Ogres: Three Clan Ladders | 5e Monsters

Ogres: Three Ogre Clan Ladders is a monster supplement for 5e that presents ogres not as disposable brutes or background muscle, but as structured societies shaped by terrain, dominance, and survival. Instead of relying on a single generic ogre stat block, this book provides three complete and escalating NPC ladders: rugged highland warbands, frostbound tundra clans, and territorial swamp kings.

These are not new ancestries. They are environmental outcomes.

The intent of this product is cultural escalation and regional identity. Highland ogres represent territorial dominance and mountain strongholds carved from stone. Ice ogres represent endurance, seasonal strategy, and the slow inevitability of winter warfare. Swamp ogres represent adaptation to hostile terrain, territorial stubbornness, and a crude but effective form of localized rule. Each ladder escalates not simply in strength, but in authority, cohesion, and the ability to project power.

Geography, allegiance, and historical origin are intentionally undefined. These NPCs can represent mountain raiders taxing trade routes, tundra warbands testing frontier settlements, or marsh-dwelling tyrants controlling hidden waterways. They are not meant to replace traditional ogres—they expand them, offering structure and hierarchy where there was once only brute force.

How organized they become, how intelligent their leadership grows, and whether they remain isolated tribes or evolve into regional threats is left entirely in the GM’s hands.

Highland Ogre Ladder

Ogre Child (CR 0): Noncombatant youth raised in rocky camps and crude cave holds, oversized and temperamental but dependent on stronger clan members for protection.

Ogre Brute (CR 1): Baseline tribal warrior who relies on overwhelming strength and intimidation, quick to anger and quicker to swing.

Ogre Reaver (CR 3): Hardened raider trusted to enforce clan dominance, more controlled than a brute but still driven by pride and territorial fury.

Ogre Warcaller (CR 5): Battlefield leader who rallies nearby ogres with thunderous roars, directing raids through presence and raw authority.

Ogre Overlord (CR 7): Dominant tribal ruler who secures mountain passes and stone strongholds through calculated brutality and visible strength.

Ogre High Warlord (CR 9): Apex leader capable of uniting multiple highland clans into a regional threat, combining immense physical power with practical battlefield cunning.

Ice Ogre Ladder

Ice Ogre Whelp (CR 0): Tundra-born youth hardened by cold winds and scarcity, already accustomed to snowbound survival and clan dependence.

Ice Ogre Breaker (CR 1): Frostbitten warrior who smashes through shields and ice alike, using strength and winter terrain to wear down foes.

Ice Ogre Stalker (CR 3): Relentless hunter who moves confidently across snow and frozen ground, slowing prey before closing for the kill.

Ice Ogre Tyrant (CR 5): Commanding tundra brute who dominates frozen battlefields, driving allies forward with cold resolve rather than reckless fury.

Ice Ogre Chieftain (CR 7): Seasonal war leader who plans raids around winter hardship, consolidating power across harsh and unforgiving landscapes.

Ice Ogre King (CR 9): Frostbound sovereign who unites scattered clans under one banner, embodying endurance, authority, and the inevitability of winter conquest.

Swamp Ogre Ladder

Swamp Ogre Bogling (CR 0): Marsh-raised youth comfortable in mud and stagnant water, loud, territorial, and fiercely protective of home ground.

Swamp Ogre Basher (CR 1): Thick-skinned swamp warrior who fights with crude timber weapons and uses unstable footing to its advantage.

Swamp Ogre Enforcer (CR 3): Territorial hunter who drags enemies into sucking mire before delivering disciplined, punishing blows.

Swamp Ogre Gator-Breaker (CR 5): Battle-proven champion who wrestles beasts and rivals alike, asserting dominance through brute force and swamp cunning.

Swamp Ogre Boss (CR 7): Established marsh ruler who controls hidden waterways and ambush points, commanding through bluster and calculated retaliation.

Swamp Ogre King (CR 9): Self-proclaimed sovereign of the marshlands whose authority rests on fear, territorial control, and mastery of hostile terrain.

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