Roleplaying Monsters

When I first started running combat in the D&D 5e system, I found that I struggled with keeping it entertaining. Combat always felt too mechanical and rigid for me. I couldn't figure out why it felt off until I started listening to actual play podcasts with DMs that really brought their combat scenarios to life. D&D is, at its core, a roleplaying game, so it would be a shame if that aspect was lost during combat.

When designing a combat encounter, I always like to dive deeper than a creature's statblock. I take the following steps to help make the encounter more dynamic and entertaining for myself and the other players.

1. What is the creature's goal?

A rather simple question, but it's one that's important to answer. This is especially important if you prefer to randomly roll for encounters your party might be facing. Does the creature's goal interfere with the party's path? If the creature is poised to fight the party, why is that? Do they see the party as a threat? Are they looking to eat the party? Is the foe territorial? These questions can help drive how you play the monster in combat.

For example, a creature who's driving force is hunger might try to escape with an unconscious party member turning the combat into a pursuit. A creature that is guarding a location or protecting their hoard would likely fight to the death to accomplish that goal.

2. Who is the creature?

Establishing a backstory for a creature helps breathe life into it. You don't need to write pages and pages about a monster, but a sentence or two of history can help you shape a creature's personality. In fact, I tend to limit myself to two sentences about a creature's past so as to not go overboard.

A black dragon guarding a door to a wizard's tower becomes Ma'xatrix, a dragon who struck a deal with a wizard to guard their tower in exchange for wealth and magical items.

The vampire spawn attacking in the town square becomes Lana, a young woman who went missing weeks ago when she fell into the clutches of a vampire lord.

The rust monster has only seen the darkened halls of this labyrinth and knows nothing of sunlight or rain, but it certainly loves the taste of swords carried by those foolish adventurers!

When using the creature in combat, consider how this established history might influence its actions. If you cannot find a way to integrate its backstory into the encounter, that's okay! Having a developed story will never hurt the way an encounter falls.

3. Incorporate personality traits

Just as players have personality traits, having set personalities for the monsters you use can help develop them in combat. If you are struggling with ideas for personality traits for monsters, feel free to refer to the following list for inspiration!

1. Cunning: This monster is highly intelligent and crafty, often employing clever tactics and strategies to outwit its foes.

2. Aggressive: The monster is fiercely territorial and quick to attack anything it perceives as a threat, showing little hesitation or fear.

3. Skittish: Despite its fearsome appearance, this monster is easily startled and prone to fleeing from danger rather than confronting it directly.

4. Loyal: This monster is fiercely loyal to its pack, tribe, or master, willing to defend them at all costs and follow their commands without question.

5. Curious: Unlike its more instinct-driven kin, this monster possesses a keen sense of curiosity and may investigate unfamiliar objects or creatures with fascination.

6. Proud: The monster carries itself with an air of pride and superiority, refusing to back down from a challenge and taking offense at any perceived disrespect.

7. Deceptive: This monster is skilled at deception and manipulation, often using guile and trickery to get what it wants or to lure unsuspecting prey into its grasp.

8. Vengeful: The monster holds grudges and seeks retribution against those who wronged it or its kind, never forgetting a slight or injury.

9. Lonely: Despite its fearsome appearance, this monster is actually quite lonely and longs for companionship or acceptance, though it may struggle to express its feelings.

10. Inquisitive: This monster is endlessly curious about the world around it, constantly seeking new experiences, knowledge, or sensations to satisfy its insatiable curiosity.

4. Describe the actions

One of the hardest roleplaying tools for me to develop was describing the actions monsters and players take in combat. I got into the habit of rolling and simply saying "That hits" or "That misses." Adding flavor to a hit can help both you and the players stay engaged in combat.

For example, let's say a player hits the creature they are attacking. Rather than saying "You hit. Roll for damage", try describing the player's attack: "Your weapon flashes with speed before carving a deep wound across the dragon's flank. You hit, roll for damage."

If a monster fails a save against a spell, consider giving reason as to why it failed. For example, "The orc tries to jump out of the way, but the wounds he suffered slow him down. The orc fails its dexterity saving throw."

Don't let action descriptions slow down the pace of the combat! Sprinkling them throughout the encounter to help keep your players engaged is great, but using them too much can cause combat to feel drawn out, and I often end up running out of ways to describe what's going on without being repetitive.

If your players start describing their actions in this way, let them! As a player, it can be especially hard to feel impressive in combat when playing a martial class at higher levels. Allowing and encouraging players with martial classes to describe their style of combat can be incredibly rewarding.

5. Use dialogue

If the monster or NPC would reasonably communicate during combat, consider having them speak or shout taunts, threats, or commands. This can provide insight into their personality, tactics, and motivations, and adds flavor to the encounter. Perhaps they see an opportunity to goad a player character into making a reckless decision, or they might reveal that they know more about the party than expected.

If the creature lacks the ability and/or intelligence to communicate in this way, describe its physical reaction to the combat. If it feels the tide of battle turning against it, the monster might become more violent and reckless, or it might start fighting more defensively. Look at how animals fight in the wild. Many predators use hit and run tactics until they wear their prey out. When establishing dominance, animals often fight boldly, potentially leaving themselves open to harm.

Finally...

There is no wrong way to play the game! I am not here to be critical of anyone's preferred combat methods, I just know that I have struggled with it in the past. I hope the above is able to provide some inspiration to you DMs looking to develop your ability to creatively describe combat! If any of you have other methods and ways to apply roleplaying concepts to combat, please send us a message! If you have any fun stories about how you or someone you've played with have described combat in the past, we'd love to hear them! Send us an email or a message through our homepage!