D&D General A 5E Template for Mobs

[Stormonu]

I gave up sleep for this, so enjoy .

Working with ChatGPT, "we" came up with a template that is useful, and I hope fairly easy to create monster blocks that let you employ mobs of fodder creatures to pit against your players. There's a couple of samples in the back, hope you find them useful and fun. I'd love to hear any feedback on this draft of the document.

If you have any particular mobs you want statted up, just let me know and I'll see if I can post it here (and in the document).

Enclosed is the initial draft done in Homebrewery.

v.75 - fixed some HP wonkiness
v.90 - added many additional stat blocks, including ones designed for mass combat.

 

[Distracted DM]

Very cool! Level Up A5E has its own Squad template, I use that very frequently, but you have some interesting stuff in yours like different formations (skirmish giving advantage on DEX saves).

Spoiler: Here's the A5E Guard Squad, I noticed you had a guard mob in your doc so they can be compared :)

One thing I've added to squads is the ability to split their attacks- that is, a squad can target two separate creatures, it makes one attack roll and one damage roll, which is halved against each target. So guard squad rolls 17 to hit and 18 damage vs the 14AC mage and the 19AC fighter, hits the mage misses the fighter, the mage takes 9 damage.
Oh, I also increase the squad's to-hit over the A5E version, I add their PB to hit twice rather than once (I reason it as a minor flank-bonus substitute).

I'll take another look at your formation options, they seem like they could be worth considering for squad usage!

 

[Stormonu]

Very cool! Level Up A5E has its own Squad template, I use that very frequently, but you have some interesting stuff in yours like different formations (skirmish giving advantage on DEX saves).

Spoiler: Here's the A5E Guard Squad, I noticed you had a guard mob in your doc so they can be compared :)

View attachment 426480

One thing I've added to squads is the ability to split their attacks- that is, a squad can target two separate creatures, it makes one attack roll and one damage roll, which is halved against each target. So guard squad rolls 17 to hit and 18 damage vs the 14AC mage and the 19AC fighter, hits the mage misses the fighter, the mage takes 9 damage.
Oh, I also increase the squad's to-hit over the A5E version, I add their PB to hit twice rather than once (I reason it as a minor flank-bonus substitute).

I'll take another look at your formation options, they seem like they could be worth considering for squad usage!

Funny you mention that, in the initial chat that came up and we had a mechanic for it (roll 1 attack, split damage 75%/25% between two targets). But when the document got compressed into two pages of rules, it got lost.

I'll take a look at what you posted and see how they compare

 

[Li Shenron]

I don't know... it looks like it was an interesting design exercise for you, but if I ever use mob-like rules it's because I want to save time. This looks like taking a lot more time than just grabbing and rolling 10d20 to determine how many in a mob if 10 hit the target.

 

[Stormonu]

I don't know... it looks like it was an interesting design exercise for you, but if I ever use mob-like rules it's because I want to save time. This looks like taking a lot more time than just grabbing and rolling 10d20 to determine how many in a mob if 10 hit the target.

It's not going to be for everyone, and that's fine. The complexity is in making the stat blocks, not running them. If the DM knows the party's AC and already has the stat block going into the encounter, you just need a line or two out of the attack tables and one roll a turn.

Also, you'd be using waaay more than 10d20 in some cases. The villagers has 45 folks in it (!) and the stampede is 40 cattle itself.

 

[Stormonu]

Whew! Been doing more collaboration, additions, testing and whatnot.
Scaled the mobs down to swarm sizes and feel like I got good results, this could be used to build swarms.
Created many additional mid-sized mob stat blocks for various different iterations and to see how far things could be stretched.
Went in the opposite direction and scaled some stat blocks up to be useful for Mass Combat (you just might want to have a calculator handy as those hit points drop ).

For those interested, I had ChatGPT use the mass battle stat blocks to run both a "Helm's Deep" scenario and a "Battle of Five Armies" scenario, each lasted about 12 rounds.

Helm's Deep

Spoiler

2. SIEGE SETUP (HELM’S DEEP MODE)​

Defenders​

• 3× Human Infantry Brigades (Left / Center / Right on the wall)
• 1× Elven Golden Brigade (rear wall, indirect fire)
• Human General Host (central keep)
• Heroes (7th level):
  
  • Dwarf Battlemaster Fighter (wall control, shoves)
  • Elf Rogue (precision strikes, sabotage)
  • Human Ranger (skirmish, kill leaders)

Attackers​

• ~600 Orcs
  
  • Abstracted as 6 Orc War Hordes (each ~100 orcs)
• 1 Ogre + Goblin Mob (command unit / general)

---

Wall Rules (Active)​

• Orcs must Climb DC 15 to reach the wall
• While climbing or just reaching the top:
  
  • Orc attacks at disadvantage
  • Defenders attack normally
• Shove:
  
  • Defenders may shove instead of dealing damage
  • On success: attackers fall, dealing buffer damage and delaying climb
• Orcs cannot apply full Packed damage until on the wall

---

Special Timing​

• Turn 1: Elves get free ranged volley
• Turn 12: Archmage + 3 Human Knightly Cohorts arrive behind orcs

---

3. TURN-BY-TURN SIEGE (ABRIDGED BUT PRECISE)​

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TURN 1 — THE STORM BEGINS​

Elven Brigade (Free Volley)​

• Indirect fire into two Orc Hordes
• Damage ≈ 14 each
• Buffers dented immediately

Heroes​

• Ranger snipes ladder crews (narrative: −10 buffer one horde)
• Rogue sabotages ladders (delays one horde by 1 turn)

---

TURNS 2–4 — THE CLIMB​

• Orcs make climb attempts:
  
  • ~60% succeed each turn
• Defenders:
  
  • Use shove aggressively
  • Battlemaster uses maneuvers to auto-fail climbs
• Result:
  
  • Orc buffers drain steadily
  • No defender buffers lost yet

By Turn 4:

• 2 Orc Hordes are engaging the wall
• Attacking at disadvantage
• Damage output is bad

---

TURNS 5–7 — PRESSURE BUILDS​

• Orcs start massing ladders
• Packed damage still not fully online
• Elves continue indirect fire
• Human Brigades:
  
  • Hold, but buffers begin dropping

First Defender Crisis (Turn 7)​

• Human Left Brigade buffer ~50%
• Elves shift to support Left, firing directly
• Rogue reinforces that flank

➡ Crisis stabilized

---

TURNS 8–10 — GRIND & BLOOD​

• Orc Hordes finally establish wall presence
• Full damage begins
• One Human Brigade enters FS HP
• Morale checks passed (General still active)

Ogre + Goblin Mob​

• Pushes center gate area
• Ranger delays them, but can’t stop forever

---

TURN 11 — LAST STAND MOMENT​

• Orc losses heavy
• Two Orc Hordes at Wavering
• Defender casualties mounting
• Everyone knows relief must come now

---

4. TURN 12 — THE HORN OF DAWN​

REINFORCEMENTS ARRIVE​

• Archmage (7th+)
• 3 Human Knightly Cohorts
• Charge from behind the Orc Hordes

Immediate Effects​

• Fireball + Lightning Bolt:
  
  • Hit multiple Orc Hordes
  • Damage Threshold triggers cascading state drops
• Cavalry:
  
  • Slams Wavering hordes
  • Instant morale failures

Ogre + Goblin Mob​

• Hit from rear
• Critical hit exceeds leader threshold
• Morale fails → command collapses

---

ROUT RESULT​

DEFENDERS HOLD — TOTAL ORC ROUT​

• 4 Orc Hordes rout completely
• Remaining 2 break and flee
• Ogre mob disperses
• Fortress holds (damaged, but standing)

Battle of Five Armies (Round 1 & 2 has full details, the remainder are narrative summaries of the simulation it ran for each round)

Spoiler

The Battle of Five Armies​

A Mass-Combat Play Example Using the Mob System


This example demonstrates how large-scale battles can be resolved quickly using mob stat blocks, morale, and leader effects—without tracking hundreds of individual creatures.

---

FORCES INVOLVED​

Allied Armies​

Men of Dale

• 2 × Human Infantry Brigade
• 1 × Human Archer Platoon
• 1 × Human Command Host

Dwarves of the Iron Hills

• 2 × Dwarven Brigade
• 1 × Dwarven Rider Cohort
• 1 × Dwarven General Host

Elves of Mirkwood

• 2 × Elven Golden Brigade (Normal Formation)

---

Enemy Forces​

Orc & Goblin Host

• 8 × Orc War Horde (≈100 creatures each)
• 1 × Ogre + Goblin War Mob (command unit)

---

Reinforcements​

• Round 6: Werebear Hunting Cadre (werebear + berserkers + wolves)
• Round 8: Giant Eagle Host

---

BATTLEFIELD ASSUMPTIONS​

• Open field with broken terrain
• No fortifications
• All mobs begin outside melee range
• Elves gain one free ranged round before engagement
• All damage uses mob damage tables (DMG p.250)
• No healing affects buffer HP

---

ROUND 1 — MECHANICAL BREAKDOWN​

Initiative (Abstracted)​

• Elves (free volley)
• Orc Hordes advance
• No melee this round

---

Elven Opening Volley (Free Round)​

Units Acting

• 2 × Elven Bow-Blademen Brigade (Normal Formation)

Targets

• Orc Horde A
• Orc Horde B

Each Elven Brigade:

• Uses 10-member mob damage table
• Attack bonus +5 vs AC 13
• Expected hits: ~6
• Average damage per hit: 7

Damage per brigade:
6 × 7 = 42 damage


Total damage per Orc Horde:
≈ 42 buffer damage


Orc Horde Buffers:

• Start: 1,500 temp HP
• After Round 1: 1,458 temp HP each

No state changes occur (buffer still intact).

---

Orc Horde Advance​

• All 8 Orc Hordes advance at full speed
• No attacks this round
• Ogre + Goblin War Mob advances centrally, granting morale cohesion

---

END OF ROUND 1 STATE​

Allies

• No buffer loss
• Elves remain unengaged
• Dwarves and Men brace for impact

Orcs

• 2 hordes slightly reduced
• Momentum intact
• Morale unaffected

---

Narrative Rounds (Unchanged)​

Round 1​

The elves loose the first storm of arrows, their volleys arcing high over the allied line and tearing bloody gaps in the advancing orc ranks. The horde roars in answer and surges forward, trampling its own fallen as it closes the distance.

ROUND 2 — FIRST MELEE CLASH (MECHANICAL BREAKDOWN)​

Initiative (Abstracted)​

• Elves (ranged support)
• Orc Hordes & Ogre War Mob
• Allied Infantry (simultaneous clash)

This is the first round in which melee occurs.

---

Engagement Lines​

Allied Front Line​

• 2 × Dwarven Brigade (center-left and center-right)
• 2 × Human Infantry Brigade (left and right)

Allied Support​

• 2 × Elven Golden Brigade (indirect fire)
• Human Archer Platoon (rear-center)

Enemy Front​

• 6 × Orc Hordes engage directly
• 2 × Orc Hordes remain in reserve
• Ogre + Goblin War Mob presses the center

---

Elven & Human Ranged Fire (Support Phase)​

Elven Golden Brigade (Indirect Fire)​

• Both elven brigades fire over allied infantry
• Targets: Orc Horde A and Orc Horde B (already wounded)

Per Elven Brigade:

• Attack bonus +5 vs AC 13
• Expected hits: ~6
• Avg damage per hit: 7
• Damage: 42 buffer damage

Total per Orc Horde:

• −42 buffer

Updated Orc Buffers:

• Horde A: 1,458 → 1,416
• Horde B: 1,458 → 1,416

---

Human Archer Platoon​

• Fires into Orc Horde C
• 5-member mob table, Skirmish formation

Expected:

• ~2 hits × 6 damage × 0.5
• Damage: ~6 buffer damage

Orc Horde C:

• 1,500 → 1,494

---

Orc Melee Attacks (First Clash)​

Each engaged Orc Horde:

• Uses 10-member mob damage table
• Packed Formation (×2 damage)
• Attack bonus +5 vs:
  
  • Dwarves AC 18
  • Humans AC 16

---

Orcs vs Dwarven Brigades​

Per Orc Horde:

• Expected hits: ~5
• Avg damage per hit: 8
• Packed multiplier ×2

Damage:
5 × 8 × 2 = 80 damage


Each Dwarven Brigade takes:

• −80 buffer

---

Orcs vs Human Brigades​

Per Orc Horde:

• Expected hits: ~6 (lower AC)
• Avg damage per hit: 8
• Packed multiplier ×2

Damage:
6 × 8 × 2 = 96 damage


Each Human Brigade takes:

• −96 buffer

---

Allied Melee Attacks (Counterstroke)​

Dwarven Brigades​

• Attack bonus +5 vs AC 13
• Packed Formation (×2)

Expected:

• ~5 hits × 7 damage × 2
• Damage: 70 buffer damage

Each engaged Orc Horde:

• −70 buffer

---

Human Brigades​

• Attack bonus +4 vs AC 13
• Packed Formation (×2)

Expected:

• ~6 hits × 6 damage × 2
• Damage: 72 buffer damage

Each engaged Orc Horde:

• −72 buffer

---

Ogre + Goblin War Mob (Center Push)​

• Targets one Dwarven Brigade in the center
• Attack bonus +6 vs AC 18

Expected:

• ~4 hits × 18 damage
• Damage: ~72 buffer damage

Dwarven Center Brigade:

• Takes an additional −72 buffer

---

END OF ROUND 2 — STATE SUMMARY​

Allied Buffers (Approximate)​

Dwarven Brigades

• Start: 1,042
• After Orc attacks: −80
• After Ogre push (center only): −72
• Center Dwarves: ~890
• Other Dwarves: ~962

Human Brigades

• Start: 1,042
• After Orc attacks: −96
• All Humans: ~946

---

Orc Horde Buffers (Engaged Units)​

Typical engaged Orc Horde:

• Start: 1,500
• Round 1 Elven fire: −42
• Round 2 Elven fire: −42
• Allied melee:
  
  • −70 (dwarves)
  • −72 (humans)

Total lost: ~226
Remaining buffer: ~1,274


No Orc Horde has lost its buffer yet, but the attrition rate is now accelerating.

Round 3​

The humans begin to bend under the weight of numbers, their formations holding but visibly straining. Elven blades flash as they step forward from their archery lines, reinforcing weak points before the orcs can exploit them.

Round 4​

The ogre commander drives into the center, smashing aside defenders and rallying the horde with bellowed commands. Several allied units falter, and the battlefield begins to tilt toward the attackers.

Round 5​

The fight reaches its most desperate moment as orcs press hard on every front, bodies piling high between the lines. Just as the defenders look ready to break, a deep horn echoes from the hills.

Round 6​

Björnr and his war pack crash into the orc flank, berserkers howling as wolves tear into the rear ranks. The horde staggers, its momentum broken as whole sections of the line collapse in confusion.

Round 7​

The battle turns chaotic as allied forces push forward for the first time, reclaiming ground lost moments before. Orc formations begin to fracture, and goblins flee from the sudden violence erupting behind them.

Round 8​

A shadow passes over the field as the Giant Eagles descend, talons raking through panicked troops and scattering the horde. The ogre commander is struck amid the chaos, and the will holding the army together begins to crack.

Round 9​

With their leadership faltering, entire orc mobs break and run, pursued by dwarves and men alike. Elves cut down fleeing enemies with calm precision, ensuring the rout cannot be reversed.

Round 10​

The remaining orcs attempt a final stand but are overwhelmed from every side, crushed between allied infantry and descending eagles. The battlefield becomes a sea of broken weapons and abandoned banners.

Round 11​

The last organized resistance collapses as goblins scatter into the wilderness and surviving orcs throw down their arms. Cheers rise from the allied host as the full scope of victory becomes clear.

Round 12​

As the dust settles, the battlefield belongs to Men, Elves, and Dwarves alike, united by survival and triumph. The Battle of Five Armies ends not with silence, but with song, counted kills, and legends already being born.

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