Fearsome: On first encountering this
Adapting Monsters for D20 Games
Best Left Buried monsters can be converted
into D20 games like D&D with ease using the
below guidelines:
Monsters have a Hit Dice (HD) for each 6
Vigour beyond 3. 0-3 Vigour = 0HD. 4-9
Vigour = 1HD. 10-16 Vigour = 2HD.
Brawn = Strength and Constitution
Wit = Charisma and Dexterity
Will = Intelligence and Wisdom
Stat -1 0 1 2 3 4 by.
Score 7 10 13 16 19 22
Monster Advancements
Acidic: If this monster hits with an attack,
defending player must make a DC 14
Dexterity save or have a weapon, tool, or
piece of armour be damaged (stat reduced by
1, or disadvantage to use it).
Amorphous: (Either once per day, or
recharging on a 6) This monster can
transform into a new form.
Aquatic: This monster can breathe
underwater. It has advantage on checks
made while underwater.
Beetle Flesh: When killed, the monster turns
into a swarm of rats, bats, worms or insects.
Unless this swarm is destroyed, the monster
reforms in D6 days.
Blinking: (Recharge on a 6) A monster can
use its action and movement to disappear
from view and move to a space up to 90 feet
away. This does not provoke opportunity
attacks.
Bloodthirsty: This monster has advantage on
attacks if the target has less than half of its
total HP.
Bloodscent: The monster has advantage
towards perception checks to detect targets
that are at less than half of their total HP.
Brittleskinned: This monster has
vulnerability to physical attacks.
Compressible: The monster moves at regular
speed through difficult terrain involving
Quick Reflexes: Enemies must pass a
monster, every character must make a DC14
Use the Stat to calculate the Ability Score, and
add small variations so the monster is
flavourful.
Calculate damage and spells by giving the
monster a weapon and scaling damage by
comparing it a D20 monster with similar hit
dice.
For Armour Class (AC), start at a AC 11 for a
target number of 8 and increase the AC by
two for every unit the target number increases
tight spaces, and it can move at half-speed
through impassable terrain due to tight
spaces.
Corpsemover: The monster can spend an
action to make a humanoid corpse
something unnatural, like glow, stand up or
dance.
Devour: The monster can spend an action
attempting to consume an enemy. The target
must make a Strength saving throw or be
immobilised. On subsequent turns, the
monster can repeat the action and have the
target make another Strength save. If the
target fails, they are fully consumed. This
will do different things depending on the
monster.
Disguise: The monster can pass as a certain
mundane object, such as a statue, part of the
floor or wall, or a piece of furniture.
Characters may need to make Perception
Checks to notice it.
Disorganised: This monster does not behave
in a rational or tactical manner: deliberately
play them suboptimally.
Elemental: The monster’s attacks deal a
damage type corresponding to the monster's
element. Also, the monster has resistance to
damage corresponding to its element.
Ethereal: This monster has resistance to
physical damage.
Wisdom save or become Frightened.
Fear of the Light: The monster has
disadvantage to attacks and Perception
checks while in sunlight.
Firebreathing: (Recharge on a 6) Uses an
action to breathe fire in a 15 ft cone. Deals
HDxD6 fire damage, DC14 Dexterity save for
half damage.
Flame-wreathed: If a character ends their
turn within 30 ft the monster, they take HD
fire damage.
Flesh-gorging: The monster can take an
action to feast on a recently deceased corpse
and regain HP equal to its number of hit dice.
Flying: The monster has a flying speed that
matches it’s walking speed.
Gelatinous Grip: When the monster attacks
the target must make a Strength save or be
Immobilized. On its turn, the target can use
its action and make a strength save to try and
escape.
Hex-Addled: This monster has disadvantage
on any saves vs. spells.
Hex-Proof: This monster has advantage on
any saves vs. spells.
Hulking: Ranged attacks made against the
monster have advantage. Double the
monster’s Constitution Bonus when
calculating HP. Tight tunnels, corridors,
rooms, or hallways may become difficult or
impassable terrain.
Ironshelled: Attacks made by weapons
against the monster have disadvantage.
Lifedrinker: The monster regains HP equal
to half all damage inflicted by its attacks on
living targets.
Luminescent: The monster emits light in a
(D6x10)ft radius.
Nimble: This monster may Disengage as a
bonus action.
Otherworldy Gaze: The monster can spend
an action to focus upon one enemy and force
them to make a DC14 Wisdom save with
disadvantage. If they fail, they become
Frightened. On a crit fail, they become
Dominated.
2
dexterity check to disengage from this
monster.
Rampage: When the monster takes damage, it
may immediately make an attack with
disadvantage against an adjacent enemy.
Razorclawed: Attacks made by the monster
have advantage and ignore physical damage
resistance.
Resistance: Choose a type of damage, like
fire, slashing, bludgeoning, piercing, acid,
lightning etc. The monster has resistance to
that type of damage.
Petrifying Gaze: (Recharge on a 6) The
monster can spend its action to attempt to
Petrify an enemy. The enemy must make a DC
14 Wisdom save or be immobilised. On its
next turn, the monster can spend an action to
repeat this and force the target to make
another Wisdom save. If the target fails, they
are fully turned to stone.
Shadowclad: Treat this monster as being
invisible while in a shadow.
Soulfeast: When the monster kills a target, it
regains a HD worth of HP.
Spider Climb: The monster can stick to walls
or ceilings, and can move across them at half-
speed.
Slippery: Any checks made to grapple or
restrain the monster are at disadvantage.
Undead: The monster cannot be targeted by
mind altering magics and does not have to
eat, breathe or drink.
Unstoppable: This monster doesn't feel pain,
is not effected by physical debilitations, and
cannot be critically hit.
Violent End: When the monster dies, it
explodes. Every monster within 10 feet must
make a DC 14 Dexterity save or take HDxd6
damage.
Weakness: Choose a type of damage, like fire,
slashing, bludgeoning, piercing, acid,
lightning etc. This monster has vulnerability
towards that type of damage.
Wound-Knitting: The monster recovers a HD
of HP per turn. Depending on the monster,
this might be disabled by acid, cold, holy or
fire damage.
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