BENJAMIN EASTMAN Bigger Bads
2 Midgard and Kobold Press are trademarks of Open Design LLC. All rights reserved. System Reference Document 5.1: This work includes material taken from the System Reference Document 5.1 (“SRD 5.1”) by Wizards of the Coast LLC and available at https://dnd.wizards.com/resources/systems-reference-document. The SRD 5.1 is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License available at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/ by/4.0/legalcode. Content in this work is compatible with the fifth edition of Dungeons & Dragons. ©2023 Open Design LLC. All rights reserved. www.koboldpress.com PO Box 2811 | Kirkland, WA 98083 Credits Designer: Benjamin Eastman Editors: Jeff Quick and Kenny Webb Cover Artist: Kiki Moch Rizki Interior Artists: Marcel Mercado, Kiki Moch Rizki Graphic Designers: Marc Radle and Amber Seger KOBOLD WARRENS Publisher: Wolfgang Baur Chief Operations Officer: T. Alexander Stangroom Director Of Digital Growth: Blaine McNutt Art Director: Marc Radle Art Department: Marc Radle, Amber Seger Editorial Director: Thomas M. Reid Editorial Department: Scott Gable, Meagan Maricle, Jeff Quick, Thomas M. Reid Senior Game Designer: Celeste Conowitch Marketing Director: Chelsea “Dot” Steverson Project Manager: Amber Seger Community Manager: Zachery Newbill Sales Manager: Kym Weiler Bigger Bads
3 INTRODUCTION The Systems Reference Document (SRD) offers a set of NPCs to help GMs find stats on the fly. Need a cleric? Use the priest stat block as any given CR2 divine caster. It has appropriate abilities and spell lists ready to go. But what if you need a different CR or an NPC with a different vibe? Bigger Bads fills in gaps between existing NPC stat blocks in the SRD and points you to other gap fillers in existing Kobold Press products. CLERIC NPCS The gods demand servants. Fleshing out a religion in a game world requires building out a wide variety of dedicated adherents to carry out divine will. Existing Stat Blocks The SRD presents the following NPC stat blocks for clerics: • The acolyte (CR 1/4), akin to a 1st-level cleric, wielding enough power to heal simple wounds. • The priest (CR 2), a more potent 5th-level cleric, possessing the power to cast dispel magic. • The cult fanatic (CR 4), a darker 4th-level cleric. Southlands Worldbook offers: • The apostle (CR 6), a 10th-level cleric who can exert power sufficient to raise the dead. • The first servant (CR 12), an 18th-level cleric. Creature Codex offers: • The war chaplain (CR 3), a 5th-level cleric • The war priest (CR 8), a 7th-level cleric.
4 This list ignores a few setting- and race-specific cleric NPCs but is sufficient for this overview. This leaves quite the spread for GMs who want the PCs to take on the church. At very low levels, an acolyte isn’t very challenging while a priest can be a deadly foe. And obviously, as the PCs grow in power and level, they need greater foes. As GM, you can supplement encounters with monstrous foes, but this option may feel out of place. You can add greater numbers of NPCs, but this risks longer, more cluttered battles. So let’s dive into some new NPCs! New Clerics Below are two new options for clerical NPCs: the adept and the exarch. Both have a feature called Domain Power that allows GMs to further tailor them to the needs at hand. Options for three common domains are also presented, representing champions of shadow, undeath, and war—but don’t hesitate to create new powers for your campaign. Adept An up-and-coming member of a church, the adept doesn’t tend to the flock like the acolyte, nor do they run a whole temple like a priest. The adept is delegated tasks in preparation for a promotion within the church— exactly the space where they might intersect with meddling adventurers. ADEPT Medium Humanoid (Any Race), Any Alignment ARMOR CLASS 12 (studded leather) HIT POINTS 13 (3d8) SPEED 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 15 (+2) 12 (+1) SKILLS Medicine +4, Religion +2 SENSES passive Perception 12 LANGUAGES any one language (usually Common) CHALLENGE 1 (200 XP) PROFICIENCY BONUS +2 ACTIONS Morningstar. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) bludgeoning damage. Light Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, range 80/320 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d8) piercing damage. Domain Power (1/Day). The adept has access to one Divine Domain, either Shadow, Undeath, or War. Whichever domain they choose, they can use the associated ability below: • Umbral Step (Shadow). The adept can teleport up to 60 feet to another unoccupied space it can see that is in dim light or darkness. • Bolster Undead (Undeath). All undead within 30 feet that can see the adept regain 4 (1d8) hit points. • Warlord’s Favor (War). For the next minute, the adept deals an additional 2 (1d4) radiant damage on melee weapon attacks. Spellcasting. The adept casts one of the following spells, using Wisdom as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 12): At will: light, sacred flame, thaumaturgy 2/day each: cure wounds, guiding bolt 1/day each: hold person, spiritual weapon Exarch The middle manager of the faithful, the exarch has been promoted beyond the administration of a single temple and now oversees a region. The exarch likely realizes that any further promotion hinges upon their ability to execute a signature project—and these are the kinds of plans that mid-level adventurers might muck up repeatedly. EXARCH Medium Humanoid (Any Race), Any Alignment ARMOR CLASS 14 (scale mail) HIT POINTS 45 (7d8 + 14) SPEED 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 16 (+3) 13 (+1) SAVING THROWS Wis +5, Cha +4 SKILLS Medicine +5, Persuasion +3, Religion +3 SENSES passive Perception 13 LANGUAGES any two languages CHALLENGE 4 (1,100 XP) PROFICIENCY BONUS +2 ACTIONS Club. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 2 (1d4) bludgeoning damage. Light Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, range 80/320 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d8) piercing damage.
5 Domain Power (1/Day). The adept has access to one Divine Domain, either Shadow, Undeath, or War. Whichever domain they choose, they can use the associated ability below: • Shrouded Influence (Shadow). As an action, the exarch turns invisible for up to 3 rounds. This ability ends if the exarch casts a spell or makes an attack. • Rapid Recruiter (Undeath). The exarch casts animate dead with the casting time of 1 action. • Holy Teamwork (War). For the next minute, the exarch has advantage on attacks against the creature that their spiritual weapon has attacked in the same turn. Spellcasting. The adept casts one of the following spells, using Wisdom as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 12): At will: light, sacred flame, thaumaturgy 2/day each: animate dead, cure wounds, guiding bolt, spiritual weapon 1/day each: freedom of movement, guardian of faith, spirit guardians CULTIST NPCS There are few staples of fantasy TTRPGs with the ubiquity, staying power, and utility of the evil cult. As such, GMs have a high demand for an expansive suite of hooded acolytes, zealous assassins, and babbling seers. Existing Stat Blocks The SRD presents the following NPC stat blocks for cultists: • The cultist (CR 1/8), your basic adherent—a commoner with some skill at half-truths, some knowledge of holy books, and perhaps more courage than common sense. • The cult fanatic (CR 2), a 4th-level believer with a silver tongue, multiple attacks, and ample hit points. Tome of Beasts offers: • The scorpion cultist (CR 1/2). • The Emerald Order cult leader (CR 8). • The devilbound gnomish prince (CR 9). Creature Codex offers: • The void cultist (1/2). • The gnomish knife cultist (CR 5). • The doomspeaker (CR 6). • The void speaker (CR 7). • The scorpion assassin (CR 8). In the case of cultists, there’s a wider range of options and levels than many of the other NPCs. However, there are gaps in the roles that these cultists play within the cult itself. New Cultists To expand on our options, below are two new cultist NPCs: the true believer and the prophet. Both serve important roles within a cult. True Believer As the name implies, the true believer is an elite cultist who has complete faith in the cult’s teachings. Unlike most cultists, the true believer enlightens skeptics with their many longsword attacks. The true believer never presents a risk to the cult fanatic’s leadership. The true believer instead serves as the cult’s protector, frequent recruiter, and sometimes scapegoat for leadership when schemes invariably go wrong. TRUE BELIEVER Medium Humanoid (Any Race), Any Alignment ARMOR CLASS 11 (leather) HIT POINTS 45 (7d8 + 14) SPEED 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 16 (+3) 10 (+0) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 12 (+1) SKILLS Deception +3, Intimidation +5, Religion +2 SENSES passive Perception 10 LANGUAGES any one language (usually Common) CHALLENGE 1 (200 XP) PROFICIENCY BONUS +2 Dark Devotion. The true believer has advantage on saving throws against being charmed or frightened. ACTIONS Multiattack. The true believer makes two weapon attacks. Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) slashing damage or 8 (1d10 + 3) if used with two hands. Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) piercing damage.
6 REACTIONS Opportunist. When a creature that the true believer can see misses them with a melee attack, the true believer can use their reaction to make a melee weapon attack against that creature. Prophet The prophet is a cultist so devout they claim to receive revelations of future events. Unlike the cult fanatic or doomspeaker, the prophet claims a direct connection— and sometimes serves as the voice in the mortal world— to the unholy power the cult reveres. The prophet is rarely encountered without a throng of supporters to be directed against those who intrude upon the cult’s activities. PROPHET Medium Humanoid (Any Race), Any Alignment ARMOR CLASS 15 (chain shirt, 17 with Fanatical Bulwarks) HIT POINTS 130 (16d8 + 48) SPEED 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 11 (+0) 16 (+3) 14 (+3) 10 (+0) 8 (−1) 18 (+4) SAVING THROWS Wis +5, Cha +4 SKILLS Deception +7, Persuasion +7, Religion +3 SENSES passive Perception 9 LANGUAGES any three languages CHALLENGE 5 (1,800 XP) PROFICIENCY BONUS +3 Agitating Attack. The prophet’s attacks agitate the soul of even their bravest enemies. A creature struck by one of the prophet’s attacks must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened until the start of the prophet’s next turn. On a successful saving throw, the creature is immune to this ability for 24 hours. Fanatical Bulwarks. The prophet surrounds themselves with devoted followers who would suffer grievous harm for their leader. Whenever the prophet is within 5 feet of a friendly creature they can see, the prophet’s AC increases by 2. ACTIONS Multiattack. The prophet makes two weapon attacks. Quarterstaff. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage or 4 (1d8) bludgeoning damage if used with two hands. Sling. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage. Spellcasting. The prophet casts one of the following spells, using Charisma as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 15): At will: dancing lights, message, shocking grasp 3/day each: comprehend languages, enlarge/reduce, sleep, suggestion 1/day each: counterspell, dispel magic, tongues REACTIONS Vatic Murmurs (Recharge 5–6). The prophet sees hints of future events, mumbling these revelations during battles. When a creature the prophet can see makes a saving throw, the prophet can make the creature reroll the saving throw. Alternatively, the prophet can reroll their own saving throw.
7 FIGHTER NPCS Fighters are great for GMs. Sometimes they can be dastardly villains, enacting their own ignoble ventures. At other times, they can be muscle for a client flush with gold and gems—the wizard, priest, or cultist with nefarious plans. Existing Stat Blocks The SRD presents the following NPC stat blocks for fighters: • The thug (CR 1/2), a low-level frontline combatant. Its potent combination of Pack Tactics and Multiattack offsets a low AC. • The veteran (CR 3), a fierce but straightforward opponent, boasting a high AC, ample hit points and up to three attacks each round. • The gladiator (CR 5), a mid-level combatant, using both spear and shield to attack while also using its reaction to parry away attacks. This leaves quite the spread for GMs who want to challenge their players with fighter-types. At very low levels, a small group of thugs may be challenging, while the veteran and gladiator are quite deadly. As the PCs grow in power and level, veterans and eventually gladiators become pedestrian, needing to attack in groups. A GM can supplement with monstrous foes, but this may do disservice to the storyline when the GM must do cartwheels to explain the presence of certain foes. A GM can add more NPCs, but this risks longer battles with more enemies choking the initiative order. A GM can create an NPC using character creation guidelines, but then the GM is reading a character sheet instead of a stat block. What we need are brand new fighter NPCs. New Fighters Two new NPC entries for fighters sit between the existing options: the soldier and the battlefield captain. Both use unique weapon maneuvers found in Beyond Damage Dice and Midgard Heroes Handbook. Both are frontline fighters a GM can throw at the characters when an unscrupulous warrior is called for. Soldier Unlike the thug, the soldier has proper training. Clad in better armor, the soldier wields more potent weapons. When surrounded by lesser warriors, the soldier assumes the role of tactician, directing allies to victory. SOLDIER Medium Humanoid (Any Race), Any Alignment ARMOR CLASS 14 (chain shirt) HIT POINTS 45 (7d8 + 14) SPEED 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 15 (+2) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) SKILLS Athletics +4 SENSES passive Perception 10 LANGUAGES Any one language (usually Common) CHALLENGE 1 (200 XP) PROFICIENCY BONUS +2 Brave. The soldier has advantage on saving throws against being frightened. ACTIONS Halberd. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d10 + 2) slashing damage. Tripping Attack. On a hit with a halberd attack, a target creature must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or be knocked prone. This maneuver may be used twice before a short or long rest. Morningstar. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) piercing damage. Bruising Blow. On a hit with a morningstar attack, a target creature must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or it cannot add its Dexterity modifier to AC until the start of its next turn. This maneuver may be used twice before a long rest. Javelin. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage. Fearsome Accuracy. On a hit with a javelin attack from a range of 30–120 feet, the target creature must make a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened of the soldier until the end of its next turn. This maneuver may be used twice before a long rest. BONUS ACTIONS Combat Direction. The soldier instructs an ally within 60 feet to use its reaction to Disengage and move up to half its speed.
8 Battlefield Captain The battlefield captain commands of a company of warriors. Even more than the soldier, the battlefield captain is a student of war and a master tactician, ordering around warriors during the fight. The battlefield captain is also a survivor and has learned to take advantage of the inexperience of his opponents. BATTLEFIELD CAPTAIN Medium Humanoid (Any Race), Any Alignment ARMOR CLASS 17 (half plate) HIT POINTS 150 (20d8 + 60) SPEED 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 18 (+4) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 10 (+0) 13 (+1) 15 (+2) SAVING THROWS Str +7, Wis +4 SKILLS Athletics +7, Insight +4, Intimidation +5, Perception +4 SENSES passive Perception 14 LANGUAGES Any two languages CHALLENGE 8 (3,900 XP) PROFICIENCY BONUS +3 Legendary Resistance. If the captain fails a saving throw, they can choose to succeed instead. This ability may be used three times before a long rest. ACTIONS Multiattack. The captain makes three melee attacks using one of the weapons below. Greatsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) slashing damage. Arcing Slash. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., two targets. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) slashing damage. Maul. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (1d12 + 4) bludgeoning damage. Hurling Impact. Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, range 10/20 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (1d12 + 4) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be pushed 15 feet away from the captain. Longbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 150/600 feet, one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) piercing damage. Pinning Shot On a hit with the captain’s longbow attack, a target creature must make a DC 12 Strength saving throw or be pinned in place. On a failed save, the target creature’s speed is reduced to 0 feet and cannot move until it uses its action to successfully remove the arrow with a DC 12 Strength check. This maneuver may be used three times before a long rest. BONUS ACTIONS Let Slip the Hounds of War (Recharge 4–6). The captain orders an ally within 60 feet to use their reaction to make a melee or ranged weapon attack against a creature. The ally has advantage on this attack if it attacked that creature in the last round. Second Wind. The captain recovers 15 (1d10 + 10) hp. This maneuver may be used once before a long rest. REACTIONS Battlefield Intuition. When a melee weapon attack misses the captain, they can make a Wisdom (Insight) check. If the result of this check exceeds the result of the creature’s attack roll, the captain has advantage on weapon attacks made against the creature until the end of the captain’s next turn. This reaction may be used three times before a short or long rest. Redirect Attack. The soldier instructs an ally within 60 feet to use its reaction to Disengage and move up to half its speed. NOTE ON USING MANEUVERS These NPCs each have several different weapons, along with an associated maneuver. Generally, an NPC should have only one weapon. Feel free to add different weapons and maneuvers from Beyond Damage Dice, but unless there’s a measurable benefit beyond a few points of damage, limit its usage to a number of times per day equal to the NPC’s proficiency bonus.
9 MAGE NPCS Endless storytelling beats call for mage NPCs, and often a lot of them at once. Existing Stat Blocks The SRD presents the following NPC stat blocks for mages: • The mage (CR 6), a 9th-level wizard, with the power to fly across the battlefield, launching fire and ice at their enemies. • The archmage (CR 12), an 18th-level wizard, a brilliant polyglot with the ability to teleport across continents and stop the flow of time. Creature Codex offers: • The battle mage (CR4), a 7th-level wizard who can overchannel spells, making their magic difficult to resist. • The blood mage (CR7), a 10th-level wizard who manipulates hemoglobin—their enemies’ or their own—to foul ends. • The voidwracked mage (CR8), a 9th-level wizard whose meddling led it to become fused to the event horizon of the void, becoming a dangerous force for entropy in the world. However, each Creature Codex mage is a specialist, not great for broader use, and they’re all for middle levels. Only two generic options exist, the mage and archmage, and they have a significant power spread (CR 6 and 12). More generalizable options at different levels are needed. New Mages Below are three new NPC mages: the graduate mage, the journey mage and the master mage. Each provides an all-purpose wizard at a different power level to use whenever you need an arcane spellcaster at a moment’s notice. Graduate Mage The graduate mage has completed studies at the wizard college and entered the world. The graduate mage can cast 2nd-level spells and might toil in an entry level position, managing the minions of a greater villain. GRADUATE MAGE Medium Humanoid (Any Race), Any Alignment ARMOR CLASS 12 (15 with mage armor) HIT POINTS 22 (4d8 + 4) SPEED 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 9 (–1) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 15 (+2) 12 (+1) 10 (+0) SAVING THROWS Int +4, Wis +3 SKILLS Arcana +4, History +4 SENSES passive Perception 11 LANGUAGES Any three languages CHALLENGE 2 (450 XP) PROFICIENCY BONUS +2 Spellcasting. The graduate mage is a 4th-level spellcaster. Their spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 12, +4 to hit with spell attacks). The mage has the following wizard spells prepared: Cantrips (at will): firebolt, light, mage hand, wind lash* (shocking grasp) 1st level (4 slots): detect magic, mage armor, magic missile, twist the skein* (thunderwave) 2nd level (3 slots): blur, daggerhawk* (scorching ray), hold person * See Deep Magic. If you don’t have this book, use the SRD spell in parentheses. ACTIONS Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage. Journey Mage The journey mage has grown in skill and can now expend magical energy to resist other magic. The journey mage can cast 4th-level spells, emerging from the shadow of past unscrupulous benefactors and enacting their own devious plots. JOURNEY MAGE Medium Humanoid (Any Race), Any Alignment ARMOR CLASS 12 (15 with mage armor) HIT POINTS 38 (7d8 + 7) SPEED 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 9 (–1) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 16 (+3) 12 (+1) 10 (+0)
10 SAVING THROWS Int +6, Wis +4 SKILLS Arcana +3, Insight +5, Sleight of Hand +4 SENSES passive Perception 11 LANGUAGES Any three languages CHALLENGE 4 (1,100 XP) PROFICIENCY BONUS +2 Arcane Stubbornness. As a reaction, the journey mage can expend a spell slot to reroll a saving throw against magic. Spellcasting. The journey mage is a 7th-level spellcaster. Their spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 14, +6 to hit with spell attacks). The mage has the following wizard spells prepared: Cantrips (at will): caustic touch (firebolt), light, mage hand, shocking grasp 1st level (4 slots): disguise self, mage armor, magic missile, shadow armor* (fog cloud) 2nd level (3 slots): heartache* (ray of enfeeblement), hold person, scorching ray 3rd level (3 slots): blink, counterspell, fly, ley energy bolt* (fireball) 4th level (1 slot): greater invisibility * See Deep Magic. If you don’t have this book, use the SRD spell in parentheses. ACTIONS Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage. Master Mage The master mage can cast 7th-level spells and expend arcane power to restore their own vigor. If not enacting their own evil scheme, the master mage might serve powerful barons or merchants, dreaming of one day becoming an archmage themselves. MASTER MAGE Medium Humanoid (Any Race), Any Alignment ARMOR CLASS 13 (16 with mage armor) HIT POINTS 71 (13d8 + 13) SPEED 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 9 (–1) 16 (+3) 12 (+1) 18 (+4) 12 (+1) 10 (+0) SAVING THROWS Int +8, Wis +5 SKILLS Arcana +8, History +8, Perception +5 SENSES passive Perception 15 LANGUAGES Any three languages CHALLENGE 9 (5,000 XP) PROFICIENCY BONUS +4 Arcane Rejuvenation. As a bonus action, the master mage can expend a 1st-level spell slot to recover 5 hit points. The master mage recovers 5 additional hit points for each slot above it sacrifices above first. Spellcasting. The master mage is a 13th-level spellcaster. Their spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 16, +8 to hit with spell attacks). The mage has the following wizard spells prepared: Cantrips (at will): chill touch, encrypt/decrypt* (mage hand), light, shocking grasp 1st level (4 slots): mage armor, fog cloud, magic missile, shield 2nd level (3 slots): hold person, misty step, mirror image, scorching ray 3rd level (3 slots): doom of dancing blades* (fear), fireball, fly, slow, vampiric touch 4th level (3 slots): confusion, desiccating breath* (fire shield), dimension door 5th level (2 slots): cone of cold, harrying hounds* (hold monster) 6th level (1 slot): disintegrate, true seeing 7th level (1 slot): magnificent mansion * See Deep Magic. If you don’t have this book, use the SRD spell in parentheses.
11 ACTIONS Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) piercing damage. NOBLE NPCS Often, members of the nobility linger at the periphery of adventure. However, power-hungry lords, entitled heirs, and regents sitting fat on the throne can pose an ultimate risk to heroes, who must pierce webs of intrigue to even come face-to-face with these subtle foes. Existing Stat Blocks The SRD presents a single NPC stat blocks for nobles: • The noble (CR 1/8), who has a meager 9 hp and can be bested by a stiff wind, making them pitiful combatants for all but the lowest level PCs. GMs will need weapons both subtle and gross to put in the hands of their noble NPCs. Reskinning Your Nobility One way to make noble NPCs more threatening in combat is through the age-old concept of reskinning. Given a noble’s background and skills, you might determine that a different NPC stat block is appropriate. • Was the king a renowned warrior in his youth? Perhaps he is a veteran (CR 3) or even a field commander (CR 10, see Southlands Worldbook). • Did the viscountess attend a wizarding college? Perhaps she is a mage (CR 6). • Did the twin scions spend their youths in the royal forests communing with nature? Perhaps they are scouts (CR 1/2) or even druids (CR 2). Sometimes however, you just want your noble just to be a noble. New Nobles To expand our options, below are three new noble NPCs: the peer, the heir apparent, and the monarch. Peer The peer is a higher-ranking noble such as a duke, countess, or earl. Despite their rank, they have spent years defending their lands and are versed in the conniving aspects of battle. PEER Medium Humanoid (Any Race), Any Alignment ARMOR CLASS 16 (breastplate) HIT POINTS 33 (6d8 + 6) SPEED 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 13 (+1) 13 (+1) 10 (+0) 15 (+2) SAVING THROWS Wis +5, Cha +4 SKILLS Athletics +3, Deception +4, Insight +2, Persuasion +4, Stealth +4 SENSES passive Perception 10 LANGUAGES Any three languages CHALLENGE 2 (450 XP) PROFICIENCY BONUS +2 ACTIONS Multiattack. The peer makes two rapier attacks. Rapier. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 2) piercing damage. Hand Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage. REACTIONS Counterstrike. When a creature the peer can see targets it with a melee weapon attack, the peer makes a melee weapon attack against the targeting creature. If the targeting creature misses with its attack, the peer has advantage on its attack. Redirect Attack. When a creature the peer can see targets it with an attack, the peer chooses an ally within 5 feet of it. The peer and ally swap places, and the ally becomes the target instead. Heir Apparent The heir apparent is the child of a monarch, raised from birth to succeed their parents in ruling the nation. These princes and princesses benefit from years of education from the best tutors, resulting in a well-rounded education of history, magic, and battle. HEIR APPARENT Medium Humanoid (Any Race), Any Alignment ARMOR CLASS 13 (leather armor) HIT POINTS 65 (10d8 + 20) SPEED 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 10 (+0) 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 17 (+3) 13 (+1) 14 (+2)
12 SKILLS Arcana +6, History +6, Medicine +4, Nature +6, Perception +4, Religion +6 SENSES passive Perception 14 LANGUAGES Any three languages CHALLENGE 4 (1,100 XP) PROFICIENCY BONUS +2 Spellcasting. The heir apparent casts one of the following spells, requiring no material components and using Intelligence as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 14): At will: mage hand, prestidigitation 3/day each: charm person, feather fall, jump 1/day each: invisibility ACTIONS Multiattack. The heir apparent makes two rapier attacks. Rapier. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 2) piercing damage, and the target must make a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw or all its speeds are reduced to 0 ft. until the end of its next turn. Firebolt. Ranged Spell Attack: +6 to hit, range 100 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d10) fire damage. Monarch The monarch is the highest noble in the nation, to whom all other nobles pay open allegiance. Monarchs call upon the combined power of their courts to defend themselves against foes, calling especially upon court mages, who ward the monarch from danger. Courtly blessings are minor worts gifted to the monarch by mages skilled in hedge magic. For different options, see hedge magic rules in Tome of Heroes. MONARCH Medium Humanoid (Any Race), Any Alignment ARMOR CLASS 15 (breastplate) HIT POINTS 99 (18d8 + 18) SPEED 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 12 (+1) 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 18 (+4) SKILLS Deception +8, Insight +7, Intimidation +8, Persuasion +8 SENSES passive Perception 12 LANGUAGES Any four languages CHALLENGE 6 (2,300 XP) PROFICIENCY BONUS +4 Special Equipment. The monarch has a crown, royal garb, and three of each of the Courtly Gifts. Always On Guard. When wearing the crown, the monarch can’t be surprised and has advantage on initiative checks. Magic Resistance. When wearing royal garb, the monarch has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. ACTIONS Multiattack. The monarch makes three attacks, or two attacks before using a Courtly Blessing. Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 2) slashing damage. Ray of Frost. Ranged Spell Attack: +8 to hit, range 60 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (2d8) cold damage, and the target’s speed is reduced by 10 feet until the end of its next turn. Courtly Gifts. The court botanists have given worts to the monarch to be consumed at a moment’s notice: • Champion’s Lavender. By smelling the lavender, the monarch recovers 10 hp. • Emperor’s Garlic. For one hour after chewing on the garlic, the monarch has resistance to poison damage and advantage on saving throws against poison. • Nimbus Daffodil. By splitting the stem in twain, a 20 ft. sphere of fog emanates from the monarch, functioning like a fog cloud spell. ROGUE NPCS Thieves, scoundrels, and other ne’er-do-wells are staples of the fantasy genre, ranging from heroic outlaws like Robin Hood, to con artists like Locke Lamora, and to reluctant burglars like Bilbo Baggins. GMs can easily present these rogues as foes, antiheroes, or convenient allies, skulking in alleys until they become relevant to the narrative. Existing Stat Blocks The SRD presents the following NPC stat blocks for rogues: • The spy (CR 1), an unarmored sneak with the features of a 3rd-level rogue. • The assassin (CR 8), a master of their craft, one of the deadliest humanoids in the core game. Creature Codex offers: • The scorpion assassin (CR8). • The thief lord (CR8). 12 Peculiar Towers offers: • The guild thief (CR4). There are still a lot of darkened city streets for our rogue NPCs to prowl.
13 New Rogues Three new roguish NPCs expand our options: the bravo, the impersonator, and the guild attorney. Bravo The bravo is the stepping-stone position between common thug and thieves’ guild initiate. A guild member might take a promising young hooligan, the bravo, under their wing, teaching them a few straightforward tricks of the trade. Ultimately, though, it’s the bravo’s willingness to do whatever it takes to survive and bring home a piece of the pie that will earn them their place in the guild. BRAVO Medium Humanoid (Any Race), Any Alignment ARMOR CLASS 13 (leather) HIT POINTS 27 (6d8) SPEED 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 10 (+0) 15 (+2) 13 (+1) 12 (+1) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) SKILLS Acrobatics +4, Perception +4, Sleight of Hand +4, Stealth +6 SENSES passive Perception 14 LANGUAGES Any one language and Thieves’ Cant CHALLENGE 1/2 (100 XP) PROFICIENCY BONUS +2 Sneak Attack. Once per turn, the bravo deals an extra 3 (1d6) damage when it hits a target with a weapon attack and has advantage on the attack roll, or when the target is within 5 feet of an ally of the bravo that isn’t incapacitated and the bravo doesn’t have disadvantage on the attack roll. ACTIONS Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) slashing damage. BONUS ACTIONS Dust in the Eyes (1/Short or Long Rest). The bravo tosses sand, dust, or some other irritant into the eyes of a creature within 10 ft. The target creature must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or be blinded for one minute. The target creature can use its action to clean its eyes, ending this condition. Sidestep. The bravo can move up to half its speed without incurring opportunity attacks Impersonator The impersonator is a guild member who readily imitates others with a bit of makeup and an appropriate costume. Impersonators are used to infiltrate banks, prisons, and high society events, often intimidating or assassinating the guild’s enemies before making audacious escapes from the scene of the crime. Guilds often recruit impersonators from failed or down on their luck actors, whose need for coin outstrips whatever scruples they may once have held.
14 IMPERSONATOR Medium Humanoid (Any Race), Any Alignment ARMOR CLASS 14 (leather armor) HIT POINTS 44 (8d8 + 8) SPEED 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 10 (+0) 16 (+3) 13 (+1) 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 15 (+2) SKILLS Deception +6, Insight +6, Intimidation +4, Perception +4, Persuasion +6, Stealth +5 SENSES passive Perception 14 LANGUAGES Any three languages and Thieves’ Cant CHALLENGE 3 (700 XP) PROFICIENCY BONUS +2 Adroit Retreat. The impersonator has advantage on ability checks and saving throws made while trying to flee combat. Donned Persona. After spending at least 1 minute observing a target creature, the impersonator creates a convincing portrayal of the target creature. The impersonator has advantage on all ability checks made to stay in character of a donned persona. Sneak Attack. Once per turn, the impersonator deals an extra 10 (3d6) damage when it hits a target with a weapon attack and has advantage on the attack roll, or when the target is within 5 feet of an ally of the impersonator that isn’t incapacitated and the impersonator doesn’t have disadvantage on the attack roll. ACTIONS Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 2) slashing damage, and the target must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw against poison or have all its speeds halved. The target creature must repeat the saving throw at the start of its next turn or fall asleep. Guild Attorney The guild attorney represents a guild’s legitimate business interests, and defends the members who have run afoul of the first rule of crime—“don’t get caught.” The guild attorney fights their battle with words, whether spoken or written. GUILD ATTORNEY Medium Humanoid (Any Race), Any Alignment ARMOR CLASS 16 (glamoured breastplate) HIT POINTS 85 (10d8 + 40) SPEED 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 10 (+0) 13 (+1) 14 (+2) 18 (+4) 16 (+3) 17 (+3) SKILLS Deception +5, History +6, Investigation +7, Insight +6, Intimidation +5, Persuasion +5 SENSES passive Perception 13 LANGUAGES Any four languages CHALLENGE 5 (1,800 XP) PROFICIENCY BONUS +3 Special Equipment. The guild attorney is using the glamoured breastplate armor and handy briefcase. ACTIONS Multiattack. The guild lawyer Blathers and then makes a Quill attack. Blather. The guild lawyer speaks 15 ft. cone of archaic words of law. Any creature in the cone who hears the guild lawyer must make a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 18 (4d8) psychic damage and is incapacitated until the end of its next turn. On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage and isn’t incapacitated. Quill. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 3 (1d4 + 1) slashing damage, and the target creature must make a DC 15 Intelligence saving throw. On a failed save, the guild lawyer is invisible to the target creature until the start of its next turn. Compelling Oration. The guild lawyer addresses one or more target creatures within 30 ft. regarding a matter of law or equity. Any target creature who can understand the guild lawyer must make a DC 14 Charisma saving throw or be charmed for 1 minute by the guild lawyer’s persuasive argument. This effect ends until the guild lawyer or its allies do anything harmful to the charmed creature.
15 New Magic Item A guild attorney is seldom sighted in public without their signature handy briefcase. HANDY BRIEFCASE Wondrous item, rare (requires attunement) This leather satchel is 11 by 14 by 4 inches, closed by adamantine latches and carried by an ivory handle. It functions like a handy haversack, but has 5 charges. • You can expend 1 charge to retrieve a mundane item of your choosing worth up to 50 gp. For the guild attorney, these items are commonly contracts or legal tomes. • You can expend 3 charges to instead retrieve a common magic item of your choosing. Anything you pull from the briefcase must be able to ordinarily fit inside the briefcase.
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