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

[Micah Sweet]

Dupe post

 

[Micah Sweet]

So... it boils down to: you don't like the change so ot must be silly?

I don't like the change because in part I think it's silly.

 

[Voadam]

But why are they elementals? What purpose does it serve?

I expect that Geomancer is someone who narratively magically infused themself with earth magic to magical earth making them less "human(oid)". I would expect this gives them earth themed power, makes them more alien thanks to their power and deliberately changing themself, and immunizes them from person spells.

I doubt they are narratively Feng Shui masters.

The sovereign elemental ones bonding to the magically infused land would have a similar narrative reason for why they have earth/land themed powers and are less human(oid). I would expect them to have more leader and martial or charm powers than the straight spellcaster themes based on the names chosen.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

I don't like the change because in part I think it's silly.

I think it is silly that this causes so much uproar. But everyone can think what they want. It is no fact.

My pet peeve is making orcs toughs now. 32 hp. On Orcs. 1/2 level creatures. I hate bags of HP. And then they get multiattack. And are not really strong.

So my orc warriors will probably use a different stat block...

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Change happens so you can identify the decade by looking at the fashions in old photos.

 

[Voadam]

My pet peeve is making orcs toughs now. 32 hp. On Orcs. 1/2 level creatures. I hate bags of HP. And then they get multiattack. And are not really strong.

So my orc warriors will probably use a different stat block...

When I was doing a mid level 14 game with a big gang/tribe of orcs and multiple encounters with them (go 5e Iron Gods conversion!) I used orc thugs alongside base orcs and the specialized ones and ones from third party sourcebooks and reskinned and modified other statblocks for the orcs.

I considered the orc thugs a definite step above the baseline orcs as far as challenge and durability.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Yup. Both the Tough (remember: It's the same as the 2014 Thug) and the 2014 Orc are CR 1/2. They have twice as many HP and do roughly half the damage. They'll be less swingy to fight than a 2014 Orc (crits KILL with them) and it might take longer (maybe, the jury's still out on how OP 2024 characters might actually be) but it's roughly the same challenge.

Thugs have multiattack.
+4 to hit, 1d6+2 damage. (x2)
AC 11, 32 HP

Vs Orcs
+5 to hit, 1d12+3 damage.
AC 13, 15 HP.

To be fair, aggressive is a trait that allows them to bring in the hurt very fast. So maybe the challenge is really about the same...

If you add orc species trait to the thug (which probably is not RAW), the thug will stomp the PCs.

Actually, relentless endurance + adrenaline rush can effectively double orc hp.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

What about other NPC statblocks for your orcs? I assume Guard and Bandit are still in the Monster Manual and weaker than a Tough.

 

[Weiley31]

Merrow and Troglodytes are Monstrosities

Wait, what!? But Merrows are like demon corrupted merfolk(or Fish Tiefling basically).
I'm surprised they just didn't let Merrows and Saughains be demon fish sticks in armed fins together, first bumping and laughing at people drowning.

 

[Thommy H-H]

I think people are getting a bit hung up on Orc = Tough. That's literally for if you're playing an old adventure and an encounter says "5 orcs" or something, and you only have (or only want to use) the 2025 MM. In the case, use the Tough stat block, because it's the same CR and fights broadly the same way. It doesn't mean that if you want a bunch of standard orc mooks in your games, you should use Toughs. Rather, you use whatever stat block is appropriate for their profession (which might be Toughs, but could equally be Bandits, Warrior Infantry, Pirates, or whatever).