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Message: <blockquote data-quote="dave2008" data-source="post: 9580351" data-attributes="member: 83242">While I am also disappointed full monster creation rules have not been included in the core books, there is monster creation guidance in the 2024 DMG that actually works pretty well for what you are doing. That along with the revised encounter building guidelines in the 2024 DMG will allow you to really ramp up your RotF adventure.Also, I suspect that we will see monster creation guidelines in DnD Beyond and/or a future book.  However, I am not going to wait for that. I am starting my monster creation guideline reverse engineering this weekend.However, taking the advice we have now. Let's look at that lvl 12 encounter with Chardalyn.Step 1:A level 12 Hard encounter for 4 PCs (I am assuming 4 because I think that is how WotC designs their adventures) is 18,800 XP budget. That equals a CR 17 - 18 monster. Since it is dragon like (I know it is a construct), I will start with a CR 17 adult red dragon (2024 MM).[spoiler=Adult Red Dragon][ATTACH=full]395671[/ATTACH][/spoiler]I will then add or modify as needed to accommodate Chardalyn Traits and I get this (this took me no more than 10 minutes, probably a bit less as a lot of that time was spent making this post):Chardalyn DragonHuge Construct, Chaotic EvilInitiative +12 (22)AC 19HP 297 (22d12 + 154)*Speed 40 ft., climb 40 ft., fly 80 ft. <table style='width: 262px'><tr><th>STR</th><td>27</td><td>+8</td><td>+8</td></tr><tr><th>DEX</th><td>11</td><td>+0</td><td>+6</td></tr><tr><th>CON</th><td>25</td><td>+7</td><td>+7</td></tr></table> <table style='width: 262px'><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><th>INT</th><td>16</td><td>+3</td><td>+3</td></tr><tr><th>WIS</th><td>12</td><td>+1</td><td>+7</td></tr><tr><th>CHA</th><td>3</td><td>-4</td><td>+2</td></tr></table>Damage Resistances RadiantImmunities Cold, Poison; Charmed, Exhaustion, Paralyzed, PetrifiedSenses <a href="https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/dnd/free-rules/rules-glossary#Darkvision" target="_blank">Darkvision</a> 120 ft., Passive Perception 23Languages the languages known by its creatorCR 17 (XP 18,000; PB +6)TraitsImmutable Form. The dragon is immune to any spell or effect that would alter its form.Magic Resistance. The dragon has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.Siege Monster. The dragon deals double damage to objects and structures.Unusual Nature. The dragon doesn’t require air, food, drink, or sleep, and it gains no benefit from finishing a short or long rest.ActionsMultiattack. The dragon makes three Rend attacks. It can replace one attack with a use of Spellcasting to cast Guiding Bolt.Rend. Melee Attack Roll: +14, reach 10 ft. Hit: 18 (3d6 + 8) Slashing damage plus 3 (1d6) Radiant damage.Radiant Breath (Recharge 5–6). Dexterity Saving Throw: DC 21, each creature in a 120-foot long, 10-foot-wide Line. Failure: 59 (17d6) Radiant damage. Success: Half damage.Spellcasting. The dragon casts one of the following spells, requiring no Material components and using Constitution as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 21, +13 to hit with spell attacks):At Will: Guiding Bolt (level 2 version)Legendary ActionsLegendary Action Uses: 3. Immediately after another creature’s turn, the dragon can expend a use to take one of the following actions. The dragon regains all expended uses at the start of each of its turns.Malevalent Presence. Any creature with an Intelligence of 4 or more that is within 30 feet of the dragon must succeed on a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or be <a href="https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/dnd/free-rules/rules-glossary#CharmedCondition" target="_blank">charmed</a> by it for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature’s saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to the dragon’s Malevolent Presence for the next 24 hours. A creature <a href="https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/dnd/free-rules/rules-glossary#CharmedCondition" target="_blank">charmed</a> in this way fixates on another creature or object that the dragon mentally chooses and must, on each of its turns, move as close as it can to that target and use its action to make a melee attack against it. If the dragon doesn’t choose a target, the <a href="https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/dnd/free-rules/rules-glossary#CharmedCondition" target="_blank">charmed</a> creature can act normally on its turn. The dragon can’t take this action again until the start of its next turn.Radiant Rays. The dragon uses Spellcasting to cast Guiding Bolt.Tail. The dragon makes a Rend attack on a target within 20 feet of it. On a hit, the target must make a DC 22 Strength saving throw or have the Stunned condition until the end of its next turn. The dragon can’t take this action again until the start of its next turn.Wings. The dragon moves (fly) up to half its Speed, and it makes one Rend attack before or after the move. The dragon can’t take this action again until the start of its next turn.[spoiler=*Note<img src="http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/devious.png"  class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":]" title="Devious    :]" data-shortname=":]" />The hit points were not directly copied from the red dragon. The dragon has Legendary Resistance which adds to the defensive CR, but doesn't have Magic Resistance which I wanted to keep. So I compared this to the CR 17 Goristro which has magic resistance, but no LR. So I bumped the HP to be similar to the Goristro's 310.[/spoiler]</blockquote>

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