D&D (2024) Monster Manual 2025 Stat Block Compilation

This thread contains a compilation of the Monster Manual 2025 stat blocks which have been previewed publicly so far.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Everything is made up.

Yes. That is not the point.

Imagine a monster that attacks with a hammer. And then you say it deals piercing damage.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Yes. That is not the point.

Imagine a monster that attacks with a hammer. And then you say it deals piercing damage.

Claw hammer.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Claw hammer.

No just the normal blunt on both sides one.

It is not about making things up. It is about reliability.

If something has AC 18, something should give that away.
I think noone questions AC 13 for a Kuo toa or a dragon with AC 22, but if a random bandid has AC 18 without wearin heavy armor, players will raise their eyebrows.

I had that experience in 4e. And just teo days ago, when I told my players that a 17 misses, they did. In this case, the enemies were hiding in half darkness and they just did not see that the bandids are wearing chain mail.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

It is not about making things up. It is about reliability.

Can't you just change it to bludgeoning? "Making things up" includes changing things that don't work for you on the fly.

 

[Chaltab]

I mean in 4E a lot of the AC is going to come from half the monster's level, representing their skill at avoiding blows, just like with PCs.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Can't you just change it to bludgeoning? "Making things up" includes changing things that don't work for you on the fly.

Of course you can change it. That is the point.
Someone said, it does not matter how we get to AC. Because it is a made up number and noonce cares.

That is not my experience: players do care if numbers and descrived visual are matching.

Hammer: bludgeoning damage expected.

High AC: some kind of heavier armor expected.

So when I have an enemy that attacks me with a hammer and deals piercing damage and wears cloth, people are rightfully expecting change self on the enemy. Or at least an illusion on the hammer, IF there is no other explanation.

It could be a barbarian with a claw hammer. In that case I should have described the enemy better. In some way that the players can deduce it.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

I mean in 4E a lot of the AC is going to come from half the monster's level, representing their skill at avoiding blows, just like with PCs.

An that was really bad. It made the game/narration unreliable.

 

[Chaltab]

An that was really bad. It made the game/narration unreliable.

Uh... did it? Literally never had that problem.

 

[Chaltab]

Also, to be clear: I agree that the monster stats should state where non-obvious AC comes from in 5E. My point was that in 4E the default game math models a gradual increase in defensive capability from adding half your level--5E doesn't due to bounded accuracy. Increases to defensive capability are relatively limited and usually based on reactions like the Shield spell or Defensive Duelist

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Uh... did it? Literally never had that problem.

Happy for you.