Encounter Anecdote
The first rifle burst dropped it. The second did nothing. By the time the Compendium Agents realized the wounds were knitting shut like cooling wax, the creature was already back on its feet, dragging itself forward with a wet, furious growl. The after-action report added a single underlined note: “Fire worked. Nothing else did.”
Taxonomies
Threat Level: High
Biome: Swamps, Bridges, Caves, Forest Margins
Intelligence Level: Animal Intelligence
Power Category: Supernatural
Origin: Folkloric Entity
Physical Form: Large Humanoid
Behavioral Disposition: Predatory, Territorial
Environmental Interaction: Regenerative, Lair-Shaping
Social Structure: Solitary
Narrative Role: Ambush Predator, Area Denial, Recurring Menace
Physical Description
A troll is a hulking, long-limbed humanoid standing well over two meters tall, with rubbery, mottled green-gray skin stretched over dense muscle and heavy bone. Its arms hang disproportionately long, ending in thick claws, and its mouth is crowded with blunt, tearing teeth. The skin is often slick with mud or algae, blending easily into damp environments. Wounds visibly close in seconds, flesh creeping and stitching with an unpleasant, fibrous motion.
Overview
The troll is a classic supernatural predator distinguished by extreme regenerative ability. Though not highly intelligent, it demonstrates cunning consistent with apex ambush hunters—choosing chokepoints, bridges, and narrow paths where prey cannot easily escape. Its supernatural classification stems from its biologically impossible healing and resistance to conventional harm. In low- or no-magic interpretations, this may be framed as a cryptid with extraordinary metabolism, mutagenic resilience, or unexplained rapid cellular repair.
Encounter Frequency and Usage
Trolls are uncommon but persistent threats in remote or poorly monitored areas, particularly near natural bottlenecks like bridges, ravines, and marsh trails. They work well as territorial bosses, recurring enemies that “won’t stay dead,” or environmental hazards that punish unprepared parties. In Altered Dimensions campaigns, trolls may appear as displaced fauna from harsher ecosystems where regeneration evolved as a survival trait. Many settlements consider them legends until a previously unencountered specimen claims a trade route.
OpenD6 Stat Block
Attributes:
Strength: 5D
Dexterity: 2D+1
Intelligence: 1D+2
Perception: 3D
Wits: 2D
Presence: 2D
Special Abilities:
Regeneration: Recovers 1 wound level (or equivalent damage) each round unless damaged by fire or acid.
Massive Frame: +1D to resist physical damage.
Rend: If both claw attacks hit the same target in a round, deals an additional +1D damage.
Light Sensitivity: −1D to Perception in bright daylight.
Basic Fantasy Stat Block
Armor Class: 16
Hit Dice: 6+3 (30 hp average)
Move: 30 ft.
Attacks: 2 Claws (1d6+2), Bite (1d8)
Special: Regenerates 3 hp/round (fire or acid prevents regeneration that round), Surprise on 1–2 on d6 in swamp or cave
Morale: 10
Alignment: Chaotic
XP Value: 950
Within the Monstrous Compendium, the troll represents the enduring fantasy staple: simple, brutal, and alarmingly hard to kill—a perfect demonstration of how a single supernatural trait can define an entire encounter.
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