Keen Hearing and Smell. The wolf has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell.
Pack Tactics. The wolf has advantage on attack rolls against a creature if at least one of the wolf's allies is within 5 ft. of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated.
Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (2d4 + 2) piercing damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 11 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
How wolves fight
A wolf alone is weak: 11 hit points and a bite for 2d4 + 2. Wolves don’t hunt alone. Pack Tactics gives each wolf advantage on attacks when another wolf is next to the target, and every bite forces a DC 11 Strength save or the target is knocked prone. Once a character is down, every wolf next to it attacks with advantage anyway.
They move 40 feet, have advantage on Perception checks by hearing and smell, and are hard to outrun or sneak past. A pack of four or five can surround and drag down a lone traveler, or a lone adventurer who strays from the party.
Running wolves at the table
Surround one target. Two or three wolves on the same character turn every bite into an advantaged attack, and one knockdown makes it worse.
Flee when hurt. Wolves are animals; a badly wounded wolf, or a pack that loses half its number, runs.
Pair them with riders or masters. Goblins, gnolls and werewolves often keep wolves, and a worg or dire wolf makes a good pack leader.
Common questions
How many wolves for a party of four 1st-level characters?
A wolf is CR 1/4, worth 50 XP. By the Dungeon Master’s Guide’s encounter math, two are Easy, three are Hard and four are Deadly.
Can a druid Wild Shape into a wolf?
Yes. It’s a CR 1/4 beast with no flying or swimming speed, so any druid can take its form from 2nd level.
Can a ranger have a wolf companion?
Yes. A Beast Master ranger’s companion can be a beast of CR 1/4 or lower that is Medium or smaller, and the wolf is one of the most popular choices.
Can I summon wolves with Conjure Animals?
Yes. Conjure Animals can summon eight beasts of CR 1/4 or lower, and eight wolves with Pack Tactics is one of the spell’s strongest options, though a lot of creatures to run.
Does a wolf’s bite always knock you prone?
Only if you fail a DC 11 Strength saving throw after being hit.
CR 1/8. A guard dog that can knock intruders prone.
How many wolves for a fight?
A wolf is worth 50 XP. Using the 2024 encounter budgets (SRD 5.2), this is how many wolves 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
1st
4
6
8
2nd
8
12
12+
3rd
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 wolf compares at CR 1/4
Against the 31 other challenge 1/4 monsters in the SRD 5.1, the wolf has more hit points than 5 of them, which makes it one of the frailest at its CR. See every CR 1/4 monster.
Statistic
Wolf
CR 1/4 average
Armor Class
13
11.7
Hit points
11
15
Best attack bonus
+4
+4
Wolf 2024 stat block
The 2024 Monster Manual revised the wolf, and the SRD 5.2 carries the new stat block. What changed:
Armor Class: 13 → 12.
Ability scores: STR 12 → 14.
Gone from it: Keen Hearing and Smell.
Armor Class
12
Hit Points
11 (2d8 + 2)
Speed
40 ft.
Challenge
1/4 (50 XP)
STR
DEX
CON
INT
WIS
CHA
14 (+2)
15 (+2)
12 (+1)
3 (-4)
12 (+1)
6 (-2)
Senses
darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15
Languages
None
Traits
Pack Tactics. The wolf has Advantage on attack rolls against a creature if at least one of the wolf’s allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally doesn’t have the Incapacitated condition.
Actions
Bite. Melee Attack Roll: +4, reach 5 ft. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) Piercing damage. If the target is a Medium or smaller creature, it has the Prone condition.
