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Challenge Special Traits

A monster’s challenge rating tells you how great a Special traits (which appear after a monster’s
threat the monster is. An appropriately equipped challenge rating but before any actions or reactions)
and well- rested party of four adventurers should be are characteristics that are likely to be relevant in a
able to defeat a monster that has a challenge rating combat encounter and that require some
equal to its level without suffering any deaths. For explanation.
example, a party of four 3rd- level characters should
find a monster with a challenge rating of 3 to be a Innate Spellcasting
worthy challenge, but not a deadly one. A monster with the innate ability to cast spells has
Monsters that are significantly weaker than 1st- the Innate Spellcasting special trait. Unless noted
level characters have a challenge rating lower than 1. otherwise, an innate spell of 1st level or higher is
Monsters with a challenge rating of 0 are always cast at its lowest possible level and can’t be
insignificant except in large numbers; those with no cast at a higher level. If a monster has a cantrip
effective attacks are worth no experience points, where its level matters and no level is given, use the
while those that have attacks are worth 10 XP each. monster’s challenge rating.
Some monsters present a greater challenge than An innate spell can have special rules or
even a typical 20th- level party can handle. These restrictions. For example, a drow mage can innately
monsters have a challenge rating of 21 or higher and cast the levitate spell, but the spell has a “self only”
are specifically designed to test player skill. restriction, which means that the spell affects only
the drow mage.
Experience Points A monster’s innate spells can’t be swapped out
The number of experience points (XP) a monster is with other spells. If a monster’s innate spells don’t
worth is based on its challenge rating. Typically, XP require attack rolls, no attack bonus is given for
is awarded for defeating the monster, although the them.
GM may also award XP for neutralizing the threat
posed by the monster in some other manner. Spellcasting
Unless something tells you otherwise, a monster A monster with the Spellcasting special trait has a
summoned by a spell or other magical ability is spellcaster level and spell slots, which it uses to cast
worth the XP noted in its stat block. its spells of 1st level and higher (as explained in the
Player’s Handbook). The spellcaster level is also used
Experience Points by Challenge Rating for any cantrips included in the feature.
Challenge XP Challenge XP The monster has a list of spells known or prepared
0 0 or 10 14 11,500 from a specific class. The list might also include
1/8 25 15 13,000 spells from a feature in that class, such as the Divine
1/4 50 16 15,000 Domain feature of the cleric or the Druid Circle
1/2 100 17 18,000 feature of the druid. The monster is considered a
1 200 18 20,000 member of that class when attuning to or using a
2 450 19 22,000 magic item that requires membership in the class or
3 700 20 25,000 access to its spell list.
4 1,100 21 33,000
5 1,800 22 41,000 A monster can cast a spell from its list at a higher
level if it has the spell slot to do so. For example, a
6 2,300 23 50,000
7 2,900 24 62,000 drow mage with the 3rd- level lightning bolt spell can
8 3,900 25 75,000 cast it as a 5th- level spell by using one of its 5th- level
9 5,000 26 90,000 spell slots.
10 5,900 27 105,000 You can change the spells that a monster knows or
11 7,200 28 120,000 has prepared, replacing any spell on its spell list with
12 8,400 29 135,000 a spell of the same level and from the same class list.
13 10,000 30 155,000 If you do so, you might cause the monster to be a
greater or lesser threat than suggested by its
challenge rating.

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. System Reference Document 5.1 258