D&D General Drow & Orcs Removed from the Monster Manual

[Lidgar]

The problem with defaulting to generic NPC blocks for many of the humanoids (especially playable ones) is they all become vanilla. Yes, I can re-skin, but that's putting the onus on me.

Species-specific statblocks allow you to introduce flavor - e.g., a drow guard having unique abilities different than what a drow PC would have. It allows you to explore factions and different societies/backgrounds. In short, you can diversify NPC characteristics instead of everyone having one set of vanilla stats with some species-specific traits tacked on for every humanoid guard in the game.

Again, I know this is something the DM can do, but why not provide at least a handful of these to spur on the creative process?

 

[npick03]

All playable species should be in the Monster Manual, with at least one or two statblocks. I thinks orcs especially needed to be in there. It would have been a great opportunity to show orcs in a different light, more in keeping with the new direction they seem to want take them in.

But that would required them to have a coherent vision for orcs as a PHB species, and it would take lore, which 5.5e seems highly allergic to. Honestly these decisions come across as well intentioned, poorly executed half measures designed by committee to sweep the orc and drow discourse as far under the rug as they can.

 

[MGibster]

But that would required them to have a coherent vision for orcs as a PHB species, and it would take lore, which 5.5e seems highly allergic to. Honestly these decisions come across as well intentioned, poorly executed half measures designed by committee to sweep the orc and drow discourse as far under the rug as they can.

I suspect it's going to be a problem so long as kicking down doors and killing things in the name of goodness is the primary purpose of the game.

 

[Scribe]

I suspect it's going to be a problem so long as kicking down doors and killing things in the name of goodness is the primary purpose of the game.

So close. Just drop "in the name of goodness" and we are there.

 

[Reynard]

Disclaimer: I have skipped the last 5 pages or so for... obvious reasons.

Anyway, a question: since the drow (among other species) gain additional spells based on level, is there any official guidance on how to translate that into CR for the NPC statblocks?

 

[AlViking]

Disclaimer: I have skipped the last 5 pages or so for... obvious reasons.

Anyway, a question: since the drow (among other species) gain additional spells based on level, is there any official guidance on how to translate that into CR for the NPC statblocks?

Nope. I think it comes down to a judgement call on whether you believe it adds significantly to their threat level or durability. If you even add them in and assume they aren't reserved for PCs.

 

[Reynard]

Nope. I think it comes down to a judgement call on whether you believe it adds significantly to their threat level or durability. If you even add them in and assume they aren't reserved for PCs.

Man this seems to be the least well thought out of all the weird decisions they have made with this update.

 

[Umbran]

The problem with defaulting to generic NPC blocks for many of the humanoids (especially playable ones) is they all become vanilla. Yes, I can re-skin, but that's putting the onus on me.

As others have already pointed out in various places, when you look at D&D that had species specific statblocks for humanoids, they didn't vary much anyway. They were already vanilla.

What they've provided, instead, are ROLE specific statblocks. I find that more useful, as a GM, than species-specific.

 

[Bedrockgames]

I suspect it's going to be a problem so long as kicking down doors and killing things in the name of goodness is the primary purpose of the game.

We have to stop the normalization of kicking down doors !

 

[Reynard]

We have to stop the normalization of kicking down doors !

There are lots of ways! You can make the doors mimics. You can have the doors be brittle and filled with green slime. You can make the doors explode like a fireball when kicked. Tons of solutions.