Running a Giant Goat fight this week? Loreify records your session and writes the recap, including every monster, NPC and loot drop your party ran into.
Giant Goat 5e: Charge, Knockdowns and Mountain Mounts
A giant goat is a CR 1/2 Large Beast with AC 11, 19 hit points, a 40-foot speed and one attack: a Ram that hits harder when the goat runs at least 20 feet straight at its target first. In the 2014 rules that charge adds 5 (2d4) damage and forces a DC 13 Strength save against being knocked Prone. In the 2024 rules there's no save: a charged hit puts any Large or smaller target on the ground. The 2024 goat also climbs (30 feet) and sees in the dark, which turns it into a cliff-side ambusher and a better mount for mountain campaigns.
Your players will remember this fight. Will you? Loreify turns your session audio into notes, NPC lists and quotes in 5-10 minutes.
Giant Goat Stat Block (2014)
The SRD 5.1 giant goat:
Giant Goat
Large beast, unaligned
Armor Class 11
Hit Points 19 (3d10+3)
Speed 40 ft.
STR
17 (+3)
DEX
11 (+0)
CON
12 (+1)
INT
3 (−4)
WIS
12 (+1)
CHA
6 (−2)
Senses passive Perception 11
Languages —
Challenge 1/2 (XP 100; PB +2)
Traits
Charge.If the goat moves at least 20 ft. straight toward a target and then hits it with a ram attack on the same turn, the target takes an extra 5 (2d4) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
Sure-Footed.The goat has advantage on Strength and Dexterity saving throws made against effects that would knock it prone.
Actions
Ram.Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (2d4 + 3) bludgeoning damage.
Stat block from the SRD 5.1 (2014 rules) by Wizards of the Coast, licensed under CC-BY-4.0. Check an encounter with this monster in the encounter calculator.
Sure-Footed is the 2014 goat's defensive trait: Advantage on Strength and Dexterity saves against effects that would knock it Prone. It covers saves only. A 2014 Shove is a contested Athletics check, so the trait doesn't help against it. The ordinary goat and the mule have the same trait in 2014.
The Giant Goat in the 2024 Rules
Giant Goat
Large Beast, Unaligned
Armor Class 11
Initiative +1 (11)
Hit Points 19 (3d10 + 3)
Speed 40 ft., climb 30 ft.
STR
17 (+3)save +5
DEX
13 (+1)save +1
CON
12 (+1)save +1
INT
3 (−4)save −4
WIS
12 (+1)save +1
CHA
6 (−2)save −2
Skills Perception +3
Senses Darkvision 60 ft.; Passive Perception 13
Languages None
Challenge 1/2 (XP 100; PB +2)
Actions
Ram.Melee Attack Roll: +5, reach 5 ft. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) Bludgeoning damage. If the target is a Large or smaller creature and the goat moved 20+ feet straight toward it immediately before the hit, the target takes an extra 5 (2d4) Bludgeoning damage and has the Prone condition.
Stat block from the SRD 5.2.1 (2024 rules) by Wizards of the Coast, licensed under CC-BY-4.0. Check an encounter with this monster in the encounter calculator.
2014 Giant Goat
2024 Giant Goat
Ram
+5, 8 (2d4 + 3)
+5, 6 (1d6 + 3)
Charged Ram
13 total, DC 13 Str save or Prone
11 total, Prone (Large or smaller), no save
Speed
40 ft.
40 ft., climb 30 ft.
Senses
Passive Perception 11
Darkvision 60 ft., Perception +3, passive 13
Prone defense
Sure-Footed
Strength save +5, no Sure-Footed
The 2024 goat trades 2 damage per hit for a guaranteed knockdown and a climb speed. Against a character with a +3 Strength save, the 2014 knockdown lands only 45% of the time when the charge hits (it fails on 1-9). The 2024 one always lands.
How Giant Goats Fight
The whole stat block is one move: run 20 feet in a straight line and ram. Against AC 16 the +5 Ram hits on an 11 (50%).
Charged Ram vs AC 16
Average damage per charge
Chance target ends up Prone
2014, target Str +0 (fails DC 13 on 1-12)
6.5
50% × 60% = 30%
2024, any Medium target
5.5
50%
Back off, then charge again. A goat already next to its target can't charge it. With 40 feet of speed it can back away 20 feet (taking an opportunity attack) and run back 20 feet to ram. A smarter goat charges a different character each turn and lets the herd follow up: a Prone target gives Advantage to every other goat ramming it from 5 feet away.
Use the slope. The 2024 goat climbs at 30 feet. Put it on a rock shelf above the trail, where it can come down onto the party in a straight line. Charging still needs 20 feet of movement straight at the target, so give it a clear run.
Goats aren't killers. A territorial goat rams intruders until they back off. Have it stop chasing anyone who retreats past its herd.
Running a Giant Goat Encounter
Party (4 characters)
Goats
2024 budget
2014 guidelines
Level 1
1 (100 XP)
Low
Easy
Level 2
2 (200 XP)
Low
Easy
Level 2
3 (300 XP)
Low
Hard (600 adjusted)
Level 3
3 (300 XP)
Low
Medium
The 2014 column uses the Dungeon Master's Guide group multiplier, which our encounter calculator applies. Three goats at level 2 jump to Hard there because a group of 3 to 6 doubles the XP. In play, three goats knocking characters down on a narrow trail feels closer to the 2014 label.
How Players Beat Giant Goats
•Deny the run-up. The charge needs 20 feet of straight movement. Fight in a tight cave mouth, among boulders, or stand next to the goat so it has to back off first.
•Stand up, or don't. Getting up from Prone costs half your speed. Ranged characters can stay down and fight Prone only if they accept Disadvantage on their attacks.
•Charm it. Int 3 means Animal Friendship works in both editions (the 2014 version fails on Int 4 or higher). A charmed goat won't ram the caster, and the charm ends if the caster or an ally damages it.
•Shove it in 2014, not 2024. A 2014 Shove is a contest, which Sure-Footed doesn't affect. A 2024 Shove forces a Strength or Dexterity save (the goat picks), and the goat's Strength save is +5.
Riding, Taming and Wild Shape
Mount. It's Large, so a Medium rider fits. Its carrying capacity is 510 lb. (Str 17 × 15, doubled for Large in 2014; Str × 30 for Large in 2024). A controlled mount can only Dash, Disengage or Dodge, so a goat you control won't ram. Let it act as an independent mount if you want the charge. Whether a rider can stay on a goat climbing a cliff face isn't covered by the rules. DM ruling, not rules text: allow it on rough slopes, and call for a Dexterity save on a sheer wall.
Wild Shape. CR 1/2 with no fly or swim speed means a druid can take this form from level 4 in both editions. The 2024 version, with darkvision and a climb speed, is the better scouting form.
Giant Goat Encounter Ideas
The toll ledge. A ram guards a switchback path one goat wide. Everything that walks up the path gets charged. The local herders lose a mule a month to the drop.
The stolen herd. Bandits have stolen giant goats from a mountain village and are using them as pack animals. Freeing the herd mid-fight turns three goats against the bandits.
The race. A village festival race on giant goats, uphill, with a rival team that's bribed the handlers. Each charge between racers is a ram contest.
Frequently Asked Questions
What CR is a giant goat in 5e?
A giant goat is CR 1/2 (100 XP) in both the 2014 and 2024 rules, with AC 11 and 19 hit points.
How does the giant goat's Charge work?
It must move at least 20 feet straight toward a target and hit with its Ram on the same turn. The hit deals an extra 5 (2d4) bludgeoning damage. In 2014 the target then makes a DC 13 Strength save or falls Prone; in 2024 a Large or smaller target falls Prone with no save.
Can you ride a giant goat in 5e?
Yes. It's Large, so a Medium or Small character can ride it, and it carries up to 510 pounds. A controlled goat can only Dash, Disengage or Dodge, so it won't ram while you control it.
When can a druid Wild Shape into a giant goat?
At druid level 4 in both editions, when the maximum Wild Shape CR becomes 1/2. It has no fly speed, so it qualifies.
Stat blocks: System Reference Document 5.1 (2014) and 5.2.1 (2024), Wizards of the Coast, CC-BY-4.0. Tactics, encounter math and ideas are Loreify's own.
This page includes material from the System Reference Document 5.1 and 5.2.1 by Wizards of the Coast LLC, available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Loreify is not affiliated with Wizards of the Coast.