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CREDITS I

D&D Lead Designers: Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford Additional Co~tri'Butors: Bruce R. Cordell, Kim 'Mohan, Chris

Monster Manual Lead: C.hristopher Perkins Dup1:1is, Tom La Pille, Miranda Horner, Jennifer Clarke Wilkes,
Steve Winter, Chris Youngs, Ben Petrisor, Tom Olsen,
Stat Block Development: Chris Sims, Rodney Thompson, R.A . Salvatore
'• Peter Lee
Project Management: Neil Shinkle, Kim Graham, John Hay
Story Development: Robert J. Schwalb, Matt Sernett, Production Services: Cynda Callaway, Brian Dumas, ·

Steve Townshend, James Wyatt Jefferson Dunlap, David Gershman, Matt Knannlein,
Editing: Scott Fitzgerald Gray Anita Williams
Managing Editor: Jeremy Crawford
Producer: Greg Bilsland Brand and Marketing: Nathan Stewart, Liz Schuh,
Chris Lindsay, Shelly Mazzanoble, Hilary Ross,
Art Directors: Kate Irwin, Dan Gelon, Jon Schindehette, Laura Tommervik, Kim Lundstrom, Trevor Kidd
Mari Kolkowsky, Melissa Rapier, Shauna Narciso
Based on the original game created by
Graphic Designers: Bree Heiss, Emi Tanji, Barry Craig E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson,
Cover Illustrator: Raymond Swanland with Brian Blume, Rob Kuntz, James Ward, and Don Kaye
Interior Illustrators: Tom Babbey, Daren Bader, John-Paul
Drawing from further development by
Balmet, Mark Behm, Eric Belisle, Michael Berube, Zoltan J. Eric Holmes, Tom Moldvay, Frank Mentzer, Aaron Allston,
Boros, Christopher Bradley, Aleksi Briclot, Filip Burburan, Harold Johnson, David "Zeb" Cook, Ed Greenwood,
Christopher Burdett, Sam B-urley, Mike Burns, Wesley Burt, Keith Baker, Tracy Hickman, Margaret We is, Douglas Niles,
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Elmasli, Wayne England, Mike Faille, Toma Feizo Gas, and Rob Heinsoo
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Wootten, Kieran Yanner, Min Yum, Mark Zug

ON THE COVER

Raymond Swan land illustrates the Xanathar
ambushing explorers in the darkest depths
of Undermountain, proving that the beholder
crime lord's interests run deep beneath the
city ofWaterdeep.

620A9218000001 EN CE Disclaimer: Any similarities between monsters depicted in this book and monsters that actually exist are purely
ISBN: 978-0-7869-6561-8 coincidental. That goes double for mind jlayers, which absolutely, utterly, and completely do not exist, nor do they
First Printing: September 2014 secretly run the Da[D team. Do we really need a disclaimer to tell you that? You shouldn't use your brain to consider
such irrational thoughts. They only make the mind cluttered, c~nfused, and unpleasantly chewy. A good brain is nice,
987654321 tender, and barely used. Go ahead, put down this book and watch some reality TV or Internet cat videos. They're really
funny these days. You won't regret it. We say this only because we love you and your juicy, succulent gamer brain .

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS , D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Forgotten Realms, the dragon ampersand, Player's Handbook , Monster Manual, Dungeon Master 's Guide, all other Wizards of
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of Wizards of th e Coast. This material is protected•under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or unauthorized use of the material or artwork contained

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CONTENTS

Introduction .. . .. .. . .. ... ... .. ... 4 Gnome, Deep (Svirfneblin) . . .. . . 164 Revenant .. ... . . .... . .. ..... . .. 259
Aarakocra ............ . .. ....... 12 Goblins ................. . ..... 165 Roc ...... .. ......... . .. ... .... 260
Aboleth .. ..... . .... .. . .. .. .. ... 13 Colems ........ ...... . .. .... .. 167 Roper ....... . ......... .. . . . . .. 261
Angels ... .... . ..... . ....... .. .. 15 Gorgon ..... .... .. .. .... .. . .. . 171 Rust Monster . . . . .... . . . . ...... 262
Animated Objects ..... . .... ... . . 19 Grell ... ... ...... .. . . .. ....... . 172 Sahuagin ....... .... . ...... ... 263.
Ankheg ...... . .. . . .. . .......... 21 Grick . . ....... .. ... . .. ........ 173 Salamanders . ..... . .... ... . , .' . 265
Azer .......... ...... . . . ... . .. .. 22 Griffon . . ....... . ... .. .. . ..... . 174 Satyr . . .. ...... . ... ... . . ....... 267
Banshee ......... . . . . ...... . .... 23 Grimlock . . .. .. .... . ... .. . .... . 175 Scarecrow . .... .... . ..... . .... 268
Basilisk .............. . .. . . ..... 24 Hags ............. . ... . ... . .... 176 Shadow . .. . . .. .. ..... ......... 269
Behir . .. .. ................. .. . . 25 Half-Dragon .. . .. . ... . .. . ...... 180 Shambling Mound . .. . ... : . .'' .. ·. ~70
Beholders ........... . .......... 26 Harpy .. . . .. . .. .... ... . . .. ... .. 181 S hield Guardian . ........... ... . 271
Blights .. . ....... ............... 31 Hell Hound . .. . ....... . . . ... ... 182 Skeletons .. . . . .. .. . . .. . ....... 272
Bugbears ....... .. .............. 33 Helmed Horror .......... . . .. .. 183 Slaadi ............ . . ..... ·. .... 274
Bulette .. . .. . . ... .... . .......... 34 Hippogriff ............. . .... . .. 184 Specter ..... . . .. ....... .... . . . 279
Bullywug . ..... ......... . .. ..... 35 Hobgoblins . . . . ........ .. . .. . . . 185 Sphinxes .... .. .. . ... . ......... 280
Cambion .. . .. . ............ . ... . 36 Homunculus . .. ........ .. .. . ... 188 Sprite .. . .. ... . ..•.. . ...... ... . . 283
Carrion Crawler ................ 37 Hook Horror ... . .... .. ...... . .. 189 Stirge ............ . ......... .. . 284
Centaur ... . .. . ... . . . .. . . .. ..... 38 Hydra ..... . ... . ... ..... . .. .. .. 190 Succubus/Incubus .. .... ....... 285
Chimera ..... .. .......... .. ... . 39 Intellect Devourer ............ .. 191 Tarrasque ..................... 286
Chuul .. . .. ... . . .. .. ... . . . .... .. 40 Invisible Stalker .. ........... .. 192 Thri-kreen . ............ . ....... 288
Cloaker ...... . .. . ...... . .. . ... . 41 Jackalwere .... . .. . ....... ..... 193 Treant ...... . .. .. ..... . .. . ..... 289
Cockatrice .. . ... . .... .. .. .. .. .. 42 Kenku . . ..... . ........ . .... . .. 194 Troglodyte .. . .. . ..... .. . . ...... 290
Couatl . . .. .... . . .. . .. . . ........ 43 Kobolds ...... .. .. .. . ...... . . .. 195 Troll ...... . ..... . ..... . . . ..... 291
Crawling Claw .. .. . ... . . ... ..... 44 Kraken ....... . ... .. .... .. . . . . . 196 Umber Hulk ... . ............... 292
Cyclops ..... . .. . .. .. . ...... . ... 45 Kuo-toa ... . ....... . ...... . .. .. 198 Unicorn .... ................ . .. 293
Darkmantle ... .. ~ ..... . .. . ... .. 46 Lamia . .... . ....... . .. ... . .... 201 Vampires ....... . ............. 295
Death Knight .. . . ... ... . . . .. ... . 47 Lich . ......... . .. .. . ..... ... .. 202 Water Weird . .. . . .. ......... .. . 299
Demilich .. . ...... . .. . .. .. . . .... 48 Lizardfolk ....... .. .. .. ........ 204 Wight .. . .. . . . .. .. . ......... . . . 300
Demons ......... ·"· ... .. . .. . . ... 50 Lycanthropes .... .. .. . ... .. ... . 206 Will-o'-wisp . . . ... ....... .. -.... 301
Devils .. ......... : . .. . ..... . ... . 66 Magmin ................. . ..... 212 Wraith .. .. . . . ...... .. ....... .. 302
Dinosaurs . ............ . .. . ..... 79 Manticore ........... .. ..... . . . 213 Wyvern . . .. . .. ... . ..... .. ..... 303
Displacer Beast ........ ..... .... 81 Medusa ........... .. .. . ....... 214 Xorn ... . .. . .. . . . ..... . ........ 304
Doppelganger ........ ..... . ..... 82 Mephits . . ...... ... . ... . ...... . 215 Yetis .......... .. . . .. . ... .. ... . 305
Dracolich .. . .. .................. 83 Merfolk .......... .. . . . . ....... 218 Yuan-ti ...... . . . . ....... . ...... 307
Dragon, Shadow ... . ......... .. . 84 Merrow ....... ..... . .... ...... 219 Yugoloths .................. .. . 311
Dragons . . .. .. . .. ............. . 86 Mimic ........ . .. ... . .. ....... 220 Zombies ........ . . . .. .. .... .. .' 315
Dragon Turtle ............. .. . . 119 Mind Flayer .. . .... .. .. ..... ... 221
Drider . .. . .. ........ . ......... 120 Minotaur . .. . ... .. . .... ........ 223 Append ix A: Miscellaneous
Dryad . .. .... . ......... .... ... . 121 Modrons ........ . . .... . ..... .. 224 Creatures ........ ... ........ 317
Duergar . .. . .. . .. ............. . 122 Mummies ... . .... .. . . .... . .... 227 Appendix B: Nonplayer
Elementals ............. . .. .... 123 Myconids . ... . .... .. .. .. .. . .... 230 Characters ...... . .. .. . . ... .. 342
Elves: Drow .... . . . ....... . ... . 126 Nagas .. ...... . ... .. ...... . .... 233 Index of Stat Blocks .. .. .. . .... . 351
Empyrean ................. . .. . 130 Nightmare ..... .... ..... . . .. . . 235
Ettercap ...... . .. . . ..... . .. .. . . 131 Nothic .... ..... .. .. . ........ . . 236
Ettin .. ..... .... ... . . . .. . ... . .. 132 Ogres ... . . . . .. .. . ... . ...... ... 237
Faerie Dragon . ...... . . . . .. .. .. 133 Oni . ........... . .... . ...... . .. 239
Flameskull ........ . . . ... . .. ... 134 Oozes . .... . .... . .. . . . ... .. .. . . 240
Flumph . .. . . . . .. ...... . . .. .... 135 Orcs ... . ................ .. .... 244
Fomorian .... .. .. ..... . . . ..... 136 Otyugh .. . .. ......... .. . .. .... 248
Fungi ............ . .... .... . ... 137 Owlbear . ......... . . . ......... 249
Galeb Duhr ... . ..... . .......... 139 Pegasus . ... ........ .. .. . ...... 250
Gargoyle . .. ..... .. ... .. ..... .. 140 Peryton ....... .. . .. .. ......... 251
Genies . .. .. . .. .. ..... . . .... ... 141 Piercer .. .. . . ... . .. ........ .. .. 252
Ghost . .. . .... ...... . . .. .. . .. .. 147 Pixie . .. ..... .. . .. .......... ... 253
Ghouls ....... . ........... .. .. . 148 Pseudodragon ........ .. ... . . .. 254
Giants ........ .. .... . .. . .. . .. . 149 Purple Worm ..... . ... .. . ... . .. 255
Gibbering Mouther .... . ...... .. 157 Quaggoth .. . ......... ...... .. . 256
Gith ...... . .......... ..... ..... 158 Rakshasa ....... . ... .. ...... .. 257
Gnolls . . .. . .. . . .. ...... . . ..... 162 Remorhazes ....... ... ...... . .. 258

INTRODUCTION WHAT Is A MoNSTER?

his bestiary is for storytellers and world- A monster is defined as any creature that can be
builders. If you have ever thought about interacted with and potentially fought and killed. Even
running a DUNGEONS & DRAGONS game something as harmless as a frog or as benevolent as
for your friends, either a single night's a unicorn is a monster by this definition. The term
adventure or a long-running campaign, also applies to humans, elves, dwarves, and other
this tome contains page after page of civilized folk who might be friends or rivals to the player
inspiration. It's your one-stop shop for characters. Most of the monsters that haunt the D&D
creatures both malevolent and benign. world, however, are threats that are meant to be stopped:
Some of the creatures that inhabit the worlds of rampaging demons, conniving devils, soul-sucking
D&D have origins rooted in real-world mythology and undead, summoned elementals- the list goes on.
fantasy literature. Other creatures are D&D originals.
The monsters in this book have been culled from all This book contains ready-to-play, easy-to-run
previous editions of the game. Herein you'll discover monsters of all levels, and for nearly every climate and
classic critters such as the beholder and the displacer terrain imaginable. Whether your adventure takes place
beast next to more recent creations such as the chuul in a swamp, a dungeon, or the outer planes of existence,
and the twig blight. Common beasts mingle with the there are creatures in this book to populate that
weird, the terrifying, and the ridiculous. In collecting environment.
.mons~ers from the past, we've endeavored to reflect the
multifaceted nature of the game, warts and all. D&D WHERE Do MoNSTERS DwELL?
monsters come in all shapes and sizes, with stories that
not only thrill us but also make us smile. If you are new to the D&D game, you might not be
If you're an experienced Dungeon Master (DM), a few familiar with the weird and wondrous places where
of th<'; monster write-ups might surprise you, for we've monsters can be found and fought.
gone into the Monster Manuals of yore and discovered
some long-lost factoids. We've also added a few new DuN GEONS
twists. Naturally, you can do with these monsters what When most people think of a dungeon, images of dark
you will. Nothing we say here is intended to curtail cells with iron bars and shackles spring to mind. In
your creativity. If the minotaurs in your world are the D&D game, the word "dungeon" takes on a broader
shipbuilders and pirates, who are we to argue with you? meaning to include any enclosed, monster-infested
location. Most dungeons are sprawling underground
>It's your world, after all. complexes. Here are a few other examples:

How TO UsE THIS BooK A ruined wizard's tower atop a lonely hill riddled with
goblin-infested tunnels
The best thing about being a DM is that you get to invent • A pharaoh's pyramid filled with haunted crypts and
your own fantasy world and bring it to life, and nothing secret treasure vaults
brings a D&D world to life more than the creatures • A lost city in the jungle, overgrown with vines and
that inhabit it. You might read a monster's entry and overrun with demons and demon-worshiping cultists
be spurred to create an adventure revolving around it, The icy tomb of a frost giant king
or you might have an awesome idea for a dungeon and A filthy, labyrinthine sewer system controlled by a
· need just the right monsters to populate it. That's where gang of wererats
the Monster Manual comes in handy.
THE UNDERDARK
The Monster Manual is one of three books that form There is no greater dungeon than the Underdark, the
the foundation of the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS game, underworld beneath the surface world. It is a vast
the other two being the Player's Handbook and the subterranean realm where monsters accustomed to
Dungeon Master's Guide. The Monster Manual, like darkness dwell. It is a place filled with lightless caverns
the Dungeon Master's Guide, is a book for DMs. Use it connected by tunnels that wind ever downward. One
to populate your D&D adventures with pesky goblins, could spend a lifetime (however brief!) exploring the
stinky troglodytes, savage orcs, mighty dragons, and a Underdark and find such places as the following:
veritable horde of creepy crawlies.
A mind flayer prison or asylum, filled with mindless
Guidelines for creating encounters with monsters can thralls and raving lunatics
be found in the Dungeon Master's Guide. That book also A lost dwarven necropolis containing row after row of
contains wandering monster tables and other goodies dusty tombs waiting to be plundered
to help you use the monsters in this book in interesting • A fortified outpost br-istling with armaments, guarding
ways, as well as advice for modifying monsters and the way to a magnificent drow city
A subterranean rift filled with giant fungi and ruled by
creating your own. a megalomaniacal beholder or mad fomorian king
If you've never run a D&D adventure before, we • A chain of rocky islands on a vast, sunless sea that's
home to aboleths and insane kuo-toa
recommend that you pick up the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS
Starter Set, which demonstrates how to take a bunch of
monsters and build an exciting adventure around them.

ThE WILDERNESS

Not all monsters lurk underground. Many of them
inhabit deserts, mountains, swamps, canyons, forests,
and other natural settings. The wilderness can be just
as dangerous as any dungeon, particularly when there's
nowhere to hide! Some wilderness locations are just as
memorable as any dungeon:

• A roc's nest made of shattered ship hulls, built atop a
lonely mountain or rocky hill
A vast arctic tundra that serves as a hunting ground
for berserkers and yeti
A primeval forest protected by treants or corrupted by
demon-worshiping gnolls
A fog-shrouded swamp haunted by lizardfolk that
worship a vile black dragon
A jungle island inhabited by dinosaurs and human
tribal warriors

TOWNS AND CITIES

Some of the best adventures unfold in the cradles of
civilization. Urban settings afford adventurers the
chance to rub shoulders with the rich and powerful, butt
heads with the dregs of society, and peel back the veneer
of civility to see the monstrous evil lurking beneath.
Within a medieval town or city are places as deadly as
any dungeon:

• A clock tower that serves as a base for a guild of
kenku rogues and assassins

• A slavers' den hidden in an orphanage run by a
rakshasa disguised as the headmaster
A wizard's academy rife with corruption and practi-
tioners of the necromantic arts
A noble's manor where rich, devil-worshiping cultists
gather to perform sacrifices

• A temple, vault, or museum watched day and night by
animated constructs

UNDERWATER

Not all adventures take place on land. This book casts
light on several creatures that haunt the oceans of the
world, from the devilish sahuagin to the peaceful aquatic
elves who loathe them. Within this aquatic domain are
many surprising adventure locations:

• A graveyard of sunken ships haunted by sharks,
aquatic ghouls, and angry ghosts

• A storm giant's coral castle, beautiful yet foreboding
• A lost city on the sea floor, encased in a magic bubble

of air and ruled by a medusa queen
A kraken's cave or bronze dragon's cavernous lair,
filled with ancient treasures
A sunken temple of Sekolah, evil god of the sahuagin

THE PLANES OF EXISTENCE

The Abyss. The Nine Hells. The City of Brass. Such
faraway places beckon high-level adventurers to their
doorsteps, defying the brave and the foolhardy to
overthrow their evil masters and unlock their hidden
mysteries. Many powerful, weird creatures live on other

planes of existence, from orderly modrons to murderous l \,,, '' '
demons. When it comes to interesting adventure
locations, not even the sky is the limit when you pass A monster's type speaks to its fundamental nature.
beyond the boundaries of the world:
Certain spells, magic items, class features, and other
• A pit fiend's stronghold on Avernus, the first layer of
the Nine Hells effects in the game interact in special ways with

• A haunted castle in the Shadowfell that serves as a creatures of a particular type. For example, an arrow of
shadow dragon's lair
An elf queen's tomb in the Feywild dragon slaying deals extra damage not only to dragons
A djinni's palace on the Elemental P lane of Air, filled
with marvelous stolen treasures but also other creatures of the dragon type, such as
A lich's secret demiplane, where the undead archmage
hides its phylactery and spellbook dragon turtles and wyverns.

See the Dungeon Master's Guide for more information The game includes the following monster types, which
on the planes of existence.
have no rules of their own.
WHAT MoNSTERS TO UsE?
Aberrations are utterly alien beings. Many of them
Many monsters inhabit dungeons, while others live in
deserts, forests, labyrinths, and other environments. have innate magical abilities drawn from the creature's
Regardless of which environment a monster
traditionally calls home, you can place it anywhere alien mind rather than the mystical forces of the world.
you want. After all, "fish out of water" stories are
memorable, and sometimes it's fun to surprise players The quintessential aberrations are aboleths, beholders,
with gricks hiding under the desert sands or a dryad
living in a giant mushroom in the Underdark. mind fiayers, and slaadi.

Beasts are nonhumanoid creatures that are a natural

part of the fantasy ecology. Some of them have magical

powers, but most are unintelligent and lack any society

or language. Beasts include all varieties of ordinary

animals, dinosaurs, and giant versions of animals.

Celestials are creatures native to the Upper Planes.

Many of them are the servants of deities, employed

as messengers or agents in the mortal realm and

throughout the planes. Celestials are good by nature,

so the exceptional celestial who strays from a good

alignment is a horrifying rarity. Celestials include

STATISTICS angels, couatls, and pegasi.

A monster's statistics, sometimes referred to as its stat Constructs are made, not born. Some are
block, provide the essential information that you need
to run the monster. programmed by their creators to'follow a simple set of

SIZE instructions, while others are imbued with sentience

A monster can be Tiny, Small, Medium, Large, Huge, and capable of independent thought. Golems are the
or Gargantuan. The Size Categories table shows how
much space a creature of a particular size controls iconic constructs. Many creatures native to the outer
in combat. See the Player's Handbook for more
information on creature size and space. plane of Mechanus, such as modrons, are constructs

shaped from the raw material of the plane by the will of

more powerful creatures.

Dragons are large reptilian creatures of ancient origin

and tremendous power. True dragons, including the

good metallic dragons and the evil chromatic dragons,

are highly intelligent and have innate magic. Also in this

SIZE CATEGO RI ES category are creatures distantly related to true dragons,

Size Space Exam ples but less powerful, less intelligent, and less magical, such
Tiny 21/2 by 21/2 ft. Imp, sprite
Smal l 5 by 5 ft. Giant rat, goblin as wyverns and pseudodragons.
Medium 5 by 5 ft. Ore, werewolf
Large 10 by 10ft. Hippogriff, ogre Elementals are creatures native to the elemental
Huge 15 by 15 ft. Fire giant, treant
Gargantuan 20 by 20ft. or larger Kraken, purple worm planes. Some creatures of this type are little more than

animate masses of their respective elements, including

the creatures simply called elementals. Others have

biological forms infused with elemental energy. The

races of genies, including djinn and efreet, form the

most important civilizations on the elemental planes.

M O DIFYING CREAT U RES Other elemental creatures include azers, invisible

Despite the versatile col lection of monsters in this book, stalkers, and water weirds.
you might be at a loss when it comes to finding the perfect
creature for part of an adventure. Feel free to tweak an Fey are magical creatures closely tied to the forces of
existing creature to make it into something more useful for
you, perhaps by borrowing a trait or two from a different nature. They dwell in twilight groves and misty forests.
monster or by using a varia nt or template, su~h as the
ones in this book. Keep in mind that modifying a monster, In some worlds, they are closely tied to the Feywild, also
including when you apply a temp late to it, might change its
chal lenge rating. called the Plane of Faerie. Some are also found in the

For advice on how to customize creatures and calculate Outer Planes, particularly the planes of Arborea and the
their chal lenge ratings, see the Dungeon Master's Guide.
Beastlands. Fey include dryads, pixies, and satyrs.

Fiends are creatures of wickedness that are native

to the Lower Planes. A few are the servants of deities,

but many more labor under the leadership of archdevils

and demon princes. Evil priests and mages sometimes

6

summon fiends to tne' material world to do their bidding. ALIGNMENT
If an evil celestial is a rarity, a good fiend is almost
inconceivable. Fiends include demons, devils, hell A monster's alignment provides a clue to its di~positiron
hounds, rakshasas, and yugoloths.
and how it behaves in a roleplaying or combat situation.
Giants tower over humans and their kind. They are
humanlike in shape, though some have multiple heads For example, a chaotic evil monster might be difficult
(ettins) or deformities (fomorians). The six varieties of
true giant are hill giants, stone giants, frost giants, fire to reason with and might attack characters on sight,
giants, cloud giants, and storm giants. Besides these,
creatures such as ogres and trolls are giants. whereas a neutral monster might be willing to Regotiate.

Humanoids are the main peoples of the D&D See the Player's Handbook for descriptions of the '
world, both civilized and savage, including humans
and a tremendous variety of other species. They have different alignments. ,
language and culture, few if any innate magical abilities The alignment specified in a monster's stat blo~k 'is·
(though most humanoids can learn spellcasting), and a
bipedal form. The most common humanoid races are the default. Feel free to depart from it and'ch'ange a
the ones most suitable as player characters: humans,
dwarves, elves, and halflings. Almost as numerous but monster's alignment to suit the needs of your campaign.-
far more savage and brutal, and almost uniformly evil,
are the races of goblinoids (gol:ilins, hobgoblins, and Ifyou want a good-aligned green dragon or ari -evil'storm ·
bugbears), orcs, gnolls, lizardfolk, and kobolds.
giant, there's nothing stopping you. '
A variety of humanoids appear throughout this book, Some creatures can have any alignment. In ~ther
but the races detailed in the Player's Handbook- with
the exception of drow-are dealt with in appendix B. words, you choose the monster's alignment. Some
That appendix gives you a number of stat blocks that
you·can use to make various members of those races. monster's alignment entry indicates a tendency or ''

-Monstrosities are monsters in the strictest sense- aversion toward law, chaos, good, or evil. For example,
frightening creatures that are not ordinary, not truly
natural, and almost never benign. Some are the a berserker can be any chaotic alignment (chaotic good,
results of magical experimentation gone awry (such
as owlbears), and others ,are the product-of terrible chaotic neutral, or chaotic evil), as befits its wild nature.
curses (including minotaurs and yuan-ti). They defy
categorization, and in some sense serve as a catch-all Many creatures of low intelligence have no
category for creatures that don't fit into any other type.
comprehension of law or chaos, good or evil. They don't
Oozes are gelatinous creatures that rarely have a
fixed shape. They are mostly subterranean, dwelling make moral or ethical choices, but rather act on instinct.
in caves and dungeons and feeding on refuse, carrion,
or creatures unlucky enough to get in their way. Black These creatures are unaligned, which means they don't
puddings and gelatinous cubes are among the most
recognizable oozes. have an alignment.

Plants in this context are vegetable creatures, not ARMOR CLASS
ordinary flora. Most of them are ambulatory, and some
are carnivorous. The quintessential plants are the A monster that wears armor or carries a shield has
shambling mound and the treant. Fungal creatures an Armor Class (AC) that takes its armor, shield, and
such as the gas spore and the myconid also fall into Dexterity into account. Otherwise, a monster's AC is
this category. based on its Dexterity modifier and natural armor,
if any. If a monster has natural armor, wears armor,
Undead are once-living creatures brought to a or carries a shield, this is noted in parentheses after
horrifying state of undeath through the practice of its AC value.
necromantic magic or some unholy curse. Undead
include walking corpses, such as vampires and zombies, HIT POINTS
as well as bodiless spirits, such as ghosts and specters.
A monster usually dies or is destroyed when it
TAGS drops to 0 hit points. For more on hit points, see the '
Player's Handbook.
A monster might have one or more tags appended to
its type, in parentheses. For example, an ore has the A monster's hit points are presented both as a die
hum~noid (ore) type. The parenthetical tags provide expression and as an average number. For example,
additional categorization for certain creatures. The tags a monster with 2d8 hit points has 9 hit points on
have no rules of their own, but something in the game, average (2 x 4Y2).
such as a magic item, might refer to them. For instance,
a spear that is especially effective at fighting demons A monster's size determines the die used to calculate
would work aga~nst any monster that has the demon tag. its hit points, as shown in the Hit Dice by Size table.

HIT DICE BY SIZE

Monster Size Hit Die Average HP per Die
21/2
Tin y d4 31/2
Small d6 41f2
Medium d8 51/2
Large dlO 61/2
Huge dl2 101/2
Gargantuan d20

A monster's Constitution modifier also affects the

number of hit points it has. Its Constitution modifier is

multiplied by the number of Hit Dice it possesses, and

the result is added to its hit points. For example, if a }

monster has a Constitution of 12 (+1 modifier) an'd 2cl8

Hit Dice, it has 2d8 + 2 hit points (average 11).r ' "'

7

SPEED PROFICIENCY BONUS BY CHALLENGE RATING

A monster's s peed tells you how far it can move on Challenge Proficiency Challenge Proficiency
its turn. For more information on s peed, see the Bonus Bonus
Player's Handbook. 0 14
1/8 +2 15 +5
All creatures have a wa lking s peed , s imply called the 1/4 +2 16 +5
monster's s peed. Creatures that have no form of ground- 1/2 +2 17 +5
based locomotion have a wa lking s peed of 0 feet. +2 18 +6
2 +2 19 +6
Some creatures have one or more of the following 3 +2 20 +6
additiona l movement modes. 4 +2 21 +6
5 +2 22 +7
BURROW 6 +3 23 +7
A monster that has a burrowing speed can use that 7 +3 24 +7
s peed to move through sa nd, earth, mud, or ice. A 8 +3 25 +7
mons ter can't burrow through solid rock unless it has a 9 +3 26 -t-8
special tra it that allows it to do so. 10 +4 27 -t-8
11 +4 28 -t-8
CLIMB 12 +4 29 +8
A monster that has a climbing speed can use all or 13 +4 30 +9
part of its movement to move on vertical s urfaces . The +5 +9
monster doesn't need to s pend extra moveme nt to climb.
SKILLS
FLY
A monster that has a flyin g s peed can use a ll or pa rt The S kills entry is reserved fo r monsters that are
of its movement to fly. Some monsters have the ability proficient in one or more s k ills. For example, a monster
to hover, which makes them ha rd to knock out of the that is very perceptive a nd stealthy might have bonuses
air (as explained in the rules on flying in the Player's to Wisdom (Perception) a nd Dexterity (Stealth) checks .
Handbook). Such a monster stops hovering when it dies.
A skill bonus is the s um of a monster's relevant
SWIM ability modifier and its proficiency bonus, which is
A monster that has a swimming speed doesn't need to determined by the monste r's challenge rating (as
spend extra movement to swim. s hown in the Proficiency Bonus by Challenge Rating
table). Other modifiers might apply. For instance, a
ABILITY SCORES monster might have a larger-than-ex pected bonus
(us ually double its proficiency bonus) to account fo r
Every monster has six ability scores (Strength, its he ightened expertise.
Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom , and
Charis ma) a nd corresponding modifie rs. For more VULNERABILITIES, RESISTANCES,
information on ability scores a nd how they're used in
play, s ee the Player's Handbook. AND IMMUNITIES

SAVING THROWS S ome creatu res have vulnerability, resista nce, or
immunity to certain types of damage. Additiona lly,
The Saving Throws entry is reserved for creatures some creatures a re immune to certain conditions. If a
that are adept at resisting certai n kinds of effects . monster is immune to a game effect that is n't considered
For exa mple, a creature that isn't easily charmed or damage or a condition, it has a special tra it.
frightened might ga in a bonus on its Wisdom saving
throws . Most creatures don't have special saving throw SENSES
bonuses , in which case this section is absent.
T he S enses entry notes a monster's passive
A saving th row bonus is the s um of a monster's relevant Wisdom (Perception) score, as well as a ny special
ability modifier and its proficiency bonus, which is senses the monster might have. Specia l senses are
determined by the mons ter's challenge rating (as s hown described below.
in the Proficiency Bonus by Cha llenge Rating table).
BLINDSIGHT
A monster with blindsight can perceive its s urroundings
without relying on s ight, w ithi n a speci fic radius .

Creatures without eyes, s uch as grim locks and gray
oozes, typically have this s pecial sense, as do creatures
w ith echolocation or heightened senses, s uch as bats
a nd true dragons.

If a monster is natura lly blind, it has a parenthetical
note to this effect, indicati ng that the radius of its
blinds ight defines the maximum range of its perception.

8

ARMOR, WEAPON, AND TOOL PROFICIENCIES A creature within the area of an antimagic field or in
any other location where magic doesn't function can't
Assume that a creature is proficient with its armor, weapons, ~e nd or receive telepathic messages.
and tools. If you swap them out, you decide whether the
creature is proficient with its new equipment. I

For example, a hill giant typically wears hide armor and CHALLENGE
wields a greatclub. You could equip a hill giant with chain
mail and a greataxe instead, and assume the giant is Amonster's challenge rating tells you how great a
proficient with both, one or the other, or neither.
threat the monster is. An appropriately equipped and
See the Player's Handbook for rules on using armor or well-rested party of four adventurers should be able to
weapons without proficiency. defeat a monster that has a challenge rating equal to its
level without suffering any deaths. For example, a party
<iiilli of four 3rd-level characters should find a monster with
a challenge rating of 3 to be a worthy challenge, but not
DARKVISION a deadly one.
A monster with darkvision can see in the dark within a
specific radius. The monster can see in dim light within Monsters that are significantly weaker than 1st-level
the radius as if it were bright light, and in darkness as characters have a challenge rating lower than 1.
if it were dim light. The monster can't discern color in Monsters with a challenge rating of 0 are insignificant
darkness , on ly shades of gray. Many creatures that live except in large numbers; those with no effective attacks
underground have this special sense. are worth no experience points, while those that have
attacks are worth 10 XP each.
T'REMORSENSE
A monster with tremorsense can detect and pinpoint Some monsters present a greater challenge than
the origin of vibrations within a specific radius, even a typical 20th-level party can handle. These
provided that the monster and the source of the monsters have a challenge rating of 21 or higher and are
vibrations are in contact with the same ground or specifically designed to test player skill.
substance. Tremorsense can't be used to detect flying or
incorporeal creatures. Many burrowing creatures, such EXPERIENCE POINTS
as ankhegs a nd umber hulks, have this special sense.
The number of experience points (XP) a monster is
T'RUESIGHT worth is based on its cha llenge rating. Typically, XP is
A monster with truesight can, out to a specific range, see awarded for defeating the monster, although the DM
in normal and magical darkness, see invisible creatures may also award XP for neutralizing the threat posed by
and objects, automatically detect visual iilusions and the monster in some other manner.
succeed on saving throws against them, and perceive
the original form of a shapechanger or a creature that Unless something tells you otherwise, a monster
is transformed by magic. Furthermore, the monster can summoned by a spell or other magical ability is worth
see into the Ethereal Plane within the same range. the XP noted in its stat block.

LANGUAGES The Dungeon Master's Guide explains how to create
encounters using XP budgets, as well as how to adjust
The languages that a monster can speak are listed an encounter's difficulty.
in alphabetical order. Sometimes a monster can
understand a language but can't speak it, and this is EXPERIENCE POINTS BY CHALLENGE RATING
noted in its entry. A"- " indicates that a creature neither
speaks nor understands any language. Challenge XP Challenge XP
0 0 or 10 14 11,500
TELEPATHY 1/8 15 13,000
Telepathy is a magical ability that a llows a monster to 1/4 25 16 15 ,0 0 0
communicate mentally with another creature within a 1/2 50 17 18,000
specified range. The contacted creature doesn't need 100 18 20,000
to share a language with the monster to communicate 2 200 19 22,000
in this way with it, but it must be able to understand at 3 450 20 25,000
least one language. A creature without telepathy can 4 700 21 33,000
receive and respond to telepathic messages but can't 5 1,100 22 41,000
initiate or ter minate a telepathic conversation. 6 1,800 23 50,000
7 2,300 24 62,000
A telepathic monster doesn't need to see a contacted 8 2,900 25 75,000
creature and ca n end the telepathic contact at any time. 9 3,900 26 90,000
The contact is broken as soon as the two creatures are 10 5,000 27 105,000
no longer within range of each other or if the telepathic 11 5,900 28 120,000
monster contacts a different creature within range. A 12 7,200 29 135,000
telepathic monster can initiate or te rminate a telepathic 13 8,400 30 155,000
conversation without using an action, but while the 10,000
monster is incapacitated, it can't initiate telepath ic
contact, and any current contact is terminated.

9

Spe~ial traits (which appear after a monster's challenge
rating but before any actions or reactions) are
characteristics that are likely to be relevant in a combat
encounter and that require some expla nation.

INNATE SPELLCASTING

A monster with the innate ability to cast spells has
the Innate Spellcasting special trait. Unless noted
otherwise, an innate spell of 1st level or higher is
always cast at its lowest possible level and can't be cast
at a higher level. If a monster has a cantrip where its
level matters and no level is given, use the monster's
challenge rating.

An innate spell can have special rules or restrictions.
For example, a drow mage can innately cast the levitate
spell, but the spell has a "self only" restriction, which
means that the spell affects only the drow mage.

A monster's innate spells can't be swapped out with
other spells. If a monster's innate spells don't require
attack rolls, no attack bonus is given for them.

SPELLCASTING

A monster with the Spellcasting class feature has a
spellcaster level and spell slots, which it uses to cast
its spells of 1st level and higher (as explained in the
Player's Handbook). The spellcaster level is also used
for any cantrips included in the feature.

The monster has a list of spells known or prepared
from a particular class. The list might also include
spells from a feature in that class, such as the Divine
Domain feature of the cleric or the Druid Circle feature
of the druid.

A monster can cast a spell from its list at a higher level
if it has the spell slot to do so. For example, a drow mage
with the 3rd-level lightning bolt spell can cast it as a
5th-level spell by using one of its 5th-level spell slots.

You can change the spells that a monster knows or
has prepared, replacing any spell on a monster's spell
list with a different spell of the same level a nd from
the same class list. If you do so, you might cause the
monster to be a greater or lesser threat than suggested
by its challenge rating.

PSIONICS

A monster that casts spells using only the power of its
mind has the psionics tag added to its Spellcasting or
Innate Spellcasting special trait. This tag carries no
special r ules of its own, b'ut other parts of the game
might refer to it. A monster that has this tag typically
doesn't require any components to cast its spells.

ACTIONS

When a monster takes its action, it can choose from the
options in the Actions section of its stat block or use one
of the actions available to all creatures, such as the Dash
or Hide action, as described in the Player's Handbook.

MELEE AND RANGED A TTACKS

The most common actions that a monster will take in
combat are melee and ranged attacks. These can be
spell attacks or weapon attacks, where the "weapon"