What die size to use?

GMG v1 p. 29

Default to d8 for custom monsters—it offers a balanced chance of hitting, missing, and critting. Any die size is fine as long as overall damage per round stays consistent. Here are some thematic guidelines:

  • d4: Undead (slow, with BIG bonus damage).
  • d6: Goblins (small, chaotic, likely to miss or crit).
  • d8: Humans (balanced and reliable attackers).
  • d10: Beasts (stronger than humans).
  • d12: Giants (superhumanly strong/accurate).
  • d20: The mightiest creatures (massive damage).

Related Rules

3
Monster BuilderMonsters / Building Monsters
Monster LevelsEncounters / Difficulty & Balance
Monsters5e Conversion / Creatures & Content