More Holiday Monsters

Deck the halls with Santa’s minions! On Tuesday I showed you my 5e version of Santa. Well now I’d like to introduce you to some of his staff. Why? Because I’m thinking I should put out a mini holiday-themed D&D adventure as a present to all. To do that, I’m going to need some unique creatures.

I know you’re saying, “But James, some of these critters are good aligned… why would my party fight them?” More on that to come in future blog posts, my friends.

I should also mention that this blog post is part of this month’s RPG Blog Carnival, which is being hosted right here on this very blog for all of December. The theme is “Homebrew Holiday Gifts.” I’m asking bloggers everywhere to share their RPG creations for their favorite systems with me. At the end of the month I’ll make a list linking all participating blog posts so everyone can checkout the fine homebrew creations in one place.

Winter Elves

Winter elves, more commonly known as Santa’s elves, are a smaller than their more common cousins and have a strong work ethic and crafty minds. Their festive dress, positive attitudes, and infectious smiles fill everyone around them with cheer.

Jolly Laborers. Winter elves live to make gifts that cheer up others. Their generous spirit keeps them singing joyous songs and laboring throughout the day knowing their work will reward the kind of heart. They are loyal to Santa above all.

Guardians in Outrageous Outfits. The dress of the Winter elves are patterned stockings, colorful tunics, pointed hats, and curly toed shoes. While their size and outfits may make them seem silly, make no mistake. These elves have fast hands and powerful magic that can lay enemies flat in moments.

Winter Elf

Small humanoid (elf), lawful good

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Armor Class 14

Hit Points  81 (18d6 + 18)

Speed 30 ft.

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STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
8 (-1)	19 (+4)	12 (+1)	14 (+2)	16 (+3)	18 (+4)

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Saving Throws  Dex +7, Wis +6

Damage Resistances cold

Condition Immunities exhaustion

Skills Perception +6, Performance +7

Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive perception 16

Languages Common, Elvish

Challenge 7 (2,900 XP)

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Ice Weapons. The elf’s weapon attacks deal an extra 1d8 cold damage (already factored into its attacks) and count as magical.

Fey Ancestry. Magic cannot put the elf to sleep.

Magic Resistance. The elf has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Master Artisan. The elf is proficient with all artisan’s tools. Its proficiency bonus is +3.

Nimble Movement. The elf can take the Dash or Disengage action as a bonus action on each of its turns.

Spellcasting. The elf’s spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 15, +7 to hit with spell attacks). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components.

At will: invisibility, mage hand, mending, misty step

3/day: charm person, hold person, sanctuary, sleet storm

1/day: cone of cold, polymorph

Actions

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Multiattack. The elf makes two attacks.

Light Hammer. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d4 + 4) bludgeoning damage and 4 (1d8) cold damage.

Hot Cocoa Flask. Every elf carries an enchanted flask of hot cocoa which stays piping hot. As an action the elf commands this flask to shoot a line of cocoa 60 feet long and 5 feet wide. Each creature in the line must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw. A creature takes 21 (8d6) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. The elf cannot use this ability from the same flask again until it completes a long rest.

Animated Toys

Santa has created guardian constructs out of his most requested gifts to defend his home. These toys appear to be the real thing but super-sized so they look like the toys of a giant rather than a humanoid.

Surprising Protectors. Santa’s animated toys serve as decoration most of the time. They are well-crafted, gorgeous pieces of art. It is only when they descend upon an intruder or join Santa in one of his battles outside the North Pole that their true strength is realized. Intruders and evil-doers often don’t learn this lesson until the toys are upon them, tearing limb from limb.

Giant Doll

Medium construct, unaligned

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Armor Class 14 (natural armor)

Hit Points  136 (16d8 + 64)

Speed 30 ft.

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STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
18 (+4)	10 (+0)	18 (+4)	7 (-2)	8 (-1)	3 (-4)

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Damage Immunities poison

Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned

Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive perception 9

Languages understands all languages, but can’t speak

Challenge 7 (2,900 XP)

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Critical Hit Immunity. Critical hits become normal hits against the doll.

Magic Weapons. The doll’s weapon attacks count as magical.

Actions

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Multiattack. The doll makes two attacks.

Slam.  Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d10 + 4) bludgeoning damage.

Wanting Wail. The doll screams. Each hostile creature within 30 who can hear the doll must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw. Creatures who fail take 18 (4d8) psychic damage and move their speed toward the doll, incurring opportunity attacks as normal. Creatures who fail take half damage.

Giant Teddy Bear

Large construct, unaligned

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Armor Class 17 (natural armor)

Hit Points  178 (17d10 + 85)

Speed 30 ft.

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STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
22 (+6)	10 (+0)	20 (+5)	7 (-2)	10 (+0)	3 (-4)

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Damage Immunities poison; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical weapons

Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned

Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive perception 10

Languages understands all languages, but can’t speak

Challenge 10 (5,900 XP)

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Critical Hit Immunity. Critical hits become normal hits against the bear.

Magic Weapons. The bear’s weapon attacks count as magical.

Actions

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Multiattack. The bear makes one bite and one slam attack.

Bite.  Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 25 (3d10 + 6) piercing damage.

Slam.  Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 19 (3d8 + 6) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a creature, it is grappled (escape DC 18). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the bear cannot slam another target.

Bear Hug. The bear attempts to crush a creature it is grappling against its body. The creature must make a DC 18 Strength saving throw. On a failed save the creature takes 33 (6d10) bludgeoning damage and the bear makes a bite attack against the target.

Giant Toy Soldier

Medium construct, unaligned

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Armor Class 18 (natural armor)

Hit Points 110 (13d8 + 52)

Speed 30 ft.

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STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
12 (+1)	20 (+5)	18 (+4)	7 (-2)	10 (+0)	3 (-4)

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Damage Immunities poison

Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned

Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive perception 10

Languages understands all languages, but can’t speak

Challenge 8 (3,900 XP)

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Magic Weapons. The toy soldier’s weapon attacks count as magical.

Overwind. At the start of each of the toy soldier’s turns roll a d20. On a 20, the soldier gets two actions this turn. On a 1, the soldier is incapacitated until the start of its next turn.

Quick Reload. The toy soldier ignores the reload property of any weapon with which it is proficient.

Actions

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Multiattack. The toy soldier makes three attacks.

Musket.  Ranged Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, range 40/120 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (1d12 + 5) piercing damage.

Rapier.  Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (1d8 + 5) piercing damage.

Hot Chocolate Elementals

The Elemental Plane of Sweets is home to more than the giant ice cream bunny. Amongst the tropical marshmallow isles, hot chocolate elementals swim through sugary seas. Santa has summoned and bound some of these beings to his service. They guard his workshop with a cocoa-soaked fury.

Hot Chocolate Elemental

Large elemental, neutral

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Armor Class 15

Hit Points 90 (12d10 + 24)

Speed  40 ft., swim 60 ft.

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STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
14 (+2)	20 (+5)	14 (+2)	6 (-2)	10 (+0)	8 (-1)

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Damage Resistances fire; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons

Damage Immunities poison

Condition Immunities exhaustion, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained, unconscious

Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive perception 10

Languages Cocoan

Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)

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Hot Cocoa Form. The elemental can squeeze through a space as narrow as 1 inch without squeezing. A creature that touches the elemental or hits it with a melee attack while within 5 feet of it takes 5 (1d10) fire damage. In addition, the elemental can enter a hostile creature’s space and stop there. The first time it enters a creature’s space on a turn, that creature takes 5 (1d10) fire damage.

Actions

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Multiattack. The elemental makes two attacks.

Touch.  Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5) fire damage.

Hurl Marshmallow.  Ranged Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (1d8 + 5) fire damage and if the target is Large or smaller, it is restrained as the marshmallow envelops its body. A creature restrained this way can use its action to make a DC 13 Strength check to free itself from the marshmallow and become unstrained. Dealing 10 damage to the marshmallow (AC 10) destroys it and frees the creature.

Mrs. Claus

No Team Santa would be complete without his Big Red Oneness’ lovely wife. Mrs. Claus is a celestial, just like her jolly husband. She too defends the good people and supports her husband’s labors. Theirs is a true partnership, with each member of the couple respecting and cherishing the other.

Mrs. Claus

Medium celestial, neutral good

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Armor Class 20 (natural armor)

Hit Points 180 (24d8 + 72)

Speed 30 ft., fly 60 ft.

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STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
14 (+2)	14 (+2)	16 (+3)	18 (+4)	20 (+5)	22 (+6)

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Saving Throws  Dex +8, Con +9, Wis +11

Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical weapons

Damage Immunities cold

Condition Immunities exhaustion, petrified

Skills Perception +11, Persuasion +12

Senses blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 120 ft., passive perception 21

Languages all

Challenge 17 (18,000 XP)

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Discorporation. When Mrs. Claus drops to 0 hit points or dies, her body is destroyed, but her essence travels back to Santa’s domain in the North Pole, and she is unable to take physical form for a time.

Magic Resistance. Mrs. Claus has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Spellcasting. Mrs. Claus’ spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 20, +12 to hit with spell attacks). She can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components.

At will: bless, invisibility, magic circle, magic missile, sanctuary

3/day: cone of cold, dispel magic, heal, hold monster, polymorph, sleet storm

1/day: teleport, true polymorph

Actions

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Multiattack. Mrs. Claus makes two attacks.

Radiant Touch.  Melee Spell Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 22 (3d10 + 6) radiant damage and the target must succeed on a DC 20 Constitution saving throw or become blinded until the end of Mrs. Claus’ next turn.

Chill Beam. Ranged Spell Attack: +12 to hit, range 120 ft., one target. Hit: 27 (6d8) cold damage and the creature must make a DC 20 Constitution saving throw. A creature who fails this saving throw can take only a move or an action on its next turn, but not both.

Reactions

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Stern Look. Mrs. Claus causes an attack that would hit her to miss.

PDF

Would you like these baddies in a PDF along with all the other fifth edition D&D creatures I’ve designed? Grab them below.

Winter Elf

Giant Doll

Giant Teddy Bear

Giant Toy Soldier

Hot Chocolate Elemental

Mrs Claus

Santa Claus

All Monsters

If you don’t want to grab them now, but decide you want the PDFs at a future date, head on over to the Free Game Resources section of this site where the documents will live along with magic items, backgrounds, D&D fifth edition rules modules, spells, adventures, and more created by yours truly.

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