Combat encounter designer

Build a fight that is about more than hit points. Set the premise, addenemies, stack objectives, and dropbattlefield features (exploding barrels, cover, levers, hazards…) so the map itself is interesting. In any text box, type @ to search and insert an article or spell link. Save creates a private Report article you can link from the dungeon mapper or session notes. GM only.

Encounter title

What is this combat about?

One or two sentences the players can feel at the table — the point of the fight, not just the roster.

Premise

Location

Session # (optional)

Dungeon article slug (optional)

Links this encounter to a dungeon article for cross-reference.

Enemies

Search people or species from your codex (same idea as session cast), or add a freeform name. Assign a monster role from the sidebar (Dungeonscape-style tactics).

Objectives

Add layered goals so the fight is not only “kill everything.” Options below follow the twelve combat objectives fromD&D Has 12 Combat Objectives, Actually(Mystic Arts) — pick any that fit, then customize the text for your table.

Battlefield features

Make the map playable: barrels that explode, oil slicks, cover, chandeliers, levers, choke points, and other props. Pick any that fit, then tune the text for your table (damage, DCs, who starts near them).

Setup, aftermath & notes

Use the toolbar above each body field for BBCode (bold, color, boxes, GM tags, dice rolls).Expand opens a large editor.

Setup / read-aloud / map

Aftermath

GM notes (BBCode ok)

Monster roles

Tactical roles for building balanced fights — the same framework DMs used withDungeonscape (3.5) encounter design (Brute, Soldier, Artillery, and so on). Expand a role for its definition, or use the Role dropdown on each enemy.

BruteHit hard, soak hits, low finesse.

Brutes are front-line smashers. They hit hard in melee, soak a lot of damage, and care less about armor class or precision. Think ogres, dire animals, and raging barbarians of the monster world.

Job: Pressure the party’s front line and punish anyone who stands still in their face. They create urgency: ignore them and someone drops.

Tendencies: High hit points and damage; average or low AC and attack bonuses relative to level; often poor Will/Reflex. Prefer simple attacks over tricks.

Mix: 1–2 brutes anchor a fight. Pair with soldiers (who hold flanks) or artillery (who the party must reach past the brute).

SoldierTough, sticky melee — holds the line.

Soldiers are disciplined melee combatants built to hold ground. Higher defenses and reliable attacks make them hard to ignore and hard to shove past. They guard objectives, chokepoints, and weaker allies.

Job: Lock down PCs in melee, protect artillery/controllers, and force the party to commit resources to break the line.

Tendencies: Solid AC and attack; average damage; good Fortitude. Often have marking, reach, or reactive strikes that punish disengaging.

Mix: 2–4 soldiers form a wall. Excellent around a controller or leader. Don’t overuse alone — pure soldier packs can feel like a grind.

ArtilleryRanged damage; fragile up close.

Artillery monsters deal most of their threat at range — bows, spells, breath weapons, thrown weapons. They melt under focused melee, so they hide behind soldiers and brutes or on high ground.

Job: Punish the back rank and anyone who ignores positioning. Force the party to close gaps or block line of sight.

Tendencies: High ranged damage; low HP and AC; often poor Fortitude. Strong when protected; useless if the party reaches them unopposed.

Mix: 1–3 artillery units. Always give them cover or bodyguards. Combine with lurkers for a pincer on the soft middle.

SkirmisherMobile melee — hit and reposition.

Skirmishers thrive on mobility. They dart in, strike, and leave — exploiting flanks, difficult terrain, and open maps. Average durability, above-average speed and positioning tools.

Job: Harass casters and archers, collapse flanks, and deny safe backline play without becoming a static damage sponge.

Tendencies: Average stats overall; high speed or shift/teleport options; moderate damage. Weak if cornered with no exit.

Mix: 2–4 skirmishers shine in open rooms and multi-level maps. Pair with artillery so the party can’t turtle in one corner.

LurkerBurst from stealth or conditions; fragile if exposed.

Lurkers strike when conditions favor them — invisibility, ambush, darkness, or a setup power — then fade or become vulnerable. High spike damage, lower defenses when their trick is down.

Job: Delete a focused target or create a panic moment mid-fight. Rewards party awareness and control effects.

Tendencies: Below-average HP/AC when exposed; high damage on ambush turns; often conditions (blind, flat-footed, prone). Needs terrain or allies to reset.

Mix: 1–2 lurkers. Use with darkness, fog, or multi-room layouts. Overusing lurkers feels cheap; telegraph setup once.

ControllerArea effects, debuffs, battlefield shape.

Controllers reshape the fight without necessarily winning a damage race. Slow, root, fear, walls, summoning, forced movement, and area denial make the map hostile and split the party.

Job: Break formations, protect allies by locking PCs down, and make objectives (levers, exits, hostages) harder to reach.

Tendencies: Moderate HP; special attacks over raw DPR; often Will-focused saves. Priority target for smart parties — and should feel that way.

Mix: Usually 1 controller per fight (2 only at higher complexity). Escort with soldiers or skirmishers so they last more than one round.

LeaderBuffs, heals, or commands — secondary role.

Leader is a secondary role layered on another (e.g. Soldier Leader, Controller Leader). Leaders amplify allies with buffs, healing, temporary hit points, recharges, or command auras. Kill the leader and the pack weakens.

Job: Make the rest of the roster scarier and give the party a clear “cut the head off” decision.

Tendencies: Moderate combat stats for their primary role; support auras, grants of attacks, or healing. Often slightly softer than pure soldiers if focused.

Mix: 0–1 leader in most fights. Stack with soldiers/brutes for a mini-boss feel, or with artillery for a war-band caster-chief.

Leader is a secondary role — stack it with another (e.g. Soldier Leader). Definitions are design summaries for your table, not a reprint of the book’s full text.