Stat Blocks

the Jester

Legend

• Jun 21, 2006

• #1

Okay, so we have all seen the "new" stat blocks by now, right? The way I see it, we have a movement towards longer stat blocks goin' on here. The new magic item format, though cool, takes up a lot more space. The new monster format, though hotly debated, is a move in the right direction imho (at least as far as the basic stat block you see in Dungeon and whatnot goes), but it is also longer; I believe that the word is that most monsters in MM4 will take up two pages.

Then there is the new prestige class format, which abuses the concept of fluff and drags out two pages worth of info into six pages. Blech!

Anyhow, what I'm getting at is, it seems to me that there is a trade being made- more in-depth content at the expense of not having more content. (Prestige classes are the most egregious example of this tendency with their new format, but rumor has it that MM4 will have relatively few monsters in it. Given that these monsters will be better-developed, all other things being equal, how do you feel about this? Not just in the context of the Monster Manual 4- in general, with the trend towards longer stat blocks. How much of the trade-off- deeper coverage of each game element in a given book but less elements to work with- is worth it? How do you feel about this?

 

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Emirikol

Adventurer

• Jun 21, 2006

• #2

Longer stat blocks suck. Mainly because 90% of the information isn't used. The only benefit of the new stat blocks is that they are much easier to read and use as a DM. I don't ever want to see the old stat blocks again.

As for prestige classes, more background info is nice..but the way I feel about prestige classes will make me feel like a troll (I prefer that they be CORE classes and feel PrC's are an absolute waste of space unless presented as such).

So, yay for readable stat blocks...which leads us to tonight's thought: when are they going to make the whole D&D system easier for DM's to convert to online gaming systems (such as Klooge, NWN, or otherwise?)

jh

 

TheAuldGrump

First Post

• Jun 21, 2006

• #3

Let us see now:

Do I like the new stat block better than the old one? For the most part. yes I do. It is much easier to read and use in game. And since that seems to be the major purpose for a stat block...

Do I like the new format for prestige classes? Both yes, and no. It seems like the new PrCs are less likely to fit in my campaigns, but at the same time I feel that they are better written than before, and have a good deal more flavor. So I am cautiously optimistic.

The Auld Grump

 

Nyaricus

First Post

• Jun 21, 2006

• #4

The new stat blocks have a better set up, but seem to be just too long. However, they are better in terms of crunchieness than the old ones by far. I like em, but not yet used to them.

I love PrCls, but 6 pages of fluff is bordering on yawn-fest for me.

 

the Jester

Legend

• Jun 21, 2006

• #5

Personally, I do prefer the new monster and magic item stat blocks (and the minor expansion to the spell stat block doesn't bother me), but I hate the new prc format.

 

I

Imruphel

First Post

• Jun 21, 2006

• #6

I like the new magic item format but hate (*) both the new stat block format and new PrC format.

*: "Hate" is short for "hate, loathe and detest". What WotC needs is a format that makes it less likely that the stat block will have errors not -more- likely.

 

buzz

Adventurer

• Jun 21, 2006

• #7

I like the new stat block a lot.

I dislike the current PrC and class format (as seen in PHB2). A D&D class should take about two pages, period. Picture, level table, ONE paragraph of explanation*, and then class abilties, starting packages. Ideally, facing pages for easy reference.

* I firmly believe that all of the "lore" and "attitude" content of class descriptions is nigh-useless, even to a newbie. Especially in the case of base classes, classes are archetypes; it should not take six pages to explain an archetype.

 

J

Jedi_Solo

First Post

• Jun 21, 2006

• #8

Hmmmm... I will apparently go against the grain here and say that I like the new PrC format (for the most part) and I don't like the new Magic Item format. I'm a player so I don't know that much about the monster block formats.

I like some of the new PrC stuff. I like more of the generic background for the class and reading what various knowledge rolls give you. It gives you a sense of what the character knows, what the general feelings and attitudes are in the organisation and what the general populace knows of the organisation. Most of the rest of the write-up I skip. However; the PrCs that have come out since the expanded write-up have been, to me at least, more interesting and worthy of actually being a seperate class. So, even though I skip 1/2 of the write-up I'm not sure I'd say it was completely wasted space.

My problem with the expanded Magic Item black is that you tend to get repeated information. I don't need the same info given to me three times in three seporate sections. DMG2 was really, really bad about this. Since most of what I recall was from the DMG2 this may have gotten better but I still cringe about the block when I think about sections of text that were covered 100% in both the previous and again in the following paragraph.

 

Henry

Autoexreginated

• Jun 21, 2006

• #9

the Jester said:

...what I'm getting at is, it seems to me that there is a trade being made- more in-depth content at the expense of not having more content. (Prestige classes are the most egregious example of this tendency with their new format, but rumor has it that MM4 will have relatively few monsters in it. Given that these monsters will be better-developed, all other things being equal, how do you feel about this? Not just in the context of the Monster Manual 4- in general, with the trend towards longer stat blocks. How much of the trade-off- deeper coverage of each game element in a given book but less elements to work with- is worth it? How do you feel about this?

Click to expand...

I'm lovin' it, myself. I'd rather have more of that, than to have the space devoted to yet another character class to add to the 400+ already in existance. To me, there's only so many warrior, rogue, priest, and mage variants that I can digest, and I got sick of 'em a while back.

Same deal for the Magic Item stat blocks. I'd rather have some jelly and peanut butter to go with the bread, because nothing but bread can get dry and tasteless to me.

The monster stat blocks? Idon't LOVE 'em, but don't dislike 'em either. They're easier to digest in mid-game, which I like; I usually wind up writing my own shorthand stats, anyway, so it's not as helpful, but it is more useful when I'm running a critter straight out of the source material without prepping anything beforehand.

 

Infiniti2000

First Post

• Jun 21, 2006

• #10

Henry said:

I'd rather have more of that, than to have the space devoted to yet another character class to add to the 400+ already in existance.

Click to expand...

Clearly, you're exaggerating. At last count, there were only 389.