diff --git a/data/monsters/monsters.json b/data/monsters/monsters.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3880c02
--- /dev/null
+++ b/data/monsters/monsters.json
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+{
+	"monsters": [
+		{
+			"race": "bat",
+			"radius": 16.0,
+			"health": 30.0,
+			"speed": 1.0,
+			"attack": {
+				"cooldownDuration": 1500.0,
+				"range": 40.0,
+				"damage": 5.0,
+				"animation": "slash",
+				"animationDuration": 300.0
+			}
+		},
+		{
+			"race": "bee",
+			"radius": 16.0,
+			"health": 30.0,
+			"speed": 1.0,
+			"attack": {
+				"cooldownDuration": 1500.0,
+				"range": 40.0,
+				"damage": 5.0,
+				"animation": "slash",
+				"animationDuration": 300.0
+			}
+		}
+	]
+}
diff --git a/src/saland/GameMonsters.cpp b/src/saland/GameMonsters.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1e68af8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/saland/GameMonsters.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,122 @@
+/*
+===========================================================================
+ * Saland Adventures
+Copyright (C) 2014-2017 Poul Sander
+
+This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+the Free Software Foundation, either version 2 of the License, or
+(at your option) any later version.
+
+This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+GNU General Public License for more details.
+
+You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+along with this program.  If not, see http://www.gnu.org/licenses/
+
+Source information and contacts persons can be found at
+https://github.com/sago007/saland
+===========================================================================
+*/
+
+#include "GameMonsters.hpp"
+#include <unordered_map>
+#include "../sago/SagoMisc.hpp"
+#include "rapidjson/document.h"
+#include <iostream>
+
+static std::unordered_map<std::string, MonsterDef> all_monsters;
+
+static void LoadMonsterDefinitions() {
+	if (!all_monsters.empty()) {
+		return; // Already loaded
+	}
+
+	std::string filename = "monsters/monsters.json";
+	std::string content = sago::GetFileContent(filename.c_str());
+	rapidjson::Document document;
+	document.Parse(content.c_str());
+
+	if (!document.IsObject()) {
+		std::cerr << "Failed to parse: " << filename << "\n";
+		return;
+	}
+
+	for (auto& m : document.GetObject()) {
+		const std::string& header = m.name.GetString();
+		if (header == "monsters") {
+			const auto& monsters = m.value;
+			if (!monsters.IsArray()) {
+				std::cerr << "Failure reading " << filename << ": 'monsters' must be an array\n";
+				continue;
+			}
+
+			for (const auto& monster : monsters.GetArray()) {
+				if (!monster.IsObject()) {
+					continue;
+				}
+
+				MonsterDef def;
+				std::string race;
+				for (const auto& member : monster.GetObject()) {
+					std::string memberName = member.name.GetString();
+
+					if (memberName == "race") {
+						race = member.value.GetString();
+						def.race = race;
+					}
+					else if (memberName == "radius") {
+						def.radius = member.value.GetFloat();
+					}
+					else if (memberName == "health") {
+						def.health = member.value.GetFloat();
+					}
+					else if (memberName == "speed") {
+						def.speed = member.value.GetFloat();
+					}
+					else if (memberName == "attack" && member.value.IsObject()) {
+						for (const auto& attackMember : member.value.GetObject()) {
+							std::string attackName = attackMember.name.GetString();
+							if (attackName == "cooldownDuration") {
+								def.attack.cooldownDuration = attackMember.value.GetFloat();
+							}
+							else if (attackName == "range") {
+								def.attack.range = attackMember.value.GetFloat();
+							}
+							else if (attackName == "damage") {
+								def.attack.damage = attackMember.value.GetFloat();
+							}
+							else if (attackName == "animation") {
+								def.attack.animation = attackMember.value.GetString();
+							}
+							else if (attackName == "animationDuration") {
+								def.attack.animationDuration = attackMember.value.GetFloat();
+							}
+						}
+					}
+				}
+
+				if (!race.empty()) {
+					all_monsters[race] = def;
+				}
+			}
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+MonsterDef GetMonsterDefByRace(const std::string& race) {
+	LoadMonsterDefinitions();
+
+	auto it = all_monsters.find(race);
+	if (it != all_monsters.end()) {
+		return it->second;
+	}
+
+	// Return default if not found
+	std::cerr << "Warning: Monster race '" << race << "' not found in monsters.json\n";
+	MonsterDef def;
+	def.race = race;
+	return def;
+}
diff --git a/src/saland/GameMonsters.hpp b/src/saland/GameMonsters.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c699027
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/saland/GameMonsters.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+/*
+===========================================================================
+ * Saland Adventures
+Copyright (C) 2014-2017 Poul Sander
+
+This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+the Free Software Foundation, either version 2 of the License, or
+(at your option) any later version.
+
+This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+GNU General Public License for more details.
+
+You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+along with this program.  If not, see http://www.gnu.org/licenses/
+
+Source information and contacts persons can be found at
+https://github.com/sago007/saland
+===========================================================================
+*/
+
+#ifndef GAMEMONSTERS_HPP
+#define GAMEMONSTERS_HPP
+
+#include "GameRegion.hpp"
+
+MonsterDef GetMonsterDefByRace(const std::string& race);
+
+#endif /* GAMEMONSTERS_HPP */
diff --git a/src/saland/GameRegion.cpp b/src/saland/GameRegion.cpp
index 5f4b9ce..6fec626 100644
--- a/src/saland/GameRegion.cpp
+++ b/src/saland/GameRegion.cpp
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ https://github.com/sago007/saland
 
 #include "GameRegion.hpp"
 #include "GameItems.hpp"
+#include "GameMonsters.hpp"
 #include <cmath>
 #include <random>
 
@@ -38,31 +39,31 @@ static std::string createFileName(int x, int y,const std::string& worldName) {
 
 
 void GameRegion::SpawnMonster(const MonsterDef& def, float destX, float destY) {
-	std::shared_ptr<Monster> bat = std::make_shared<Monster>();
-	bat.get()->Radius = def.radius;
-	bat.get()->race = def.race;
-	bat.get()->X = destX;
-	bat.get()->Y = destY;
-	if (def.race == "bat") {
-		bat.get()->health = 30;
-	}
-	placeables.push_back(bat);
-
-	b2BodyDef batBodyDef;
-	batBodyDef.type = b2_dynamicBody;
-	batBodyDef.position.Set(0, 0);
-	batBodyDef.linearDamping = 1.0f;
-	bat->body = physicsBox->CreateBody(&batBodyDef);
+	std::shared_ptr<Monster> monster = std::make_shared<Monster>();
+	monster.get()->Radius = def.radius;
+	monster.get()->race = def.race;
+	monster.get()->X = destX;
+	monster.get()->Y = destY;
+	monster.get()->health = def.health;
+	monster.get()->speed = def.speed;
+	monster.get()->attack = def.attack;
+	placeables.push_back(monster);
+
+	b2BodyDef monsterBodyDef;
+	monsterBodyDef.type = b2_dynamicBody;
+	monsterBodyDef.position.Set(0, 0);
+	monsterBodyDef.linearDamping = 1.0f;
+	monster->body = physicsBox->CreateBody(&monsterBodyDef);
 
 	b2CircleShape circleShape;
 	circleShape.m_p.Set(0, 0); //position, relative to body position
 	circleShape.m_radius = def.radius/32.0f; //32 pixel = 1 unit
 
-	b2FixtureDef batDef;
-	batDef.shape = &circleShape;
-	batDef.density = 10.0f;
-	bat->body->CreateFixture(&batDef);
-	bat->body->SetTransform(b2Vec2(bat.get()->X / 32.0f, bat.get()->Y / 32.0f),bat->body->GetAngle());
+	b2FixtureDef monsterFixtureDef;
+	monsterFixtureDef.shape = &circleShape;
+	monsterFixtureDef.density = 10.0f;
+	monster->body->CreateFixture(&monsterFixtureDef);
+	monster->body->SetTransform(b2Vec2(monster.get()->X / 32.0f, monster.get()->Y / 32.0f),monster->body->GetAngle());
 }
 
 static bool Intersect(const Placeable& p1, const Placeable& p2) {
@@ -371,13 +372,10 @@ void GameRegion::Init(int x, int y, const std::string& worldName, bool forceRese
 
 	SpawnPrefab(getPrefab("basic_house"), 32, 32);
 
-	MonsterDef batDef;
-	batDef.radius = 16.0f;
-	batDef.race = "bat";
+	MonsterDef batDef = GetMonsterDefByRace("bat");
 	SpawnMonster(batDef, 200.0f, 200.0f);
 	SpawnMonster(batDef, 1200.0f, 1400.0f);
-	MonsterDef beeDef = batDef;
-	beeDef.race = "bee";
+	MonsterDef beeDef = GetMonsterDefByRace("bee");
 	SpawnMonster(beeDef, 220.0f, 220.0f);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/saland/GameRegion.hpp b/src/saland/GameRegion.hpp
index 47ba584..0919617 100644
--- a/src/saland/GameRegion.hpp
+++ b/src/saland/GameRegion.hpp
@@ -35,6 +35,9 @@ https://github.com/sago007/saland
 struct MonsterDef {
 	float radius = 1.0f;
 	std::string race = "";
+	float health = 30.0f;
+	float speed = 1.0f;
+	MonsterAttack attack;
 };