TheDayKnight
First Post
I agree that the statblock WotC uses is cramped and difficult to read. But if it means that they can cram more juicy goodness into their adventures, then I am all for it!
Anyone else HATE the 3E stat block?
CRGreathouse
Community Supporter
When I first started to use stat blocks during games I've DM'd, I thought the same way you do, Nemm - they were hard to use. As I used them more frequently, though, I became used to the way they're set up and can find any given piece of information in just a moment (less than a second).
In short, I don't really have the problem you have.
The real problem I encountered was the lack of standardization (as EOL and someguy pointed out); getting used to one format didn't help if you saw another.
In short, I don't really have the problem you have.
The real problem I encountered was the lack of standardization (as EOL and someguy pointed out); getting used to one format didn't help if you saw another.
Plane Sailing
Astral Admin - Mwahahaha!
I find the standard stat blocks really difficult to use. In a published adventure I photocopy the stat pages and use a highlighter pen to mark AC, BAB etc, Saves.
For my money, a great stat block just has the ability modifiers and not the abilities themselves, because for nearly every mook in every battle it is only the ability mod that is important (there just ain't that many poisoned or diseased bad guys in my game, and nobody does anything to them to affect their stats. The actual ability numbers aren't worth having for me, certainly not when I'm running a combat.
Most of the time I re-write stats out on little "combat cards" for the key foes and NPCs. Like someone else I normally put
+4 bite (1d6+2), 2x -1 claw (1d4+1)
so that the damage is next to the attack bonus.
I always use AC as 17 (-1 size, +1 dex, +7 armour) rather than the horrible recent versions which say AC17 (touch 10, flatfooted 16). Not least because published adventures often make mistakes!
Strangely I find it much easier to instantly work out touch or flatfooted AC from that listing than it is to work out an ability mod. I guess I'm better at adding and subtracting than division
Cheers
For my money, a great stat block just has the ability modifiers and not the abilities themselves, because for nearly every mook in every battle it is only the ability mod that is important (there just ain't that many poisoned or diseased bad guys in my game, and nobody does anything to them to affect their stats. The actual ability numbers aren't worth having for me, certainly not when I'm running a combat.
Most of the time I re-write stats out on little "combat cards" for the key foes and NPCs. Like someone else I normally put
+4 bite (1d6+2), 2x -1 claw (1d4+1)
so that the damage is next to the attack bonus.
I always use AC as 17 (-1 size, +1 dex, +7 armour) rather than the horrible recent versions which say AC17 (touch 10, flatfooted 16). Not least because published adventures often make mistakes!
Strangely I find it much easier to instantly work out touch or flatfooted AC from that listing than it is to work out an ability mod. I guess I'm better at adding and subtracting than division
Cheers
