Many a druid and beastmaster ranger has wondered "what is the most powerful beast I tin can harness?" By the end of this list, you lot'll know the strongest brute-type monsters in Dungeons & Dragons as well as what makes them so intimidating. While beasts are the kickoff kind of creature you might think of taming or turning into when playing a ranger or druid, your dungeon master may actually allow you more abnormal options.

Monstrosities, for example, are creatures with a similarly unmerciful nature. Just as well, the Circle of the moon druids tin can turn into elementals once they reach a high plenty level. Suffice to say, this list is not exhaustive when it comes to taming a powerful animate being companion or transforming into a mortiferous monster. Notwithstanding, information technology volition provide yous with the best options for each Challenge Rating, or CR, level among every brute-type creature. You lot had better promise dinosaurs exist in your character'due south world, or else you lot may find your animal options severely limited.

Updated on Baronial 20th, 2021, past Nima Dabirian: Most abilities and spells that let yous summon a fauna, choose ane every bit a companion, or fifty-fifty turn into one, accept a limit on the challenge rating of the beast. This challenge rating might raise as you level upwardly, and yous gain access to powerful options from college CR beasts. In that location are many options and each ane tin can be better in different situations, but knowing the highest potential that yous can have within each challenge rating, can narrow down your choices and assist you make the nearly out of your limited resources in the game.

10 CR 1/4: Wolf

Dungeons And Dragons Woman Holding Sword And Torch Surrounded By Wolves

While wolves are not the most formidable beasts in Dungeons & Dragons, but at the CR of i/4, and with features such equally Pack Tactics that gives them an advantage on their attack rolls when some other marry is within v anxiety of them, they are certainly underrated. Some of a wolf's notable attributes are as follows:

  • 11 hit points
  • Air conditioning of thirteen
  • take a chance to knock their target decumbent on each assault

Wolves are 1 of the best options for spells such as conjure animals. With this spell, you tin can summon viii beasts with a challenge rating of 1/four or lower, and with the action economic system and the decent harm output that a pack of eight wolves provides, they can change the tides of combat in low to mid-level games.

9 CR one/2: Crocodile

Dungeons & Dragons crocodile with its jaws wide open in threatening stance

In the challenge rating of 1/2, no beast can be every bit effective as crocodiles. Their bite assail volition grapple and restrain any target that they hit without an initial saving throw, giving all other allies advantage on attack rolls confronting the target until they spend an activity to attempt and break gratuitous. Some of a crocodile's notable attributes are as follows:

  • 19 striking points
  • Air-conditioning of 12
  • 1d10+2 harm with each attack
  • Ability to agree their jiff for 15 minutes

A crocodile is a decent option for low-level druids to shapeshift into or other conjuration spells. They can be especially effective in biomes such equally swamps where they can have full advantage of all their features.

eight CR one: Behemothic Eagle

Dungeons & Dragons Giant Eagle flying in front of a cloudy background

One of the most iconic beasts that Circle of the Moon druids and casters with the polymorph spell love to change into, is a behemothic eagle. Because of their size, they tin can hands comport one medium or two small creatures while flight, making them one of the best options for traveling long distances. Some of a behemothic eagle's notable attributes are as follows:

  • 26 hit points
  • AC of 13
  • eighty feet flying speed
  • corking sight
  • ability to understand Common and Auran languages

With the dandy sight characteristic that gives them advantage on perception checks and their decent intelligence score of eight, they also make for swell scouts. While not the best option for combat encounters, they more than than makeup for it with their utility capabilities.

7 CR 2: Rhinoceros

Dungeons & Dragons, a barbarian holding his axe while riding a rhinoceros mount in a jungle

The large and tanky rhinoceros take to potential to deal the most damage out of all CR ii beasts. With the combination of accuse ability and their gore assail, they tin can even knock their target prone with a high DC of fifteen. Some of a rhino' notable attributes are as follows:

  • 45 hit points
  • AC of 11
  • xl anxiety speed
  • 4d8+5 piercing damage with their charge and gore attack

Their high strength and damage can make them cracking options for breaking through nearly barriers. Rhinoceros is a great ally in most situations, particularly if the political party lacks a potent and tanky forepart liner.

6 CR three: Giant Scorpion

Dungeons & Dragons, a giant scorpion in a desert background

The behemothic scorpion should be a brute familiar to any circumvolve of the moon druid. Information technology's undeniably the best gainsay form for such druids between levels ix-eleven, save for going all out with your elemental wild shape power. Some of a giant scorpion's notable attributes are as follows:

  • 52 hit points
  • Ac of 15
  • blindsight to the range of 60 feet
  • Iii loftier damage attacks

The giant scorpion tin make three attacks each turn, 2 of which deal 1d8 + ii damage and grapple the target on a hit. The last assail is made with its stinger full of mortiferous poison. The attack deals 1d10 + 2 harm initially, and a brute that and so fails a DC 12 Constitution saving throw takes 4d10 poison damage or one-half as much on a success.

5 CR 4: Elephant

Dungeons & Dragons, an elephant riding through a group of horse riders

The elephant is one beast on this listing that ought to exist accessible to every Dungeons and Dragons group. It's listed as an exotic mount in the sourcebooks, and it's a powerful one, at that. Some of an elephant's notable attributes are as follows:

  • 76 hit points
  • Ac of 12
  • 22 strength

The elephant'due south trampling charge ability requires whatever creature that it attacks subsequently moving twenty feet straight towards them to make a DC 12 Forcefulness saving throw or fall decumbent. If this charge knocks a creature decumbent, the elephant can make a 3d10 + 6 harm stomp attack against the target as a bonus action. The outset gore attack deals 3d8 + 6 harm. Needless to say, you lot should be thankful for the elephant'southward usually docile nature.

4 CR 5: Triceratops

Dungeons & Dragons, a triceratops facing a t-rex

The triceratops substantially amounts to an upgraded elephant. Their offensive abilities are more often than not the same, just triceratops is even more durable and faster than elephants. Some of a triceratops' notable attributes are as follows:

  • 95 hitting points
  • AC of 13
  • 50 feet speed

In the Tomb of Annihilation campaign module, a triceratops mountain can be purchased for 500 gilt pieces. It'southward a considerable investment, but a mountain that can protect itself and your belongings is a valuable addition to any political party.

three CR vi: Mammoth

The mammoth is the last upgraded stat block of its elephant descendants. It has the same abilities as both the elephant and triceratops, but with even more hit points and additional die tacked on to its attacks. Some of a mammoth's notable attributes are as follows:

  • 126 hit points
  • AC of xiii
  • 24 strength
  • the potential of dealing 4d8+4d10+14 damage in one plough

These hairy beasts are a forcefulness to be reckoned with, and, to exist entirely honest, information technology might be best if your entrada has already seen them face extinction.

ii CR seven: Giant Ape

Dungeons & Dragons, giant black ape in a grey background

The Giant Ape is one of the nigh pop choices for high-level casters to polymorph into. With a high constitution score, the caster can continue concentration on their class more easily, giving them the ability to become a durable and deadly tank. Some of a giant ape'due south notable attributes are as follows:

  • 157 striking points
  • AC of 12
  • forty feet climbing speed
  • +9 athletics skill

In addition to a difficult-hitting melee attack, the giant ape is the only beast with a ranged attack. It can pick up and throw a nearby rock up to 50 feet, or 100 feet with a disadvantage on the attack. The rock deals 7d6 + 6 bludgeoning impairment on a hit, which is the equivalent of a single target fireball. In curt, don't mess with the big monkey.

1 CR 8: Tyrannosaurus Male monarch

Dungeons & Dragons a tyrannosaurus rex fighting a group of adventurers

The most powerful fauna in Dungeons and Dragons is none other than the tyrant king of the jungle: the tyrannosaurus male monarch. The T-king has a +4 to its perception checks, so, sneaking by information technology isn't e'er an option. On top of that, the tyrant also has a speed of 50 feet. You can't run. You tin can't hide, and the king of beasts' rima oris is stock full of teeth as long as daggers.

  • 136 hit points
  • Air-conditioning of 13
  • bite assail dealing 4d12+7 piercing harm and the power to restrain the target
  • tail assail dealing 3d8+7 bludgeoning damage

The near dangerous power of this brute is that information technology can chop-chop make a meal out of one of your party members and proceed on its style. Like all beasts, though, the T-rex has one fatal flaw. Its intelligence amounts to a total of two, so outsmarting it shouldn't be too difficult.

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