How the Monsters Have Changed in the 2025 Monster Manual: Aarakocra

How much have the monsters changed in the 2025 Monster Manual? Well, one way of showing this is to make side-by-side comparisons of the 2025 monsters to their 2014 equivalents. First up, the Aarakocra.

The 2014 Aarakocra entry had a single statblock for a CR 1/4 creature. There are two statblocks in the 2025 Monster Manual, a CR 4 Aarakocra Aeromancer and a CR 1/4 Aarakocra Skirmisher. Per the Monster Manual's conversion guide, the Aarakocra Skirmisher is the equivalent to the 2014 Aarakocra. The lore entry is significantly reduced - it's only 68 words and notes that Aarakocra "soar the sky of countless worlds" in addition to the Elemental Plane of Air. One additional note - aarakocra often resemble the avians in the world they live in, with the traditional hawk/condor look mentioned alongside hummingbirds and archaeopteryxes. This isn't a lore change per se, but the artwork features a bright pink-feathered aarakocra alongside a hawk.

Also, aarakocra are now classified as elementals instead of humanoids.

As for the stats themselves, the 2025 Aarakocra Skirmisher's AC remains the same, but its hit points have been reduced to 11 (or 2D8+2). Constitution ability score increased by 2, which gives the Aarakocra Skirmisher a +1 to Constitution saving throws, but no other changes to ability scores or saving throws.

The Aarakocra's Dive Attack feature from the 2014 statblock (which adds a D6 to damage if the Aarakocra is flying and dives 30+ feet towards a target) was incorporated into the Skirmisher's base Talon attack with a more straightforward trigger. The Talon attack has the same attack bonus, reach, and base damage, but it now deals 2D4 extra damage if the aarakocra moves 30+ feet in a straight line toward the target directly before making the attack. The aarakocra's javelin attack is now a Wind Javelin. It has the same attack bonus, reach, and range. However, it now deals an extra 2 (1d4) Thunder damage in addition to its base 5 (1D6+2) Piercing damage. Additionally, the Wind Javelin magically returns to the Aarakocra's hand whether it hit or misses after making a ranged attack.

 

[SpellObjectEnthusiast]

Again, I don't have the 2024 MM, but the 2014 MM allows you to recover a monster's equipment. From the intoduction to the 2014 MM:

Equipment​

A stat block rarely refers to equipment, other than armor or weapons used by a monster. A creature that customarily wears clothes, such as a humanoid, is assumed to be dressed appropriately.

You can equip monsters with additional gear and trinkets however you like, using the equipment chapter of the Player’s Handbook for inspiration, and you decide how much of a monster’s equipment is recoverable after the creature is slain and whether any of that equipment is still usable. A battered suit of armor made for a monster is rarely usable by someone else, for instance.

If a spellcasting monster needs material components to cast its spells, assume that it has the material components it needs to cast the spells in its stat block.

So, it is RAW that PCs can loot a monster's equipment.

Text from the prior edition of the game is irrelvant to a conversation about the current edition.

 

[dave2008]

Text from the prior edition of the game is irrelvant to a conversation about the current edition.

Well, it is the same edition. Also, as I said in my comment you quoted, I don't have the 2024 MM yet. I would be happy to discuss the 2024 MM, but none of the text relevant to this discussion has been posted as far as I know.

Also, regardless of what the 2024 MM, the text in the 2014 MM is still true. There is nothing about the game that prevents the DM from giving loot to players. Heck there several 3PP books on monster loot and harvesting.

 

[sevenbastard]

I am a pretty brutal GM in that I generally assume the monsters/villains are playing for keeps. I have killed a lot of PCs. But I think I have only has one or two TPKs in the last 10 years, and none in 5E.

It takes about 1% effort as a DM to provide that to players if they want to give it. If a DM can't do that, then maybe they shouldn't play D&D?

Sure, but that doesn't mean we can't be disappointed in the direction the game is going.

 

[dave2008]

Sure, but that doesn't mean we can't be disappointed in the direction the game is going.

Absolutely. That is the case with every edition of D&D for me. I had 24 pages of house rules in 1e. With 5e I am down to 1 or so pages.

However, how is that relevant to what I said about monster loot?

 

[UngeheuerLich]

I realize that may be RAW (I don't have the 2024 MM so I can't verify that), but the stats of the wind javelin are right there in the book.

I also don't have the book, but the gear entry says, that if an item is not in the gear list, the item can't be looted. And it is to assume, the added traits are abilities of the creature, not the item.

It takes about 1% effort as a DM to provide that to players if they want to give it. If a DM can't do that, then maybe they shouldn't play D&D?

Of course they can. But it is reasonable not to give items that can be potentially very powerful (not necessarily a returning weapon) to players at very early levels.

Players also have powers they can add to their weapon attacks. If a different PC picks it up they also won't get the ability.

That said, a cool special reward could be training by friendly Aaracokras or a blessing by friendly Aaracokras that allows players to use this ability on their javelins.

 

[dave2008]

I also don't jave the book, but the gear entry says, that if an item is not in the gear list, the item can't be looted. And it is to assume, the added traits are abilities of the creature, not the item.

I can't really comment until I see the text. The 2014 text works fine for me though.

Of course they can. But it is reasonable not to give items that can be potentially very powerful (not necessarily a returning weapon) to players at very early levels.

Players also have powers they can add to their weapon attacks. If a different PC picks it up they also won't get the ability.

That said, a cool special reward could be training by friendly Aaracokras or a blessing by friendly Aaracokras that allows players to use this ability on their javelins.

It seems you are agreeing with me? Am I missing something?

 

[Echohawk]

I can't really comment until I see the text. The 2014 text works fine for me though.

2025:

 

[dave2008]

2025:
View attachment 395272

Yep, I will be using the 2014 version!

 

[UngeheuerLich]

I can't really comment until I see the text. The 2014 text works fine for me though.

It seems you are agreeing with me? Am I missing something?

It is half agreeing and half not. I think as loot giving everyone special weapons is not fine. Giving them as rewards in some way might be.

3e was terrible ins that way: to make NPCs even stand a chance, you needed to add magic items. So +1 weapons were just thrown away at some point...

 

[TwoSix]

Who said it was a the item that is magical and not the elemental that is throwing it?

This. I would treat the "Wind Javelin" as a specially enchanted item that resonates with the Elemental nature of the Aarocokra to enable its returning and thundering ability. The players can have it, but it doesn't do anything when not attuned to an Aaracokra.

And yes, I would absolutely let a Aarocokra PC use one of these if they acquire it. A returning + 1d4 thunder damage javelin that requires attunment is a moderately strong Uncommon.