Ruin Explorer
Legend
Oooooh nice. I shall provide that link to the DMs I play with also.
D&D 5E What class levels have you given monsters in encounters, to give them that extra edge?
- Thread starter Urriak Uruk
- Start date
Oooooh nice. I shall provide that link to the DMs I play with also.
MechaTarrasque
Hero
I regard bladelocks as the ideal class to add to monsters: a few spell slots, not many spells to remember, EB for ranged attacks, hex is a bonus action spell, never unarmed beyond a round....
That being said, I am more likely to give monsters a feat (usually alert or magic initiate warlock), or divine strike. The next time my players send their PC's to the outer planes, pretty much every orc, hobgoblin, elf, etc. petitioner will have at-will otherworldly form. I have tried a few versions of Guardianals, and the most dependable thing is that they have the spiritual guardian spell.
That being said, I am more likely to give monsters a feat (usually alert or magic initiate warlock), or divine strike. The next time my players send their PC's to the outer planes, pretty much every orc, hobgoblin, elf, etc. petitioner will have at-will otherworldly form. I have tried a few versions of Guardianals, and the most dependable thing is that they have the spiritual guardian spell.
Xeviat
Dungeon Mistress, she/her
Way back in the days of 3E, I surprised my players with class-leveled monsters once. They had stolen an item unknowingly from the BBEG, and said evil guy hired a mercenary goblin group to go after them. They had fought a bit of goblins before, and we're used to them going down in one hit.
Part 1) the party spots two goblins popping out of the brush and firing arrows. The party ranger shoots them both once, they fall down and play dead, and the group runs past into the goblin encampment.
Part 2) The goblins in the encampment mobilize and engage the party. The party realizes they're not going down in one hit.
Part 3) The first two goblins are rogues, and flank with sneak attacks.
It wasn't designed to be a super hard fight, but since the players underestimated the goblins, they got taken out quick. I ended up taking away some magic items that I had overloaded them with, and the goblin group became one of their hated enemies for a while till they got their items back.
Part 1) the party spots two goblins popping out of the brush and firing arrows. The party ranger shoots them both once, they fall down and play dead, and the group runs past into the goblin encampment.
Part 2) The goblins in the encampment mobilize and engage the party. The party realizes they're not going down in one hit.
Part 3) The first two goblins are rogues, and flank with sneak attacks.
It wasn't designed to be a super hard fight, but since the players underestimated the goblins, they got taken out quick. I ended up taking away some magic items that I had overloaded them with, and the goblin group became one of their hated enemies for a while till they got their items back.
Now that is a monster with class!
jgsugden
Legend
The only class levels I give to monsters are wizard levels. Beyond that, I just give abilities to monsters that sometimes mimic some class level abilities. Wizard levels are given as arcane magic and the development of it has a unique place in the lore of my game world.
Generally speaking, only PCs follow class rules. NPCs have a collection of abilities, but they do not generally add up to a class.
Generally speaking, only PCs follow class rules. NPCs have a collection of abilities, but they do not generally add up to a class.
Exactly. Nothing says class like a tux and a tophat.
TheCosmicKid
Hero
I recently put monk levels on a baleen whale.
