D&D 5E Keeping track of monster abilities

[Mouseferatu]

So, I've been running games since I was 9. I've run every edition of D&D that had a number, as well as Basic. But I find myself with a problem in 5E I haven't had before.

I'm losing track of monster spells and similar abilities.

3E was more more complex, but I ran fewer, longer combats. 4E had everything neatly spelled out and limited. 5E, though... I like monsters having options. I just find myself running too many monsters to remember them.

A couple of nights ago, the party fought an arcanaloth and an ultraloth and absolutely crushed them. Had I remembered to use the arcanaloth's dispel magic to poof away the druid's summoned elemental... Well, the fight would still have been a slaughter, but the arcanaloth might have gotten an extra round out of it.

I've done the "go through the monster's spell in advance and highlight or annotate the ones you expect to use." But obviously I can't always foresee what's going to happen.

It's been a long time since I've asked for such basic DMing advice, but... Any of you have any experience with/pointers for dealing with this? I'm not a killer DM, but I do like running monsters to their fullest potential--and I feel like my grasp of tactics, and my memory for special abilities, has been getting in the way of my doing so in the new edition.

 

[GlobeOfDankness]

i started 5e back when the playtest went public so maybe i have an unfair edge, but i've found the monsters to be pretty simple from a DM control perspective. I've found myself in your shoes several times, (forgetting a dragon's fear ability, forgetting a golem's magic resistance) but i just tell myself i'll get them with the next one and move on. the fact that we can easily get through 5 good fights in a night does a lot to take the pressure of individual monsters doing well.

 

[Mouseferatu]

i just tell myself i'll get them with the next one and move on. the fact that we can easily get through 5 good fights in a night does a lot to take the pressure of individual monsters doing well.

That's kind of what I've been doing, too, but I admit that even in 5E, my tendency/instinct is to want to go for fewer, larger combats. Not to the extent I did in 3E or 4E, but probably more so than is optimal for 5E. I'm still trying to find my preferred balancing point.

 

[GlobeOfDankness]

That's kind of what I've been doing, too, but I admit that even in 5E, my tendency/instinct is to want to go for fewer, larger combats. Not the extent I did in 3E or 4E, but probably more so than is optimal for 5E. I'm still trying to find my preferred balancing point.

i'm still learning the monsters as well. i've found that keeping sticky notes on the monsters page and flipping to it when their turn comes up can do a lot to force you to read the stat block.

 

[Taronkov]

I make flash cards for them with all stuff like that one them. I also have one for PC's with Passive Perception, AC, and anything else I think might be helpful(I'm not going to get them to see what else, besides it's what you think could be helpful). Then when players roll initiative I simply put them in order with the monster cards slipped in their initiative order as well. Keeps it nice, neat and organized and doesn't take up much space. I make the cards up for the monsters I don't already have cards for the night before the session. First couple sessions are usually the worst but pretty soon you have a nice stockpile of monsters made up and you really only end up making one or two before play.

 

[PnPgamer]

Practice makes perfect. Don't feel too much down if you forgot an ability or two.

 

[DaveDash]

It happens.

5e is simple but it doesn't mean there isn't a lot going on, and it's still new so a lot of things haven't been committed to memory. I forgot damage resistance a couple of fights ago, oops!

I find what helps for me is slowing down a bit and taking my time more, reading the monster statblocks a few time, and then making a decision.

 

[DM_Jeff]

It's been a long time since I've asked for such basic DMing advice, but... Any of you have any experience with/pointers for dealing with this? I'm not a killer DM, but I do like running monsters to their fullest potential--and I feel like my grasp of tactics, and my memory for special abilities, has been getting in the way of my doing so in the new edition.

3rd edition and it's legacies trained me to print out B&W pages of monster stats for any adventure because of the little abilities and defenses that were hidden amidst the numbers, skills and the like. I then go through each stat block with my handy-dandy rainbow set of highlighter pens and (using no particular color, just a different one for each) mark each ability or defense I feel needs to catch my eye at the table.

I was surprised to find this happening sometimes even in 5e, where the stat blocks are SO simple I think sometimes we've been reconditioned to think they're easy to remember. They're not, still need those highlighters!

 

[iserith]

Since I use Roll20 for both in-person and online games, each monster has a character sheet and its actions and spells are macro'ed. All I need do is click on the monster's token to see a number of buttons from which to choose. I'll have had to input the information from the stat block at some point prior to the game, so this helps me get a feel for what they can do. It also saves me from having to cross-reference books during play.

Ultimately though, the tactical side of it (like your dispel magic example) is something you just learn (or re-learn) over time like any other skill.

 

[Hand of Evil]

Index cards - just stat block, abilities and house rules