Monsters¶

The following explains how to read the monster descriptions.

Armour Class¶

Represents the monster's natural AC (tough hide, scales, agile, etc). Humanoid monsters wearing armour and using shields apply the equipment rules.

Hit Dice¶

The number of 1d8 rolled to determine an individual creature's hit points. If there is a plus or minus next to the number, you add or subtract that number from the total. For example, a monster with HD 3+3 would roll 3d8+3 for hit points. Most monsters die when they are reduced to zero hit points. The GM might treat a particularly important monster like a PC when it comes to death and dying. A monster's "level" is generally equal to its hit dice.

Attacks¶

The number of attacks the monster makes each turn, and the damage each attack causes. A monster's attack bonus is equal to their hit dice (eg, a 3 HD monster rolls 1d20+3 to attack vs AC), to a maximum of +15. Monsters make a separate attack roll for each attack. Generally speaking, monster attacks and damage are simplified and do not apply the normal attribute modifiers.

Nat 19¶

On a natural 19 attack roll, most monsters cause a special effect of some kind. Note these effects are separate to Minor Exploits (p.73), which monsters may attempt at any time (just like PCs).

Attributes¶

Average attributes are provided for attribute checks. Monster to hit bonuses, damage bonuses and ACs are simplified, and generally do not apply attribute modifiers the way PCs do.

Luck¶

A monster's Luck attribute functions like PC Luck (p.12), but is not reduced on successful save.

Move¶

Move is the monster's movement rate. Most humanoids move approximately 30 ft per turn. Note that (like PCs), monsters can charge, or spend their action to move twice in a single turn.

Recharge¶

Recharge abilities may be used once and not again until the recharge conditions in the monster entry are met.

Special Traits¶

Special Traits¶

Certain monster traits are grouped together here for convenience.

Aberrant Terrors¶

Aberrant Terrors are unholy horrors spawned from other dimensions or magic gone catastrophically wrong. Terrors appear in all manner of forms but most commonly appear as Eye Terrors (floating, bulbous sacks of rubbery flesh with a large central eye, toothed maw, and eye stalks that shoot magic beams) and Gibbering Terrors (undulating, amorphous oozes of teeth, and eyes, shrieking or whispering forbidden lore).

Whatever form a Terror takes, their movement rate remains fairly constant at 30 ft, but the means of locomotion might be slithering, crawling, swimming, flying, floating, etc. Eye Terrors for instance magically float in any direction, while Gibbering Terrors employ a kind of burbling motion, able to move up walls and across ceilings as the ground.

All Terrors have a limited regeneration ability, healing 1d12 hit points every round. Damage from silvered weapons or fire is not regenerated. ATerror reduced to zero hit points does not regenerate.

Cause Injuries¶

Some large, physically powerful monsters cause the target to roll on the Injuries & Setbacks table if the attack roll is in an especially high range (usually 19-20).

Demons¶

Demons are darkness and corruption incarnate, utterly depraved and malicious. Like Undead, Demons do not sleep, eat or breathe, and are immune to all mind affecting abilities, including sleep, charm, fear, illusion and stun, but excluding madness. Demons see perfectly well in darkness as in light. A vial of holy water causes 1d8 damage to demons (whether thrown, applied to a weapon, etc). All Demons are immune to non-magical weapons, except those of cold iron, which affect them normally.

Incorporeal¶

Monsters of this kind are visible but intangible and insubstantial, able to fly and pass through objects and creatures like a human moves through water. They are immune to non-magical weapons, except those of cold iron, which affect them normally.

Lycanthropes¶

Lycanthropes are half human, half beast monsters, the classic example being the werewolf. In LFG, were creatures are inherently evil, savage and cruel, preying on human populations while hiding in plain sight among them. Lycanthropes may spend an action to shift between three forms: human, beast, and hybrid. The human form tends to have some resemblance to the beast form, for example, werewolves posing as human are often very hairy, with an acute sense of smell, etc.

Lycanthropes regenerate all damage caused by non-magical weapons at the start of their next turn, or in 1d6 minutes if reduced to zero hit points. Damage from silvered weapons or fire is not regenerated. A lycanthrope reduced to zero hit points and completely dismembered, burnt, buried or similar does not regenerate.

Any character bitten or scratched by a lycanthrope must make a Luck (Con) save or be cursed with lycanthropy themselves. Such a character has until the next full moon to have the curse removed (a Cure Malady spell will do so), or the change is permanent, and the adventurer becomes a monster under the GM's control.

Magic Resistance¶

Some rare monsters are inherently resistant to magic and have a "magic resistance" percentage. Whenever adverse magic is used against the creature, make a percentile test. If the result is less than or equal to the magic resistance score, the magic is negated for that creature only. For example, a demon caught in a Fireball spell might be unaffected, but other creatures caught in the explosion still burn.

Off Turn Attacks¶

Off Turn Attacks¶

Some fearsome enemies have Off Turn Attacks, allowing them to make a single physical attack in between adventurer turns. If such a monster has no adjacent enemies in between PC turns, the monster may also take a move action.

Swarms¶

Some monsters may be treated as a single “swarm” rather than tiny individual monsters (eg: the Rat Swarm). Swarms make attacks against all targets within reach each round. They suffer half damage from weapons, double damage from area effects, and split into two when Staggered (once only, same stats as the original Swarm, but halve the remaining hp). On a Nat 19, the target is overwhelmed by sheer numbers (helpless for 1d3 rounds; a Luck (Str or Dex) save resists).

Undead¶

Some monsters are sustained by a cursed half-life, trapped in an unliving but animate state. Undead do not sleep, eat, or breathe, and are immune to all mind affecting abilities, including sleep, charm, fear, illusion and stun, but excluding madness. Undead see as well in darkness as in light. A vial of holy water causes 1d8 damage to undead (whether thrown, applied to a weapon, etc). Some Undead are immune to non-magical weapons, except those of cold iron.

Boss Monsters¶

Boss Monsters¶

A Boss Monster is a particularly powerful example of a monster, strong enough to fight the party alone or with little back up. Classic Bosses include high level monsters such as dragons, vampires, greater demons and lichs; foes that threaten the greatest adventurers. For less deadly foes, monsters such as owlbears, ogres, skorn chiefs, dire wolves, and so on make excellent lower level Bosses.

Bosses generally exhibit any or all of the following characteristics:

• More Hit Points and/or Hit Dice
  A Boss usually doubles its hit points, and/or may have a higher number of Hit Dice.
• Major Exploit Protection
  A Boss is not susceptible to Major Exploits until Staggered, and cannot be instantly killed or incapacitated via a Major Exploit.
• Off Turn Attacks
  The Boss makes Off Turn Attacks.
• Stronger Luck
  A Boss gains a Luck save to resist adverse effects that don't normally allow Luck saves, for example a Sleep spell. Stronger Luck ceases to operate once the Boss Monster is Staggered.
• Reroll Pool
  A Boss gains a Reroll Pool with 1d4+1 dice available at the time combat commences. The Reroll Pool is available for any attribute check or Luck save.
• Cause Injuries
  Any time the Boss hits a PC with a natural 1d20 roll of 19-20, the target must roll on the Injuries & Setbacks table.
• Custom abilities
  Many GMs like to give their Bosses custom abilities.

Custom & Improv Monsters¶

For GMs who wish to make their own monsters, approximate AC, Luck and Damage attributes (based on hit dice) appear below. Particularly lucky or skilled monsters might have higher than usual Luck (or vice versa).

If adding extra attacks, compare with similar HD monsters and extrapolate. Referees are encouraged to be creatively devious with Nat 19 effects and other special abilities.

Monsters by HD & Page¶