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

[Reynard]

I don't care that they're doing it. I care why they're doing it.

Why? What difference does it make to you and your games, especially given you aren't going to buy D&D 2024 anyway?

 

[pukunui]

And "target" means "creature or object"?

Yep. The PHB defines "target" as "the creature or object targeted by an attack roll, forced to make a saving throw by an effect, or selected to receive the effects of a spell or another phenomenon."

EDIT: Eldritch Blast was "creature only" in 2014, but I've just checked and the 2024 version says "creature or object", so I think they've done away with "creature only" attacks. Probably for simplification / streamlining purposes.

 

[Yaarel]

What is unclear to you?

For example, Fey Goblins. Is it ok to demonize them while simultaneously making them humanlike player characters with humanlike traits? People play Goblins. Especially players who also play Pathfinder. How would Goblins not be the new Orc?

If humanlike, inevitably the stereotypes will borrow from reallife, such as groups who are desperately poor and "squatting".

 

[pukunui]

For example, Fey Goblins. Is it ok to demonize them while simultaneously making them humanlike player characters with humanlike traits? People play Goblins. Especially players who also play Pathfinder. How would Goblins not be the new Orc?

If humanlike, inevitably the stereotypes will borrow from reallife, such as groups who are desperately poor and "squatting".

Well, currently the playable goblinoids are all still humanoids, so ...


On a different note, if they had wanted to save some more space, they could have changed "Recharge after a Short or Long Rest" to be "1/Rest". They were willing to shorten "Recharges after a Long Rest" to "X/Day" after all. I don't think "X/Rest" is any harder to parse than "X/Day".

 

[Yaarel]

Well, currently the playable goblinoids are all still humanoids, so ...

You mean, the MM Goblin monster is Fey, but the MotM species is Humanoid?

I dont expect the distinction to last, since even the MotM species include Nonhumanoids to play. I vaguely remember Crawford mentioning Nonhumanoids will be playable in the future.

Dont get me wrong, I love the planar tags. I like being able to play an Elf that is truly Fey, or a Merfolk that is truly Elemental.

A simple solution is having more than one tag. For example, some Eladrin Elves are "Fey Humanoid", and humanlike and playable, but other Eladrins are strictly "Fey" and not at all like humans. Like the sun shines because it wants to shine, and relating to human relationships is irrelevant.

But when the Fey itself is playable, the assumptions become ambiguous.

 

[pukunui]

You mean, the MM Goblin monster is Fey, but the MotM species is Humanoid?

Yes, that is what I mean,.

I dont expect the distinction to last, since even the MotM species include Nonhumanoids to play. I vaguely remember Crawford mentioning Nonhumanoids will be playable in the future.

I dunno. I mean, the playable goblin in MotM is humanoid, while the NPC goblins are all fey, so ... and we've got elemental lizardfolk and humanoid npc lizardfolk in the MM.

It's possible we'll get playable fey goblins, but I don't think it's guaranteed. With bugbears in particular, I feel like they've really leaned into the idea that they are otherworldly kidnappers. Very much bad guys who grab people and take them into the Feywild, perhaps leaving a changeling in their place.

 

[Reynard]

I can't think of anything funnier than the Orc Question becoming the Goblin Question, except maybe the inevitability of the Goblin Question becoming the Gnoll Question, and then the Gnoll Question becoming the Zombie Question.

 

[Lazybones]

Yep. The PHB defines "target" as "the creature or object targeted by an attack roll, forced to make a saving throw by an effect, or selected to receive the effects of a spell or another phenomenon."

EDIT: Eldritch Blast was "creature only" in 2014, but I've just checked and the 2024 version says "creature or object", so I think they've done away with "creature only" attacks. Probably for simplification / streamlining purposes.

Not entirely. While some spells like EB have been expanded to target both creatures and objects, others (e.g., ray of frost) remain creature-only.

 

[Yaarel]

It's possible we'll get playable fey goblins, but I don't think it's guaranteed. With bugbears in particular, I feel like they've really leaned into the idea that they are otherworldly kidnappers. Very much bad guys who grab people and take them into the Feywild, perhaps leaving a changeling in their place.

Right, and Bugbear is an example of demonizing a Nonhumanoid. (It should be demonized − this is literally a boogie monster from folk belief!)

But this is what cause the "new Orc" dilemma for various other Nonhumanoid species that become playable.

 

[Yaarel]

I can't think of anything funnier than the Orc Question becoming the Goblin Question, except maybe the inevitability of the Goblin Question becoming the Gnoll Question, and then the Gnoll Question becoming the Zombie Question.

A clear definition for when things really are humanlike, would help.