D&D (2024) Creature Stat Blocks in 2024 Player's Handbook

[Zaukrie]

The fact that it has utility for the other 10% makes it worth including, since it doesn’t take up any more page space than ability scores were already taking up anyway. In fact, this formatting takes up less page space for monsters that have save proficiencies than the 2014 standard of having an extra line for save proficiencies did.

Meh, it's all a waste for the most part for me. I get others don't agree. But then I'm on team "tiny combat blocks" so I get it.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Keen Senses has been a deprecated design element for a while now, looking at recent 2014 rules books you won't see it, going back to at least Monsters of the Multiverse. Instead, you'll see Proficiency or Expertise in Perception for creatures that used to or otherwise would have Keen Senses.

You can see it in the 2024 Wolf stat block with its +5 to Perception (Wis +1, PB +2 doubled).

I liked senses being more granular, like having a bonus on checks related to smell or hearing. Level Up accomplishes with skill specialties, which provide expertise (+1d4 in A5e) on specific uses of a skill. Makes more sense to me.

 

[Micah Sweet]

I’m not seeing the Bloodied condition in the free rules. Am I just not looking in the right place?

EDIT: Found it. Turns out, I was not looking in the right place, because for some reason it isn’t a condition. It’s just an isolated entry in the rules glossary.

I suspect it's not considered a condition because it's a 4e-style keyword. It does nothing by itself.

 

[Charlaquin]

Meh, it's all a waste for the most part for me. I get others don't agree. But then I'm on team "tiny combat blocks" so I get it.

But, again, it’s inclusion doesn’t take any additional page space, so being on team tiny combat blocks isn’t relevant here. It’s one thing to say you don’t like it aesthetically, but don’t try to claim it’s a page space issue when this literally takes less page space than it used to, and getting rid of monster save proficiencies entirely wouldn’t reduce the page space any further.

 

[pukunui]

I suspect it's not considered a condition because it's a 4e-style keyword. It does nothing by itself.

Exactly.

I am annoyed that they reneged on making Slowed a condition. They’ve gone back to writing it all out in full again. So silly!

 

[Charlaquin]

I suspect it's not considered a condition because it's a 4e-style keyword. It does nothing by itself.

I guess, but it still functions like a condition, so conditions is where I would expect to find it.

 

[Micah Sweet]

I guess, but it still functions like a condition, so conditions is where I would expect to find it.

I think they should have given it an intrinsic effect. Maybe a bonus to Wisdom saves (the determination factor)?

 

[fluffybunbunkittens]

Attacks auto-proning does make Str saves totally obsolete, as that was their whole function.

But at least it streamlines play (or it would, but they gave us Topple weapons to take up that time).

Correction: The CAMEL! Has proficiency in CON saves

And Giant Goat in Str saves.

 

[Dan Dillon]

I liked senses being more granular, like having a bonus on checks related to smell or hearing. Level Up accomplishes with skill specialties, which provide expertise (+1d4 in A5e) on specific uses of a skill. Makes more sense to me.

Mileage will vary of course but the simple explanation is Keen Senses as a trait with no other notation was too easy to be missed and become literal dead space on the page.

Your preferences are valid!

 

[Charlaquin]

I think they should have given it an intrinsic effect. Maybe a bonus to Wisdom saves (the determination factor)?

I like having it turn on the Healer’s Kit Dependency and Slower Natural Healing rules. When you’re bloodied you’ve taken meaningful meat damage and need to be patched up to recover.