One Page Monster Cheat Sheet

Use this monster cheat sheet to create a complete set of foes for encounters and dungeons in any game system. Keep the players as the focus don't worry too much about the core stats of the opponent in your game or during prep, the stats of any given monster in a monster book are largely the same scaling with level, while the thing that truly distinguishes monsters from one another is special abilities they have that surprise the players, not the fact that they had 12 as opposed to 16 health.

This monster cheat sheet uses a simple formula in order to create foe for 5E and OSR games alike. 

Step 01. Establish Opponent type.

The opponent type modifies the strength of the opponents.

Minion: Base mod of 0 to a max of +4. ¼ type adjustment.

Elites: Base mod of +1 to a max of +6. ½ type adjustment.

Mini-boss: Base mod of +2 to a max of +8. X2 type adjustment.

Boss: Base mod of +3 to a max of +10. X3 type adjustment.

Step 02. Establish the Target numbers and modifiers.

The base mod of each opponent is set by their type, this mod increases by +1 per level, up to a set maximum. Level is determined by the average character level, the current dungeon layer(DL) or another appropriate modifier such as weeks traveled from a safe settlement or where the gang sits in the city's criminal hierarchy.

If you want more variability in from each stat you can randomly determine weaknesses (-4 from mod) and focuses (+2 to mod) by rolling once for the opponent’s stat weakness and once for their stat focus: roll a d20

Step 03 Establish health and damage.

Health is the opponent’s level multiplied by 10 that number is then multiplied, halved or quartered by the opponent's type adjustment(Eg. X3 or ¼).

The Damage the opponent deals when it overcomes the players defence is that opponent’s level adjusted by type, that number is then increased by +5 (Eg. level 6 x 2 = 12 then 12+5 = 17 dam).