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Message: <blockquote data-quote="dave2008" data-source="post: 9559976" data-attributes="member: 83242">Good, that is what I thought you would think, and I agree.  I see this as WotC attempt to simplify the stat block (which you seemed to advocate), but in the process making it harder run at the table.  I preferred the 2014 method where it was all in the stat block, but my ideal would be this is a description in the monster entry and not in the stat block at all. The reason I brought this up is that simplification done poorly can make things worse!OK. That seems very specific to you maybe. I can run stuff like that, but it took me many years to get good at it. I feel a lot of people have a hard time with pure imagination improv. In particular new DMs IME. It is the nature of the "beast." A green slime doesn't need to do anything. It just exists in an area and it is dangerous. It is like a trap, so making it a hazard instead of monster makes sense to me. A monster needs to be able to move, attack, and defend. So I need to know how it does those things. Now, if I expect a creature to never need those options in combat or another encounter, I have no issue with running that monster differently in that instance. So, if I am going to fight a unicorn, I want its stat block. If I am just getting information from one as a friendly interaction, I don't need a stat block.  Stat block's are there for when I need them, and I am free to ignore them when I don't. I don't see a situation where I need a stat block for green slime.I'm not sure.  I am not sure I 100% what you really want. What do yo want in a monster book?I think a monster book can achieve both needs (as I understand them) with useful lore text and a stat block. The lore text informs how to run a monster and would allow you to possibly not even need the stat block. Then the stat block is there for when you need it, with the understanding that it is not a complete simulation of the monster, just a tool the help adjudicate combat. Some of it is being clear what the whole monster entry is and is not.</blockquote>

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