Confirmed: Magic items and summoned monster stats in PHB

[Greg K]

If the PHB entry for a summoned Celestial Dire Aardvark doesn't tell me how many ranks it has in Craft (Basket Weaving), it will be a SLAP IN THE FACE to everyone in this community.

Nah, the slap in the fast is the summoned Celestial Dire Aardvark in the first place

 

[Brother MacLaren]

Seems to be continuing and even exacerbating the 3E trend.
Players shouldn't be equipping their PCs with magic items; DMs should be equipping the PCs with magic items.
Players shouldn't need the Monster Manual to adjudicate shapechanging or summoning effects; DMs should adjudicate all effects of any kind whatsoever.

 

[Ebon Shar]

If the PHB entry for a summoned Celestial Dire Aardvark doesn't tell me how many ranks it has in Craft (Basket Weaving), it will be a SLAP IN THE FACE to everyone in this community.

Coffee+Keyboard=very funny. You owe me a new laptop!

 

[Wormwood]

Players shouldn't be equipping their PCs with magic items; DMs should be equipping the PCs with magic items.
Players shouldn't need the Monster Manual to adjudicate shapechanging or summoning effects; DMs should adjudicate all effects of any kind whatsoever.

Maybe at your table. Not at mine.

 

[Protagonist]

If the PHB entry for a summoned Celestial Dire Aardvark doesn't tell me how many ranks it has in Craft (Basket Weaving), it will be a SLAP IN THE FACE to everyone in this community.

I hope the don't dare exclude the summoned Fiendish Dire Aardvark, the summoned Axiomatic Dire Aardvark and the summoned Anarchic Dire Aardvark!

 

[AllisterH]

Seems to be continuing and even exacerbating the 3E trend.
Players shouldn't be equipping their PCs with magic items; DMs should be equipping the PCs with magic items.
Players shouldn't need the Monster Manual to adjudicate shapechanging or summoning effects; DMs should adjudicate all effects of any kind whatsoever.

I can see the argument about the first but the second? If Druid uses Nature Ally's to get a bear, why force the DM to have to run the stats? Similarly, if the mage summons a monster in combat, why is the DM rolling the dice for its attacks?

 

[FadedC]

Notice they don't say summoend monsters will be in the PHB, they just say they will be in the same book as any class that summons or shapeshifts. From what we have heard it's quite possible that no PHB class will be able to do that.

 

[DreamChaser]

Seems to be continuing and even exacerbating the 3E trend.
Players shouldn't be equipping their PCs with magic items; DMs should be equipping the PCs with magic items.
Players shouldn't need the Monster Manual to adjudicate shapechanging or summoning effects; DMs should adjudicate all effects of any kind whatsoever.

Huh? I'm not sure whether this is meant seriously or not. If it is serious, then this philosophy is part of what makes changing groups so frustrating. DM adjudication may take less space in the rules but it definitely leaves a great deal of space for abuse, whether accidental or otherwise.

In regards to magic items, it is easy for a DM to keep characters from buying tons of magical items: give them magical items instead of money. If they have items but no money, they the are taking a loss (in the current rules at least) if they go and sell them to get what they want. Of course, I'm not sure how keeping the character / player away from what they "want" is increasing the fun.

I as a DM, get tired of having to be responsible for the PCs as well; I have enough on my plate managing the rest of the world.

DC

 

[Greg K]

I can see the argument about the first but the second? If Druid uses Nature Ally's to get a bear, why force the DM to have to run the stats? Similarly, if the mage summons a monster in combat, why is the DM rolling the dice for its attacks?

Because the creaturee is not the player's character.

 

[TerraDave]

Notice they don't say summoend monsters will be in the PHB, they just say they will be in the same book as any class that summons or shapeshifts. From what we have heard it's quite possible that no PHB class will be able to do that.

"those effects will be self-contained within the classes or powers that grant them."

Hmm...I think we will see something in the PHB. But it might not be a "summoned monster" exactly.