Dunemancer
Small or Medium • Humanoid • Any Alignment
Armor Class 16
Hit Points 71 (11d8 + 22)
Speed 30 ft.
Initiative +3 (13)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 (+0) | 16 (+3) | 14 (+2) | 11 (+0) | 13 (+1) | 16 (+3) |
Skills Perception +3, Survival +3
Gear arcane focus
Senses tremorsense 30 ft., passive Perception 13
Languages Common, Primordial
CR 4 (XP 1,100; PB +2)
Sand Walker. The dunemancer ignores difficult terrain caused by sand and can move across loose sand without sinking into it.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. The dunemancer makes two Sand Burst attacks.
Sand Burst. Melee or Ranged Spell Attack: +5, reach 5 ft. or range 60 ft. Hit: 14 (2d10 + 3) bludgeoning damage. If the target is Large or smaller, it is subjected to the following effect. Strength Saving Throw: DC 13. Failure: The target is knocked prone.
Spellcasting. The dunemancer casts one of the following spells, using Charisma as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 13):
At will: mage armor (included in AC), mage hand, thaumaturgy
2/day: dust devil, tide wave (manifests as a wave of sand), wall of sand
1/day: move earth
REACTIONS
Quicksand. Trigger: A Large or smaller creature within 60 feet standing on sand or similar ground that the dunemancer can see is knocked prone. Response - Strength Saving Throw: DC 13. Failure: The target's speed is reduced to 0 until it takes an action to free itself.
Sand Barrier (2/Day). The dunemancer casts shield in response to the spell's trigger, using the same spellcasting ability as Spellcasting.
Dunemancer
Small or Medium • Humanoid • Any Alignment
Armor Class 15
Hit Points 33 (6d8 + 6)
Speed 30 ft.
Initiative +2 (12)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 (+0) | 14 (+2) | 12 (+1) | 10 (+0) | 11 (+0) | 14 (+2) |
Skills Perception +2, Survival +2
Gear arcane focus
Senses tremorsense 30 ft., passive Perception 12
Languages Common, Primordial
CR 1 (XP 200; PB +2)
Sand Walker. The dunemancer ignores difficult terrain caused by sand and can move across loose sand without sinking into it.
ACTIONS
Sand Burst. Melee or Ranged Spell Attack: +4, reach 5 ft. or range 60 ft. Hit: 11 (2d8 + 2) bludgeoning damage. If the target is Large or smaller, it is subjected to the following effect. Strength Saving Throw: DC 12. Failure: The target is knocked prone.
Spellcasting. The dunemancer casts one of the following spells, using Charisma as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 12):
At will: mage armor (included in AC), mage hand, thaumaturgy
1/day: dust devil, tide wave (manifests as a wave of sand), wall of sand
REACTIONS
Quicksand. Trigger: A Large or smaller creature within 60 feet standing on sand or similar ground that the dunemancer can see is knocked prone. Response - Strength Saving Throw: DC 12. Failure: The target's speed is reduced to 0 until it takes an action to free itself.
Sand Barrier (1/Day). The dunemancer casts shield in response to the spell's trigger, using the same spellcasting ability as Spellcasting.
Dunemancer
Small or Medium • Humanoid • Any Alignment
Armor Class 17
Hit Points 120 (16d8 + 48)
Speed 30 ft.
Initiative +4 (14)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 (+0) | 18 (+4) | 16 (+3) | 13 (+1) | 15 (+2) | 18 (+4) |
Skills Perception +5, Survival +5
Gear arcane focus
Senses tremorsense 60 ft., passive Perception 15
Languages Common, Primordial
CR 7 (XP 2,900; PB +3)
Sand Walker. The dunemancer ignores difficult terrain caused by sand and can move across loose sand without sinking into it.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. The dunemancer makes two Sand Burst attacks.
Sand Burst. Melee or Ranged Spell Attack: +7, reach 5 ft. or range 60 ft. Hit: 23 (3d12 + 4) bludgeoning damage. If the target is Large or smaller, it is subjected to the following effect. Strength Saving Throw: DC 15. Failure: The target is knocked prone.
Spellcasting. The dunemancer casts one of the following spells, using Charisma as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 15):
At will: mage armor (included in AC), mage hand, thaumaturgy
2/day: dust devil, tide wave (manifests as a wave of sand), wall of sand
1/day: move earth
REACTIONS
Quicksand. Trigger: A Large or smaller creature within 60 feet standing on sand or similar ground that the dunemancer can see is knocked prone. Response - Strength Saving Throw: DC 15. Failure: The target's speed is reduced to 0 until it takes an action to free itself.
Sand Barrier (3/Day). The dunemancer casts shield in response to the spell's trigger, using the same spellcasting ability as Spellcasting.
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.