5e Stat Block Maker

How to make a 5e stat block

1. Start from a template or a blank block, or send any monster here from the Random Monster Generator.
2. Fill in the basics: name, size, type, Armor Class, Hit Dice, speed and the six ability scores. Hit points, modifiers and initiative update as you type.
3. Add traits and actions. For an attack, choose the ability, damage dice and type; the attack bonus and average damage are worked out for you. Set how many times each attack is used and the Multiattack line writes itself.
4. Check the balance. Pick the CR you want. The estimate panel compares your numbers with that CR and tells you what to change.
5. Export it as a PNG, a printable page, Markdown for Homebrewery, or a JSON file you can load again later.

Example: a bridge warden, step by step

Here is how to make a simple NPC guard from a blank block. The results in each step are exactly what the tool shows you.

1. Set Start from to Blank stat block. Name it Bridge Warden, keep the size on Medium, set the type to humanoid and the alignment to lawful neutral.
2. Give it Armor Class 16 with the armour note "chain shirt, shield", and 6 Hit Dice. Set the scores to STR 16, DEX 12, CON 14, INT 10, WIS 12 and CHA 13. The hit points appear as 39 (6d8 + 12).
3. Tick Athletics (Perception is already ticked). The block shows Athletics +5, Perception +3 and Passive Perception 13. The blank block starts with darkvision in Senses, so clear it for a human guard.
4. Turn the starting attack into a Longsword: Strength, melee, reach 5 feet, 1d8 slashing, used 2 times in Multiattack. The preview writes "The bridge warden makes two Longsword attacks" and shows +5 to hit for 7 (1d8 + 3) damage.
5. Set the challenge rating to CR 2 (450 XP). The estimate panel says the numbers fit CR 2. Our estimate itself says CR 3, because the high Armor Class pushes the defence up.

Now try CR 5 instead. The panel says the numbers look like CR 3, and suggests about 92 hit points and about 32 damage per round for CR 5. That is how the advice works: it tells you which numbers to change, and by roughly how much.

What the tool works out for you

• Ability modifiers from each score, and saving throws with proficiency.
• Hit points from Hit Dice, size and Constitution, such as "45 (6d10 + 12)".
• Proficiency bonus and XP from the challenge rating (from the free SRD 5.1 rules).
• Attack bonuses, save DCs and average damage for every action.
• Skills and passive Perception, including expertise.
• Initiative for the 2024 layout.

What each part of a stat block means

• Armor Class (AC) is the number an attack roll must reach to hit. The armour note, such as "natural armor", shows in the 2014 layout.
• Hit points show the average first and the dice in brackets. Roll the dice instead if you want each goblin in a group to be a little different.
• Speed is free text, so you can write any mix, such as "30 ft., fly 60 ft.".
• Ability scores give the modifiers that drive everything else: attacks, damage, save DCs, skills and initiative.
• Saving throws and skills add the proficiency bonus to the matching modifier. Only tick the ones the creature is really good at, and tick Expertise for a skill it has truly mastered, which doubles the proficiency bonus for that skill.
• Vulnerabilities, resistances and immunities change how much damage it takes from each damage type, and list the conditions that can't affect it.
• Senses and languages tell you what it notices and who it can talk to. Passive Perception is the number a sneaking hero's Stealth check has to beat.
• CR, XP and proficiency bonus say how tough it is, how much experience the party shares when they beat it, and the bonus used in its maths.
• Traits are always on. Actions, bonus actions and reactions are what it does on its turn or in reply to others, and legendary actions let a boss act at the end of other creatures' turns.

How our CR estimate works

The estimate looks at two sides. Defence comes from hit points, nudged up or down by Armor Class. Offence comes from damage per round (the best of your Multiattack total and your strongest single action), nudged by your attack bonus. The two are averaged, and legendary actions add a little. We built the formulas ourselves from typical published monsters, so treat the result as a helpful guide, not a rule.

Reading the estimate panel

The panel above the preview shows our CR estimate next to the CR you set, then one summary line: hit points, Armor Class, damage per round, XP and proficiency bonus. If our estimate is within 1 of your CR (or within about 15% for monsters above CR 6), the panel says the numbers fit. If not, it lists what is out of line, such as low hit points or high damage, with the typical number for your CR.

As a rough guide, our method expects about 28 hit points and 10 damage per round at CR 1, then about 16 more hit points and 5 to 6 more damage per round for each CR above that. Armor Class climbs slowly, from about 12 at CR 1 to about 17 at CR 20.

Tips for balancing a homebrew monster

• Fix damage first. Damage is what players feel most. The estimate uses the bigger of your Multiattack total and your strongest single action, so adding one more attack to Multiattack is the quickest way up.
• Traits aren't counted. Our estimate reads hit points, Armor Class, damage and attack bonus. Regeneration, flying, Magic Resistance or a strong reaction make a monster tougher than its number, so set the CR one higher or trim something else.
• Recharge actions count as every round. A breath that only comes back on a 5 or 6 is counted at full strength, so a monster built around one plays a little easier than its estimate.
• Save DCs follow the scores. A DC is 8 + proficiency bonus + the ability you choose in DC from, so raising that score raises the DC.
• Give bosses more turns. One monster against four heroes acts once for their four turns. Legendary actions add one to our estimate, and they let a lone boss act between the heroes' turns.

Example stat block

Frequently asked questions

Is this stat block maker free?

Yes, with no account and no limits. Your library is saved in your browser, and you can export every monster as JSON to back it up.

Does it support the 2024 rules?

Yes. Switch between the 2014 and 2024 layouts at any time. The 2024 layout shows initiative, a combined ability and saving throw table, and the newer attack wording.

Can I use it with Homebrewery?

Yes. Press Markdown and paste the result into Homebrewery. It uses Homebrewery's monster block format.

Can I put the stat block on Roll20 or Foundry?

Download the PNG and drop it into a handout or journal, or copy the text. The JSON file is handy for keeping your own library.

Can I make NPC stat blocks?

Yes. Set the type to humanoid, add a tag if you like, write the armour in the armour note, and add weapons as attacks. There is no spell list, so write spellcasting in your own words as a trait or as an Other (text) action.

Can it make stat blocks for player characters, spells or magic items?

No. It is made for monsters and NPCs, so it has no class levels, spell slots or item rarity. To make a playable race for a character, use the Homebrew Race Builder.

Why is the estimate different from the CR I picked?

The CR you pick sets the XP and proficiency bonus. Our estimate is worked out from your numbers. When the two disagree by more than a little, the panel tells you what to change. You can also keep your CR on purpose, for example for a monster that hits hard but falls fast.

Is there a random stat block option?

Yes, in two ways. Pick one of the ready monsters in Start from, from a CR 1 forest pack hunter to a CR 17 deep horror. For a brand-new random monster, use the Random Monster Generator and press Edit in Stat Block Maker.

Does it work on a phone?

Yes. On a small screen the editor and the stat block sit on two tabs, Edit and Preview, so you can switch between typing and checking. The last block you worked on opens again next time you visit.

Last updated: 5 November 2026