High Lord
Small or Medium • Humanoid • Any Alignment
Armor Class 16
Hit Points 247 (33d8 + 99)
Speed 30 ft.
Initiative +9 (19)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 (+2) | 19 (+4) | 17 (+3) | 15 (+2) | 17 (+3) | 19 (+4) |
Saving Throws Dex +7, Int +5, Wis +6, Cha +7
Skills Acrobatics +9, Deception +9, Insight +8, Perception +8, Persuasion +9
Gear dagger, rapier, studded leather
Senses passive Perception 18
Languages Common plus two other languages
CR 14 (XP 11,500 or 13,000 in lair; PB +5)
Legendary Resistance (2/Day, 3/Day in Lair). If the high lord fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead. When it does so, all effects of its Explotive Orders stop functioning until the start of the high lord's next turn.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. The high lord makes two melee attacks.
Rapier. Melee Weapon Attack: +9, reach 5 ft. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) piercing damage. This attack scores a critical hit on a 18 to 20 on a d20.
BONUS ACTIONS
Exploitative Orders. The high lord commands up to four allied creatures in a 60-foot emanation originating from the high lord that can hear it. A target uses its reaction to move up to its speed. When it ends its movement within 5 feet of a hostile creature, the hostile creature has advantage on attack rolls against the commanded target but suffers one of the following effects (a hostile target can only be affected by one commanded creature at a time) until the end of its next turn:
- The high lord has advantage on attack rolls against the target.
- The target has disadvantage on attack rolls.
- The target can’t use reactions.
- The target’s speed is halved.
REACTIONS
Exploit Opening. Trigger: An allied creature is hit by a melee attack while the high lord is within feet of the attacker. Response: The high lord makes one Rapier attack against the attacker.
LEGENDARY ACTIONS
Legendary Action Uses: 3 (4 in Lair). Immediately after another creature's turn, the high lord can expend a use to take one of the following actions. The high lord regains all expended uses at the start of each of its turns.
Stab. The high lord makes one Rapier attack.
Sidestep. The high lord moves up to half its speed without provoking opportunity attacks.
Taunt. Wisdom Saving Throw: DC 17, one creature within 60 feet of the high lord that can hear or see it. Failure: The target must use its reaction to move up to its speed toward the high lord. Additionally, all attacks against the target have advantage until the end of its next turn. Success: The target becomes immune to this effect for 1 hour. Failure or Success: The high lord can't take this action again until the start of its next turn.
Flurry of Strikes. Dexterity Saving Throw: DC 17, one creature within 5 feet of the high lord that it can see. Failure: 25 (6d6 + 4) piercing damage. Additionally, the high lord can push the target up to 15 feet back while following it and staying within reach, and then knock it prone at the end of that movement. Success: Half damage. Failure or Success: The high lord can't take this action again until the start of its next turn.
High Lord
Small or Medium • Humanoid • Any Alignment
Armor Class 16
Hit Points 214 (33d8 + 66)
Speed 30 ft.
Initiative +7 (17)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 (+1) | 17 (+3) | 15 (+2) | 13 (+1) | 15 (+2) | 17 (+3) |
Saving Throws Dex +9, Int +7, Wis +8, Cha +9
Skills Acrobatics +7, Deception +7, Insight +6, Perception +6, Persuasion +7
Gear dagger, rapier, studded leather
Senses passive Perception 16
Languages Common plus two other languages
CR 11 (XP 7,200 or 8,400 in lair; PB +4)
Tactical Resistance (1/Day, 2/Day in Lair). If the high lord fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead. When it does so, all effects of its Explotive Orders stop functioning until the start of the high lord's next turn.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. The high lord makes two melee attacks.
Rapier. Melee Weapon Attack: +7, reach 5 ft. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) piercing damage. This attack scores a critical hit on a 18 to 20 on a d20.
BONUS ACTIONS
Exploitative Orders. The high lord commands up to four allied creatures in a 60-foot emanation originating from the high lord that can hear it. A target uses its reaction to move up to its speed. When it ends its movement within 5 feet of a hostile creature, the hostile creature has advantage on attack rolls against the commanded target but suffers one of the following effects (a hostile target can only be affected by one commanded creature at a time) until the end of its next turn:
- The high lord has advantage on attack rolls against the target.
- The target has disadvantage on attack rolls.
- The target can’t use reactions.
- The target’s speed is halved.
REACTIONS
Exploit Opening. Trigger: An allied creature is hit by a melee attack while the high lord is within feet of the attacker. Response: The high lord makes one Rapier attack against the attacker.
LEGENDARY ACTIONS
Legendary Action Uses: 3 (4 in Lair). Immediately after another creature's turn, the high lord can expend a use to take one of the following actions. The high lord regains all expended uses at the start of each of its turns.
Stab. The high lord makes one Rapier attack.
Sidestep. The high lord moves up to half its speed without provoking opportunity attacks.
Taunt. Wisdom Saving Throw: DC 15, one creature within 60 feet of the high lord that can hear or see it. Failure: The target must use its reaction to move up to its speed toward the high lord. Additionally, all attacks against the target have advantage until the end of its next turn. Success: The target becomes immune to this effect for 1 hour. Failure or Success: The high lord can't take this action again until the start of its next turn.
Flurry of Strikes. Dexterity Saving Throw: DC 15, one creature within 5 feet of the high lord that it can see. Failure: 17 (4d6 + 3) piercing damage. Additionally, the high lord can push the target up to 15 feet back while following it and staying within reach, and then knock it prone at the end of that movement. Success: Half damage. Failure or Success: The high lord can't take this action again until the start of its next turn.
High Lord
Small or Medium • Humanoid • Any Alignment
Armor Class 17
Hit Points 272 (32d8 + 128)
Speed 30 ft.
Initiative +11 (21)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 (+3) | 21 (+5) | 17 (+3) | 17 (+3) | 19 (+4) | 21 (+5) |
Saving Throws Dex +9, Int +7, Wis +8, Cha +9
Skills Acrobatics +11, Deception +11, Insight +10, Perception +10, Persuasion +11
Gear dagger, rapier, studded leather
Senses passive Perception 20
Languages Common plus two other languages
CR 17 (XP 18,000 or 20,000 in lair; PB +6)
Legendary Resistance (3/Day, 4/Day in Lair). If the high lord fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead. When it does so, all effects of its Explotive Orders stop functioning until the start of the high lord's next turn.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. The high lord makes two melee attacks.
Rapier. Melee Weapon Attack: +11, reach 5 ft. Hit: 15 (3d6 + 5) piercing damage. This attack scores a critical hit on a 18 to 20 on a d20.
BONUS ACTIONS
Exploitative Orders. The high lord commands up to four allied creatures in a 60-foot emanation originating from the high lord that can hear it. A target uses its reaction to move up to its speed. When it ends its movement within 5 feet of a hostile creature, the hostile creature has advantage on attack rolls against the commanded target but suffers one of the following effects (a hostile target can only be affected by one commanded creature at a time) until the end of its next turn:
- The high lord has advantage on attack rolls against the target.
- The target has disadvantage on attack rolls.
- The target can’t use reactions.
- The target’s speed is halved.
REACTIONS
Exploit Opening. Trigger: An allied creature is hit by a melee attack while the high lord is within feet of the attacker. Response: The high lord makes one Rapier attack against the attacker.
LEGENDARY ACTIONS
Legendary Action Uses: 3 (4 in Lair). Immediately after another creature's turn, the high lord can expend a use to take one of the following actions. The high lord regains all expended uses at the start of each of its turns.
Stab. The high lord makes one Rapier attack.
Sidestep. The high lord moves up to half its speed without provoking opportunity attacks.
Taunt. Wisdom Saving Throw: DC 19, one creature within 60 feet of the high lord that can hear or see it. Failure: The target must use its reaction to move up to its speed toward the high lord. Additionally, all attacks against the target have advantage until the end of its next turn. Success: The target becomes immune to this effect for 1 hour. Failure or Success: The high lord can't take this action again until the start of its next turn.
Flurry of Strikes. Dexterity Saving Throw: DC 19, one creature within 5 feet of the high lord that it can see. Failure: 32 (6d8 + 5) piercing damage. Additionally, the high lord can push the target up to 15 feet back while following it and staying within reach, and then knock it prone at the end of that movement. Success: Half damage. Failure or Success: The high lord can't take this action again until the start of its next turn.
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.