The rules for a stat block are detailed in the rules glossary of the Player’s Handbook and in this section.
A monster is Tiny, Small, Medium, Large, Huge, or Gargantuan. If size options are presented, you choose the creature’s size from those options. See the Player’s Handbook for information on size.
Each monster has a tag that identifies the type of creature it is. Certain spells, magic items, class features, and other effects in the game interact in special ways with creatures of a particular type. Lists of monsters organized by creature type appear in Monsters by Creature Type.
The game includes the following creature types, which have no rules of their own:
Aberrations are utterly alien beings, such as aboleths, beholders, flumphs, and mind flayers.
Beasts are non-Humanoid natural creatures, like horses and wolves, as well as most giant animals.
Celestials are magical creatures, such as angels and pegasi, with ties to the Upper Planes.
Constructs are magically created creatures such as homunculi, modrons, and shield guardians.
Dragons are scaly beings of ancient origin, such as red dragons and wyverns.
Elementalsare beings from the Elemental Planes, such as efreet and water elementals.
Fey are creatures tied to the Feywild or the forces of nature, such as dryads, goblins, and pixies.
Fiends are creatures tied to terrifying Lower Planes, such as balors and hell hounds.
Giants are towering beings with humanlike shapes, like cyclopes, fire giants, and trolls.
Humanoids are people defined by their roles and professions, such as mages, pirates, and warriors. They include members of varied species.
Monstrosities are unnatural creatures with strange origins, such as mimics and owlbears.
Oozes are gelatinous creatures, including black puddings and blobs of annihilation.
Plants are sentient vegetation and fungal monsters, such as myconids, shambling mounds, and treants.
Undead are spirits and the reanimated dead, such as ghosts, vampires, and zombies.
A monster might have one or more tags in parentheses following its type. Such tags provide additional categorization and have no rules of their own, but certain game effects might refer to them. Lists of monster groups related by descriptive tags appear in Monsters by Group.
The alignment specified in a monster’s stat block is a default suggestion of how to roleplay the monster, inspired by its traditional role in the game or real-world folklore. Change a monster’s alignment to suit your storytelling needs. The Neutral alignment, in particular, is an invitation for you to consider whether an individual leans toward one of the other alignments.
The Player’s Handbook describes the nine alignments and unaligned creatures.
A monster’s Armor Class (AC) includes its natural armor, Dexterity, gear, and other defenses. See the Player’s Handbook for information on Armor Class.
The Initiative entry specifies the monster’s Initiative modifier followed by the monster’s Initiative score in parentheses. Use the modifier when you roll to determine a monster’s Initiative. A monster’s Initiative modifier is typically equal to its Dexterity modifier, but some monsters have additional modifiers, such as Proficiency Bonus, applied to that number.
If you don’t want to roll a monster’s Initiative, use the Initiative score as the monster’s Initiative in combat. Initiative is further detailed in the Player’s Handbook.
A monster’s Hit Points are presented as a number followed by parentheses, where the monster’s Hit Point Dice are provided, along with any contribution from its Constitution. Either use the number for the monster’s Hit Points or roll the die expression in parentheses to determine the monster’s Hit Points randomly; don’t use both.
A monster’s size typically determines the die used to calculate its Hit Points, as shown in the Hit Dice by Size table.
| Monster Size | Hit Die | Average HP per Die |
|---|---|---|
| Tiny | d4 | 2½ |
| Small | d6 | 3½ |
| Medium | d8 | 4½ |
| Large | d10 | 5½ |
| Huge | d12 | 6½ |
| Gargantuan | d20 | 10½ |
A monster’s Constitution modifier is multiplied by the number of Hit Dice it possesses, and the result is added to its Hit Points. For example, if a monster has a Constitution of 12 (+1 modifier) and 2d8 Hit Dice, it has 2d8 + 2 Hit Points (average 11).
For more on Hit Points, see the Player’s Handbook.
The Speed entry specifies a monster’s Speed. Some monsters have one or more of the following speeds: Burrow, Climb, Fly, Swim. Rules for Speed and these specials speeds appear in the Player’s Handbook.
Every monster has six ability scores along with corresponding ability score modifiers and saving throw modifiers. For more information on ability scores and saving throws, see the Player’s Handbook.
The Skills entry specifies a monster’s skill proficiencies, if any. For example, a monster that is very perceptive and stealthy might have bonuses to Wisdom (Perception) and Dexterity (Stealth) checks. A skill bonus is the sum of a monster’s relevant ability modifier and its Proficiency Bonus. Other modifiers might apply.
These entries list a monster’s Resistances and Vulnerabilities, if any. See the Player’s Handbook for more information.
This entry lists the monster’s Immunities, if any. If the monster has damage and condition Immunities, the damage types are listed before the conditions. See the Player’s Handbook for details.
Monsters have proficiency with their equipment. If a monster has equipment that can be given away or retrieved, the items are listed in the Gear entry. The monster’s stat block might include special flourishes that happen when the monster uses an item, and the stat block might ignore Player’s Handbook rules for that item. When used by someone else, a retrievable item uses its Player’s Handbook rules, ignoring any special flourishes in the stat block.
The Gear entry doesn’t necessarily list all of a monster’s equipment. For example, a monster that wears clothes is assumed to be dressed appropriately, and those clothes aren’t in this entry.
Equipment mentioned outside the Gear entry is considered to be supernatural or highly specialized, and it is unusable when the monster is defeated.
A monster that requires ammunition to make ranged attacks carries the necessary ammunition.
You may equip monsters with additional gear however you like, using the equipment chapter of the Player’s Handbook for inspiration. You decide how much of a monster’s equipment is recoverable after the creature is slain and whether any of that equipment is still usable.
Beware of giving a monster combat-oriented magic items, since those might alter the monster’s Challenge Rating. If you do give a monster a magic item, the monster can have Attunement with magic items as noted in the Player’s Handbook. A monster with a class tag after its creature type is considered a member of that class for Attunement purposes.
Running a Monster
To ensure a monster acts in accordance with its Challenge Rating, follow these rules during combat:
Special Abilities. If the monster has a special ability that deals a lot of damage but has a limited number of uses, such as a recharging breath weapon or a spell it can cast only once per day, have it use that special ability as quickly and as often as possible.
Multiattack. If the monster has Multiattack, have it use Multiattack on any of its turns in which it’s not using one of its more powerful abilities.
Bonus Actions, Reactions, Legendary Actions. If the monster has Bonus Actions, Reactions, or Legendary Actions in its stat block, make sure it uses them as often as it can.
The Senses entry specifies a monster’s Passive Perception score, as well as any special senses the monster possesses. Passive Perception and special senses are described in the Player’s Handbook.
This entry lists languages that the monster can use to communicate. Sometimes a monster can understand a language but can’t communicate with it, which is noted in its entry. “None” indicates that a creature doesn’t comprehend any language.
Telepathy is a magical ability that allows a creature to communicate mentally with another creature within a specified range. See the Player’s Handbook for more information.
Challenge Rating is defined in the Player’s Handbook, while guidance on using CR to plan potential combat encounters is in the Dungeon Master’s Guide. Lists of monsters organized by Challenge Rating appear in Monsters by Challenge Rating.
The number of Experience Points (XP) a monster is worth is based on its CR, as detailed in the Experience Points by Challenge Rating table. XP is awarded for defeating the monster in combat or otherwise neutralizing it.
Unless a rule says otherwise, a monster summoned by a spell or another magical ability is worth the XP noted in its stat block.
| CR | XP |
|---|---|
| 0 | 0 or 10 |
| 1/8 | 25 |
| 1/4 | 50 |
| 1/2 | 100 |
| 1 | 200 |
| 2 | 450 |
| 3 | 700 |
| 4 | 1,100 |
| 5 | 1,800 |
| 6 | 2,300 |
| 7 | 2,900 |
| 8 | 3,900 |
| 9 | 5,000 |
| 10 | 5,900 |
| 11 | 7,200 |
| 12 | 8,400 |
| 13 | 10,000 |
| 14 | 11,500 |
| 15 | 13,000 |
| 16 | 15,000 |
| 17 | 18,000 |
| 18 | 20,000 |
| 19 | 22,000 |
| 20 | 25,000 |
| 21 | 33,000 |
| 22 | 41,000 |
| 23 | 50,000 |
| 24 | 62,000 |
| 25 | 75,000 |
| 26 | 90,000 |
| 27 | 105,000 |
| 28 | 120,000 |
| 29 | 135,000 |
| 30 | 155,000 |
A monster’s Proficiency Bonus (PB) is determined by its CR, as shown in the Proficiency Bonus by Challenge Rating table, and is reflected in saving throws, skills, and other statistics where the monster’s exceptional aptitude is a factor.
| CR | PB |
|---|---|
| 0–4 | +2 |
| 5–8 | +3 |
| 9–12 | +4 |
| 13–16 | +5 |
| 17–20 | +6 |
| 21–24 | +7 |
| 25–28 | +8 |
| 29–30 | +9 |
A monster’s traits, if any, are features that are active at all times or in certain situations.
A monster can take the actions in this section or take one of the actions available to all creatures, as described in the Player’s Handbook.
The entry for a monster’s attack identifies whether the attack is a melee or a ranged attack and then provides the attack roll’s bonus, its reach or range, and what happens on a hit. An attack is against one target unless its entry says otherwise. For details on different kinds of attacks, see the Player’s Handbook.
Hit. Any damage dealt or other effects that occur as a result of an attack hitting a target are described after the “Hit:” notation.
Miss. If an attack has an effect that occurs on a miss, that information follows the “Miss:” notation.
Hit or Miss. If an attack has an effect that occurs regardless of whether it hits or misses its target, that information follows the “Hit or Miss:” notation.
If an effect forces a saving throw, the effect identifies the kind of save required and then provides the save’s DC, a description of which creatures make the save, and an explanation of what happens on a failed or successful save.
“Half damage only” on a successful save means the target takes half as much damage (round down) as targets that fail the save, while also ignoring all other parts of the effect.
A stat block usually provides both a number and a die expression for each instance of damage. For example, an attack might deal 4 (1d4 + 2) damage on a hit. You decide whether to use the number or the die expression in parentheses; don’t use both.
Some creatures can make more than one attack when they take the Attack action. Such creatures have the Multiattack entry in the “Actions” section of their stat block. This entry details the attacks a creature can make, as well as any additional abilities it can use, as part of the Attack action.
If a monster can cast any spells, its stat block lists the spells and provides the monster’s spellcasting ability, spell save DC (if any spells require a saving throw), and spell attack bonus (if any spells require an attack roll). Unless noted otherwise, a spell of level 1 or higher is always cast at its lowest possible level and can’t be cast at a higher level.
A monster’s spell can have special rules or restrictions. For example, a green slaad can cast the Invisibility spell, but the spell has a “self only” restriction, which means the spell affects only the slaad.
Spell Components. The Spellcasting trait notes whether the monster’s spellcasting ignores the need for certain spell components. If any spell components are required, describe the monster’s use of Verbal, Somatic, or Material components to signal to characters that it is casting a spell. A monster that requires Material components has them.
Casting Times of 1+ Minutes. If a spell has a casting time of 1 minute or more yet is listed in a spellcasting action, the monster doesn’t cast the spell in just one action unless the action’s description states otherwise; the monster must take the Magic action on each of its turns and maintain Concentration to cast the spell, as described in the Player’s Handbook.
If a monster has Bonus Action options, they are listed in this section. See the Player’s Handbook for details on Bonus Actions.
If the monster has Reaction options, those are listed in this section along with their triggers. See the Player’s Handbook for details on Reactions.
If the monster has Legendary Action options, those are listed in this section. A Legendary Action is an action that a monster can take immediately after another creature’s turn. Only one of these actions can be taken at a time and only after another creature’s turn ends. The monster can’t take a Legendary Action if it has the Incapacitated condition or is otherwise unable to take actions.
The monster has a limited number of Legendary Action uses, and that number is specified in the stat block. The monster expends one use whenever it takes a Legendary Action, and it regains all expended uses at the start of each of its turns.
Some parts of a stat block have restrictions on the number of times they can be used. Here are the most common ways that usage is limited:
X/Day. This notation means the stat block part can be used a certain number of times (represented by X) and that a monster must finish a Long Rest to regain expended uses. For example, a Reaction that includes “1/Day” means the Reaction can be taken once and that the monster must finish a Long Rest to take it again.
Recharge X–Y. This notation means a monster can use the stat block part once. At the start of each of the monster’s turns, roll 1d6. If the roll is within the number range given in the notation (represented by X–Y), the monster regains the use of that part, which also recharges when the monster finishes a Short or Long Rest. For example, “Recharge 5–6” in an action means a monster can take the action once. Then, at the start of each of the monster’s turns, it regains the use of that action if it rolls a 5 or 6 on 1d6.
Recharge after a Short or Long Rest. This notation means the monster can use the stat block part once and must then finish a Short or Long Rest to use it again.