The Monsters Know What They’re Doing

Ready-to-Use Tactics for D&D 5E

Krasis and Skyswimmer Tactics

October 9, 2026

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Monstrosities

Once again, I have to acknowledge how unfair it was of me to write off Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica and Mythic Odysseys of Theros as cheap attempts to squeeze more juice out of Wizards of the Coast’s already existing intellectual property. I mean, I still think WotC does that way too much, but nevertheless, a measure of thought went into both the mechanical design and the naming of the monsters in these two books that we haven’t seen over the past few years. Take the krasis, for example: new life forms created by the Simic Combine out of two or more other living creatures. “Krasis” might sound like just another fantasy noise-word to you. In fact, it comes from Ancient Greek κρᾶσῐς krâsĭs, “mixture, compound, union.” Perfect! (That said, the Guildmasters’ Guide uses “krasis” as both singular and plural; I prefer “krases,” by analogy with θέσῐς/θέσεις “thesis/theses,” which is declined the same way.)

Krases come in three categories, but for “category,” you may as well read “tier.” The Medium-size category 1 krasis is CR 1, a suitable foe for a neighborhood skirmish. The Large category 2 krasis is CR 6, balanced for district-level conflict. And the Huge category 3 krasis is CR 16, a good boss monster to roll out in a struggle for control over all of Ravnica.

But also, every krasis differs from others at its same tier, with one minor adaptation and one major adaptation each from the tables accompanying their stat blocks. The eight minor and eight major adaptations available, together with the three different stat blocks, give you 192 possible combinations, making every krasis encounter unique. (At least, at the sample sizes you’ll be working with at your table, and possibly in your entire metropolitan area.)
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Now Available: Remonstered!

October 6, 2026

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Meta

Times have changed. The old rules no longer apply. Our foes have grown in strength. We must adapt.

Don’t worry. I gotchu.

In Remonstered! The Monsters Know What They’re Doing, every monster’s tactics are updated to reflect the recent changes to their stat blocks in the 2025 Monster Manual and accompanied by brand-new tips to help you prepare the battlefield, choose allies and minions, and take your combat scenes in exciting, unexpected directions. (Not to mention another banger cover by Lio Pressland and all-new interior illustrations by Jen C. Marshall!) Find it at your friendly local game store or your favorite independent bookstore in the United States or Canada, or order from Bookshop, Barnes & Noble, Amazon or Indigo.

And if you’ve decided to stick with the original 2014 fifth edition Dungeons & Dragons rules, fret not: The original The Monsters Know What They’re Doing is still available alongside the revised edition.
Simic NPC Tactics

October 1, 2026

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Humanoids, NPCs

The Simic Combine’s shtick is mad bio-science, and its rank-and-file NPCs are, curiously, not listed in the “NPCs by Guild” section of the Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica, chapter 6, but rather in the “Creatures by Guild” section. Still, Simic hybrids are humanoids by type, so they’re NPCs as far as I’m concerned.

The weakest of them is the CR 1/2 hybrid spy. A shock attacker with very high Dexterity but also above-average Intelligence and high Wisdom, as a spy ought to have, the hybrid spy has the Spider Climb trait along with Chameleon Skin, which grants advantage on Dex (Stealth) checks made to hide. These traits make the hybrid spy superb at doing what a spy does best: spying. That is, observing and reporting without being noticed.

A mundane spy is a “gray person,” gathering information by remaining beneath notice. A Simic hybrid spy avoids notice by blending in with their environment and taking positions where people don’t look. Technically, according to the rules for hiding, they need to make their ability checks while outside their targets’ line of sight, and also technically, according to 2014 rules, they need to remain behind cover to avoid being spotted. But I would hand-wave that interpretation. Their chameleonic blending ability should allow them to crawl out into the open and remain unseen as long as no one looks directly at them and squints and they don’t knock anything over. (Under 2024 rules, successfully hiding confers the invisible condition upon them, even if they enter another creature’s line of sight, until they do something to give themself away.)
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How to Call Your Wurm: Selesnya Conclave Edition

September 22, 2026

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Monstrosities, NPCs

I already looked at the wurm once, in its role as a chaos agent for the Gruul Clans. But Selesnya makes use of wurms, too, according to chapter 6 of the Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica. However, there’s something a bit weird about the Selesnya Creatures table that lists them among the guild’s assets:

Why is the archmage the proxy stat block for the wurmcaller? Neither the 2014 stat block nor the 2025 stat block contains any ability or spell that allows an archmage to conjure, summon, charm, dominate or even talk to a wurm.
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Conclave Dryad Tactics

September 17, 2026

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Fey

Conclave dryads are fey beings whose home forests were felled or hemmed in as the city of Ravnica encroached inexorably around them and who now serve as clerics, consultants and consiglieri to members of the Selesnya Conclave. They’re also formidable spellslingers that ride into battle on cervid-shaped steeds made out of phloem and xylem.

They have strong ability scores across the board, but in particular, their mental abilities and Dexterity are all extraordinary, with a peak in Charisma, their spellcasting ability. They’re strong counters to magic-wielding opponents, especially enchanters and illusionists, since on top of those high mental ability scores, they have proficiency in Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma saving throws as well, plus the Magic Resistance trait. They also have the Suppress Magic action, a 5–6 recharge ability that shuts down any single magic item less powerful than an artifact, although this action is just as useful against magic weapons and armor as it is against rings, staves, wands and other wondrous items. (More on this action below.)

They’re proficient in Perception, making them hard to sneak past, but they’re not ambush attackers: They lack proficiency in Stealth. They are, however, proficient in Arcana and Nature, knowledge skills that come into play not in combat encounters but in social interaction. If the player characters are friendly to Selesnya and vice versa, they might seek and obtain useful answers on these subjects from a conclave dryad.
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