D&D: Five Underrated NPCs Hiding In The Manual
The NPCs of the 5.5E Monster Manual come in all shapes and sizes (level range). Here are some that you shouldn’t miss out on in your games!
One of my favorite things about the 5.5E Monster Manual is the suite of NPC stat blocks you can play with. You get a good variety of combat utility out of the various stat blocks. Plus, they can fill in specific roles in your story.
Bandit Deceiver
The Bandit Deceiver is all about mixing magic and mischief. And by mischief, of course, I mean poison. Not as deadly as an assassin, nor as cunning as a master spy, bandit deceivers use magic to disguise their true intent. And a poisoned dagger to deal a surprising amount of damage to folks who think that someone with the spellcasting capabilities of an illusionist (major image, disguise self, hold person) couldn’t hold their own in a fight.
Pirate Captain
Pirate Captains might be my favorite of the new NPC stat blocks. They’re just a fun, versatile antagonist, great for either an enemy or a rival. And it’s because they come with abilities that just let them stunt on the party. For instance, after a rapier attack, their next attack has advantage (they make three attacks, so they can chain advantage). They can also Charm a creature (perfect for interrupting a fight to have some heated banter) and can Parry/Riposte an attack to make it miss, and if it does, they get to make another attack.
Archpriest
One of the more underrated villain types in D&D is evil Cleric. Everyone loves evil Paladin, but evil Cleric can do all kinds of things. And the Archpriest handles this role with aplomb. It packs in a ton of radiant damage as well as a rechargeable Holy Word to stun enemies. And then they layer in some offensive and healing magic to boot, making for an enemy that can heal themselves (or their minions) and hit hard themselves.
Questing Knight
And speaking of evil Paladin, that’s the Questing Knight. You could also use them as a stalwart ally, for a party needing to beef up their numbers. Either way, these foes attack with greatsword and longbow (with free 5d8 smite tacked on), so they hit like a freight train. Plus they can cast a few spells while anchoring their side of the fight!
Spy Master
Finally, the Spy Master. These are great for anyone wanting a sneaky type. They have high Stealth scores, and can use a Rogue’s Cunning Action to hide, disengage, or dash. And once per day they can vanish by throwing a smoke bomb, which deals poison damage, blinds people, and still gives them a chance to hide and get away.
Happy Adventuring!
