
Dogged enemies could even chase down your party for nights on end, denying them the benefits of a long rest.

Arrows or blades dipped in special poisons could also be a sneaky delivery mechanism for exhaustion. Additionally, only one level of exhaustion is removed by a long rest, so if a character suffers two or more levels of this effect, they will need days of rest or some greater restoration spells to recover.ĭisadvantage on attack rolls and saving throwsĪ splash of sickening radiance can dole out levels of exhaustion to anyone caught within its 30-foot radius sphere. When a character reaches six levels of exhaustion, they die immediately. There are six levels of exhaustion, and every time a player takes one, a new adverse effect stacks on top of the last. This is a tactic that cunning adversaries can employ to demoralize and disorient your players without ever doing papercut's worth of damage. Exhaustion is a condition that, if used properly, can severely hamstring the characters and eventually cause death.

But damage is not the only way a character can die. This is the dramatic underpinning behind every combat. In Dungeons & Dragons, if your character takes enough damage, they could die, and you don't want your beloved character to die. If you're feeling merciful, entangle or plant growth achieve the same effect but are slightly more forgiving in terms of damage output. If your players want to get out of the kill box, they'll have to find a creative solution or endure 2d4 piercing damage for every 5 feet they run. Open the enemy's turn by having the spellcaster center spike growth on your party, and then have the rest of your baddies launch a volley of arrows at them from afar. Perhaps the party has been ambushed by bandits, one of whom is a mage capable of casting spike growth. Use difficult terrain and ranged attacks to make pincushions out of the characters.

If your players are struggling with their encounter, consider letting them retreat and devise a more tactical strategy to approach their foes next time! Some of these tactics may drastically increase the difficulty of these encounters, even if the challenge rating matches the party's level. While many of the dangerous creatures in the Monster Manualor other sourcebooks come loaded with incredibly nasty abilities that can terrify your players when appropriately used, here are a few fun monster tactics you can lean into that'll make combat more engaging. But whether or not that electrical charge remains after rounds two, three, or five can rest on whether the DM is able to consistently raise the stakes for their players and the NPCs squaring off against them. The first round of combat almost always elicits an air of excitement from players and Dungeon Masters alike. Monstrous Compendium Vol 3: Minecraft Creatures
