Monsters Spells

Blackguards Beacon of Valor

Blackguard Charlatan Charm Wall
Blackguard Knave Dark Gleam
Blackguard Recusant
Commoners Darting Bolt
Commoner Fealty's Clarion
Angry Mob Foment Intrigue
Nobles Glazier's Ace
Noble Courtier Greasebody
Noble Duelist
Noble Banneret Oathbind
Noble Chancellor Peaceshroud
Oathsworn Guardians Power Word: Hush
Oathsworn Acolyte Procession of Ancient
Oathsworn Arbiter Right
Oathsworn Guardian
Oathsworn Seneschal Quash Magic
Ruffians Render Judgement
Ruffian Street Tough Reveal Pedigree
Ruffian Thug
Ruffian Enforcer Sanctum Arms
Ruffian Rakehell Spell Cheat
Ruffian Cherrycat
Ruffian Ringleader Strip Masks
New Rules Tapping Cheat
Minions Unfasten
The Offering
Conditions Andreas Zafeiratos

Credits
Designer: Isaac Minarik (Conflux Creatures on Patreon)
Creative Consultants: Akira Metal, Baron Taurean
Helleshaar, Fang VonWrathenstein, Master Hercule
Schlagzeuger, Pontifex Mortis (Lords of the Trident on
Patreon)
Cover Illustration: The Offering by Andreas Zafeiratos
Based on the album The Offering by Lords of the Trident

Product Identity: The following items are hereby identified as Product Identity, as defined in the Open Game License version 1.0a,
Section 1(e), and are not Open Content: All trademarks, registered trademarks, proper names (characters, deities, etc.), dialogue,
plots, storylines, locations, characters, artwork, and trade dress. (Elements that have previously been designated as Open Game
Content or are in the public domain are not included in this declaration.)
Open Content: Except for material designated as Product Identity (see above), the game mechanics of this Conflux Creatures
game product are Open Game Content, as defined in the Open Gaming License version 1.0a Section 1(d). No portion of this work
other than the material designated as Open Game Content may be reproduced in any form without written permission. The The
Offering 5e Roleplaying Supplement is published by Conflux Creatures under the Open Game License version 1.0a. Copyright
2024 Conflux Creatures. All Rights Reserved
Blackguards
H
ateful as Nessus' gate is the person who
conceals one thing in their heart but speaks
another before the gods. To enter into an
oath, whether one of fealty, friendship, virtue,
or vengeance, is a burden not taken lightly; to
forswear it even less so, as the hand of every
honest person will turn against you, the
blessings of the gods will parch to dust, and all the evils of the
world will find their home upon your head.
Blackguard Charlatan Tactics
Blackguard charlatans attack directly only when they
outnumber foes, otherwise attempting to avert battle by
challenging the strongest among their opponents to single
combat, calling their allies to aid them if the fight turns
against them. If forced to fight without an overwhelming
advantage, they use their Raise the False Lord's Banner at
each opportunity as long as they have nearby allies to flank
with, and their Fearsome Gaze otherwise, fleeing once the
battle begins to turn against them.
Blackguard Knave Tactics
Blackguard knaves fight much as charlatans, but typically
fight to the death and begin combat with their Fearsome
Gaze against the most fragile-looking foe, then relentlessly
pursue it to the exclusion of all others, executing their chosen
foe with a coup-de-grace before moving on to other targets.
They initially use each of their reactions at the earliest
opportunity, but reserve their reaction for their Perfidious
Counter once reduced below half their hit points.
Blackguard Lore
History DC 10: "Submission or death!" sounds the cry of the
blackguard, weaponizing the instinctive fear and revulsion
inspired by their transgressions to great effect in battle. Both
in service to and as a consequence of this reputation,
blackguards are exceptionally deadly foes, fighting without
mercy or restraint and expecting no quarter.
History DC 15: Oaths are often complex things, fuzzy webs
of privilege and obligation that can easily come into conflict
with one another; while some might demand only efforts in
good faith to uphold them, others might provision for no
measure of failure short of death.
Typically, however, only violations that repudiate the very
spirit of the oath are sufficient to mark one an oathbreaker.
Religion DC 5: No mortal is so hated by the gods as those
called blackguard, false-hearted oathbreakers that willfully
shed the mantle of honor and are forever tainted by the act.
Religion DC 15: Those who truly violate their sacred oaths
in spirit are forever hunted and harassed by the evil powers
of the world, each seeking to recruit a future narzugon or
death knight, a marauder champion to head a conquering
host.
Religion DC 20: Only on the rarest of occasions can a
blackguard be redeemed through any means short of
honorable death, as the ceremony of atonement can
ordinarily be undertaken only before twelve peers of oath,
each personally attesting to the malfeasant's reformed spirit.
I see the fear that’s hidden in their eyes/ True valor
never yields; a charlatan’s the first to run and hide/
No escape so now you must decide/ Beg for your
life, or be buried with your pride.
Lords of the Trident, Charlatan
Knight of Malice
Sidharth Chaturvedi
Blackguard Charlatan
Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
Armor Class 18 (Plate Armor)
Hit Points 105 (14d8 + 42)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
18 (+4) 11 (+0) 17 (+3) 11 (+0) 14 (+2) 14 (+2)
Saving Throws WIS +5, CHA +5
Skills Deception +5, Intimidation +5
Senses Passive Perception 12
Languages Common
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
Forsworn Oaths. Whenever the blackguard makes a
saving throw against a spell with a divine source, it
takes 5 (1d10) psychic damage and gains a bonus
to its saving throw equal to the damage taken.
Actions
Multiattack. The blackguard makes three attacks
with its Treacherous Blade, one of which it may
replace with its Raise the False Lord's Banner.
Treacherous Blade. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit,
reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) slashing
damage.
This attack deals an additional 3 (1d6) slashing
damage to a creature Flanked by the blackguard.
Fearsome Gaze. One creature the blackguard can
see within 30 feet must succeed on a DC 13
Wisdom saving throw or become Frightened for
the next minute (Save Ends at end of turn).
Raise the False Lord's Banner (Recharge 4-6). The
blackguard hoists its banner high.
Each creature of the blackguard's choice within 60
feet that can see it gains advantage on the first
attack or Wisdom saving throw it makes before the
beginning of the blackguard's next turn.
Reactions
Blackguard's Challenge. When a Frightened creature
targets the blackguard with a ranged attack or spell,
the blackguard can force it to move its remaining
speed directly toward the blackguard.
Watch it go, fall into the shadow/ My toil a sacrifice
to the blackened maw below/ And all I know,
swallowed into the shadow/Just an offering to the
void; Just another stone to throw.
Lords of the Trident, Offering to the Void
Blackguard Knave
Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
Armor Class 18 (Plate Armor)
Hit Points 153 (18d8 + 72)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
18 (+4) 11 (+0) 18 (+4) 11 (+0) 14 (+2) 15 (+2)
Saving Throws CON +7, WIS +5, CHA +5
Skills Athletics +7, Deception +5, Intimidation +5
Condition Immunities Frightened
Senses Passive Perception 12
Languages Common
Challenge 8 (3,900 XP)
Fear-Eater. The blackguard scores a critical hit on a
roll of 17-20 on attacks made against a creature
that is Frightened.
Forsworn Oaths. Whenever the blackguard makes a
saving throw against a spell with a divine source, it
takes 5 (1d10) psychic damage and gains a bonus
to its saving throw equal to the damage taken.
Actions
Multiattack. The blackguard makes two attacks with
its Blooded Glaive and uses its Fearsome Gaze or
Perilous Sweep, if available.
Blooded Glaive. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit,
reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d10 + 4) slashing
damage.
On a critical hit, the target is pushed up to 10 feet
away and knocked prone.
Fearsome Gaze. One creature the blackguard can
see within 30 feet must succeed on a DC 13
Wisdom saving throw or become Frightened for
the next minute (Save Ends at end of turn).
Perilous Sweep (Recharge 5-6). The blackguard
makes an attack with its Blooded Glaive against
each other creature within 10 feet of it.
Reactions
Blackguard's Challenge. When a Frightened creature
targets the blackguard with a ranged attack or spell,
the blackguard can force it to move its remaining
speed directly toward the blackguard.
Perfidious Counter. When the blackguard is targeted
with a melee attack, it can add +3 to its AC against
the triggering attack.
If the attack misses, the blackguard can
immediately make a melee attack with
disadvantage.
 Blackguard Recusant
Medium humanoid (any race), any evil alignment
Armor Class 20 (Plate Armor, Shield)
Hit Points 238 (28d8 + 112)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
20 (+5) 11 (+0) 19 (+4) 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 18 (+4)
Saving Throws STR +9, CON +8, WIS +6, CHA +8
Skills Athletics +7, Deception +5, Intimidation +5
Condition Immunities Frightened
Senses Passive Perception 12
Languages Abyssal, Common, Infernal
Challenge 12 (8,400 XP)
Fear-Eater. The blackguard scores a critical hit on a roll
of 17-20 on attacks made against a creature that is
Frightened.
Forsworn Oaths. Whenever the blackguard makes a
saving throw against a spell with a divine source, it
takes 5 (1d10) psychic damage and gains a bonus to
its saving throw equal to the damage taken.
Magic Resistance. The blackguard has advantage on
saving throws against spells and magical effects.
Actions
Multiattack. The blackguard makes three melee attacks
and uses its Fearsome Gaze.
Maiming Hammer. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit,
reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (2d10 + 5)
bludgeoning plus 4 (1d8) necrotic damage.
This attack has advantage against a target more than 5
feet away from the blackguard.
Spiked Gauntlet. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach
5 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5) bludgeoning plus 4
(1d8) necrotic damage and the target is pushed up to
5 feet away.
On a critical hit, the target is knocked prone.
Fearsome Gaze. One creature the blackguard can see
within 30 feet must succeed on a DC 16 Wisdom
saving throw or become Frightened for the next
minute (Save Ends at end of turn).
Bonus Actions
Greaved Stomp. The blackguard deals 5 bludgeoning
damage to a prone creature within 5 feet.
Reactions
Blackguard's Challenge When a Frightened creature
targets the blackguard with a ranged attack or spell, the
blackguard can force it to move its remaining speed
directly toward the blackguard.
Crack Bones. When the blackguard scores a critical hit
with a melee attack, it can force the target to succeed
on a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or suffer a
lingering wound.
Until it completes a Long Rest, the target takes 5
(1d10) bludgeoning damage whenever it stands from
prone or is pushed.

Blackguard
Recusant Tactics
Blackguard recusants fight much as
knaves do, but specifically target
combatants with poor wisdom saving
throws, such as bards, fighters, rogues,
and sorcerers; first trying to gain
advantage with their Fearsome Gaze, then
making their first attack with their Spiked
Gauntlet if unable to frighten the foe.
They always use their Crack Bones
reaction at each opportunity against any
creature not already affected by it, afterwards
preferring to attack that target with their
Spiked Gauntlet.

I have tasted from the cup of pain/ I have endured

the countless lashes gave and never looked away/ I
have spat into the face of death/ You cannot take
when there is nothing left.
Lords of the Trident, Charlatan
Forsworn Paladin
Lorenzo Mastroianni

Commoners
Commoner
Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
Armor Class 10
Hit Points 4 (1d8)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
10 (+0) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 10 (+0)
Senses Passive Perception 10
Languages Common
Challenge 0 (10 XP)
Power of the Mob. When making Strength
(Athletics) checks and Wisdom saving throws to
avoid being Frightened, the commoner rolls an
additional d20 for each other commoner adjacent
to it and takes the highest result rolled.
Actions
Improvised Weapon. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to
hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 2 (1d4) bludgeoning
damage.
Trample. Target prone creature within 5 feet of the
commoner takes 1 bludgeoning damage for each
commoner adjacent to the target.
Commoner Lore
Nature DC 10: People, even adventurers, are fragile things,
endowed with more strength than durability. A wise warrior
never fights when outnumbered, even by unskilled opponents.
History DC 15: The common wisdom regarding the
decreased rationality brought on by "mob mentality" is little
more than long-since debunked reactionary propaganda. In
any sort of mass action, there are many subgroups and
unaligned individuals pursuing conflicting goals; rarely is any
crowd aligned to a single goal without a clear threat of
violence to each individual to unify them.
Rally the Peasants
Jaime Jones
Angry Mob
Huge swarm of Medium humanoids (any race), any
alignment
Armor Class 10
Hit Points 63 (14d8)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
14 (+2) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 10 (+0)
Senses Passive Perception 10
Damage Resistances Damage from Attacks
Condition Immunities Frightened, Grappled,
Paralyzed, Petrified, Prone, Restrained, Stunned
Languages Common
Challenge 2 (450 XP)
Tide of Numbers. When the mob moves, each
creature in the mob's space must succeed on a DC
12 Strength saving throw or be moved with it.
Crushing Bodies. A prone creature that starts its turn
in the mob's space must succeed on a DC 12
Strength saving throw or have its movement
reduced to 0 until the end of its turn.
Swarm. The mob can occupy another creature's
space and vice versa, and the mob can move
through any opening large enough for a medium
creature. The mob can't regain hit points or gain
temporary hit points.
Actions
Improvised Weapons. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to
hit, reach 0 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (6d4 + 2)
bludgeoning damage. If the mob has more than half
of its hit points, the target must succeed on a DC
12 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
Trample. Each prone creature in the mob's space
takes 1 bludgeoning damage for each 5 hit points
the mob has.
Nobles
N
obility is forged in fire and blood, a record
of the lineages successful in taking what
was not theirs and preventing others from
doing the same. War is the domain to
which they are born, as is work to the
commoner and prayer to the cleric, and
those who mistake the genteel masks by
which they navigate interludes of peace for their true faces
are doomed to an early and ignominious grave.
Noble Lore
Arcana DC 15: While it is common knowledge among
arcanists that certain noble bloodlines maintain esoteric
magic traditions going back centuries, learning such magics
has proven markedly difficult, as those taught these secrets
are bound by magic oaths not to divulge them to any outside
their circle of peerage.
History DC 10: Battle among nobility is usually governed by
strict rules of etiquette, including customs of capture and
ransom. Those adventurers with the means to quarter
captives, therefore, often view hostile nobles as an exotic
form of loot more than as enemy combatants.
History DC 15: Induction into the peerage of nobility can be
hereditary or honorary, but is always premised on deeds of
might and conquest, both those marked by history and those
promised in the future. After all, no group declaring a right to
rulership can maintain itself without strength of arms and a
voracious will to power.
Noble Tactics
Nobles in general rush to the center of fighting to
demonstrate their bravery and skill-at-arms to their peers,
surrendering or retreating only once injured, or if more than
half of their remaining allies have done so.
Against foes they recognize as peers in nobility, nobles
typically attack nonlethally, and operate on the assumption
that they will be returned the same courtesy, and that area-of-
effect and enchantment spells won't be used against them.
They yield if wounded and outnumbered, and typically spare
noble enemies attempting to yield.
Against foes they do not recognize as nobility, or who prove
themselves unbound to the noble's etiquette of combat, they
fight without mercy and retreat as soon as they take any
damage or are outnumbered to muster more forces.
Noble Courtier Tactics
Noble courtiers prioritize targets that threaten the most
influential noble present. If they have personal guards with
them, they will attempt to move into melee range, then call
their allies to do the same with their Call to Service,
attacking from the second turn onward, and using their Call
to Service once more to cover their retreat when fleeing
combat. They use their Bon Mot if missed with the first
attack made against them in a turn, and their Deft Parry at
each opportunity.
Kings and Warlords. If your setting has both a stable
nobility and individuals of exceptional personal
power, there should be a reason why the nobles
have not been deposed by them.
If they are not among the most powerful
warriors of your setting, nobles must maintain their
position through the protection of others who are,
either through vassalage and tribute to mighty
guardians such as dragons and archwizards, or
through inspiring genuine loyalty in the same,
perhaps through shared lineage or an essential role
in a prophesied future.
Kenrith the Returned King
Kieran Yanner
Noble Titles Noble Duelist Tactics
Noble titles vary across regions and time periods, but Duelists attempt to initiate duels whenever they fear that not
typically make specific reference to size and importance of doing so will result in damage to their reputation. In combat,
the noble's landholdings and responsibilities. they use their Duelist's Eye whenever available, using their
The definitions presented here are much more cleanly reaction for Bon Mot if missed with their enemy's first attack
divided than any real historical system was, but hopefully will in a turn, their Seamless Ripost if missed with their enemy's
serve to inform your presentation of nobility in your setting. last attack, and their Deft Parry at each opportunity. Outside
the context of a duel, duelists try to find a single opponent
Title Meaning separated from its allies to face off against.
Knight Owner of heraldic arms and mounts.
Baron, Castellan Landowner that maintains a small Noble Banneret Tactics
force of warriors. If mounted and fighting against enemies on foot, bannerets
Viscount A ranking assistant to a count, earl, move into range to attack with their Argent Lance, then
or marquess retreat each turn, using their Raise Banner if allied cavalry
Chief, Count, Ruler of a county. are not yet trapped in melee, or their Lancer's Command to
Minister, Vizier help their allies disengage for another charge otherwise.
Against mounted foes or if their mount takes any damage,
Earl, Jarl A ruler of a county who is also a key
military leader
they shatter their lance against an enemy at the first
opportunity and switch to their Ancestral Blade.
Marcher Lord, The ruler of a march, a border county
Marquess, Margrave considered critical for a region's
defense Noble Chancellor Tactics
Chancellor, Duke, Ruler of a duchy, a province or large
Chancellors stay within 5 ft. of at least two allies whenever
High Chief, Prime tribal region. Duchies are possible, ideally those closest to them in initiative. They begin
Minister, Grand distinguished from counties combat with their Foment Intrigue, then alternate between
Vizier primarily by being desirable and their Strip Masks and multiattack, staying where their allies
high-status places to rule, relative to are densest to benefit from their Bonds of Devotion and
surrounding counties. Armor of Allegiance.
Archduke, Grand Ruler of a kingdom containing With their Legendary Actions, they typically use their
Duke, Hegemon, several provinces. Armor of Allegiance first, then their Marshall Arms as long as
King, Sovereign they have two available allies to target, preferring their Gilded
Emperor, Great The ruler of a kingdom that has Scepter over it only against an enemy that is severely
Speaker, High King, conquered or vassalized other wounded..
King-of-Kings, kingdoms.
Master King,
Supreme Chief

Aragorn the Uniter

Javier Charro
Noble Courtier
Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
Armor Class 12
Hit Points 22 (4d8 + 4)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
14 (+2) 15 (+2) 12 (+1) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 14 (+2)
Skills Insight +4, Persuasion +4
Senses Passive Perception 12
Languages Any two languages
Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)
Silver Tongue. The noble has advantage on Charisma
checks made to interact with guards or other
figures of authority.
Heraldic Arms. While the noble is armed, creatures
proficient in History can determine, by sight, the
noble's station and lineage.
Actions
Court Smallsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit,
reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing
damage.
Call to Service. The noble calls to a friendly creature
within 30 feet, allowing it to use its reaction to
move up to half its speed or make a melee attack.
Reactions
Deft Parry. When the noble would be hit with a
melee attack, it can add +2 to its AC against the
triggering attack.
Bon Mot. When the noble is missed with a melee
attack, it can make a cutting remark.
The target gains disadvantage on the next attack it
makes against the noble this turn.
Judicial Duels vs Honor Duels. While judicial duels
(Trials by Combat) are more likely to be fought to
the death, honor duels need not be.
Their purpose is typically to assure everyone
involved (most especially spectators), that neither
party can be disrespected without consequence,
and that both parties are brave and skilled enough
to enter a duel.
Honor duels may last until one combatant is
bloodied (reduced below 1/2 HP), a set number of
rounds, until one combatant lands a set number of
hits on the other, or until one combatant has taken
a set amount of damage.
Noble Duelist
Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
Armor Class 14 (Leather Armor)
Hit Points 55 (10d8 + 10)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
14 (+2) 17 (+3) 13 (+1) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 16 (+3)
Skills Athletics +5, Insight +4, Persuasion +5
Senses Passive Perception 12
Languages Any two languages
Challenge 2 (450 XP)
Silver Tongue. The noble has advantage on Charisma
checks made to interact with guards or other
figures of authority.
Heraldic Arms. While the noble is armed, creatures
proficient in History can determine, by sight, the
noble's station and lineage.
Actions
Multiattack. The noble makes two attacks with its
Engraved Rapier.
Engraved Rapier. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit,
reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing
damage.
On a critical hit, the target is pushed up to 5 feet
and must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving
throw or drop one item it is holding.
Bonus Actions
Parrying Dagger. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit,
reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) piercing
damage.
Duelist's Eye (Recharge 4-6). The noble focuses its
attention on a humanoid creature it can see.
Until the beginning of its next turn, the noble
regains its reaction whenever that creature misses
it with a melee attack.
Reactions
Deft Parry. When the noble would be hit with a
melee attack, it can add +2 to its AC against the
triggering attack.
Seamless Riposte. When the noble is missed with a
melee attack, it can move up to 5 feet and make an
attack with its Engraved Rapier.
Bon Mot. When the noble is missed with a melee
attack, it can make a cutting remark.
The target gains disadvantage on the next attack it
makes against the noble this turn.
 Noble Ransoms
Noble Banneret Capturing a Noble. A noble captured alive in the context of a
legitimate mutual grievance, such as on a battlefield, can be
Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
ransomed to its family or liege for a base amount determined
Armor Class 16 (Breastplate) by the noble's wealth, which may be modified by up to 50%
Hit Points 105 (14d8 + 42) based on how well-liked they are and how skilled of
Speed 30 ft. negotiators their captors are.
Assessing Value. A creature familiar with local politics
can determine a reasonable base ransom and expected
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA negotiation period with a successful DC 15 Intelligence
18 (+4) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 15 (+2) 16 (+3) (History) check. A creature that rolls 25 or higher on this
check can reduce the DC to negotiate a ransom by 5.
Skills Athletics +6, Perception +4, Persuasion +5 Negotiating Ransom. The length and difficulty of
Senses Passive Perception 14 negotiation is determined by the base ransom amount. The
Languages Any two languages noble's patron and family will privately determine an amount
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP) they are willing to pay. A captor asking for more than that
fails the check automatically. A captor asking for 50% or less
Silver Tongue. The noble has advantage on Charisma than that has advantage on their check. A captor asking for
checks made to interact with guards or other 10% or less than that succeeds automatically. If asked to
figures of authority. make an offer, the noble's captors or patron will offer 10% of
the Base Ransom.
Heraldic Arms. While the noble is armed, creatures Making a check to negotiate a ransom involves a number of
proficient in History can determine, by sight, the
noble's station and lineage.
missives and exchanges, and takes a period determined by
the base ransom amount. A captor may begin another
Actions negotiation attempt as soon as the previous one fails, and
may re-try without limit so long as their captive lives.
Multiattack. The noble makes two attacks with its Accommodating Noble Prisoners. If granted luxurious
Ancestral Blade. accommodations and chivalrous treatment in captivity, nobles
Argent Lance. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit,
will typically not seek vengeance against their captors, as
reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (2d12 + 4) piercing they may be captured again in the future. Doing so can be
damage. expensive, however, and less wealthy captors may need to
accept a lower fee in order to relieve themselves of the
If the noble is mounted and moved at least 20 feet financial burden.
toward the target this round, it can make this hit Escapes and Rescue Attempts. Nobles may attempt to
score a critical. If it does, the target is knocked
prone and the lance is destroyed.
escape or their families may make attempts to rescue them.
This is usually considered acceptable within the etiquette of
Ancestral Blade. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, capture and is not generally thought to merit recompense or
reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) piercing reprisals. A minimal guard is included in the listed cost of
damage. accommodation, though such efforts are not foolproof.
Bonus Actions Base Negotiation Negotiation Cost of
Wealth Ransom DC Period Accommodation
Lancer's Command. Each friendly mounted creature
within 30 feet can use its reaction to move up to No Land 200 gp 14 1 day 2 gp/Day
half its mount's speed without provoking Village 500 gp 16 3 days 3 gp/Day
opportunity attacks.
Village, 1,000 gp 18 5 days 5 gp/Day
Raise Banner (Recharge 4-6). The noble hoists its Small
banner high. Castle
Each friendly creature within 30 feet that can see it Town, 2,000 gp 20 10 days 8 gp/Day
gains advantage on the first attack or Wisdom Large
saving throw it makes before the beginning of the Castle
noble's next turn. Border 5,000 gp 22 15 days 10 gp/Day
Region,
Reactions Multiple
Castles
Scorn Death (1/Day). When the noble fails a saving
throw against a spell or magical effect, it can move City 10,000 gp 24 20 days 12 gp/Day
up to half its speed toward the effect's source.
County 30,000 gp 26 25 days 14 gp/Day
If it does, each other friendly creature within 30 Kingdom 500,000 gp 28 1 month 18 gp/Day
feet ignores the effects of being Frightened until
the end of the noble's next turn. Empire 1,000,000+ 30 1 month 25 gp/Day
gp
Noble Chancellor
Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
Armor Class 16 (Breastplate)
Hit Points 204 (24d8 + 96)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
18 (+4) 14 (+2) 18 (+4) 18 (+4) 16 (+3) 20 (+5)
Skills Athletics +9, Deception +10, Insight +8,
Perception +8, Persuasion +10
Senses Passive Perception 14
Languages Any four languages
Challenge 16 (15,000 XP)
Silver Tongue. The noble has advantage on Charisma
checks made to interact with guards or other figures of
authority.
Sanctum Arms. When the noble rolls initiative in its lair,
it and each creature of its choice within 120 feet has
its AC increased to 16, if it is lower, and can conjure a
weapon to their hands.
Bonds of Devotion. When the noble is targeted with an
attack or spell, a friendly creature within 5 feet can use
its reaction to change the attack or spell's target to
itself.
Actions
Multiattack. The noble makes two attacks with its
Gilded Scepter, one of which it can replace with a use
of its Foment Intrigue or Oathbind.
Gilded Scepter. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach
5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) bludgeoning plus 7
(2d6) radiant damage.
Foment Intrigue (4th Level Spell, Concentration). The
noble sends insidious thoughts whispering through the
minds of two creatures it can see within 60 feet.
At the beginning of each creature's turn, it must
succeed on a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw or become
hostile to the other target and indifferent to all other
creatures until the beginning of its next turn.
If both targets succeed on their saving throw in a
round, the effect ends.
Spellbound by the masquerade/ Caught inside a
trance/ And blinded to the strings they tie/ That
force you to dance/ Drowning in their crimson
wine/ It permeates your soul/ Manifest the tempo
of your mind/ Caught in the dance of control.
Lords of the Trident, Dance of Control
Oathbind (5th Level Spell). The noble binds a willing
creature to an oath it made in the last minute, cursing
it.
The Cursed creature cannot voluntarily take positive
actions directly contrary to that oath, and the noble
knows if this curse ends for it.
Strip Masks (Recharge 5-6, 7th Level Spell). The noble
touches a creature and forces it to make a DC 18
Charisma saving throw.
On a failure, the target takes 54 (12d8) radiant damage
and each illusory, shapechanging, or mind-affecting
magic affecting it ends.
This damage can’t reduce the target’s hit points below
1.
Reactions
Weighty Parry. When the noble would be hit with a
melee attack, it can add +5 to its AC against the
triggering attack.
The next attack made against the noble before the
beginning of its next turn has advantage.
Procession of Ancient Right (3rd Level Spell). When the
noble rolls initiative, it can force each creature of his
choice within 30 feet to succeed on a DC 18 Wisdom
saving throw or have their initiative reduced by 5, to a
minimum of 0.
Fealty's Clarion (1/Day, 8th Level Spell). When the noble
is reduced below 103 hit points, it can summon two
Oathsworn Acolytes in unoccupied spaces it can see
within 30 feet.
Legendary Actions
The noble can take two legendary actions, choosing
from the options below.
Gilded Scepter. The noble makes an attack with its
Gilded Scepter.
Armor of Allegiance. The noble moves up to half its
speed. Until the beginning of its next turn, the noble
has +1 AC for each friendly creature within 5 feet of it.
Marshall Arms. Up to two friendly humanoid creatures
the noble can see can each use their reaction to move
up to half their speed and make a melee attack.
Oathsworn Guardians

I
ncontestable are the judgments of those sworn to
guard The Balance, those servants of civilization
itself who, renouncing all joys and sorrows, pledge
their lives and deaths to the cultivation of peace and
the prosperity it brings. Let none who act in malice
rest easy, and woe betide any called to stand before a
guardian's blade.
Oathsworn Lore
Arcana DC 20: While many students of the arcane are quick
to dismiss the brute magic of pure conviction, the capacity for
oaths to shape the soul and stretch into the outside world is
undeniable, waxing as a devotee's commitment to and
understanding of their axis of belief is tested by experience.
History DC 10: The Guardians are an order of itinerant
warrior-judges whose disconnection from any outside
influence makes them ideal impartial arbiters. By ancient
custom their sworn members are granted the freedom to
pronounce judgement across borders and social classes,
though the limits of that power are rarely tested.
History DC 15: The ranks of the Guardians have been filled
by prince and peasant alike, their mountain holdfasts serving
as sanctuary from the wilding winds of chaos and furnaces in
which bodies and spirits are tempered and shaped to serve
The Balance.
Religion DC 15: The oaths of Guardians demand that they
consider peace and stability over all things in their
judgements, even at the expense of justice; to eradicate evil is
a pursuit of utmost hubris, after all.
Acolytes that are found unable to abide a balance between
powers, to temper their justice with mercy and their fervor
with prudence, rarely manage to advance beyond that rank.
Oathsworn Acolyte Tactics
Oathsworn acolytes usually travel in the company of an
arbiter or guardian; in combat they will generally stay close to
their mentor, attacking the same targets as it. If their first
attack misses, they replace their second one with a use of
their Valorous Aid to trigger their Tempered Soul.
If they see a friendly creature knocked prone or attacked
with advantage, they move to it and use their Guard Back,
provoking opportunity attacks to do so if necessary.
Acolytes fight to the death unless commanded to retreat.
Oathsworn Arbiter Tactics
Oathsworn Arbiters begin combat with their Render
Judgement against the most formidable foe they expect to be
affected by it, then focus all their attention on it until it is
reduced to 0 hit points. They use their Valorous Aid to assist
any ally that is Charmed or Frightened, and their Measured
Mercy whenever they reduce a creature to 0 hit points for the
first time, sparing any foe that flees or surrenders. If
wounded and outnumbered, they will
attempt to send their allies away and guard
their retreat with a final stand.

Dub
Bastien L. Deharme

Will you light a fire/When the world is bitter and

cold?/Will you build the pyre/Out of that which
you carry around in your soul?/Can you feed the
flames/With the kindling of memories old?/Will
they speak your name?/Over and over and over the
story is told.
Lords of the Trident, Legend
Through many years/And bloody tears/I cursed the
sky for I was weak/Vengeance I did seek/Forgo my
name/Renounce my claim/And a guardian was
born/On my blood an oath was sworn.
Lords of the Trident, Charlatan
Oathsworn Acolyte
Medium humanoid (any race), any lawful alignment
Armor Class 17 (Mail Coat, Shield)
Hit Points 52 (8d8 + 16)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
16 (+3) 13 (+1) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 14 (+2)
Saving Throws WIS +4, CHA +4
Skills History +3
Senses Passive Perception 12
Languages Common
Challenge 2 (450 XP)
Tempered Soul. If the acolyte ends its turn without
dealing damage, it gains resistance to the first
source of damage it takes before the beginning of
its next turn.
Actions
Multiattack. The acolyte makes two attacks with its
Arming Sword, each of which it can replace with a
use of its Valorous Aid or Guard Back.
Arming Sword. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit,
reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) slashing
damage.
Valorous Aid. The acolyte assists a creature within 5
feet, granting it advantage on the first attack or
saving throw it makes before the end of its next
turn.
Guard Back. The acolyte shields a creature within 5
feet.
Until the beginning of the acolyte's next turn,
attacks against the target can't gain advantage while
it is within 5 feet of the acolyte.
Reactions
Student of Arms. When a friendly humanoid creature
of CR 5 or greater that the acolyte can see within
30 feet hits a creature with a weapon attack, the
acolyte can move up to half its speed and make an
attack against the same target.
Oathsworn Arbiter
Medium humanoid (any race), any lawful alignment
Armor Class 18 (Plate Armor)
Hit Points 120 (16d8 + 48)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
18 (+4) 13 (+1) 16 (+3) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 16 (+3)
Saving Throws CON +6, WIS +5, CHA +6
Skills History +4, Insight +5, Persuasion +6
Senses Passive Perception 12
Languages Common
Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)
Tempered Soul. If the arbiter ends its turn without
dealing damage, it gains resistance to the first
source of damage it takes before the beginning of
its next turn.
Unyielding Will. At the beginning of the arbiter's
turn, each Charmed or Frightened creature within
10 feet of it can make a saving throw to end the
condition.
Actions
Multiattack. The arbiter makes two attacks with its
Oathglow Partisan, each of which it can replace
with a use of its Valorous Aid or Render Judgement.
Oathglow Partisan. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit,
reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d10 + 4) piercing
plus 4 (1d8) radiant damage.
Valorous Aid. The arbiter assists a creature within 5
feet, granting it advantage on the first attack or
saving throw it makes before the end of its next
turn.
Render Judgement (Recharge 5-6, 3rd Level Spell).
One creature the arbiter can see within 30 feet
must succeed on a DC 14 Charisma saving throw
or take 13 (3d8) radiant damage and be Cursed.
Whenever the cursed creature takes any damage, it
takes an additional 4 (1d8) radiant damage if it
reduced a creature to 0 hit points in the last hour.
Reactions
Measured Mercy. When the arbiter reduces a
creature to 0 hit points, it can allow the target to
yield.
If the target does, it is instead reduced to 1 hit
point, and each of the target's allies within 30 feet
gains disadvantage on attacks and Wisdom saving
throws until the end of their next turn.
 Oathsworn Guardian While this weapon is drawn, hostile creatures within 5
feet of its wielder have disadvantage on attacks that
Medium humanoid (any race), any lawful alignment
don't target a creature wielding this weapon.
Armor Class 18 (Plate Armor) Beacon of Valor (1st Level Spell). Each other friendly
Hit Points 187 (22d8 + 88) creature within 30 feet that can see the guardian gains
Speed 30 ft. advantage on the first attack or saving throw it makes
before the end of its next turn.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Render Judgement (3rd Level Spell). One creature the
guardian can see within 30 feet must succeed on a DC
20 (+5) 14 (+2) 19 (+4) 16 (+3) 15 (+2) 18 (+4) 16 Charisma saving throw or take 13 (3d8) radiant
damage and be Cursed.
Saving Throws CON +8, WIS +6, CHA +8
Skills History +7, Insight +6, Persuasion +8 Whenever the cursed creature takes any damage, it
Senses Passive Perception 12 takes an additional 4 (1d8) radiant damage if it reduced
Languages Common a creature to 0 hit points in the last hour.
Challenge 9 (5,000 XP) Peaceshroud (1/Day, 4th Level Spell, Concentration). A
stilling glow exudes from the guardian in a 30 foot
Tempered Soul. If the guardian ends its turn without radius for the next hour.
dealing damage, it gains resistance to the first source A creature that starts its turn in the area or enters it for
of damage it takes before the beginning of its next the first time on a turn must succeed on a DC 16
turn. Wisdom saving throw or be unable to take hostile
Unyielding Will. At the beginning of the guardian's turn, actions until the beginning of its next turn.
each Charmed or Frightened creature within 20 feet of
it can make a saving throw to end the condition. Reactions
Measured Mercy. When the guardian reduces a creature
Actions to 0 hit points, it can allow the target to yield.
Multiattack. The guardian makes two attacks with its If the target does, it is instead reduced to 1 hit point,
Guardian's Blade, one of which it can replace with a use and each of the target's allies within 30 feet gain
of its Beacon of Valor. disadvantage on attacks and Wisdom saving throws
Guardian's Blade. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach until the end of their next turn.
10 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (2d12 + 5) piercing plus 9 Release the Blade (1/Day). When the guardian draws its
(2d8) radiant damage. blade for the first time that day, it can force each
humanoid creature of its choice within 30 feet to
succeed on a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or be
Turned for the next minute (Save Ends at end of turn).

Oathsworn Guardian Tactics

Oathsworn guardians fight much as arbiters do,
though will begin combat with their Peaceshroud
as they attempt to talk enemies out of fighting,
following up with their Render Judgement and
Beacon of Valor if supported by allies. They
draw their blade only against enemies that have
demonstrated themselves beyond reason.
Oathsworn Seneschal Tactics
Oathsworn seneschals typically leave their
mountain holdfasts to fight only against
the direst of threats or to bring to heel
those of their own order who have
strayed. In combat they fight as
guardians do. While attempting to de-escalate
combat, they use their action to Dodge while
Peaceshroud is active, and their legendary
actions on Quell Fury and Render Judgement
each turn, switching to their Guardian's Blade Livio, Oathsworn Sentinel
once it is drawn. Kekai Kotaki
Oathsworn Seneschal
Medium humanoid (any race), any lawful alignment
Armor Class 18 (Plate Armor)
Hit Points 285 (30d8 + 150)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
21 (+5) 14 (+2) 20 (+5) 16 (+3) 17 (+3) 19 (+4)
Saving Throws CON +11, WIS +9, CHA +10
Skills History +9, Insight +9, Persuasion +10
Senses Passive Perception 12
Languages Common
Challenge 17 (18,000 XP)
Tempered Soul. If the guardian ends its turn without
dealing damage, it gains resistance to the first source
of damage it takes before the beginning of its next
turn.
Unyielding Will. At the beginning of the guardian's turn,
each Charmed or Frightened creature within 20 feet of
it can make a saving throw to end the condition.
Fulcrum of the Balance. Whenever the seneschal makes
a saving throw against a spell or magical effect that
imposes a condition, it can force a creature it can see
within 30 feet to make a saving throw against the same
effect.
Whenever a condition affecting the seneschal ends, it
can end the same condition on a creature it can see
within 30 feet.
Actions
Multiattack. The seneschal makes three attacks with its
Guardian's Blade and uses its Beacon of Valor.
Guardian's Blade. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit,
reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (2d12 + 5) piercing
plus 9 (2d8) radiant damage.
While this weapon is drawn, hostile creatures within 5
feet of its wielder have disadvantage on attacks that
don't target a creature wielding this weapon.
Acolyte, no one lives in black and white/ Ignore the
evil that you know/And watch it feast upon your
soul/Acolyte, fear the mourning of the light/That
which is growing in your soul/Should heed the
reins of your control.
Lords of the Trident, Acolyte
Beacon of Valor (1st Level Spell). Each other friendly
creature within 30 feet that can see the seneschal
gains advantage on the first attack or saving throw it
makes before the end of its next turn.
Peaceshroud (1/Day, 4th Level Spell, Concentration). A
stilling glow exudes from the seneschal in a 30 foot
radius for the next hour.
A creature that starts its turn in the area or enters it for
the first time on a turn must succeed on a DC 18
Wisdom saving throw or be unable to take hostile
actions until the beginning of its next turn.
Reactions
Measured Mercy. When the guardian reduces a creature
to 0 hit points, it can allow the target to yield.
If the target does, it is instead reduced to 1 hit point,
and each of the target's allies within 30 feet gain
disadvantage on attacks and Wisdom saving throws
until the end of their next turn.
Release the Blade (1/Day). When the guardian draws its
blade for the first time that day, it can force each
humanoid creature of its choice within 30 feet to
succeed on a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw or be
Turned for the next minute (Save Ends at end of turn).
Legendary Actions
The seneschal can take 2 legendary actions, choosing
from the options below.
Quell Fury. The seneschal places a hand on a creature
within 5 feet, granting it advantage on Wisdom saving
throws and disadvantage on attacks until the end of its
next turn.
Render Judgement (3rd Level Spell). One creature the
seneschal can see within 30 feet must succeed on a
DC 18 Charisma saving throw or take 13 (3d8) radiant
damage and be Cursed.
Whenever the cursed creature takes any damage, it
takes an additional 4 (1d8) radiant damage if it reduced
a creature to 0 hit points in the last hour.
Guardian's Blade (Costs 2 Actions). The seneschal moves
up to half its speed and makes an attack with its
Guardian's Blade.
Guardian's Blade
Weapon (greatsword), rare (requires attunement by a
creature of a neutral alignment)
This sword has two charges, and regains all charges when
you restore hope to a despairing creature.
When you draw this weapon, you can spend one or both
charges to wreath the blade in light. For the next minute, this
weapon deals an additional 1d8 radiant damage on a hit for
each charge spent in this way.
Ruffians
C
rime is the continuation of business by other
means, and violence is its blood and breath.
Private entrepreneurs might strike out to grasp
what's left in reach, but the core business of
crime is violence as service; peace is precious to
all, and those who clutch the reins of violence
control the supply of peace. No enterprise can
survive without some violence to call upon, after all, and it is
the rare city indeed where the sword of the law is sufficient to
the demands of its people.
Ruffian Tactics
Street toughs, thugs, and enforcers will typically engage
socially before attacking, trying to make a show of force and
extort the largest fee they think their target will be willing to
pay to avoid a fight.
In combat, ruffians typically attack nonlethally, replacing
one of their attacks with a grapple or shove whenever
possible to make use of their Dirty Fighting, and ganging up
on weaker foes to gain more opportunities to trigger their
Beat Down, or opportunity attacks if the enemy tries to avoid
their Beat Down.
If victorious, they will in some combination strip a fallen
foe naked, scar them, carry them to another location for
questioning, or kill them outright, depending on how much
personal enmity the foe inspired over the course of the fight.
Ruffian Lore
History DC 5: As the old saw goes, the tools of each trade
well-serve its opposite; firefighters and arsonists, shipwrights
and saboteurs, brigands and bodyguards, thief-catchers and
thieves. Perpetrators of all such crimes can be found with
some regularity among the ranks of those purporting to
oppose them.
History DC 10: Ruffians, whether engaged in pursuits
legitimate or otherwise, tend to favor weapons that are some
combination of cheap, concealable, disposable, and
reasonable for an ordinary person to carry. Bludgeons tend to
be favored over blades, as it's difficult to pretend innocence
while soaked in blood.
History DC 15: The lines between criminal and legitimate
enterprise are rarely clean-cut, as no professional guild or
workman's union can expect to protect its interests without a
measure of violence to call upon, and few organizations
support themselves through illicit activity alone.
Religion DC 10: It is a common misconception that the gods
whose portfolios contain such dread domains as deception,
thievery, and murder are primarily worshiped by malefactors
seeking guidance and protection for their misdeeds.
In point of fact, people of all kinds (liars, thieves, and
murderers included), make offerings to such powers
primarily to avert their ire, and malfeasants who find their
hand aided by the divine are far more likely to do so because
of the god's attitude toward their intended victim rather
than toward them.
Orzhov Racketeers
David Palumbo
Instigator Gang
Greg Staples
Ruffian Street Tough
Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
Armor Class 11
Hit Points 9 (2d8)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
15 (+2) 12 (+1) 11 (+0) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 11 (+0)
Senses Passive Perception 10
Languages Common, Thieves' Cant
Challenge M2 (90 XP)
Minion. If the ruffian takes damage from an attack
or as the result of a failed saving throw, its hit
points are reduced to 0. If the ruffian takes damage
from another effect, it dies if the damage equals or
exceeds its hit point maximum, otherwise it takes
no damage.
Actions
Belligerent Brawl (Group Attack). Melee Weapon
Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 2
bludgeoning damage.
If two or more street toughs contributed to this
attack, this attack can target a second target that
each of them can reach.
Smash Up. The ruffian destroys one consumable
magic item or other breakable object carried by a
creature within 5 feet.
A target that isn't prone or Incapacitated can
choose which of its items is destroyed.
Reactions
Beat Down. When a creature within 5 feet stands
from prone, the ruffian can deal 1 bludgeoning
damage to it.
If two or more ruffians took this reaction, the target
must succeed on a Strength saving throw with DC
equal to 10 plus the damage taken or fall prone.
Ruffian Crews
While many groups of ruffians might operate with the open
sanction or complicity of local authorities, stories of heroic
fantasy are often concerned with those that operate in
relative defiance of local authority.
Most such criminal groups are small, ephemeral bands that
crop up around a specific person or opportunity, and disperse
or are absorbed by another group within a couple years of
formation after suffering one of the many misfortunes to
which their precarious pursuit is vulnerable.
Longer-lived organizations tend to be centered around
controlling one or more local industries, and survive through
close connections with local leadership and any forms of law
enforcement that may exist, often being informally deputized
in service of them at times.
Naming Your Crews
Ruffian crews typically have descriptive names that reference
where they operate out of, where they originally came from,
their leader's name, their preferred style of work, earlier
groups they split off from or work with, a formative event for
the gang, religious affiliation, fashion preferences, insular
slang, puns and literary references. Such names usually
acquire menacing connotations after-the-fact, rather than
being overtly threatening.
Sample Names. Ashrats, Bare-Evens, Butler Lane Pricks,
Brackbelts, Can-Town Batties, Catchenny Crew, Chokehill
Jacks, Deadleds, Fair-Damned, Fearemen, Friendlies,
Gigsgard Society, Gogs, Head-Veins, Hectors, Lockletter
Boys, Low-Pulls, Kneebone's Getgots, Hullknock Mob, Mad's
Actives, Mermaids, Mill Gilders, Muns Dozens, Nickers,
Peelies, Powderlarks, Red Gents, Roachguard, Roisters,
Ropeletters, Said Pretenders, Scourers, Shade Provision,
Star-Eyes, Them Rowdies, Tragg's Lads, Trud Brothers Gang,
Wildermans.
Ruffian Thug
Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
Armor Class 11
Hit Points 37 (5d8 + 15)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
16 (+3) 13 (+1) 16 (+3) 13 (+1) 14 (+2) 15 (+2)
Skills Athletics +5, Intimidation +4
Senses Passive Perception 12
Languages Common, Thieves' Cant
Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)
Dirty Fighting. Whenever the ruffian successfully
grapples or shoves a creature, it can make a melee
attack with advantage as a Bonus Action this turn.
Actions
Multiattack. The ruffian makes two attacks, each of
which it can replace with a Grapple or Shove
attempt.
Knuckle-Duster Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit,
reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) bludgeoning
damage.
On a critical hit, the target is knocked prone.
Low Blow. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5
ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) bludgeoning
damage.
If this attack was made with advantage, the target
gains disadvantage on the first attack or check it
makes before the end of its next turn.
Reactions
Beat Down. When a creature within 5 feet stands
from prone, the ruffian can deal 1 bludgeoning
damage to it.
If two or more ruffians took this reaction, the target
must succeed on a Strength saving throw with DC
equal to 10 plus the damage taken or fall prone.
Ruffian Enforcer
Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
Armor Class 12
Hit Points 75 (10d8 + 30)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
17 (+3) 14 (+2) 17 (+3) 15 (+2) 14 (+2) 15 (+2)
Skills Athletics +5, Insight +4, Intimidation +4
Senses Passive Perception 12
Languages Common, Thieves' Cant
Challenge 2 (450 XP)
Dirty Fighting. Whenever the ruffian successfully
grapples or shoves a creature, it can make a melee
attack with advantage as a Bonus Action this turn.
Actions
Multiattack. The ruffian makes two attacks, each of
which it can replace with a Grapple or Shove
attempt.
Five-Copper Cosh Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit,
reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (2d4 + 3) bludgeoning
damage.
On a critical hit, the target is knocked prone and
Stunned until the beginning of its next turn.
Kick Head. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5
ft., one prone target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) bludgeoning
damage.
This attack deals an additional 3 (1d6) bludgeoning
damage to a Stunned target.
Smash Fingers. The ruffian attempts to break the
fingers of a grappled and prone creature within 5
feet, forcing it to make a DC 13 Constitution saving
throw.
On a failure, the target takes 14 (4d6) bludgeoning
damage and has disadvantage on attacks made with
that hand until it completes a Long Rest, or takes
half as much damage on a success.
Reactions
Beat Down. When a creature within 5 feet stands
from prone, the ruffian can deal 1 bludgeoning
damage to it.
If two or more ruffians took this reaction, the target
must succeed on a Strength saving throw with DC
equal to 10 plus the damage taken or fall prone.

Ruffian Rakehell
Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
Armor Class 14 (Makeshift Shield)
Hit Points 115 (14d8 + 52)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
18 (+4) 17 (+3) 18 (+4) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 16 (+3)
Skills Athletics +6, Intimidation +5, Stealth +5
Senses Passive Perception 12
Languages Common, Thieves' Cant
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)
Dirty Fighting. Whenever the ruffian successfully
grapples or shoves a creature, it can make a melee
attack with advantage as a Bonus Action this turn.
Death-Eager. The ruffian has advantage on Wisdom
saving throws while within 5 feet of a Bleeding
creature.
Actions
Multiattack. The ruffian makes two attacks, one of
which it can replace with a use of its Tear Wound.
Ratchetlock Greatrazor Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to
hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (1d10 + 4)
slashing damage.
If this attack was made with advantage, the target
begins Bleeding (1d6, Save Ends at end of turn).
Cloak-Wrapped Fist. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to
hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d4 + 4)
bludgeoning damage and the target is grappled
(escape DC 14).
Tear Wound. The ruffian claws at a wound of a
creature within 5 feet that is Grappled and
Bleeding.
The target takes 7 (2d6) bludgeoning damage, then
must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving
throw or have its Bleeding value increase by 1d6.
Ruffian Rakehell Tactics
Rakehells are much more likely to operate alone or in pairs
than other ruffians, and typically fight lethally even when
assisting allies that are not doing so. Typically they make
their first attack against a target with their Cloak-Wrapped
Fist, then follow up with their Ratchetlock Greatrazor,
afterwards replacing one of their attacks with their Tear
Wound whenever they have a valid target available.
They typically reserve their reaction for their Trap Blade or
opportunity attacks when alone, but in groups of two or more
will use whichever of their reactions first becomes available.
Ruffian Enterprises
In addition to any more mundane forms of illicit goods and
services, ruffians in a fantasy setting might be involved in
such pursuits as:
Breeding or Poaching magical creatures to sell,
weaponize, or use as distractions.
Securing a monopoly on rare spell components.
Scribing scrolls of forbidden or otherwise unsafe magic.
Plundering magic relics from graves and replacing them
with Magic-Aura-shrouded counterfeits.
Exorcising spirits that might share embarrassing or
incriminating information.
Brokering trades of art and treasure on behalf of dragons.
Using information extracted from the dead to blackmail or
defraud the living.
Devising and constructing deadly traps.
Paying or extorting genuine prophets to deliver false
prophecies.
Helping shapechangers establish new identities.
Manufacturing memories to help fool zones of truth.
Providing guidance and assistance to those looking to
initiate a warlock pact.

Reactions
Beat Down. When a creature within 5 feet stands
from prone, the ruffian can deal 1 bludgeoning
damage to it.
If two or more ruffians took this reaction, the target
must succeed on a Strength saving throw with DC
equal to 10 plus the damage taken or fall prone.
Trap Blade. When the ruffian takes 5 or fewer
piercing or slashing damage, it can reduce that
damage to 0 and trap the attacker's weapon
(remove DC 14).
Until the weapon is freed, attacks with it have
disadvantage.

La Navaja
Joseph Saint-Germier
 Ruffian Cherrycat
Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
Armor Class 17 (Mage Armor)
Hit Points 127 (17d8 + 51)
Speed 40 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
15 (+2) 18 (+4) 17 (+3) 17 (+3) 14 (+2) 11 (+0)
Saving Throws DEX +7, INT +6
Skills Arcana +6, Perception +5, Stealth +7
Senses Passive Perception 15
Languages Abyssal, Common, Thieves' Cant
Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)
Dark Gleam. Creatures within 10 feet of the ruffian can
see in Dim light or Darkness as though it were Bright
Light.
Dirty Fighting. Whenever the ruffian successfully
grapples or shoves a creature, it can make a melee
attack with advantage as a Bonus Action this turn.
Burner's Break (1/Day). When the ruffian fails a saving
throw against a spell or magical effect, it can choose to
succeed instead. If it does, it can't cast spells on its
following turn.
Actions
Multiattack. The ruffian makes three attacks, one of
which it can replace with its Unfasten or Glazier's Ace.
Shrouded Awl Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5
ft., one target. Hit: 9 (2d4 + 4) piercing damage.
Any hit with this weapon that is made with advantage
becomes a critical.
Darting Bolt (1st Level Spell). Ranged Spell Attack: +6 to
hit, range 30 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (3d6) force
damage.
If this attack misses, the ruffian can immediately make
a second attack against another creature it can see
within 10 feet of the first target.
Ruffian Cherrycat Tactics
Cherrycats typically will begin a fight from range as long as
their allies can keep melee combatants occupied, replacing
one of their attacks with Unfasten each turn against a heavily
armored combatant.
If the ruffian has a ready source of advantage, they close to
melee and attack with their Shrouded Awl. If locked in melee
without a source of advantage, they replace their first attack
with Glazier's Ace, or intentionally provoke an opportunity
attack to make use of their Tip Turn and Dirty Fighting.
Most turns, they do not use their bonus actions; they
primarily use their Charm Wall and Quash Magic to aid in an
escape, and their Power Word: Hush only after they see an
enemy with 0 hit points receive magical healing.
Unfasten (2nd Level Spell). The ruffian magically
unfastens the armor of a creature it can see within 30
feet.
The target must succeed on a DC 14 Dexterity saving
throw or have the AC bonus offered by its armor
reduced by a cumulative 2 until the target takes an
action to adjust it.
Armor reduced to an AC of 10 falls off entirely until
donned again.
Glazier's Ace (2nd Level Spell). The ruffian smashes a
bottle, window, or similar glass object it can reach,
sending shards flying in a 15 foot cone.
Each creature in the area must succeed on a DC 14
Dexterity saving throw or be Blinded and Bleeding
(1d6) for the next minute (Save Ends at end of turn).
Bonus Actions
Charm Wall (2nd Level Spell). The ruffian touches a
nonmagical wall or floor and teleports to the nearest
unoccupied space on the opposite side of it.
Power Word: Hush (1/Day, 3rd Level Spell). One creature
the ruffian can see within range drops to 0 hit points if
it has 10 or fewer hit points. A creature with more than
10 hit points is unaffected.
Quash Magic (1/Day, 3rd Level Spell). The ruffian targets
a space or creature it can see within 30 feet and
suppresses the effect of one spell of 7th level or below
affecting it until the beginning of the ruffian's next
turn.
Reactions
Beat Down. When a creature within 5 feet stands from
prone, the ruffian can deal 1 bludgeoning damage to it.
If two or more ruffians took this reaction, the target
must succeed on a Strength saving throw with DC
equal to 10 plus the damage taken or fall prone.
Tip Turn. When a Medium or smaller creature misses
the ruffian with an opportunity attack, the ruffian can
grapple it (escape DC 12) or make a Shrouded Awl
attack against it.
Ruffian Ringleader Tactics
While ringleaders have a ready source of advantage, they
prefer to attack with their Knucklecutter Chive, trying to
make a foe drop its spell focus or weapon, then snatch it or
kick it away, using their Deft Touch to wield any stolen magic
items.Without a ready source of advantage, they replace their
first attack with a use of their Makeshift Rig, then try to shove
an enemy into it with their Filchman's Club.
They try to get and stay stuck-in with enemy spell casters
and other ranged attackers to make use of their Stifling Clout
and Eye Gouge. With their Legendary actions, they typically
alternate between their Eye Gouge and Tavern Bludgeon, but
will use Swap In to reposition themself next to a spellcaster if
they use their reaction early in the round.
 Ruffian Ringleader
Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
Armor Class 17 (Studded Leather Armor)
Hit Points 187 (22d8 + 88)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
19 (+4) 20 (+5) 18 (+4) 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 18 (+4)
Saving Throws DEX +9, CON +8, INT +7
Skills Athletics +8, Deception +8, Intimidation +12,
Perception +6, Stealth +9
Senses Passive Perception 16
Languages Common, Thieves' Cant, Undercommon
Challenge 9 (5,000 XP)
Dirty Fighting. Whenever the ruffian successfully
grapples or shoves a creature, it can make a melee
attack with advantage as a Bonus Action this turn.
Deft Touch. The ruffian can use magic weapons as
though it were attuned to them.
Evasion. When the ruffian makes a Dexterity saving
throw, it takes no damage on a success, and half
damage if it fails.
Legendary Resistance (2/Day). If the ruffian fails a saving
throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Actions
Multiattack. The ruffian makes three melee attacks,
each of which it can replace with a Grapple or Shove
attempt, or with a use of its Makeshift Rig.
Knucklecutter Chive. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit,
reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5) slashing
damage.
On a critical hit, the target must succeed on a DC 17
Constitution saving throw or lose a finger and drop one
item it is wielding.
Malik, Grim Manipulator
Joshua Raphael
Filchman's Club. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach
5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d4 + 5) bludgeoning
damage and the target is pushed up to 5 feet away.
Makeshift Rig. The ruffian smashes a breakable object
within 5 feet, creating a deadly hazard.
The first time a creature would be pushed into that
object's space, it takes 14 (4d6) piercing damage and
falls prone, and the hazard is destroyed.
Reactions
Beat Down. When a creature within 5 feet stands from
prone, the ruffian can deal 1 bludgeoning damage to it.
If two or more ruffians took this reaction, the target
must succeed on a Strength saving throw with DC
equal to 10 plus the damage taken or fall prone.
Stifling Clout. When a humanoid creature within 5 feet
begins to cast a spell, the ruffian can make a Filchman’s
Club attack against it.
On a hit, the target additionally has the wind knocked
out of it and is Choking until the beginning of its next
turn.
Legendary Actions
The ruffian can take 2 legendary actions, choosing
from the options below.
Eye Gouge. The ruffian jams its thumb into the eye of a
creature within 5 feet, forcing it to succeed on a DC 17
Constitution saving throw or take 5 (2d4) bludgeoning
damage and be Blinded until the end of its next turn.
Swap In. The ruffian and one friendly creature it can see
within 30 feet each can move up to half their speed or
regain their reaction.
Tavern Bludgeon. The ruffian grasps a Small or smaller
unattended object within 5 feet and smashes it against
a creature within 5 feet.
The target must succeed on a DC 16 Strength saving
throw or take 13 (2d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage and
fall prone.
Spells
Beacon of Valor Darting Bolt
1st-level enchantment 1st-level evocation
Casting Time: 1 bonus action Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 30 ft. Range: 30 ft.
Components: V, S Components: S, M (A bat's tooth worth 1 cp, which the spell
Duration: 1 round consumes)
You let out a defiant cry, bolstering your nearby allies. Duration: instantaneous
Each other friendly creature within range that can see you Requires proficiency in Thieves' Cant.
gains advantage on the first attack or saving throw it makes You flick the bat's tooth used in the spell's casting and send
before the end of your next turn. it darting chaotically toward a target in range. Make a ranged
Spell Lists. Paladin spell attack. On a hit, the target takes 3d6 force damage.
If this attack misses, you can make a second attack roll
Charm Wall against another creature you can see within 10 feet of the
2nd-level conjuration original target.
Casting Time: 1 bonus action Spell Lists. Artificer, Bard, Sorcerer, Wizard
Range: Touch
Components: S, M (a key copied without its owner's Fealty's Clarion
knowledge worth at least 1 sp) 7th-level conjuration
Duration: instantaneous Casting Time: 1 action
Requires proficiency in Thieves' Cant. Range: unlimited (30 ft.)
You touch a surface of nonmagical stone or wood and are Components: V, S, M (a token gifted from each summoned
drawn through it to the nearest unoccupied space directly creature worth at least 1 gp, which the spell consumes)
opposite that surface within 20 feet. Duration: instantaneous
If no valid space exists within range, you are instead Requires a noble title.
expelled from the surface at the same point you entered. You call upon oaths given by your ally, crushing in your hand
Spell Lists. Bard, Sorcerer, Wizard a token of fealty gifted to you by them and sending a cry for
help rippling across the planes.
Dark Gleam The creature recognizes you as the sender, and can choose
1st-level illusion to immediately be teleported to an unoccupied space of your
Casting Time: 1 action choice within 30 feet of you.
Range: Touch If the creature is dead, it can form a spiritual body to aid
Components: V, S, M (a blind person's tears worth at least 1 you that appears as it did in life with full resources, and
gp, which the spell consumes) dissolves into light when reduced to 0 hit points, or after 1
Duration: 1 hour, concentration hour. A dead creature summoned in this way can never again
be summoned with this spell.
Requires proficiency in Thieves' Cant. At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell
You touch a nonmagical light source, twisting the light slot of 8th level or higher, you can target one additional
produced by it. For the duration, the light produced by the creature for each slot level above 7th.
enchanted source can be seen only by creatures within 10 Spell Lists. Cleric, Sorcerer
feet of it, and provides no illumination for other creatures.
Spell Lists. Druid, Ranger, Wizard Foment Intrigue
4th-level enchantment
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60 ft.
Components: V, M (a quill or pen snapped in anger)
Duration: 1 minute, concentration
Requires a noble title.
You send insidious thoughts whispering through the minds of
two creatures you can see within range.
At the beginning of each creature's turn, it must succeed on
a Wisdom saving throw or become hostile to the other target
and indifferent to all other creatures until the beginning of its
next turn.
If both targets succeed on their saving throw in a round or
if one of them is reduced to 0 hit points, the effect ends.
Spell Lists. Bard, Sorcerer, Warlock
Glazier's Ace Oathbind
2nd-level transmutation 5th-level enchantment
Casting Time: 1 action Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 15 ft. Range: Touch
Components: S, M (a bottle, window, or similar glass object Components: V, M (a golden chain worth 500 gp, which the
worth at least 1 cp, which the spell consumes) spell consumes)
Duration: instantaneous Duration: instantaneous
Requires proficiency in Thieves' Cant. Requires a noble title.
You smash the glass object used in the spell's casting, You bind a willing creature to an oath it made in the last
sending shards flying in a 15 foot cone. minute, cursing it.
Each creature in the area must succeed on a Dexterity The Cursed creature cannot voluntarily take positive
saving throw or be Blinded and Bleeding (1d6) for the next actions directly contrary to that oath, and you know if this
minute. An affected creature repeats this saving throw at the curse ends for it.
end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success. At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell
At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 9th level, the cursed creature additionally cannot be
slot of 3rd level or higher, the size of the cone increased by 10 magically compelled to take such actions.
feet for each slot level above 2nd. Spell Lists. Bard, Cleric, Paladin
Spell Lists. Artificer, Bard, Ranger
Peaceshroud
Greasebody 4th-level enchantment
2nd-level transmutation Casting Time: 1 action
Casting Time: 1 action Range: self (30 ft. radius)
Range: 30 ft. Components: V, S
Components: V, S, M (sweat collected from a dying person Duration: 1 hour, concentration
worth at least 1 gp, which the spell consumes) A stilling glow begins to emanate from you in a 30 foot
Duration: 1 minute, concentration radius for the next hour.
Requires proficiency in Thieves' Cant. A creature that starts its turn in the area or enters it for the
You cause a creature or an object you can see within range to first time on a turn must make a Wisdom saving throw.
grow unnaturally slick. If the target is unwilling, it can make a On a failure, the creature is unable to take hostile actions
Constitution saving throw. On a success, the spell has no until the beginning of its next turn.
effect. Spell Lists. Paladin
If the target is a creature, it gains the following effects:
Power Word: Hush
The target can attempt to escape from grapples and other 3rd-level enchantment
forms of restraint as a bonus action.
If the target expends its last 5 feet of movement on its Casting Time: 1 bonus action
turn, it continues moving in the same direction for up to Range: 30 ft.
10 additional feet. Components: V, M (a fresh lily worth 5 cp)
When the target is hit with an attack, it is pushed up to 10 Duration: instantaneous
feet from that attack's source. Requires proficiency in Thieves' Cant.
If the target is an object, a creature holding that object You utter a word of power that can compel one creature you
must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw at the beginning of can see within range to drop unconscious. If the creature you
each of its turns or throw it 10 feet in a random direction. choose has 10 hit points or fewer, it is reduced to 0 hit points.
Spell Lists. Artificer, Bard, Sorcerer, Wizard Otherwise, the spell has no effect.
If the creature would make death saving throws, it does so
as normal.
Spell Lists. Bard, Druid, Ranger, Wizard
Procession of Ancient Right Sanctum Arms
3rd-level enchantment 5th-level conjuration
Casting Time: 1 reaction, which you take when you roll Casting Time: 1 action
initiative Range: Touch (120 ft. radius)
Range: self (30 ft. radius) Components: V, M (1,000 gp worth of powdered sapphire,
Components: V, M (a drop of royal blood worth 1 gp, which which the spell consumes)
the spell consumes) Duration: 1 year
Duration: instantaneous Requires a noble title.
Requires a noble title. You touch the ground and sapphire runes flare out in a 120
You call out a command that echoes with the strength of foot radius before fading, encircling each creature of your
ages. Each creature of your choice within range must make a choice in the area and marking their arms and armor.
Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, the creature's initiative is When one or more of these targets rolls initiative in the
reduced by 5, to a minimum of 0. area, each target in the area can summon any arms and
Spell Lists. Bard, Sorcerer armor in the area that are marked in this way to themselves,
instantly donning any armor summoned in this way.
Quash Magic Spell Lists. Cleric, Paladin
3rd-level abjuration
Casting Time: 1 bonus action Spell Cheat
Range: 30 ft. 1st-level divination
Components: V, S, M (the remnants of an expended spell Casting Time: 1 action
scroll worth at least 1 sp, which the spell consumes) Range: 30 ft.
Duration: 1 round, concentration Components: V, S
Requires proficiency in Thieves' Cant. Duration: instantaneous
You suppress one spell of 7th level or below affecting a space Requires proficiency in Thieves' Cant.
or creature you can see within range, negating its effect until You cast a spell of 1st level or below that you saw cast within
the beginning of your next turn. range since the end of your last turn, using your own Spell
Spell Lists. Bard Attack Modifier and Spell Save DC, if applicable.
Spell Lists. Artificer, Bard
Render Judgement
3rd-level evocation Strip Masks
Casting Time: 1 action 7th-level abjuration
Range: 30 ft. Casting Time: 1 action
Components: V, S Range: Touch
Duration: instantaneous Components: V, S
You call down a flare of scouring light from the sky upon a Duration: instantaneous
creature you can see within range. The target must make a Requires a noble title.
Charisma saving throw. Your palm flares with light as it touches a creature, burning
On a failed save, the target takes 3d8 radiant damage and away all magical veils. The target must make a Charisma
is Cursed until cured by Remove Curse or similar magic. saving throw.
Whenever the cursed creature takes any damage, it takes On a failure, the target takes 12d8 radiant damage and
an additional 1d8 radiant damage if it reduced a creature to 0 each illusory, shapechanging, or mind-affecting magic
hit points in the last hour. affecting it ends.
Spell Lists. Paladin This damage can’t reduce the target’s hit points below 1.
Spell Lists. Bard, Cleric
Reveal Pedigree
2nd-level divination
Casting Time: 1 minute
Range: Touch
Components: V, M (an object the caster inherited worth at
least 500 gp)
Duration: instantaneous
Requires a noble title.
You touch a creature or corpse and feel the echoes of
history in its blood, learning the name and titles of its most
historically significant direct ancestor.
Spell Lists. Bard, Sorcerer, Wizard
Tapping Cheat
cantrip transmutation The Part Where I Shill My Patreon
Casting Time: 1 bonus action Want to support the creation of content like this? I post new
Range: self (5 ft. radius) monsters with lore and tactics to my patreon five times a
Components: M (a melee weapon that deals bludgeoning week, joining the more than 1700 already there, indexed in a
damage worth at least 1 sp) big PDF along with formats for Foundry and 5eTools.
Duration: 1 round, concentration
Requires proficiency in Thieves' Cant. 600+ Pages of Free Monster Books!
You twirl the weapon used in the spell’s casting, deftly The covers below are links to free books! When you're done
manipulating its weight. Until the beginning of your next turn, with those, check out r/bettermonsters, where I post all my
the weapon counts as having the Finesse property, and adds work. Don't see something there? Drop a request and I'll
both your Strength and Dexterity modifiers to its damage on usually get it to you within a day if I've got something on
a hit, rather than just one of those. hand, and I'll shoot you a message when it's ready if not.
At Higher Levels. At 5th level, a creature hit with the
weapon used in the spell's casting is pushed 5 feet away. This
distance increases by 5 ft. at 11th level (10 ft.) and 17th level
(15 ft).
Spell Lists. Artificer, Bard, Sorcerer, Wizard
Unfasten
2nd-level transmutation
Casting Time: 1 bonus action
Range: 30 ft.
Components: S, M (a key copied without its owner's
knowledge worth at least 1 sp)
Duration: instantaneous
Requires proficiency in Thieves' Cant.
You magically unfasten the armor of a creature you can see
within range.
The target must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or
have the AC bonus offered by its armor reduced by a
cumulative 2 until the target takes an action to adjust it.
Armor reduced to an AC of 10 falls off entirely until donned
again.
Spell Lists. Bard, Sorcerer, Wizard
New Rules
Minion Hit Minions Per
Minions CR XP Points Damage Standard
Minions are creatures made to be run in large numbers. They 1/2 20 ≤7 1 5
require little bookkeeping or dice rolling and die easily, but
can still pose a significant threat to adventuring parties. They 1 40 8 1 5
are meant to be used at levels where killing a creature of that 2 90 9 2 5
type with a single blow feels appropriate to the narrative 3 140 10 3 5
context. These rules are based on those in MCDM's Flee,
Mortals!, which you can find in greater detail here. 4 220 11 4 5
Minion Trait. A creature with the minion trait drops to 0 5 225 12 4 8
hit points if it takes any damage from an attack or as the
result of a failed saving throw. If a minion takes damage from 6 285 13 4 8
any other source, it is killed if the damage exceeds its 7 360 14 4 8
maximum hit points, and takes no damage otherwise. 8 485 15 5 8
Minion Initiative. Minions of the same type take their
turns together on a shared initiative. 9 500 16 5 10
Group Attacks. Up to five minions that share a turn may 10 590 17 5 10
each contribute their actions to a Group Attack against the
same target, making a single attack roll and adding +1 for 11 720 18 6 10
each minion contributing to the attack beyond the first. On a 12 840 19 6 10
hit, the group attack's damage is multiplied by the number of 13 1,000 20 7 10
attackers contributing to it.
Advantage and Disadvantage. A group attack has 14 1,150 21 7 10
advantage only if each of the minions contributing to it have 15 1,300 22 8 10
advantage, and disadvantage only if each of them have
disadvantage. 16 1,500 23 8 10
Triggering Responses. If a group attack triggers a 17 1,800 24 9 10
reaction or other response that would ordinarily affect a 18 2,000 25 9 10
single attacker, the effect targets a single minion who
contributed to the attack. 19 2,200 26 10 10
Damage. Minion attacks deal flat damage, rather than 20 2,500 27 10 10
rolling, and deal no additional damage on a critical hit.
Overkill Attacks. Powerful attacks can sometimes kill 21 3,300 28 11 10
more than one minion with a single blow. A melee attack that 22 4,100 29 11 10
deals more damage than a minion target's maximum hit 23 5,000 30 12 10
points may apply the damage in excess of that minion's hit
points to another minion with the same stat block within the 24 6,200 31 12 10
attack's reach. If this damage is still in excess of the second 25 7,500 32 13 10
minion's maximum hit points, the attacker may apply the
remaining damage to another, and so on. 26 9,000 33 13 10
Ranged attacks work the same, except that each additional 27 10,500 34 14 10
target must be behind the previous target in a line extending 28 12,000 35 14 10
from the attacker.
Challenge Ratings and XP. Several minions are meant to 29 13,500 36 15 10
count as a single regular enemy of the same nominal CR for 30 15,500 37 15 10
the purposes of balancing combat; five minions equate to a
regular enemy at lower levels, increasing according to the
included table.
Conditions

C
onditions alter a creature’s capabilities in a Table Of Contents Invisible
variety of ways and can arise as a result of a spell, Attached
a class feature, a monster’s attack, or other effect. Levitating
Most conditions, such as Blinded, are Bleeding Limb Damage
impairments, but a few, such as Invisible, can be Blinded
advantageous. Paralyzed
A condition lasts either until it is countered Burning
(the prone condition is countered by standing up, for Petrified
example) or for a duration specified by the effect that Charmed Poisoned
imposed the condition. Unless otherwise specified, all Choking
conditions on a creature end on a creature when it dies. Possessed
If multiple effects impose the same condition on a creature, Confused Prone
each instance of the condition has its own duration, but the
condition’s effects don’t get worse. A creature either has a Cursed Reduced Statistics
condition or doesn’t. Dazed
If a condition allows successive saving throws to end the Restrained
effect, it is marked Save Ends, the details of which are at the Deafened Stunned
end of this section.
The following definitions specify what happens to a Diseased Suffocating
creature while it is subjected to a condition. Dominated Swallowed
Design Note. There are a lot of rules here, but as a
Flanked/Flanking Temporary Hit Points
DM you don't need to memorize them to use them Frightened Turned
effectively. Most of this section is intended as a
quick reference for you to refer to when an edge Grappled Unconscious
case arises in the course of play.
There are a number of new conditions presented Hidden Exhaustion
here, which are meant to be intuitable by those
fluent in 5e, but are presented in detail with
Incapacitated Save Ends
clarifications for your reference.
There have also been minor changes made to Save Ends
existing conditions to resolve unintuitive
outcomes in edge cases, most notably with the
Many conditions that last more than a single round of combat
Invisible condition.
allow the affected creature to repeat the saving throw to
Players will benefit from familiarity with the ways resist it on each of its turns, ending the effect on a success.
to end conditions, which are largely drawn from Such conditions are tagged as Save Ends, and specify
Rules as Written and simply gathered together for either that the saving throw is repeated at the beginning of
easy reference here. the affected creature's turn (Save Ends at beginning of turn)
You can find these rules as a standolone or at the end of the affected creature's turn (Save Ends at end
document here if that's more convenient for use at of turn).
your table.
Attached
A creature that is Attached to an object or another creature is
moved with that object or creature whenever it moves. Any
effect that could be used to Grapple a creature can be used to
Attach to a creature too large for the Grappler to grapple.
Ending the Attached Condition. Any effect that ends the
Grappled condition can also end the Attached condition. The
DC to remove an Attached creature is noted as its Remove
DC.
Releasing an Attachment. A creature that imposes the
Attached condition may end that condition as a Bonus Action.
Bleeding
A Bleeding creature loses the specified amount of hit points
at the beginning of each of its turns, i.e a creature that is
"Bleeding (1d4)" loses 1d4 hit points at the beginning of each
of its turns.
Hit Point Loss. Hit point loss represents loss of vital
fluids, and is distinct from damage. Unless otherwise
specified, it can't be resisted or reduced in any way. It has no
effect on creatures with 0 hit points.
Creatures Without Blood. Creatures that do not have
blood or some equivalent vital fluid are immune to any effect
that directly causes Hit Point Loss.
Separate Sources of Wounds. If a creature that is already
Bleeding would suffer a wound from a different source, the
wound with the higher Hit Point Loss value overrides that
with the lesser value.
Stacking Bleed. Rarely, some effects may cause a creature
to accrue multiple instances of the Bleeding condition, and
will specify if this is the case. Stacking wounds of the same
value count as a single instance of the Bleeding condition
with a Hit Point Loss value equal to their total cumulative Hit
Point Loss value.
Ending the Bleeding Condition. The Bleeding condition
ends for a creature that regains any hit points.
Additionally, as an action, a creature may attempt a DC 12
Wisdom (Medicine) check to stanch the wounds of a Bleeding
creature, ending the effect on a success.
Blinded
A Blinded creature can’t see and automatically fails any
ability check that requires sight. Attack rolls against the
creature have advantage, and the creature’s attack rolls have
disadvantage.
Ending the Blinded Condition. Spells such as Lesser
Restoration, Greater Restoration, and Mass Heal can end the
Blinded condition on a creature.
Variant: Persistent Blindness. At DM discretion,
magic of a higher level, such as the Regenerate
spell, may be required to heal Blindness that is
caused by permanently damaged or destroyed eyes.
Burning
A Burning creature is on fire, and takes the specified amount
of fire damage at the beginning of each of its turns, i.e.
"Burning (1d10).
Separate Sources of Burning. If a creature that is already
Burning would gain the Burning condition from another
source, the condition with the higher Burning value overrides
that with the lesser value.
Ending the Burning Condition. The creature or a
creature that can reach it may smother the flames as an
action, ending the Burning condition for that creature. A
Burning creature that is doused in water, that takes any cold
damage, or that is in an airless environment, such as a bag of
holding, has the condition immediately end for it.
Charmed
A Charmed creature can’t attack the charmer or target the
charmer with harmful abilities or magical effects, and
generally treats the charmer as an allied creature. The
charmer has advantage on any ability check to interact
socially with the Charmed creature.
Ending the Charmed Condition. Spells such as Greater
Restoration, Dispel Good and Evil, and Power Word: Heal
can end the Charmed condition on a creature. Charmed
creatures often, though not always, make a saving throw to
end the condition whenever they take damage.
Choking
A Choking creature can't breathe. When a Choking creature
runs out of breath, or if becomes is unable to hold its breath,
it begins Suffocating.
Holding Breath. A creature that is not Unconscious can
hold its breath for a number of minutes equal to 1 + its
Constitution modifier (minimum of 30 seconds). Unless
otherwise specified, a creature that begins Choking is
assumed to reflexively hold its breath.
Speaking and Casting Spells With Verbal Components.
A creature that speaks or casts a spell while holding its
breath loses its held breath and immediately begins
Suffocating.
Ending the Choking Condition. The Choking condition is
often imposed by another ongoing effect, such as the
Grappled or Poisoned conditions, or by an environmental
effect, such as being submerged in water. In these instances,
the Choking condition persists until the effect causing it
ends. When a creature suffers the Choking condition without
an ongoing effect imposing it, spells such as Lesser
Restoration, Greater Restoration, or Power Word: Heal, and
class features such as the Paladin's Lay On Hands ability can
end the Choking condition on a creature.
Confused
A confused creature acts in an uncontrolled manner. It is
unable to take reactions, and must roll a d10 at the start of
each of its turns to determine its behavior for that turn.
Confused Behavior
# Confused Behavior
1 The creature uses all its movement to move in a
random direction. To determine the direction, roll a
d8 and assign a direction to each die face. The
creature doesn’t take an action this turn.
2-6 The creature doesn't move or take actions this turn.
7-8 The creature uses its action to make a melee attack
against a randomly determined creature within its
reach. If there is no creature within its reach, the
creature does nothing this turn.
9-10 The creature can act and move normally.
Variant: Chaotic Confusion. RAW confusion is
mostly just a very slow, bookeeping-heavy way to
skip a creature's turn. At DM discretion, the
following table may be used instead of the one
above:
Confused Behavior (Chaotic Variant)
# Confused Behavior
1 The creature falls prone and ends its turn without
taking an action.
2 The creature uses its action to fling a weapon or
spell focus it is wielding, making an Improvised
Ranged Weapon Attack against a creature of its
choice in range. A creature not wielding a weapon or
spell focus may instead throw any item it is carrying.
3 Before taking an action, the creature falls prone and
must use all its movement to crawl in a random
direction.
4 Before taking an action, the creature must use all its
movement to run in a random direction.
5 Before taking an action, the creature must use half
of its movement to run in a random direction.
6 The creature does not add its proficiency bonus to
attacks it makes this turn, and cannot cast spells of
1st level or above.
7 If the creature chooses targets for an attack or
effect, the targets are determined at random from
those in range. If the creature casts a spell that
affects an area centered on a point, the spell's area
scatters 1d6 x 5 feet in a random direction before
taking effect.
8 The creature has disadvantage on Intelligence and
Wisdom saving throws until the beginning of its
next turn.
9-10 The creature can act and move normally.
Cursed
A Cursed creature suffers the effects of the curse it is
afflicted with. Unless specified otherwise, curses typically
last until removed, and do not end on a creature that dies. A
creature may be afflicted with multiple different curses
simultaneously. Some curses have an additional effect that
happens when the curse is removed.
Ending the Cursed Condition. Spells such as Remove
Curse and Greater Restoration can end one curse affecting a
creature.
Variant: Persistent Curses. At DM discretion, a curse
may require magic of a specific level to remove,
require a skill check against a set DC in a manner
similar to the Dispel Magic Spell, or require a
specific procedure to remove the curse.
Dazed
A dazed creature can only do one of the following things on
their turn: move, use an action, or use a bonus action. If a
creature becomes dazed during their turn, their turn ends.
Extra Actions while Dazed. When a dazed creature is
affected by a spell or effect that gives them an extra action on
their turn (like the haste spell or the fighter’s Action Surge
feature), they can still take this extra action, in addition to the
movement, action, or bonus action allowed by the dazed
condition.
Immunity to the Dazed Condition. A creature that is
immune to the Paralyzed or Stunned condition also has
immunity to the dazed condition.
Ending the Dazed Condition. Any effect that ends the
Paralyzed or Stunned condition can also end the Dazed
condition.
Deafened
A deafened creature can’t hear and automatically fails any
ability check that requires hearing.
Ending the Deafened Condition. Spells such as Lesser
Restoration, Greater Restoration, and Mass Heal can end the
Deafened condition on a creature.
Variant: Debilitating Deafness. At DM discretion, a
Deafened creature that attempts to cast a spell
with a verbal component may first need to roll a
d20. On a roll of 1-10, the Deafened creature's
action is wasted and the spell does not take effect
or expend a spell slot.
Diseased
A Diseased creature suffers the effects of the disease it is
afflicted with. A Diseased creature may be afflicted with
multiple different diseases simultaneously.
Ending the Diseased Condition. Unless otherwise
specified, spells such as Lesser Restoration and class
features such as the Paladin's Lay On Hands ability can end
one disease affecting a creature. At DM discretion,
nonmagical means specific to the disease and setting may be
able to end it.
Dominated
A creature that is Dominated is Charmed and must follow the
verbal or telepathic commands of the creature Dominating it
to the best of its ability. If given no commands, the Dominated
creature attempts to protect itself and the creature
Dominating it. Any ability that allows a creature to resist or
ignore the effects of the Charmed condition also applies to
the Dominated condition.
Ending the Dominated Condition. Any effect that ends
the Charmed condition can also end the Dominated
condition.
Flanked/Flanking
A creature is Flanked if two enemies that can see it are
adjacent to it and positioned on opposite sides of it. The two
enemies are described as Flanking the Flanked creature. An
Incapacitated creature cannot flank.
Typically, this condition has no mechanical impact on its
own and can be safely ignored, but some abilities may
interact with it, and there are variant rules available for
making it more prominent in your games.
Why Use Flanking? The design intent of the variant
flanking rules presented here is to incentivize tactical
movement and positioning; this can be valuable if your games
feature dynamic combats with lots of movement, but will
likely add little if your combats tend toward static dogpiles, or
if you primarily run Theater of the Mind combat.
Variant: Flanking for Advantage. Under this rule
found in the 2014 D&D 5e DMG, Flanking
creatures have advantage on attacks against
creatures Flanked by them.
Design Notes: Don't use this. Advantage is the
primary reward mechanic in D&D 5e, and this rule
undermines the players' incentive to use their own
abilities and to engage with the world.
Variant: Flanking for +1. Under this rule, Flanking
creatures gain +1 to attack rolls made against a
creature they are Flanking.
Design Notes: This has the advantage of not
being game-warping in the way that Flanking for
Advantage can be, with the downside of
introducing a static modifier, which has some
friction with the design aesthetics of 5e.
Variant: Flanking to Help. Under this rule, a creature
that hits a target it is Flanking with a melee attack
can use its bonus action on that turn to take the
help action, granting a friendly creature that is
Flanking the same target advantage on the next
attack it makes against that target
Design Notes: This is somewhat similar to
Flanking for Advantage, but adds an action cost, an
additional condition that must be met to trigger it,
and grants advantage to only a single attack per
turn.
The intent is that this should avoid
overshadowing class-based and situational means
of gaining advantage.
Frightened
A Frightened creature has disadvantage on ability checks and
attack rolls while the source of its fear is within line of sight.
The creature can’t willingly move closer to the source of its
fear. Unless specified otherwise, a Frightened creature does
not need to flee from the source of its fear.
Line of Sight. A source of fear is within a Frightened
creature's line of sight if an unobstructed line could be drawn
between them, even if the Frightened creature cannot see it.
While within the Frightened creature's Line of Sight, the
source of fear cannot be Hidden from that creature.
Ending the Frightened Condition. Spells such as
Heroism, Calm Emotions, Beacon of Hope, Greater
Restoration, and Power Word: Heal can end the Frightened
condition on a creature.
Grappled
A Grappled creature’s speed becomes 0, and it can’t benefit
from any bonus to its speed. The condition ends if the
grappler is Incapacitated (see the condition).
Dragging a Grappled Creature. A creature may move a
Grappled creature with it when it moves. If the Grappled
creature is within one size category of the grappler, the
grappler moves at half its speed when doing so.
Reorienting a Grapple. A grappler may move around a
creature Grappled by it while maintaining its grapple,
requiring no extra movement to do so.
Size Disparities. Unless otherwise stated, a creature may
Grapple a creature up to one size larger than it. A creature at
least one size larger than the creature grappling it may
attempt to escape the Grapple as a Bonus Action.
Ending the Grappled Condition. As an action, a creature
may attempt to escape a Grapple, making a Strength
(Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check against the
Grapple's Escape DC. If no DC is specified, the check is
instead contested by the grappler with a Strength (Athletics)
check of its own.
Forced Movement and Teleportation. Forced movement
and teleportation can break grapples. If an effect removes the
grappled creature from the reach of the grappler or grappling
effect, the grapple ends. If an effect moves the grappler to a
space where it cannot reach the grappled creature, the
grapple ends. If an effect moves the grappler to a space
where it can still reach the grappled creature, the grappled
creature is moved the same distance in the same direction, if
possible.
Grappling a Willing Creature. Attempts made to Grapple
a willing creature succeed automatically. A willing, conscious
creature can be dragged with no additional movement cost.
Multiple Grapplers. If a creature is Grappled by multiple
grapplers, each creature grappling it may contest the check.
On a successful check, the creature is no longer Grappled.
Grappling Multiple Creatures. A creature that is
grappling one or more creatures may attempt to grapple
another creature as long as it has an appendage available that
could grapple that creature. A creature grappling multiple
creatures suffers no additional penalties.
Releasing a Grapple. A creature may release a creature it
has grappled with no action required on its turn.
Hidden
Hidden is a condition that describes a relationship between
one creature that is not clearly seen by another and has
successfully Hidden from it, typically by taking the Hide
action.
Hiding. A creature that takes the Hide action makes a
Dexterity (Stealth) check, becoming Hidden from any
creature that cannot clearly see it whose Passive Perception
the hiding creature rolled higher than.
A creature that has disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception)
checks, such as a creature in complete darkness navigating
by Darkvision alone, suffers a -5 penalty to its Passive
Perception.
The GM decides whether one creature can clearly see
another, but most usually becoming Hidden from a creature
requires the hiding creature to be Heavily Obscured the
creature it wishes to hide from.
Obscurement. An area is Lightly Obscured if some effect
limits the ability of creatures to see through it, such as dim
light, patchy fog, or moderate foliage. An area is Heavily
Obscured when an effect blocks vision entirely, such as
darkness, opaque fog, or dense foliage.
One creature can also be obscured from another by a
situational effect that does not apply to a wider area, such as
cover.
Hiding Creatures with Special Senses. At DM
discretion, the conditions for being obscured can change
depending on the primary senses of the creature one is
hiding from.
Attacking While Hidden. Unless otherwise specified, you
cease to be Hidden from every creature you are Hidden from
after you make an attack.
A creature that exits cover in combat to approach a
creature it is Hidden from will generally be seen. At DM
discretion, a Hidden creature might be able to complete its
approach before being spotted, allowing it to make one attack
with advantage against a creature it is Hidden from.
Ending the Hidden Condition. You immediately cease to
be Hidden from any creature that can clearly see you.
Incapacitated
An Incapacitated creature can’t take Actions, Bonus Actions,
or Reactions. It does not impose disadvantage on hostile
ranged attackers within 5 feet of it.
Invisible
An invisible creature impossible to see without the aid of
magic or a special sense. The creature counts as Heavily
Obscured from each creature that can't see it, and can
attempt to hide without any other obscurement.
Hiding While Invisible. Dexterity (Stealth) checks made
to hide while Invisible have advantage. Wisdom (Perception)
checks made to detect a Hidden creature that is Invisible
have disadvantage.
Detecting Invisible Creatures. Creatures in D&D are
exceptionally aware of their surroundings. A creature that
turns Invisible is not automatically Hidden, and its position
remains known by each creature it is not Hidden from, even if
it moves, as creatures track its position by sound, shifting air
currents, tiny visual clues, or by means of other senses.
Attacks of Opportunity. Attacks of Opportunity can be
made only against a creature the attacker can see, and thus
ordinarily can't be made against Invisible creatures.
Unseen Attackers. Invisible creatures are typically unseen
by the creatures around them. Attack rolls made against a
creature that cannot see the attacker have advantage, and
attack rolls made against a creature the attacker cannot see
have disadvantage.
Special Senses. Creatures with Blindsight and Truesight
ignore the effects of Invisibility within the range of their
special senses, as do creatures with Tremorsense if the
Invisible creature and the creature with Tremorsense are in
contact with the same contiguous surface, most commonly
the ground.
Hiding From Creatures with Mixed Senses. When an
Invisible creature attempts to Hide from a group of creatures
that possess different senses, it makes a separate check
without advantage to Hide from creatures that ignore its
Invisibility.
Levitating
A levitating creature is suspended weightlessly; it does not
fall if unsupported, and cannot use its speed to walk, but can
use special movement types available to it such as flying, and
can drag itself as though it were climbing along any surface
or object it can reach.
Ending the Levitating Condition. The Levitating
condition is typically imposed by a spell or environmental
effect, and typically ends when the spell or environmental
effect ends for the creature, or when the creature leaves the
spell or effect's area of influence.
Variant: Air-Swimming. At DM discretion, a
Levitating creature may use its action to propel
itself 5 feet through the air.
Limb Damage
Certain effects may cause a creature to temporarily or
permanently lose the use of a limb, causing the following
effects (assuming roughly humanoid anatomy).
Limb Effect
One The creature has its movement reduced by 10
Leg
Both The creature falls Prone, has its movement
Legs reduced by 10, and can't stand.
One The creature has disadvantage with attacks using
Arm two-handed weapons, and can't wield a shield and
weapon or two weapons simultaneously.
Both The creature can't wield weapons or shields, and
Arms can't activate magic items that require the use of
hands.
Paralyzed
A Paralyzed creature is Incapacitated (see the condition),
can’t move or speak, and automatically fails Strength and
Dexterity saving throws.
Attacking Paralyzed Creatures. Attack rolls against the
creature have advantage. Any attack, melee or ranged, that
hits the creature is a critical hit if the attacker is within 5 feet
of the creature. Melee attacks made from more than 5 feet
away are not automatic critical hits.
Ending the Paralyzed Condition. Spells such as Lesser
Restoration, Freedom of Movement, Greater Restoration, or
Power Word: Heal can end the Paralyzed condition on a
creature
Petrified
A Petrified creature is transformed, along with any
nonmagical object it is wearing or carrying, into a solid
inanimate substance, such as stone, salt, ice, or gold. Its
weight increases by a factor of ten, and it ceases aging.
The creature is incapacitated (see the condition), can’t
move or speak, and is unaware of its surroundings.
Attack rolls against the creature have advantage.
The creature automatically fails Strength and Dexterity
saving throws.
The creature has resistance to all damage.
The creature is immune to poison and disease, although a
poison or disease already in its system is suspended, not
neutralized.
Ending the Petrified Condition. Spells such Greater
Restoration
Poisoned
A Poisoned creature has disadvantage on attack rolls and
ability checks.
Ending the Poisoned Condition. Spells such as Lesser
Restoration and class features such as the Paladin's Lay On
Hands ability can end one Poison affecting a creature.
Possessed
When a creature or object becomes Possessed, the
possessing creature (hereafter referred to as a "spirit") is
removed from play; it can't be affected or harmed by any
means unless otherwise stated, and it can't take actions,
bonus actions, or reactions.
Possessing a Creature. The body of a Possessed creature
or object is controlled by the spirit possessing it, and can use
any of the abilities normally available to the creature. Unless
otherwise stated, the possessing spirit gains no special
insight into a Possessed creature's thoughts or memories.
Ending the Possessed Condition. In addition to any other
means specific to a given spirit, the following means can be
used to end the Possessed condition on a creature or object.
When a creature or object ceases to be Possessed, the
possessing spirit is expelled into the nearest unoccupied
space.
The Ceremony spell may be used to perform an exorcism
on a Possessed creature or object the spell caster can see
within 15 feet. Upon casting, the spirit must succeed on a
Charisma saving throw against the spell caster's Save DC
or be expelled from the Possessed creature or object.
The Banishment spell may target a spirit Possessing a
creature or object in its range. A spirit that fails a saving
throw against it immediately ends any Possession it is
imposing, in addition to the spells other effects.
The Dispel Good and Evil spell expels any spirit
Possessing its target.
Any effect that imposes the Turned condition affects
possessing spirits as though they were in the space of the
creature or object Possessed by them. A spirit that is
Turned is immediately expelled from any creature or
object it is Possessing.
Releasing a Possessed Creature or Object. Unless
otherwise stated, a possessing spirit may release a creature
or object Possessed by it at any time, with no action required.
Prone
A prone creature’s only movement option is to crawl, which it
can do at half its walk speed unless otherwise noted. When a
flying creature falls Prone, it immediately falls 500 feet, then
if it is still airborne the Prone condition ends for it.
Attacking While Prone. A Prone creature has
disadvantage on attack rolls.
Attacking a Prone Target. Attacks made against a Prone
creature have advantage if the attacker is within 5 feet of the
creature. Attacks made against a Prone creature have
disadvantage if the attack is not within 5 feet of the creature.
Ranged Attacks Made Near a Prone Enemy. A prone
creature imposes disadvantage on ranged attacks made by
hostile creatures within 5 feet of it as normal.
Ending the Prone Condition. A Prone creature may
spend half its ordinary walking speed to stand, thus ending
the prone condition. A creature within 5 feet of a Prone
creature may help the Prone creature to its feet as an action.
Reduced Statistics
Unless otherwise stated, a creature that has one of its
statistics reduced to 0 suffers an effect associated with that
statistic from the following table:
Statistic Effect
STR The creature's speed becomes 0 and it can't
make attacks.
DEX The creature's speed becomes 0 and attack rolls
against the creature have advantage. Any attack,
melee or ranged, that hits the creature is a critical
hit if the attacker is within 5 feet of the creature.
CON Death
INT The creature is Unconscious and in a catatonic,
coma-like state.
WIS The creature is Unconscious and beset by terrible
nightmares.
CHA The creature becomes perfectly indifferent to
everything, takes no action in pursuit of any goal,
and moves only if pushed.
Reduced Constitution and Hit Points. Temporary
reductions to a creature's Constitution score do not affect its
current or maximum hit points. Indefinite reductions to a
creature's Constitution score are applied to its maximum hit
points when it completes a Long Rest.
Ending the Reduced Statistics Condition. In addition ot
any other means specified, any reduction to one of a
creature's ability scores can be ended with the Greater
Restoration spell.
Restrained
A Restrained creature’s speed becomes 0, it can’t benefit from
any bonus to its speed, and it has disadvantage on Dexterity
saving throws.
Attacking a Restrained Creature. Attack rolls against the
Restrained creature have advantage, and the Restrained
creature’s attack rolls have disadvantage.
Ending the Restrained Condition. As an action, a
Restrained creature may attempt to escape an effect
restraining it, making a Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity
(Acrobatics) check against the restraint's Escape DC.
Any effect that could end the Grappled condition, such as
teleportation, forced movement, or spells such as Freedom of
Movement, can also end the condition.
Stunned
A Stunned creature is Incapacitated (see the condition), can’t
move, and can speak only falteringly. The creature
automatically fails Strength and Dexterity saving throws.
Attacking a Stunned Creature. Attack rolls against the
Stunned creature have advantage.
Ending the Stunned Condition. Spells such as Greater
Restoration can end the Stunned condition on a creature.
Suffocating
When a creature that is Choking runs out of breath or loses
its held breath, it begins Suffocating. A Suffocating creature
can survive for a number of rounds equal to its Constitution
modifier (minimum of 1 round). At the start of its next turn, it
drops to 0 hit points and begins Dying, and it can’t regain hit
points or be stabilized until it can breathe again.
For example, a creature with a Constitution of 14 can hold
its breath for 3 minutes. If it starts suffocating, it has 2
rounds to reach air before it drops to 0 hit points.
Swallowed
A swallowed creature is trapped inside the creature or effect
that swallowed it. Its movement becomes 0, it moves with the
creature swallowing it.
Vision While Swallowed. The space inside a Swallowing
effect is typically dark unless illuminated by some internal
source.
Restraint While Swallowed. A creature Swallowed by a
creature or effect less than three size categories larger than it
is Restrained.
Damage From Inside. Damage a creature is dealt from an
effect that originates inside of it ignores the creature's
damage resistances and immunities.
Saving Throws From Inside. A creature automatically
fails any Dexterity saving throw from an effect that originates
inside of it, and has disadvantage on any Constitution saving
throws from such an effect.
Ending the Swallowed Condition. If an escape DC is
noted, it indicates that some portion of the creature is within
reach of some means of exiting the space it is Swallowed in.
In such cases, a creature may end the Swallowed condition
on itself or on a creature Swallowed by a creature or effect
within 5 feet as an Action with a successful Strength
(Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check.
When the Swallowed condition ends for a creature, it
emerges prone in the nearest unoccupied space.
Teleportation. A swallowed creature that teleports out of
the space it is swallowed in has the condition end for it.
Releasing a Swallowed Creature. As a Reaction when a
creature is dealt damage by a creature Swallowed by it, it
may regurgitate each creature Swallowed by it.
Temporary Hit Points
Some hostile effects can cause a creature to gain temporary
points, with an additional negative effect that persists as long
as the temporary hit points do.
Ending Temporary Hit Points. These temporary hit
points can be reduced to 0 by damage as normal.
A creature that already has temporary hit points may
choose not to gain temporary hit points, and thus having
temporary hit points can act as a shield against effects such
as these.
A creature that gains temporary hit points while it has any
temporary hit points may choose to accept them, thus losing
their earlier temporary hit points and freeing them from any
attached effect.
Turned
A Turned creature must spend its action and movement on
each of its turns trying to move as far away as possible from
the creature or effect that turned it, can't willingly move to a
space within 30 feet of that creature or effect, and can't take
reactions. If there's nowhere to move, the creature can use
the Dodge action.
Ending the Turned Condition. A Turned creature that
takes any damage has the condition end for it.
Unconscious
An unconscious creature is Incapacitated (see the condition),
can’t move or speak, and is unaware of its surroundings
unless specified otherwise.
A creature that falls Unconscious drops whatever it’s
holding and falls Prone.
The creature automatically fails Strength and Dexterity
saving throws.
Attack rolls against the creature have advantage.
Any attack that hits the creature is a critical hit if the
attacker is within 5 feet of the creature.
Ending the Unconscious Condition. Unless otherwise
specified, an Unconscious creature that takes any damage, or
that has another creature shake it awake as an Action, has
the condition end for it.
Exhaustion
Some special abilities and environmental hazards, such as
starvation and the long-term effects of freezing or scorching
temperatures, can lead to a special condition called
exhaustion. Exhaustion is measured in six levels. An effect
can give a creature one or more levels of exhaustion, as
specified in the effect’s description.
Level Effect
1 Disadvantage on ability checks
2 Speed halved
3 Disadvantage on attack rolls and saving throws
4 Hit point maximum halved
5 Speed reduced to 0
6 Death
If an already exhausted creature suffers another effect that
causes exhaustion, its current level of exhaustion increases
by the amount specified in the effect’s description.
A creature suffers the effect of its current level of
exhaustion as well as all lower levels. For example, a creature
suffering level 2 exhaustion has its speed halved and has
disadvantage on ability checks.
Removing Exhaustion. An effect that removes exhaustion,
such as the Greater Restoration spell, reduces its level as
specified in the effect’s description, with all exhaustion effects
ending if a creature’s exhaustion level is reduced below 1.
Finishing a long rest reduces a creature’s exhaustion level
by 1, provided that the creature has also ingested some food
and drink.
Art Credits
Cover by Andreas Zafeiratos
Knight of Malice by Sidharth Chaturvedi
Forsworn Paladin by Lorenzo Mastroianni
Rally the Peasants by Jaime Jones
Kenrith the Returned King by Kieran Yanner
Aragorn the Uniter by Javier Charro
Dub by Bastien L. DeHarme
Livio Oathsworn Sentinel by Kekai Kotaki
Orzhov Racketeers by David Palumbo
Instigator Gang by Greg Staples
La Navaja by Joseph Saint-Germier
Malik, Grim Manipulator by Joshua Raphael
Frostburn by Andreas Zafeiratos
License
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property of Wizards of the Coast, LLC. and is Copyright 2000
Wizards of the Coast, Inc ("Wizards"). All Rights Reserved.
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which an existing work may be recast, transformed or
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rent, lease, sell, broadcast, publicly display, transmit or
otherwise distribute; (d)"Open Game Content" means the
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processes and routines to the extent such content does
not embody the Product Identity and is an enhancement
over the prior art and any additional content clearly
identified as Open Game Content by the Contributor, and
means any work covered by this License, including
translations and derivative works under copyright law, but
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graphic designs; and any other trademark or registered
trademark clearly identified as Product identity by the
owner of the Product Identity, and which specifically
excludes the OPEN Game Content; (f) "Trademark"
means the logos, names, mark, sign, motto, designs that
are used by a Contributor to Identify itself or its products
or the associated products contributed to the Open Game
License by the Contributor (g) "Use", "Used" or "Using"
means to use, Distribute, copy, edit, format, modify,
translate and otherwise create Derivative Material of
Open Game Content. (h) "You" or "Your" means the
licensee in terms of this agreement.
 2. The License: This License applies to any Open Game 12. Inability to Comply: If it is impossible for You to comply
Content that contains a notice indicating that the Open with any of the terms of this License with respect to some
Game Content may only be Used under and in terms of or all of the Open Game Content due to statute, judicial
this License. You must affix such a notice to any Open order, or governmental regulation then You may not Use
Game Content that you Use. No terms may be added to or any Open Game Material so affected.
subtracted from this License except as described by the 13. Termination: This License will terminate automatically if
License itself. No other terms or Conditions may be You fail to comply with all terms herein and fail to cure
applied to any Open Game Content distributed using this such breach within 30 days of becoming aware of the
License. breach. All sublicenses shall survive the termination of
3. Offer and Acceptance: By Using the Open Game Content this License.
You indicate Your acceptance of the terms of this License. 14. Reformation: If any provision of this License is held to be
4. Grant and Consideration: In consideration for agreeing to unenforceable, such provision shall be reformed only to
use this License, the Contributors grant You a perpetual, the extent necessary to make it enforceable.
worldwide, royalty-free, nonexclusive License with the
exact terms of this License to Use, the Open Game 15. COPYRIGHT NOTICE Open Game License v 1.0a
Content. Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, LLC. System
5. Representation of Authority to Contribute: If You are Reference Document 5.1 Copyright 2016, Wizards of the
contributing original material as Open Game Content, You Coast, LLC.; Authors Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford,
represent that Your Contributions are Your original Chris Perkins, Rodney Thompson, Peter Lee, James
Creation and/or You have sufficient rights to grant the Wyatt, Robert J. Schwalb, Bruce R. Cordell, Chris Sims,
rights conveyed by this License. and Steve Townshend, based on original material by E.
Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. The Offering 5e
6. Notice of License Copyright: You must update the Roleplaying Supplement Copyright 2023, Conflux
COPYRIGHT NOTICE portion of this License to include Creatures. END OF LICENSE
the exact text of the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any Open
Game Content You are copying, modifying or distributing,
and You must add the title, the copyright date, and the
copyright holder’s name to the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of
any original Open Game Content you Distribute.
7. Use of Product Identity: You agree not to Use any Product
Identity, including as an indication as to compatibility,
except as expressly licensed in another, independent
Agreement with the owner of each element of that
Product Identity. You agree not to indicate compatibility or
co-adaptability with any Trademark or Registered
Trademark in conjunction with a work containing Open
Game Content except as expressly licensed in another,
independent Agreement with the owner of such
Trademark or Registered Trademark. The use of any
Product Identity in Open Game Content does not
constitute a Challenge to the ownership of that Product
Identity. The owner of any Product Identity used in Open
Game Content shall retain all rights, title and interest in
and to that Product Identity.
8. Identification: If you distribute Open Game Content You
must clearly indicate which portions of the work that you
are distributing are Open Game Content.
9. Updating the License: Wizards or its designated Agents
may publish updated versions of this License. You may
use any authorized version of this License to copy, modify
and distribute any Open Game Content originally
distributed under any version of this License.
10. Copy of this License: You MUST include a copy of this
License with every copy of the Open Game Content You
Distribute.
11. Use of Contributor Credits: You may not market or
advertise the Open Game Content using the name of any
Contributor unless You have written permission from the
Contributor to do so.