Chapter 7 - DM Tools
With the introduction of AC-less Defence, DMs have more options in monster design than before. Here, you'll find tips on how to change and create Monsters to make them both interesting to fight and challenging.
Monsters
These rules bring many changes to how defence works that also affects all monsters.
General Adjustments
The following rules explain how monsters are affected by the changes in these rules.
AC and Hit DC: All monsters have their AC replaced by the Hit DC that befits their size.
Damage Reduction: All monsters also use Damage Reduction. To determine how high a monsters Damage Reduction is, consider their appearance and their Constitution modifier. Often, giving a monster a Damage Reduction equal to their Constitution modifier will be appropriate.
If their skin, fur, feathers, hide, scales or other outer features resemble an Armour, taking the Damage Reduction value of the Armour listed for player characters can also be appropriate. Some monsters will be even more resilient than that, but take the damage capabilities of your party into consideration before going for higher Damage Reduction values. Other tricks may also work, as described in a section below.
Attack Rolls: All monsters are trained with the weapons they wield and with their Unarmed Strikes. However, only monsters that rely on their precision or are somewhat experienced add their Proficiency Bonus to their attacks.
Damage Rolls: Monsters that are particularly aggressive or mighty may add their Proficiency Bonus to their damage rolls.
Surge Dice: Monsters also get and can utilize Surge Dice.
Reactions: Monsters have access to all of the new Reactions that they fulfil the prerequisites for. However, some monsters may not be very concerned about being hit and either wait for an Opportunity attack or use the conversion into a Surge Die to strengthen their attacks.
Bonus Actions: Monsters that don't have any use for a Bonus Action will not convert it into an additional Reaction.
Parries: If the statblock of a creature features a parry reaction, it is replaced by the Parry Reaction described in these rules. Assume that the creature uses either its strongest wielded melee weapon or all its wielded melee weapons to parry, if possible.