Blog

Introduction: 

  The Monster Manual is loaded with a lot of gems that seem to go unnoticed. The Templates are but one of them. Templates are a great way to take what the players are familiar with and shaking them up. What this does is two-fold. First, it generates an encounter that the players are not ready for. That is it’s own reward, as it freshens up what would be a very ordinary, and possibly predictable, encounter. Secondly, it takes that omni-present “metagame” aspect and turns it on it’s head. Ask a DM what value they would place on making that one experienced meta-gaming rules lawyer at their table give the “WTF?” expression, and I’ll bet that they’d rate it pretty high.

  The following encounter is intended to do both. It applies the “Half-Dragon” template to something that we would normally not consider. As per the “Half-Dragon” template, we can apply it to a beast, humanoid or giant. That’s a lot of choice. This is but one example of such an application, and might open up a series of encounters where one rather amorous dragon has seeded a campaign with it’s brethren, creating a whole list of choice encounters. One would have to finally convince the dragon of the concept of “planned parenthood” to end this series of events – a discussion I’ll leave to your players.

  In this instance, we enter the swamps to deal with a squad of mounted Bullywug cavalry mounted on Giant Toads, lead by a Half-Black Dragon Bullywug. I present “Ribbet, Ribbet, WHOOSH”.

Environment: Wilderness/Swamp

Suggested level: 4-5 (although one could scale it by adding more “cavalry”)

  The characters, as they traverse a lonely swamp, will be surrounded by the sounds of all the wildlife in the area. Insects, birds, frogs and the like, all chiming in on the cacophony of sound. All of a sudden, the birds and insects will go silent. Only the frogs will remain. Then, after a minute, the frogs, too, will go silent. The tall grass around the characters will part suddenly as the silhouettes of large amphibians will leap over them, raining down javelins into the crowded travellers – only to disappear into the thrushes again.

  These will be Bullywugs mounted on Giant Toads. They will wait silently for their chance, and will then leap over the party into the swamp beyond, throwing javelins from the backs of their mounts. Only those that cannot be surprised can react (Alert Feat, 7th level Barbarians with Feral Instinct, etc.). The first wave will be two Bullywug/Giant toad cavalry. If they have Surprise (see above), they will launch a Javelin each at Advantage. Determine the target(s) randomly.

  If the players turn to face the direction where the Bullywugs went, or change their facing from the front at all, the second wave will have Advantage on their initiative roll. They will burst from the front through the reeds, and will launch a brutal offensive. Two more mounted Bullywugs will appear. One bullywug will appear much larger and will be armored in studded leather. He’s powerfully built, especially for a Bullywug, and will make his presence known this round – with a breath weapon. “Blacktongue” will spit a 15’ long, 5’ wide gout of Acid (Dex save, DC: 11, 5d8  Acid damage) into the party, and then charge among them. The Bullywug beside him will hurl a Javelin and then follow suit. Both of their mounts will attempt to Bite a foe. Each bite (as per Monster Manual p. 329) will risk a Grapple on a successful Bite (escape Dc13). If that target is Grappled, they risk being Swallowed (upon a successful Bite attack upon a Grappled target) the next turn. Once these two are engaged, the other two Bullywug cavalry will leap into battle and join in with spears and Giant Toad attacks.

  Should the party turn the tables on the Bullywugs, they will retreat if either their leader “Blacktongue” falls or if their numbers drop below half of the party. They will attempt to leap away on their Giant Toad mounts, or if the mounts are dead, on their own. The Giant Toads, if riderless, will certainly press the attack unless brought to below 50% of their hp. They are, after all, wild beasts without the influence of the Bullywugs. Feel free to have them return with reinforcements later, especially if Blacktongue is one of the escaped.