D&D 5E A simple Monster question

[Nathal]

Hey 5E experts, I'm late to the D&D 5th Edition party and just now really starting to dig into these rules.
I have a few questions and I know there is no better place in all cyberspace to ask!

My overall question is this: Why is the proficiency bonus listed only under the Saving Throws section of Monsters & Foes when it seems to apply to more than a monster's saving throws (if listed at all) and some skills? [edit: Note, I mean only in the SRD online. I'm about to buy the DMG, so maybe I should have read that first? Ha.] The location of the Proficiency Bonus by Challenge Rating chart makes me wonder exactly when it is not applied.

Just to grab one example, the 1/8 CR Bandit. I noticed that this NPC/monster gets a +3 to hit. +1 from the scimitar, and I presume +2 from the proficiency bonus. But do you add the bonuses as given on the Proficiency Bonus by Challenge Rating to every monster's attack rolls as a general rule, or is it a case-by-case decision?

 

[MonsterEnvy]

It's added in automatically. Unless you are making your own monsters you will never have to add it yourself. If saving throws or skills are brought up in the stats that just means use those numbers instead of their ability score modifier.

 

[mflayermonk]

+1 is from the attack stat (Strength most likely). So +1 for Strength and +2 for Proficiency (since monsters are proficient in their own attacks listed) for a total of +3.

Its proficiency + stat for things the monster is proficient in. Just attribute stat bonus for everything else.

If a monster has saving throws listed, that means the monster is proficient in those saving throws. The number (eg Wisdom +5) is the monster's wisdom attribute bonus + it's proficiency bonus.

 

[jaelis]

If you just use the stats as written you don't have to worry about it. Very occasionally you have to do some reverse engineering to figure out what is going on. Like if you want a monster/npc to attack with a weapon they aren't proficient with. But in those cases most of the time the ability scores are all you need.

 

[dave2008]

Just to grab one example, the 1/8 CR Bandit. I noticed that this NPC/monster gets a +3 to hit. +1 from the scimitar, and I presume +2 from the proficiency bonus. But do you add the bonuses as given on the Proficiency Bonus by Challenge Rating to every monster's attack rolls as a general rule, or is it a case-by-case decision?

The monsters and NPCs in the MM and other official WotC sources have the proficiency bonus added in already. If a saving throw or skill is listed, it means the monster is proficient in it and its proficiency bonus is already calculated in the score given. It is not proficient in other saving throws or skills and you only use the ability modifier in that case.

Most monsters are proficient in their attacks and have the bonus already added. There are the odd monsters hear and there which have an attack that it is not proficient in, and these attacks will have a lower attack bonus. However, those monsters also have an attack the are proficient in too.

Simply, if it is a WotC monster, the math is already taken care of - no need to worry about the proficiency bonus.

P.S. Last thing: the bandit has a +3 attack because of its +2 proficiency bonus plus its +1 Dex modifier. No monsters in the MM gain am attack bonus from having magical weapons (even when they have the trait "Magical Weapons"). It is any easy thing to do to make monsters tougher - give them magical weapons and add those bonuses accordingly.

 

[Nathal]

If you just use the stats as written you don't have to worry about it. Very occasionally you have to do some reverse engineering to figure out what is going on. Like if you want a monster/npc to attack with a weapon they aren't proficient with. But in those cases most of the time the ability scores are all you need.

Simple enough, thanks everybody.

 

[jaelis]

So with a bit more time, it is maybe interesting to mention a few cases where things are a bit confusing. But again, these are uncommon and rarely come up:

- Sometimes monsters have random ad hoc bonuses or penalties. For instance, a chain devil has +8 to hit with it's chains. It should have a prof bonus of +3 and a Str bonus of +4 for +7. If you have a chain devil attack with a different weapon for some reason, you'll have to decide whether to apply that ad hoc bonus. (In this case, I'd say the bonus only works with the chains.)

- Several monsters use Dex rather than Str for their normal attacks. A few seem to use other stats (ie, a ghost seems to use Cha). If such a creature attacks with a non-standard weapon of some kind, you'll have to decide what stat to use. I would play that this is determined by the weapon. So if a ghost picks up a longsword and attacks with it, they would use Str at my table.

- The ray of enfeeblement spell requires you to determine whether a creature's attacks use Strength or not. Occasionally that is hard to determine (ie, the giant eagle). At my table ray of enfeeblement works against all weapon attacks for simplicity.

 

[Satyrn]

So with a bit more time, it is maybe interesting to mention a few cases where things are a bit confusing. But again, these are uncommon and rarely come up:

- Sometimes monsters have random ad hoc bonuses or penalties. For instance, a chain devil has +8 to hit with it's chains. It should have a prof bonus of +3 and a Str bonus of +4 for +7. If you have a chain devil attack with a different weapon for some reason, you'll have to decide whether to apply that ad hoc bonus. (In this case, I'd say the bonus only works with the chains.)

- Several monsters use Dex rather than Str for their normal attacks. A few seem to use other stats (ie, a ghost seems to use Cha). If such a creature attacks with a non-standard weapon of some kind, you'll have to decide what stat to use. I would play that this is determined by the weapon. So if a ghost picks up a longsword and attacks with it, they would use Str at my table.

- The ray of enfeeblement spell requires you to determine whether a creature's attacks use Strength or not. Occasionally that is hard to determine (ie, the giant eagle). At my table ray of enfeeblement works against all weapon attacks for simplicity.

There's another option, too. I don't think it matters if the numbers I use for an attack are off by a bit, so I'd just use what's written for a different attack without worrying about it.

And damage bonuses, too - but I would be sure to use a d8 when using a longsword in place of a shortsword, for example.