Copyright 2011 Wizards of the Coast.

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I’ll get this out of the way first: this entry fully buys into all the tired racist stereotypes for D&D humanoids. Already in its second sentence, it calls them “primitive, tribal, cruel” and cannibalistic. I’m going to strip all of this out and try to present a less bad version.

The Lore

There are several lizardfolk tribes living in the Witchlight Fens. A good number of them are under the rule of the dragon Shadowmire, but not all. All of them are territorial and tend to distrust outsiders, as mentioned in the Monster Manual 1 version of their writeups.

The Witchlight Fens got this name because the local fauna includes several different times of “witchlights”, mundane or magical creatures that are capable of producing spheres of glowing light visible in the distance. One species, known as “fastlights”, usually tries to flee from living creatures, but the lizardfolk of the Fens have learned to trap and tame them.

The three largest tribes in the area are the Brackmarsh, who enthusiastically swore loyalty to Shadowmire and as a result have been able to conquer much of the northern and western portions of the Fens, driving their rivals out; the Mistkillers who live in the eastern sector and feud with the Daggerburg goblins, only occasionally obeying the dragon; and the Crushwater, who live in the fens’ central region and fiercely resist draconic dominance.

None of them are likely to receive PCs who don’t belong to the same tribe with open arms, but I think it should at least be possible to negotiate with them. The Brackmarshes or other tribes you add that are more directly controlled by Shadowmire are even less likely to be friendly to people who don’t also serve the dragon, and will probably make a good portion of his ground troops.

The Numbers

All of the tribes mentioned here have a mix of all three standard lizardfolk ethnicities, and can contain a mix of the standard stat blocks from the Monster Vault or other sources. We also get a new batch of stats that apply to them specifically and can be used elsewhere.

As usual, the lizardfolk here have a speed of 6 and Swamp Walk, and have no special senses or resistances.

Lizardfolk Mire Scout

A quick but fragile scout with a pet fastlight. It’s a level 3 Minion Skirmisher. It fights in melee with claws that let it shift 2 squares as an effect, but prefers to keep away and harass enemies with Fastlight Shots that do radiant damage.

Lizardfolk Bog Walker

A beefier warrior who’s more at home than usual in the water. This is a Level 3 Soldier with 44 HP and a swim speed of 4 in addition to its normal movement described above. The bog walker can make basic claw attacks, but it prefers to grab its does and drown them with Drag Down.

This can only be done if the bog walker is in water at least 1 square deep, and doesn’t already have a grabbed victim. It’s a melee attack vs. Reflex, and on a hit it damages and grabs the target (escape DC 13). Until the grab ends, the target must make a DC 13 Endurance check at the start of their turns, and take 10 damage if that check fails. Even on a miss with the initial attack, the target is still immobilized for a turn.

10 damage per turn is a lot for the early Heroic tier. PCs are at a real risk of drowning if they have a run of bad luck on their rolls and don’t get help.

Lizardfolk Fen Spy

This Level 4 Lurker is also proficient in the use of fastlights as a weapon. It can use its Witchlight Mists ability to become invisible as an at-will standard action, and from there it can use a ranged Fastlight Strike to deal heavy radiant damage, inflict ongoing 5 radiant damage, and blind (save ends both). If it can’t become invisible again due to PC pressure, it will use basic attacks with its thorn dagger, which deal poison damage and inflict a -2 penalty to AC and Reflex.

Lizardfolk Shocker

A spellcaster specializing in lightning magic, it’s Level 5 Artillery with 50 HP. The shocker wields a Greatclub in melee, and slings lightning spells at range. There’s the single-target at will Witch Lightning, and there’s the encounter Ball of Lightning, which is basically a fireball with a different element.

When someone hits then with a ranged or area attack, they can react with a sudden jolt that deals automatic lightning damage to the attacker, which means you want to close on them fast instead of trading shots from afar.

Lizardfolk Dreadtail

A warrior who believes you shouldn’t skip tail day at the gym. Dreadtails are Level 5 Soldiers with 52 HP. They fight with spears that damage and mark for a turn, but they can also use Reach 2 tail slaps that do less damage but target Reflex and knock prone on a hit. Their Slap Down maneuver (recharge 5+) allows them to use both in a single action. If someone marks the dreadtail, its Spirit Interference reaction marks the offender right back.

Dreadtails want to mark dangerous PCs, and then keep them prone with repeated tail slaps. There’s no special ability to punish a PC who ignores the mark, but it’s hard to fight anyone while prone.

Lizardfolk Dreadnought

A chieftain or lieutenant whose Large size ensures it’s a terrifying sight in battle. It’s a Level 7 Elite Brute with 190 HP and the Leader tag. The Dreadnought’s Wrath is a palpable thing that acts as an aura (2) which gives allies inside a +2 bonus to hit and damage.

Like most brutes, dreadnoughts want to be right in the thick of the melee. Their skills make them excellent at disrupting the enemy front line and opening the way to the squishies at the back. Their basic Greatclub attacks do heavy damage, push the target 2 squares, and let the dreadnought shift 2 squares to chase the enemy. As minor actions, they can distribute Low Blows that target Fortitude, do the same damage, and knock prone.

Once the way is opened, they can the You Fight Now! minor action to let an ally within 5 squares make a free charge attack. This ally and any others who make it through will then stick close to their boss to enjoy that attack bonus.

Lizardfolk Chief

A more sophisticated leader with a simpler stat block, the chief is a Level 7 Soldier with 156 HP. It fights with a Battleaxe whose blows slow for a turn on a hit, and can make Double Attacks with it. If an enemy adjacent to the chief shifts, it can attack them with a Tail Lash that does light physical damage and knocks prone. Once per encounter it can use Fighting Spirit to allow every ally in a close burst 2 to make a free basic attack.

The chief works well as the core of the enemy front-line, using its slow and trip powers to keep PCs from reaching its squishier buddies.

Lizardfolk Marsh Mystic

This is a variant of the Bog Mystic from the Monster Vault, of a lower level and with some abilities replaced by Witchlight-specific traits. It’s a Level 4 Controller (Leader) with 53 HP.

Its first novel trait is Marsh Mist, a very wide aura (10!) that prevents allies inside from being surprised and gives them a +5 to Perception and Stealth. Its spear can damage and slide targets 2 squares on a hit, and its main ranged attack is a Fastlight Shock that deals lightning and radiant damage, and immobilizes for a turn. If the target was already immobilized, it’s dazed instead. On a miss, it slows for a turn with no damage.

The mystic can also cast a Bog Cloud, an encounter Area Burst 1 that deals poison damage and dazes (save ends) on a hit. On a miss, it deals half damage and forces targets to grant combat advantage (save ends).

These are excellent ambush leaders whose presence will all but guarantee the PCs are surprised, and whose riders on their many attacks will keep them locked down for Team Monster’s strikers.

Final Impression

There’s good mechanical variety here, but I am very unimpressed with the book’s default portrayal of lizardfolk. This is a big let-down after the Wandering Tower.