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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[Parmandur]

The thing is, I personally think having the lair info in the stat block is less user friendly. Maybe I am just off that way, buy my group doesn't typically try to encounter a boss type monster in its lair, so having this info the stat block just muddies it up for me.

Also, you can more interesting lair effects if you remove them from the stat block. That is the really cool thing to me.

I get that: I like the alternate/bonus lair effects from Fizban's.

 

[GreatestHonor]

Still, though, they have talked about how they have brought in UX experts to help with the design of these books, and while it is not necessarily the only solution, I think it does make sense that they are trying to help make the stat block easier for more DMs to use efficiently.

While it may not be a perfect solution, I think a good idea would be that the digital stats should be split into two versions. One with lair actions and one without. If you are using the stat block straight from the book, then the lair actions are at most a page flip away

 

[pukunui]

Still, though, they have talked about how they have brought in UX experts to help with the design of these books, and while it is not necessarily the only solution, I think it does make sense that they are trying to help make the stat block easier for more DMs to use efficiently.

Hmm. I'm not sure the UX experts improved on the statblock design. This new design with its color-coded ability score boxes and the increasing number of keywords ("trigger", "response", etc) reminds me of 4e's monster statblocks, for which I have no great fondness.

 

[Parmandur]

Hmm. I'm not sure the UX experts improved on the statblock design. This new design with its color-coded ability score boxes and the increasing number of keywords ("trigger", "response", etc) reminds me of 4e's monster statblocks, for which I have no great fondness.

I'm not sure it helped either, but I'm inclined to think that's why they went that way! I was not a fan of the 4E design aesthetic, personally, but if they find a design that helps people...well, I hope it helps people.

 

[GreatestHonor]

Hmm. I'm not sure the UX experts improved on the statblock design. This new design with its color-coded ability score boxes and the increasing number of keywords ("trigger", "response", etc) reminds me of 4e's monster statblocks, for which I have no great fondness.

I don’t mind that change, it may be easier for some GMs to use, but personally saw nothing terribly wrong with how reactions were written before. I do see how the new way may allow you to write a trigger without having to worry about specific lingo as much.

 

[cbwjm]

I'm still not 100% decided, but I'm leaning towards preferring their multiple reactions to legendary actions; I think I prefer them reacting to certain triggers rather than waiting until the end of a creature's turn to sneak a legendary action in as I think the reactions will lead to more dynamic encounters.

 

[pukunui]

I'm not sure it helped either, but I'm inclined to think that's why they went that way! I was not a fan of the 4E design aesthetic, personally, but if they find a design that helps people...well, I hope it helps people.

Let's just hope it helps more people than it hinders. For me, though, it's just one more little straw on the camel's back. This isn't the one that's gonna break it, but it's adding to the strain.

I don’t mind that change, it may be easier for some GMs to use, but personally saw nothing terribly wrong with how reactions were written before. I do see how the new way may allow you to write a trigger without having to worry about specific lingo as much.

Oh, I'm not arguing that it's an inherently bad way of doing it. I just don't personally like it because of its associations with 4e's design. Most of the newer players aren't going to have that association, so it likely won't bother them like it bothers me.

 

[GreatestHonor]

I'm still not 100% decided, but I'm leaning towards preferring their multiple reactions to legendary actions; I think I prefer them reacting to certain triggers rather than waiting until the end of a creature's turn to sneak a legendary action in as I think the reactions will lead to more dynamic encounters.

I can get behind that. Personally, I want a mix of both, but I suppose if you wanted something like a typical legendary action still, you could just have a reaction that triggers when a creature ends its turn.

 

[pukunui]

I can get behind that. Personally, I want a mix of both, but I suppose if you wanted something like a typical legendary action still, you could just have a reaction that triggers when a creature ends its turn.

I do too. I may not like the changes to the statblock format as much, but I think the 2024 ancient green dragon is overall an improvement on the 2014 version. However, I am tempted to add back in some of the 2014 elements, such as the wall of thorns lair action, and maybe the Wing Attack legendary action, and maybe also the regional effects (assuming they're not just on another page in the new MM).

 

[dave2008]

I can get behind that. Personally, I want a mix of both, but I suppose if you wanted something like a typical legendary action still, you could just have a reaction that triggers when a creature ends its turn.

The very first reaction, Charming Presence, is exactly that. It triggers when another creature ends its turn. It is 100% like the old Legendary Actions.