D&D: Five New Low Level Monsters Ready To Take On Your First-Level Party
Tired of the same old goblin fights at 1st level? The 5.5E Monster Manual is full of new low level monsters, all under CR 1.
Low level monsters are the backbone of D&D. They help set the tone of the game – and especially for new players, can be the thing that draws you in from sitting around the table, to being there in the world of the game, fighting horrible little goblins that are trying to kill you.
Which is why it’s so exciting that there’s a new batch of horrible little monsters waiting in the new Monster Manual. Including new twists on old favorites, and some new stat blocks altogether. These are perfect monsters to reach when you’re trying to figure out which monsters to populate that oh-so-inviting cave with.
Winged Kobold
Let’s start with my favorite new (to the Monster Manual) guy – the Winged Kobold. These guys got a promotion in the new Monster Manual. These are called urds, by other kobolds, and are thought of as blessed and favored by the goddess Tiamat. Which is especially good for kobolds since they’re dragons now.
Only winged kobolds, despite their special status, are every bit as cowardly as their ground-bound counterparts. And they mostly use their wings to try and stay out of the way of combat. They do have a little more going for them, since they can spit energy like a Chromatic Dragon, sort of – they can breath gobs of lightning or fire or what have you out to 30 feet, so they can flee to the skies and spit at their foes. Every kobold’s dream – and a perfect way to remind your level 1 players why they brought shortbows.
Bullywug Warrior
Fighting goblins is a D&D classic, for sure. But don’t sleep on Bullywugs. Especially not the new Bullywug Warrior stat block. They’re the perfect amount of just slightly tougher than a normal human bandit to make them a fun encounter for a low level party.
With 11 hit points each, they’re likely to take two hits to bring down. And they can leap surprisingly far, with an effective speed of 50 feet (if they use their Leap as a Bonus Action), and deal piercing and poison damage with their insectile rapier. Plus they’re frog guys. What a great way to set the tone for the rest of your campaign.
Scouts
Of course, if you want to get a little tougher – some of the new NPC stat blocks have got you covered. The Scout is the perfect stand-in for a low-level but still stealthy hunter/assassin type. At CR 1/2 they start to pack more of a wallop, including a multiattack with sneak attack built in that could potentially take down much higher level opponents.
I really like them, because a good Scout can make an encounter feel deadly without being insurmountable. They have 16 hit points and only a 13 AC, but they have a + 6 stealth check, making them likely to be able to hit and run. Very fun times for a clever DM. And satisfying to catch up with as players.
Troll Limb
One of my favorite new monsters is the Troll Limb. This is a stat block that you can give to the severed limb of any troll – they are also only CR 1/2, but what fun these monsters are. They have a troll’s regeneration, and can be stopped with fire or acid.
But they’re slow, with only a 20 foot movement speed, and while they hit hard, they have to get to you. But it makes them a fun kind of threat for low level parties to play with, especially since they can be a sort of oncoming enemy that they can keep away from. Or, you know, have a room with a recently slain troll, and suddenly that chopped off arm starts to claw its way towards you. Very iconic narrative moments.
Priest Acolyte
Magic makes for excellent enemies in D&D. It also makes for stalwart allies. And in the case of the Priest Acolyte, a CR 1/4 NPC, you can find both. I love them as a little attache to parties who are under-strength. They’re a great way to add to a party with only two or three heroes in it, if you find your party getting overpowered at the earliest levels.
But they also make great foes and villains of that first low-level adventure. They can cast mmagic from a distance, heal their minions, and they will one hundred percent die the second a good melee character gets next to them. A great way to have “evil cultist with magic” or “priest of a dark god” made manifest in your battles without overwhelming the players when their characters are only level 1.
Happy adventuring!
