Here's the Abyssal Sibriex From Mordenkainen's Tome

This....thing...is....AWESOME!

 

[77IM]

The hit points are fine for a CR18 monster, but not for a Legendary one. It won't live long enough to use its legendary actions, so why bother?

 

[darjr]

Intelligent monsters can't really be more intelligent than the DM who is controlling them...

Too true, it is what it is. It is however an opportunity to reach out and dig deep.

 

[Seramus]

The hit points are fine for a CR18 monster, but not for a Legendary one. It won't live long enough to use its legendary actions, so why bother?

That’s like saying the party wizard doesn’t live long enough to cast all their spells. This thing is literally an evil wizard stereotype. It has low HP, wanders around collecting rare lore, and creates hideous monsters with its super intelligence.

Also, it’s basically Krang.

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[CapnZapp]

I realize the HP in this new batch of monsters is low for your tastes (and mine), but you do appreciate the extra tactical umph they are giving them don't you? It seems they are giving you half of what your asking for, but you don't seem to appreciate that.

Personally I think this is the best of both worlds. These monsters work for average groups who are not tactically save or good / don't chose to optimize and they have the tactical chops built in to threaten more advanced groups, you just need to add HP. How much HP will vary widely by group, so it is a good idea to leave that the DM. I would still prefer more HP though (I'll bump it up when i add it to my Hardcore Monster Manual).

That certainly doesn’t seem to be the case here. This monster is both thematic and extremely effective. Low HP seems to be an intentional feature for this monster, to provide a tactical weakness and encourage the intended play style: that of the hideous mastermind.

I wasn't complaining about the monster. I was complaining about apologist "as long as INT is high a monster is strong; actual interesting combat potential not necessary" sentiment that unfortunately doesn't seem to go away.

 

[Dausuul]

The hit points are fine for a CR18 monster, but not for a Legendary one. It won't live long enough to use its legendary actions, so why bother?

You're saying the first PC to act will deal 150 points of damage on the first round?

 

[CapnZapp]

Intelligent monsters can't really be more intelligent than the DM who is controlling them...

And I'm not paying WOTC to write INT 20 in a box so I feel allowed to spend an hour prepping elaborate tactics for the monster.

It should all be in the stat box.

Its not that I won't ever prep. It's that writing the two numbers 2 and 0 in this particular field has no intrinsic value. I can prep a stupid monster or a smart one.

What doesn't fly is offloading the responsibility for making a monster deserve it's CR onto the DM.

High INT is worth zero extra CR. And that's exactly the way it should be. If it's not in the stat block, its not in the CR.

 

[CapnZapp]

That’s like saying the party wizard doesn’t live long enough to cast all their spells. This thing is literally an evil wizard stereotype. It has low HP, wanders around collecting rare lore, and creates hideous monsters with its super intelligence.

Also, it’s basically Krang.

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A legendary wizard - that is, a solo monster - need several times as many hit points as a regular one.

Since a PC Wizard is not meant to enter dungeons alone, and in fact brings allies with the explicit job to protect the Wizard, your comparison isn't valid.

 

[CapnZapp]

You're saying the first PC to act will deal 150 points of damage on the first round?

Are you saying this thing is fine as long as it's not one-shotted?

Are you saying a monster that loses half its hit points to the first enemy should stupidly stay and fight when it's obvious it won't survive a single round?

Or are you saying its abilities are so strong that once it gets to act it can be confident even a level 18 party won't hurt it again?

 

[Imaculata]

What lovely artwork! This is what I've always loved about D&D books: Monster art.

Small side story: But I recently visited a life-long friend of mine, who has a young son and daughter. And apparently both of them are obsessed by all the pictures of monsters in the various third edition Monster Manuals that he has. They know all the creatures by heart, and love going through all of those books. They are too young to understand the game yet, but they're already in love with the art.

 

[Erechel]

You're saying the first PC to act will deal 150 points of damage on the first round?

A fighter could. 3 attacks + Action Surge + maneuvers/ critical hits/ samurai multiple attacks + feats + magic weapon.