D&D (2024) 2025's Ancient Green Dragon Stat Block From The New Monster Manual

The new ancient green dragon from the 2025 Monster Manual was previewed at Gen Con.

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[Uni-the-Unicorn!]

except that this is a false dichotomy, it could gain that and more and keep the tail swipe

Is not entirely false. There is a trade-off. More actions require more space more space requires a different layout, which requires more time and more time requires more money. Nothing is free.

 

[MonsterEnvy]

Charm Monster you at least get Advantage on the Save against if you are fighting the Dragon, and you don't regard the Dragon as your best friend, you are just friendly and it has advantage to influence you. The biggest issues is that you can't attack the dragon now while charmed.

 

[Chaosmancer]

Change of topic: art is great, as is the serpentine dragon design, but I find that inverted horn that it has on its chin bizarre. Does it serve any purpose? Is it a beard? I don’t recall it in the concept art.

HArd to tell with image quality, but I think it is either the tongue, or one of the wing "fingers" just from behind the head.

 

[Chaosmancer]

except that this is a false dichotomy, it could gain that and more and keep the tail swipe

Not if you want to keep the statblock to a single half page. Giving it a claw, bite, wing, and tail attack would take up too much room and force some of the things in the block to be taken out.

 

[Crimson Longinus]

Not if you want to keep the statblock to a single half page.

Then don't. It is fine for a big solo boss monster to have a full page statblock.

 

[Chaosmancer]

Is that fun?

Depends on how you run it. If you flavor it as a constant sibilant whisper, a shadow in the leaves that presses on your mind to worship the greater being before you, to submit to its rule.... yeah, I know a ton of players who would have a blast with that.

 

[mamba]

Not if you want to keep the statblock to a single half page. Giving it a claw, bite, wing, and tail attack would take up too much room and force some of the things in the block to be taken out.

yes, but I do not see half a page as the declared maximum for stat blocks

 

[Chaosmancer]

Then don't. It is fine for a big solo boss monster to have a full page statblock.

So the Ancient and adult dragons end up with full page statblocks, which means recommissioning new art (because the art was made alongside the book) and then what? You are quite literally talking about adding 10 pages to the book. And that's if they just do this for dragons. What about Giants? What about Fiends? What about the CR 5 hag that is the big solo boss monster for the level 3 party?

Sometimes, less is more. This is a great statblock.

 

[Crimson Longinus]

So the Ancient and adult dragons end up with full page statblocks, which means recommissioning new art (because the art was made alongside the book) and then what? You are quite literally talking about adding 10 pages to the book. And that's if they just do this for dragons. What about Giants? What about Fiends? What about the CR 5 hag that is the big solo boss monster for the level 3 party?

Sometimes, less is more. This is a great statblock.

Sure. Have more pages.

And I don't think it is particularly good statblock. It doesn't convey the physical power this sort of massive creature should have.

 

[dave2008]

My bad; I did not intend to venture too far away from the statblock element.

Change of topic: art is great, as is the serpentine dragon design, but I find that inverted horn that it has on its chin bizarre. Does it serve any purpose? Is it a beard? I don’t recall it in the concept art.

It is in the concept art, but much smaller:

You can also see it in the update Tiamat image, but again smaller: