Once you have the base stats for the encounter, you can optionally add a cool flavorful ability to make these monsters feel and play differently. Abilities can be passive or trigger "On Movement," "On Attack," "On Miss," "On Hit," "On Damage," "On Crit," "On Death," and more.
- Acid Blood. Melee attackers take half the HP lost in return as acid damage.
- Aggressive. +X speed if moving toward enemies.
- Blinding Spit. Spits a blinding substance at a target within range. The target must make a save or be blinded for 1 round.
- Bloodthirsty. Has advantage on attacks against Bloodied targets.
- Brute. Attacks also knockback a number of spaces equal to the primary die rolled.
- Brawler. Extra damage, can only attack in melee.
- Burning Aura. Creatures that start their turn adjacent to this monster take 1d6 fire damage.
- Climbing. Can traverse walls or ceilings normally.
- Controlling. Creates/immune to difficult terrain.
- Disgusting/Venomous/Heavy Blows. Attacks also Daze the target.
- Disintegrating Armor. Starts with Heavy Armor, on crit degrades to Medium, then to none.
- Doom. Attacks also Wound the target.
- Explosive Death. Explode on death, dealing 2d6 damage to creatures within reach.
- FAST. Reaction: 1/round. Force a reroll with disadvantage on an attack.
- Fearsome. Frighten enemies within Range on a failed WIL save. 1/encounter.
- Flying. Flying speed and immune to Opportunity Attacks. May FALL when crit (1d6 damage/10 ft. fallen, and lands Prone).
- Formation. Armor increases 1 step for each adjacent ally (None, Med, Heavy).
- Frenzied. Deals extra damage or has faster speed while damaged.
- Grappler. On hit: Grapples.
- Gravity Manipulator. Can pull or push enemies within reach.
- Hates the Light. Attacks the hero holding light.
- Hypnotic Gaze. Forces enemies to make a WIL save or be confused for 1 round.
- Invulnerable. Immune to damage until crit.
- Mounted. Faster movement and deals extra damage after moving toward an enemy.
- Obstinate. When attacking a target with disadvantage, treat the roll as if it had advantage instead.
- Pack Tactics. Advantage on attacks when an ally is adjacent to the target.
- Parry. Attacks against them miss on a 1 and 2.
- Ranged. Extra damage; can only attack at range.
- Retaliate. Attacks the first creature who attacks them in melee each round.
- Savage. Always crits Grappled creatures.
- Shifty. Can move after being attacked.
- Silencer. Attacks silence enemies (making them unable to cast spells or perform other actions that requires the voice).
- Sneak. Invisible until they attack.
- Spiked. When hit by a melee attack, the attacker takes 1d4 piercing damage in return.
- Standard Bearer. Buffs nearby allies, reducing the damage they take or increasing the damage they do (see Kobold Clanger or Doomsayer Cultist).
- Sturdy/Undying. The first time the monster would die, they have 1 HP instead.
- Summoner. Calls minions to their aid each round.
- Tricky. Can swap places with allies or enemies.
- Vicious. Crits are Vicious (roll 1 additional die).
- Warping Touch. On hit: teleport target X spaces.
- Webslinger. Can immobilize a target with webs when hit or crit.