What makes combat interesting? A lot of GMs think the answer is giving the monster secret powers, to be revealed at the worst moment. I’ve even seen articles that suggest misleading players about the monster’s abilities. Which is a shame, because that tops my list of what Not to do.
TTRPGs are games, and good games let players use their wits to win. If the GM simply counters their plans with a gotcha moment, it undermines the fun. The goal isn’t to beat the players—it’s to challenge them in a way that feels fair and rewarding. If a monster suddenly reveals an unexpected power that wipes out a PC with no warning, that’s not clever- it’s frustrating.
Another common mistake GMs make is overloading monsters with too many abilities. This doesn’t make them adaptable—it makes them unpredictable. And when players can’t form a strategy, they fall back on brute force, which gets stale fast.
So what does make a good monster encounter? One where the players can learn, adapt, and outthink the threat. And to explore that, we’ll break monsters down into two types: minions and bosses – each with their own rules.
Revealing Minions’ Powers
For this article, a minion is any non-unique monster that isn’t the star of a climactic fight. They’re common threats – ones your players will likely face more than once.
Minions don’t need a long list of powers. One or two is usually enough, especially if those abilities are known in-world or can be learned with a knowledge check. If a power is dangerous or frustrating, introduce it during a smaller, low-stakes fight before using the monster in earnest. A short break between the two encounters helps keep things fresh.
You can also let players buy the info – perhaps an oracle shares a vision, or they pay a small fee to dig through guild archives. A magical “Scroll of Knowledge” that reveals the info they need at the right time would fit perfectly here.
Another option is letting players study the monster during the encounter, teasing out its mechanics through careful observation before fully committing. This works best with unintelligent monsters—ones that won’t hold back a deadly ability for dramatic effect.
However, avoid making this your default. Occasional use is fine, but overuse slows the game to a crawl.
Using Minion Powers Well
Once the minion’s powers are know, the next step is to using them. Here are ways to use them well.
Terrain
If hidden powers is a popular mistake, terrain is an unpopular gold mine.
Suppose your monster can make ranged attacks that knock targets back. In an open field, that’s mildly annoying. But on a cliffside or in a swamp, it becomes dangerous. Players risk being knocked into mud, water, or off ledges.
Another example: Cluttered terrain like boulders or dense brush lets the monster play hide-and-seek, using knockback to disengage or to trigger environmental hazards—like rolling logs, collapsing trees, or unstable footing.
Just by pairing a simple ability with the right setting, you’ve created multiple tactical challenges. That’s the real value of terrain—it rewards player positioning, punishes carelessness, and makes even a basic ability feel dynamic and threatening.
Allies
Pair almost any two monsters, and you open up a world of possibilities.
Say one can grapple – great! Now it can hold players in place while a ranged attacker chips away at them. Or maybe one explodes when killed. Now the ranged monster’s goal is to keep players close to the blast. Even the basic tank combines, protecting the ranged monster, or threatening the players’ ranged units, forcing their melee to choose between attacking and defending.
The beauty is that monsters don’t just combine with one partner – they combine with every partner. The grappler keeps PCs near the bomber. The grappler drags PCs away while the tank blocks pursuit. The tank protects the bomber from premature destruction. And clever players might use the bomber to destroy the tank. Remember, providing players with tactical opportunities is good.
Each new monster you add expands the possibilities – and lets encounters shine.
Obstacles
Obstacles – like slippery floors, pits, tables, or basins of acid – are similar to terrain but more flexible. They’re easier to place, especially indoors, and can be tailored to a monster’s abilities or intelligence.
Unlike terrain, obstacles are often visible and avoidable, which is a feature, not a flaw. Players who notice and react feel smart. Players who don’t? Well, that’s on them.
Take pits versus mountains: pits are smaller and artificial, but can be placed strategically. A monster might circle them or use knockback to drive players in. Similarly, if players know a monster explodes on death, placing it near an oil barrel adds a dangerous twist – one that’s fair, as they should’ve seen it coming.
Obstacles add tension, create memorable moments, and let smart play shine. Use them to make the battlefield feel alive – just make sure the danger comes from choices, not cheap shots.
Circumstances
Circumstances are external conditions that shape an encounter – ambushes, time limits, hostage situations. They raise the stakes but should be used sparingly; when everything is high-stress, nothing feels special. Used well, they turn a simple fight into a memorable dilemma.
Circumstances can be matched with monster powers, such as grappling under a time limit, or placing an explosive creature near hostages, but they often match even better with monster behaviour, or personality. Would a given monster use civilians as shields? Is it easily baited, or defence minded?
Circumstances are less about new mechanics and more about narrative pressure. They test not just the players’ tactics, but their values, instincts, and priorities – and that makes them compelling.
Characteristics
A monster’s personality and backstory are what bring it to life—and what keep it from becoming just another stat block. Interesting mechanics might make a fight fun, but a compelling character makes your plot fun. Without both, part of your game will start to feel flat.
To make that character stick, introduce just one or two traits at first, then add more with each appearance. Spacing the first few appearances close together (though not necessarily back-to-back) helps players build a mental image before the monster fades from memory.
The goal isn’t to turn every creature into a tragic villain or comic relief, but to make it feel like part of the world—something with goals, instincts, and personality. That way, when players recognize it, they’ll do more than prepare for its abilities. They’ll react to its presence.
Bosses: Revealing Their Powers
A boss is a unique, climactic threat – often one-of-a-kind in your world and unfamiliar to the players. Because of this, some of its abilities may remain hidden until the fight begins. That’s fine – if it’s done fairly.
Defensive powers like regeneration, immunities, or evasive movement can stay hidden, as long as players have a clear way to counter them and everyone at the table can contribute meaningfully.
Offensive abilities require more care. If they’re hidden, they should be minor—dramatic but not deadly or disabling.
Another way is accompanied by clear hints, such as if something in the boss’s appearance signals the threat. This works well combined with minions that use a weaker version of the attack.
You can also reveal powers in advance. Have an NPC warn the party, or let them witness the boss using it – maybe punishing an underling or lashing out prematurely.
A reckless early attack that players can dodge is another great way to build tension without blindsiding.
That said, don’t lean on the same trick repeatedly. If every boss snarls at a minion as the players approach, it’ll start to feel silly.
Finally, there’s the “telegraphed surprise”: reveal a new power, but give players a beat to react. My brother once played in a dungeon where the boss dissolved into acid after death, flooding the area. But the DM described it happening and gave the players a turn to act. One player jumped on a bed, which collapsed and dumped him into the acid. It was hilarious and fair. If the acid damage had hit without warning, it would’ve been cheap instead.
Boss powers can be hidden – but only if the challenge stays fair, and the players have a chance to feel clever, not ambushed.
Bosses: Selecting Their Powers
Don’t flood your boss with abilities. Too many options slow down the GM’s decision-making and overwhelm the players. The GM sets the pace – if you pause to think through every turn, the players will start doing the same.
Instead, give the boss a small set of powers that synergize well. A base ability with a twist is often enough. For example, a boss might grapple and then throw the grappled target into allies or hazards. That keeps things dynamic without being confusing.
Beyond that, a boss needs two core tools: movement and defence. Without movement, it gets pinned and worn down. Without defence, it dies before its mechanics matter. HP alone can work, but risks making the fight a slog. Consider alternatives – like directional shielding or movement abilities that let the boss retreat to safety between strikes.
Keep the kit lean, purposeful, and thematic. Let the players see what the boss does, figure it out, and feel clever when they counter it.
Bosses: Multi-Stage Fights
For major villains, a multi-stage fight can make the battle feel epic – but don’t just tack on new powers mid-fight. If the boss had stronger abilities all along, why didn’t they use them sooner? It breaks immersion and robs players of the chance to fight smart.
Instead, escalate the challenge by changing the battlefield. Maybe the room catches fire, flooding, or collapsing walls change the layout. The boss is still grappling, but now the stakes are higher – dragging players into flame or debris.
If you must add a new power, tie it to what the boss was already doing. A grappler might start hurling players into pits. A teleporting caster might begin blinking between terrain features. These aren’t new abilities—they’re evolutions of existing ones, and it makes sense for the boss to adapt to the new threat.
Multi-stage fights work best when they raise tension without undercutting player strategy. Let the boss adapt—but do it in a way that feels natural.
A great monster doesn’t need dozens of abilities or secret tricks – it needs clarity, purpose, and the right tools to challenge your players. Whether it’s a minion or a boss, what makes a monster memorable is how it fits into the world, the encounter, and the players’ decisions. Build with intent, reveal with care, and design encounters that reward strategy over luck. That’s how you turn a stat block into a story they’ll talk about long after the dice stop rolling.
About the author
Alexander Atoz is the writer behind DragonEncounters.com, a blog that explores D&D monsters one by one, offering creative ways to make their combat encounters more engaging and unique. If you enjoyed this article and want to see these ideas in action, check out the blog for over a hundred ready-to-use examples.
Creative Commons image credit: Fighting monsters by Serbiandude.
