Swarm of Acid Ants
Medium • Swarm of Tiny Beasts • Unaligned
Armor Class 12
Hit Points 33 (6d8 + 6)
Speed 20 ft., climb 20 ft.
Initiative +2 (12)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 (-4) | 14 (+2) | 12 (+1) | 1 (-5) | 7 (-2) | 1 (-5) |
Damage Resistances acid; bludgeoning, piercing, slashing
Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, prone, restrained, stunned
Senses blindsight 10 ft., passive Perception 8
Languages –
CR 1 (XP 200; PB +2)
Acid Death Splash. When a creature within 5 feet of the swarm hits it with a melee attack, that creature takes 2 (1d4) acid damage.
Spider Climb. The swarm can climb difficult surfaces, including along ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.
Swarm. The swarm can occupy another creature's space and vice versa, and the swarm can move through any opening large enough for a Tiny insect. The swarm can't regain hit points or gain temporary hit points.
ACTIONS
Irritating Bites. Melee Weapon Attack: +4, reach 0 ft., one target in the swarm's space. Hit: 17 (6d4 + 2) acid damage, or 9 (3d4 + 2) acid damage if the swarm is bloodied. Constitution Saving Throw: DC 11 (with advantage if the swarm is bloodied). Failure: The target has disadvantage on ability checks while it wears armor, and it can’t gain the benefits of a short rest. The effect lasts 3 days or until cured by a lesser restoration spell or similar magic.
Swarm of Acid Ants
Medium • Swarm of Tiny Beasts • Unaligned
Armor Class 11
Hit Points 9 (2d8)
Speed 20 ft., climb 20 ft.
Initiative +1 (11)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 (-4) | 12 (+1) | 10 (+0) | 1 (-5) | 7 (-2) | 1 (-5) |
Damage Resistances acid; bludgeoning, piercing, slashing
Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, prone, restrained, stunned
Senses blindsight 10 ft., passive Perception 8
Languages –
CR 1/8 (XP 25; PB +2)
Acid Death Splash. When a creature within 5 feet of the swarm hits it with a melee attack, that creature takes 1 acid damage.
Spider Climb. The swarm can climb difficult surfaces, including along ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.
Swarm. The swarm can occupy another creature's space and vice versa, and the swarm can move through any opening large enough for a Tiny insect. The swarm can't regain hit points or gain temporary hit points.
ACTIONS
Irritating Bites. Melee Weapon Attack: +3, reach 0 ft., one target in the swarm's space. Hit: 6 (2d4 + 1) acid damage, or 3 (1d4 + 1) acid damage if the swarm is bloodied. Constitution Saving Throw: DC 10 (with advantage if the swarm is bloodied). Failure: The target has disadvantage on ability checks while it wears armor, and it can’t gain the benefits of a short rest. The effect lasts 2 days or until cured by a lesser restoration spell or similar magic.
Swarm of Acid Ants
Medium • Swarm of Tiny Beasts • Unaligned
Armor Class 13
Hit Points 78 (12d8 + 24)
Speed 20 ft., climb 20 ft.
Initiative +3 (13)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 (-4) | 16 (+3) | 14 (+2) | 1 (-5) | 7 (-2) | 1 (-5) |
Damage Resistances acid; bludgeoning, piercing, slashing
Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, prone, restrained, stunned
Senses blindsight 10 ft., passive Perception 8
Languages –
CR 4 (XP 1,100; PB +2)
Acid Death Splash. When a creature within 5 feet of the swarm hits it with a melee attack, that creature takes 3 (1d6) acid damage.
Spider Climb. The swarm can climb difficult surfaces, including along ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.
Swarm. The swarm can occupy another creature's space and vice versa, and the swarm can move through any opening large enough for a Tiny insect. The swarm can't regain hit points or gain temporary hit points.
ACTIONS
Irritating Bites. Melee Weapon Attack: +5, reach 0 ft., one target in the swarm's space. Hit: 30 (6d8 + 3) acid damage, or 16 (3d8 + 3) acid damage if the swarm is bloodied. Constitution Saving Throw: DC 12 (with advantage if the swarm is bloodied). Failure: The target has disadvantage on ability checks while it wears armor, and it can’t gain the benefits of a short rest. The effect lasts 4 days or until cured by a lesser restoration spell or similar magic.
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.