Grudge-Ladder
Armor Class 14 (wooden body)
Hit Points 18 (4d6+4)
Speed 20 ft. climb 20 ft.
Skills Stealth +4, Athletics +3
Damage Vulnerabilities fire
Damage Resistances bludgeoning from nonmagical attacks
Damage Immunities poison, psychic
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages understands Common but can't speak
Challenge 1 (200 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2
Actions
Reactions
📷 Export as Image
Share your monster as a beautiful PNG image styled like classic D&D sourcebooks.
Includes: Full stat block, monster image (if selected), CR badge, and QuickMonster branding.
Resolution: High-quality PNG at 2x scale for crisp display on any device.
"It was only a ladder until someone called it useful." — Mara Venn, salvager of the Crooked Bell Tower
Lore & Description
Appearance
A squat wooden ladder assembled from dark, splintered rungs and crooked side rails, the grudge-ladder walks on the tips of its rails like an irate insect. Its grain is swollen into ridges resembling clenched teeth, and old rope around its upper rung twitches like a bitter tail. Each step produces a resentful creak, even when no weight rests upon it.
Behavior & Origins
Grudge-ladders are born from years of neglect, humiliating falls, and being dragged through mud only to be blamed when someone misses a step. They remember every hand that used them and every boot that kicked them aside. A grudge-ladder called Splinter-Back haunts the bell tower of Saint Orra, where it wants every rescuer who once pitied it to climb high enough for it to pull them down. Its favorite victims are those who say, "Poor thing," before reaching for it.
Running Grudge-Ladder
Tactics
The grudge-ladder remains motionless until someone climbs it or attempts to comfort it, then uses Pitied by the Weak or Climb Back to reach the most sympathetic-looking creature. It uses Hooking Climb on isolated targets and follows with Rung Slam attacks, while Spiteful Collapse knocks down groups before it scuttles behind cover. It fights to the last splinter unless shown genuine indifference and left alone for several rounds.
DM Tips
- Telegraph its danger with fresh splinters at hand height, drag marks leading uphill, and a ladder that subtly shifts when no one is looking.
- Play its movement as offended body language: sharp creaks, recoiling rails, and sudden upward scrambles whenever someone says something compassionate.
- A character can identify its Inanimate Until Insulted trait with a successful DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) check before touching it.
- For a weaker party, remove its second Rung Slam from Multiattack; for a stronger party, give it 27 hit points and let Spiteful Collapse recharge on a 5-6.
Loot
- Rung of the First Fall — A polished rung bearing tiny handprints; placed beneath a sleeping creature, it produces a warning creak whenever that creature is in danger.
- Splintered Apology Note — A crumpled note from the ladder's former owner, naming the person who abandoned it and pointing toward a nearby ruin.
