Teataine
Explorer
So I was just browsing through the Legacy of the Crystal shard bestiary (which made me pine for the Icewind Dale videogames) and I noticed something I consider to be a problem.
There is a number of NPC spellcasters in the Bestiary. They have their spells listed, but you need to reference the (eventual) PHB to see what the spell does. That's annoying as we all know, but I was actually far more annoyed at something else.
A number of (custom) spells that these NPCs have, simply ask you to make an attack roll. Without specifying that kind of attack roll. So I assume it's a magic attack roll and thankfully we have the caster's spellcasting bonus listed. But what about proficiency? Should I add it? Shouldn't I? Do I need to go to the PHB and check what the proficiency bonus for a caster of such and such level is? What is the caster's focus, so the PCs can deprive her or him of the bonus?
I think the monster designers have simply overlooked or forgotten about a significant development that has occurred in recent playtest packets and ignore the factor of a spellcaster's focus and the proficiency bonus it grants.
tl;dr: Right now, when the bestiary tells me to roll an attack for the ice witch's Ice Spear, I don't know what number to add to the d20 other than her Wisdom. And I'm not sure that's right.
There is a number of NPC spellcasters in the Bestiary. They have their spells listed, but you need to reference the (eventual) PHB to see what the spell does. That's annoying as we all know, but I was actually far more annoyed at something else.
A number of (custom) spells that these NPCs have, simply ask you to make an attack roll. Without specifying that kind of attack roll. So I assume it's a magic attack roll and thankfully we have the caster's spellcasting bonus listed. But what about proficiency? Should I add it? Shouldn't I? Do I need to go to the PHB and check what the proficiency bonus for a caster of such and such level is? What is the caster's focus, so the PCs can deprive her or him of the bonus?
I think the monster designers have simply overlooked or forgotten about a significant development that has occurred in recent playtest packets and ignore the factor of a spellcaster's focus and the proficiency bonus it grants.
tl;dr: Right now, when the bestiary tells me to roll an attack for the ice witch's Ice Spear, I don't know what number to add to the d20 other than her Wisdom. And I'm not sure that's right.
