Summary
Dungeons & Dragonsbrings back some classic modules in thenew anthologyQuests from the Infinite Staircase, and these adventures come with their fair share of memorable monsters. While plenty of the foes found throughout the book have appeared before in fifth editionDnD, some will be a lot less familiar to modern players.
The new monsters inQuests from the Infinite Staircasepack in a lot of variety, with some unique concepts befitting their respective adventures. For anyone who happens to be looking for new plant monsters or futuristic robotic foes,Quests from the Infinite Staircasewill prove a particular treasure trove.The best monsters inQuests from the Infinite Staircaseare interesting enough to be worth including in any campaignthanks to memorable designs and cool combat features that should make for fun encounters.
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10Gibberlings Are Dangerous In Swarms
Individually, a gibberling isn’t a particularly threateningDnDmonster, coming in at a challenge rating of zero and dealing a measly 3 piercing damage on average.They’re generally meant to be a part of group encounters, however, which is where the stat block for a swarm of gibberlings comes into play. Even in swarms, they aren’t that deadly, but a long list of resistances and immunities can make them a bit harder to take down than a party might initially expect.
One fun feature of gibberlings is their Incessant Gibberish trait, which makes it harder for anyone in their vicinity to make constitution saving throws and maintain concentration thanks to their annoying babbling. These could be a fun flavor addition to any dungeon, especially for a dungeon master willing to go the extra mile in irking the party without crossing the line into making things miserable.
9A Pech With A Pickaxe Is A Mighty D&D Foe
Pechs make their return toDnDinQuests from the Infinite Staircaseafter failing to show up in fourth edition or any previous fifth edition adventures, and the party can have a perfectly pleasant encounter with them in theclassic dungeon crawlThe Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth.Should things turn aggressive, however, these earth elementals are capable of packing a surprising punch for their small size.
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Fortified Pickaxe attacks can deal a respectable amount of force damage, and should they turn their mind to breaking anything that the party holds dear, the technique’s ability to automatically crit against objects could prove devestating. A fun quirk of pechs is that they can spellcast in groups, so they’re much more dangerous as a pack than alone. They also perform at their best deep within their tunnels, as pech attack rolls receive disadvantage in the sunlight.
8The Maschin-i-Bozorg Is An Intimidating Construct
Although most of the constructs inQuests from the Infinite Staircasetake on a specific sci-fi flair, the maschin-i-bozorg falls into a more classic steam-powered style. This giant metal dome can be intimidating to come across, asgetting in its way can result in a character being bludgeoned and knocked prone. Its exterior looks impenetrable, but scoring over a 17 on a hit still makes it possible to start chipping away at its health.
The maschin-i-bozorg’s go-to attack is Poison Jab, which jabs enemies with darts attached to extendable arms to deal piercing and poison damage alike. Its more powerful option is Steam Jet, which can deal significant fire damage to anyone caught within a 30-foot cone. When destroyed, it gets one last chance to pile on the fire damage by overheating, although the comparatively nominal damage isn’t as likely to knock any party members out cold.
7Horrid Plants Live Up To Their Name
Horrid plant is actually a bit of a three-in-one as far as newQuests from the Infinite Staircasemonsters go,coming in three different varieties that each have a unique bonus action. Dew drinkers hide hair-tipped tendrils behind cabbage-like leaves, purple blossoms squirt acidic sap through flower pistils, and snapper saws dig their razor-sharp leaves into the ground to hide them between encounters.
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Any horrid plant has the potential to be an unpleasant surprise, and all of them are capable of dealing extra damage on top of their standard tendril attacks. The snapper saws slashing attacks are straightforward, but purple blossoms and dew drinkers shake things up a bit with persistent acidic damage and necrotic life-leeching. For any DMs undecided on which makes the best monster, a d6 roll can be used to determine what plants show up in an encounter.
6Combat Robots Bring The Future Of D&D Battles
The sci-fiQuests from the Infinite StaircaseadventureExpedition to the Barrier Peaksfeatures a couple of robot options, but the best to deploy as an intimidating combat monster is, appropriately, the combat robot. Tentacled arms can be used as a standard grapple attack, buta laser beam makes for an interesting alternative that reflavors radiant damage. A bonus action allows the combat robot to activate emergency speed and dash or disengage at will.
What could reallyspice up aDnDencounteris unleashing the combat robot’s grenades, which it can occasionally launch on a recharging timer. Concussion grenades deal straightforward force damage, while sleep grenades inflict the unconscious condition. Dungeon masters who are comfortable delving into a bit of homebrew could easily add some other grenade options into the mix, making the combat robot a good template for some creative experimentation.
5Froghemoth Elders Power Up Classic D&D Enemies
Froghemoths always have the potential to be a fan-favoriteDnDmonster in any campaign, and the froghemoth elder juices up the already powerful foes into something truly special. Although the elder keeps the same armor class as a standard froghemoth, some extra HP and enhanced saving throws make it harder to combat, andsome powerful new abilities and combat options turn it into a significantly deadlier monster than its brethren.
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A froghemoth elder has a lot more potential to disrupt the turn order, with an Alien Gaze reaction that can deal psychic damage and a Leap reaction that can knock enemies prone as it cavorts about the battlefield. If encountered in its lair, Croak and Hypnotic Visions make the party’s life even worse, inflicting all kinds of conditions upon anyone who dares to venture forth and fail a wisdom saving throw.
4Leprechauns Make For Good Allies
Leprechauns aren’t exactly monsters, and the leprechaun encounter included inQuests from the InfiniteStaircaseis best resolved peacefully. All the same, they do get a fun stat block for combat in the Creatures appendix, and a leprechaun could be a greatDnDenemy to toss into the right environment. When used as allies, they also offer powerful benefits, and they can grant other creatures the Gift of Luck to allow for a few re-rolls when needed.
A leprechaun’s primary attack is the Cobbler’s Hammer, which does bludgeoning and force damage along with temporarily halving the speed of anyone unfortunate enough to be on the receiving end. Spellcasting gives leprechauns access to options likeinvisibilityormislead, piling up a lot of potential for tomfoolery that goes hand-in-hand with the bonus action Cunning Trick. It only makes sense that such iconic fantastical figures would eventually show up in fifth editionDnD, and the leprechaun’s arrival is long overdue.
3Androids Are Advanced D&D Constructs
When aDnDencounter calls for a more humanoid robot enemy than the combat robot, it’s the android’s time to shine. Androids can be specialized into aerialists, diplomats, divers, duelists, medic, or sentries, making for a lot of potentially unique scenarios. These constructs are usually lawful neutral by nature, but they can take damage to internal systems or simply break down over time, eventually causing erratic and possibly violent behavior.
Standard attacks from androids are Force Strikes that have the potential to knock characters prone, showing that they’re definitely not messing around.Diplomats and medics can cast a couple of spells, and duelists can parry to prevent some attacks that would otherwise have hit. Aerialists and divers can fly and swim respectively, and sentries can catch more of what’s going on around them with blindsight up to 60 feet.
2The Wolf-in-Sheep’s Clothing Can’t Be Trusted
It’s not at all uncommon forDnDencounters to be wolf in sheep’s clothing scenarios, but rarely do they go for the gambit with the flair that the aptly named wolf-in-sheep’s clothing does. In its basic function, this creature serves a similar function to a mimic, with the appearance of an innocuous tree stump serving to mask predatory intent.
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What really entraps the wolf-in-sheep’s clothing’s prey, however, is its lure, which can take on the form of a lot of cute options. From an adorable kitten to an amphibian that looks suspiciously like Michigan J. Frog,the wolf-in-sheep’s clothing’s lure could easily entice any party to come within striking range. In addition to a typical bite attack, the wolf-in-sheep’s clothing has a root tentacle grapple attack that quickly punishes those who venture in to check out the lure.
1The Memory Web Is A Great Adventure Hook
The memory web’s original introduction in the classic adventureWhen a Star Fallswas one of the things that immediately made the module a standout, and it remains a fascinating creature in its newDnDincarnation. Memory webs feed on memory rather than flesh, sapping them from any victims who fall afoul of its lurking danger. In combat, features like damage transference between the memory web and grappled creatures can make it hard to take down, even its level four challenge would be a breeze for high-level parties.
The truly fun part of the memory web is thatit discharges any memories it acquired over the past 24 hours upon its death. The party can consequently be struck with hazy visions of past events, making for a particularly simple and strong adventure hook. It’s also capable of draining the party’s memories, of course, leaving them a bit dazed until the next long rest restores their typicalDungeons & Dragonsadventuring spirit.
Dungeons and Dragons
Dungeons and Dragons is a popular tabletop game originally invented in 1974 by Ernest Gary Gygax and David Arneson. The fantasy role-playing game brings together players for a campaign with various components, including abilities, races, character classes, monsters, and treasures. The game has drastically expanded since the ’70s, with numerous updated box sets and expansions.
