Ettins Redesigned
Making two heads better than one
Spiciness: 5/5 (Boss Fight Worthy)
If you use the Mage Head Sleep Strategy, there's a chance of TPK. Otherwise, it's more of a 4/5 spicy-- threat of Player Character death, and going to cause them to burn some spell slots to survive.
Preparation
It's important to note that, unlike most monster stat blocks, this one monster counts as TWO CR 5s As well, some of the potential spell combinations can be quite effective, both defensively and offensively. Also, they have a LOT of HP, and will both have a turn until they both run out of HP (since they share an HP pool). Because of all of that-- this fight will require some real resource burn from your players to survive. The Shaman + Mage combo is particularly strong!
Cooking the Warrior Head
This head is the simple-yet-effective option. When you'd be hit with an attack, Parry! Someone is currently asleep / paralyzed? Hit them with your morning star for auto-crits! Need to get your Ettin away from a melee attacker? Use Powerful Morningstar to knock them back!
Cooking the Shaman Head
Which strategy you use depends on which spell you'd like to maintain concentration on, really. Here's some good examples:
Spike Growth Strategy If the party is 10ft+ away from you, consider using Spike Growth to get some free damage on the melee attackers as they move towards you (but be sure to put it near the ranged attackers as well!). Then on later turns, use your Thorn Whip (30ft range melee cantrip) to pull them into that area, dealing both the cantrip's damage as well as the bonus damage from Spike Growth.
Fog Cloud Strategy If the party relies on having advantage (Great Weapon Master or Sharpshooter players, rogues in general), or if the party has a lot of spellcasters, consider Fog Cloud'ing the area as early as possible.
This will give everyone advantage on their attacks (because their targets can't see them), and also give everyone disadvantage (because they can't see their targets either). The two cancel out, meaning everyone rolls just 1 dice. This means rogues can't sneak attack (they have disadvantage), and people with GWM and Sharpshooter are now much more likely to miss if they take that -5 to hit. As well, this helps cancel out enemy spellcasters, since most spells cast at a point or creature "that you can see"-- which now, they can't!
Hold Person Strategy. Hold person inflicts paralysis, making all attacks from 5ft away automatically crit on a hit (and you have advantage, so you will crit). Combo this with the Warrior head's Morningstar to dump out 4d8+5 damage a turn! If you use this strategy, use the Shocking Grasp cantrip while the Hold Person stays up.
Cooking the Mage Head
The sleep strategy: This one is particularly spicy.
Round 1 Our goal is to deal as much damage to as much of the party as possible, not trying to down any particular one-- Start off with Burning Hands (2nd level slot). After your first turn, use Shield (1st level) on the first attack that would hit to give you +5 AC (total 18) for the whole round. We need to survive to round 3! You may even consider having the other head (if it's a Warrior) taking the dodge action for more defense.
Round 2 Burning hands again (1st level slot), and use shield again. If the party spreads out (making it hard to hit more than one with burning hands), Magic Missile (1st level slot)!
Round 3 By now, you should have one 1st level spell slot, and one 2nd level spell slot remaining. The party should have some people fairly low on HP too, since most players will wait til someone is downed before using Healing Word or Cure Wounds to pick them back up.... This is a mistake though, since the Sleep spell affects a certain number of HP. Cast Sleep at Level 2, and put the majority of the party asleep.
Remember: sleeping creatures don't wake up til they take damage (or someone uses an action to shake them awake), and any damage is an auto-crit. As well, this spell ISN'T concentration-- so if they want to wake up their party, the ones that are still awake will need to use their whole action to shake a party member. Meanwhile, you're getting free crits on the morningstar, or using the Shaman's Thorn Whip to pull the awakened people away from the sleepers (and into your threat range).
Ettin Body
Large giant, chaotic evil
- Armor Class 13 (natural armor)
- Hit Points 143 (11d10 + 33, take max)
- Speed 40 ft.
STR DEX CON 21 (+5) 10 (+0) 17 (+3)
- Skills Perception +6
- Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 16
- Languages Giant, Orc
- Challenge 5 x 2 (3,600 XP) Proficiency Bonus +3
Two Heads Each Ettin has two heads (choose any two, shown on separate stat blocks on this page). Each of the Ettin Heads roll their own initiative, have their own actions & reactions they can take, and can maintain concentration separately. The two heads roll separately for any spell or effect that would require an Int, Wisdom, or Charisma save. For example, one can become Blinded or Charmed while the other is not.
One Body The ettin heads share a space on the map, and can move on their own turns. They share a single pool of HP, and base stats (above). Effects that do not require an Int, Wis, or Charisma save affect the body normally, and treat it as a single creature. For example, a fireball would deal its damage once, and blur would provide its effects once. All attack rolls aim at the body.
Wakeful. When one of the ettin's heads is asleep, its other head is awake.
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Ettin Warrior Head
INT WIS CHA 6 (-2) 10 (+0) 8 (-1)
Actions
Powerful Morningstar. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d8 + 5) piercing damage. On a hit, you may knock the creature back 5ft.
Reactions
Parry. When the Ettin would be hit with a weapon attack, the Warrior Head may use its reaction to attempt to deflect the attack. It adds +3 to its armor class against this attack, which may cause it to miss.
Ettin Shaman Head
INT WIS CHA 11 (+0) 16 (+3) 9 (-1)
Spellcasting (Wisdom, Spell Save DC 14, +6 to hit) The Shaman Head can cast the following spells.
- Cantrips (at will, 5th level scaling): druidcraft, Thorn Whip, shocking grasp
- 1st level (4 slots): cure wounds, fog cloud, thunderwave
- 2nd level (3 slots): hold person, mirror image, spike growth
Ettin Mage Head
INT WIS CHA 16 (+3) 12 (+1) 11 (+0)
Spellcasting (Intelligence, Spell Save DC 14, +6 to hit) The Mage Head can cast the following spells.
- Cantrips (at will, 5th level scaling): fire bolt, minor illusion, mind sliver
- 1st level (4 slots): burning hands, sleep, magic missile, shield
- 2nd level (3 slots): misty step, blur
Thank you for checking out this monster!
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