Crazy Speculation - Monster Stat Block

[Nebulous]

I've heard that I will have no "mechanical affect" on play (thank god).

That's what i had heard too, and i'm happy with that. But having alignment "at a glance" is a massively useful tool for DM's. Even if you just wanted to boil it down to Good/Neutral/Evil and ignore the subcategories.

 

[Plane Sailing]

That's what i had heard too, and i'm happy with that. But having alignment "at a glance" is a massively useful tool for DM's. Even if you just wanted to boil it down to Good/Neutral/Evil and ignore the subcategories.

I can't see any real purpose for it in the statblock - I would think that in 99%+ of cases the alignment will be either obvious or 'whatever it needs to be for the scenario'.

Cheers

 

[Flynn]

Personally, I see it getting even closer to the data found in stat blocks as they were written out in 1st and 2nd Edition:

Orc
Level 1 Medium Brute
AC: 16, Fort: 13, Ref: 11, Will: 8
Move: 6 squares
HP: 15, MDT: 13
Attack: +3 (club)
Damage: 1d6+2 (club)
Physical: +2, Mental: -2
Skills: Athletics +7
SA: Cleave, Orc Toughness
SQ: Darkvision

Cleave (Ex): When the monster drops an enemy with an attack, he gets a free attack against an adjacent enemy.
Orc Toughness (Ex): Once per encounter as an immediate action, when the orc is about to go below 0 hit points, he may gain 10 hit points.

I've included a simple physical and mental modifier instead of actual stats, since that may be all that's really needed to meet the generic needs for opposed stat rolls, etc. Note that I did not include: Environment, Organization and possibly Treasure. These categories may or may not be in the final stat block for the MM, but usually aren't a part of the stats provided in an adventure.

It definitely makes things a lot smaller.

Hope This Helps,
Flynn

 

[Arashi Ravenblade]

I hate the idea that monsters arent designed the same as the players.

 

[Baby Samurai]

I hate the idea that monsters arent designed the same as the players.

You seem to hate everything about 4th Ed, so why don't you do us all a favour and keep playing whatever edition you are comfortable with and stop thread crapping all over the 4th Ed forum – thanks.

 

[Henry]

You seem to hate everything about 4th Ed, so why don't you do us all a favour and keep playing whatever edition you are comfortable with and stop thread crapping all over the 4th Ed forum – thanks.

Let's not get into a personal sniping contest, please.

 

[Wormwood]

I hate the idea that monsters arent designed the same as the players.

Having run a dozen or so different RPG systems since the inception of 3e, I have come to an inescapable conclusion:

I *love* the idea that monsters aren't designed the same as PCs.

 

[Henry]

I hate the idea that monsters arent designed the same as the players.

For me, it's the thing I've been waiting for since about 2002, myself. I don't EVER write out a full stat block for critters and haven't for the past several years, because it's just too much for me as a DM to keep up with, when dealing with dozens of monsters and NPCs.

 

[Nikosandros]

I *love* the idea that monsters aren't designed the same as PCs.

Yep, I've never run monsters the same as PCs, no matter the game or the edition...

 

[Dragonblade]

Personally, I see it getting even closer to the data found in stat blocks as they were written out in 1st and 2nd Edition

Brilliant! But with my own mods. SA and SQ seem redundant if the description is right there in the stat block (which I hope it is, I hate looking up stuff). And I prefer to have AC and Defenses on separate lines for ease of reading. And I hope they still break down what is providing the AC bonus. I also like HP at the top.

------------------

Orc
Level 1 Medium Brute
HP: 16
AC: 16 (Armor[chain mail] +5, Natural Armor +1)
Fort: 13
Ref: 11
Will: 8
Move: 6 squares
MDT: 13
Attack: +3 (club)
Damage: 1d6+2 (club)
Physical: +2, Mental: -2
Skills: Athletics +7

Cleave (Ex): When the monster drops an enemy with an attack, he gets a free attack against an adjacent enemy.
Orc Toughness (Ex): Once per encounter as an immediate action, when the orc is about to go below 0 hit points, he may gain 10 hit points.
Darkvision (Ex): Ability to see up to 60ft in total darkness.