Losing hit points as the primary consequence of attacks can become tedious, transforming an epic battle into a dull attrition of bookkeeping numbers. I previously posted notes on the memory eaters, adding color to successful hits. I’ve also posted on Colin McLaughlin’s list of portal use complications, which could also serve as minor curses and complications.
Below are some additional ideas to make hits or saves more interesting, such as giving creatures non-lethal results from attacks or sparking ideas for magical tricks and traps. (When a saving throw is mentioned, follow the recommended stats for the encounter’s challenge rating or tier level. When in doubt, use DC 15 as the target number.)
Brittle Bones, Bleeding Blades: On a hit (or failed Constitution saving throw), the target suffers vulnerability (double damage) from bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage. This effect may be removed by magic (Dispel Magic, Greater Restoration, and/or Remove Curse).
Cursed: On a hit (or failed Charisma saving throw), one random aspect of the target becomes hindered. Roll 1d6…
* 1 … Weakness: Suffer disadvantage on Strength-based abilities, saving throws, and attacks made using weapons with the Heavy property.
* 2 … Clumsiness: Suffer disadvantage on Dexterity-based abilities, saving throws, and attacks made using weapons with the Light property.
* 3 … Sickness: Suffer disadvantage on Constitution-based abilities, saving throws, and death saving throws.
* 4 … Forgetfulness: Suffer disadvantage on Intelligence-based abilities and saving throws. If Intelligence is a spellcaster’s spell ability, casting times are doubled (action required to cast a bonus action spell, or two actions to cast a single action spell). Reaction spells are not affected.
* 5 … Doubt: Suffer disadvantage on Wisdom-based abilities and saving throws. If Wisdom is a spellcaster’s spell ability, casting times are doubled (action required to cast a bonus action spell, or two actions to cast a single action spell). Reaction spells are not affected.
* 6 … Shame: Suffer disadvantage on Charisma-based abilities and saving throws. If Charisma is a spellcaster’s spell ability, casting times are doubled (action required to cast a bonus action spell, or two actions to cast a single action spell). Reaction spells are not affected.
Dimensional Displacement: On a hit (or failed Dexterity saving throw), the target is phased slightly out of sync with the material world. Attacks against the target suffer disadvantage, but the target also suffers disadvantage on attack rolls and Strength checks, and the target struggles to manipulate physical objects (disadvantage on Sleight of Hand checks). A body may be restored by magic (Dispel Magic, Greater Restoration, and/or Remove Curse).
Dream Taint: On a hit (or failed Wisdom saving throw), the creature implants a persistent illusion or nightmare in the target’s mind. The target sees visions and hears whispers, causing it to suffer disadvantage on Insight, Perception, and concentration checks. At the end of each long rest, the target immediately takes 1d6 psychic damage. The dream taint may be removed by magic (Dispel Magic, Greater Restoration, and/or Remove Curse).
Entropy Rot: On a hit (or failed Constitution saving throw), the creature’s attack causes physical matter to rapidly decay, corrode, age, or otherwise reduce to nothing. On a hit, roll 1d6…
* 1 … Body Hit: Target suffers 1d12 necrotic damage.
* 2 to 3 … Held Object Hit (weapon, shield, wand, etc.): 1 in 6 chance of the item becoming ruined (1 in 20 chance for magical items).
* 4 to 6 … Armor Hit: Armor Class protection value of worn armor is reduced by 1d4. Care during a long rest restores 1d4 of AC value to damaged armor. If armor is reduced to AC 10 or less, the armor falls apart and is permanently ruined. (Magical armor only has a 1 in 20 chance of suffering this effect each hit.)
Hallucinations: Upon a hit (or failed Intelligence saving throw), all living creatures within the area appear to the affected character as the previous attacking creature, making further actions difficult to target. At the start of each round, the player must declare the character’s intended action. If targeting the creature with an attack or spell effect, the character must succeed on an Intelligence saving throw (with advantage if no other targets are within 10 feet of the actual creature). On a success, the character targets the creature. On a fail, a randomly determined target within range (including the creature) is instead the target of the character’s action. These hallucinations end when the affected character succeeds on three consecutive Intelligence saving throws, when the creature causing the hallucinations is slain, or the target takes a short rest.
Levitated: Upon a hit, the target immediately begins floating 2d6 feet above the ground. The target may still take actions, bonus actions, and reactions as usual, but it cannot move from its rising position unless it has a fly speed, can touch a surface to propel itself, or is subjected to forced movement. Each round, the target rises another 2d6 feet at the start of its turn until making a successful Constitution saving throw at the end of its turn. The saving throw is optional since the character immediately falls from its current height when this levitated effect ends. The creature causing this effect may choose to end the levitation on some or all affected targets as a bonus action, either causing the targets to gently float back down without damage or fall from their current height.
Reminder on falling damage:
* no damage … 9 feet or less
* 3 (1d6) damage … 10 to 19 feet (quickly dug pit, height of hill/fire/frost giant)
* 7 (2d6) damage … 20 to 29 feet (pit trap, height of Huge creature, cloud/storm giant)
* 10 (3d6) damage … 30 to 39 feet (common castle wall)
* 14 (4d6) damage … 40 to 49 feet (height of tall gargantuan creature)
* 17 (5d6) damage … 50 to 59 feet
* 21 (6d6) damage … 60 to 69 feet (spruce tree)
* 24 (7d6) damage … 70 to 79 feet
* 28 (8d6) damage … 80 to 89 feet
* 31 (9d6) damage … 90 to 99 feet (oak tree)
* 35 (10d6) damage … 100 to 109 feet (height of tall colossal creature, redwood tree)
Magic Drain: On a hit (or failed Charisma saving throw), the target instantly expends and wastes its lowest-level available spell slot. This spell slot may be recovered as usual from rest, per the target’s character class. If the target wields a magical item in its hand, instead of affecting spell slots, there is a 50% chance the item will lose all magical abilities and properties for 2d6 rounds. If a target has no spell slots or magical items in its hands, this ability causes no effect.
Misty Push: On a hit (or failed Charisma saving throw), the target is teleported 30 feet in a direction of the creature’s choice. If the target is teleported straight up or away from the edge of solid ground, the target drops and suffers falling damage unless it has a fly speed. If there is a surface within the target’s reach, it may make a Dexterity saving throw to grab onto something and stop its fall.
Mind Swap: On a hit (or failed Charisma saving throw), the target suffers a harmful condition (poisoned, frightened, or incapacitated). The next time the creature hits a different target creature (or that second target fails a Charisma saving throw), the previous effect ends and the minds of the first and second target switch bodies. Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores stay the same, but Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, hit points, and physical abilities swap. Minds may be returned to their original bodies by magic (Dispel Magic, Greater Restoration, and/or Remove Curse).
Mutation: A hit causes a targeted creature to transform, gaining a randomly determined new physical feature. This effect may also be caused by exposure to an area affected by alien or eldritch radiation. A Constitution (physical) or Charisma (spiritual) saving throw would also be appropriate. Each mutation may be reversed by magic (Dispel Magic, Greater Restoration, and/or Remove Curse). While many results add beneficial abilities, all changes are grossly obvious and will likely disturb others who encounter the mutated individual. Roll 1d20 each hit or failed saving throw:
* 1 … Extra Eye: Target gains an additional mystical eye on the forehead or torso, gaining advantage on Insight checks.
* 2 … Tentacle Limb: One arm becomes a slimy tentacle, gaining +5 ft. reach on melee attacks.
* 3 … Chitinous Hide: The target’s skin hardens like insect armor, gaining +1 to AC if not wearing heavy armor.
* 4 … Forked Tongue: The target’s speech becomes slurred, suffering disadvantage on Charisma checks, but gaining advantage on Insight checks to detect lies via scent.
* 5 … Bone Spikes: Jagged bones protrude from the target’s joints, causing attackers take 1d4 piercing damage when grappling the target.
* 6 … Vestigial Wings: The target sprouts useless wings that flap when agitated. There is no rules benefit, it’s just unsettling.
* 7 … Clawed Hands: The target’s fingers sharpen into claws, allowing unarmed attacks to deal 1d6 slashing damage.
* 8 … Gills: The target can now breathe underwater but starts to suffocate without water after 10 minutes. (See suffocation rules for more details.)
* 9 … Transparent Flesh: The target’s skin becomes translucent; Stealth checks are at disadvantage, but invisible organs are weirdly mesmerizing (advantage to Intimidate checks).
* 10 … Third Arm: The target gains an additional limb that can carry or manipulate an item or wear a shield, but this new arm cannot be used for attacks.
* 11 … Prehensile Tail: The target grows a tail that can hold or use small items, but not wield weapons.
* 12 … Enlarged Cranium: The target gains advantage on Intelligence-based ability checks but has a visible, veiny skull (disadvantage on Deception checks for disguise).
* 13 … Animal Feature: The target grows an animal trait (goat legs, wolf ears, etc.); gain advantage on Perception checks using one specific sense (sight, hearing, or smell), but disadvantage on Deception or other checks for blending into crowds.
* 14 … Molten Veins: The target’s veins glow with inner heat; melee hits on the target from within 5 feet reach deal 1d4 fire damage back at the attacker.
* 15 … Stretchy Limbs: The target’s reach increases by 5 ft., but Dexterity saving throws are made at disadvantage due to awkward proportions.
* 16 … Glowing Aura: The target emits 10 ft. dim light; disadvantage on Stealth and attack in darkness against the target gains advantage.
* 17 … Duplicated Voice: The target’s speech becomes echoed or layered in a way that may confuse enemies, granting use of Minor Illusion (sound only) once between short rests.
* 18 … Webbed Hands and Feet: The target gains a swimming speed equal to its Speed, but tool use is more difficult (disadvantage on Sleight of Hand checks).
* 19 … Spore Pores: When hit, the target releases a puff of spores; creatures within 5 ft. must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or cough uncontrollably (cannot use reactions unless start of next turn).
* 20 … Reversible Head: The target’s head twists all the way around without pain, granting advantage on Perception checks but unnerving others (disadvantage on Persuasion checks).
Parasite: On a hit (or failed Constitution or Charisma saving throw), the creature implants an egg or larva into the target’s body (if physical) or mind (if spiritual). At the end of each long rest, the target immediately suffers 1d6 poison damage (physical) or psychic damage (spiritual). The parasite may be removed by a successful Medicine check or by magic (Lesser Restoration for physical, Remove Curse for spiritual). If untreated for three days, the parasite matures and hatches out of the target host, causing 10d6 slashing damage to the host and leading to a new combat encounter.
Partial Petrification: The creature’s attack causes parts of the target’s body to harden, making movement difficult. Each hit reduces the target’s Speed by 1d4. (If the target has multiple speeds, such as fly or swim, all Speed scores are reduced by the same amount.) While Speed is reduced in this way for any amount, the target also suffers disadvantage on Dexterity-based abilities and saving throws. At the start of each turn, the target recovers Speed at a rate equal to (20-Constitution score), or at least 1 point of Speed.
Temporal Glitch: On a hit (or failed Intelligence saving throw), the target experiences a random hiccup in the flow of time. Roll 1d4:
* 1 … The target cannot act or move due to “lost time” until the end of its next turn.
* 2 … The target repeats its last action, even if no longer appropriate. Repeated attacks and skill checks score the same d20 and damage results as the previous attempt. If the action cannot be repeated due to some depleted resource (spell slots, number of ability uses between rests, etc.), the action is done but produces no results.
* 3 … The target may immediately take its turn out of the initiative sequence, and then again during its previous spot in the turn order.
* 4 … The target gains an extra reaction until the end of its next turn.
The Sign: On a hit (or failed Charisma saving throw), a mystic symbol is branded onto the target’s soul. Anyone with Truesight looking at the target may see this sign and understand its meaning. Those aware of the sign may target the affected character or creature with any Divination spell, regardless of the spell’s normal range. If the affected target dies while still bearing the sign, its soul is redirected to a realm of the attacker’s choosing (an afterlife or cosmic plane). The sign may be removed by magic (Dispel Evil or Good, Greater Restoration, and/or Remove Curse).
Webbing: The creature’s attack covers the target in adhesive webs. The target is immobilized but may make a Strength saving throw at the start of each turn to take an action and/or bonus action. The DC starts at 5 but goes up by +1d6 each time the creature scores another webbing hit. As an action, others make a Strength (Athletic) ability check to partially free a webbed target to take actions and bonus actions on the target’s turn without making a Strength saving throw. The webbing remains stuck even if the target teleports or changes into a different form (polymorph, body of mist, or so forth). The webbing remains a problem until it is removed by magic or time spent cleaning during a short rest.