D&D (2024) I have a Monster Manual. AMA!

[FitzTheRuke]

Some of the previews have shown a few creatures red have ties to Bloodied. I want to say Troll regeneration does, but I can’t remember exactly.

It's not the regeneration, it's the Troll Limb. A bloodied troll who takes 15 slashing drops a troll limb (like a minion troll).

I have a question fro @FitzTheRuke

Have you come across any creatures that have mechanics tied to the bloodied state? I though I read that it was supposed to be a think again, and I am hoping that is actually true.

I hadn't until Garrett's post made me look up the Troll, but I suspect that it's not the only one. I'll let you know if I spot any.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

I don't have the book yet so I can't judge how it is presented, but broadly speaking I do not understand why there wouldn't be a couple stock lizardmen in the section.

I've heard all the explanations about the NPC statblock stuff, and it is all unconvincing -- at least as it has been explained in official videos and stuff that I have seen.

Eliminating the most basic unit of stabbable stock enemies seems like ridiculous, pointless and ultimately GM unfriendly change to me. But maybe the actual book will sell me on it.

I'll say that I didn't like it much, either, but it's starting to grow on me. It just means that people, whether they are humans, elves, dwarves, halflings, non-enhanced lizardfolk, orcs, etc, etc -- all use NPC statblocks based on the kind of jobs they do and the training that they have. Their job specialty simply makes more difference to them, statblock-wise than their species does. If you want, you can still add something appropriate to the block (like a swim speed for a lizardfolk, or darkvision for your orc, elf, or dwarf. Or whatever.

It's different, but it works fine.

 

[the Jester]

ETA: I do look forward to the look on a player's face the first time they try and use Protection from Good and Evil against a lizardman, tho.

This is one of the things that really bugs me. Pcs now have no way of knowing if things like charm person, PfGaE, etc will be effective against a given lizardfolk or goblin- and there's no way to really learn, since the answer by RAW is "sometimes it will and sometimes it won't".

This is, in my opinion, a very poorly thought out change. The massive number of re-typings of monsters has consequences that basically suck for players (assuming the DM isn't going to metaknowledge handwave this kind of stuff- which is a whole 'nother kind of dissatisfying).

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

This is one of the things that really bugs me. Pcs now have no way of knowing if things like charm person, PfGaE, etc will be effective against a given lizardfolk or goblin- and there's no way to really learn, since the answer by RAW is "sometimes it will and sometimes it won't".

That was always the case in 5e. Why does Hold Person work on a Warforged but not an Autognome? Yuan-Ti Purebloods are Humanoids, but the other Yuan-Ti are Monstrosities. Hags and Harpies look pretty humanoid.

It was always a guessing game.

 

[Kobold Stew]

I don't have the book yet so I can't judge how it is presented, but broadly speaking I do not understand why there wouldn't be a couple stock lizardmen in the section.

I've heard all the explanations about the NPC statblock stuff, and it is all unconvincing -- at least as it has been explained in official videos and stuff that I have seen.

Eliminating the most basic unit of stabbable stock enemies seems like ridiculous, pointless and ultimately GM unfriendly change to me. But maybe the actual book will sell me on it.

I'll be getting my copy in about 20 hours, but before that happens, this is a good summary of where I'm at.

I love the entries for the ordinary monsters. I like reading the presentation of goblins, orcs, ogres, lizardfolk, kobolds, gnolls -- the basic monsters that I have been fighting since I began to play more than 40 years ago, that have been with me through every edition. How many times have I come across an Otyugh or a Catoblepas? Never. Sure, theyr'e fun to read but they have never affected my play in any way at all.

Goblinoids and gnolls? Tons.

Leaving out the base monsters just seems like such an odd choice if they want the book to be used in play.

(I really hope the book convinces me otherwise).

 

[mamba]

More than doubling the base HP of Orc encounters from the 2014 rules is probably going to cause some low level parties undue grief.

they said that everything stays the same CR, is this true for these kinds of remappings (Orc to Tough etc) true as well or do some of them break?

 

[Kurotowa]

This is one of the things that really bugs me. Pcs now have no way of knowing if things like charm person, PfGaE, etc will be effective against a given lizardfolk or goblin- and there's no way to really learn, since the answer by RAW is "sometimes it will and sometimes it won't".

There's basically three options, as I see it, for determining that from the player side. Blind trial and error, picking up on context clues from the DM's narration, and the Study action.

Trial and error is obvious, you do it and see if it works. Context clues are listening to how the DM describes the fine details of the foes and trying to deduce what you're facing, with maybe prodding them a little for extra information. And the Study action is basically the same as the second option, but from the character side instead of the player side as they draw on their knowledge Skills to figure it out.

Which is to say, the Keen Mind feat isn't as sexy as all the direct damage increases, but being able to take the Study action as a Bonus Action sounds super helpful to me. I've got a stashed character concept for an Int focused Rogue with Keen Mind and Expertise in all four knowledge type Skills. He's one of those obsessive types who's memorized the Monster Manual, but it's the PC and he has the stats to back it up.

 

[Chaltab]

Question!

What is the damage of the Ancient Black Dragon's Rend?

 

[Voadam]

Seven.

Of the seven cultists what are the CRs?

I remember the various Warlocks and wizard NPCs from Volos and MotM having a lot of duplicate CRs which kept a bunch of predone spellcaster options to a few CR ranges. Is that repeated here?

 

[Voadam]

Are there no non-NPC humanoid monsters?