The hobgoblin commander wades into melee combat, attacking with its sword to lead from the front and inspire it's allies. They are intelligent, utilize tactics and logistics on the battlefield, battle in and make use of formations, designate sergeants and lieutenants to serve under them, and demonstrate a high proclivity for military organization. Instinct: To command

• Devise tactics
• Command the troops

Hobgoblins superficially resemble goblins in skin tone and facial features but stand straight and tall as a man, are intelligent, utilize manufactured armor and arms, and demonstrate a proclivity for military organization. They battle in formation, designating sergeants and lieutenants to serve under a general, with each officer commanding a band of conscripted goblins. Hobgoblins live for war and bloodshed, killing or enslaving creatures weaker than themselves. More aggressive and organized than their goblin and bugbear cousins, they see all other creatures as lesser beings to be subjugated, and they reserve a special loathing for all fey, especially elves. Hobgoblins prize their possessions and make their own weapons and armor. Hobgoblins rule the most civilized goblin tribes, sometimes building small settlements and fortresses that rival those of human construction. Instinct: To make war

• Command lesser goblinoids
• Form ranks

Brutally strong, and dumb as rocks. That's what makes ogres so useful...and so dangerous. Ogres kill for food and pleasure. Big, dumb, brutal, savage. These words hardly succeed in capturing the extent to which the massive humanoids embody these traits. An ogre smashes a creature's head for laughs and then eats it's victim raw after it forgets how to make fire. If enough parts remain after the brute has gorged itself, the ogre might make a loincloth from its quarry's skin and a necklace from any leftover bones. By the time it's finished, the ogre is probably hungry again. Few ogres can count to ten, even with their fingers in front of them. Most can barely speak a rudimentary form of Giant and know only a handful of Common words, with "smash," "gimme," and "food" being the most prevalent. Ogres are easy to fool or confuse, though they smash things they don't understand. Cruelty is an ogre's dominant trait. They are also lazy, surly, and easily cowed. The powerful often round up ogres as slaves or willing servants. Even weaker creatures can frighten an ogre into submission if their numbers are great enough. Ogres use pelts for clothing and uproot trees and boulders as crude tools and weapons. They prefer stone-tipped javelins for hunting and stone axes for fighting. They sleep in caves, animal dens, or under overhangs or trees. Instinct: To kill and eat, and not necessarily in that order

• Smash something
• Fly into a rage
• Take something by force

Bugbears are not overly intelligent but those that are smart enough become chiefs and install themselves as the rulers of varying goblinoid tribes, who they abuse and misuse as their personal slaves. Bugbear chiefs rule by brute strength from shabby throne rooms, sending their goblinoid slaves on raids against easy targets. If forced into direct combat, a threatened bugbear chief would usually rather retreat to find another easy life of ruling goblin slaves than stand and fight heroes. Instinct: To rule by force

• Show'em who's boss
• Ambush or flank a foe
• Send the grunts first

Leaders of dark rituals and wielders of demonic magic, even alphas give way to the gnoll shaman. Gnoll shamans send forth wild-eyed gnolls on brutal raids in the name of the demon lord Yeenoghu the Destroyer, the Beast of Butchery, the Ruler of Ruin, and the Demon Prince of Gnolls. Yeenoghu appears as a massive gnoll and has acted as a patron to the race for as long as any can remember. Through ritual, gnoll shamans commune directly with Yeenoghu, and use his dark teachings to direct all gnolls, driving them toward the fulfillment of the demon prince's will. Instinct: To serve Yeenoghu, and see the fulfillment of the demon prince's will.

• Spread demonic influence
• Call forth dark magics through demonic pact
• Drive the pack to a demonic ferver

Gnolls are feral, demon-worshiping marauders, attacking communities without warning, and slaughtering without mercy. While the body of a gnoll is that of a large humanoid, the details are those of a hyena. They wear animal furs or patchwork armor, and wield weapons taken from the dead. Gnolls decorate their armor, lairs, and encampments with the bones of their victims. Tribes are led by alphas, or by shamans who send forth wild-eyed gnolls on brutal raids in the name of the demon lord Yeenoghu. When gnolls attack and pillage a settlement, they leave little behind but razed buildings, gnawed corpses, and befouled land. They drag captives back to deep caves for sacrificial rituals too horrible to describe. Gnolls detest physical labor, so a few captives may be kept as slaves. Guarded by merciless gnoll youths, these slaves' only hope of living to the next day is to show strength and to obey. Because nothing pleases a gnoll more than wanton slaughter, gnolls don't bargain or parley, and they can't be bribed. Instinct: To slaughter and destroy in the name of Yeenoghu

• Show and enemy no quarter
• Doggedly track bloodied prey

Usually the largest and strongest, alpha gnolls dominate and drive the pack. But it's not just about size and sharp teeth. It's also about cruelty. About a willingness to kill your brothers and eat them while the pack watches. Alpha gnolls lead feral packs of demon-worshiping, gnoll marauders, attacking communities along the borderlands without warning, and slaughtering without mercy. Because nothing pleases a gnoll more than wanton slaughter, gnolls don't bargain or parley, and they can't be bribed. Instinct: To slaughter and destroy in the name of Yeenoghu

• Make a show of dominance
• Whip the pack to a bloody frenzy

Monstrous snakes are stealthy, patient hunters that regard humanoids as prey. Most are simply dangerous animals, but the dark god Set blesses some serpents with evil intelligence. The viper spreads it's bite around and lets it's venom do it's work. The constrictor that scores a bite, immediately wraps it's coils around the victim and tries to squeeze them to death. Instinct: To hunt

• Swallow a helpless victim whole
• Sneak upon prey
• Poison prey through a venomous bite
• ...or...
• Crush prey with an iron grip

Dire rats prefer to live underground, only venturing to the surface at night. They skulk in the sewers of large cities, and inhabit dark caves, ruins, and occasionally dark thickets in the wilderness. Dire rats are stealthy, and like to hunt in small packs, sneaking up on prey and ganging up on one creature at a time. Instinct: To nest and breed near an abundant food source

• Gnaw off a toe
• Inflict a nasty fever through a filthy bite

Ghasts are a more powerful form of ghoul. Cursed upon death, they started as ghouls, but evolved through successful hunting and age, some becoming ancient. But even success and age cannot release the ghast from the ravenous, gnawing hunger for living flesh suffered by all ghouls. In fact, it's hunger has become stronger. Like ghouls, a ghast is a sentient form of undead, but the ghast's long undeath has left it with only a few, fading memories of it's former life. However, the ghast has evolved an ability to feed upon the memories of it's prey. This only adds to it's already insatiable hunger and desire for more victims. Ghasts lead packs of ghouls, haunting graveyards, battlefields, crypts, and any place where bodies are discarded or left unattended. Except for their powerful stench, ghasts are almost indistinguishable from ghouls. Instinct: To feed, always to feed

• Stink to high heaven
• Strike swiftly and silently from the shadows
• Paralyze prey with a bit (elves are immune)
• Feast on helpless victims and gain their memories