Legendary Monster Builder

Legendary monsters are balanced to last long enough for heroes to each get a chance to do something cool, and short enough to not drag on for too long (roughly 15 hero turns to get to the Last Stand, and then 2–4 additional turns after that). Legendary Monsters will typically have 2 actions to choose from: one that allows them to move (or has other utility) and deals a small amount of damage, and another that deals big damage if they’re already in position (though, as always, feel free to change it up!).

A good legendary monster will feel almost puzzle-like. It should have abilities that the heroes need to figure out how to best deal with, and encourage the heroes to think differently, move, and use teamwork to overcome. A good monsters is not merely their stats; however, the following stats should help when creating your own legendary monsters. Unlike normal encounters, the numbers here are all based off the Party Level, and stay the same regardless of the number of heroes in the party.

For an easier encounter, use the stats 1 or 2 levels lower; more challenging, 1 or 2 levels higher. Legendary monsters will typically have at least Medium armor; if unarmored make sure they have some other defensive ability.