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Message: <blockquote data-quote="CapnZapp" data-source="post: 6906386" data-attributes="member: 12731">5th edition is superior, if falling short of my ideal mark. Actual minions (as in level 29 1hp monsters) is a horrible idea.The way 5th edition allows you to have actual ogres as minions at high level is definitely worth the extra admin (the ogres will fall to a hit, but before everyone realizes that, you will still waste a few seconds calculating damage). The ogres can still hit most if not all characters even if they do not roll a 20. (Since 19+6=25 and even at max level that's still higher than the average AC of the party)But one thing was lost. The idea to have "elite warrior" stats for many monsters was still a good one. I would have loved a second Ogre stat block, for an "elite Ogre" of perhaps CR 7. Or Grimlocks. Or Gnomes. Or Tigers. The way all elite guard dwarves are given the same old Veteran NPC stat block gets old, fast. The way all mid-level spellchuckers are given the same Mage stat block, with minor racial tweaks, gets old, fast.I want specific Grimlock Cannibal CR 5 statblocks, or perhaps a cool CR 15 Gnome Master Illusionist statblock (complete with a three-round spell tactics sidebar), and why not a CR 10 Dire Tiger...I don't want to reuse the same dozen NPC stat blocks. I don't want to have to create class-level versions of NPCs myself. I want the 5E rules and the 5E way of thinking, but I also want the wealth of different statblocks that 4E gave us.(Minus minions)So, leafing through the 4E Monster Manual at random, I spot the Eladrin section (the High Elf of that edition).It contains a very satisfying spread of such Elf NPCs:* the Eladrin Fey Knight (probably similar to a 5E Veteran and thus CR 2-3; level 7 out of 30)* the Eladrin Twilight Incanter (probably similar to a sturdier 5E Cult Fanatic and thus CR 2-3; level 8 out of 30)* the Bralani of Autumn Winds (probably similar to a high-level Fighter/Wizard multiclass and I'd peg it at least at CR 8-10 depending on spells; level 19 out of 30)* the Ghaele of Winter (probably similar to a high-level cold-themed sorcerer and thus CR 15ish; leve 21 out of 30)4E sure sports impressive NPC class names, huh? <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />More to the point, here we have a single humanoid race writeup, with no less than four distinct stat blocks, CR 2, CR 3, CR 8 and CR 15; for loads of fun variety! <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /></blockquote>

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