Running Monsters

Learn how to play a chimera in a way worthy of its fearsome appearance, and how to make chimeras out of beasts other than the dragon-, lion-, and goat-headed version classic to D&D.

Sahuagin are masters of sharks and the sea, and their frenzied attacks and powers of telepathy make them truly formidable foes. How do you build an encounter that makes full use of these fearsome foes?

Trolls are a uniquely D&D monster, insofar as it differs significantly from trolls of world folklore. Why do trolls regenerate? Why are they harmed by fire and acid? And more importantly, how do you make them terrifying for your players?

The How to Play series returns with this tactical spotlight on werewolves—with a brief diversion into other lycanthropes, including neutral good werebears and true neutral weretigers.

Undermountain is filled with ruthless enemies, and while they can all be fought, many can be reasoned with, distracted, or pacified. A manticore could be the first major gatekeeper your party faces in Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage. If you’re a Dungeon Master, do you know what makes a manticore tick?

“Modrons are beings of absolute law that adhere to a hive-like hierarchy. They inhabit the plane of Mechanus and tend its eternally revolving gears, their existence a clockwork routine of perfect order.” Perfect order is nice and all, but things get really fun when you force modrons to deal with a little bit of chaos!

Gold dragons are wise and powerful defenders of good, but when are your player characters ever going to fight one? Learn how to use this powerful creature in combat—and how to get it in combat in the first place!

A ghoul hungers eternally. Its hunger does not make it foolish, and your ghouls ought to know how to kill characters efficiently and deliciously.

Hobgoblins are not like orcish warriors, fighting as an uncivilized, brutish horde. Hobgoblins wear armor of steel and wield mass-produced swords. They are the product of a mighty war machine. Learn how to command an unstoppable army with this week's monster guide.

Beholders are the ultimate megalomaniacs. Learn how to play a beholder like the legendary Xanathar and become the ultimate monster in the worlds of D&D.

Take a close look at a terrifying new creature from Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes, and learn how to use it to torment your players just like Matt Mercer did in Critical Role! 

The dreadful oni is Mike Mearls' favorite monster, and it deserves a spot in your DMing toolkit. Learn how to play an oni like an expert, and how to use one to instill fear into the hearts of your players.

Orcs in Dungeons & Dragons aren't just cannon fodder like they are in Lord of the Rings. Read this article to learn how you can use them as a compelling force of evil in your campaign. 

Playing a monster with as many powerful abilities as a kraken can be overwhelming. Learn how to play a kraken effectively in combat and how to integrate this titanic creature into your campaign world!

Learn more about the legendary an ancient krakens and how they came to exist in the Dungeons & Dragons multiverse.

Learn more about one of Dungeons & Dragons' most infamous monsters and why Beholders might be the most strange creatures in the D&D multiverse. 

Jeremy Crawford shares more about the many infernal enemies and fiendish options available in Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes.

Most of the time, both mind flayers and D&D games will exist as a mixture of the serious and the silly. However, there are times when you want to dig deep into the seriousness of your game and plunge your players into a cosmic nightmare. Here’s how.

A red dragon is not a common brute; it's a mastermind with an intellect as sharp as its talons. Playing a red dragon like the evil genius it is requires getting into its head and thinking like it would think. Check out some tips for running them in your game!