D&D (2024) Another D&D 2024 Monster Preview: The Kuo-Toa!

Following the ancient green dragon preview, here's a look at another iconic D&D monster from the 2025 Monster Manual!

 

[MonsterEnvy]

That's what I thought. Even the bad guys can't be slavers now, or at least no one can ever have been slaves. I suppose all the armies in the setting just kill all their prisoners? That's where most slaves came from historically.

Kuo-Toa are not slavers generally.

 

[Zaukrie]

It's possible they magnified the existing advice from 2014 that the listed alignment is a default, not a requirement, and didn't think they needed the "usually" reminder. (Though I would have kept it, pretty harmless include IMHO.) But based on other design trends going into 2024, suspect you're right that they took the easy way out, and made it type-dependent.

As I said earlier, everything on the statblock is "typically".....as spelled out in the books. Or, maybe we've only seen monsters that have alignment as a rule. It was a wasted word, like "roll" is in the new block.

 

[Minigiant]

AC 13 AND 18 HP on a CR 1/4 Critter
But 2 more damage.

Guess PCs ain't the only ones getting power.

 

[Bayushi_seikuro]

Well, as written it seems that kuo-toa can sense your existence, but not see you if you hold still. But the moment you move, they zero in. You're kind of like a Predator (from the movie) to them. You are the creepy thing in their world. Makes them paranoid that something is there.

I'm reminded of a joke from Critical Role's campaign 2, I believe the first episode, Nott says to Caleb not to move, because tieflings can only track movement, and Jester (a tiefling) agrees.

 

[GMMichael]

Are the Kuo Toa related to the Hawk Tuah at all? It would explain the Sticky Shield feature.

 

[JEB]

Immediate thoughts:

• Well, at least they kept the essential details from their previous lore. More than I honestly expected to see. 2014 provided a more interesting and inspirational read, though, with more adventure hooks.
• The random deity table is fun! Hope there's more tools like that for other 2024 monsters.
• Changing type to aberration isn't a deal-breaker, though one does wonder if that was the only way they could self-justify that amount of behavioral detail.
• Unfortunately, I find the new way of describing actions in Sticky Net and the reactions harder to parse than 2014's "natural language." I was hoping the structure would make it easier, but I had to re-read, which isn't a good sign.

 

[Micah Sweet]

It's possible they magnified the existing advice from 2014 that the listed alignment is a default, not a requirement, and didn't think they needed the "usually" reminder. (Though I would have kept it, pretty harmless include IMHO.) But based on other design trends going into 2024, suspect you're right that they took the easy way out, and made it type-dependent.

Taking the seemingly easy way out (when actually there are deeper problems that quickly become apparent) looks like the design ethos of WotC this time around. Look at the new stealth rules thread.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Kuo-Toa are not slavers generally.

They were enslaved under the old lore in their past, not slavers.

 

[MonsterEnvy]

They were enslaved under the old lore in their past, not slavers.

Well not their oldest lore. It seems to be 5e invented, as I can't find anything about them being altered by the Mind Flayers in their 2e, 3e, or 4e lore.

 

[Zaukrie]

I mean, I guess I never read the old one! Because otherworldly presence is pretty much the same. Almost nothing has really changed here, which doesn't bode well, IMO. YMMV, of course, but WotC monsters are the least interesting monsters out there. I remain hopeful they make more changes (not just to solos like the green dragon).