Keen Smell. The troll has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.
Regeneration. The troll regains 10 hit points at the start of its turn. If the troll takes acid or fire damage, this trait doesn't function at the start of the troll's next turn. The troll dies only if it starts its turn with 0 hit points and doesn't regenerate.
Actions
Multiattack. The troll makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) slashing damage.
How trolls fight
A troll bites and claws three times a turn for about 29 damage if all three hit, with 84 hit points and AC 15. That’s a strong monster on its own. What makes it famous is Regeneration: at the start of each of its turns it regains 10 hit points, and it only dies if it starts its turn at 0 hit points and doesn’t regenerate.
In other words, knocking a troll to 0 isn’t enough. If nobody burns it with fire or acid, it gets back up at 10 hit points on its next turn and keeps fighting. Parties who don’t know this can be ground down by a single troll; parties who bring torches, Fire Bolt or a flask of acid finish it cleanly.
Running a troll at the table
Let it get back up. The first time a troll rises from 0, the players learn what they’re dealing with. Give them the chance to figure out fire and acid.
Attack the front line. Trolls aren’t subtle; they hit whatever is in front of them, three times a turn.
Use its nose. Keen Smell gives it advantage on Perception by smell, so it can track a wounded, fleeing party.
Retreat to heal. A troll that’s losing can back off for a few rounds and come back with 30 or 40 more hit points.
Common questions
How do you kill a troll in 5e?
Deal fire or acid damage to it. Then its Regeneration doesn’t work at the start of its next turn, and if it starts that turn at 0 hit points, it dies. A single point of fire or acid damage is enough, even from a torch.
What happens when a troll drops to 0 hit points?
It falls, but unless it took fire or acid damage since its last turn, it regains 10 hit points at the start of its next turn and gets up. It only dies if it starts its turn at 0 and doesn’t regenerate.
Does a critical hit or a big hit kill a troll?
No. Damage alone never finishes it. Only starting its turn at 0 hit points without regenerating does.
How dangerous is a troll?
It’s CR 5, worth 1,800 XP. For four characters, the Dungeon Master’s Guide’s encounter math makes it Deadly at 3rd level, Hard at 4th and Easy at 5th, though it lasts longer than its XP suggests if the party has no fire or acid.
Is a troll a giant?
Yes, its creature type is giant, so a Giant Slayer weapon deals its extra damage to it.
CR 4. A two-headed giant that attacks twice and is hard to surprise.
How many trolls for a fight?
A troll is worth 1,800 XP. Using the 2024 encounter budgets (SRD 5.2), this is how many trolls fit each difficulty for a party of four characters of the same level. A dash means even one would be over the budget.
Party level
Low
Moderate
High
4th
—
—
1
5th
1
1
2
6th
1
2
3
7th
1
2
3
8th
2
3
4
9th
2
4
5
10th
3
5
6
11th
4
6
9
12th
4
8
10
13th
5
9
12
14th
6
10
12+
15th
7
12
12+
16th
8
12+
12+
17th
10
12+
12+
18th
11
12+
12+
19th
12
12+
12+
Budgets add up every monster’s XP, so you can swap some for other creatures of the same total. Try other party sizes and mixes in the encounter calculator.
How the troll compares at CR 5
Against the 26 other challenge 5 monsters in the SRD 5.1, the troll has more hit points than 5 of them, which makes it one of the frailest at its CR. See every CR 5 monster.
Statistic
Troll
CR 5 average
Armor Class
15
14.5
Hit points
84
103
Best attack bonus
+7
+7
Troll 2024 stat block
The 2024 Monster Manual revised the troll, and the SRD 5.2 carries the new stat block. What changed:
Hit points: 84 → 94.
New in its stat block: Loathsome Limbs, Rend and Charge.
Gone from it: Keen Smell, Bite and Claw.
Armor Class
15
Hit Points
94 (9d10 + 45)
Speed
30 ft.
Challenge
5 (1,800 XP)
STR
DEX
CON
INT
WIS
CHA
18 (+4)
13 (+1)
20 (+5)
7 (-2)
9 (-1)
7 (-2)
Senses
darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15
Languages
Giant
Traits
Loathsome Limbs (4/Day). If the troll ends any turn Bloodied and took 15+ Slashing damage during that turn, one of the troll’s limbs is severed, falls into the troll’s space, and becomes a Troll Limb. The limb acts immediately after the troll’s turn. The troll has 1 Exhaustion level for each missing limb, and it grows replacement limbs the next time it regains Hit Points.
Regeneration. The troll regains 15 Hit Points at the start of each of its turns. If the troll takes Acid or Fire damage, this trait doesn’t function on the troll’s next turn. The troll dies only if it starts its turn with 0 Hit Points and doesn’t regenerate.
