This section offers a sampling of monster type templates whose traits you can apply to your quick-build monster, new powers tied to specific monster types (including actions, bonus actions, reactions, and additional traits), and advice on how to use those powers. Some templates use the challenge rating of the creature you’re creating to calculate saving throw DCs, damage, and other variables.

Aberrations generally have high Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores, as well as darkvision with either a 60- or 120-foot range. An aberration speaks a language such as Deep Speech, or communicates telepathically.

Senses darkvision 120 ft.

Languages Deep Speech, telepathy 120 ft.

You can further represent an aberration’s nature by giving them any of the following powers.

(Trait). When this creature is hit by a melee weapon attack, the weapon becomes stuck to them. A creature can remove a stuck weapon with an action and a successful DC 14 Strength (Athletics) check. All items stuck to this creature become unstuck when the creature dies.

Sure to surprise your players, this power should be given only to a single creature to avoid frustration. It can lead to different tactics, or to characters drawing one weapon after another to keep attacking in melee. Enjoy describing the gross skin the monster has to enable this trait!

(Bonus Action). Each enemy within 30 feet of this creature must succeed on an Intelligence saving throw (DC = 11 + 1/2 CR) or be teleported up to 20 feet to an unoccupied space of this creature’s choice that this creature can see.

As an alternative to Repulsion, this power can be used to move targets away from a vulnerable foe. But it can also be used to place heroes over pits (allowing a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw to grab the edge), move characters next to dangerous foes, lift them up and drop them, and explore other devious tactics. If you change the power to target all creatures or target allies instead of enemies, it could be used to move companion creatures out of danger (with those creatures allowed to intentionally fail their saving throws).

(Action, Recharge 4–6). If this creature has the Multiattack action, Dominating Gaze can take the place of one of the attacks used in that action. This creature chooses a target they can see within 60 feet of them. The target must succeed on a Charisma saving throw (DC = 12 + 1/2 CR) or be forced to immediately use their most effective weapon attack, magical attack, or at-will spell against another target chosen by this creature.

This action communicates the foe’s otherworldly nature. The momentary domination could come in the form of mind control, changing what the target sees, or confusing them. Describing horrid whispers of the beauty of the stars waking to devour the world is optional.

(Bonus Action) The next time this creature hits a target with an attack, the attack’s damage becomes psychic damage and this creature becomes Invisible to the target. The target can make an Intelligence saving throw (DC = 13 + 1/2 CR) as an action or at the end of each of their turns, ending the Invisibility on a success. A target who succeeds on the saving throw is immune to this effect for 5 minutes.

This power can easily be reskinned as an illusionary effect usable by spellcasters, fey, or other magical creatures. A foe can use this power to prevent a specific creature from being able to see them (and perhaps forget they ever existed), forcing the characters to change tactics.

(Reaction). When this creature hits with an attack, they sprout a tentacle that grasps the target. In addition to the attack’s normal effects, the target is Grappled (escape DC = 11 + 1/2 CR) and Restrained. Until the grapple ends, this creature can’t use the grappling tentacle against another target. This creature can sprout 1d4 tentacles.

This reaction is a fun way to surprise your players. Describe how the tentacles emerge from the foe’s limb or body to grasp a character. You can roll for the number of tentacles or choose a number that reflects the creature’s desired challenge rating.

(Action, 1/Encounter). This creature targets up to eight creatures they can see within 50 feet of them. Each target must succeed on a Charisma saving throw (DC = 13 + 1/2 CR) or immediately move their speed away from this creature, avoiding hazards or dangerous terrain if possible. On a failed save, a target creature can’t move closer to this creature. An affected target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of their turns, ending the effect on themself on a success.

Repulsion is an excellent way to keep characters away from an otherwise vulnerable foe. Even if only a few characters fail their saving throws, the number of characters who can fight the foe in melee is reduced. This is a powerful action to add to a monster acting as a guardian to other vulnerable creatures. You can explicitly make this a fear effect and use the frightened condition if doing so fits the foe and the situation.

Beasts might have low ability scores if they are mundane creatures, with their strongest scores in either Strength or Dexterity. They might also have a medium to high Constitution or Wisdom to represent hardiness and cunning. Beasts typically have darkvision with a 60-foot range, and they don’t speak a language. Beasts often have the ability to climb, swim, or fly, and they might be proficient in the Athletics, Perception, or Survival skills.

You can customize a quick-build beast using one of the powers below, or a power from the “Monstrosity” section.

(Trait). This creature must be size Huge or larger. When this creature dies, they topple to the ground, forcing each smaller creature within 20 feet of this creature to succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be knocked Prone.

This power reminds players of the considerable size and weight of creatures such as dinosaurs. It works best when several creatures all have this trait, so that as each one falls, the characters feel the effect impact the battle. Beyond bestial creatures, this trait works well for constructs, dragons, and other physically mighty foes.

(Reaction). When this creature hits another creature with a melee attack and the damage from the attack either reduces the target to below half their hit point maximum or reduces them to 0 hit points, this creature can immediately move up to their speed and repeat the melee attack against another target.

This reaction captures the ferocious nature of the beast, motivated by seeing prey take a grievous wound or meet their end.

(Action). As part of this action, this creature first takes one of their other actions. After that action is completed, this creature can move 30 feet without provoking opportunity attacks. If the creature ends their movement behind cover or in an obscured area, they can make a Dexterity (Stealth) check to hide.

This action allows a beast to act as a predator, attacking and repositioning themself for maximum effect. Retaliation (Reaction). When this creature is hit by a creature they can see, they can make an opportunity attack against the attacker.

A beast that bites back feels feral and dangerous. This is also an effective power for other creature types, especially boss monsters who can benefit from an off-turn attack.

As divine beings of the Outer Planes, celestials have high ability scores. Charisma is usually especially high to represent a celestial’s leadership qualities, eloquence, and beauty. Celestials often have resistance to radiant damage. They might also have resistance to damage from non magical attacks, and immunity to the charmed and frightened conditions, and to exhaustion. The mightiest celestials possess truesight with a range of 120 feet, speak and understand all languages, and communicate telepathically.

Damage Resistances radiant; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from non magical attacks Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened

Senses darkvision 120 ft.

Languages all, telepathy 120 ft. You can also select one or both of the powers below to further enhance a creature’s celestial nature.

(Reaction). When this creature is the sole target of an attack or spell, they can choose another valid target to also be targeted by the attack or spell.

A celestial might change their face or armor to become reflective like a mirror, so that an attacking creature can contemplate their actions.

(Trait). This creature has a flying speed equal to their best speed, and can hover.

Glorious celestial wings might be shaped of feathers, ice, or radiant energy. You can increase the flying speed if you wish the celestial to have more mobility.

A construct’s strongest ability scores are usually Strength and Constitution, though a construct built for agility might also have a high Dexterity. Constructs typically also have either blindsight or darkvision, and a selection of damage immunities and condition immunities to reflect their nonliving nature. They usually can’t speak, but might understand one or more languages.

Powers that suggest precision and programming work well for golems, clockwork creatures, and other constructs.

Damage Immunities poison, psychic

Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned

Senses blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius) or darkvision 60 ft.

Languages understands certain languages but can’t speak You can further enhance a construct with one of the following features.

(Trait). This creature has a +2 bonus to Armor Class. Each time the creature’s hit points are reduced by one-quarter of their maximum, this bonus decreases by 1, to a maximum penalty to Armor Class of −2.

The high Armor Class of a construct might feel initially frustrating, but as you describe the pieces of armor plating being torn off, players will sense the tide turning. When the bonus to Armor Class becomes a penalty, describe how the rents in the armor allow characters access to the construct’s inner workings, speeding up the foe’s demise!

(Trait). At the start of each of this creature’s turns, roll a d6 to determine what they do: 1: The creature’s internal mechanism stops working and they do nothing this turn. 2: The creature acts normally. 3–5: The creature has a surge of power that causes them to deal an extra CR damage on each attack this turn. 6: The creature speeds up, letting them use two actions this turn.

The chaotic nature of this power lends itself to constructs experiencing malfunctions or not under the direction of a creator. It works best if given to several creatures, so that on average, they will still be effective and engaging. This power is meant to be as evocative as effective, but you can alter the effects to change that.

(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.

(Trait). This creature can make opportunity attacks without using a reaction.

This simple feature really shines when you describe the construct’s sharp eyes zeroing in on the characters, or how the construct swivels part of their body to make an opportunity attack.