I am looking for a supplement (official, gmsguild, whatever) that provides a bunch of simple stat blocks for humanoid NPC opponents that my PCs can fight. Similar to the 'Tough' and 'Apprentice Wizard' and 'Bandit' from the Monster Manual but covering more classes (for variety) and more difficulty levels (CRs). It seems like the Tough and so on were explicitly designed NOT to be just NPCs with class levels, instead they have more simplified mechanics like multi-attack or pack tactics and higher HP, without all th eexcessive options a character with class levels has. So they are MUCH easier to run for throwaway encounters than trying to create a specific level 2 cleric or fighter or whatever. I want something like that but with more variations for flavor and covering more different encounter levels. I am happy to spend money on it. Does such a resource exist?
Well, I think the 24 monsters manual does a bit of this through new names, tough, warrior, knight for example. Beyond that I usually just reskin — that hobgoblin warlord is now a dwarf, etc.
Breathe, dragons; sing of the First World, forged out of chaos and painted with beauty. Sing of Bahamut, the Platinum, molding the shape of the mountains and rivers; Sing too of Chromatic Tiamat, painting all over the infinite canvas. Partnered, they woke in the darkness; partnered, they labored in acts of creation.
Well, I think the 24 monsters manual does a bit of this through new names, tough, warrior, knight for example. Beyond that I usually just reskin — that hobgoblin warlord is now a dwarf, etc.
Yeah that is what I am doing now, as well as just handing out abilities as I see fit like oh... this Tough is a cleric and can cast a couple heal spells.
But it doesn't really handle the flavor of the different classes very well IMO. There are basically a bunch of variations on fighters of different difficulty levels without much else going on.
Yeah that helps a little. I had missed assassin somehow. I just wish there were more different flavors like even just alternative abilities like 'oh this cultist is a cleric and casts heal wounds and that one is a martial artist so use this other rule. Just trying to get some decent variation for my party given a Waterdeep setting where there will not be a lot of monsters but there should be a solid mix of classes around.
The Acquisitions Incorporated book has various NPC statblocks that include class features. Some more variation on wizard CRs. Druid, warlock, paladin, rogues. Honestly some interesting ones there.
The Acquisitions Incorporated book has various NPC statblocks that include class features. Some more variation on wizard CRs. Druid, warlock, paladin, rogues. Honestly some interesting ones there.
Thanks I will check that out
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I am looking for a supplement (official, gmsguild, whatever) that provides a bunch of simple stat blocks for humanoid NPC opponents that my PCs can fight. Similar to the 'Tough' and 'Apprentice Wizard' and 'Bandit' from the Monster Manual but covering more classes (for variety) and more difficulty levels (CRs).
It seems like the Tough and so on were explicitly designed NOT to be just NPCs with class levels, instead they have more simplified mechanics like multi-attack or pack tactics and higher HP, without all th eexcessive options a character with class levels has. So they are MUCH easier to run for throwaway encounters than trying to create a specific level 2 cleric or fighter or whatever.
I want something like that but with more variations for flavor and covering more different encounter levels. I am happy to spend money on it. Does such a resource exist?
Well, I think the 24 monsters manual does a bit of this through new names, tough, warrior, knight for example.
Beyond that I usually just reskin — that hobgoblin warlord is now a dwarf, etc.
Greetings Realityhackphotos,
As Xalthu mentioned, the 2025 Monster Manual has many more options that you can use for the situation that you have outlined.
Just some of the options are:
Etc...
Hope this helps!
Breathe, dragons; sing of the First World, forged out of chaos and painted with beauty.
Sing of Bahamut, the Platinum, molding the shape of the mountains and rivers;
Sing too of Chromatic Tiamat, painting all over the infinite canvas.
Partnered, they woke in the darkness; partnered, they labored in acts of creation.
Yeah that is what I am doing now, as well as just handing out abilities as I see fit like oh... this Tough is a cleric and can cast a couple heal spells.
But it doesn't really handle the flavor of the different classes very well IMO. There are basically a bunch of variations on fighters of different difficulty levels without much else going on.
Yeah that helps a little. I had missed assassin somehow. I just wish there were more different flavors like even just alternative abilities like 'oh this cultist is a cleric and casts heal wounds and that one is a martial artist so use this other rule. Just trying to get some decent variation for my party given a Waterdeep setting where there will not be a lot of monsters but there should be a solid mix of classes around.
The Acquisitions Incorporated book has various NPC statblocks that include class features. Some more variation on wizard CRs. Druid, warlock, paladin, rogues. Honestly some interesting ones there.
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Thanks I will check that out