The 2024 Monster Manual, releasing February 18, features some new, exceptionally powerful monsters to challenge your high-level party. These creatures sit at the top of their food chain, dominating their rivals and striking fear into the heart of adventuring parties.

Below, we'll take a look at three new high-level threats inside D&D's latest monster menagerie: the arch-hag, an immortal and cunning Fey, the blob of annihilation, a titan of entropy from the depths of Wildspace, and the animal lord, a primal champion of nature.

• Weave Wicked Schemes with the Arch-Hag
• Confront the End with the Blob of Annihilation
• Command the Wilds with the Animal Lord

Claim Your Free Copy of Hold Back the Dead

Hold Back the Dead is a single-session adventure part of D&D's yearlong 50th-anniversary celebration. In this adventure designed for four to six level 4 characters, players are tasked to defend Ironspine Keep against the looming horde of the sinister lich, Szass Tam.

Dive straight into the action with stat blocks from the new Monster Manual, a full map of the fortress defense zones, details on siege weapons, and pre-generated character sheets!

Weave Wicked Schemes with the Arch-Hag

Artist: Dario Jelusic

A hag is a proverbial witch of the wilds who masterfully manipulates those they catch in their schemes. Once these malicious magic users reach the pinnacle of their power, they become an arch-hag.

Arch-hags are everything a regular hag is, just worse. Immortal, capricious, ill-tempered, self-interested, and dangerously cunning, they trade in secrets and pursue their plots with magical bargains.

The most infamous arch-hag is the immensely powerful Baba Yaga, the Mother of All Witches, whose chicken-legged hut has been spotted all across the multiverse. Parties who catch the attention of these unpredictable opponents often feel like the arch-hag is several steps ahead, using their magic to gather information, stir up confusion, and inspire betrayal.

What Can an Arch-Hag Do?

An arch-hag is a formidable foe with twisted magic and crippling curses. With a CR of 21, an arch-hag is a dangerous opponent for even the most seasoned adventurers.

Tough to Nail Down

Most arch-hags avoid battle. They prefer to let their minions or allies do the fighting for them. When cornered, however, they are downright dastardly to confront.

In the new Monster Manual, legendary creatures have been given higher bonuses to Initiative, making the arch-hag pretty quick for an ancient creature. With a whopping +16 to Initiative, it is very likely that the hag will act first in combat, using this opportunity to use Crackling Wave or a nasty spell on the characters before they can take their turns.

To stay out of reach, the arch-hag can cast Dimension Door at will, including as a Legendary Action once per round. Their lair will likely have heavy shadows or cover that they can teleport into if they become surrounded or trapped by a spell like Entangle; and remember, the Dimension Door spell doesn't require the caster to see their destination! Arch-hags are usually paranoid and prepared, meaning they might have a panic room hidden in their lair that's inaccessible to other creatures.

Tougher to Kill

Artist: Conceptopolis

Though arch-hags are nearly impossible to defeat, they have a unique vulnerability: an anathema, something that represents everything the hag hates or represents the antithesis of their magic. The arch-hag can only die if they are reduced to 0 Hit Points while within 30 feet of their anathema. This could be something silly, like the multiverse's worst pun, or something rarer and altogether more significant, like the bones of the arch-hag's first love.

If the arch-hag is defeated but not in the presence of their anathema, their Spiteful Escape trait causes them to teleport to a demiplane with 1 Hit Point. Luckily for the party, the hag can't return to the plane they left this way for 2d6 days, especially because any creature within 60 feet of the arch-hag when they use Spiteful Escape is bestowed a rather nasty curse.

Spellcasters Beware

The arch-hag is a nightmare for spellcasters. If a creature finishes a Long Rest within 1 mile of the arch-hag's lair, its regional effect, Meddlesome Magic, twists the first spell the creature casts against them, potentially causing the caster to fall under the effects of the Confusion spell. This confounding magic can lay a spellcaster low in an encounter with the arch-hag or while attempting to navigate the dangers of the arch-hag's lair, both of which are dangerous situations to have a party member acting erratically.

But that's not the only way arch-hags can mess with a character's magic. When the arch-hag sees a creature cast a spell within 60 feet (and it does have Truesight out to that range!), it can use Tongue Twister to cast Counterspell. Keep in mind that this is a Reaction, and it doesn't have a limited number of uses, meaning they can use it once per round. I hope your Sorcerer had the wherewithal to pick up the Subtle Spell Metamagic option!

Curses!

Arch-hags are experts in curses. Three of their abilities—Crackling Wave, Tongue Twister, and Spiteful Escape—attempt to inflict a curse on a creature. On the arch-hag's turn, they can use their Witch Strike Bonus Action to automatically deal Lightning damage to any creature who's cursed by the arch-hag and within 60 feet.

But this extra damage isn't the full extent of the arch-hag's curses. Spellcasters who fell victim to the arch-hag's Tongue Twister Reaction cannot cast spells with Verbal components until the end of their next turn—and during this time, if they speak, they'll say the opposite of what they mean. For example, if an affected caster tries to tell their party, “It's cursed me! I can't use my spells to help you!” they may say, “Charge the hag—I'll cover you!”

Meanwhile, those who fail their save against the arch-hag's Crackling Wave action can't take Reactions until the end of the hag's next turn. Spellcasters who were hoping to use Shield or Counterspell will be stymied, as will martial characters who want to use their Reaction for Opportunity Attacks.

Finally, when a creature is cursed by the arch-hag's Spiteful Escape, the creature has Disadvantage on ability checks and saving throws, and the hag knows its exact location anywhere in the multiverse. This curse lasts until it is removed by the Remove Curse spell or some other means, so you better high-tail it to a Cleric's temple before the hag can make their way back to the plane.

How to Use an Arch-Hag in Your Games

Arch-hags are schemers and master manipulators. They have a network of spies and use deals like chess pieces to oppose their enemies' interests.

When an arch-hag needs assistance, they often look to the other hags in their coven–if they have one. These hags may have been created by the arch-hag, they may be old enemies turned temporary allies, or they might be more akin to worshippers. With the aid of their coven, the arch-hag gains access to powerful Divination magic, which can be used to track down creatures, artifacts, and knowledge across the multiverse.

When including an arch-hag in your story, it can be as a BBEG, but it can also be as a source of secrets or power that the characters can tap by negotiating a harrowingly high-stakes deal.

Confront the End with the Blob of Annihilation

Artist: MATHIAS KOLLROS

A blob of annihilation is what happens when astral toxic sludge fuses with the corpse of a god while drifting through Wildspace, suddenly gaining sentience, hunger, and malice.

The blob is a Gargantuan-sized creature, meaning there is no maximum to how big it can become. These colossal creatures are formed in the depths of Wildspace, and depending on how big it has grown, it could be the size of a building, mountain, or even a planet!

Whatever the size, a blob of annihilation absorbs everything it passes. In its slow, hungry journey, a blob of annihilation has likely absorbed powerful magic items–which don't dissolve in its entropic body–leading many foolhardy treasure hunters to their deaths.

What Can the Blob of Annihilation Do?

The blob of annihilation is a massive, relentless force of malevolence and consumption. Fighting this creature should invoke fear as player characters are captured, restrained, and suffocated.

Grab, Restrain, Absorb

The blob of annihilation can use its Restraining Glob action to sling sludge at creatures within 600 feet. Creatures hit by this attack have the Restrained condition until the end of their next turn and are reeled 60 feet straight toward the blob.

The blob can also use its Engulf action to roll forward and attempt to absorb every creature whose space it moves through. Creatures in its path who fail their Strength saving throws are engulfed, and while engulfed, they have the Restrained condition and are suffocating (remember, suffocation in the 2024 Player's Handbook imposes 1 level of Exhaustion at the end of each turn once a creature runs out of breath!).

And, believe it or not, the risk of suffocation is about to be the least of your problems…

Force of Entropy

The blob is very efficient at destroying whatever matter is caught within its entropic body. An engulfed creature automatically takes Force damage at the start of each of its turns, and the blob can use its Decay Legendary Action to automatically deal Necrotic damage to engulfed creatures.

If the blob reduces an engulfed creature to 0 Hit Points, the creature dissolves into ash, which is ejected into the Astral Sea. Revivify won't help you here!

How to Use the Blob of Annihilation in Your Games

Though the blob of annihilation is dangerous, it's certainly not a mastermind. Still, you don't need brains to be the climax of a high-level campaign! Here are some ways to use the blob of annihilation in your games:

• Pet Monster: Your campaign's primary antagonist, whether a lich, evil dragon, or dastardly demigod, might have discovered how to set a blob of annihilation loose on a city or castle (such as the Scroll of Titan Summoning from the 2024 Dungeon Master's Guide). While the characters rush to stop the blob, the villain can enact their evil plan.
• Natural Disaster: The blob of annihilation is the result of a cosmic coincidence that can destroy nations and devastate continents. This cataclysmic force rolling slowly toward civilization could be the catalyst that sparks an entire campaign!

Command the Wilds with the Animal Lord

Artist: VALERA LUTFULLINA

An animal lord is an immortal spirit associated with a particular type of animal. They are Celestials that are paragons of their kin, making them closer to demigods than Beasts.

Most animal lords live in the Beastlands, though you might find them in the Feywild or other wild and natural realms. If you see one in the Material Plane, there is likely a disaster that affects droves of animals, such as a forest fire, earthquake–or incoming blob of annihilation.

Animal lords can represent any animal and boast powers associated with one of three broad animal groups: foragers, hunters, and sages. Animal lords generally take the form of a humanoid-animal hybrid and exhibit personality traits associated with their animal.

What Can an Animal Lord Do?

Artist: Axel Defois

The animal lord has a CR of 20, making it a formidable foe for even the most experienced adventuring parties. While each animal lord can summon animal spirits, cast spells, shape-shift, and impose their commanding presence over their foes, their beastly affinity affects their Lordly Presence trait and their Animal Spirit and Spellcasting actions.

• Foragers. Resilient and hard to defeat, these animal lords can bolster their Hit Points while attacking, and their captivating presence allows them to charm and incapacitate enemies.
• Hunters. Vicious and relentless, these animal lords can gain Advantage on their attacks, and use their presence to impose the Frightened condition on enemies.
• Sages. Wise and elusive, these animal lords use magic to bewilder and destroy their foes while staying safely out of reach.

Paragon of Beastly Power

On top of their potent nature-based powers, every animal lord is fast, agile, and extremely perceptive. They have a 60-foot Speed, Fly Speed, and Swim Speed, and they can use a Legendary Action to move up to their Speed and make a Rend attack. Their Initiative bonus is +19, they have Truesight, and their Passive Perception is 28, so good luck sneaking up (or subsequently running away from) an animal lord who wants to eviscerate you.

How to Use an Animal Lord in Your Games

Animal lords are enormously powerful nature spirits. They don't just look like a snake, hawk, or rabbit—they embody that creature and represent its divine potential. Animal lords are not generally interested in most mortal affairs, so how might your party cross paths with them?

• Supernatural Patron: A Celestial Warlock might have an animal lord as a patron, a Druid may come from a circle that is allied with an animal lord, or a Wild Magic Sorcerer may have acquired their magic through an encounter with an animal lord in the Feywild.
• Ruler of an Otherworldly Domain: During their extraplanar adventures, a party may land in an area of the Beastlands or Feywild controlled by an animal lord. If they cause a ruckus, they may be confronted by the animal lord to atone for their actions.
• Rescue Mission: A high-level party may be asked by a druid circle or sept of clerics to rescue an animal lord trapped in a dangerous plane like the Shadowfell, Pandemonium, or the Abyss. Perhaps Baphomet has taken a hunter animal lord as a prize, or a Darklord has captured a sage animal lord and is trying to steal its secrets.

Can Your Players Rise to the Challenge?

With high-level threats like arch-hags, blobs of annihilation, animal lords, and others you've yet to meet, your DM's toolbox has become much more powerful. If you're looking for a threat that can challenge your high-level adventuring party, these new monsters will be terrifying your players in no time!

Pre-order the new Monster Manual and prepare to add a menagerie of monsters to your games!

Damen Cook (@damen_joseph) is a lifelong fantasy reader, writer, and gamer. If he woke up tomorrow in Faerûn, he would bolt through the nearest fey crossing and drink from every stream and eat fruit from every tree in the Feywild until he found that sweet, sweet wild magic.