So I got my 2024 MM and started taking a look. Just starting a list of winners and losers, what monsters got shafted, which ones got the biggest glow up?
Winners
Mummy Lord - I have tried mummy lords twice in games before, and they died so quickly and so ineffectually both times that they became a laughing stock for my group. But this new one looks pretty baller, double the toughness and automatic cursing....this guy is scary!
Rust Monster - This went from a rusting attack that meant the creature did no damage in that round, to possibly 3 rusting attacks while doing damage. Now this guy will scare the crap out of players!
Winner/Loser
Tarrasque - Definitely got some beef up and so attempts to help it against flying creature is a nice touch, the swallow is also way better just for being automatic once they are grappled. That said, Big T still has two big problems: Flying creatures above like 100ish feet can still get it with nigh impunity (aka arrows or other long range spells)....and no regeneration. Come on, if any monster deserves regen its Big T. The lack of regen is why you get the weird abuses of a wizard just plinking Big T to death, or the army of schlubs that can take the tarrasque down. Give it regen 20 or 30 and all of that goes away... I don't understand the reluctance to give regen to Big T.
Lich - On the one hand, really nice boost to durability, and the paralyzing touch is WAY better and actually a credible threat (though the +12 attack bonus is low for this level, you can't go wrong with no save paralysis). But the loss of some big spells like Global of Invul or Dominate monster are keenly felt. I respect the idea of trimming down spell lists for a lot of monsters....but the lich is the ultimate spellcasting baddie, its one of the few that needs the full spell list treatment. And lastly.....spirit jar? spirit jar!!!!???? um....no, its a phylactery, and will always be a phylactery. Dnd is part teaching players new crazy words, and this is one of those that should never be removed!!!
Losers
Slaad - It still annoys me that the exemplars of Chaos are so.....organized. They are color coded, their abilities are just upgrades from one color to the next. There is nothing about Slaad that mechanically says Chaos to me. With several other monsters getting some real meaty changes, I had hoped to see a nice injusion of chaos into these creatures, but alas.
So that's my start, what do you think?
Winners
Mummy Lord - I have tried mummy lords twice in games before, and they died so quickly and so ineffectually both times that they became a laughing stock for my group. But this new one looks pretty baller, double the toughness and automatic cursing....this guy is scary!
Rust Monster - This went from a rusting attack that meant the creature did no damage in that round, to possibly 3 rusting attacks while doing damage. Now this guy will scare the crap out of players!
Winner/Loser
Tarrasque - Definitely got some beef up and so attempts to help it against flying creature is a nice touch, the swallow is also way better just for being automatic once they are grappled. That said, Big T still has two big problems: Flying creatures above like 100ish feet can still get it with nigh impunity (aka arrows or other long range spells)....and no regeneration. Come on, if any monster deserves regen its Big T. The lack of regen is why you get the weird abuses of a wizard just plinking Big T to death, or the army of schlubs that can take the tarrasque down. Give it regen 20 or 30 and all of that goes away... I don't understand the reluctance to give regen to Big T.
Lich - On the one hand, really nice boost to durability, and the paralyzing touch is WAY better and actually a credible threat (though the +12 attack bonus is low for this level, you can't go wrong with no save paralysis). But the loss of some big spells like Global of Invul or Dominate monster are keenly felt. I respect the idea of trimming down spell lists for a lot of monsters....but the lich is the ultimate spellcasting baddie, its one of the few that needs the full spell list treatment. And lastly.....spirit jar? spirit jar!!!!???? um....no, its a phylactery, and will always be a phylactery. Dnd is part teaching players new crazy words, and this is one of those that should never be removed!!!
Losers
Slaad - It still annoys me that the exemplars of Chaos are so.....organized. They are color coded, their abilities are just upgrades from one color to the next. There is nothing about Slaad that mechanically says Chaos to me. With several other monsters getting some real meaty changes, I had hoped to see a nice injusion of chaos into these creatures, but alas.
So that's my start, what do you think?
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