How to Read a Stat Block, One Goblin at a Time
A stat block looks like a wall of numbers. It is really a short list of answers: how hard the creature is to hit, how much punishment it takes, what it does on its turn. Once you can read one, you can run anything in the System Reference Document 5.2.1 without a cheat sheet.
We use one creature the whole way through: the Goblin Warrior, a Challenge 1/4 monster from the SRD. Small, quick, and the first fight at a lot of tables.
The top line: what it is
Goblin Warrior. Small Fey (Goblinoid), Chaotic Neutral.
Size tells you how much space the creature takes and what it can squeeze through. Type (Fey) matters when a spell or feature names a type. Alignment is a roleplaying hint, not a rule that binds you.
AC, Initiative, HP, Speed: the numbers you use every round
| Line | Goblin Warrior | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| AC | 15 | An attack roll of 15 or more hits |
| Initiative | +2 (12) | Roll d20 + 2 for turn order, or take 12 |
| HP | 10 (3d6) | Hit Points; 3d6 if you roll instead of taking 10 |
| Speed | 30 ft. | How far it moves on its turn |
The SRD's rule for attack rolls is plain: "An attack roll hits if the roll equals or exceeds the target's Armor Class." So the goblin's 15 is the number your players need to meet.
The 15 is not arbitrary. The goblin carries Leather Armor and a Shield. Leather gives 11 plus the Dexterity modifier; a Shield adds 2. Dexterity 15 gives +2. That makes 11 + 2 + 2 = 15.
The Hit Points work the same way. Three d6 average 10.5; a stat block rounds down, so 10. If you want each goblin a little different, roll the 3d6 instead.
The six scores
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 (-1) | 15 (+2) | 10 (+0) | 10 (+0) | 8 (-1) | 8 (-1) |
Each score has a modifier: subtract 10, halve, round down. Dexterity 15 gives +2; Strength 8 gives -1. The modifier is what you add to the d20, so it is the number that matters at the table. The score is where it comes from.
The 2024 rules print a saving throw beside each score. For the Goblin Warrior each save equals the modifier, because it has no save proficiencies. A creature that does gets its Proficiency Bonus added there.
Skills and senses
Skills Stealth +6. Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 9.
Stealth +6 is bigger than Dexterity's +2. The goblin's Proficiency Bonus is +2 (Challenge 1/4), and a +6 means it adds that bonus twice: it is very good at hiding. That is the creature's story told in one number.
Passive Perception is the SRD's formula: "Passive Perception = 10 + Wisdom (Perception)". Wisdom 8 gives -1, so 9. Any player who rolls Stealth of 10 or more slips past a goblin that is not actively looking.
Darkvision 60 ft. means darkness within 60 feet does not blind it. Put goblins in a cave and the torch-carrying party is the easy target.
Challenge, XP and Proficiency Bonus
Challenge 1/4 (XP 50; PB +2)
Challenge is a rough guide to how dangerous the creature is for a party. XP is what defeating it is worth. PB is the Proficiency Bonus the rest of the block is built on. When a number looks odd, PB is usually the reason.
Actions: the goblin's turn
Scimitar. Melee Attack Roll: +4, reach 5 ft. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) Slashing damage, plus 2 (1d4) Slashing damage if the attack roll had Advantage.
Read it left to right:
- Melee Attack Roll: +4. Roll a d20 and add 4. The +4 is Dexterity (+2) plus PB (+2).
- Reach 5 ft. It must stand next to its target.
- Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2). The 5 is the average. Take it for speed, or roll 1d6 and add 2.
- Plus 2 (1d4) if the attack roll had Advantage. The goblin hits harder when it has the edge, so it fights to get one.
The Shortbow line is the same shape with "range 80/320 ft." in place of reach: 80 feet with no penalty, out to 320 feet at Disadvantage.
Bonus Actions: the trick that makes goblins goblins
Nimble Escape. The goblin takes the Disengage or Hide action.
Every creature gets one Bonus Action a turn if something gives it one. The goblin's lets it shoot, then Hide, every single round. Run it that way and a pair of goblins in the dark is a real fight; stand them in the open and they are a speed bump.
Gear
Gear Leather Armor, Scimitar, Shield, Shortbow.
The 2024 blocks list what the creature carries. Players can take it after the fight.
Running it in three lines
When a goblin acts, you need only this:
- Defence: AC 15, 10 HP.
- Turn: move 30 ft., attack at +4 for 5, then Hide.
- Senses: sees in the dark; notices a Stealth roll below 10.
Every stat block in the SRD reduces to those three lines. Find the defence, find the turn, find the trick, and you can run it cold.
The dice behind those numbers each have a job of their own: what each die is for walks through them.
This work includes material from the System Reference Document 5.2.1 ("SRD 5.2.1") by Wizards of the Coast LLC, available at dndbeyond.com/srd. The SRD 5.2.1 is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
