D&D (2024) D&D Monster Manual (2025)

[MonsterEnvy]

I am hoping for news soon, there is just so much pointless stuff people are bickering about right now. The pinball, the NY times, etc. I just want some D&D news that is interesting.

 

[Mirrorrorrim]

Sorry, I thought i had laid it out, let me try again.

-They replace things like keen senses with a bonus to perception in the statblock.

-Dms may not be aware why the perception is higher.

-DMs that would have noticed keen senses don't play the creature as if it had a special ability.

-If the wording in the lore retains a keen senses description, all is well.

-If the wording in the lore doesn't mention any such trait, then it is lost and no longer a part of that creature.

Therefore I hope all these mechanical simplications don't make traits inherent to the creature "disappear"

If the mechanical numbers are inherently added to the stat block and there is an entry in the stat block that says the same thing, DMs might double up on the bonus for the character in question.

I don't like the idea of making the stat block bigger by adding text that "explains" why the numbers are the way they are. For instance, adding the following to every stat block for all creatures with Keen Senses has no mechanical purpose.

* Keen Senses. The creature has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks. (This is already included in the stat block as a static modifier.)​

The higher modifier is already good enough to show that the creature is good at Perception. We don't need to make the stat block bigger with redundant information!

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I'm pretty sure plain old Guard is in the DMG somewhere though

I haven’t got the new DMG yet, so I expect you are right.

 

[Micah Sweet]

I am hoping for news soon, there is just so much pointless stuff people are bickering about right now. The pinball, the NY times, etc. I just want some D&D news that is interesting.

Well, you seem pretty excited about the 5.5 MM coming out soon. So there's that. Product is always the gaming news most worth getting excited about IMO.

 

[TravDoc42]

It'll be interesting to see if certain bits of lore get changed between 2014 and the new book. I know the kuo-toa definitely got a revamp, and I have a feeling that certain other monsters, like the banshee, will get that same treatment.

The art I've seen of the blights shows what looks to be a tree blight of some sort in the back; maybe the Gulthias tree will receive a stat block?

It looks like the new art for the monsters has them interacting with the environment a lot more, which I'm somewhat divided on. It all looks good so far, though!

 

[TravDoc42]

I'm also hoping that the animal lords are done well! I am a big fan of their 2e depiction, and I hope the new MM does them justice.

 

[Parmandur]

It'll be interesting to see if certain bits of lore get changed between 2014 and the new book. I know the kuo-toa definitely got a revamp, and I have a feeling that certain other monsters, like the banshee, will get that same treatment.

The art I've seen of the blights shows what looks to be a tree blight of some sort in the back; maybe the Gulthias tree will receive a stat block?

It looks like the new art for the monsters has them interacting with the environment a lot more, which I'm somewhat divided on. It all looks good so far, though!

Yeah, lots of tweaks and revamps to lore, no doubt.

 

[Sulicius]

Whoop, called it! Tomorrow we will have the first video on the new Monster Manual!

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

"Everything" is a pretty big promise, WotC!

 

[Remathilis]

"Everything" is a pretty big promise, WotC!

They always do an "everything" video as an overview first and then a dozen deep dives.