Example: a monster called Green Hag Obama would have Green as pre-name, Hag as name and Obama as surname. This separation allows Monstershuffler to pick only the 'name' part when writing descriptions inside the stat block.
When a creature is generic, its name is preceded by the article "the" inside descriptions, like "The hag has advantage on Wisdom (Perc[...]"
Find more names on fantasynamegenerators.com
Male pronouns: he/his/him/his
Female pronouns: she/her/her/hers
Neutral pronouns: they/their/them/theirs
Thing pronouns: it/its/it/theirs
This value affects descriptions when tags like [they] or [them] are used: they will be automatically converted into the pronouns chosen for the creature. To know more about tags click here.
If you choose (from other sources) Monstershuffler will attempt to find this value inside the creature's template, class or race in that order, and give a default value when none is found.
1 = tiny; 2 = small, 3 = medium, 4 = large, 5 = huge, 6 = gargantuan.
Expressions add dynamic values to statistics. Example: adding '1' as an expression to the size of a medium-sized creature will make it Large, and adding 'LVL/9' will make it grow in size every 9 levels (Hit Dice).
If you choose (from other sources) Monstershuffler will attempt to find this value inside the creature's template, class or race in that order, and give a default value when none is found.
Add a subtype:
In case you didn't know: you can write and add your own subtypes!
Warning: changing the creature's race or race variant will replace all related statistics and actions, including the ones you may have edited.
Warning: changing the creature's profession will replace all related statistics and actions, including the ones you may have edited.
Warning: changing the creature's class or class variant will replace all related statistics and actions, including the ones you may have edited.
Warning: changing the creature's template will replace all related statistics and actions, including the ones you may have edited.
Alignment is randomly determined when a creature is generated inside the NPC Generator. The values above influence the result of the random roll by making it lean towards a certain alignment. Other stats may influence the result as well.
Short Background
Here you can write a very short background to help yourself or other dungeon masters roleplay this creature. Leave it blank if you want to hide this part of the stat block.
Find more ideas on SeventhSanctum.com
If you were to describe this creature's personality, what word would you use? Leave the input blank if you want to hide this part of the stat block.
Armor Class:
If you choose (from other sources) Monstershuffler will attempt to find this value inside the creature's template, class or race in that order, and give a default value when none is found.
This creature's level is the sum of the Hit Dice found inside these sections:
The Hit Die chosen reflects the creature's size: Tiny: d4, Small: d6, Medium: d8, Large: d10, Huge: d12, Gargantuan: d20.
*You can leave this field blank, as Races and Templates don't necessarily have base Hit Dice.
The Hit Die chosen reflects the creature's size: Tiny: d4, Small: d6, Medium: d8, Large: d10, Huge: d12, Gargantuan: d20.
Speeds (ft):
If you leave these values blank Monstershuffler will attempt to find them inside the creature's template, class or race in that order, and give a default value when none is found.
Setting a speed type to 0 will forcibly disable it.
Add an expression for a type of speed:
Base ability scores:
You can prevent expressions from increasing ability scores too much by setting a limit here:
Ability scores limit:
A score of 18 is the highest that a person usually reaches. Adventurers can have scores as high as 20, and Monsters and divine beings can have scores as high as 30.
Add an expression for an ability score:
Classes usually make characters increase one ability score by 2 every four levels, which translates into the expression (LVL/4)*2 + 2. You should always add a similar expression to the primary ability score of a class.
Add a saving throw:
If you want to give Expertise (double proficiency) to a saving throw, just add an expression to it with 'PROF' as value.
Add a skill:
If you want to give Expertise (double proficiency) to a skill, just add an expression to it with 'PROF' as value.
Random skills:
Pick random Skills from the in addition to the ones chosen already.
Add a damage vulnerability:
Add a damage resistance:
Add a damage immunity:
Add a condition immunity:
Senses (ft):
If you leave these values blank Monstershuffler will attempt to find them inside the creature's template, class or race in that order, and give a default value when none is found. Setting a sense to 0 will forcibly disable it.
Add an expression for a sense:
Add a language:
Random languages:
Pick random Languages from the in addition to the ones chosen already.
Other settings:
If you choose (from other sources) Monstershuffler will attempt to find this value inside the creature's template, class or race in that order, and give a default value when none is found.
Setting Telepathy to 0 will forcibly disable it.
Calculate the estimated CR of this creature at two different levels (Hit Dice) and write it below. Monstershuffler will then calculate all the other CRs automatically. You can use the instructions at page 274 of the Dungeon Master's Guide or our tables as reference.
Go to the Hit Points settings and set the level (Hit Dice) of the Creature to 1: what is your estimated CR for this creature as a "level 1" monster?
Now set the level (Hit Dice) to the highest number reasonable for this type of creature: what is your estimated CR at that level?
If you want to create monsters or NPCs that can be used consistently from Challenge Rating 0 to Challenge Rating 30, use expressions whenever possible to make statistics dynamic, and enable/disable actions at the appropriate levels!
All monsters and NPCs usually have their proficiency bonus determined by their Challenge Rating. The option "by Level" helps you create Player Character-like creatures when you need one.
The standard description that precedes Legendary Actions will appear as soon as a Legendary Action is available for the creature.
Action Settings:
Active from level* to level*
*Leave these fields blank if you want this action to be always active.
Description:
Use tags and dynamic values inside descriptions to make this creature reusable. Also check the manual below to understand how to create actions.
List of tags available
Drag and drop values inside the description, or write directly the name of a value between {braces}. Click on values to edit them.
Click on the attributes below to shape the description of this attack:
You can choose these additional filters for the random weapon:
*You can leave these fields blank.
*You can leave these fields blank.
You may want to use the expression "8+PROF+ability" for saving throws, where ability is the ability score modifier related to this action (STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA).
Values in "feet"/"-feet" should always be multiplied by 5 because of the way length is measured in D&D battle maps. The length of the fiery breath of a dragon that grows in size every two levels could be written like this"(LVL\2)*5".
This type of value is used inside Multiattack descriptions. It is based on the "Extra attack" feature of the Fighter Class and many melee-type official monsters apparently follow the same rule. These are the results it gives:
Before level 5: one attack
From level 5: two attacks
From level 11: three attacks
From level 20: four attacks
From level 32: five attacks
...giving one extra attack after x levels + 3, where x was the previous interval.
Add a bonus to attack values:
Spellcasting ability:
If you choose (from other sources) Monstershuffler will attempt to find this value inside the creature's template, class or race in that order, and give a default value when none is found.
Spell groups:
Spell groups are lists of spells that become available to a creature at a chosen level.
When available, spells are then sorted by their number of uses per day, to create the standard D&D5e spell list for monsters.
Add a spell to the group:
Search Filters:
Spells in this group:
Random spells:
Pick random Spells from the in addition to the ones chosen already, using the filters currently selected.
*You can use expressions to calculate this field dynamically! Click here for a quick guide.
Author
Adds
10
Hell Hound
Keen Hearing and Smell. The hound has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell.
Pack Tactics. The hound has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the hound's allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft, one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) bludgeoning damage plus 7 (2d6) radiant damage.
Fire Breath (Recharge 5–6). The hound exhales fire in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw, taking 21 (6d6) on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Hell hounds were fiery beasts found within Acheron and the Nine Hells. They were ferocious pack hunters that acted as faithful companions and dangerous pets across the multiverse.
Description
Hell hounds resembled monstrous dogs with powerful physiques, standing between 2‒4.5 ft (0.61‒1.4 m) high at the shoulder and weighing about 120 lb (54 kg). Nessian breeds were the size of draft horses.
Their fearsome forms were covered in short, rust-red or red-brown fur and their eyes glowed red. The markings on their bodies as well and their fangs and tongues were the color of soot, and they reeked of sulfurous smoke. Nessian breeds always coal-black fur and were typically equipped with infernal chainmail shirts.
Personality
Hell hounds, being intelligent beasts of law, could be trained and commanded by various entities across the planes, but their inherent malice limited their versatility. Outside of retrieving specific objects, hell hounds could only be trained to kill, abandoning or betraying masters that forbade them from sating their merciless hunger. Even if not specifically trained, they stole items from their deceased victims to use as playthings, such as noisy bags or pouches containing a victim's treasures, toying with them until the flammable components eventually turned to ash and the remains littered their dens.
Abilities
Hell hounds were capable of breathing out a stream of scorching fire from their mouths.
Combat
Hellhounds were very stealthy creatures and unlike ordinary dogs they did not howl when hunting, instead quietly stalking their prey and surrounding them in a ring. One or two hell hounds would immediately use their scorching hot breath to drive their quarry into the waiting, fiery fangs of the other pack members, unafraid of harming their other infernal companions.
Cunning and efficient, they targeted the weakest of prey, slowly surrounding those that refused to retreat. They only bayed when in the determined pursuit of fleeing victims, creating a hollow and frightening tone.
Society
Hell hound packs could be as small as a pair or contain up to twenty of the vicious beasts. The largest and strongest hell hound became leader and drove off any competitors, forcing them to establish their own packs and territories. Territories were somewhere between 5-14 miles centered on their dens and could overlap with one another.
Relationships
Although they had difficulty mating on the Prime Material Plane, many wicked beings bred indigenous populations. Summoned hell hounds had a tendency to escape into the wild and even those domesticated as puppies had a small chance of going rogue later in life.
Azers were known to use them as faithful pets but fire giants and devils in particular were known for their use of the infernal beasts. Appreciated and favored for their keen senses, fire giants used hell hounds as watch dogs and bred their own populations millennia ago to create an instinctively loyal breed. Having been artificially selected for size and skill, firebred hell hounds were far more powerful and utilized more cautious tactics, able to charge up an even more dangerous version of their fire breath that they saved for when surrounded.
The archdevils kept their own kennels of hell hounds and Asmodeus himself kept his own fearsome breed, the Nessian warhounds, under his palace. Mephistopheles managed to outdo his master in this, having his surgeons breed the tougher, meaner, larger and more fiery pit hounds in the ironically frigid Cania.
Biology
Diet
The dietary needs of hell hounds were similar to those of ordinary canines and they would consume anything that appeared edible. The flesh they consumed fed the fires within them and they only occasionally brought food back to their dens for later consumption, preferring to eat at the site of the hunt.
Senses
It was practically impossible to avoid detection from a hell hound, as their vision was sharp enough that they spot those in hiding or invisible half of the time. Their excellent olfactory senses made them capable trackers and their hearing made them incredibly difficult to sneak up on. They were also known to have a keen sense of hearing.
Life Cycle
Hell hound puppies were born in litters of 2-8 and newborns were only a tenth the size of adults. They slowly grew to adult size over the course of one and a half years, gaining the burning bite of their parents after two months that gradually rose to full power as they aged. At least once each day they burped an uncontrolled burst of harmless flames, which had a tendency to ignite flammable objects nearby. A hell hound's inner flame engulfed them upon death, resulting in an eruption of ember and smoke at the end of which left only burnt, black scraps of fur.
Homelands
Hell hounds were not native to the Material Plane, instead having been brought there by a plethora of evil entities for various uses, namely hunting or guarding. Though despite their infernal appearance earning them association with the Nine Hells, hell hounds did not originate from Baator either. Primordials originally created them eons ago, hence why they could be found on the Plane of Fire.
Some were known to migrate to the Material Plane using portals found there, such as from the Peaks of Flame in Chult. Since then, hell hounds could be primarily located on Acheron's battlefields and across the rest of the lower planes. They inhabited areas known for their fiery landscapes, from barren mountains, to scorching deserts to blazing caverns from Hell to the Abyss. On the Material Plane they were invasive beings that caused more forest fires than any other creatures excluding humanoids due to their hunting tactics.
This article uses material from the “Hell Hound” article on the Forgotten Realms wiki at Fandom and is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike License.
