By Alan McCoy from Dungeons & Dragons: Fundamentals
How to build challenging encounters against a Cyclops
Note: This has been prepared utilizing only the 5E Core Rules. The Cyclops can be found in the Monster Manual page 45.
Cyclops are a variety of giant, huge in size (occupying a 15 ft X 15 ft combat square) and standing roughly twenty feet in height, because of some cataclysmic event in the distant past, the Cyclops has only one eye.
As a hundred bards and they will each tell a different tale on the reason that the Cyclops has only one eye. Some would say it’s a curse inflicted as a punishment; others will claim that the Cyclops voluntarily gave up their second eye in payment for some boon. The simple fact is that the Cyclops themselves do not care.
Cyclops are a variety of giant that tends to live in isolated areas where it is unlikely that they will come into direct contact with people or humanoids. They usually reside in loose communities where they can visit other Cyclops in a day’s journey. Possible reasons for making that journey include social activity, to include seeking a mate, or trade of objects found or captured.
When not travelling, Cyclops are herdsmen that build large stone dwellings that they can withdraw their entire herd within at night, thus their dwellings double as enormous barns.Cyclops are not religious creatures, but they are pragmatists, if they discover that there is a benefit from paying homage to a being, or taking part in some ritual, they’ll do so, for as long as the benefit lasts.
Cyclops are simple creatures with a simple existence and are often awed by those using magic, they are capable of learning however, and will quickly lose their fear and respect for any ‘harmless’ magic employed against them. If they discover that a being exploited their fear and fooled them, that person will be their primary target.
Step 1) Let’s Review what we know about Cyclops
They are HUGE, (15X15 and 20 feet tall)
Physically they are immensely strong (+6), of Average Dexterity, and Amazingly resilient (Con +5).
Mentally they are below average in intelligence (-1), have poor judgement (-2) and only their great size provides them with any real presence.
Cyclops move up to 30 feet per round. (see note in tips and observations)
Cyclops have poor depth perception and thus have disadvantage on attack rolls against a target more than 30 feet away.
Step 2) Determine the probable Strategy
Most Cyclops want to be left alone to tend their flocks, trade with their neighbors, and eat the odd traveler that makes it their way. Along the way, they want to avoid being entangled in anyone else’s conflict. They especially hate being made fools of.
To accomplish these goals, the Cyclops will probably build strong walls for it’s barn-home. It will carefully investigate the pasture it has prepared and will know its own ground intimately. The Cyclops will keep a plentiful supply of large rocks available, stashed in places around it’s pasture, but especially in or near the barn-home to use both as a means of sealing up the structure, but also to be thrown as a missile weapon.
If Cyclops are like many herdsmen, then they probably must engage in daily milking of at least part of their flock. While this will result in food products such as cheeses for trade, it can also result in fermented food products and intoxicants. Can you say Drunk Cyclops?
Because the Cyclops are herdsmen, and herdsmen know their flocks, the noise of the flock is going to provide advance warning to the Cyclops regarding intruders.
Step 3) Determine Tactics
Unless caught completely unaware, the first response of a Cyclops to a threat is to throw a rock at it. Due to the poor depth perception of the Cyclops, all Rocks thrown are at disadvantage when thrown at targets greater than 30 feet away. Maximum Range is 120 feet.
This means that if the Cyclops is going to throw a rock, then they will use their movement to close the range and possibly negate the disadvantage.
The damage potential of the Rock is exceedingly high, but thankfully this is limited to the single rock per round rate of fire.
For close combat, the Cyclops usually utilizes an enormous great club, there have been reports of these creatures utilizing metal weaponry, so the possiblity of other weaponry should not be discounted. With the Great Club, the Cyclops enjoys the ability to Multi-Attack, as well as a ten-foot reach with the weapon.
It should be noted that mere size of the Cyclops may mean that it does not need to break contact with anyone thus it may never be subject to an attack of opportunity.
Step 4) DM Tips and Observations
Assuming your Player Characters are reasonably optimized and tier two, they will have a +3 Proficiency bonus and a +3 Ability score bonus, giving them without any magical bonuses a +6 to hit. Using AC 14, your player characters will need an 8 or better to hit. This seems low to me, but to provide them with a higher AC just doesn’t seem to fit the creature. I suggest that these creatures be given resistance to Piercing, Slashing and Bludgeoning attacks.
The movement rate for a huge creature at 30 is way too slow. I suggest 50. Additionally, based on the size of these creatures, it is reasonable to assume that what might be “difficult terrain” for a human sized creature, is not difficult for a creature of this size. This should go both ways, there are places where their huge size will make it difficult to maneuver and move.
I find myself dissatisfied by their lack of compensating senses. I would give the Cyclops Keen Hearing and Keen Smell. This enables them to keep better track of their flock and identify even specific individuals. Plus, it will give you the chance to pursue invaders with a reasonable chance of success.
The range of the “Rock Throw” ability of the Cyclops seems ridiculously short, at 30/120, unless there is a situational issue, the better play would be to move in with the spiked club. To make this attack relevant, I’d suggest giving it at least the range of a longbow (150/600) and would not feel badly about a 300/1200 range.
Finally, in our own society we have animals that have been trained to assist in our daily tasks, some are even trained to assist persons that have lost physical abilities most would consider normal. Shepherds have trained animal helpers for centuries. Taking that one step further, it is possible that some Cyclops would have support animal that would help them aim. If defined in the terms of a Dire Wolf, you’d have an animal that can dodge around the target while letting its pack tactics eliminate the disadvantage from depth perception.
