disadvantage on the attack roll.
A CTI ONS

Multiattack. The thief makes three attacks with its shortsword.

Dart. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (ld4 + 3) piercing damage.

Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 7 (ld6 + 4) piercing damage.

REACTIONS

Light Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, range 80/320
ft., one target. Hit: 8 (ld8 + 4) piercing damage.

Deflect Missile. In response to being hit by a ranged weapon
attack, the adept deflects the missile. The damage it takes from
the attack is reduced by ldlO -t 3. lfthe damage is reduced to
0, the adept catches the missile if it's small enough to hold in
one hand and the adept has a hand free.

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WARLOCK OF THE GREAT OLD ONE
Medium humci,roid {any race), any alignment
Armor Class 12- {15 with mage armory
Hit Points 91 (14d8 + 28)
Speed 30ft.
STR

9{-1)

DEX
14 (+2)

WARLORD
Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
Armor Class 18 (plate)
Hit Points 229 (27d8 + 108)
Speed 30 ft.
STR

20 (+5)

CON

INT

WIS

CHA

15 (+2)

12 (+l)

18 (+4)

Saving Throws Wis +-4, Cha +7
Skills Arcana +4, History +4
Damage Resistances psychic
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
Languages any two languages, telepathy 30 ft.
Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)

Innate Spellcasting. The warlock's innate spellcasting ability is
Charisma. It can innately cast the following spells (spell save
DC 15), requiring no material components:
At will: detect magic,jump, levitate, mage armor (self only),
speak with dead
1/day each: arcane gate, true seeing

Spellcasting. The warlock is a 14th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 15, +7 to hit with spell
attacks}. It regains its expended spell slots when it finishes a
short or long rest. It knows the following warlock spells:
Cantrips (at will): chill touch, eldritch blast, guidance, mage
hand, minor illusion, prestidigitation, shocking grasp
l st-5th level (3 5th-level slots}: armor of Agathys, arms of
Hadar, crown of madness, clairvoyance, contact other plane,
detect thoughts, dimension door, dissonant whispers, dominate
beast, telekinesis, vampiric touch

Whispering Aura. At the start of each of the w~rlock's turns,
each creature of its choice within S feet ofit must succeed on a
DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or take 10 (3d6) psychic damage,
provided that the warlock isn't incapacitated.
ACTION$

Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +S to hit, reach S ft. or
range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (ld4 + 2} piercing damage.

DEX
16 (+3)

CON

INT

WIS

CHA

18 (+4)

12 (+l)

12 (+1)

18 (+4)

Saving Throws Str +9, Dex +7, Con +8
Skills Athletics +9, Intimidation +8, Perception +5,

Persuasion +8
Senses passive Perception 15
Languages any two languages
Challenge 12 (8,400 XP}

Indomitable (3/Day). The warlord can reroll a saving throw it
fails. It must use the new roll.
Sur11ivor. The warlord regains 10 hit points at the start of its
turn if it has at least 1 hit point but fewer hit points than half its
hit point maximum.
ACTIONS

Multiattack. The warlord makes two weapon attacks.
Creatsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach S ft., one
target. Hit: 12 (2d6 + S} slashing damage.
Shortbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, range 80/320 ft.,
one target. Hit: 6 (ld6 + 3) piercing damage.
LEGENDARY ACTIONS

The warlord can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the
options below. Only one legendary action option can be used
at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. The
warlord regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Weapon Attack. The warlord makes a weapon attack.
Command Ally. The warlord targets one ally it can see within 30

feet of it. If the target can see and hear the warlord, the target
can make one weapon attack as a reaction and gains advantage on the attack roll.
Frighten Foe (Costs 2 Actions). The warlord targets one enemy
it can see within 30 feet of it. If the target can see and hear it,
the target must succeed on a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or
be frightened until the end of warlord's next turn.

APPENDIX

C: MONSTER L I STS

STAT BLOCKS BY CREATURE TYPE
Aberrations
Death kiss .................................................. 124
Elder brain ................................................ 174
Gauth .................................., .................... 125
Gazer .......................................................... 126
Mindwitness ............................................. 176
Morkoth ...................................................... 178
Neogi........................................................... 180
Neogi hatchling ........................................ 179
Neogi master............................................. 180
Neothelid ................................................... 181
Ulitharid .................................................... 175

Beasts
Aurochs ...................................................... 207
B:rontosaurus ............................................ 139
Cow (ox, rothe, stench kow) .................. 207
Cranium rat ... ,...... ,... ,................................ 133
Deinonychus ............. ,............................... 139
Dimetrodon ............................................... 139
Dolphin ..................................................... 208
Hadro!saurus .............. - ............................. 140
Que.tzalcoatlus.......................................... 140
Stegosaurus .............................................. 140
Swarm of cranium rats .......................... 133
Swarm of rot grubs ................................ 208
Velociraptor ............................................... 140
Celestials
Ki-rin .......................................................... 163
Dragons
158
G d d ak:
uar r ·e..............................................

Elementals
Flail snail .................................................... 144
Fey
Annis hag .............................................""" 159
Bheur hag .................................................. 160
Boggle ....................................................... 128
Darkling ..................................................... 134
Darkling elder .......................................... 134
Korred ........................................................ 168
Meenlock ................................................... 170
Quickling ................................................... 187
Redcap ....................................................... 188
Yeth hound ................................................ 201

Fiends
Babau .......................................................... 136
Barghest .................................................... 123
Devourer .................................................... 138
Draegloth ................................................... 141
Maw demon ......................,.......- .............. 137
Shoosuva ................................................... 137
Tanarukk ................................................... 186
Vargouille .................................................. 195
Giants
Cloud giant smiling one ......................... 146
Fire giant dreadnought .......................... 147
Frost giant everlasting one .................... 148
Mouth of Grolantor.................................. 149
Stone giant dreamwalker ...................... 150
Storm giant quintessent... ...................... 151
Humanoids

Nilbog ......................................................... 182
Ore Blade of Ilneval ................................ 183
Ore Claw of Luthic .................................. 183
Ore Hand ofYurtrus ............................... 184
Ore Nurtured One ofYurtrus ........-•.,.... 184
Ore Red Fang of Shargaas .................... 185
Sea spawn ................................................. 189
Swashbuckler ............................,........,..... 217
Transmuter.................................,..,,4,.,...., .. !218
War priest .................................................. 218
Warlock of the archfey................... ,_ ..... 219
Warlock of the fiend ................................ 219
Warlock of the Great Old One .............. 220
Warlord ....................... ,......... ~..- ......
,.22.0
Xvart .......................................................... 200
Xvart warlock of Raxivort ..................... 200
Yuan-ti broodguard .................................203

Abjurer ....................................................... 209
Apprent·ice w·1z ard ..................... _. ......... .. 209
Archdruid .................................................. 210
Archer ......................................................... 210
Bard ............................................................ 211
Blackguard ................................................ 211
Ch amp1on
. ................................................. . 212
Conjurer ..................................................... 212
Deep scion ................................................. 135
Diviner ........................................................ 213
Enchanter .................................................. 213
Evoker ........................................................ 214
Firenewt .................................................... 142
F'
k f
1renewt war1oc o 1mix .................... .. 143
Flind........................................................... 153
Gnoll flesh gnawer .............,.................... 154
Gnoll hunter ........................ ,......,............- 154
Grung ...................................................... - 156
Grung elite warrior ................................. 15 7
Grung wildling ......................................... 157
Hobgoblin devastator .............................. 161
Hobgoblin Iron Shadow ......................... 162
Illusionist ................................................... 214
Kobold dragonshield ............................... 165
Kobold inventor ........................................ 166
Kobold scale sorcerer............................. 167
Kraken priest ............................................ 215
Martial arts adept .................................... 216
Master thief ............................................... 216
Necromancer ............................................ 2 17

Monstrosities
Banderhobb ............................................... 122
C.atoblepas ................................................. 129
Cave fisher ................................................. 130
Chitine ........................................_ _,,, .....,- 131
Choldrith .................................................... 132
Froghemoth .............................................. 145
Giant strider .............................................. 143
Girallon ...................................................... 152
Leucrotta ................................................... 169
Shadow mastiff ..........................,.. ,........_..190
Tlincalli ................................................... . ..,.193
Trapper....................................................... 194
Yuan-ti anathema ...............................-... ,202
Yuan-ti mind whisperer .......................... 204
Yuan-ti nightmare speaker .................... 205
Yuan-ti pit master ................................... 206

M t t .. . .

Oozes
Slithering tracker .................................... 191
Plants
Thorny ........................................................ 197
Vegepygmy ......................._.......................196
Vegepygmy chief ...................................... 197
Wood woad ................................................ 198
Undead
Alhoon ........................................................ 172
Bodak ......................................................... 127
Gnoll witherling ........................................ 155
Mind flayer lich (alhoon variant) .......... 172
Spawn of Kyuss ....................................... 192

STAT BLOCKS BY CHALLENGE RATING
Challenge O(0-10 XP)
Cranium rat ............................................... 133
Challenge 1/8 (25 XP)
Boggle ........................................................ 128
Dolph1·n ..................................................... 208
Neogi hatchling ........................................ 179
Xvart .......................................................... 200

Challenge 1/4 (SO XP)
Apprentice wizard ................................... 209
Cow (ox, rot be, stench kow) .................. 2o7
DimetrQ clon ............................................... l 39
Gnoll witherling ....,.,........, ......................... 155
Grung .............................................. ,.......... l S6
Hadrosaurus ............................................. 140
Kobold inventor........................................ 166

Vegepygmy .................................
196
Velociraptor ............................................... 140
m

. . . , -. . . . . .

Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)
Chitine .................................... _.... -..........., .131
Darkl'1n~
" ........................................... ,,_,•., .•134
Firenewt ..................................................... 142
Gazer .......................................................... 126

Gnoll hunter .............................................. 154
Ore Nurtured One of Yurtrus ............... 184
Swarm of rot grubs ................................ 208

Challenae 1 (200 XP)
Delnonychus ............................................. 139
Firenewt warlock of lmix ................- .... 143
Giant strider.............................................. 143
Gnoll flesh gnawer .................. _.............. 154
Grung wildling ......................................... 157
Kobold dragonshield ............................... 165
Kobold scale sorcerer............................. 167
Mawdemon ............................................... 137
Nilbog ......................................................... 182
Quickling ................................................... 187
Sea spawn ................................................. 189
Thorny ........................................................ 197
Vargouille .................................................. 195
Xvart warlock of Raxivort... .................. 200
Challenge 2 (450 XP)
Aurochs ...................................................... 20 7
Bard ............. , .......................... ,.................. 211
Darkling elder .......................................... 134
·
157
G run g e l1·te warrior.................................
Guard drake .............................................. 158
Hobgoblin Iron Shadow ......................... 162
Meenlock ................................................... 170
Ore Claw of Luthic .................................. 183
Ore Hand of Yurtrus ............................... 184
Quett'alcoatlus.......................................... 140
Shadow mastiff ........................................ 190
Vegepygmy chief ...................................... 197
Yuan-ti broodguard ................................. 203

Ore Red Fang of Shargaas .................... 185 Draegloth .............~........... ::...................... 141
Redcap ....................................................... 188 Korred ........................................................ 168
Slithering tracker .................................... 191 Warlock of the fiend ................................ 219
Swashbuckler ........................................... 217 Challenae 8 (3,900 XP)
Trapper....................................................... 194 Blackguard ........................................,....... 211
Diviner........................................................ 213
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)
Babau.......................................................... 136 Shoosuva .................................................... 13 7
Barghest .................................................... 123 Challenae 9 (5,000 XP)
Girallon ........................................,............. 152 Abjurer ................................................. ,...•. 209
Hobgoblin devastator .............................. 161 Champion ............................................,..... 212
Neogi master............................................. 180 Evoker ........................................................ 214
Ore Blade of Ilneval ................................ 183 Flind ........................................................... 153
Stegosaurus .............................................. 140 Necromancer ............................................ 217
Warlock of the archfey............................ 219 Ulitharid .................................................... 175
Yeth hound ................................................ 201 War priest .................................................. 218
Yuan-ti mind whisperer, ......................... 204
Yuan-ti nightmare speaker.................... 20 5 Challenae 10 (5,900 XP)
Alhoon ........................................................ 172
Challenae 5 (1,800 XP)
Death kiss.................................................. 124
Banderhobb............................................... 122 Froghemoth .............................................. 145
Brontosaurus............................................ l 39 Stone giant dreamwalker ...................... 150
Catoblepas................................................. 129
Enchanter ..... 1............................................ 213 Challenae 11 <7, 200 XP)
· t .......................................... .. 215 Cloud giant smiling one ......................... 146
Kra ken pries
Master thief ............................................... 216 Morko t b ...................................................... l 78
Mindwitness ............................................. 176 Challenae 12 (8,400 XP)
Spawn of Kyuss ....................................... 192 Archdruid .................................................. 210
Swarm of cranium rats .......................... 133 Frost giant everlasting one,..............~ .... 148
Tanarukk ................................................... 186 Ki-rin .......................................................... 163
Tlincalli ...................................................... 193 Morkoth (in lair) ..........~.. ·• ........................ 178
Transmuter................................................ 218 Warlord ............................... ,.. ,................... 2'2,0
Wood woad ................................................ 198 Yuan-ti anathema ..................................... 262
Yuan-ti pit master ................................... 206 Challenae 13 (10,000 XP)

Challenae 3 (700 XP)
Challenae 6 (2,300 XP)
Archer ......................................................... 210 Annis hag. ........................,_.,................... 159
Cave fisher ................................................. 130 Bodak ......................................................... 127
Choldrith .................................................... 132 Conjurer ..................................................... 212
Deep $Cion ............................................ - ... l3 5 Gauth .......................................................... l2 5
Flail snail ................................................... 144 Mouth of Grolantor.................................. 149
lllus'onist ................................................... 214 Warlock of the Great Old One .............. 220
Leucrotta ................................................... l 69 Challenge 7 (2,900 XP)
Martial arts adept .............................. - ... 216 Bheur hag .................................................. 160
epgi...................,....................................... 180

Devourer .................................................... 138
Neothelid ................................................... 181
Challenae 14 (11,500 XP)
Elder brain ................................................ 174
Fire giant dreadnought .......................... 147

Challenae 16 (15,000 XP)
Storm giant quintessent. ........................ 151
Challenae 22 (41,000 XP)
Mind flayer lich (alhoon variant) .......... 172

CREATURES BY ENVIRONMENT
COASTAL CREATURES

ARCTIC CREATURES

Creatures
Gnoll witnerling
Cnoll hunter
C noll flesh gnawer
Guard drake (white)
Warlock of tht archfey
Warlock of the Great Old One
Bheur ha!twarlock of the fiend
Shoosuva
Flind
Frost ~~~-t. everlasting one
Storm giant quintessent

Challenge (XP)
1/4 (50 XP)
1/2 (100 XP)
;-·(200XP)
2 (450 XP)

4 (1,100 XP)
6 (2,300 XP)
7 (2,9ooxPf
8 (3,900 XP)
9 (5,000 XP)
12 (8,400 XP)
16 {15,000 XP)

Sea spawn

Challenge (XP)
.1/& (25 XP}
1/4 (50 XP)
1 (2oo ·xM

Quetzalcoatl us
Deep sdon, swashbuckler
Kraken priest
Stone gfantdreamwalker
Morkoth
Frost giant everlasting one, ki-rin
Storm giant quintessent

3 {700 XP)
5 (1,800 XP)
10 {5,900 XP)
11 (7,200 XP)
12 (8,400 XP)
16 (15,000 XP)

Creatures
Dolphin
Dimetrodon

2 (450 XP)

UNDERWATER CREATURES

UNDERDARK CREATURES

Challenge (XP}
Creatures
0 (10 XP)
Cranium rat
1/8
(25 X_
P)
Boggle, ~~?!i ~atchli~g, xvart
1/4 (50 XP)
Cow (deep fothe), kobold inventor
1/2 (100 XP)
Chitine, darkling, firenewt, gazer, ore Nurtu red One of Yurtrus, swarm of rot grubs
1 (200 XP)
Firenewt warlock of Imix, giant strider)obold
dragonshield, kobold scale sorcerer, maw
demon, nitbog, vargouitte, xvart warlock of
Raxivort
2 (450 XP)
Darkling elder, guard drake (red), ore Claw of
Luthic, ore Hand of Yurtrus, yuan-ti broodguard
3 (700 XP)
Cave fisher, choldrith, flail snail, neogi, ore
Red Fang of Shargaas, slithering tracker,
trapper
4 (1,100 XP)
Babau, barghest, neogi master, ore Blade of
llneval, yuan-ti mind whisperer, yuan-ti nightmare speaker
5 (1,800 XP)
Mind;itness, spawn of l(yuss, swarm of
cranium rats, tanarukk, yu_
an·-ttpit master
6 (2,300 XP)
Bodak, gauth, warlock of the Great Old One
7 {2,900 XP)
Draegloth, warlock of the fiend
8 (3,900 XP)
Blackguard
9 (5,000 XP)
Ulitharid
10 (5,900 XP)
Alhoon, death kiss, froghemoth
12 (8,400 XP)
Yuan-ti anathema
Devourer, neothelid
13 (10,00~
14 (11,500 XP)
Elder brain, fire giant dreadnought
22 (41,000 XP)
Mind flayer lich (see Alhoon)

-~!J

Creatures
Dolphin
Sea spawn
Deep scion
Kraken priest
Morkoth- ·- · ·
Archdruid
Storm giant quintessent

Challenge (XP}
1/8 (25 XP)
1 (200 XP)
3 (700 XP)
5 (1,800 XP)
11 {7,200 XP)
12 (8,400 XP)
16 (15,000 XP)

URBAN CREATURES

Challenge (XP)
Creatures
0 (10 XP)
Cranium rat
1/8 (25 XP)
Apprentice, boggle
1/4 (50 XP)
Cow (ox}, kobold inventor
1/2 (100 XP)
Darkling
- -, (200 XP)
Kobold scale sorcerer
2 (450 XP)
Bard, darkling elder, guard drake (any), meenlock
3 (700 XP)
Archer, illusionist, martial arts adept, ore Red
Fang of Shargaas, slithering tracker, swashbuckler
4 (1 ,100 XP)
Babau, warlock of the archfey
5 (1,800 XP)
Banderhobb, enchanter, master thief, swarm
of cranium rats, transmuter
6 (2,300 XP)
Bodak, conjurer, warlock of the Great Old
One
7 (2,900 XP)
Warlock of the fiend
8 (3,900 XP)
Blackguard, diviner
9 (5,000 XP)
Abjurer, champion, evoker, necromancer, war
pr~st
12 (8,400 XP)
Warlord

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Volo's Guide To Monsters

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