T Wood Elves he land speaks, and the elves of the deep wood have learned its words; those of growth and withering, those of harmonious equilibrium and brutal correction. The elves have learned these words, and within their hidden conclaves speak them; the stirrings of the young races have loosed wonders great and terrible upon the world, and the logic of the land demands balance. Wood Elf Lore Arcana DC 10: Wood elves generally disdain the arcane arts, seeing them as primarily a tool for bending nature to the will of the wielder, lacking the mutual respect emblematic to primal magics. History DC 15: Wood elves, often called wild elves, are a loose confederation of hidden elven villages, bound by a shared rejection of the territorial ambitions and xenophobic tendencies of the great elven nations. Nature DC 15: Giant owls often nest in and around wood elf enclaves, forming symbiotic partnerships that last for decades. The death of an owl in wood elf society is an occasion of great solemnity, one through which they affirm their connection with the temporal things of this world. Religion DC 20: While the Seldarine are worshipped among the elves of the wood, their place is as one among many archetypes of nature which are revered there, and actual religious practice varies wildly village to village. Silvanus the Oakfather and Solonor Keen-Eye often hold a particular place of prominence, however. Wood Elf Greenseeker Tactics Greenseekers try to stay high in the treetops, out of reach of their foes, Disengaging and scattering if locked in melee. If accompanying a Wood Elf Nurturer, they group up in squads of three rather than five, taking a reduced chance of hitting in exchange for an increased chance of giving the nurturer a chance to use its Enrich the Soil reaction. Wood Elf Branchwalker Tactics Branchwalkers use their slipshot whenever a creature closes to melee range, using their climb speed to scale any available surface before firing down with their Livewood Bow. If locked in melee with more than half their hit points, they will provoke attacks of opportunity to get to an advantageous firing position, fighting in melee only when low on health. Encounter Groups CR 10 Encounter 2,500 XP 1 Wood Elf Nurturer (CR 3) 2 Warthorn Battlebriar (CR 2) 10 Wood Elf Greenseekers (CR M2) CR 22 Encounter 16,250 XP 1 Verdant Prince Oathsealer (CR 11) 1 Wood Elf Owlbonded (CR 6) 1 Giant Owl (CR 5) 2 Wood Elf Thornfletchers (CR 5) 15 Wood Elf Greenseekers (CR M2)
Wood Elf Greenseeker Medium humanoid (elf) , chaotic good Armor Class 12 Hit Points 13 (2d8 + 4) Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 10 (+0) 15 (+2) 14 (+2) 13 (+1) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) Skills Stealth +4 Senses Darkvision 120 ft., Passive Perception 12 Languages Common, Elvish Challenge M2 (90 XP) Fey Ancestry. The elf has advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can’t put the elf to sleep. Minion. If the creature takes damage from an attack or as the result of a failed saving throw, its hit points are reduced to 0. If the creature takes damage from another effect, it dies if the damage equals or exceeds its hit point maximum, otherwise it takes no damage. Actions Needling Volley (Group Attack). Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 3 piercing damage. If at least three elves contributed to this group attack, the target must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or be knocked prone. Wood Elf Branchwalker Medium humanoid (elf) , chaotic good Armor Class 16 (Ironleaf Armor) Hit Points 78 (12d8 + 24) Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 11 (+0) 17 (+3) 14 (+2) 13 (+1) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) Skills Perception +4, Stealth +5, Survival +6 Senses Darkvision 120 ft., Passive Perception 14 Languages Common, Elvish Challenge 2 (450 XP) Fey Ancestry. The elf has advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can’t put the elf to sleep. Sure-Footed. The elf has advantage on Strength and Dexterity saving throws made against effects that would knock it prone. Actions Multiattack. The elf makes two attacks. Horn Dagger. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) piercing damage. Livewood Bow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 80/320 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage. This attack has advantage against any target at a lower elevation than the elf. Reactions Slipshot. As a reaction when a creature ends its movement within 5 feet of the elf, the elf moves up to 10 feet and makes a ranged attack.
Wood Elf Nurturer Tactics Wood elf nurturers attempt to stay always within 5 feet of any plant allies, often riding on them if they are Huge or larger, such as in the case of Treants, fending off any foes who try to climb on them with their Bramble-Wrapped Fist. They generally replace an attack with their Entreat Nature each turn so long as they have allies to target with it, preferentially using it on those with abilities that can knock opponents prone, and use Blightbirth whenever they have a humanoid corpse available to use it on. Wood Elf Thornfletcher Tactics Thornfletchers stay hidden and out of the way, replacing their first three attacks in combat with uses of their Grow Arrow to empower the first shot they fire, ideally before combat commences at all. Once battle is joined, they typically only use their Bramble Trail option, unless a friendly Owlbonded gives them an opportunity to hide again without using an action, in which case they take a turn in hiding to use both Bramble Trail and Moonglove Resin. Wood Elf Owlbonded Tactics Owlbondeds initially act as scouts, but in pitched battle often serve as distractions to keep enemies grounded as their allies rain down arrows from above, dropping down with their Skydrop Strike and positioning themselves near as many foes as possible to draw their focus, and replacing an attack with Canopy's Shroud whenever available. Wood Elf Nurturer Medium humanoid (elf) , chaotic good Armor Class 13 Hit Points 97 (13d8 + 39) Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 16 (+3) 16 (+3) 15 (+2) 12 (+0) Skills Nature +7 Perception +4, Stealth +5, Survival +6 Senses Darkvision 120 ft., Passive Perception 14 Languages Common, Elvish, Sylvan Challenge 3 (700 XP) Fey Ancestry. The elf has advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can’t put the elf to sleep. Growthbond. While the wood elf is within 5 feet of a Medium or larger plant creature, attacks against the elf are made at disadvantage. Actions Multiattack. The elf makes two attacks, one of which it may replace with a use of Entreat Nature. Bramble-Wrapped Fists. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) bludgeoning plus 4 (1d8) piercing damage. On a roll of 18-20, the target must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. Livewood Bow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 80/320 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage. This attack has advantage against any target at a lower elevation than the elf. Entreat Nature. One beast or plant creature the elf can see within 30 feet may use its reaction to move up to half its speed and make a melee attack. Blightbirth. The elf plunges a gnarled seed into a humanoid corpse within 5 feet. If the corpse takes any fire damage, the seed is destroyed and this process ends. At the beginning of the elf's next turn, the corpse is destroyed as a Vine Blight bursts forth from it, acting on the elf's turn and under its control. Reactions Enrich the Soil. As a reaction when a creature the elf can see within 30 feet falls prone, the elf forces it to make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature loses 5 (2d4) hit points and each plant creature within 30 feet gains advantage on the first attack it makes on its following turn.
Wood Elf Thornfletcher Medium humanoid (elf) , chaotic good Armor Class 15 (Ironleaf Armor) Hit Points 120 (16d8 + 48) Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 17 (+3) 19 (+4) 16 (+3) 13 (+1) 16 (+3) 12 (+1) Skills Perception +6, Stealth +7, Survival +6 Senses Darkvision 120 ft., Passive Perception 16 Languages Common, Elvish Challenge 5 (1,800 XP) Fey Ancestry. The elf has advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can’t put the elf to sleep. Sure-Footed. The elf has advantage on Strength and Dexterity saving throws made against effects that would knock it prone. Actions Multiattack. The elf makes two attacks, each of which it may replace with a use of its Grow Arrow. Teep Kick. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: The target is pushed 5 feet away. Lorekeeper Greatbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, range 80/320 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) piercing damage. This attack has advantage against any target at a lower elevation than the elf. Grow Arrow. The next attack the elf makes with its Lorekeeper Greatbow in the next minute gains one additional effect on a hit of the elf's choice: Moonglove Resin. The target takes an additional 7 (2d6) poison damage. Bramble Trail. The target must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be restrained as brambles wrap around it (escape DC 15). While restrained, the creature takes 4 (1d8) piercing damage at the end of each of its turns. Alarm Pheremone. Beasts and plant creatures within 30 feet of the target become hostile to it for the next minute. Reactions Slipshot. As a reaction when a creature ends its movement within 5 feet of the elf, the elf moves up to 10 feet and makes a ranged attack. Wood Elf Owlbonded Medium humanoid (elf) , chaotic good Armor Class 17 (Heartwood Armor) Hit Points 120 (16d8 + 48) Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 18 (+4) 19 (+4) 16 (+3) 13 (+1) 16 (+3) 12 (+1) Skills Athletics +7, Perception +6, Stealth +7 Senses Darkvision 120 ft., Passive Perception 16 Languages Common, Elvish, Giant Owl Challenge 6 (2,300 XP) Fey Ancestry. The elf has advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can’t put the elf to sleep. Owlrider. While riding a giant owl or similar creature, the elf acts on its mount's initiative, rather than rolling its own, and it has advantage on attack rolls against creatures smaller than its mount. Actions Multiattack. The elf makes three attacks, one of which it may replace with a use of its Canopy's Shroud, if available. Lacquered Blade. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (3d6 + 4) slashing damage. On a roll of 1 against a target wearing metal armor, the blade snaps, reducing the damage it deals by 2d6. Livewood Bow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 80/320 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) piercing damage. This attack has advantage against any target at a lower elevation than the elf. Canopy's Shroud (Recharge 5-6). Up to four other creatures of the elf's choice may each use their reaction to move up to half their speed and attempt to Hide. Attacks of opportunity provoked by this movement are made at disadvantage. Reactions Skydrop Strike. As a reaction when its mount flies over a creature, the wood elf drops from its mount and makes a melee attack at advantage. If the attack hits, the elf takes no fall damage, and the target takes any fall damage the elf would have otherwise taken.
Art Credits Gather the Pack by Igor Kieryluk Wood Elf City by Thom Tennery Llanowar Loamspeaker by by Zara Alfonso Bisk, Goblin King by Rae Elderidge I've Got a Subreddit! Want more monsters like this? Come check out r/bettermonsters, where I post all my work. Don't see something there? Drop a request and I'll usually get it to you within a day if I've got something on hand, and I'll shoot you a message when it's ready if not. You Found the Free Books! The Part Where I Shill My Patreon Want to support the creation of content like this? I post new monsters with lore and tactics to my patreon five times a week, joining the more than 1300 already there, indexed in a big PDF along with formats for Foundry and 5eTools.