Homebrew MonstersHomebrew Monstersall monsters were made attempting to follow as closely as possible the suggested guidelines for monster design in the Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition Dungeon Master's Manual. to feel "official," in other words. i also aimed to create monsters that did cool combat things or filled niches that had little rep before.
Medium beast, chaotic evil
Armor Class 12
Hit Points 27 (5d8 +5)
Speed 20 ft., fly 30 ft.
STR 9 (-1) DEX 15 (+2) CON 12 (+1) INT 8 (-1) WIS 13 (+1) CHA 10 (+0)
Damage Resistances necrotic
Senses passive Perception 11
Languages Abyssal
Challenge ½ (100 XP)
Death's Delight. Whenever a creature within 30 ft. of the badb catha that it can see drops to 0 hit points, the badb catha regains 1 hit point.
Berserk Squawk. The babd catha unleashes a loud squawk, filling all around it with bloodlust. Each creature within 30 feet of the babd catha that can hear it must make a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw. If the creature fails its saving throw, it must immediately attempt to make a melee attack against a target within 5 feet of it. If the saving throw fails by 5 or more, they make the attack with advantage. If either the saving throw succeeds or there are no valid targets, nothing happens.
Talons. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 +2) slashing damage.
Revel in Death. Whenever a creature within 60 ft. of the badb catha that it can see drops to 0 hit points, it can move up to 15 feet.
Description: A bird that loves death and causes soldiers to go berserk on the battlefield.
Small beast, unaligned
Armor Class 12 (natural armor)
Hit Points 65 (10d6 +30)
Speed 10 ft., fly 50 ft.
STR 8 (-1) DEX 14 (+2) CON 16 (+3) INT 1 (-5) WIS 7 (-2) CHA 2 (-4)
Senses passive Perception 8
Languages --
Challenge ½ (100 XP)
Acidic Blood. When split, or upon reaching half HP, any creature that is within 5 feet of the fly takes 5 acid damage. This also lightly stains clothing and armor with yellow-green splotches if the recipient is wearing any.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 +2) piercing damage.
Split. When a fly that is Small or larger is subjected to slashing damage, it splits into two new flies if it has at least 10 hit points. Each new fly has hit points equal to half the original fly's, rounded down. New flies are one size smaller than the original.
Description: This creature propogates its species by joining end-to-end; it is in this state that they are most seen by humanoids, leaving their nests. Their acidic blood is known to cause great harm if it splashes on one's skin.
Small fey, chaotic evil
Armor Class 11
Hit Points 44 (8d6 +16)
Speed 0 ft., fly 25 ft. (hover)
STR 19 (+4) DEX 13 (+1) CON 15 (+2) INT 8 (-1) WIS 15 (+2) CHA 13 (+1)
Damage Resistances fire, cold, lightning, necrotic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities exhaustion, grappled, paralyzed, poisoned, prone, restrained, unconscious
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 12
Languages understands Sylvan but can't speak
Challenge 2 (450 XP)
Magic Vacuum. Any time a magic missile spell, line spell, or spell that requires a ranged attack roll passes a square within 10 feet of the chaithfidís, roll a d4. On a 1 or 2, nothing happens. On a 3 or 4, the spell now targets the chaithfidís, and the chaithfidís can use Unleash as a reaction.
Antimagic Susceptibility. The chaithfidís is incapacitated while in the area of an antimagic field. If targeted by dispel magic, the chaithfidís must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against the caster's spell save DC or fall unconscious for 1 minute.
Variable Darkness. In bright light, the chaithfidís creates dim light in a 5- to 20-foot radius. The chaithfidís can alter the radius as a bonus action.
Ephemeral. The chaithfidís can't wear or carry anything.
Pull. Melee Spell Attack: +6 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (2d6) force damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw or else be pulled 5 feet towards the chaithfidís if there is at least 5 feet of space between the target and the chaithfidís.
Unleash. Ranged Spell Attack: +6 to hit, range 60 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (3d6) damage of the type absorbed by Magic Vacuum.
Description: Pronounced “KAYTH-fith-eesh.” Irish word meaning “to eat.” They're like black will-o'-the-wisps that eat magic.
Large construct, unaligned
Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points 75 (10d10 +20)
Speed 20 ft., burrow 20 ft.
STR 17 (+3) DEX 8 (-1) CON 14 (+2) INT 4 (-3) WIS 12 (+1) CHA 17 (+3)
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical weapons that aren't adamantine
Damage Immunities poison, psychic
Condition Immunities exhaustion, frightened, petrified, poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
Languages Understands the language of its creator but can't speak
Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)
Immutable Form. The golem is immune to any spell or effect that would alter its form.
Goldsense. The golem is aware of any gold or precious jewels within 120 ft. of it. It knows which direction to head in but not the exact distance or location of the object of its senses.
Magic Resistance. The golem has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Magic Weapons. The golem's weapon attacks are magical.
Multiattack. The golem makes two slam attacks.
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (3d8 +3) bludgeoning damage.
Touch of Transmutation. The golem magically transmutes a metal object that it can see within 5 feet of it. If the object is being worn or carried by a creature, the creature can make a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw to avoid the golem's touch. The golem can turn any one metal in the target into any other metal. If the target is Large or larger, the golem can only transmute a 5-foot cube at a time.
Description: These glistening, fragile constructs are known to patrol the masoleums and treasure stashes of greedy wizards. They have an uncanny ability to be aware of the location their assigned stash is even if they do not have a line of sight to it.
Medium beast, unaligned
Armor Class 12
Hit Points 38 (7d8 +7)
Speed 20 ft., burrow 30 ft.
STR 15 (+2) DEX 15 (+2) CON 13 (+1) INT 2 (-4) WIS 6 (-2) CHA 1 (-5)
Damage Resistances necrotic
Senses blindsense 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive Perception 8
Languages --
Challenge ½ (100 XP)
Keen Smell. The grave digger has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 +2) piercing damage and 2 (1d4) necrotic damage.
Devour. The grave digger consumes a dead body. This must be a creature of size Small or larger with 0 hit points. The body is destroyed, and the grave digger regains 1d4 hit points, plus an additional 1d4 hit points for each size category of the creature above Small.
Description: A giant, eyeless maggot that hangs around battlefields and graves and eats the dead.
Medium humanoid (human), lawful evil
Armor Class 15 (leather armor and shield)
Hit Points 52 (8d8 +16)
Speed 30 ft.
STR 16 (+3) DEX 15 (+2) CON 14 (+2) INT 13 (+1) WIS 9 (-1) CHA 8 (-1)
Damage Vulnerabilities psychic
Senses passive Perception 9
Languages Common and Undercommon
Challenge 2 (450 XP)
Feeble Mind. The vassal has disadvantage on saving throws against being charmed or frightened.
Detect Sentience. The vassal can sense the presence and location of any creature within 120 feet of it that has an Intelligence of 3 or higher, regardless of interposing barriers, unless the creature is protected by a mind blank spell.
Multiattack. The vassal makes two longsword attacks.
Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 +3) slashing damage, or 8 (1d10 +3) slashing damage if used with two hands.
Soften Mind. Melee Spell Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (4d6) psychic damage, and the target makes a DC 12 Intelligence saving throw. On a failed save, they have vulnerability to psychic damage until the end of their next turn, and disadvantage on saving throws against reading their thoughts.
Description: A human who has offered themselves up to a Mind Flayer in hopes of being on “the winning side.” Their semi-visible brains pulse with white energy as a result of the Flayer's tampering, causing them to be susceptible to attacks on the mind. In exchange for their servitude, they have received a morsel of their master's power, and the promise of more (that will never be fulfilled).