Monster Traits

Each stat block in the bestiary lists a handful of named traits. Those traits are defined here. Where a trait calls for bracketed values — such as [range, save, damage] — the creature’s entry supplies the specifics. Traits without parameters apply as written.

Amphibious

This creature is capable of breathing both air and water.

Antimagic

This creature always succeeds on saves against magical effects.

Aquatic

This creature breathes water and cannot survive on land.

Backstab

This creature can backstab like a rogue, dealing the given damage.

Barbs

Striking this creature in melee without a reach weapon incurs given damage.

Berserker

This creature can go berserk once per combat, gaining an extra attack. But it must always charge.

Blinking

This creature can teleport the given distance as a reaction in response to being attacked.

Bloodhound

This creature has the scent abilities of a wolf. It is never surprised by bleeding opponents.

Bolt

This creature can use its attacks to hurl energy bolts: [range, hit, type, damage].

Bonded

This creature is immune to mind control, persuasion, and charm effects from anyone but its master.

Boulders

This creature can throw boulders out to the given range for the given damage.

Breath

This creature can exhale energy once per minute: [area, save, type, damage].

Burrow

This creature can tunnel through earth (not bedrock) at the given speed.

Camouflage

This creature can hide in any environment, and gains advantage on stealth rolls.

Cannibal

If this creature can eat another creature of its type for at least 1 minute, it regains all its health.

Charger

If it can charge at least 20 feet, the first melee attack this creature makes deals double damage.

Charm

This creature can attempt to charm a target as an action, causing it to feel love or friendship.

Cleave

If this creature reduces a target to 0 health with a melee attack it can attack an adjacent opponent for free.

Climber

This creature has climb speed equal to its foot speed and does not need to make climb checks.

Crushing

This creature’s attacks can initiate a grapple in addition to dealing damage. Every round on the creature’s turn it deals melee damage until the target escapes. This usually means constriction or a lockable jaw.

Darkvision

This creature can see in the dark without color out to a given range.

Deafening

This creature can cause deafness for the scene in nearby creatures if they fail the given save.

Deathgaze

Meeting this creature’s gaze forces a saving throw to avoid a given type of damage.

Decrepit

This creature cannot use heavy weapons and has disadvantage on might checks and fortitude saves.

Discorporate

This creature can discorporate as an action, occupying an area and sensing creatures as an alarm spell.

Domination

This creature can force a target to obey its commands: [range, difficulty, duration].

Doppelganger

This creature can assume the form of any humanoid creature of similar size.

Eagleeyes

This creature has binocular vision and gets advantage on perception checks that utilize sight.

Echolocation

This creature uses sound to see, out to the given range.

Electroshock

This creature can add the given electric damage to a successful attack once a minute.

Empowered

This creature’s blows deal extra energy damage of the given type and quantity.

Enwebment

This creature can spray webs or set web traps [area, save].

ESP

This creature can sense surface thoughts out to a given range on a failed will save.

Etherealness

This creature can become ethereal or revert to solidity as an action.

Exploding

This creature explodes on death, dealing the listed damage [radius, save, damage].

Exsanguinate

This creature’s attacks inflict blood loss damage each round unless healed.

Fireblood

This creature is immune to fire, and contact with its blood causes fire damage.

Flashray

This creature can emit a ray of light and causes blindness on a failed save [area, save, duration].

Fleshless

This creature has no circulatory system and is immune to poison and bleed effects.

Fling

This creature can throw grappled opponents a given distance for given damage.

Flyby

This creature can make a single attack while flying past a target at full speed.

Flyfeet

This creature can walk on walls or ceilings as though they were solid ground.

Flying

This creature has a given flight speed.

Frenzy

This creature will automatically go berserk if reduced to half health.

Gangup

This creature gains advantage on attacks against a target if an ally with this ability has attacked it this round.

Grab

This creature can attempt a grapple as part of a melee attack without provoking opportunity attacks.

Hibernate

This creature can enter suspended animation or magical slumber for indefinite periods of time.

Immune

This creature is immune to the listed forms of damage.

Impressionable

This creature has disadvantage on spirit checks and will saves.

Infectious

This creature’s melee attacks force a fortitude save to avoid contracting the listed disease.

Infravision

This creature can see heat out to the given range.

Invisible

This creature is permanently invisible.

Invulnerable

This creature can only be harmed by the listed damage types.

Knockdown

This creature’s melee attacks force an athletics check to avoid falling prone.

Leadership

This creature can use a bonus action to command an ally within 60 feet to make one immediate attack or move half its speed.

Leaping

This creature can jump the listed distance as a move action or bonus action.

Levitation

This creature floats off the ground when traveling, without need for legs.

Lifedrain

Melee damage inflicted by this creature can only be restored with magical healing.

Lifesense

This creature can detect the presence of living things at the listed range.

Many Limbs

Extra limbs grant extra attacks and allow equipping of extra tools.

Martyrdom

This creature can use a reaction to redirect an attack against an ally within 10′ to itself.

Mesmerism

Eye contact with this creature can force a will save to avoid incapacitation and suggestion.

Militant

Proficient in medium armor, shields, and martial weapons.

Mimicry

This creature can mimic the sounds of any creature it has ever heard.

Mindblast

This creature can attack minds as a standard action: [range, save, damage, effects].

Mistform

This creature can assume gaseous form or revert to flesh as a bonus action.

Owlears

This creature has the auditory ability of an owl, and gets advantage on perception checks involving hearing.

Petrification

This creature has an attack that forces a fortitude save to resist petrification.

Photosensitive

If exposed to sunlight this creature takes the listed damage and suffers disadvantage on attacks.

Planeshift

This creature can travel to another plane of existence as an action.

Poison

This creature has an attack that poisons the target: [type, save, onset, damage, effects].

Psychic

This creature has a list of psychic powers from the psionics page.

Putrid

Creatures starting their turn within melee range must make a fortitude save or be poisoned for a turn.

Quadruped

This creature has four legs, enhanced speed, and gets advantage on rolls to avoid knockdown.

Reach

This creature has extra melee reach of the listed range.

Regenerate

This creature regains the given health each round unless it takes certain damage.

Rend

If this creature hits twice in the same round it deals the extra given damage.

Resistant

This creature takes only half of the listed types of damage.

Roar

This creature has a roar that can be heard at great distances.

Shadewalk

This creature can teleport from one area of dim lighting to another as a bonus action.

Shambler

The creature is uncoordinated, with a foot speed of 20 and disadvantage on agility checks and reflex saves.

Shapeshifter

This creature can assume the form of any beast or humanoid of the creature’s form or smaller.

Siegebeast

Attacks on structures and inanimate objects from this creature deal double damage.

Silenced

This creature’s movements make no sound if it does not wish them to.

Sorcery

This creature has a number of spells, an arete score, and a mana pool.

Soulsight

This creature can use aura sight at will and study other creatures’ souls.

Stealthy

This creature has enhanced stealth ability and can hide as a bonus action.

Stoneskin

This creature has an advanced soak score and natural armor.

Stunning

This creature’s attacks force a fortitude save to avoid being stunned for 1 round.

Tailstrike

This creature has a dangerous tail that it can use to make bonus attacks.

Telepathic

This creature can communicate with any creature telepathically.

Terrifying

This creature is so scary it forces a morale check at the onset of combat.

Thaumavore

This creature’s attacks drain a given amount of mana from the target.

Toxic

This creature’s blood is toxic. Bite attacks against it deal the given poison damage.

Truesight

This creature enjoys true seeing whenever it wishes to.

Ultravision

This creature can see in the ultraviolet spectrum if it wishes.

Undying

If reduced to 0 health this creature can make a fortitude save to revive with 1 health.

Vampiric

This creature’s damaging attacks heal it for the same amount.

Vulnerable

The creature takes double damage from the listed damage type.

Warded

This creature gets advantage on all saves against spells and magic effects.