D&D 5E Let’s Read Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse.

[Leatherhead]

Stone Giant Dreamwalker (VGtM)​

Right off the back of one monster that can petrify, we come to another. Though I have to say this instant loss power is a bit harder to set up than most, due to requiring multiple failed saves of different types, it is still possible for them to end a PC in a single turn.

Stone Giants are giants that spend nearly their entire lives underground. Which is remarkable, considering they are giants and underground space is at a premium. Even more remarkable is how they treat the surface world. Due to their long lives, and the relatively transient nature of the surface, they believe that the surface world is a dream: A completely fictitious construct where nothing matters and anything can be done with no consequence. While this belief system has reams worth of problems for the creatures that live on the surface, it has an arguably more incredible impact on any Stone Giant that wanders the surface for too long.

A Stone Giant Dreamwalker is such a giant. After wandering the surface world for long enough, the Dreamwalker’s delusions start having a tangible effect on the giant and on the world around them. By picking up objects, a Dreamwalker can merge them with their body. An extreme form of body modification that encases things in living stone. Even more, creatures become subdued by their mere presence, only to later be subsumed in the same way.

I have to say, this idea sounds cool as heck. It is, however, not fully realized in the statblock. In the artwork, the Dreamwalker melded itself with a ship, the anchor and wheel looking like some sort of piercings. Could you imagine the anchor being used as a sort of grappling hook? What about if they incorporate a wolf into their legs, should that grant some sort of bite attack? Perhaps they could manage to incorporate some large wings (or lots of small wings) onto their frame for the ability to fly? What if they absorb the party barbarian, only to use the barbarian like an ax? There are almost limitless scenarios that could happen from such a prompt, but nothing to support it.

At least the Dreamwalker has the inconvenient form of Petrification that can only be cured after the creature who caused it dies. Which allows for story beats where you have to go out and slay the giant to rescue some poor soul who was enthralled by it. Or maybe the Dreamwalker picked up some legendary weapon that you need, and is using it as a belly button ring.

In combat, the Dreamwalker is a fully competent Giant, sporting an above average movement speed, reach, and Multiattack that can be used with either a Greatclub or Rocks. Their gimmick is realized by two mechanics: Firstly, a Charm aura that can incapacitate any hostile creature within 30’. And secondly, a petrifying attack that only works on incapacitated creatures. It is worth noting that the incapacitated condition can be achieved with other means (such as knocking a PC to 0 hp, or the Sleep spell and the like), so it there are potential synergies for this giant if you go digging for them.

In the changeover, the Dreamwalker had their Greatclub damaged raised. Their Rock damage was lowered, but they can make two of them per turn now, which significantly improves their damage over all.

 

[James Gasik]

I hate this monster with a passion. During Storm King's Thunder, my Fighter got a one use Rune that let me use Greater Restoration, which I slid into my back pocket for a rainy day.

Then we fought this jerk, and he petrified our Cleric. I spent my whole turn and my Action Surge to slap him with the Greater Restoration, only to have the DM tell me "sorry, it doesn't work", really annoying me to no end since I could just just shot the giant full of arrows to accomplish my goal and saved the magic item.

 

[Leatherhead]

Storm Giant Quintessent (VGtM)​

Storm Giant Quintessents can accurately be described as a force of nature. Storm Giants are already at the pinnacle of Giant-kind (at least in their opinion, which is easily backed up with a Lighting Bolt), and Quintessents are on a level above that. By deepening their connection to their elemental nature, a Storm Giant can become a Living Perpetual Storm. Constantly pummeling their lair and the region around it with high intensity winds, lighting, and enough precipitation to cause massive flooding. And I must say that the Quintessent is much better realized than the previous Dreamwalker.

There are a few obvious plot hooks you could do with such a creature. You could simply seek to stop one from flooding the area, or you could even try to find one and convince it to move into an area ravaged by drought in order to restore prosperity. Furthermore, the Quintessnt is a long-lived creature, and it is possible to have one as a recurring NPC spanning the course of multiple campaigns, something that can be a nice bit of world-building reward for your Players.

In combat the Legendary CR 13 Quintessent is going to rock the PCs like a hurricane. It’s not going to be remotely a fair fight, the giant can toss Wind Javelins from up to 600’ away with no chance to miss, and then pepper in some Thunderbolts from equally far away, all while flying (or swimming!) and teleporting perfectly around their lair. Furthermore, they can knock the adventures all around by blowing wind at them. And should the PCs manage to close the gap, the Quintessent is still a Storm Giant, and will stab them for oodles of damage with their Lighting Sword (which it can still use while being safely out of melee reach against humanoids).

In the changeover, their Wind Javelin was changed to force damage, and they gained one use of Legendary Resistance instead of their previous zero. I wonder why there are so many Legendary Creatures that simply lack or have less “legend” about them.

 

[Leatherhead]

During Storm King's Thunder

This brings up an interesting question: Are the old Adventures ever going to be reprinted with the new stats?

 

[James Gasik]

Probably not, I'd guess. There isn't a huge reason to do so, since you can just refer to the new monster books?

 

[MonsterEnvy]

This brings up an interesting question: Are the old Adventures ever going to be reprinted with the new stats?

Maybe, but I would not expect it.

 

[Alby87]

Probably not, I'd guess. There isn't a huge reason to do so, since you can just refer to the new monster books?

Not all monsters are in the new books. Some are adventure specific like Strahd in, well, Curse of Strahd. At first I tought a book could cover that need (I really hoped MPMM book would be this, before the official index was released).

Maybe some "upgrade packs" will be released on Beyond. The one book they updated to this new format to date is Storm King's Thunder (the errata is full of changes to reflect this).

 

[MonsterEnvy]

Speaking of Storm King's Thunder. I hope the Giant Variants they released with it become core in the future. I like when the Giants are more to differ themselves and those options are nice for it.

 

[JEB]

This brings up an interesting question: Are the old Adventures ever going to be reprinted with the new stats?

I'd say it's pretty likely for the more popular adventures, especially if it provides the opportunity to make other changes. (Tomb of Annihilation comes to mind as a strong candidate.) Why waste the opportunity to get people to buy it again and/or market it fresh to fans new in 2024?

Less popular adventures, more likely they'll just lean on backwards compatibility, if it's ever addressed. Maybe, as @Alby87 suggested, "upgrade packs" on D&D Beyond. (Upgrade PDFs on DM Guild, though? Unlikely. I think they may be done with anything on DM Guild that isn't "legacy content".)

 

[Leatherhead]

Sword Wraiths (MToF)​

Sword Wraiths are spectral warriors, most often found near a battlefield, and can handily bolster the armies of Isildur's heir.

What they cannot do, is act like Ghosts, or Specters, or even the Waiths that share their name. This is mostly due to the fact they lack both a Fly speed and the Incorporeal Movement power. They also lack resistances to most elemental damage types, but that's a secondary concern. They do have a gimmick power, but the gimmick hardly feels “undead.” You could easily reflavor these as Skeletons or Zombies and honestly it would feel closer to being true.

Sword Wraiths have a bonus action attack, which ups their DPR in exchange for having all attacks against them made with advantage. You should consider the tactical implications of this. The Sword Wraiths already have resistance to non-magic weapon damage, which counters this to an extent. But the key is in formation fighting. Wraiths in the front row fighting the PCs shouldn’t use this ability (In fact, it might be prudent for them to Dodge), while the ones in the back use it like it’s going out of style.

Sword Wraith Commander

Commanders are the beefier of the two Sword Wraiths, with the ability to summon Warriors as an action. In combat, they can use a longbow or a longsword, and have a shield which must be minded when you swap attacks.

The Commander gained the Unusual Nature power in the changeover.

Sword Wraith Warrior

Warriors are the weaker of the two, they lack the power to summon others, and have a battleaxe instead of a longsword. Otherwise, they too must deal with the pains of only having two hands while juggling a shield.

In the changeover, the Warrior was given a battleaxe instead of a longsword to better reflect their artwork (though I have to question who orders art with an axe for a creature with “sword” in their name). They also gained the Unusual Nature power.