Spells that End Combat (and how to work around them)

Ha! The floor is now LAVA!

Last week, we discussed ways to make combat easier or harder. This week, we're going to look at certain spells that you can plan around to make sure those situations don't come up as often.

When planning a combat, it's important to think in terms of the tier of power your characters are at. Treating every combat like a simple slugfest won't properly challenge high-level characters. Part of this is because at high levels, managing combat roles and hit points is second-nature to the players, and the characters have plenty of tools to stay alive. The other part is because most "normal" combats can be ended in a single, well-placed spell.

At each tier, the players will have access to spells that simply shut down enemies, allow them to easily escape ("panic button" spells) or simply end the combat. When building a combat, you've got to account for these types of spells, or your carefully planned narrative encounter will turn into a Office Space-style beatdown.

To recap from last week, there are many global ways to get around these spells. You can just let the spell succeed, end the encounter, and add another one later, knowing your players will have one less spell slot to perform such a maneuver again. You can plan some situations before the combat that drain those spell slots as well. If the players have to Teleport before combat begins, that's one less Forcecage they can use to imprison an enemy.

Another common method is to give a creature Magic Resistance. Advantage on saving throws is a huge deal! Proficiency in Wisdom saving throws also helps, since many of these spells are mental effects. Most fiends have these traits, and I'm pretty sure 99% of all D&D bosses ever have some connection to fiends.

Of course, it's important to let these spells succeed most of the time. Otherwise, the player will feel cheated out of using their magic! For those epic encounters, though, you can use these methods to further challenge your players, and force them to forsake the "easy" method.

So when you're in the midst of combat, here's some spells that will cause you trouble and ways you can re-start the combat. I've organized them by tier, so remember that if your players are in Tier 4, all the other tiers apply as well!

Tier 1

Cantrips

• Friends (no save)
• Not terribly powerful, unless you are in a social encounter
• If a player manages to roll well and talk their way out of a combat, you can definitely transform it into a social encounter
• Single target, so reinforcements or multiple enemies will work

1st Level

• Animal Friendship (Wis save)
• Can still attack other players
• Single target, so reinforcements or multiple enemies will work
• Ends if any ally of the PC harms the target, so you could rule that a critical miss on another creature accidentally strikes the beast
• Charm Person (Wis save)
• Can still attack other players
• The creature can still move, so fleeing is an option
• Single target, so reinforcements or multiple enemies will work
• Or, turn the combat into a social encounter
• Ends if any ally of the PC harms the target, so you could rule that a critical miss on another creature accidentally strikes the person
• After an hour, this person should be raising hell about being charmed
• Command (Wis save)
• Depending on the creativity of the player, could be very debilitating
• Doesn't affect undead, so zombie minions are a good counter
• Must understand the language of the command, so if the monster and the player don't share a language, they are effectively immune
• Single target, so reinforcements or multiple enemies will work
• Disguise Self (Investigation check)
• Turn the combat into a social encounter with two consequences: combat AND raising the alarm
• Add an encounter with a high-Intelligence character like a guard captain or head torturer, to make the Investigation check meaningful
• Ensnaring Strike (Str save)
• Restrained means the creature can still attack, or use an action to free itself with a Strength check
• Single target, so reinforcements or multiple enemies will work
• Requires Concentration, so the creature or its allies might target the caster
• Entangle (Str save)
• Restrained means the creature can still attack, or use an action to free itself with a Strength check
• Requires Concentration, so the creature or its allies might target the caster
• Difficult terrain doesn't stop ranged attacks
• Reinforcements or multiple enemies from another area will work
• Hex (no save)
• This one is deadly if used in combination with a spell that imposes the Restrained condition, causing a creature to have disadvantage on Strength checks
• It can also hamper Intelligence checks made to spot illusions. Since Hex doesn't have a perceptible effect, it's possible the creature might not realize it has been cursed (PHB pg. 204)
• Requires Concentration, so the creature or its allies might target the caster
• Sleep (no save)
• Undead and creatures immune to charm are unaffected, so certain fiendish and undead minions might be good. Also, elves are immune to magical sleep.
• Awake creatures can shake their allies awake with an action, so reinforcements or multiple enemies can really counter this spell
• Tends to only affect weak monsters, so this is a good one to let the players win on
• Tasha's Hideous Laughter (Wis save)
• Doesn't affect beasts and low-int creatures like constructs
• Single target, so reinforcements or multiple enemies will work
• Requires Concentration, so the creature or its allies might target the caster
• The creature has advantage on its Wisdom save if it's triggered by damage, so an ally might try slapping the creature (dealing 1 damage) to get them out of the spell

2nd Level

• Calm Emotions (Wis save)
• 99% of its combat use will be to turn hostile creatures indifferent
• Requires Concentration, so those that aren't affected might target the caster
• Area of Effect, so creatures that arrive afterwards  or large battlefield space will work
• The effect ends if the target is damaged or sees an ally damaged, so an unaffected ally might try slapping their friend (dealing 1 damage) to end the spell
• Crown of Madness (Wis save)
• Single target, so reinforcements or multiple enemies will work
• Requires Concentration, so the creature's allies might target the caster
• Hold Person (Wis save)
• Single target, so reinforcements or multiple enemies will work
• Requires Concentration, so the creature's allies might target the caster
• Levitate (Con save)
• Can immobilize a target if there are no objects for them to kick off of
• Single target, so reinforcements or multiple enemies will work
• Requires Concentration, so the creature or its allies might target the caster
• Ranged attacks still work
• Can also be used to escape ground-based enemies
• Pass Without Trace (Perception check)
• Can be used to escape a combat. Remember, the PCs must be out of sight before they are able to make those Dexterity (Stealth) checks.
• Can be used to avoid combat entirely. Adding other combat encounters later can abate this, but if you are playing with experience points you should be clear that they won't earn full experience by circumventing the monsters.
• Phantasmal Force (Int save)
• Depending on the creativity of the player, could be very debilitating
• Single target, so reinforcements or multiple enemies will work
• Requires Concentration, so the creature or its allies might target the caster
• Suggestion (Wis save)
• Depending on the creativity of the player, could be very debilitating
• Single target, so reinforcements or multiple enemies will work
• Doesn't actually impose the Charmed condition, so if the creature can complete its Suggestion while still fighting, it might do so
• Requires Concentration, so the creature or its allies might target the caster
• Or, turn the combat into a social encounter
• Ends if any ally of the PC harms the target, so you could rule that a critical miss on another creature accidentally strikes the person
• After 8 hours, this person should be raising hell about being charmed

Tier 2

Can the Water Elemental get disadvantage against Lightning Bolt?

3rd Level

• Bestow Curse (Wis save)
• Depending on the creativity of the player, could be very debilitating
• The most common curse will completely incapacitate a creature with low Wisdom
• The creature can still move, so fleeing is an option
• Single target, so reinforcements or multiple enemies will work
• Requires Concentration, so the creature or its allies might target the caster
• Fear (Wis save)
• Not impossible for a creature to recover from, but can easily be used to retreat from a combat
• Creatures should be on high alert after a retreat
• Fly (no save)
• Can be used to escape ground-based enemies
• Ranged attacks can still work
• Hypnotic Pattern (Wis save)
• Requires Concentration, so those that aren't affected might target the caster
• Area of Effect, so creatures that arrive afterwards or large terrain space will work
• The effect ends if the target is damaged or sees an ally damaged, so an unaffected ally might try slapping their friend (dealing 1 damage) to end the spell
• Leomund's Tiny Hut (no save)
• Can be used to take a Long Rest in a dungeon, though with a minute casting time can't be used to stop combat
• If intelligent monsters find the dome, they should prepare for when the adventurers emerge. This may include burying the dome under collapsed earth, setting up traps, etc.
• Magic Circle (Cha save)
• Can be used to take Short Rests on the outer planes or trap/avoid certain monsters, though with a minute casting time can't be used in combat
• If intelligent monsters find the circle, they might use nonmagical means to break the circle or attack the creatures within. This could include dropping pillars on the circle, firing arrows inside, or preparing to teleport out as soon as the circle breaks.

4th Level

• Banishment (Cha save)
• Single target, so reinforcements or multiple enemies will work
• Requires Concentration, so the creature's allies might target the caster
• Compulsion (Wis save)
• Not impossible for a creature to recover from, but can easily be used to retreat from a combat
• Creatures should be on high alert after a retreat
• Confusion (Wis save)
• 20% chance of not affecting a creature on its turn
• Requires Concentration, so those that aren't affected might target the caster
• Area of Effect, so creatures that arrive afterwards or large terrain space will work
• Dominate Beast (Wis save)
• Single target, so reinforcements or multiple enemies will work
• Requires Concentration, so the creature's allies might target the caster
• The creature can re-attempt the save if it takes damage, so an ally might try slapping the creature (dealing 1 damage) to get them out of the spell
• Evard's Black Tentacles (Dex save)
• Restrained means the creature can still attack, or use an action to free itself with a Strength check
• Requires Concentration, so the creature or its allies might target the caster
• Difficult terrain doesn't stop ranged attacks
• Reinforcements from another area or multiple enemies will work
• Otiluke's Resilient Sphere (no save)
• Can be used by a PC to escape combat
• Can be used to trap/avoid a single monster
• Single target, so reinforcements or multiple enemies will work
• Requires Concentration, so the creature's allies might target the caster
• Creatures can still teleport out of the Sphere
• Polymorph (Wis save)
• Can be used by a PC to escape combat
• Can be used to trap/avoid a single monster
• Single target, so reinforcements or multiple enemies will work
• Requires Concentration, so the creature's allies might target the caster
• Reverts back if the beast form is reduced to 0 hit points, so an ally might attack the creature (especially if it's weak, like a mouse or chicken) to end the spell

5th Level

• Banishing Smite (no save)
• Single target, so reinforcements or multiple enemies will work
• Requires Concentration, so the creature's allies might target the caster
• Contagion (Con save)
• Single target, so reinforcements or multiple enemies will work
• Requires multiple saving throws, so Bless or a Paladin's Aura of Protection can help the creature make their other saves
• Dispel Evil and Good (Cha save)
• This is regarding the Dismissal effect
• Single target, so reinforcements or multiple enemies will work
• Requires Concentration, so the creature's allies might target the caster
• Dominate Person (Wis save)
• Single target, so reinforcements or multiple enemies will work
• Requires Concentration, so the creature's allies might target the caster
• The creature can re-attempt the save if it takes damage, so an ally might try slapping the creature (dealing 1 damage) to get them out of the spell
• Geas (Wis save)
• Depending on the creativity of the player, could be very debilitating
• Requires 1 minute to cast, so difficult to pull off in combat
• Single target, so reinforcements or multiple enemies will work
• Or, turn the combat into a social encounter
• After the Geas ends, this person should be raising hell about being charmed
• Hallow (no save)
• Can be used to take Rests on the outer planes or trap/avoid certain monsters, though with a 24 hour casting time can't be used in combat
• If intelligent monsters find the Hallowed area, they might use nonmagical means to break the it or attack the creatures within. This could include dropping pillars on the circle, firing arrows inside, or finding humanoids who will attack for them.
• Hold Monster (Wis save)
• Single target, so reinforcements or multiple enemies will work
• Requires Concentration, so the creature's allies might target the caster
• Teleportation Circle (no save)
• Requires 1 minute to cast, so difficult to pull off in combat
• Acts as a "panic button" - allows escape from an encounter beyond just retreat. The best solution is to restock the area with encounters, allowing the players to make another attempt.
• Tree Stride (no save)
• Can be used to escape a combat. Remember, this only affects the caster
• Can be used to avoid combat entirely. Adding other combat encounters later can abate this, but if you are playing with experience points you should be clear that they won't earn full experience by circumventing the monsters.

Tier 3

What do you mean, 'all the bad guys from now on don't have blood'? It was ONE spell!

6th Level

• Eyebite (Wis save)
• Awake creatures can shake their allies awake with an action, so reinforcements or multiple enemies can really counter this spell
• Tends to only affect weak monsters, so this is a good one to let the players win on
• Not impossible for a creature to recover from, but can easily be used to retreat from a combat
• Creatures should be on high alert after a retreat
• Single target per round, so reinforcements or multiple enemies will work
• Requires Concentration, so the creature's allies might target the caster
• Forbiddance (no save)
• Requires 10 minutes to cast, so difficult to pull off in combat
• If intelligent monsters find the area, they might use nonmagical means to break the area or attack the creatures within. This could include dropping pillars on the circle, firing arrows inside, or preparing to teleport out as soon as the spell ends.
• Flesh to Stone (Con save)
• Single target, so reinforcements or multiple enemies will work
• Requires multiple saving throws, so Bless or a Paladin's Aura of Protection can help the creature make their other saves
• Mass Suggestion (Wis save)
• Depending on the creativity of the player, could be very debilitating
• Doesn't actually impose the Charmed condition, so if the creature can complete its Suggestion while still fighting, it might do so
• Or, turn the combat into a social encounter
• Ends if any ally of the PC harms the target, so you could rule that a critical miss on another creature accidentally strikes the person
• After 24 hours, this person should be raising hell about being charmed
• Otto's Irresistible Dance (Wis save)
• First round, no save, so can't use Legendary Resistance or Indomitable
• Single target, so reinforcements or multiple enemies will work
• Requires Concentration, so the creature's allies might target the caster
• True Seeing (no save)
• Can be used to avoid combat entirely if opponents are invisible or disguised. Adding other combat encounters later can abate this, but if you are playing with experience points you should be clear that they won't earn full experience by circumventing the monsters.
• Word of Recall (no save)
• Acts as a "panic button" - allows escape from an encounter beyond just retreat. The best solution is to restock the area with encounters, allowing the players to make another attempt.

7th Level

• Divine Word (Cha save)
• Can end a combat consisting of only Celestials, Elementals, Fey, or Fiends, so give them humanoid servants or monstrous allies to offset such a possibility
• Etherealness (no save)
• Acts as a "panic button" - allows escape from an encounter beyond just retreat. The best solution is to restock the area with encounters, allowing the players to make another attempt.
• Forcecage (Cha save)
• No save to be trapped by the cage
• Teleporting out requires the Cha save, so self-casting Bless can help
• Also, no save if a different creature forcibly teleports the trapped creature out of the cage. Arcane Gate is the spell you are looking for
• Plane Shift (Cha save)
• Acts as a "panic button" - allows escape from an encounter beyond just retreat. The best solution is to restock the area with encounters, allowing the players to make another attempt.
• Teleport (no save)
• Acts as a "panic button" - allows escape from an encounter beyond just retreat. The best solution is to restock the area with encounters, allowing the players to make another attempt.

8th Level

• Antimagic Field (no save)
• Best response is to move or retreat
• Requires Concentration, so the spellcaster's allies might target the caster
• Dominate Monster (Wis save)
• Single target, so reinforcements or multiple enemies will work
• Requires Concentration, so the creature's allies might target the caster
• The creature can re-attempt the save if it takes damage, so an ally might try slapping the creature (dealing 1 damage) to get them out of the spell
• Feeblemind (Int save)
• Single target, so reinforcements or multiple enemies will work
• Best response is to flee and make the save again in 30 days
• If an ally can cast Greater Resotration, Heal, or Wish, they should do so
• Maze (Int check)
• Single target, so reinforcements or multiple enemies will work
• Requires Concentration, so the creature's allies might target the caster
• In normal circumstances, the creature should rejoin combat as soon as possible.
• Plane Shift, Gate, or similar spells can be used to escape as well
• Power Word Stun (no save)
• Single target, so reinforcements or multiple enemies will work
• Tsunami (Str save)
• Not impossible for a creature to recover from, but can easily be used to retreat from a combat
• Creatures should be on high alert after a retreat

Tier 4

His name is twiggy and he's my new familiar

9th Level

• Gate (no save)
• Acts as a "panic button" - allows escape from an encounter beyond just retreat. The best solution is to restock the area with encounters, allowing the players to make another attempt.
• Imprisonment (Wis save)
• Requires 1 minute to cast, so difficult to pull off in combat
• Single target, so reinforcements or multiple enemies will work
• High-level Dispel Magic can end the spell
• Power Word Kill (no save)
• Single target, so reinforcements or multiple enemies will work
• True Polymorph (Wis save)
• Can be used by a PC to escape combat
• Can be used to trap/avoid a single monster
• Single target, so reinforcements or multiple enemies will work
• Requires Concentration, so the creature's allies might target the caster
• Reverts back if the beast form is reduced to 0 hit points, so an ally might attack the creature (especially if it's weak, like a mouse or chicken) to end the spell
• Wish (no save)
• There's not much you can do about this one
• Just make sure you follow the consequences of the Wish exactly
• Otherwise, prepare for the ride

Hopefully this guide helped you think about spells in a new way. Remember: you can always add more enemies and more encounters. Just make sure the spells actually work sometimes, or your players will really feel cheated!


Thanks for reading!

Monday Recap: Sharkephant Slaugherhouse

The return of the Shark-Elephant-Demon-Centaurs

We got together and played another round of Campaign of Chaos recently, and it was a lot of fun. True to its purpose, this campaign is throwing a wrench in pretty much all of my worldbuilding and campaign plans.

Oh well. That just means a group of heroes is going to have to put a stop to all of this.

Hooray!

This story is part 5 of a series. The campaign is complete.
| Previous Campaign | Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 |

Campaign of Chaos: Broodmother Skyfortress

Cast of Characters
Jon: Dungeon Master
Shannon: Cressen Juhl, Fallen Aasimar Trickery Cleric of Ralishaz, hates their dad Pholtus
Cody: Myst, Tabaxi Rogue, likes the shiny and shoots the arrows
Quinn: Jakky, Darkling Shadow Monk, sneaks into places to do a murder
Wade: Agne, Kobold Warlock of the Great Old Ones, killed his family for creepy powers
Wes: Magic Man, Drow Transumation Wizard, kind of creepy, teaches magical life lessons
NPC: Artorius, Void Dragon Wyrmling, hangs out with Agne

When we last left the Chaotic Crew, they were in the middle of clearing out a high-tech sky fortress so they could commandeer it and travel where they pleased. After befriending two of the giant demon shark/elephant centaurs, killing another one and throwing one of their newfound friends off the cloud, they decided to take a quick rest in a crypt.

The runt of the giants, who they decided to name Lucy, was skilled enough to kind of figure out how to work the controls to the Sky Fortress and its magic viewing portals. Ange used his telepathy to ask Lucy where the rest of the Giants were, and Lucy took some time and figured it out. Apparently, there were four remaining: The Mother, The Twins, The Scary One, and The Smart One.

The crew really didn't like the sound of any of them, but decided to go for the Twins first. However, Lucy told them that to get to the Twins they would have to sneak past or kill the Scary One. The group didn't see much choice in the matter, so they decided to go for it.

Along the way, they passed a storage room containing meat hanging from metal chains and barrels of strange ale. Magic Man decided to take some, even after he found out the ale had been mixed with blood and onions.

When they arrived at the entrance hall of the Fortress, they saw "The Scary One" drinking from a large pool of water being filled by a dragon's head fountain. The Scary One was a female of the species, somewhat more diminutive than the males they had seen so far but still quite massive. As they watched, she suddenly jerked upright, her eyes turning milky white, and dragged her claws across her own chest. Then, she used the blood on her hands to start drawing devilish runes on the walls.

Without missing a beat, the group decided to attack! Myst used his incredible agility to run across the room, up the side of the monster, and leap onto the dragon-head fountain, all while firing an arrow off from his Oathbow. Jakky and Cressen rushed forward to attack, each of them activating their own magical trickery to distract and confuse their prey. Meanwhile, Lucy, Agne, and Magic Man hung back and attacked from a distance.

A scene of abject Chaos (art by Shannon!)

As Cressen drew close, he could feel a strange sensation overtaking his senses in much the same way the Scary One seemed to be overtaken by something. Magic Man also attempted to take control of her mind with a Crown of Madness spell, but found something was already controlling her. It seemed like she was possessed.

The battle was going in their favor, though as usual the effects of their Chaos allegiance were causing strange effects to pop up around the battle. As Myst dodged away from a crushing attack, a strange scent filled the air. The group wasn't sure what it was or what was going on. At least, until Magic Man fired a Scorching Ray into the area.

Suddenly the air around the battle caught fire, creating a massive explosion. (Though the character's did know what was going on, I made sure to tell the players that one of their Chaos effects had caused the pool of water to turn to gasoline. 91 points of fire damage for everyone!) Fortunately, by leaping, dodging behind the Scary One, or just by the virtue of being hardy enough to survive the explosion, the group barely made it out of the all-consuming blast radius.

The Scary One, however, wasn't as lucky. As she was fried by the massive explosion, a sparking, smoking orb floated out of her corpse. It appeared to be the same as the ones they had seen projecting holograms downstairs. It jerked around a bit then fell to the floor, apparently dead. The group hypothesized that the malfunctions must have been what was causing the Scary One's possessed behavior.

To get to the Twins, they would have to venture back outside the Fortress, and around the back of the building where the gardens were. The Twins had last been seen sleeping under a large dead tree in the back of the garden. They made their way around the gardens, which were a overgrown, disheveled mess. They found a very large statue, which had an arm missing. Lucy grabbed it to use as a weapon later.

At the massive dead tree, they found the Twins arguing with each other. It was just one creature, but they had two heads instead of fists and an arm with a fist instead of a head. The group was confused and slightly disturbed by this facefist hate machine, but after seeing the runt and the vomiting one they didn't think too much about it.

So much easier to show than to describe

Cressen noticed a withered apple at the top of the tree and flew up to retrieve it, using his invisibility to sneak past the Twins. It was very large, but quite inedible. Meanwhile, the others hid in the foliage of the garden and worked out a plan to quickly dispose of this monster.

They decided to have Agne build an illusory platform of clouds over a large hole in the clouds, then use Cressen's flight speed to lure the Twins to the hole. The beast seemed to hesitate at first, but Cressen put on a mind-bendingly mocking performance that left the creature no choice but to barrel forward, its face-fists swinging wildly... until it leapt right through the illusory cloud and plummeted down to the ground. Where it crushed the home and family of a stout halfling farmer before his very eyes.

The group, satisfied with their work, began to head back into the Fortress to finish up their work. They still needed to defeat the Mother and the Smart One. Perhaps fortunately, the Smart One was quickly found. He was investigating the corpse of the Scary One, which had been blown up in the entrance hall of the Fortress.

Though they were currently unseen, Myst leapt out and began firing his bow at the monster before them, who seemed to have a mutated head and was wrapped in chains that it wielded like whips. Jakky melted into the shadows, reappearing beneath the monster and stabbing its underside with his poisoned dagger.

Meanwhile, Agne summoned a trio of giant Spiders from his Staff of Swarming Insects, who launched forward and began to spray webs at the bucking monster. Lucy hung back to throw boulders, Magic man began casting spells, and of course Cressen flew forward with the magical Greatsword he had obtained from the other Shark-Elephant-Demon.

The monster struggled against its many opponents, but a well-placed Evard's Black Tentacles by Agne tied him in place, allowing the others to pump him full of magic, arrows, and stab wounds. Finally, Cressen flew upward while it was distracted, scored a clean hit, and lopped the head from its shoulders. The monster dissolved into fine grey powder, a side effect of the sword's magic.

Though there were no explosions this time, the group was still feeling drained after fighting through all these demons. Lucy kept urging them on, pointing out that only the Mother was left to slay. Lucy was very excited about the ever-nearing prospect of being the biggest member of the pack.

They passed down a silver hallway and into a room they had seen earlier on one of Lucy's view screens: a trophy room. It was decorated with the paraphernalia of dozens of animals slain by the Giants or their predecessors. Though some of grisly mementos gave the party pause, Myst was mostly drawn to a large, shiny metal helmet. It was a winged helm with a realistic face mask, sized for a creature quite a bit larger than anyone if the party. Myst threw it in his portable hole for storage.

Uh oh...

They carefully pressed forward, arriving at a massive throne room. Seated upon the sleek metal throne was a monstrous suit of armor, styled in the same way as the helmet. It, of course, was missing its head.

In the opposite corner of the room, they finally saw The Mother. She had set up a nest and was laying eggs, roaring at the intrusion of these strangers. Though dwarfed by the suit of armor, she was still the largest specimen of Giant they had seen yet. Her grotesque body was swollen with Giant eggs, and she bared her fangs in preparation of an assault.

So, Agne decided to Polymorph her into a goat.

They told Lucy to take the goat (and all the eggs that had surrounded the Mother) and throw them off of the clouds around the Fortress. With that taken care of, they turned their attention towards the suit of armor.

Myst and Cressen climbed up the side of the armor and tried to put the head back onto it. Unfortunately, the armor seemed to connect with strange wires they couldn't figure out. Agne climbed up as well and took a look, using his Warlock powers to read the writing on the armor. They finally figured out how to put it together, just as they heard a familiar voice ring out from the lobby behind them.

As the giant suit of armor roared to life, Mr. Lizard strode into the room, accompanied by a strange, tall elven figure. The elf had long, luxurious black hair, carried a longbow on his back, and seemed to be whistling without moving his lips.

Mr. Lizard introduced the Elf as his "old friend Lego-Lad!" before giddily teleporting directly inside the menacing armor monster. Suddenly, a hatch opened in the armor's breastplate, and Mr. Lizard's face could be seen inside. Suddenly, the armor lifted an arm to the ceiling, and fired a magical beam that tore through the top of the fortress, allowing daylight to leak in.

"This is awesome! Hey... I have an idea. Let's go to Garton!"

Down below, the halfling farmer whose home was destroyed by the falling Twins was tearfully explaining what happened to the Guard Captain of Garton, Floris. He looked into the distance. "I will make sure this never happens again. I will find those behind this and make them p... NOT MY ARMS AGAIN!" As his arms once again vanished into the Ethereal plane, a rumbling sound filled their ears. The kind of sound caused by a goat turning into a giant shark-elephant-demon-centaur-broodmother then hitting the ground, likely on another innocent homestead. This was followed by several smaller sounds, the kind made by shark-elephant-demon-centaur eggs when they would hit the ground.

Far above, the Skyfortress continued its erratic path towards the most populated trade city in the country.

Except now they have a Gundam

We stopped there. Thankfully. I have to figure out how I want to run a mecha assault on my beloved Garton city. But that's part of the fun: there are some really big consequences here, and we'll see how the players react.

I'm just here to facilitate the end of the world.

Thanks for reading!

Creature Loot: Volo's Guide H, I, J, K & L

No, you may not date the hag

Friday is finally here, along with the next installment of Volo's Guide Creature Loot! You can find the full index of creature loot here, and the entire Monster Manual in PDF form here.

Hags


Annis Hag (6) - fey (religion)

• 2d4 Annis Hag Fingers: When consumed, casts Disguise Self on the user. If a creature removes their own fingers and stitches 10 Annis Hag Fingers to their hands, they gain a Crushing Grasp melee attack that deals 3d6 bludgeoning damage on a hit, and they can cast Disguise Self once per day. Humanoids and Fey who see the creature's newly-fingered hands are more likely to be hostile to the creature.
• 2 Iron Tokens: No immediate use. Can be carefully crafted by a spellcaster (divination) into a single Sending Stone. In order to function properly, both Iron Tokens must be crafted in this manner.
• 1 Set of Humanskin Clothing: Made of several of the Annis Hag's recent victims, can be used to identify them if they had unique markings such as tattoos or birthmarks. Can be used as a component to a Necromancy spell, replacing 500 GP worth of material components.
• 1 Weird Magic Item: A grotesque trinket chosen by the DM. By consuming, destroying, or using up the trinket, the holder can cast a spell (also chosen by the DM) at 3rd level. Hags generally generally use their Weird Magic Items as a last resort, and they often contain spells that allow the hag to retreat or escape.
• In Coven: 2 Additional Weird Magic Items

Bheur Hag (7) - fey (religion)

• 2d4 Bheur Hag Fingers: When crushed, casts Ray of Frost emanating from the finger. If a creature removes their own fingers and stitches 10 Bheur Hag Fingers to their hands, they gain a Claw melee attack that deals 2d8 bludgeoning damage and 1d6 cold damage on a hit, and they can cast Ray of Frost at will. Humanoids and Fey who see the creature's newly-fingered hands are more likely to be hostile to the creature.
• 1 Greystaff: The Greystaff alerts all Bheur Hags within 10 miles of its presence, and that it has fallen into the hands of a non-Hag. If a creature has replaced their fingers with those of a Bheur hag, they can attune to the staff and use it as if it were a Staff of Frost.
• 1 Bheur Hag Skull: Can be carefully crafted (smith's tools) into a helm that requires attunement. The attuned creature gains resistance to cold damage, can move across and climb icy surfaces without needing to make an ability check, and can move through difficult terrain composed of ice and snow without using extra movement. Curse. Whenever a creature dies within 5 feet of the attuned creature, the attuned creature must use their next action to feat upon the corpse. Each creature within 60 feet of the corpse that can see this action must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened 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 DM controls their 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 this effect for the next 24 hours.
• 1 Bheur Hag Heart: If buried, the area within 1 mile of the heart becomes colder, as if under the effect of a Control Weather spell. As long as the heart is buried, the Temperature lowers one stage every 24 hours until it is arctic cold. This does not affect precipitation or wind, but any storm is likely to become a blizzard within the area. Within the 1 mile radius, a Detect Magic spell will lead to the location where the Heart is buried.
• 2 Weird Magic Items: A grotesque trinket chosen by the DM. By consuming, destroying, or using up the trinket, the holder can cast a spell (also chosen by the DM) at 4th level. Hags generally generally use their Weird Magic Items as a last resort, and they often contain spells that allow the hag to retreat or escape.
• In Coven: 2 Additional Weird Magic Items

The perfect counter to PC Wizards: Goblin Wizards!

Hobgoblin Devastator (4) - humanoid (survival)

• 1 Tattered Quarterstaff
• 1 Tattered Set of Studded Leather Armor
• 1d2 Hobgoblin Ears: No immediate use. Acts as a trophy for bounty hunters and adventurers.
• 1 Strong Hobgoblin Heart: No immediate use. Can be carefully crafted (alchemist's supplies) into a potion of Nomog-Geaya. For 1 minute, the user gains the ability to deal an extra 10 (3d6) damage to a creature they hit with a weapon attack if the creature is within 5 feet of an ally of the user.
• 1 Arcane Focus
• 1 Spellbook: Contains 1 random evocation spell of 3rd level or lower that can be copied by a wizard.

Hobgoblin Iron Shadow (2) - humanoid (survival)

• 1d10 Darts
• 1d2 Hobgoblin Ears: No immediate use. Acts as a trophy for bounty hunters and adventurers.
• 1 Devil Mask: While worn, a creature has advantage on intimidation checks made against non-fiends. However, lawful NPCs may attack the creature on sight, for its association with devils.

Ki-Rin (12) - celestial (religion)

• 1 Ki-Rin Horn: Acts as a magical +3 shortsword that requires attunement by a good creature. An attuned creature gains telepathy out to 120 feet and can cast Gaseous Form at will. If the creature successfully hits an evil-aligned creature with the horn as a melee attack, the attuned creature can choose to cast Banishment on the creauture, concentrating on the spell as normal. Once the horn has cast this spell, it cannot do so again until the next dawn.
• 2 Ki-Rin Pelt: Acts as a blanket that casts Calm Emotions on its user, preventing nightmares. Can be mastercrafted (leatherworker's tools) into magical +3 studded leather armor that requires attunement by a good creature. An attuned creature gains advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical abilities. Additionally, while attuned, the creature can use a bonus action to move up to half their speed without provoking opportunity attacks.
• 4d10 Strands of Hair from a Ki-Rin's Mane: A single hair can be fed to a dying creature as an action to stabilize them. 10 unbroken strands can be mastercrafted (weaver's tools) into a bowstring. A creature struck by an arrow shot from a bow strung with this bowstring is the Dismissal effect of a Dispel Good and Evil spell (save DC 17), provided the creature is of a type that would normally be affected by the spell. 60 unbroken strands can be mastercrafted (weaver's tools) into a shimmering cloak that requires attunement. An attuned creature can cast Wind Walk, Freedom of Movement, and Etherealness from the cloak, targeting only themselves. Once each spell has been cast once, it cannot be cast again until the next dawn.
• 1d10 Ki-Rin Scales: Can act as a Holy Symbol for cleric and paladin spells. Can be used to replace 10 GP worth of material components of a transmutation spell.
• 2d2 Ki-Rin Hooves: Acts as a hammer. Can be carefully crafted (jeweler's tools) into 1d6 dice. If the dice are rolled as a pair, they will always roll a total of 7. Can be mastercrafted (alchemist's supplies) into a Potion of Supreme Healing.
• 1 Heart of the Ki-Rin: Can be used to replace all material components required by a True Resurrection spell.
• 1d2 Eyes of the Ki-Rin: No immediate use. Can be carefully crafted by a spellcaster (divination) into a Gem of Seeing.

Kobold Dragonshield (1) - humanoid (survival)

• 1 Tattered Spear
• 1 Tattered Shield
• 1 Tattered set of Leather Armor
• 1d4 Dragon Scales: No immediate use. 25 of these can be mastercrafted (smith's tools) into a shield that grants resistance to the type of damage related to the Kobold's master's color while in use. 

We'll never be done with Kobolds. Ever.

Kobold Inventor (1/4) - humanoid (survival)

• 1 Kobold Invention: Roll 1d4 to determine which of the Kobold Inventor's items survived the combat.
1. Acid: as in the Player's Handbook (pg. 148)
2. Alchemist's Fire: as in the Player's Handbook (pg. 148)
3. Green Slime Pot: A creature can use its action to make an improvised ranged weapon attack with the Green Slime Pot, with a range of 5/20 feet. On a hit, the target is covered in Green Slime (DMG pg. 105). Otherwise, the pot breaks and green slime covers a 5-foot-square section of wall or floor within 5 feet of the target.
4. Rot Grub Pot: A creature can use its action to make an improvised ranged weapon attack with the Rot Grub Pot, with a range of 5/20 feet. On a hit, a Swarm of Rot Grubs (VGtM pg. 208) emerges in the space of the target and remains a hazard in that square. On a miss, the Swarm of Rot Grubs instead emerges in an unoccupied square within 5 feet of the target.

Kobold Scale Sorcerer (1) - humanoid (survival)

• 1d4 Dragon Scales: No immediate use. 25 of these can be mastercrafted (smith's tools) into a shield that grants resistance to the type of damage related to the Kobold's master's color while in use.
• 1 Draconic Arcane Focus

Korred (7) - fey (religion)

• 1 Korred's Greatclub: Acts as a magic greatclub. If a creature wielding the greatclub scores a critical hit while in direct contact with the ground, they can roll one of the greatclub's damage dice one additional time and add it to the extra damage of the critical hit.
• 1 Korred-Hair Rope: Acts as 50 feet of surprisingly resilient rope. The rope has AC 20 and 20 hit points.
• 3d10 Strands of Korred Hair: When harvested, must be cut from the Korred's head with an object. The Strands of hair magically transform into the same material used to cut it. Most of the time this renders the hair useless, but a single strand is worth the equivalent of 10 coins if cut with a copper, silver, electrum, gold, or platinum object.
• 1 Pair of Iron Shears: When used to cut Korred-Hair Rope, these shears automatically hit and deal 10 damage. For all other materials, they act as normal shears.
• 1 Heart of Stone: Appears as a rock that glows dimly. If dropped or thrown to the ground as an improvised weapon, the ground becomes mud as if it had cast Grease centered on the mote. Can be used as the material component of a Commune spell to contact a deity in the Elemental Plane of Earth. Can be mastercrafted by a spellcaster (conjuration) into a portal to the Elemental Plane of Earth. The portal is stationary in the location it is crafted. Using the Heart for any of these effects destroys the Heart.

Leucrotta (3) - monstrosity (nature)

• 1d4 Leucrotta Hooves: Acts as a hammer. Can be carefully crafted (alchemist's supplies) into a Potion of Rampage. When consumed, if the user reduces another creature to 0 hit points, it can use a bonus action to move up to half its speed and make a melee attack. The effect of the potion ends after 1 minute, or if the creature hasn't attacked or taken damage since the beginning of their last turn.
• 1 Demon Heart: While holding the heart, it can be used to cast Plane Shift as a ritual. Only the creature holding the heart may shift. This consumes the heart. When the spell is cast, roll 1d20. On a 1, the bearer is shifted to Yeenoghu’s layer in the Abyss instead of the intended destination.
• 1 Leucrotta Hide: Acts as a blanket. Can be carefully crafted (leatherworker's tools) into a set of leather armor that requires attunement. An attuned creature can speak, read, and write Abyssal, and has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.

Well, that was quite a haul of letters! This is going pretty quickly! Let's try to keep up the pace!

Oh wait.

Mind Flayers next week.

1d100 Gross Tentacles!

Thanks for reading!

Combat Expansion

Not your ordinary, every day duel

I've been watching a lot of Dice, Camera, Action lately. It goes without saying that it's a great show - the players are amazing and the DM is Chris Perkins, a masterful storyteller (oh and he also writes the official D&D modules).

One thing I noticed is that Chris tends to run these long, expansive combats that cover large amounts of terrain, feature dozens of combatants (not all of them enemies of the players), and take a long time to play through.

Though I prefer shorter combats (or at least more efficient ones), I do like the "mass combat" feeling for epic battles and uncertain struggles. But this involves making small adjustments on the fly to guide the combat to an appropriate difficulty. If you know the players still have to defeat the Dragon King, they shouldn't be totally exhausted after fighting a horde of minions.

So, let's talk about ways to make combat harder or easier in the middle of a combat!

Pump It Up: Making Combat Harder

In the middle of a combat, you find that your puny little monsters are falling left and right. That's no good - this is their only combat today, and hey, these cultists are supposed to be dangerous! Time to give your monsters an upgrade.

DRAGON. D-R-A-G-ow! Stop that!

The easiest way to make a combat harder is to add more hit points to the monster side. More hit points means the monsters are alive longer, which means they get those extra attacks in on the players. Here's some easy ways to do this:

1. Have a monster drink a healing potion or use healing magic. The players do it, why shouldn't you?
• Remember that drinking healing potions is an action. For quicker healing, try Healing Word.
• A basic healing potion will only keep a monster alive through one more attack. Try Greater or Superior potions!
• If you use this method, make sure to include the potions as loot after the combat.
2. Have some new monsters join the fray! It's still more hit points, just in new bodies!
• If you can include different kinds of monsters, you could add minions or masters of the original combatants to change to enemy's tactical dynamic
3. Have a bigger, beefier version of a monster join the combat. This is a time-honored fantasy tradition.
• Monsters in the Manual usually use their average hit points. Just bump that up to the maximum!
• Orcs normally have 15 (2d8+6) hit points. But the big beefy boy that just rolled in has the full 22!
• Make sure you don't use this on a monster you've already described. The players will feel the difference in HP and need to have some way for it to make sense in-world.
4. Are these cultists of a death god? Servants of the Raven Queen? Heralds of an Angel? Well, then they don't just die! Get some resurrection magic going and bring them back for round two!
• The basic spell for this is Revivify. It's only 3rd level, so most evil clerics should have it prepared.

If you can't easily add hit points, then there are ways to subtract hit points from the players to get a similar effect. This is a little trickier to do, since a lot of these methods will feel unfair to the players.

Here's a simple rule to follow: If you're adding something to the world to hurt the players, it's unfair. If you're using something that's already in the world to hurt the players, it's fair game!

With that in mind, here's some ways to bring the pain.

1. Give a monster a magic sword or wand
• Again, try to pick a monster that hasn't had a chance to do much yet, so them using the item feels justified.
• Or, make the monster seem like they are using this item out of desperation!
• If you use this method, make sure to include the magic item as loot after the combat!
2. Trigger a trap or terrain effect that damages the players
• This must have been previously established in the combat setting. Otherwise, your players will assume you're just trying to kill them, instead of challenge them.
• Example: Random rocks falling from the ceiling is bad. A goblin pushing a stone pillar onto the players? Perfectly fine.
• You can make this even more fair if some monsters are affected as well
3. Trigger a terrain effect that divides the players
• Players rely on combat roles to work as a party
• Once the wizard is facing enemies without a fighter's protection, things get more complicated
• Think about the Darth Maul fight in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. Once Obi-Wan was behind a laser door, the fight tilted in Maul's favor.
4. Add a condition, disadvantage, or penalty
• Doesn't affect hit points, but does allow the monsters to deal more damage!

Finally, if none of these methods are really working, there's one last cop out:

Let it go.

So they killed your cultists in a single round? Well, how many Fireball spells can the wizard really cast today? D&D is a game of resource attrition, and your combat reduced the amount of resources your players had available. In that sense, it was a success!

So, instead of making a single combat more difficult... just add another one between them and their goal. Until they reach it, the players don't know it's coming. Play the long con. You are the DM, you have the power.

Now that we're done with that...

Slow Your Roll: Making Combat Easier

No fear here!

On the flip side of things, you might suddenly realize that these back-alley thugs are about to execute your players, and you only started your adventure 5 minutes ago! It's not their fault - the dice have been rolling terribly. You have to figure out how to ease up a bit, but you can't just say these bloodthirsty killers aren't bloodthirsty killers!

Well, we have similar methods here. Let's start with changing around hit points.

1. Hurt the monsters with a trap, terrain effect, or by dividing them up
• Again, try to use something already established in the setting
• You can also play this as a "divine intervention" moment if you have religious characters
• The key here is: take out some of the bad guys for the players, so they take less attacks through the remainder of the fight
2. Have allies show up
• Just like reinforcements, this adds hit points to the player's side
• Make sure your monsters direct some attacks at the allies, to take the heat off of the PCs.
3. Slight monster adjustments
• If there's a monster you haven't described well, bring it up as "the sickly one" and lower its hit points. Like the opposite of "the beefy one".
• If a monster is a few hit points away from death, just let the thing die
4. Heal the players
• Could be anything from a God's intervention to finding a healing potion on the ground
• Don't use this too often - players need to feel like they control their own hit points

For making combat easier, there's another method that is extremely useful: non-combat solutions!

1. The monsters run away
• It's can't be due to the players, though
• Maybe a new, bigger monster just showed up?
2. The monsters are taking hostages
• Thus, even a "Total Party Kill" becomes just a stepping stone to the next scene: escaping capture!
3. The monsters stop combat for some reason
• They could be interesting in negotiating, now that they have the upper hand
• Perhaps the monster is guarding treasure, or its eggs, or something, only attacks creatures within a certain distance
4. Run!
• Obviously, sneaking away in combat is very difficult, but possible
• I like to use a home-brewed retreat rule
• This might lead to a chase scene, which requires its own rules, but is less dangerous to hit points than combat

Here's my retreat rule:

Retreat. On your turn, you can use your action to call a retreat. Each ally that can hear you may immediately use their reaction (if available) to move up to their speed away from hostile monsters in combat. This movement provokes opportunity attacks. Creatures that are incapacitated or have a speed of 0 feet cannot take this reaction.

This simply allows me to set up a chase scene where the party is already at least 30 feet away from their pursuers. If you decided to do a chase in initiative, there's this weird game of catch-up where some party members keep getting attacked because they moved after the monsters did.

Again, if none of these methods are really working, there is another cop out method you can go for.

Stop the game, admit you messed up, and start the combat over with less monsters.

This is really difficult for some people to do. There's a feeling that D&D is supposed to be "dangerous", and the DM is supposed to have mastered the game before the players sit down to play.

But D&D isn't supposed to be dangerous. It's supposed to be fun.

And if your players are getting slaughtered by goblins, that might not be their idea of fun. So stop the game, admit you messed up, and start the combat over with less monsters. I promise they will be okay with it.

Building Narrative Combats

The ultimate goal of D&D is to tell the story of the characters. Whether it's an epic, world-saving story or just the tale of a few dungeon delvers out to make some gold and kill some gobbos, the narrative is the key thread that ties the game together.

Combat is an important part of that thread. In fact, if you don't want a combat-driven game, you're better off going for something other than D&D. D&D is about Dungeons and Dragons. Exploration and combat. It's the backbone of the game.

In the same way that you can build a compelling narrative, you can build a compelling combat. A lot of DMs complain that "Boss Fights" in 5e don't feel epic enough. That's because they aren't treating them like epic confrontations. If you just plop a dragon in front of the players, it's not going to feel much different than a ton of goblins with a similar challenge rating. Unless you make your combats feel unique, they will all feel the same. Stats and abilities can only take you so far.

So when you're setting up that epic dragon combat, think of it like a movie's action scene. First, they have to fortify their position.

Then, they fight off some minions.

Reinforcements! A bigger bad guy is coming! He's nasty.

Uh oh, looks like a PC nearly died... and we're not even to the dragon yet. Hm.

Things are looking bad. Let's change the enemy dynamic a bit. They aren't the dragon's minions, they're his slaves, and they know better than to get in his way!

Here he comes...

Looks like one player sounding the retreat to save his allies - epic!

And that's how you make a fight feel like a story.

Thanks for reading!

Old News: A Sheetload of Monsters

And proud of it.

Once again, life has gotten in the way of D&D. Not that that's a bad thing. Go outside once in a while!

To make up for it, here's a little pet project I've been working on for the past year. It's a google spreadsheet with every official monster printed for D&D 5e, plus a couple books worth of third-party monsters.

Check out the second sheet for abbreviations and sources! If you want to edit it for your own use, you'll have to download it.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1C5yPh8QSG3gEzeFrp_8GceShJ6UM23SrcQdx6vO9YcI

In other news, this is officially the 200th post on this blog. Hooray! I didn't realize it would be so short...

Thanks for reading!

Creature Loot: Volo's Guide E, F & G

Today on Creature Loot: monsters that players will ask you if they can play

Another Friday, another delve into Volo's Guide for some sweet monster loot. You can find the full index of creature loot here, and the entire Monster Manual in PDF form here.

Firenewt Warrior (1/2) - humanoid (survival)

• 1 Tattered Scimitar
• 1 Tattered Chain Shirt
• 1 Tattered Shield
• 1 Firenewt Fire Gland: As an action, a creature can squeeze the Fire Gland through a torch or other open flame. The liquid inside ignites as it passes through the flame, targeting a creature within 10 feet of the gland. The target 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. This property can be used once before the Fire Gland dries up.

Giant Strider (1) - monstrosity (nature)

• 1 Giant Strider Fire Sac: As an action, a creature can light the Fire Sac with a torch or other open flame, and throw it at a point within 60 feet. When it hit the ground, the sac bursts, spreading fire within a 10-foot radius. Each creature in the area 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 the area that aren't being worn or carried. Using the Fire Sac in this way destroys it.

Firenewt Warlock of Imix (1) - humanoid (survival)

• 1 Tattered Morningstar
• 1 Firenewt Fire Gland: As an action, a creature can squeeze the Fire Gland through a torch or other open flame. The liquid inside ignites as it passes through the flame, targeting a creature within 10 feet of the gland. The target 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. This property can be used once before the Fire Gland dries up.
• 1 Staff of Imix: Requires attunement. The staff has 3 charges. A creature attuned to the staff can use it as an Arcane Focus, and can expend 1 charge to cast Burning Hands (Save DC 12) from the staff. The staff regains 1d4-1 charges each day at dawn. Curse. While a creature is attuned to the staff, they must make a DC 12 Charisma saving throw at the end of each long rest and when they expend a charge from the staff. This saving throw is rolled with disadvantage if made due to a charge being expended. On a failed save, an Aspect of Imix (using the stats of a Fire Elemental) appears to the attuned creature, offering fiery power in exchange for servitude. If Imix is turned down, he becomes an enemy of the creature for the rest of their mortal life. If his offer is accepted, the character's next level must be a level in the Warlock Class, using the Fiend Patron subclass.

Flail Snail (3) - elemental (arcana)

• 1 Flail Snail Shell: No immediate use. Can be mastercrafted (smith's tools) into 3 Antimagic Shields. The Shields are under the effect of an Antimagic Shell spell for 30 days. Once the time passes, they become mundane shields, though they can be further mastercrafted by a spellcaster (abjuration) into a beautiful Spellguard Shield. Can also be mastercrafted (weaver's tools) into a Robe of Scintillating Colors.
• 1d6-1 Flail Snail Eyestalks: Acts as a mace. Three of these can be carefully crafted (smith's tools) into a magic Flail +1.
• 1d4 Shards of Hardened Flail Snail Slime: Highly valuable, glass-like substance. A shard can be sold for 100gp.

Froghemoth (10) - monstrosity (nature)

• 1 Froghemoth Hide: Acts as a blanket. Can be carefully crafted (smith's tools) into Studded Leather Armor or Scale Mail that requires attunement. An attuned creature gains resistance to fire and lightning damage, but if the creature takes lightning damage, it acts as if under the effects of a Slow spell until the end of its next turn.
• 2d2 Froghemoth Tentacles: Acts as a whip that deals 1d8 damage on a hit and has the heavy property.
• 1 Froghemoth Tongue: Acts as a whip with a range of 30 feet. On a hit, the target is grappled and must make a DC 18 strength saving throw. On a failed save, the attacker can choose to pull the target into an unoccupied space within 5 feet of them.
• 3 Froghemoth Eyes: No Immediate use. Can be crafted (alchemist's supplies) into a Potion of Darkvision (grants Darkvision out to 60 feet for 1 hour).
• 1 Froghemoth Stomach: Acts as a tent that is immune to acid damage. Can be carefully crafted (leatherworker's tools) into a cloak that grants resistance to acid damage to a creature wearing it.
• 2d4 Vials of Froghemoth Slime: Acts as Oil of Slipperiness

Giants

Dual-wielding shields?! Players will want that.

Cloud Giant Smiling One (11) - giant (survival)

• 1 Tattered Morningstar: 2 times the size of a normal morningstar and 8 times the weight.
• 3d4 Items in a Giant's Bag.
• 1 Pouch of Gold: Contains 2d6 x 100 GP.
• 1 Set of Fine Robes: Worth 1,000 GP.
• 2d4 Giant’s Toes: No immediate use. Sought as trophies by hunters and heroes, and can be sold for a good price to collectors or admirers.
• 1 Cloud Giant Heart: No immediate use. Can be carefully crafted (alchemist’s supplies) into a Potion of Cloud Giant Strength.
• 1 Smiling Giant Mask: Requires attunement. An attuned creature can use the mask to cast Disguise Self at will. They can also use an action to cast Polymorph, targeting themselves only. Once the spell has been cast, the mask cannot cast Polymorph again until the next dawn.
• 1 Holy Symbol of Memnor: Can be used as a Holy Symbol by clerics of Memnor. Cloud Giants who see a creature bearing this object are less trusting of the creature, giving it disadvantage on Charisma checks made to influence the giant.

Fire Giant Dreadnought (14) - giant (survival)

• 4d4 Items in a Giant's Bag.
• 2 Sets of Smith’s Tools: 2 times the size and 8 times the weight of a normal set.
• 1 Set of Fire Giant Plate Armor: Acts as 8 sets of Tattered Plate Armor.
• 2d4 Giant’s Toes: No immediate use. Sought as trophies by hunters and heroes, and can be sold for a good price to collectors or admirers.
• 1 Fire Giant Heart: No immediate use. Can be carefully crafted (alchemist’s supplies) into a Potion of Fire Giant Strength.
• 2 Spiked Giant Shields: 2 times the size and 8 times the weight of a normal shield. A creature with a Strength Score of 20 or higher can wield the shield with two hands. In addition to the normal benefits of a shield, the creature can use their action to make a single special melee attack. On a hit, the shield deals 2d6 bludgeoning damage, 1d6 piercing damage, and 1d6 fire damage. If the creature has the Extra Attack feature, they cannot benefit from it while attacking with the shield in this way.
• 1 Pair of Fire Giant Greaves: 2 times the size and 8 times the weight of a normal set. Together, the pair can be mastercrafted (smith's tools) into a set of Plate Armor that requires attunement, and grants resistance to fire damage.
• 1 Fire Giant Dreadnought Helm: 2 times the size and 8 times the weight of a normal helm. Can be mastercrafted (smith's tools) into a set of Plate Armor that requires attunement, and grants resistance to fire damage.

Frost Giant Everlasting One (12) - giant (survival)

• 1 Tattered Greataxe: 2 times the size of a normal greataxe and 8 times the weight.
• 2d4 Items in a Giant's Bag.
• 2d4 Tattered Armor Pieces: The DM selects various pieces of armor, weapons, or (for higher rank Frost Giants) dragon bones that make up the Giant’s armor.
• 2d4 Giant’s Toes: No immediate use. Sought as trophies by hunters and heroes, and can be sold for a good price to collectors or admirers.
• 1 Frost Giant Heart: No immediate use. Can be carefully crafted (alchemist’s supplies) into a Potion of Frost Giant Strength.
• 1d4-1 (minimum 1) Frost Giant Everlasting One Heads: While a head or item crafted from a head is held, the bearer has advantage on Charisma checks made to influence Frost Giants, and disadvantage on Charisma checks made to influence Trolls. A head can be carefully crafted (leatherworker's tools) into a helm or shield that requires attunement. An attuned creature gains +1 to AC (if the item is a shield, this is in addition to the normal +2). Curse. While attuned, the creature is ravenously hungry. Each day in the wilderness, they must consume four times the normal amount of rations to stay alive. Each day in a town requires 2 GP to support their eating habits. If they go one day without meeting this requirement, they immediately gain one level of exhaustion and begin starving (PHB pg. 185).
• 3d4 Hunks of Troll Meat: Can be consumed as rations. When eaten, the user must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 8 hours. If a creature eats two half-chunks instead of one full chunk, the remainder of the two chunks regrows into two full chunks in 24 hours. This property doesn’t work (and the Constitution saving throw isn’t required) if the meat is cooked or cured.

Mouth of Grolantor (6) - giant (survival)

• 1d4 Items in a Giant's Bag.
• 1d4 Giant’s Toes: No immediate use. Sought as trophies by hunters and heroes, and can be sold for a good price to collectors or admirers.
• 1 Hill Giant Heart: No immediate use. Can be carefully crafted (alchemist’s supplies) into a Potion of Hill Giant Strength.
• 1 Stomach of Grolantor: No immediate effect. Can be carefully crafted by a spellcaster (transmutation) into a Bag of Holding.

Stone Giant Dreamwalker (10) - giant (survival)

• 1 Tattered Greatclub: 2 times the size of a normal greatclub and 8 times the weight.
• 2d4 Items in a Giant's Bag.
• 1d4 Artistic Stones: Worth 100 GP each due to the intricate sculpture.
• 2d4 Giant’s Toes: No immediate use. Sought as trophies by hunters and heroes, and can be sold for a good price to collectors or admirers.
• 1 Stone Giant Heart: No immediate use. Can be carefully crafted (alchemist’s supplies) into a Potion of Stone Giant Strength.
• 1 Hand of the Dreamwalker: Difficult to handle, must be carried within a stone container or by a stone creature. When the hand touches a non-stone creature or object, it begins to turn to stone. The radius of objects turned to stone increases by 5 feet each round up to a maximum radius of 30 feet. A creature within the area of stone at the start of its turn is affected by a Flesh to Stone (Save DC 17) spell. However, the creature cannot end the spell by successful saving throws as long as they are within the radius of stone. Objects and creatures that aren't in physical contact with the hand or stone created by the hand are immune to these effects. After the hand has been in one place for 1 hour, it and the area around it become nonmagical stone.
• 2 Eyes of the Dreamwalker: No immediate use. Can be carefully crafted by a spellcaster (Enchantment) into Eyes of Charming. 

Storm Giant Quintessent (16) - giant (survival)

• 4d4 Items in a Giant's Bag.
• 1 Pouch of Gold: Contains 4d6 x 100 GP.
• 1 Set of Fine Robes: Worth 1,000 GP.
• 1 Set of Storm Giant Scale Mail: Acts as 27 sets of Tattered Scale Mail.
• 1d10 Beard Hairs of the Storm Giant: Can be used as the material component to any spell causing lightning or thunder damage. 5 of these can be mastercrafted (evocation) by a spellcaster into a Wand of Lightning Bolts.
• 1 Prophetic Totem: Appears to be a Crystal Ball, Mirror, or some other item used to seek omens and prophecies. Can be used as an arcane focus for Divination spells, and negates the need for material components costing up to 1,000 GP.
• 2d4 Giant’s Toes: No immediate use. Sought as trophies by hunters and heroes, and can be sold for a good price to collectors or admirers.
• 1 Storm Giant Heart: No immediate use. Can be carefully crafted (alchemist’s supplies) into a Potion of Storm Giant Strength.
• 1 Lightning Sword: Acts as a Flame Tongue greatsword that deals lightning damage instead of fire damage.
• 2 Motes of Elemental Air: Appears as a tiny puff of cloud. If held in the hand and blown upon, casts Fog Cloud centered on the mote. Can be used as the material component of a Commune spell to contact a deity in the Elemental Plane of Air. Using either of these abilities destroys the mote.


1 Heart of Wind: Identical to a Mote of Elemental Air, and can be used for the same purposes. In addition to its other properties, it can be mastercrafted (conjuration) by a spellcaster into a portal to the Elemental Plane of Air. The portal is stationary in the location it is crafted.



Storm Giant + Storm Sorcerer = players will figure out how to make it work

Girallon (4) - monstrosity (nature)

• 1 Girallon Hide: Acts as a trophy for hunters and trappers. Can be carefully crafted (leatherworker's tools) into two thick coats that grant resistance to cold damage when worn. In extreme heat (DMG pg. 110), a creature wearing the coat rolls Constitution saving throws to avoid exhaustion with disadvantage.
• 2d4 Girallon Fangs: Acts as a dagger.
• 1d4 Girallon Hands: No immediate use. Can be carefully crafted (smith's tools) into a grappling hook.

Gnolls

Flind (9) - humanoid (survival)

• 1 Tattered Set of Chain Mail
• 1 Heavy Skull of Madness: No immediate use. Can be crafted (smith's tools) into a magical flail. A creature hit by the flail must make a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature 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.
• 1 Heavy Skull of Pain: No immediate use. Can be crafted (smith's tools) into a magical flail. A creature hit by the flail takes an additional 18 (4d8) psychic damage.
• 1 Heavy Skull of Paralysis: No immediate use. Can be crafted (smith's tools) into a magical flail. A creature hit by the flail must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed until the end of its next turn.
• 1d4 Gnawed Trinkets: Roll on the Trinket table. Any item found is chewed up and useless.
• 2 Days of Rations
• 2d4 Demonic Jewelry: No immediate use. Can be crafted (transmutation) by a spellcaster into valuable materials that can replace 10GP worth of material components in a conjuration spell.
• 1 Demon Heart: While holding the heart, it can be used to cast Plane Shift as a ritual. Only the creature holding the heart may shift. This consumes the heart. When the spell is cast, roll 1d20. On a 1, the bearer is shifted to Yeenoghu’s layer in the Abyss instead of the intended destination.
• 1 Flind Skull: Within 10 feet of the skull, creatures have advantage on Charisma (Intimidation) checks and disadvantage on all other Charisma checks. The skull can be attuned to. An attuned creature gains the benefit of a Sanctuary spell (DC 14) when a Gnoll attempts to harm it. A Gnoll that passes its saving throw is immune to this effect for 24 hours.

Gnoll Flesh Gnawer (1) - humanoid (survival)

• 1 Tattered Shortsword
• 1 Tattered Set of Studded Leather Armor
• 1d4 Gnawed Trinkets: Roll on the Trinket table. Any item found is chewed up and useless.
• 2 Days of Rations

Gnoll Hunter (1/2) - humanoid (survival)

• 1 Tattered Spear
• 1 Tattered Longbow
• 1 Tattered Set of Leather Armor
• 1d4 Gnawed Trinkets: Roll on the Trinket table. Any item found is chewed up and useless.

Gnoll Witherling (1/4) - undead (religion)

• 1 Tattered Club
• 2d4 Demonic Jewelry: No immediate use. Can be crafted (transmutation) by a spellcaster into valuable materials that can replace 10GP worth of material components in a conjuration spell.

Need I say more...?

Grung (1/4) - humanoid (survival)

• 1 Tattered Dagger
• 1 Vial of Grung Poison: Loses potency 1 minute after being exposed to air. Can be smeared on an object. A creature that touches the poison with their exposed skin must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature is poisoned for 1 minute, and can repeat its saving throw on its turn to end the effect if it is no longer in contact with the poison.

Grung Elite Warrior (2) - humanoid (survival)

• 1 Tattered Dagger
• 1 Tattered Shortbow
• 1 Vial of Grung Poison: Loses potency 1 minute after being exposed to air. Can be smeared on an object. A creature that touches the poison with their exposed skin must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature is poisoned for 1 minute, and can repeat its saving throw on its turn to end the effect if it is no longer in contact with the poison.
• 1 Grung Warrior Head: No immediate use. Can be carefully crafted (leatherworker's tools) into a horn that makes a mesmerizing chirring noise. Each non-Grung humanoid and beast within 15 feet of the horn when it is blown and that can hear the horn must succeed on a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw or be stunned until the end of their next turn.

Grung Wilding (1) - humanoid (survival)

• 1 Tattered Dagger
• 1 Tattered Shortbow
• 1 Vial of Grung Poison: Loses potency 1 minute after being exposed to air. Can be smeared on an object. A creature that touches the poison with their exposed skin must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature is poisoned for 1 minute, and can repeat its saving throw on its turn to end the effect if it is no longer in contact with the poison.
• 1 Druidic Focus

Guard Drake (2) - dragon (nature)

• 2d10 Dragon Scales: No immediate use. 25 of these can be mastercrafted (smith's tools) into a shield that grants resistance to the type of damage related to the Guard Drake's color while in use. 

By the way, if your players really won't shut up about their inability to play monster races, just send them here. Then, laugh as they choose to play a woefully underpowered race. Anyway, next time, a whole bunch of letters!


Magical horses!

Thanks for reading!