Monster Fighting Styles
The best way to design exciting and fun combats to challenge
your players is by combining monsters of different fighting
styles. The fighting style gives each monster in the Fifth Edition
manual for monsters an archetype that dictates the
fundamental way to run the monster during combat. These
fighting styles consider the monster’s defensive and offensive
capabilities, unique features and attacks, and statistics. This
book features ten fighting styles.
Artillerist
Artillerist monsters possess traits and abilities that lend
themselves to fighting at a distance. An artillerist may rely on a
sling or crossbow or have ranged spell attacks.
Usually, artillerists have relatively low defensive capabilities;
therefore, they must keep plenty of distance between
themselves and their foes. Sometimes, artillerists hide behind
brutes and tanks who distract and take the full brunt of the
enemy’s attack.
Examples: drows, hobgoblins, wights
Brute
Brute monsters are melee damage dealers. Usually, a brute has
relatively low defensives but high hit points. A brute serves as a
distraction or a tank for their allies, particularly artillerists,
lurkers, and skirmishers.
Examples: bulettes, hill giants, ogres
Controller
Controllers use their features and traits to manipulate their
foes on the battlefield to their advantage. Creatures that affect
movement or impose conditions upon their enemies are
controllers. Controllers stand a little closer to the enemy than
artillerists but just behind brutes and tanks. Often, controller
tactics are a bit more complex and require more thinking on
your part, so limit controllers to only one or two per encounter.
Examples: druids, gibbering mouthers, harpies
Elite
Elite monsters are “upgraded” versions of similar monsters,
often serving as “mini-bosses.” They usually have higher
defensive capabilities than standard monsters of the same type,
such as increased hit points, saving throw proficiencies,
Legendary Actions, and Legendary Resistances. They usually
come with better damage-dealing capabilities, with improved
multiattack and bonus special attacks.
Elites are formidable opponents but do not have enough
features to qualify as solo creatures. They work alongside other
monsters, filling in for whatever role the group is missing.
Examples: adult dragons, bandit captains, liches
Lurker
Lurkers possess abilities that allow them to avoid attacks.
Creatures that turn invisible, those who can hide as a bonus
action, or those that can phase through walls between attacks
are usually lurkers.
Add lurkers to encounters where they can pop in and out of
combat, dealing damage with well-timed attacks.
Examples: invisible stalkers, specters, xorn
Minion
A minion is a monster with relatively low hit points and
offensive capabilities compared to everyone else participating
in the combat. These creatures rely on strength in numbers and
attack in huge waves.
At early levels, these are creatures with CR 0 or 1/8 and
rarely act more than a temporary distraction or way to slow
down the monsters’ enemies. At higher levels, many creatures
qualify as minions so long as a well-placed area-of-effect spell
or a few swipes of a sword can remove them from combat.
Examples: guards, kobolds, zombies
Skirmisher
Skirmishers are mobile creatures that constantly move
between attacks, keeping their foes on their toes.
Skirmishers don’t only serve as damage dealers but also act
as a way to draw party members away from the skirmisher’s
allies.
Examples: centaurs, goblins, will-o’-wisps
Tank
Tanks serve the other monsters as defenders, drawing the
enemies' attacks. Usually, a tank monster has high defenses but
average hit points. Their attacks are typical for monsters of
their challenge rating.
Tanks work best with monsters capable of dealing high
damage, such as artillerists, brutes, and skirmishers.
Examples: duergar, hobgoblins, knights
Solo Monsters
Solo monsters are elite monsters designed to appear as single
opponents against a well-equipped party. They come with solid
offensive and defensive capabilities. Additionally, these
creatures possess abilities that allow them to attack outside
their normal turn, such as Legendary Actions. Plus, they usually
have features that ensure they go first in combat, too, such as
Lair Actions which often occur on initiative count 20.
A solo encounter is usually worth 50% to 100% of the party’s
total adventuring day XP.
Examples: ancient dragons, solars, tarrasques
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Support
Support creatures come with features that allow them to aid
other monsters under their command or those working
alongside them. Their aid might act as a feature that improves
the damage capabilities of the rest of their group or allows
them to heal those near them.
Pair support creatures with monsters that would benefit the
most from the benefits they bestow on others.

Examples: acolytes, couatls, mummy lords