Hobgoblin Standard Bearer
Medium • Fey (Goblinoid) • Lawful Evil
Armor Class 15
Hit Points 26 (4d8 + 8)
Speed 30 ft.
Initiative +3 (13)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 (+2) | 13 (+1) | 14 (+2) | 10 (+0) | 12 (+1) | 10 (+0) |
Saving Throws Str +4
Skills Performance +4, Persuasion +2
Gear breastplate, quarterstaff
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
Languages Common, Goblin
CR 1 (XP 200; PB +2)
Battle Standard. While in a 30-foot emanation originating from the hobgoblin, the hobgoblin and its allies have the following effect: If damage reduces them to 0 hit points, they drop to 1 hit point instead, unless the damage is from a critical hit. A creature can only drop to 1 hit point this way once per day.
ACTIONS
Standard Strike. Melee Weapon Attack: +4, reach 10 ft. Hit: 13 (2d10 + 2) bludgeoning damage.
Wave the Banner. Allies in a 20-foot emanation originating from the hobgoblin that can see or hear it gain 4 (1d8) temporary hit points, which last for 1 minute.
Rallying Signal (1/Day). Allies in a 30-foot emanation originating from the hobgoblin that aren’t deafened can use their reaction to move up to their speed.
Hobgoblin Standard Bearer
Medium • Fey (Goblinoid) • Lawful Evil
Armor Class 14
Hit Points 9 (2d8)
Speed 30 ft.
Initiative +2 (12)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 (+1) | 11 (+0) | 11 (+0) | 10 (+0) | 10 (+0) | 10 (+0) |
Skills Performance +4, Persuasion +2
Gear breastplate, quarterstaff
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages Common, Goblin
CR 1/8 (XP 25, PB +2)
ACTIONS
Standard Strike. Melee Weapon Attack: +3, reach 10 ft. Hit: 3 (1d4 + 1) bludgeoning damage.
Wave the Banner. Allies in a 15-foot emanation originating from the hobgoblin that can see or hear it gain 2 (1d4) temporary hit points, which last for 1 minute.
Rallying Signal (1/Day). Allies in a 20-foot emanation originating from the hobgoblin that aren’t deafened can use their reaction to move up to their speed.
Hobgoblin Standard Bearer
Medium • Fey (Goblinoid) • Lawful Evil
Armor Class 16
Hit Points 75 (10d8 + 30)
Speed 30 ft.
Initiative +4 (14)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 (+3) | 14 (+2) | 16 (+3) | 10 (+0) | 14 (+2) | 12 (+1) |
Saving Throws Str +5, Dex + 4, Wis +4, Cha +3
Skills Performance +5, Persuasion +3
Gear breastplate, quarterstaff
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12
Languages Common, Goblin
CR 4 (XP 1,100, PB +2)
Battle Standard. While in a 30-foot emanation originating from the hobgoblin, the hobgoblin and its allies have the following effect: If damage reduces them to 0 hit points, they drop to 1 hit point instead, unless the damage is from a critical hit. A creature can only drop to 1 hit point this way once per day.
ACTIONS
Standard Strike. Melee Weapon Attack: +5, reach 10 ft. Hit: 29 (4d12 + 3) bludgeoning damage.
Rallying Signal. Allies in a 60-foot emanation originating from the hobgoblin that aren’t deafened can use their reaction to move up to their speed.
BONUS ACTIONS
Wave the Banner. Allies in a 30-foot emanation originating from the hobgoblin that can see or hear it gain 5 (1d10) temporary hit points, which last for 1 minute.
QUICK REFERENCE
USING MONSTER VARIANTS
Monster variants allow the GM to adjust encounters to better match the party’s strength, narrative needs, or world-building logic. A weaker variant may represent a juvenile, wounded, or lesser specimen, while a stronger variant can serve as a leader, champion, ancient creature, or apex predator.
Variants can be used to fine-tune difficulty without changing the core identity of the monster, making them ideal for scaling encounters, reinforcing hierarchy within a faction, or creating memorable boss-style enemies. You can even use the same stat block but different variants in the same encounter if you want.
Design Note. Each monster is primarily balanced around its normal version. Weaker and stronger variants are derived adjustments and may not always preserve every tactical nuance or “feel” of the original creature. GMs are encouraged to review variants carefully and adjust abilities or tactics as needed to best suit their table.