Expanded Monster Races
I am Thursile Onyxpike, Dwarven Ranger and veteran of many battles. I have seen much in my 300 years, learned much, which I have scribed here in these pages.
I myself am no slouch in combat. To learn all that I have meant I have survived hundreds of battles. And others among my kind have earned the same title, prowess, and knowledge that comes with it.
Dwarven Ranger Legend
Medium humanoid (dwarf), any alignment
- Armor Class 18 (half plate +1)
- Hit Points 152 (16d8 + 64)
- Speed 35ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 18 (+4) 15 (+2) 19 (+4) 13 (+1) 17 (+3) 10 (+0)
- Saving Throws Strength +8, Dexterity +6, Wisdom +7
- Skills Athletics +8, Medicine +7, Nature +5, Perception +7, Stealth +6, Survival +7
- Damage Resistances Poison
- Senses darkvision 120ft., passive Perception 17
- Languages Common, Dwarvish, Undercommon
- Challenge 10 (5,900 XP)
Action Surge (1/day). On the dwarf's turn, it can take one additional action.
Dwarven Resilience. The dwarf has advantage on saving throws against poison.
Ranger Legend. The dwarf can take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action as a bonus action, and has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or sight.
Magic Weapons. The dwarf's weapons have a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls, and deal two extra die of damage (included in the attack).
Legendary Resistance (1/day). When the dwarf fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Actions
Multiattack. The dwarf makes two attacks with its handaxe and one attack with its hammer, or three attacks with its light crossbow.
Handaxe. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit: 14 (3d6+4) slashing damage.
Hammer. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit: 14 (3d6+4) bludgeoning damage.
Light Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, range 80/320ft., one target. Hit: 16 (3d8+3) piercing damage.
Reactions
Parry. The dwarf adds 4 AC against one melee attack that would hit it. To do so, the dwarf must see the attacker and be wielding a melee weapon.
Goblinoids
Chapter 1
This chapter details the wretched goblinoids that infest the world. Bugbears. Hobgoblins. Goblins. All related races, often seen together, thankfully usually seen apart. One would be wise to know the ins and outs of such a vile race. What to expect goes a long way in figuring out how to deal with it.
The first thing one should know about goblinoids is their society. In all cases, they are cruel. While bugbears are little more than roving families of barbarians goblins make an attempt to create a society. Hobgoblins even manage to create a mostly working one. In all three cases there is an underlying degree of hostility and cruelty, however. The differences then mostly comes down to honor, of which the hobgoblins have in excess and their cousins seem to completely lack.
Goblins will lay traps, ambushes, flee when things turn against them, throw their friends and family to the ground to feed them to the approaching wolves, anything to grant them an advantage. They are merciless and cutthroat, and cannot be trusted. By themselves they are nearly worthless, but they breed quickly and quietly, and will readily fall in line behind a powerful orc or hobgoblin host.
Their society functions in every bit the brutal fashion they display, and order among them is only kept by fear and shiny trinkets.
Bugbears have almost no semblance of society, instead living in families and only gathering at the banners of a warband in any significant numbers, and never the banner of a warband led by other bugbears, simply because bugbears seem to lack any of the qualities necessary for them to lead more than a handful of creatures at a time. Despite that they are ferocious enemies, teeming with muscle and hatred. And although they may be savage and simple minded, they are quiet ambushers. Many a friend and companion was laid low by a bugbear before they even knew we were under attack.
And, hobgoblins. By far the more competent of their race, having the barest hint of civility behind them. One should always remain alert against them especially because of this. Hobgoblins live by the sword, and die by the sword. Their entire society and history revolves around trial by combat, conquest, and war. To them honor is everything. If they consider you a threat, or to be an equal on the field of battle, they will pay you platitudes and even trade. But the day they feel you are their inferior, or the day you slight their honor in whatever insult you give, real or imagined, so will beat the drums of war.
To a hobgoblin equal and superior and inferior are all fluid and ever-changing quantities. The strong will rule, and the weak will die. And eventually, one day the equal will become their inferior. Would that they could keep from dealing with each other in such two-faced fashion, perhaps they would have already conquered and enslaved the world.