Ok, but what do they actually want? Just money and ease? Ok, as I write this, that sounds pretty awesome. But it seems like they could get that. And then what?

I don't understand the ambusher trait. I mean, I get what it does mechanically, but isn't that true for any NPC or PC?

Personally I would be inclined to Homebrew it so their ambusher trait gives a bonus to initiative.

Potentially, based on the wording and the fact that attacking a surprised creature gives advantage, the doppleganger could have advantage on creatures that it has surprised, not just while they are still surprised. I don't know if that is what it means, but that makes it different from normal and is a way it could be read.

Quote from BenFTW >>

I don't understand the ambusher trait. I mean, I get what it does mechanically, but isn't that true for any NPC or PC?

Normally, attacking a surprised creature does not grant advantage. The ambusher trait is an exception to this.

https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/phb/combat#Surprise

This changes so many of my combats. 🤯

Quote from Maghawk >>

Quote from BenFTW >>

I don't understand the ambusher trait. I mean, I get what it does mechanically, but isn't that true for any NPC or PC?

 

Normally, attacking a surprised creature does not grant advantage. The ambusher trait is an exception to this.

https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/phb/combat#Surprise

 This changes everything.

Quote from SethTheFrank >>

Ok, but what do they actually want? Just money and ease? Ok, as I write this, that sounds pretty awesome. But it seems like they could get that. And then what?

 I agree seems kind of hollow, almost like once they have that they just rest on their laurels.

Quote from Werdna >>

Quote from SethTheFrank >>

Ok, but what do they actually want? Just money and ease? Ok, as I write this, that sounds pretty awesome. But it seems like they could get that. And then what?

 I agree seems kind of hollow, almost like once they have that they just rest on their laurels.

 They way I have been thinking of them is that they want to be part of humanoid society, but they know that most humanoids are at least suspicious of them, if not entirely horrified.

These would very interesting to play as a character race....

The cheesemonkey in me wants to make an NPC who was born of a Doppelganger parent and also whammied by a Night Hag. Just to see what it would be like.

Quote from El_Doog >>

These would very interesting to play as a character race....

 Eberron setting Changelings are pretty much this, but can take any medium humanlike shape (Elves, Tieflings, dragonborn, humans, etc) , but not necessarily humanoid, since the stat block for Doppelgangers calls out the Humaniod type, and the Changeling statblock just says vaguely humanlike body plan, and specifically does not limit it to the 'Humanoid' type.  So a Changeling could copy a Vampire, Illithid, Mummy or Zombie but a Doppelganger cannot)  The Doppelganger can do Small races though, like Halflings, Gnomes, etc) and Changelings cannot do that. 

Changlings. 

I like the notion that they are guided by their true neutral alignment. As an example, in the Lost Mine of Phandelver beginner box adventure, they are working for the drow, posing as drow. Yet, when given the opportunity to acquire the map to said mine and captivity of the dwarven owner, they would destroy the map and kill dwarf, preferring to keep knowledge of the mine kept from both sides: the evil drow and the good dwarves/PCs.

The changeling race is pretty similar  

That's a good question. Seems like the creatures may not even know themselves and just live as members of whatever race and culture they inhabit, the "Cuckoo in the Nest" reproductive cycle would tend to work against them developing their own cultures.  As they seem to have a lazy streak most  just "to go with the flow" and never question things?  Perhaps, if they stay too long in one form they can even forget what they are. The Doppelganger is one of those creatures in D&D that really needs a big expansion of its background and origins. Mostly they just appear as minions to some big boss of other but why and how they got to be in that position never seems to be explained.

Quote from dinnydorf >>

Quote from Maghawk >>

Quote from BenFTW >>

I don't understand the ambusher trait. I mean, I get what it does mechanically, but isn't that true for any NPC or PC?

 

Normally, attacking a surprised creature does not grant advantage. The ambusher trait is an exception to this.

https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/phb/combat#Surprise

 This changes everything.

Unseen attackers are what get advantage on Attack rolls (specifically, “an attack from hiding”).

A Doppelgänger’s surprises tend to be more of a “sudden betrayal” then a “sneaking up” situation.

Quote from DrWylieAlexios >>

I like the notion that they are guided by their true neutral alignment. As an example, in the Lost Mine of Phandelver beginner box adventure, they are working for the drow, posing as drow. Yet, when given the opportunity to acquire the map to said mine and captivity of the dwarven owner, they would destroy the map and kill dwarf, preferring to keep knowledge of the mine kept from both sides: the evil drow and the good dwarves/PCs.

 The Doppelganger wants to destroy the map because he wants to prevent the party from re-acquiring it, not because he doesn't want either side to get it. Make no mistake--he works for the black spider, but the black spider doesn't need the map, because he is already in the cave. 

This is honestly one of my favorite creatures. The story you can make with them is great. Actually I have two dopplegangers named Vyrieth, and Vhalak, a female and male couple respectively. 

My brother's character, Alexander Seabreeze the 3rd, saved them from being the death penalty along side their former employer, at a trial. And to really hammer home the severity of the situation,  vyrieth was pregnant. Needless to say, it all went good.

In conclusion: just from these two alone, I love doppelgangers. 

Quote from PatrickDees >>

This is honestly one of my favorite creatures. The story you can make with them is great. Actually I have two dopplegangers named Vyrieth, and Vhalak, a female and male couple respectively. 

My brother's character, Alexander Seabreeze the 3rd, saved them from being the death penalty along side their former employer, at a trial. And to really hammer home the severity of the situation,  vyrieth was pregnant. Needless to say, it all went good.

In conclusion: just from these two alone, I love doppelgangers. 

That’s a fun story.

I like the detail that they used the same names as the male and female (appearing) Doppelgängers in Phandelver.  That’s a nice Easter Egg from the DM.

Quote from Dr_Frederick >>

Quote from PatrickDees >>

This is honestly one of my favorite creatures. The story you can make with them is great. Actually I have two dopplegangers named Vyrieth, and Vhalak, a female and male couple respectively. 

My brother's character, Alexander Seabreeze the 3rd, saved them from being the death penalty along side their former employer, at a trial. And to really hammer home the severity of the situation,  vyrieth was pregnant. Needless to say, it all went good.

In conclusion: just from these two alone, I love doppelgangers. 

 

That’s a fun story.

I like the detail that they used the same names as the male and female (appearing) Doppelgängers in Phandelver.  That’s a nice Easter Egg from the DM.

 I love the story, and doppelgangers are so cool.