Trying to keep things exciting during combat in Dungeons & Dragons is a struggle for many DMs. While there are some very powerful monsters available to choose from, sometimes it can be more interesting to choose a combination of more unassuming enemies for players to face. There are some monster combos in DnD that might not look deadly at first glance, but any in-depth knowledge of the creature will make seasoned players wary.

One of the hardest things for DMs is balancing a combat encounter so it doesn’t result in a TPK for the Dungeons & Dragons adventuring party. DMs want combat to be fun and challenging but not necessarily wreck the party. However, there are monster combinations that feed off of each other's abilities turning what might look like an easy or balanced encounter into a fight for survival.

Related: Classic Monsters D&D 5.5 Could (& Should) Bring Back

DM Should Use Caution When Using These D&D Monster Combos

A giant, winged monster sneaks up behind Dungeons & Dragons adventurers as they are preoccupied with a smaller creature in an overgrown wilderness.

By using interesting mechanics to either confuse or overwhelm an adventuring party, these monster combos have the potential to be deadly. As such, they should be used with caution, as some of the monsters discussed below have relatively low challenge ratings (CR). However, for DMs looking spice things up and throw some truly nasty challenges at their players, then these combos can provide some fun inspiration.

Low Level Monsters In D&D Doesn’t Mean An Easy Time For Players

Will-o-wisps, which appear as glowing orbs in a forest, and a banshee, which looks lag a bedraggle ghost woman.

Starting with an undead Dungeons & Dragons duo that are a deadly threat to low-level DnD parties: the banshee and a group of will-o'-wisps. Banshees have an ability called Wail, which can be used once a day, and affects all creatures within 30 feet except constructs and other undead. All targets must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw, and on a success, will take 3d6 psychic damage.

However, on a fail, the target will drop to 0 hit points. This is where the will-o'-wisps come in. These tiny undead creatures have a bonus action ability called Consume Life which can target one creature within five feet that is at 0 HP. That target must make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or die - actually die, as in dead, completely gone, and it’s time to create a new DnD player character. If the target dies, the will-o'-wisp heals itself for 3d6 HP.

D&D Monsters Who Give Each Other Advantage Can Wipe Unprepared Parties

Hobgoblin and Dire Wolf artwork for Dungeons & Dragons.

Pack Tactics are a dangerous ability for adventuring parties to face. Creatures with this feature can give each other advantage just by an ally being near their target. There are a few creatures with this ability, but for this combo, dire wolves are good to use.

Related: The Origins Of D&D’s Goblin Race Will Be Explored In New Book

A pack of dire wolves on their own would be a tough fight as so long as one of them is within five feet of the players, they all get advantage on attack rolls. However, throw in some hobgoblins, and things get really nasty. Hobgoblins have Martial Advantage, which means that once per turn, they can deal an extra 2d6 damage to targets who are within five feet of an ally. Just two hobgoblins with a dire wolf each can easily wipe out a couple of unsuspecting DnD party members.

This Odd D&D Duo Can Confuse And Damage

D&D artwork for an umber hulk, a towering, bipedal instectoid creature, and black pudding, which is a dark, gelatinous mass.

An odd pair are the umber hulk and the black pudding. The umber hulk has the ability Confusing Gaze, which forces all creatures within 30 feet who can see its eyes to make a DC 15 Charisma saving throw. On a fail, the target can't take any reactions and, at the start of its turns, must roll a d8 to determine its action. One to four means the player does nothing, five or six will make them use all their movement in a random direction and no action, while seven or eight will force them to attack a random target in range.

The black pudding can take advantage of a player incapacitated by the umber hulk by slowly enveloping the affected targets. The black pudding's Corrosive Form will damage all non-magical DnD weapons made of certain materials by imposing -1 to damage rolls each time it touches the black pudding. If the penalty drops to -5, the weapon is destroyed. If players are sent running in a random direction by the umber hulk, they may be unable to avoid the black pudding.

The Last Of Us Meets D&D With A Spore & Undead Combo

Artwork for a gas spore, a fungal creature with one central eye, and a zombie.

A fun combination to use to overwhelm players can be a gas spore along with a group of undead such as zombies. The gas spore has the ability Death Burst, which triggers when it drops to 0 hit points. All creatures within 20 feet must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. On a fail, targets take 3d6 poison damage and are infected by a disease.

Related: D&D: Best Ways To Play Undead Adventurers

Undead are immune to poison damage, so, at low levels, zombies can be used with one or two gas spores which make for a great zombie apocalypse Dungeons & Dragons campaign similar to The Last of Us. However, this can easily be scaled up for higher levels with devourers and liches joining the fray. While at low levels, this combo isn’t immediately deadly, it shows how monsters with damage types and damage immunities make for fun pairings.

D&D Monsters Who Incapacitate Leave Parties Vulnerable To Greater Threats

Three D&D monsters: an intellect devourer, which looks like a brain with four legs, a sentient scarecrow, and a spectator, which has multiple eyes on the ends of tentacles.

There are a lot of monsters in Dungeons & Dragons that are particularly tough on their own, but when paired with the right partner, things can get exciting. Scarecrows and spectators are not very strong enemies, but both have abilities that incapacitate players, which can be advantageous for an intellect devourer. Scarecrows have Terrifying Glare, which targets one creature within 30 feet, who will have to succeed on a DC 11 Wisdom save or be frightened and paralyzed. Spectators, which are smaller versions of the more impressive Dungeons & Dragons monsters beholders, have a similar ability with one of their eye beams which paralyzes a target who fails a DC 13 Constitution save.

Paralyzed targets are incapacitated, which allows the intellect devourer to use one of its most terrifying abilities: Body Thief. The intellect devourer starts an Intelligence contest with the player, and if they win, then the intellect devourer hops inside their body. They literally eat the target's brain and take over the player's character.

D&D’s Gnolls Pack A Punch With The Right Leader

Flind and Gnoll artwork for Dungeons & Dragons, both beast-like creatures that walk on two legs.

Created by the demon prince Yeenoghu himself, flind are demonic warrior versions of regular gnolls. Having this fearsome warrior lead a pack of his kin will have players fighting a group of blood-crazed enemies. This is because flind have the ability Aura of Blood Thirst, which makes any creature with the Rampage feature able to use a bite attack as a bonus action.

Related: D&D: Best Bonus Action Spells

All gnolls have Rampage, including the terrifying gnoll vampires introduced in the Dungeons & Dragons campaign set in Icewind Dale, the undead gnoll witherling, and the alpha pack lord gnolls. By using the flind, the gnolls will get action and bonus action attacks, increasing damage done all around. This can easily bring a party to its knees just by adding a flind to a regular gnoll group.

Monsters Who Can Heal Each Other Are A D&D Party Nightmare

D&D artworks for a Clay Golem, Gelatinous Cube, and Shambling Mound, which looks like a twisted mass of roots.

Some monster combinations are like matches made in heaven, especially when one heals the other. Gelatinous cubes and clay golems are a brilliant partnership. The gelatinous cube deals acid damage, which can actually heal the clay golem. A great way for DMs to use these two is by having the clay golem grapple a player and then walk into the gelatinous cube. This would mean the unfortunate target would be under the effect of two Dungeons & Dragons status conditions: grappled and restrained. They would have to make two saves to first get out of the grapple and then another to escape the cube. This will use up their actions for two turns and deal 6d6 acid damage while they are engulfed.

Another version of this idea is using shambling mounds, which are healed by lightning damage. By pairing them up with another monster who deals lighting damage, such as will-o'-wisp or any type of blue dragon, then shambling mounds can easily take on even the most seasoned adventurers. Just like gelatinous cubes, shambling mounds can engulf their prey, adding another level of difficulty to a Dungeons & Dragons battle.

More: D&D's Best First Edition Campaigns

Source: Dungeons & Dragons/YouTube