Trolls
The capacity of trolls to recover from grievous wounds is as horrifying as it is legendary, yet few truly understand the insane scope of this power; a disintegrated troll can recover from a single remaining finger, and a troll with five severed fingers will shortly become six trolls. The only reason the world has not been drowned in trollflesh is their solitary and antisocial nature.
Encounter Groups
CR 15 Encounter 4,650 XP
CR 22 Encounter 16,350 XP
- 1 Grandmother Bheur Hag (CR 12)
- 2 Ice Trolls (CR 8)
- 8 Ice Mephits (CR 1/2)
Troll Lore
Arcana DC 15: As a general rule, troll hearts constitute powerful magical items, imbued with a mote of the troll's essence. Though the individual effects may vary based on the troll's specific mutations, fresh troll hearts of all kinds can be reliably used to derive enchantments or tinctures of regenerative magic.
History DC 10: The fearsome ability of trolls to rapidly recover from apparently mortal wounds can be briefly disrupted with the prompt application of fire and acid, though weaker sources are often insufficient to overcome the regeneration.
Nature DC 15: Trolls reproduce by budding, where a severed piece of a troll rapidly regenerates, growing into a new full-grown troll over the course of a few meals. Troll numbers are kept in check, however, by their dislike of company, as new budlings will often find themselves forcibly reattached to or eaten by their parent.
Nature DC 20: While trolls are all technically clones of one another, it is exceedingly rare for any two trolls to look alike, as their rapid growth in harsh conditions produces constant and wild mutations.
Loathsome Troll
Troll Budling
Small giant, chaotic evil
- Armor Class 15 (Natural Armor)
- Hit Points 11 (2d6 + 4)
- Speed 15 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 15 (+2) 7 (-2) 15 (+2) 4 (-4) 7 (-2) 7 (-2)
- Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 8
- Challenge M2 (90 XP)
Oversized Limb. The budling can grapple as if it were one size larger, and acts on initiative count 0 instead of rolling.
Minion. If the budling takes damage from an attack or as the result of a failed saving throw, its hit points are reduced to 0. If the budling takes damage from another effect, it dies if the damage equals or exceeds its hit point maximum, otherwise it takes no damage.
Actions
Lopsided Flail (Group Attack). Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 2 bludgeoning damage.
Clone Merger. The budling climbs onto a troll within 5 feet, becoming Attached (remove DC 12) to it.
If the budling begins its turn Attached to an injured troll, the budling is absorbed into it; the buddling dies, and the troll regains 10 hit points.
Troll Budling Tactics
Budlings are born ravenously hungry and with a deep terror of full-grown trolls, immediately trying to attack the nearest living non-troll creature, ideally while keeping it between themselves and their parent. While they will continuously flee an approaching troll, they freeze with terror when within the melee range of one.
Bridge Troll Tactics
Bridge trolls swing up from the underside of bridges with their prodigious strength, often into the midst of a group with the intent of splitting it. They use their Reckless Thrash whenever available if they can hit at least three enemies with it, otherwise using their claw bash to push enemies into hazards. If they spawn a budling, they chase it down, making an attack of opportunity with their Bite against it if it tries to flee, and otherwise cramming it into one of their wounds to act as an extra limb.
Bridge Troll
Large giant, chaotic evil
- Armor Class 15 (Natural Armor)
- Hit Points 84 (8d10 + 40)
- Speed 30 ft., climb 20 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 18 (+4) 13 (+1) 20 (+5) 7 (-2) 9 (-1) 7 (-2)
- Skills Athletics +7, Perception +5
- Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 12
- Languages Giant
- Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
Troll Healing. At the beginning of each of the troll's turns, it regains 10 hit points if it hasn't taken any acid or fire damage since the end of its last turn. The troll dies only if it ends its turn with 0 hit points.
Budding. When the troll suffers a critical hit that deals piercing or slashing damage, it loses a limb and spawns a Troll Buddling in the nearest unoccupied space, making one fewer attack with its multiattack until it regrows the limb.
Whenever the troll regains hit points, it can make a DC 20 Constitution saving throw, regrowing one lost limb on a success.
Actions
Multiattack. The troll makes three attacks, one of which can be with its Snaggletoothed Snap.
Snaggletoothed Snap. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) piercing damage.
Claw Bash. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) slashing damage.
A creature hit twice with this attack in a turn must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be pushed 10 feet away and knocked prone.
Reckless Thrash (Recharge 5-6). The troll forces each creature within 10 feet of it to succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or take 14 (4d6) bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone.
Until the beginning of its next turn, attacks that target the troll have advantage.
Venom Troll
Large giant, chaotic evil
- Armor Class 15 (Natural Armor)
- Hit Points 147 (14d10 + 70)
- Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 18 (+4) 13 (+1) 20 (+5) 7 (-2) 9 (-1) 7 (-2)
- Skills Perception +5
- Damage Immunities Poison
- Condition Immunities Poison
- Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 12
- Languages Giant
- Challenge 7 (2,900 XP)
Troll Healing. At the beginning of each of the troll's turns, it regains 10 hit points if it hasn't taken any acid or fire damage since the end of its last turn. The troll dies only if it ends its turn with 0 hit points.
Budding. When the troll suffers a critical hit that deals piercing or slashing damage, it loses a limb and spawns a Troll Buddling in the nearest unoccupied space, making one fewer attack with its multiattack until it regrows the limb.
Whenever the troll regains hit points, it can make a DC 20 Constitution saving throw, regrowing one lost limb on a success.
Poison Splash. The first time each turn that the troll takes any piercing or slashing damage, each creature within 5 feet it takes 9 (2d8) poison damage.
If the troll takes any fire damage, this trait is disabled until the beginning of its next turn.
Poison Reliance. If it would be subjected to an effect that would neutralize poison, the venom troll instead must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or die, taking 36 (8d8) necrotic damage on a success.
Actions
Multiattack. The troll makes three attacks, one of which can be with its Slavering Bite.
Slavering Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage plus 4 (1d8) poison damage.
Claw Bash. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) slashing damage.
A creature hit twice with this attack in a turn must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be pushed 10 feet away and knocked prone.
Reckless Thrash (Recharge 5-6). The troll forces each creature within 10 feet of it to succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or take 17 (5d6) bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone.
Until the beginning of its next turn, attacks that target the troll have advantage.
Reactions
Venom Spray (1/Day). When the troll is reduced below 74 hit points, it can slice itself with a claw, taking 7 (2d6) slashing damage and releasing a spray of poison in a 20 foot cone.
Each creature in the area must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or take 27 (6d8) poison damage and be Poisoned until the end of its next turn, or take half as much damage on a success.
Venom Troll Lore
Nature DC 15: Despite their name, venom trolls have no venom to speak of. Rather, they are named for the incredible toxicity of their blood and saliva. While it is unclear what primary role this adaptation serves for the trolls, some have been known to weaponize it by intentionally spitting or bleeding on their prey.
Nature DC 20: Venom trolls exist in a precarious balance, their toxic blood just barely holding back the tide of expanding flesh. If the poisons in their blood are
neutralized, the troll rapidly "heals" new flesh into its
veins and arteries, often fatally wounding it.
Venom Troll Tactics
Venom trolls behave much as bridge trolls do in combat, but use the movement control on their claw bash to herd enemies together so they can camp within 5 feet of as many of them as possible and make good use of their Poison Splash. A venom troll that survives being subjected to something like a Lesser Restoration or Lay on Hands typically flees, or else tries to kill the creature that cast it as quickly as possible.
Trolls
Ice Troll
Large giant, chaotic evil
- Armor Class 16 (Natural Armor)
- Hit Points 161 (14d10 + 84)
- Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 18 (+4) 8 (-1) 22 (+6) 9 (-1) 9 (-1) 7 (-2)
- Skills Perception +2
- Damage Immunities Cold
- Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 12
- Languages Giant, Jotunise
- Challenge 8 (3,900 XP)
Freezing Flesh. A creature not resistant or immune to cold damage that starts its turn within 10 feet of the ice troll has its movement speed reduced by 10 until the beginning of its next turn.
If the ice troll starts its turn at least partially submerged in water, it must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be restrained (escape DC 15) as a mass of clinging ice forms around it.
Brittle Joints. When the troll suffers a critical hit that deals bludgeoning damage, one of its limbs breaks off, giving it disadvantage on attack rolls and Dexterity saving throws.
Actions
Multiattack. The troll makes two frostbite claw attacks, one of which it may replace with its bite or Cryoheal, if available.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) piercing damage plus 9 (2d8) cold damage.
Frostbite Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) slashing damage plus 4 (1d8) cold damage and the target has disadvantage on the next attack roll it makes before the troll's next turn.
Cryoheal (Recharge 5-6, Requires Water). The troll packs its wounds with nearby snow, ice, or water, freezing it into a semblance of trollflesh.
The troll regains 30 hit points, can reattach one of its lost limbs, and gains vulnerability to fire damage until the beginning of its next turn.
Reactions
Rimestrike Retaliation. When a creature misses the troll with a melee attack, the troll can make a Frostbite Claw attack against it. On a hit, the target is additionally knocked prone.
Ice Troll Lore
Arcana DC 20: If an ice troll's heart is carved out and buried in unfrozen ground within 24 hours of the troll's death, a terrible and deadly blizzard will bear down on that location, regardless of the season.
Nature DC 10: Ice trolls naturally foul the weather around them, particularly when encountered in large numbers and at high elevations, their lairs plagued by biting and unpredictable gusts of wind.
Nature DC 15: Injured ice trolls pack their wounds with water or snow, sealing them shut as their natural cold freezes it into a semblance of their natural trollflesh. This freezing aura can become a hazard to the troll when they are submerged in water, as if they are unable to escape quickly they can become entombed in the ice that forms around them.
Survival DC 15: The heart of an ice troll contains the concentrated essence of the cold that sustains it in life; though extracting it can be an arduous task, many attempt to do so for its purported arcane utility.
Ice Troll Tactics
Ice trolls hide in snowbanks or frozen in glacial deposits, bursting out when they detect the heat of potential prey nearby. They use their cryoheal whenever available if below max hit points, but once reduced to half hit points often retreat to heal, returning to the fight immediately once their wounds are sealed.
Ice Troll
Spirit Troll
Large giant, chaotic evil
- Armor Class 17 (Natural Armor)
- Hit Points 132 (22d10 + 22)
- Speed 30 ft., fly 10 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 1 (-5) 17 (+3) 13 (+1) 8 (-1) 9 (-1) 16 (+3)
- Skills Perception +7, Stealth +7
- Damage Resistances Acid, Cold, Fire, Lightning, Thunder
- Damage Immunities Bludgeoning, Piercing and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks
- Condition Immunities Exhaustion, Grappled, Paralyzed, Petrified, Prone, Restrained, Unconscious
- Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 13
- Languages Giant
- Challenge 11 (7,200 XP)
Spirit Healing. At the beginning of each of the troll's turns, it regains 10 hit points if it hasn't taken any force or psychic damage since the end of its last turn. The troll dies only if it ends its turn with 0 hit points.
Incorporeal Movement. The troll can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object.
Spectral Weapons. The troll's attacks treat all creatures as unarmored (an unarmored creature's AC is usually 10 plus its Dexterity modifier.)
Actions
Multiattack. The troll makes three attacks, one of which may be with its Confounding Bite.
Confounding Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 19 (3d10 + 3) psychic damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or be Dazed until the end of its next turn.
Whenever a creature Dazed in this way misses with a melee attack, it must immediately make a new attack roll against another creature in its reach.
Ephemeral Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 14 (2d10 + 3) psychic damage.
Strangling Grasp. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: The target is grappled (escape DC 15).
While grappled in this way, the target is Choking.
If this attack was made with advantage, the grappled creature cannot hold its breath and immediately begins Suffocating.
Reactions
Wraithform (1/Day, Concentration). When the troll is reduced below 67 hit points, it can become Invisible until it makes an attack or regains all of its hit points.
While the troll is Invisible, a creature that begins its turn within 30 feet of it can sense its presence, and must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or be unable to move closer to it until the beginning of their next turn.
Trestle Troll
Dire Troll Lore
History DC 15: Dire trolls have remarkable alacrity for their size, in part due to their multiple brains and numerous limbs allowing a tumbling, wild lope that would be impossibly complicated for most creatures.
Nature DC 15: As trolls are all clones of one another, their rapid healing has difficulty picking out differences between them; when trolls fight their wounds can heal together, each's body attempting to absorb the other's. If neither wins, a dire troll is born. Alternately, dire trolls can occasionally form when a cluster of budlings is mashed together, though newborn trolls instinctively try to keep distance from one another to avoid this.
Dire Troll Tactics
Dire trolls ravenously chase after and scoop up any budlings they leave behind, using their Secret Arm and Double Actions to rapidly absorb them. They charge into the midst of a melee and use their Reckless Whirlwind, then use their claw bash until each creature has been knocked out of their range before repositioning and using their Bite against a prone target.
Dire Troll
Huge giant, chaotic evil
- Armor Class 15 (Natural Armor)
- Hit Points 207 (18d12 + 90)
- Speed 40 ft., climb 20 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 22 (+6) 15 (+2) 21 (+5) 9 (-1) 11 (+0) 5 (-3)
- Saving Throws WIS +5, CHA +2, CON +10
- Skills Athletics +11, Perception +10
- Damage Resistances Attacks made without advantage
- Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 20
- Languages Giant
- Challenge 13 (10,000 XP)
Double Actions. The troll rolls initiative twice, and acts on each of them.
Troll Healing. At the beginning of each of the troll's turns, it regains 10 hit points if it hasn't taken any acid or fire damage since the end of its last turn. The troll dies only if it ends its turn with 0 hit points.
Budding Overload. When the troll takes any piercing or slashing damage, it loses a limb and spawns a Troll Buddling in the nearest unoccupied space, making one fewer attack with its multiattack until it regrows that limb.
Whenever the troll regains hit points, it can make a DC 20 Constitution saving throw, regrowing each of its lost limbs on a success.
Giant Stature. Attacks made against the troll by a creature Attached to it have advantage, and the giant has disadvantage on attacks it makes against creatures Attached to it.
Actions
Multiattack. The troll makes two attacks, one of which may be with its bite.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d8 + 6) piercing damage. This attack deals an additional 9 (2d8) damage to a prone creature.
Claw Bash. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (3d6 + 6) slashing damage and the target must succeed on a DC 19 Strength saving throw or be pushed 10 feet away and knocked prone.
Reckless Whirlwind (Recharge 6). The troll spins madly, forcing each creature within 10 feet of it to succeed on a DC 19 Dexterity saving throw or take 33 (6d10) slashing damage and be knocked prone, or take half as much damage on a success.
A creature Attached to the troll has advantage on this saving throw, and takes no damage on a success.
Until the beginning of its next turn, attacks that target the troll have advantage.
Reactions
Secret Arm. When a creature climbing on the troll hits it with an attack, the troll can extend a hidden arm from one of its mouths.
The attacker must succeed on a DC 19 Strength saving throw or be pushed up to 15 feet away.
Dire Troll
Art Credits
- Loathsome Troll by Svetlin Velinov
- Trolls by Sam Wood
- Frost Troll by Daved Sladek
- Trestle Troll by Peter Mohrbacher
- Dire Troll copyright Wizards of the Coast
- Bisk, Goblin King by Rae Elderidge
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