Evil Drow Statblocks to Return in Forgotten Realms Rulebooks Later This Year

Drow-specific NPC statblocks will be included in the upcoming Forgotten Realms Adventurer's Guide set for release later this year. Over the past several weeks, much hullabaloo has been made over the Monster Manual, specifically that the D&D design team replaced specific drow and orc statblocks with generic NPC statblocks that can be used for any kind of humanoids. In a video released today, D&D lead designer Jeremy Crawford confirmed that more specific statblocks tied to specific humanoid sects or characters would return in future rulebooks, with evil drow given as an example.

"Also for anyone who's eager to see more species-tailored humanoid statblocks, people are going to see more of that in our setting books," Crawford said. "You're going to see that in our Forgotten Realms products, for example. The malevolent drow of Menzoberranzan are an important part of that setting and so they get their own statblocks. This is really true of all the creatures in the Monster Manual. This is your massive starting toy box of monsters that are usable anywhere in the multiverse. The bestiaries in our setting products, that's where we can provide you versions of things tailored to the cultures and histories of our different worlds."

 

[Remathilis]

So the stat blocks in the Monster Manual have an extra skill and an origin feat do they? I must have missed that.

No monsters in the Monster Manual have any type of feats, but feel free to give your human guards an extra skill.

 

[Teemu]

So the stat blocks in the Monster Manual have an extra skill and an origin feat do they? I must have missed that.

Yeah, exactly, and you also calculate their equipment based on what a character of an equivalent level would have, and you should of course give them the required feats as well -- or maybe they took the ASI feat? We should start calculating the ability score totals for that to make sure WotC did it correctly. Also, where's their heroic inspiration noted?

I have flashbacks to 3.x times when people on the forums (WotC and ENWorld) would comb through MM entries for such errors. We really don't have to abide by strict PC rules when creating or adjusting monsters and NPCs. There's no defined number of skill or saving throw proficiencies for NPCs or any other similar rules element because they can be whatever we want as needed by the story or the encounter or even the world.

 

[AnotherGuy]

When it comes to the MM I just don't see the big deal. There were only a few drow entries in the 2014 MM and they have been replaced by the more generic humanoids that are far more flexible. Except now I have 1 entry, the tough, for low level fighter types whether they are drow, dwarf or human. Yes, I have to remember that drow have darkvision and if I really, really want to lean into them being drow decide if they also have faerie fire and darkness based on CR of the monster. It's not like there are many DMs out there who don't already have the PHB and we still have to look up spells in the PHB anyway.

Overall it is a smarter approach. I can understand those that would like the unique stats blocks.

Out of interest, those that have the MM 2024 do they have a page or two where they list the playable humanoid races and subraces with all their racial abilities and disabilities as a quick reference to create the various NPC roles?
If not, that was a bit of an oversight IMO. I would have expected that since they went this route.

 

[Oofta]

Dragonborn, gnome, goliath, and tiefling would like a world with you..

I guess I didn't think of dragonborn having different styles of burps making them a distinct subspecies. But you are right, they now take the prize for most variants. I didn't think of those because they don't exist in my campaign world.

I get it, the other species don't have things that set them apart that can be easily adjusted. Having a dwarf wizard wearing armor or a dwarf monk with a warhammer was fun but often pointless depending on class. Of course I still feel like elves won the special ability lottery, getting a free misty step every day for example is pretty huge.

 

[Bae'zel]

I just hope that they do more for describing the biggest cities and adventure locations than the Sword Coast Adventurer's guide, which was a huge let down to me.

The few paragraphs that we have describing the city of Neverwinter made the place seem pretty dull and political, rather than full of potential adventure hooks and atmosphere.

 

[Oofta]

Overall it is a smarter approach. I can understand those that would like the unique stats blocks.

Out of interest, those that have the MM 2024 do they have a page or two where they list the playable humanoid races and subraces with all their racial abilities and disabilities as a quick reference to create the various NPC roles?
If not, that was a bit of an oversight IMO. I would have expected that since they went this route.

There's a Stat Block Conversions table that has entries like a Drow should use Priest Acolyte and Drow Elite Warrior is now a Gladiator.

But nothing that lists the specific species abilities. I guess I don't see it as a big deal, you're flipping from one entry to another anyway. They just happen to be in two books you're probably going to own anyway because you need the PHB for spells. Oh, and drow no longer have sunlight sensitivity I assume because Drizzle doesn't have the sensitivity.

 

[Remathilis]

Something that came to me as I've been thinking on this. WotC really doesn't want you to view stat blocks and objective reality. They want you to think of them as a balanced mechanical expression that you can flavor however you like. This came into focus when he said you could reflavor a pirate as a haughty noble. To some DMs, that would require a unique stat block since what I pirate does is different from what a noble does. Further, the stat block doesn't cover everything the creature can do, just what is needed for a good combat. Which is why the archmage's spell list didn't have a lot of noncombat magic on it. We don't need to account for every species trait, every proficiency, every spell or piece of gear. Just what matters in the moment when that NPC's stats are being used.

I'm not sure I'm 100% on board, but I can see why so many people who learned monster creation in 3e are thrown by it.

 

[npick03]

The word multiverse gives me kidney stones. I hate it so much.

Menzoberranzan drow statblocks being in the Forgotten Realms book is fine, but to me it further illustrates how convoluted and messy this multiversal approach is. Antagonistic drow (and drow as a concept) originate in Greyhawk, which recently came out of retirement in the DMG. That makes two current settings with antagonistic drow. Does that not warrant a generic stat block in the Monster Manual? Or will Erelhei-Cinlu drow appear in some future Greyhawk setting bestiary?

Is the Monster Manual supposed to reprisent the platonic Dungeons & Dragons bestiary that can be found in every world in the multiverse? Because a lot of it is incompatable with Eberron, the second most popular current setting after the Realms. I guess the upcoming Eberron book will have to go out of its way to explain how and why it differs so much from the Monster Manual's core assumptions.

Like, obviously none of this is a big deal. To me it just increases the vibe that 5.5e is maybe a bit too overcooked.

 

[Jacob Lewis]

So which setting would you prefer to be the default setting for D&D going forward?

You misunderstood me. I was referring to Multiverses in the general corporate sense of making everything content and core so I can be a target audience regardless of my feelings or preferences.

EDIT: I'm also referring to more than just D&D, or even D&D-related. My mistake for being too vague or farther removed in a D&D thread.

 

[Nikosandros]

Just wait a page or two. If it isn't yet, it will be. We'll also probably start re-litigating "race", "phylactery", maybe even gender-based ability restrictions . . .

Have you seen the other thread? It's wild.

Well, as long as we all agree that female orcs are genetically lawful evil and cannot exceed 18/75 strength, there should be no issues...