Just Use Bears, or Wolves, or Spiders, or Tigers – a Bestiary in 12 Archetypes

I’ve kept tinkering at the ideas in this blogpost, boiled it down to 12 core archetypes, and bundled it all in a handy PDF/HTML reference document!

It can be found on Itch.io now!

I’m quite happy with how it turned out; it features base stats, number appearing, role description, abilities and “can be used for” for 12 archetypes, in addition to sample encounter tables for 6 common biomes/terrain types/hexes.

The full list includes:

• Bear. A solitary powerhouse that gets deadlier when wounded. Use for: Ogres, trolls, lone barbarians, cave beasts, or any solo brute-force threat.
• Bull. A thundering force of muscle and momentum, explosive and wild. Use for: Boars, minotaurs, large scarab beetles, knights on horseback, or any threat that relies on momentum and charging.
• Deer. Skittish and swift—designed to escape, not to fight. Use for: Wild game, birds, prey animals, timid spirits, fae scouts, elusive messengers or any target that prioritizes escape over combat.
• Dragon. A legendary apex threat with devastating attacks and fearsome presence. Use for: Dragons, demon lords, ancient guardians, or any legendary-tier threat.
• Elephant. A living siege weapon—unstoppable and ruinous when provoked. Use for: Giants, siege beasts, war constructs, ents/treants, or any massive, destructive force.
• Hawk. Aerial harassers that confuse, distract, and chip away from above. Use for: Vultures, eagles, harpies, gargoyles, flying imps, or any highly mobile threat.
• Horse. Not a threat unless seriously provoked. Use for: Mounts of all kinds (large birds, horses, camels, dinosaurs)
• Snake. Fragile but deadly—lurks in shadow, strikes with poison and surprise. Use for: Dangerous insects or plants, assassin’s pets, scorpions, or any threat that strikes from hiding.
• Spider. A lurking threat that thrives when its victims are caught or trapped. Use for: Insects, web-spinning demons, saboteurs/trappers, mimics, cursed relics.
• Swarm. Weak individually, but together they overwhelm, spread disease, and wear you down. Use for: Weak minions, rats, insect swarms, bat clouds, goblins, piranhas, zombies, or any threat that relies on numbers.
• Tiger. A stealthy, devastating ambusher with the power to drop foes in a single strike. Use for: Tigers and other large felines, crocodiles (in water), jungle stalkers, griffons (flying), skilled assassins, dangerous predators.
• Wolf. A coordinated predator that grows bolder and deadlier in a pack. Use for: Bandit gangs, goblins packs, velociraptors, guards, or any coordinated group of attackers.

And in other “go check it out” news: go back Knock! Issue #5 now!

These statblocks are designed to be flexible templates. When using them:

1. Adjust the numbers – Increase or decrease STR, DEX, WIL, HP, and Armor based on the specific creature you’re creating.
2. Rename attacks – “Bite” could become “Sword Slash” or “Tentacle Strike” as appropriate.
3. Modify special abilities – Keep the mechanical effect but change the flavor to suit your creature.
4. Consider combinations – Mix and match features from different archetypes for unique enemies.

For example, a veteran knight might use the Horse archetype for mobility, but with the Bear’s strength and the Wolf’s pack tactics to represent coordinated cavalry charges.

Bear

HP 10 Armor 1
STR 16 DEX 8 WIL 14
#: 1 Danger: ⚠️ ⚠️ ⚠️

A solitary powerhouse that gets deadlier when wounded.

• Claws (d10, Brutal 8)
• Grapple: Can forego attack to grapple a target (DEX Save to avoid). Take d4 STR damage each round, STR Save to escape.
• Fury: When reduced to 0 HP, makes a WIL save. On success, regains 1d6 HP and becomes enraged (attacks are Enhanced).

Use for: Ogres, trolls, lone barbarians, cave beasts, or any solo brute-force threat.

Bull

HP 6 Armor 0
STR 14 DEX 12 WIL 8
#: 1d4 Danger: ⚠️ ⚠️

A thundering force of muscle and momentum, explosive and wild.

• Trample (d8)
• Charge: If the bull can charge in a straight line at the target before attacking, attack is Enhanced and knocks target down or back.

Use for: Boars, minotaurs, large scarab beetles, knights on horseback, or any threat that relies on momentum and charging.

Deer

HP 3 Armor 0
STR 8 DEX 16 WIL 6
#: 2d6 Danger: ⚠️

Skittish and swift—designed to escape, not to fight.

• Skittish: Decreases the chance of being surprised by -1.
• Fast: On a successful DEX Save, greatly increases distance to attackers.

Use for: Wild game, birds, prey animals, timid spirits, fae scouts, elusive messengers or any target that prioritizes escape over combat.

Dragon

HP 18 Armor 3
STR 18 DEX 12 WIL 16
#: 1 Danger: ⚠️ ⚠️ ⚠️

A legendary apex threat with devastating attacks and fearsome presence.

• Claws (2d8, Sweep 7)
• Bite (d10, Brutal 8)
• Breath weapon: (d12, blast). Recharges on 5–6 each round. Telegraphed 1 turn in advance.
• Flying: Fly-by attacks. Melee attackers must DEX save to hit.
• Terrifying: WIL save or become Impaired until regrouping.

Use for: Dragons, demon lords, ancient guardians, or any legendary-tier threat.

Elephant

HP 12 Armor 2
STR 18 DEX 6 WIL 10
#: 1 Danger: ⚠️ ⚠️ ⚠️

A living siege weapon—unstoppable and ruinous when provoked.

• Tusks (d8)
• Trample (d10, blast)
• Charge: If charging straight-line, attack is Enhanced and knocks back.
• Demolisher: Destroys obstacles smaller creatures cannot.

Use for: Giants, siege beasts, war constructs, ents/treants, or any massive, destructive force.

Hawk

HP 5 Armor 0
STR 6 DEX 16 WIL 12
#: 1d6 Danger: ⚠️ ⚠️

Aerial harassers that confuse, distract, and chip away from above.

• Talons (d6)
• Flying: Fly-by attacks. Melee attackers must DEX save to hit.
• Coming From All Sides: If multiple hawks target the same creature, add 1d12 to damage.

Use for: Vultures, eagles, harpies, gargoyles, flying imps, or any highly mobile threat.

Horse

HP 3 Armor 0
STR 16 DEX 12 WIL 5
#: 1d6 Danger: ⚠️

Not a threat unless seriously provoked.

• Trample (d6)
• Spooked: Must WIL save when confronted with fire, magic, or violence.

Use for: Mounts of all kinds (birds, horses, camels, dinosaurs).

Snake

HP 4 Armor 0
STR 6 DEX 16 WIL 10
#: 1d6 Danger: ⚠️ ⚠️

Fragile but deadly—lurks in shadow, strikes with poison and surprise.

• Bite (d6). Poison 6: On a damage roll of 6, the target takes an additional 1d4 STR damage at the start of their next turn. This STR damage does not trigger a Critical Damage save.
• Constrict: Target must make STR save or be grappled, taking d4 damage per round
• Stealthy: Increases the chance of the party being surprised by +1 (i.e. 2-in-6 instead of 1-in-6)

Use for: Insects, pets, scorpions, ambushers.

Spider

HP 6 Armor 0
STR 8 DEX 14 WIL 10
#: 1–1d4 Danger: ⚠️ ⚠️

A lurking threat that thrives when its victims are caught or trapped.

• Bite (d6). After target HP is depleted, attack also deals 1d4 damage to DEX. Bite attacks against immobilized targets are Enhanced.
• Stealthy: Increases the chance of the party being surprised by +1 (i.e. 2-in-6 instead of 1-in-6)
• Trap: Continuous spray of webbing. Target must make DEX save or be immobilized.

Use for: Insects, web-spinning demons, saboteurs/trappers, mimics, cursed relics.

Swarm

HP 7 Armor 0
STR 6 DEX 14 WIL 8
#: 1 Danger: ⚠️ ⚠️

Weak individually, but together they overwhelm, spread disease, and wear you down.

• Bite (d4, blast)
• Swarming: A swarm of numerous creatures, scurrying and gnawing. Piercing and Bludgeoning attacks are Impaired. Attacks with Blast are Enhanced.
• Disease: Attacks that incur Critical Damage leave the target Deprived until a night of full rest.

Use for: Weak minions, rats, insect swarms, bat clouds, goblins, piranhas, zombies, or any threat that relies on numbers.

Tiger

HP 8 Armor 0
STR 14 DEX 16 WIL 12
#: 1 Danger: ⚠️ ⚠️ ⚠️

A stealthy, devastating ambusher with the power to drop foes in a single strike.

• Claws (d8)
• Stealthy: Increases the chance of the party being surprised by +1 (i.e. 2-in-6 instead of 1-in-6)
• Ambush: Attacks from ambush/stealth (on a surprised target, or before they can react) are Enhanced.

Use for: Tigers and other large felines, crocodiles (in water), jungle stalkers, griffons (flying), skilled assassins, dangerous predators.

Wolf

HP 6 Armor 0
STR 8 DEX 14 WIL 8
#: 2d6 Danger: ⚠️ ⚠️

A coordinated predator that grows bolder and deadlier in a pack.

• Bite (d6)
• Pack Tactics: When multiple wolves attack the same target, add 1d12 to the damage rolls.
• Leader: If more than 5 in pack, accompanied by a leader with +4 WIL. The leader’s WIL is used for Morale. If the leader falls, all others must make a WIL Save or flee.

Use for: Bandit gangs, goblins packs, velociraptors, guards, or any coordinated group of attackers.

Biome Encounter Tables

I’m a big fan of the 2d6-dragon-wizard encounter table method; below are example interpretations of applying the archetypes to various biomes.

Grassland

Forest

Hills

Mountains

Swamp

Desert