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

[Remathilis]

It is also the home of Level Up, one of my favorite RPGs ever, and a discussion home for plenty of topics that don't rely on current WotC for their validity. It's also pretty much the only place where I get to talk about this stuff in depth, including real life.

Yes, but this thread isn't it. Nor are a lot of threads specifically about D&D 24 you feel fit to comment on. This is literally a thread for a book you have stated quite emphatically you are not buying for an edition you are not playing made by a company you are not supporting.

 

[Crimson Longinus]

It is inevitable that along with the bad ideas of the new 5e there will be good ideas.
I'm one of those that is not thrilled with the overall direction, but there will be things I will like - from the art to monster/PC abilities to spells to magical items to lore to modules.

I'm just looking this whole 5.0 + 5.5 as a toolkit. I will implement the bits I like.

At face value I'm not a fan of the male hag and dryad idea (have not seen the WotC vids) but I can see how I could make it work in an interesting backstory way to surprise my characters with a storyline twist, specifically with a male hag.
I would have likely not come up with that idea in my head had WotC not challenged me with their changes. Not that I have to use them, but it sparked my creativity.

Also, with purely lore things like male hags, it is super easy just ignore or change them if you don't like them. For example whilst I think male hags are fine idea in general, in my current setting it has already been established that male hags are trolls, and I'm not gonna change that. But the new statblocks for hags and trolls are of course still perfectly usable with my lore (though I still need to give the hags regeneration like I already did with the 5.0 ones.)

 

[AnotherGuy]

I'm just looking this whole 5.0 + 5.5 as a toolkit. I will implement the bits I like.

Yes, pretty much the same.

For example whilst I think male hags are fine idea in general, in my current setting it has also been established that male hags are trolls, and I'm not gonna change that.

Ah yes, I saw you posted that somewhere and I think that is a really, really fine idea!
One (me ) could even throw that in as superstitious belief on the origin of trolls, hence why hags murder their male off-spring.

 

[Parmandur]

Yes, but this thread isn't it. Nor are a lot of threads specifically about D&D 24 you feel fit to comment on. This is literally a thread for a book you have stated quite emphatically you are not buying for an edition you are not playing made by a company you are not supporting.

Apropos of nothong...have you heard the Good Word of the Ignore function?

 

[dave2008]

I know I am jumping in late, but:
do we have a complete list of what 2024 full statblocks have been shared? I know the Ancient Green Dragon is out there, and I though I saw skeletons and kua toa in this thread maybe? Has anything else emerged recently?

To be clear we know the green dragon preview from a few months ago is no longer accurate. Even the skeletons and kuo-toa shown had the caveat that they were not final. The final statblocks we have seen are:

• Cyclops
• half-dragon
• empyreans
• animal lords

Here is a link to these on EnWorld: New cyclops, half-dragon, empyreans, and Animal Lord statblocks have hit the internet.

 

[Remathilis]

Apropos of nothong...have you heard the Good Word of the Ignore function?

I'm well versed in it, yes. I save it for the most egregious violations, like spammers and Musk supporters.

 

[Remathilis]

To be clear we know the green dragon preview from a few months ago is no longer accurate. Even the skeletons and kuo-toa shown had the caveat that they were not final. The final statblocks we have seen are:

• Cyclops
• half-dragon
• empyreans
• animal lords

Here is a link to these on EnWorld: New cyclops, half-dragon, empyreans, and Animal Lord statblocks have hit the internet.

The skeleton stats match the ones in the PHB, so it's probably safe that they are not changing.

 

[Umbran]

It is also the home of Level Up, one of my favorite RPGs ever

The site is divided into several sub-fora. You can read and post about Level Up, which has its own sub-forum, without ever reading or posting in the D&D forum.

 

[mamba]

Given that the Ancient Green Dragon does not have anything in its entry regarding getting bloodied, I am really curious what they are going to do with it. Is it a blanket rules ("When a creature is bloodied it automatically does X"0 or maybe it is per creature type ("When a dragon is bloodied, it Y") or something else? Maybe "bloodied" only applies to PCs?

I assume they added stuff since, would be disappointed if it just became a generic thing

 

[Warpiglet-7]

While I am not thrilled with some of the art direction starting years ago with Tasha’s, I have to be honest. Some of the 2024 stuff is cool. Maybe minority opinion on death night but I think that is badass.

Zombies and vampire are cool…

Not feeling the sphinx or fire giant.

Largely good looking to me. I have to say I am not feeling a monolithic approval or disapproval really…same as with 2014 which I really enjoy. Hits and misses…some home runs and some pop fly outs but lots of talent and money went into this.

I don’t do the mind reading thing. Some might be unrepentant fanboys and some permanently angry bitter-nards…but I think the discussion is sometimes more about game changes than anything whether we know it or not.

For example, I cannot say the orc family in the PHB is “bad art.” But it surely does not match my game as regards orcs not frankly a game I would look for…

That is what a lot of this is about. They did not go cheap and hire hacks. This is good art largely. The question at times might is good art for what kind of game?

I am biased too in that I have invested a lot of time and money into 5e miniatures and am somewhat wedded to some consistency.

I have some old dungeon command orcs (close-ish to 5e and I love them) but have a light blue orc wearing a Lone Ranger mask with a svelte form (later 5e mini). Cannot say the sculpt sucks but would have never knowingly selected that one.

If we even use it as a half orc someday I will surprised.

I still might buy a he new dmg…will look at the new mm and make an overall decision when I see more but if will depend on the overall.

For me art is important in combination with the rules and the lore. I don’t think it is superfluous for me and does influence my game more than maybe it does some others. That is why this discussion is germane to me Ana why if I am turned off by art direction it is a bit bigger of an issue.

I am still able to sit back and appreciate still and such though. I like a lot of this; not all of it. Keeping the game changes and art separate are hard for me at times however.