Thinking about the roles that creatures play in combat helps to create better encounters. A monster who has tons of hit points can stand up front, soaking up damage while the more vulnerable evil wizard launches devastating spells from behind cover. Skirmisher monsters can dart in from the sides and back away, forcing the characters to spread out and leaving them open to an ambusher. Foes of different roles complement each other, creating an effective team.

Monsters in 5e don’t have defined roles with connections to specific mechanics and tactics. However, many 5e foes either already fit a specific role or are flexible enough to allow us to assign roles to them. For example, a harpy is a highly effective controller, and a spy is an excellent skirmisher or ambusher. We can also modify monsters to enable them to play a role. By assigning a role to a foe, you enable a specific set of tactics that allow you to challenge the characters more effectively.

Ambushers have special features that allow them to hide, dart out of danger, render targets senseless, or otherwise prevent characters from attacking them easily. An ambusher often deals more damage when hidden, and might engage in a pattern of hiding, attacking, and hiding again. Ambusher foes are often less effective when they can’t hide, which incentivizes characters to force them into the open. Many ambushers have low hit points.

When to Use Them. Because ambushers can result in longer, drawn-out fights, you want to use them sparingly. However, they can be a good choice for a villain who needs to get away. Ambushers are likewise an excellent choice if a combat encounter is preceded by a free-form roleplaying or social encounter, with foes hiding in plain sight before the fight breaks out.

Placement and Tactics. An ambusher is usually most effective when they start out hidden, revealing themself only when they attack. Some ambushers start out in the open, then disappear and reposition once characters have moved toward them.

Example Ambushers. Dust mephit, ghost, mimic, phase spider, spy.

To build an ambusher, reduce AC by 2 or reduce hit points by 20 percent. An ambusher gains proficiency in Stealth and uses double their proficiency bonus for Dexterity (Stealth) checks. Then give the ambusher one or more of the following powers:

(Trait). When this creature hits with an attack, they can become invisible until the start of their next turn.

(Trait). This creature can attempt to hide in dim light or lightly obscured terrain. When this creature moves, they can make a Dexterity (Stealth) check to hide as part of that movement.

(Bonus Action). This creature takes the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action.

(Trait). When this creature hits a target with an attack and has advantage on the attack roll, they deal CR + 2 extra damage.

(Reaction, Recharge 4–6). When this creature is the only target of a melee attack, they can immediately move up to their speed without provoking opportunity attacks. If this movement leaves this creature outside the attacking creature’s reach, this creature avoids the attack.

This reaction lets a foe avoid taking damage while also conveying the feel of a nimble combatant capable of escaping certain danger. You can alter the recharge to reflect just how nimble a creature is.

Artillery typically have a high attack bonus and deal good damage at range, but have lower hit points or AC than other foes. Sacrificing survivability can be fun, allowing these monsters to hit hard and die quickly. This creates tension and pressure early in an encounter, followed by increasing confidence as the heroes reach the artillery and quickly defeat them.

Artillery creatures might strike at single targets or an area, and their high accuracy lets them deal consistent damage. Because they operate at range, you might focus the attacks of artillery foes on characters who usually stay out of trouble, using the flexibility of range to put them in peril. Alternatively, you can put their accuracy to use against the characters with the highest defenses.

When to Use Them. Artillery creatures work well in most encounters. Because of their placement at range, they draw attention away from other important targets such as controllers, leaders, or bosses. Artillery foes encourage characters to use resources to reach them, finish them off, and heal from their long-range damage.

Placement and Tactics. Artillery creatures seek cover and elevation from which to rain down destruction. They stand behind other monsters and block terrain so that characters can’t easily get to them. They might also be placed without cover and to the sides of the battle, forcing characters who want to attack them to spread out—so that ambushers or skirmishers can pick those characters off. Place artillery closer to the action when you want them to be easy to reach and to draw attention deliberately away from other foes.

Artillery creatures like to focus fire and group up on one target when possible. However, you want to change up that tactic if you start rolling too well, which can make artillery creatures extremely dangerous even in relatively easy encounters. Make sure getting to artillery foes is fun and not frustrating. A good rule of thumb is that characters shouldn’t need to spend more than 1 round of movement to engage an artillery creature.

Example Artillery. Hill giant, mage, manticore, scout, solar. Of all the roles, artillery creatures are generally the least represented in the 5e Monster Manual and other books, but you can easily build artillery with additional monster powers

To turn a stat block into an artillery foe, increase the creature’s attack bonuses by 2, or increase attack bonuses by 1 and increase the damage of all attack actions by 1 for each damage die rolled for the attack (so that 2d8 damage gains a +2, 3d6 damage gains a +3, and so on). Then either decrease hit points by 20 percent or decrease AC by 2.

You can then give the creature any of the following powers:

(Reaction). When this creature would make a ranged attack, they can first move 5 feet without provoking opportunity attacks.

(Reaction). When this creature misses with a ranged attack, they can reroll that attack.

A bruiser foe deals higher-than-average melee damage, bringing the pain up close. But that focus on damage often comes with lower AC, lower attack accuracy, or lower hit points. Bruisers draw attention with their damage, and make fun opponents because they’re often easy to hit, or die quickly.

When a bruiser has low accuracy, a battle often feels swingy, with a sense of impending doom as each attack roll creates tension. Even when an attack misses, the players are usually watching that roll and wincing as they think about what would have happened if it hit.

When to Use Them. Bruisers should be used in most encounters, surprising players with their impressive damage. However, they should be used with care in encounters against 1st-level characters, who are particularly susceptible to being dropped with a single lucky blow.

Like artillery, bruisers can be used to draw attention away from other important targets such as controllers, leaders, and bosses. Bruisers encourage characters to use resources, first to finish off the bruiser more quickly, then to heal up in the aftermath.

Placement and Tactics. Melee bruisers should be in the front lines, where they can deal damage as soon as possible. They might come out of side passages or otherwise surprise characters in the rear ranks, but bruisers seldom switch targets unless a different target is obviously easier to kill. Bruisers like to focus fire and group up on one target when possible, so keep an eye on their damage output to ensure that a few lucky attack rolls don’t push the challenge level of an encounter too high.

Example Bruisers. Ettin, flesh golem, owlbear, shambling mound, wolf.

To build a bruiser, either decrease attack bonuses by 2, decrease hit points by 10 percent and attack bonuses by 1, or decrease AC by 2. Then increase the damage of all attack actions by 2 for each damage die rolled for the attack. You can alternatively let each attack deal an extra CR damage. (At low challenge ratings, for specific powerful actions, or to provide a higher challenge, this additional damage can be increased to 3 × CR.)

You can then give the creature any of the following powers:

(Reaction) When this creature is reduced to 0 hit points, they can immediately make one melee or ranged weapon attack before they fall unconscious.

Your monsters can get in one last attack when they have this trait.

(Trait). This creature’s attacks score a critical hit on a roll of 17–20.

This power works particularly well for multiple low threat creatures, creating a better chance that one or more will score a crit. You can alter the critical hit range based on the story you’re telling. For example, low-CR constructs with a critical range of 15–20 could be a lot of fun, hitting surprisingly hard but dying quickly. You can also use this power with nearly any other creature type, representing preternatural acuity or battle training.

Be careful with giving formidable foes this trait, and consider reducing the range if you do—especially at low levels of play where critical hits can have a big impact on play and easily result in character death. But, yes, a vorpal tyrannosaurus does sound awesome.

(Bonus Action). Until the end of their turn, this creature deals an extra CR damage on attacks but reduces their AC by 2.

(Trait). This creature can make an opportunity attack when any creature moves within their reach, even if that movement would not normally trigger an opportunity attack.

Controller creatures use their attacks and features to impose conditions or otherwise impede characters from being their most effective. This role covers many different types of foes, and the extent of their control can vary. Some controller creatures grapple, swallow, or otherwise lock down targets, preventing movement. They might impose disadvantage on attacks through conditions such as poisoned or restrained, or use magic such as the confusion or hold person spells to limit actions.

When to Use Them. Controllers create dilemmas for a party to contend with. How do the characters change tactics when the fighter is poisoned and the cleric is inside a creature’s gullet? These situations can be exciting and challenging, forcing characters to expend resources and think of clever solutions. However, used too often, too extensively, or too effectively, controller foes can feel like punishment. Be wary of a character rendered ineffective for several rounds, or of more than a couple of characters being ineffective for longer than 1 round. When a control effect feels clearly frustrating, try to change targets over the course of combat so that the same character isn’t being controlled round after round.

Placement and Tactics. Controllers should be placed where they can’t be easily reached, but close to prospective targets based on the range of their powers. Spellcaster controllers might be careful to always start farther than 60 feet from the characters—beyond the range of counterspell. A controller pairs well with a defender whose job is to keep the controller safe, or with skirmishers who can easily move around controlled characters. Controllers usually have trouble defeating characters one-on-one, due to their lower damage, but they work well with bruisers and artillery who can deal high damage to controlled characters.

Example Controllers. Black pudding, cockatrice, ettercap, harpy.

To create a controller creature, reduce the damage of each of the creature’s attack actions by 1 for each damage die rolled for the attack. Then increase the saving throw DCs for each of their non-damage-dealing attacks and features by 2.

You can then give the creature any of the following powers:

(Trait). Choose one spell from the Controlling Spells trait that this creature can cast. This creature gains one of the following benefits: • The spell can be cast as a bonus action. • The spell can be cast as a reaction to taking damage from an enemy. • If the spell normally targets one creature, it can instead target two creatures within its normal range.

(Trait). When this creature hits a target with an attack, they impose one of the following conditions, based on the creature concept: blinded, charmed, frightened, grappled, poisoned, prone, or restrained. The condition lasts until the end of the target’s next turn.

(Trait). Choose up to two of the following spells: blindness/deafness, command, entangle, grease, gust of wind, hideous laughter, hold person, levitate, ray of enfeeblement, silence, suggestion, or web. This creature can cast any of the chosen spells as an action. If this creature does not yet have a spell save DC, the save DC for these spells is 10 + 1/2 CR. Once chosen, the spells cannot be changed for this creature.

For a ranged controller, consider the Pinning Shot power.

(Trait). When this creature hits with a ranged weapon attack, the target must succeed on a Strength saving throw (DC = 9 + 1/2 CR) or have their speed reduced to 0. An affected creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of their turns, ending the effect on themself on a success.

Just one or two combatants with this trait can force the characters to adjust tactics as some of them are pinned in place. To make this power stronger, it can impose the restrained condition instead of just reducing speed. Either way, be careful not to overuse this power and frustrate the players.

Defender foes soak up hits and damage. They might deal lower-than-average damage or be less accurate with attacks, but have higher AC, saving throws, and hit points. They often look big and imposing, drawing attention to themselves by issuing challenges and making threats. Some defenders have attacks or features that pin characters in place—often referred to as “sticky” features that make the defender hard to get away from once engaged. Stickiness can also take the form of imposing penalties to attack any creatures other than the defender, or similar features that help the defender soak up the heroes’ attacks.

When to Use Them. Defenders should be used sparingly, as too many defenders in an encounter or too many encounters featuring defenders can make combats longer and less interesting. Use them in fights where other vulnerable foes need assistance to prevent being taken down too quickly. Defenders work well with skirmishers or ambushers, who can surprise characters focused on the defender. They excel at protecting key villains, especially artillery or controller spellcasters.

Placement and Tactics. Defenders are often placed in the front lines to tie down characters. However, you can also place them farther back, closer to another creature they defend. Make sure defenders won’t lock down all the characters at once, though. Combat works best when most characters can move around the encounter area and discover all it has to offer. You don’t want to design an amazing encounter and then have the characters spend all their time locked down in specific locations.

Example Defenders. Animated armor, chuul, gelatinous cube, knight, shambling mound.

To make a creature into a defender, increase their AC by 3 or increase their hit points by 30 percent. Grant them a +2 bonus to saving throws, increasing to +5 if the characters are 11th level or higher. Then decrease their attack roll bonuses by 2, or reduce their attack roll bonuses by 1 and reduce the damage of all attack actions by 1 for each damage die rolled for the attack.

You can then give the creature any of the following powers:

(Trait). Any creature starting their turn next to this creature has their speed reduced by half until the end of the affected creature’s turn.

(Bonus Action, Recharge 4–6). The next time this creature hits a target, in addition to the regular effect of the attack, that target is challenged. A challenged creature has disadvantage on attack rolls against any creature other than the challenging creature. At the end of each of their turns, a challenged creature can make a Charisma saving throw (DC = 10 + 1/2 CR), ending the challenge on themself on a success.

(Reaction) When an ally within 5 feet of this creature is targeted by an attack or spell, this creature can make themself the intended target of the attack.

This is an excellent feature for minions who can intercept damage intended for a boss, or for a high hit-point monster who can act as a defender of more strategically important monsters.

(Trait). When this creature hits with an attack, the target has disadvantage on attack rolls against any creature other than this one until the end of the target’s next turn.

A leader has features that help other creatures. They might heal, boost statistics such as attack modifiers or saving throws, or move other creatures, and they often have lower-than-average hit points, damage output, or accuracy.

When to Use Them. Leaders are most interesting when used sparingly, though they can be used more often when they are of different types. For example, a hobgoblin priest NPC focused on healing feels different from a duergar war priest who boosts their allies’ attacks.

Placement and Tactics. Leaders can be placed according to the focus of their useful features, letting them help as many of their allies as possible. Because the characters often want to target them, leaders operate best in the center or slightly back from the center of the encounter area.

Leaders make good bosses, or can act as lieutenants for bosses. Be careful when using them with skirmishers and ambushers, though, since characters moving to pursue those foes might go after the leader instead. A good default setup is to have one or two defenders protecting a leader.

Example Leaders. Couatl, knight, priest.

A leader has features that help other creatures. They might heal, boost statistics such as attack modifiers or saving throws, or move other creatures, and they often have lower-than-average hit points, damage output, or accuracy.

When to Use Them. Leaders are most interesting when used sparingly, though they can be used more often when they are of different types. For example, a hobgoblin priest NPC focused on healing feels different from a duergar war priest who boosts their allies’ attacks.

Placement and Tactics. Leaders can be placed according to the focus of their useful features, letting them help as many of their allies as possible. Because the characters often want to target them, leaders operate best in the center or slightly back from the center of the encounter area.

Leaders make good bosses, or can act as lieutenants for bosses. Be careful when using them with skirmishers and ambushers, though, since characters moving to pursue those foes might go after the leader instead. A good default setup is to have one or two defenders protecting a leader.

To turn a foe into a leader, either reduce that foe’s attack bonuses by 2, reduce their hit points by 20 percent, or reduce the damage of all attack actions by 1 for each damage die rolled for the attack.

Then give the creature any of the following powers:

(Trait). While this creature is at half their hit point maximum or above, each ally within 30 feet of them has a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls.

Roleplay the instructions a creature with this trait gives out to underlings, directing their attacks and lifting their morale. Establishing that the commander looking healthy is inspiring their troops can clue the players in to the need to focus fire to end the benefit. For a stronger effect, the +2 attack bonus could be replaced with advantage.

(Trait). While this creature is below half their hit point maximum, whenever they take damage and an ally is within 5 feet of them, this creature takes half the damage and the chosen ally takes the remaining damage. Additionally, while this creature is below half their hit point maximum, each ally within 30 feet of them has advantage on attack rolls. This power paints a different story in combat than the Commander power, showing a leader whose desperation fuels the fury and devotion of their foolish followers.

(Bonus Action). This creature can choose another creature they can see and hear within 50 feet of them. The chosen creature regains hit points equal to 25 percent of their hit point maximum.

(Reaction). When this creature succeeds on a saving throw or when an attack roll against them misses, one ally who can see this creature gains 5 + 1/2 CR temporary hit points.

You can make this power a trait if you want it to be the centerpiece of an encounter. Smart characters will attack other creatures instead, but that might also work in the leader’s favor.

(Trait). When this creature hits a target with an attack, any ally of this creature who can see the target has advantage on attack rolls against the target until the start of this creature’s next turn.

(Bonus Action). Up to two targets within 30 ft can use a reaction to move up to half its speed in a direction of the leader’s choice. This movement is unaffected by difficult terrain and doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks. Source: https://koboldpress.com/monster-vault-preview-tales-of-the-valiant-marilith/

(Bonus Action). Up to two targets within 30 ft can use a reaction to Parry. Until the start of their next turn, they have a +2 bonus to AC, including against the triggering attack. Source: https://koboldpress.com/monster-vault-preview-tales-of-the-valiant-marilith/

(Bonus Action). Up to two targets within 30 ft can gain advantage on the next weapon attack roll it makes before the start of the leader’s next turn. Source: https://koboldpress.com/monster-vault-preview-tales-of-the-valiant-marilith/

(Bonus Action, Recharge 4-6). This creature chooses up to six creatures who can see and hear them. Those creatures can immediately either move their speed or take an action.

Sneaky or skirmishing creatures can all benefit from these rogue-type powers.

(Bonus Action, Recharge 6). Until the start of their next turn, this creature changes their appearance to look exactly like another creature who is within 5 feet of them and is no more than one size smaller or larger than this creature. Other creatures must each make a Wisdom (Perception) check (DC = 10 + 1/2 CR) each time they make an attack against this creature or the impersonated creature. On a failure, the attack is made against the wrong target.

This power can be narratively rendered as shapeshifting ability, an illusion effect, beguiling words from a fey, or a confusing effect caused by an aberration.

(Reaction, Recharge 4–6). When this creature is the only target of a melee attack, they can immediately move up to their speed without provoking opportunity attacks. If this movement leaves this creature outside the attacking creature’s reach, this creature avoids the attack.

This reaction lets a foe avoid taking damage while also conveying the feel of a nimble combatant capable of escaping certain danger. You can alter the recharge to reflect just how nimble a creature is.

Skirmishers dance around the battlefield, using high mobility to dart in for an attack and then get away. They might have lower AC or hit points than other foes, but possess features that let them evade blows, retreat, or counterattack. Skirmishers are usually accurate, having a high attack bonus, and their damage might be especially high when using their mobility features.

When to Use Them. Use skirmishers to liven up battles. They can draw characters farther into an area of combat, making good use of areas that have dividing features such as interior walls, side chambers, or more than one level.

Placement and Tactics. Skirmishers should usually start far enough from the characters to show off their ability to move in and then move back out, forcing characters to reposition themselves. Skirmishers with high speed or supernatural movement can avoid or surpass terrain that challenges pursuing characters, who might trigger traps or spread out so other foes can surround them.

Example Skirmishers. Bulette, copper dragon, goblin, spy, wraith.

To create a skirmisher foe, reduce a creature’s AC by 2 or reduce their hit points by 20 percent. Each of the creature’s speeds increases by 20 feet.

Then give the creature any of the following powers:

(Bonus Action). This creature’s movement does not provoke opportunity attacks until the end of their turn.

(Trait). When this creature hits a target with an attack, they can choose to push the target 5 feet away from them. If this creature is CR 4 or higher, the target must also succeed on a Strength saving throw (DC = 10 + 1/2 CR) or be knocked prone.

(Trait). This creature ignores difficult terrain.

(Reaction). When this creature would make a ranged attack, they can first move 5 feet without provoking opportunity attacks.

Solo powers work well when a single creature is used in an encounter, or when one creature is the obvious target and needs to survive focused fire.

(Trait). If this creature fails a saving throw, they can choose to succeed instead. Each time they use this trait, this creature takes 4 + CR damage.

This power provides an alternative to the Legendary Resistance trait, with the hit point cost making it more rewarding for characters to cast spells and use features that require a saving throw, knowing that having a foe succeed on those saves carries a different cost. At the same time, a monster can use this power more often than Legendary Resistance, protecting them from the repetitive uses of features that can hinder a solo creature’s ability to be effective. For an alternative approach, replace the damage dealt with the creature losing the ability to use one of their actions or traits until the end of their next turn.

(Trait). Whenever this creature is subjected to a spell or other magical effect that does not grant a saving throw, the creature can make a DC 15 Charisma saving throw, avoiding the effect on a success.

This trait lets you build an even more potent magic defiant foe. You can change the ability score used for the saving throw to reflect the nature of a particular creature, or base it on the type of effect being avoided. Things will get interesting for the characters when a boss monster unexpectedly breaks the walls shaped by a forcecage spell or overcomes some equally powerful effect. Use this power sparingly, though—and don’t give your players our email addresses.

(Trait). This monster has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

A great option when building solo monsters is to give them the ability to shrug off spells and magical effects, common in most legendary or highly magical monsters.

(Trait). If this creature takes damage while incapacitated, paralyzed, or stunned, they gain an extra attack the next time they use the Attack action. This trait can grant a maximum of one extra attack if the creature is CR 6 or lower, two extra attacks if they are from CR 7 to CR 12, and three extra attacks if they are CR 13 or above.

This is an excellent power for boss or solo monsters likely to be denied actions by the characters’ tactics. That action denial still takes place, but the creature has a chance to make up for it.

Warrior powers represent tactics and capabilities honed through battle.

(Bonus Action, Recharge 4–6). The next time this creature hits a target, in addition to the regular effect of the attack, that target is challenged. A challenged creature has disadvantage on attack rolls against any creature other than the challenging creature. At the end of each of their turns, a challenged creature can make a Charisma saving throw (DC = 10 + 1/2 CR), ending the challenge on themself on a success.

Perfect for a monster with the defender role, this power incentivizes characters to engage with a formidable foe rather than go after weaker targets.

(Trait). This creature has advantage on an attack roll against a target if at least one of this creature’s allies is within 5 feet of this creature and the ally isn’t incapacitated.

A superb trait, Pack Tactics allows monsters to work together in an obvious tactical fashion to gain advantage. This trait can be used for many types of monsters, representing the cunning tactics they employ.

(Trait). When this creature hits with a ranged weapon attack, the target must succeed on a Strength saving throw (DC = 9 + 1/2 CR) or have their speed reduced to 0. An affected creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of their turns, ending the effect on themself on a success.

Just one or two combatants with this trait can force the characters to adjust tactics as some of them are pinned in place. To make this power stronger, it can impose the restrained condition instead of just reducing speed. Either way, be careful not to overuse this power and frustrate the players. Source Forge of Foes ToV Game Masters Guide