Wolf
Medium Beast · · CR 1/4
- Beast
- Medium
- Tier 1
Ranges across forest, grassland, and hill; Wolf lists at CR 1/4 as a medium beast (unaligned). Sourced from Monster Manual (5e 2014) and Monster Manual (5.5e 2024).
Stat Block
- Challenge Rating
- 1/4
- Type
- Beast
- Size
- Medium
- Alignment
- —
- Speed
- —
- Habitats
- Forest, Grassland, Hill
- Sources
- Monster Manual (5e 2014), Monster Manual (5.5e 2024)
Ecology
Wolves form packs of five to ten individuals, dominated by a breeding pair. They occupy territories of dozens of square miles, hunting deer, elk, and smaller mammals. Pack dynamics are complex, with strict hierarchies and elaborate social rituals. Lone wolves are usually young dispersers seeking new territory or old loners pushed out of their pack. Wolf populations regulate prey species, and their absence reshapes ecosystems significantly within a few generations.
Behaviour
Wolves communicate through howls, body language, and scent marking. Pack hunts demonstrate planning and role assignment, with members herding, flanking, and finishing prey in coordination. They are wary of humans but lose this fear quickly in regions where they are not hunted. They mate for life within the breeding pair and care for pups communally. Adopted humans raised by wolves are more legend than reality, but pack bonds with shapechangers are well-documented.
Origin
Wolves predate most magical creatures and feature in nearly every mythology. Some traditions claim wolves were the first creatures to follow humans, becoming dogs over millennia. Others describe wolves as separate divine creations meant to balance the encroachment of mortal civilization. Werewolves complicate the narrative, blurring the line between species. Druidic traditions revere wolves as keepers of wild balance, regardless of mythological frame.
Related Monsters
Frequently Asked Questions about Wolf
- What is the challenge rating of Wolf?
- Wolf's challenge rating is 1/4. A party in this band fits a tier-1 party (levels 1-4).
- What type of creature is Wolf?
- The bestiary type for Wolf is beast, medium size.
- Where does Wolf live?
- In the bestiary, Wolf appears in Forest, Grassland, Hill.