The Wilds: all 32 monster factions

Between the players' cities, the board belongs to the wilds: 32 factions of creature camps, from goblin warbands and wolf packs to a Dragon Brood. Each faction maps the six chess pieces to its own creatures, so a Goblin Boss is a king and moves and fights exactly like one.

Camps grow over time. Beat a camp's king in a game of chess and the camp scatters, leaving a hoard of resources behind. Rare factions live in rare lands (ash plains, frozen wastes, fey glades, deserts), and the greatest of them leave relics. Creatures never join you: they are monsters, not recruits. The rules are in the guide's Wilds, Raids and Hoards sections.

How they behave

• Herd: grazing animals. They never attack, and fight only when attacked.
• Lair: guards its den, and attacks kings that come close to its camp.
• Horde: raiders. They attack kings that come close, and roam wider.

Common factions

Ape Troop

commonCanopy Nest · lair

Clever, loud and strong. They defend their fruit trees with thrown rocks.

Lives in: jungle lands, near wood.

king

Silverback

queen

Great Mother

rook

Gorilla Brute

bishop

Mandrill Elder

knight

Swinging Ape

pawn

Monkey

Bandit Company

commonBandit Camp · horde

Deserters and thieves who tax every road they can see from their camp.

Lives in: meadow, woodland, autumn lands, near ore.

king

Bandit Lord

queen

Bandit Captain

rook

Thug

bishop

Hedge Wizard

knight

Highwayman

pawn

Cutpurse

Boar Sounder

commonWallow · herd

They root through the forest floor and charge anything that startles them.

Lives in: woodland, autumn, jungle lands, near wood.

king

Boar King

queen

Great Sow

rook

Dire Boar

bishop

Old Tusker

knight

Charging Boar

pawn

Piglet

Frogfolk Bog

commonBog Mound · horde

Croaking raiders of the marsh who steal anything that floats.

Lives in: swamp lands, near water.

king

Frog King

queen

Toad Matron

rook

Giant Toad

bishop

Bog Mystic

knight

Newt Rider

pawn

Frogling

Gnoll Pack

commonGnoll Lair · horde

Laughing hunters of the open plains. They never stop moving for long.

Lives in: savanna, desert lands, near crops.

king

Fang Lord

queen

Pack Mother

rook

Hulking Gnoll

bishop

Witherling

knight

Hyena

pawn

Gnoll

Goblin Warband

commonGoblin Camp · horde

Squabbling raiders who nest in quarries and hoard whatever shines.

Lives in: highland, meadow, badlands lands, near stone.

king

Goblin Boss

queen

Hobgoblin Captain

rook

Bugbear Brute

bishop

Goblin Hexer

knight

Wolf Rider

pawn

Goblin

Kobold Warren

commonKobold Warren · lair

Tunnelers who worship a sleeping dragon and trap every path to their gold.

Lives in: badlands, highland, desert lands, near ore.

king

Kobold Chieftain

queen

Dragon Wyrmling

rook

Burrow Drake

bishop

Scale Sorcerer

knight

Weasel Rider

pawn

Kobold

Lion Pride

commonPride Rock · lair

Lords of the long grass. They hunt at dusk and sleep through the heat.

Lives in: savanna lands, near crops.

king

Pride Lord

queen

Lioness

rook

Rhinoceros

bishop

Old Mane

knight

Cheetah

pawn

Lion Cub

Lizardfolk Tribe

commonSwamp Village · lair

Patient hunters of the riverbanks who never waste anything they catch.

Lives in: swamp, jungle lands, near water.

king

Lizard King

queen

Lizard Queen

rook

Crocodile

bishop

Swamp Shaman

knight

Giant Lizard

pawn

Lizardfolk

Mammoth Herd

commonFrozen Wallow · herd

Slow giants of the tundra. Nothing stands in front of a charging herd.

Lives in: tundra lands, near crops.

king

Mammoth Bull

queen

Mammoth Matriarch

rook

Woolly Rhino

bishop

Elder Tusker

knight

Musk Ox

pawn

Mammoth Calf

Orc Warhost

commonOrc War Camp · horde

A war band on the march, taking the fields of anyone too weak to hold them.

Lives in: savanna, meadow, badlands lands, near crops. Only where the land is rated 900 or more.

king

Orc Warchief

queen

Blood Priestess

rook

Ogre

bishop

Orc Shaman

knight

Boar Rider

pawn

Orc

Scorpion Swarm

commonDune Burrow · lair

The dunes hide them until the sand starts to move.

Lives in: desert, badlands lands, near stone.

king

Scorpion King

queen

Scorpion Queen

rook

Giant Scorpion

bishop

Stinger Priest

knight

Scuttler

pawn

Scorpling

Sporefolk Circle

commonFairy Ring · herd

Gentle mushroom folk who share dreams through their spores. Rarely hostile.

Lives in: mushroom, swamp, jungle lands, near wood.

king

Spore Sovereign

queen

Spore Mother

rook

Shambling Mound

bishop

Spore Druid

knight

Toad Rider

pawn

Sprout

Stag Herd

commonGlade · herd

Grazers of the meadows. Peaceful, unless their stag is threatened.

Lives in: meadow, birch, woodland, autumn lands, near crops.

king

Great Stag

queen

Silver Hind

rook

Elk

bishop

White Hart

knight

Swift Buck

pawn

Fawn

Wolf Pack

commonWolf Den · lair

They follow the herds through the pines and defend their den to the last.

Lives in: taiga, woodland, birch lands, near wood.

king

Alpha Wolf

queen

Dire Wolf

rook

Cave Bear

bishop

Moon Howler

knight

Worg

pawn

Grey Wolf

Uncommon factions

Centaur Tribe

uncommonHill Camp · lair

Proud archers of the open hills. They read war in the stars.

Lives in: meadow, highland, savanna lands, near crops. Only where the land is rated 1100 or more.

king

Centaur Chieftain

queen

Centaur Oracle

rook

Stone Hurler

bishop

Star Reader

knight

Centaur Lancer

pawn

Centaur Scout

Earthen Court

uncommonStanding Stones · lair

The hills themselves, awake. They care nothing for crowns, only for the stone.

Lives in: crystal, highland, badlands lands, near stone. Only where the land is rated 1300 or more.

king

Stone Sovereign

queen

Crystal Queen

rook

Earth Elemental

bishop

Geode Seer

knight

Rolling Boulder

pawn

Pebble Sprite

Fey Court

uncommonMoonlit Glade · herd

Revelers from another world, dancing at the edge of this one.

Lives in: fey, blossom lands, near water.

king

Satyr Lord

queen

Dryad

rook

Treant

bishop

Pixie Seer

knight

Unicorn

pawn

Satyr

Fire Clan

uncommonMagma Forge · horde

Born in the ash fields. They forge weapons in the rivers of fire.

Lives in: volcanic lands, near ore. Only where the land is rated 1300 or more.

king

Salamander Lord

queen

Flame Matron

rook

Magma Golem

bishop

Ember Priest

knight

Hell Hound

pawn

Salamander

Frost Clan

uncommonIce Cave · horde

Giants and yetis of the far snows. Their breath freezes the rivers.

Lives in: tundra, taiga lands, near stone. Only where the land is rated 1200 or more.

king

Frost Jarl

queen

Ice Witch

rook

Yeti

bishop

Rime Shaman

knight

Winter Wolf

pawn

Snow Imp

Harpy Roost

uncommonRoost · lair

Their songs carry down the cliffs. Travelers who follow them rarely return.

Lives in: highland, badlands lands, near stone.

king

Harpy Matriarch

queen

Siren

rook

Roc Fledgling

bishop

Harpy Crone

knight

Vulture Rider

pawn

Harpy

Owlbear Brood

uncommonOwlbear Nest · lair

Half owl, half bear, entirely territorial. Leave the nest alone.

Lives in: woodland, autumn, birch, taiga lands, near wood.

king

Elder Owlbear

queen

Owlbear Matron

rook

Brown Bear

bishop

Great Horned Owl

knight

Owlbear Cub

pawn

Owlbear Chick

Restless Dead

uncommonBarrow · horde

Old soldiers who never stopped marching. Their barrows are full of grave goods.

Lives in: blight, highland, tundra lands, near stone.

king

Skeleton Lord

queen

Wight

rook

Bone Golem

bishop

Necromancer

knight

Skeletal Steed

pawn

Skeleton

Sahuagin Raiders

uncommonTide Camp · horde

Sea devils who wade up the rivers to raid. They hate the dry land folk.

Lives in: swamp, jungle, meadow lands, near water. Only where the land is rated 1000 or more.

king

Sahuagin Baron

queen

Sea Priestess

rook

Giant Crab

bishop

Tide Priest

knight

Shark Rider

pawn

Sahuagin

Serpent Cult

uncommonSnake Temple · horde

Cold-blooded priests who drag captives to their temples in the green.

Lives in: jungle, desert lands, near ore. Only where the land is rated 1200 or more.

king

Serpent Emperor

queen

Naga Queen

rook

Great Constrictor

bishop

Venom Priest

knight

Cobra Rider

pawn

Snakeling

Spider Nest

uncommonWebbed Hollow · lair

The trees here are heavy with silk. Things hang in it that were once travelers.

Lives in: jungle, woodland, blight lands, near wood.

king

Brood Mother

queen

Phase Spider

rook

Giant Spider

bishop

Web Witch

knight

Leaping Spider

pawn

Spiderling

Troll Band

uncommonTroll Cave · horde

Huge, hungry and hard to kill. They come down from the mountains in lean years.

Lives in: taiga, highland, swamp lands, near stone. Only where the land is rated 1100 or more.

king

Troll Chief

queen

Troll Hag

rook

Stone Giant

bishop

Troll Seer

knight

Warg

pawn

Troll Whelp

Rare factions

Griffon Aerie

rareAerie · lair

Half eagle, half lion. They nest on the highest crags and hate horses.

Lives in: highland lands, near stone. Only where the land is rated 1400 or more.

king

Griffon King

queen

Sky Queen

rook

Roc

bishop

Thunderbird

knight

Hippogriff

pawn

Griffon Chick

Hag Coven

rareWitch Hut · lair

Three sisters in a hut that walks. They trade in names, and never fairly.

Lives in: swamp, blight lands, near water. Only where the land is rated 1300 or more.

king

Hag Mother

queen

Green Hag

rook

Flesh Golem

bishop

Bog Witch

knight

Raven Rider

pawn

Scarecrow

Kitsune Shrine

rareFox Shrine · lair

Foxes older than any kingdom, keeping a shrine under the blossoms.

Lives in: blossom lands, near wood. Only where the land is rated 1200 or more.

king

Nine-Tail Sage

queen

Fox Empress

rook

Lion Dog

bishop

Shrine Keeper

knight

Spirit Fox

pawn

Fox Kit

Tomb Guard

rareBuried Tomb · lair

Wrapped kings who still guard the gold they were buried with.

Lives in: desert lands, near ore. Only where the land is rated 1400 or more.

king

Mummy Lord

queen

Tomb Queen

rook

Stone Sphinx

bishop

Embalmer

knight

Jackal Warrior

pawn

Mummy

Legendary factions

Dragon Brood

legendaryDragon Hoard · lair

An old red and her brood, asleep on a mountain of gold. Mostly asleep.

Lives in: volcanic, highland, badlands lands, near ore. Only where the land is rated 1700 or more.

king

Red Dragon

queen

Dragon Matriarch

rook

Drake

bishop

Wyrm Seer

knight

Wyvern

pawn

Dragon Whelp