Minotaur

Large monstrosity, chaotic evil

Armor Class
14
natural armor
Hit Points
76
9d10 + 27
Speed
40 ft.
  • STR +4
  • DEX 0
  • CON +3
  • INT -2
  • WIS +3
  • CHA -1
Skills
Perception +7
Senses
darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 17
Languages
Abyssal
Challenge 3 700 XP · Proficiency +2

Traits

Charge

If the minotaur moves at least 10 feet straight toward a target and then hits it with a gore attack on the same turn, the target takes an extra 9 (2d8) piercing damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 14 Strength saving throw or be pushed up to 10 feet away and knocked prone.

Labyrinthine Recall

The minotaur can perfectly recall any path it has traveled.

Reckless

At the start of its turn, the minotaur can gain advantage on all melee weapon attack rolls it makes during that turn, but attack rolls against it have advantage until the start of its next turn.

Actions

Greataxe

Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (2d12 + 4) slashing damage.

Gore

Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) piercing damage.

How to run it

Reckless is the interesting choice, and the minotaur should take it almost every round. Advantage on a +6 greataxe swinging for 17 is a character-ending amount of damage, and the cost is that the party hits it back more easily. A minotaur that plays safe is a minotaur played wrong.

Open with Charge if there is room to run: 10 feet of movement in a straight line, then a gore for 13 plus 9 with a DC 14 save or prone. A prone character next to a Reckless minotaur is in serious trouble.

Building the encounter

One minotaur is a hard fight for a party of four at level 3 and a good one at level 4. Passive Perception 17 means it is very hard to ambush.

It wants a long approach and room to build up speed. Corridors that run straight, a wide hall, a maze with sight lines. Charge is half the stat block and a cramped room removes it.

What to pair it with

It works best alone, as the thing at the centre of a labyrinth. Labyrinthine Recall exists to make it the master of its own map, and pairing it with anything dilutes that.

If you need more, use lesser creatures to herd the party into open ground where the minotaur can charge, rather than fighting alongside it.

Reskins

A big charging bruiser that trades defence for offence. Reflavour as a war beast, an ogre with a running start, a cursed knight, or something with horns from any mythology you like.

Charge and Reckless together produce a very specific feel: an enemy that is winning and losing at the same time. Keep both or the creature becomes ordinary.

Commonly played wrong

Charge requires 10 feet of movement in a straight line toward the target and applies only to the gore attack, not the greataxe. A minotaur that charges is trading its 17-damage axe for a 13-damage gore plus 9 and a knockdown, which is usually worth it but is a real choice.

Reckless is declared at the start of its turn, before it knows how the round will go. That is the gamble, and deciding after seeing the party's rolls is a common and significant cheat.

Compared to others at this CR

At CR 3 the minotaur has more hit points than the owlbear and hits harder on a single attack, but only attacks once. The owlbear's two attacks are more reliable; the minotaur's one attack is more frightening.

Against the werewolf it is the opposite kind of problem: no immunities, nothing clever, just a very large axe. Parties who found the werewolf frustrating will find the minotaur satisfying.

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