Modrons have always been silly, but at least lower-ranking ones had lower challenge ratings. Planescape throws even that shred of logic out the window. The post Modron Hierarch Tactics appeared first on The Monsters Know What They’re Doing ..read more

A standoffish species with metallic bodies, rilmani are the embodiment of neutrality, making sure the cosmos never gets too cruel, too kind, too disorderly or too orderly. They show up when the forces of one alignment or another seem to be getting too much of an upper hand. Originally, in second edition Planescape, there were six varieties, but in fifth edition Planescape, they’ve been pared back to three. The post Rilmani Tactics appeared first on The Monsters Know What They’re Doing ..read more

Unless their Planar Influence grants them interesting traits, Bariaur wanderers are merely elementary hit point–reducing engines. The post Bariaur Wanderer Tactics appeared first on The Monsters Know What They’re Doing ..read more

Guardinals are associated with the plane of Elysium the same way archons are associated with Mount Celestia. They’re also more people with animal heads, which Dungeons & Dragons players these days can’t seem to get enough of. (I’m not one of these players. I’ve gotten enough of them to last me three lifetimes. But I’m […] The post Guardinal Tactics appeared first on The Monsters Know What They’re Doing ..read more

Archons are angels-but-not-angels, lawful good celestial guardians divorced from Christian iconography (and clear precursors to the “ardlings” that appeared briefly as a playable species in the OneD&D Unearthed Arcana). Morte’s Planar Bestiary presents three: the lantern archon, the hound archon and the warden archon. “When pushed into combat, they prefer to subdue foes,” the flavor […] The post Archon Tactics appeared first on The Monsters Know What They’re Doing ..read more

Today we all get a bit of a breather, as I look at a couple of silly non-threats that player characters won’t find themselves fighting unless things have gone seriously off the rails. But first, an addendum to my earlier post on planar incarnates, in which I wrote, “Take this chassis and bolt something interesting […] The post Sunfly and Dabus Tactics appeared first on The Monsters Know What They’re Doing ..read more

Vindicated! According to Morte’s Planar Parade, baernaloths are ancient ancestral yugoloths that demonstrate, in its purest form, their order’s proclivity for stirring up strife and taking advantage of the ensuing conflict. And where does one find baernaloths, per the flavor text? Hades! Quod erat demonstrandum. Baernaloths are legendary creatures with extraordinary Strength, Intelligence and Charisma […] The post Yugoloth Tactics: Baernaloths appeared first on The Monsters Know What They’re Doing ..read more

To our fiendish menagerie of devils from the Hells, demons from the Abyss and yugoloths from Gehenna Hades, I say, Hades!, Morte’s Planar Parade adds the inmates that run the prison plane of Carceri, demodands. These fiends aren’t original to Morte’s; they date back to the AD&D Monster Manual II, with a detour through the […] The post Demodand Tactics appeared first on The Monsters Know What They’re Doing ..read more

Back in June (yikes), reader Natalye Leake asked whether I’d taken a look at planar incarnates yet, and I promised I’d address them once I was finished with the book I was working on, which would be sometime that month. Ha ha! Ha ha ha ha! Ha. Well, I have finished it now, finally, and […] The post Planar Incarnate Tactics appeared first on The Monsters Know What They’re Doing ..read more

Those of you who are still reading this blog, I thank you for sticking around. I’ve been AWOL for too long again, and you’re overdue for an update. When I wrote How to Defend Your Lair, this blog went on hiatus for 13 months, something I never intended and vowed not to repeat. Oops, I […] The post Yes, I’m Here appeared first on The Monsters Know What They’re Doing ..read more