D&D 5E Changes to D&D's Spellcasting Monsters: Streamlining Your Way To Bliss

WotC's Jeremy Crawford talks about the way they are changing spellcasting monsters in D&D.

• Making the game more fun, easier to learn, shorting "the pathway to getting to your bliss".
• Making monsters easier to run.
• "Rumors of the death of spellcasting [in monsters] are not true". Innate spellcasting has been streamlined with spellcasting into a single trait.
• Spellcasting options are consolidated whenever possible.
• Removing options that a DM is unlikely ever to use.
• In some cases, new magical abilities in the monster statblock which exist alongside a list of spells they can cast.
• For example, the mind flayer's mind blast is not a spell, and other abilities are magical but not spells and aren't as easy to interact with with things like counterspell.
• Things which make archmages say "How is this functioning, and why can't I stop it?"

 

[UngeheuerLich]

I would say for Counterspell in those situations, the DC is whatever the Spell Save DC, of the monster, and even if that seems, easier to beat, the Monster is still technically chewing threw your Spell Slots/Reactions and if it makes three attacks, then two of those are getting through if the dice rolls in the DM's favor.

That's how I would rule it as a DM anyway.

Counterspell already can't counter all spells (subtle, innate) As long as the list is short, it might be ok.

 

[the Jester]

What makes you look at that block and think that it isn't a spell? It says "spell" right in the description.

Just because it's a spell attack doesn't make it a spell. Look a cambion's ability to Hurl Fire, for example.

 

[Remathilis]

So a friend of mine bought the box set (He didn't have Xanathar or Tasha prior, so this was a good deal for him). He allowed me some extended time with MPMM, so I compared it to Volo and TOF, particularly in the NPC section. A few observations.

1.) WotC REALLY hates offensive cantrips. Like, any caster class who had them lost them. Anyone who previously was a wizard got Arcane Burst as an attack (basically, its Fire bolt, but the damage type varies per wizard). Worse yet, NONE of the warlocks have Eldritch blast. Each instead has a melee weapon with rider. Guess they're all blade pact...
2.) High level magic is gone. The Archdruid, previously an 18th level spellcaster, doesn't have abilities above 6th level magic. I guess it's more in line with his CR, but I don't hold much hope the Archmage is going to have 9th level spells anymore.
3.) That said, if you think caster NPCs won't need the PHB, think again. Most have a few offensive spells (lightning bolt appears several times) and even healing spells (Mass Cure Wounds) along with their toys.
4.) The keywording is inconsistent. All eight specialist wizards don't have "wizard" in the typeline. Neither do the three warlocks, or the bard. The clerics (the drow clerics and the warpriest) do, as does the archdruid. No none-caster has one, even if they're clearly emulating another class (champion, master thief, martial artists).

I haven't reversed engineered them to see if there is a method to their madness (IE: does CR X have Y number of spells and does that correlate at all to their old caster levels) but upon seeing this here (and comparing it to CM and SCC) I can say I'm still unimpressed, but it's not the grand disaster SCC made me think it was going to be.

And Arcane Burst would make an awesome cantrip.

 

[Emirikol Prime]

This looks like where I jump edition ships again like I did for 4E and wait until we get something closer to DnD again when this staff is gone.

 

[Vaalingrade]

This looks like where I jump edition ships again like I did for 4E and wait until we get something closer to DnD again when this staff is gone.

Bye.

See you when IP ownership reverts to you personally, I guess.

 

[Emirikol Prime]

Bye.

See you when IP ownership reverts to you personally, I guess.

Always a toxic player. Blocked for aggressive nonsense.

 

[Umbran]

Bye.

See you when IP ownership reverts to you personally, I guess.

Always a toxic player. Blocked for aggressive nonsense.

Mod Note:
To me, this reads like both of you want to be removed from the discussion for making it personal, and sniping at each other in public.

Be better, both of you.