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

[Weiley31]

First off, I'm legit enjoying this post as each entries have a very strong "The Monsters Know what they are doing" type of voice when I read them and see some of the suggestions. So this is one thread I always enjoy seeing a new post in.

Second: I know everybody isn't happy with how the new Spellcasting Paradigm is now but remember: you can always take spells from the old versions and add them into the old blocks or switch up the Monsters of the Multiverse spell lists with some of the original version's lists. So, feel free to swap those lower spells and give the Archdruid and co back their 9th level spells Heal and Foresight and what not.

In the end, it's only the PCs who will hate you for doing such a thing.

 

[Leatherhead]

Archer (VGtM)​

A short entry this time, but that's ok, because tonight is my Game Night and I have dice to roll~

This stat block represents the best NPC sharpshooter you would find in town, or alternatively a member of an elite longbow unit. Use this if you need a mundane T1 sniper. It’s a simple stat block that gets the job done.

To add some flavor to this rather generic offering, the book gives you a table to roll on for a random style of fletching. This list is strangely exotic for my tastes, some of the “feathers” that they use have incredible implications. Like the Vrock feathers. Not only did a cr3 humanoid manage to survive an encounter with a cr 6 demon, but also the humanoid somehow plucked that bad buzzard bald to use the demon’s feathers as part of a weapon, and said weapon isn’t even magical? How do you even preserve a demon feather, don’t their body parts turn into icor when they die? Does that mean the Vrok is still alive and being farmed for feathers? What’s going on here? Anyway, as shown here, the table for fletching can be used for flavor or plot hooks.

Combat for the Archer is relatively simple. They pick a target and shoot it, from extreme range if possible. When pressed into melee they stab with their shortsword. They should use the Archer’s Eye Power every round, as they probably won’t live longer than three rounds anyway. For the record: Adding damage to a normal hit is an average of 5 extra damage. Turning a miss into a hit adds an additional average of 8 damage. And adding damage to a crit adds an additional average of 11 damage. Making the order of rolls to apply their extra die to Crit>Miss>Hit.

The archer’s multi-attack was changed to work with their shortsword, giving them a bit of extra damage when cornered in melee. The wording on their Archer’s Eye power was cleaned up so that you can trigger it after you roll instead of before the roll, and use it for any ranged weapon, making the power much more deadly.

 

[pukunui]

@Leatherhead: Yeah, it’s weird that they felt the need to add a random table for fletching while also feeling the need to remove the random quirks table for tabaxi.

 

[bergec]

I'm curious what former Humanoids have been reassigned to Monstrosity, Fey, etc.

 

[Marandahir]

I'm curious what former Humanoids have been reassigned to Monstrosity, Fey, etc.

Changes of Creature Types or Subtypes in the Book (creature Size Categories have been omitted for brevity):

1. Archdruid: Humanoid (Any Race) -> Humanoid (Druid)
2. Archer: Humanoid (Any Race) -> Humanoid
3. Bard: Humanoid (Any Race) -> Humanoid
4. Barghest: Fiend (Shapechanger) -> Fiend
5. Blackguard: Humanoid (Any Race) -> Humanoid (Paladin)
6. Aurochs: Beast -> Beast (Cattle)
7. Deep Rothé: Beast -> Beast (Cattle)
8. Ox: Beast -> Beast (Cattle)
9. Stench Kow: Beast -> Fiend (Cattle)
10. Champion: Humanoid (Any Race) -> Humanoid
11. Choldrith: Monstrosity -> Monstrosity (Cleric)
12. Cloud Giant Smiling One: Giant (Cloud Giant) -> Giant
13. Cranium Rat: Beast -> Aberration
14. Swarm of Cranium Rats: Swarm of Beasts -> Swarm of Aberrations
15. Death Kiss: Aberration -> Aberration (Beholder)
16. Deathlock: Undead -> Undead (Warlock)
17. Deathlock Mastermind: Undead -> Undead (Warlock)
18. Deathlock Wight: Undead -> Undead (Warlock)
19. Deep Scion: Humanoid (Shapechanger) -> Monstrosity
20. Derro: Humanoid (Derro) -> Aberration
21. Derro Savant: Humanoid (Derro) -> Aberration (Sorcerer)
22. Devourer: Fiend -> Undead
23. Brontosaurus: Beast -> Beast (Dinosaur)
24. Deinonychus: Beast -> Beast (Dinosaur)
25. Dimetrodon: Beast -> Beast (Dinosaur)
26. Hadrosaurus: Beast -> Beast (Dinosaur)
27. Quetzalcoatlus: Beast -> Beast (Dinosaur)
28. Stegosaurus: Beast -> Beast (Dinosaur)
29. Velociraptor: Beast -> Beast (Dinosaur)
30. Drow Favored Consort: Humanoid (Elf) -> Humanoid (Elf, Wizard)
31. Drow Inquisitor: Humanoid (Elf) -> Humanoid (Cleric, Elf)
32. Drow Matron Mother: Humanoid (Elf) -> Humanoid (Cleric, Elf)
33. Duergar Hammerer: Construct -> Construct (Dwarf)
34. Duergar Screamer: Construct -> Construct (Dwarf)
35. Elder Brain: Aberration -> Aberration (Mind Flayer)
36. Fire Giant Dreadnought: Giant (Fire Giant) -> Giant
37. Firenewt Warlock of Imix: Humanoid (Firenewt) -> Elemental
38. Firenewt Warrior: Humanoid (Firenewt) -> Elemental
39. Flind: Humanoid (Gnoll) -> Fiend (Gnoll)
40. Frost Giant Everlasting One: Giant (Frost Giant) -> Giant
41. Gauth: Aberration -> Aberration (Beholder)
42. Gazer: Aberration -> Aberration (Beholder)
43. Giant Strider: Monstrosity -> Elemental
44. Giff: Humanoid (Giff) -> Humanoid
45. Githyanki Gish: Humanoid (Gith) -> Humanoid (Gith, Wizard)
46. Gnoll Flesh Gnawer: Humanoid (Gnoll) -> Monstrosity
47. Gnoll Hunter: Humanoid (Gnoll) -> Monstrosity
48. Graz'zt: Fiend (Demon, Shapechanger) -> Fiend (Demon)
49. Grung: Humanoid (Grung) -> Humanoid
50. Grung Elite Warrior: Humanoid (Grung) -> Humanoid
51. Grung Wildling: Humanoid (Grung) -> Humanoid
52. Hobgoblin Devastator: Humanoid (Goblinoid) -> Fey (Goblinoid)
53. Hobgoblin Iron Shadow: Humanoid (Goblinoid) -> Fey (Goblinoid)
54. Kobold Dragonshield: Humanoid (Kobold) -> Dragon
55. Kobold Inventor: Humanoid (Kobold) -> Humanoid
56. Kobold Scale Sorcerer: Humanoid (Kobold) -> Humanoid
57. Kraken Priest: Humanoid (Any Race) -> Monstrosity
58. Martial Arts Adept: Humanoid (Any Race) -> Humanoid
59. Master Thief: Humanoid (Any Race) -> Humanoid
60. Meazel: Humanoid (Meazel) -> Monstrosity
61. Nagpa: Humanoid (Nagpa) -> Monstrosity (Wizard)
62. Neogi Master: Aberration -> Aberration (Warlock)
63. Nilbog: Humanoid (Goblinoid) -> Fey (Goblinoid)
64. Sea Spawn: Humanoid -> Monstrosity
65. Skulk: Humanoid (Skulk) -> Monstrosity
66. Skull Lord: Undead -> Undead (Sorcerer)
67. Stone Giant Dreamwalker: Giant (Stone Giant) -> Giant
68. Storm Giant Quintessent: Giant (Storm Giant) -> Giant
69. Swashbuckler: Humanoid (Any Race) -> Humanoid
70. Tanarukk: Fiend (Demon, Orc) -> Fiend (Demon)
71. Tortle: Humanoid (Tortle) -> Humanoid
72. Tortle Druid: Humanoid (Tortle) -> Humanoid
73. Ulitharid: Aberration -> Aberration (Mind Flayer)
74. War Priest: Humanoid (Any Race) -> Humanoid (Cleric)
75. Warlock of the Archfey: Humanoid (Any Race) -> Humanoid
76. Warlock of the Fiend: Humanoid (Any Race) -> Humanoid
77. Warlock of the Great Old One: Humanoid (Any Race) -> Humanoid
78. Warlord: Humanoid (Any Race) -> Humanoid
79. Apprentice Wizard: Humanoid (Any Race) -> Humanoid
80. Abjurer Wizard: Humanoid (Any Race) -> Humanoid
81. Conjurer Wizard: Humanoid (Any Race) -> Humanoid
82. Diviner Wizard: Humanoid (Any Race) -> Humanoid
83. Enchanter Wizard: Humanoid (Any Race) -> Humanoid
84. Evoker Wizard: Humanoid (Any Race) -> Humanoid
85. Illusionist Wizard: Humanoid (Any Race) -> Humanoid
86. Necromancer Wizard: Humanoid (Any Race) -> Humanoid
87. Transmuter Wizard: Humanoid (Any Race) -> Humanoid
88. Xvart: Humanoid (Xvart) -> Monstrosity
89. Xvart Warlock of Raxivort: Humanoid (Xvart) -> Monstrosity
90. Yuan-ti Anathema: Monstrosity (Shapechanger, Yuan-ti) -> Monstrosity
91. Yuan-ti Broodguard: Humanoid (Yuan-Ti) -> Monstrosity
92. Yuan-ti Mind Whisperer: Monstrosity (Shapechanger, Yuan-ti) -> Monstrosity (Warlock)
93. Yuan-ti Nightmare Speaker: Monstrosity (Shapechanger, Yuan-ti) -> Monstrosity (Warlock)
94. Yuan-ti Pit Master: Monstrosity (Shapechanger, Yuan-ti) -> Monstrosity (Warlock)

A few curiosities:

NPC versions of classes seem to only have gotten their class subtype if the class doesn't appear in the name. They also lack the subtype if the creature could potentially be one of multiple classes, like the Archer. Same is true for monsters with class - we're left with the weird idea otherwise that the Firenewt Warlock of Imix isn't a Warlock! Seems to be specifically added for digital sorting tools like D&D Beyond. But in that case, why add the Druid subtype to the Archdruid? They didn't add it to Tortle Druid, so I can only assume it's so some sorters that can't find a part of a word but only full words.

The Gith subtype seems to be the one surviving place that the term Gith has survived in this book, now that Githyanki and Githzerai are listed as separate player lineages rather than as subraces of a single overarching Gith race. Oh, and the Gish I guess must be a Bladesinger, since it's got the Wizard subtype. I guess that answers what WotC thinks the Gish archetype is?

Most creature family subtypes got axed but a few were actually added - seeming specifically for databases like D&D Beyond so that you can search by class type, adding a missing core PC lineage subtype, or uniting monster variants with vastly different names (Dinosaurs, cattle, Mind Flayers, Beholders, etc). Strangely, the Gnoll subtype still exists for the Flind, but it's omitted for Gnolls with Gnoll in the name. Maybe it was added to the Flind only because the Flind doesn't have Gnoll elswhere in its name? And why does the Mouth of Grolantor have the Hill Giant subtype but other Giant variants lost their Giant subfamily subtypes? Presumably because it's not Hill Giant Mount of Grolantor, thus the Hill Giant subtype was added for search functionality?

Tanarukk seems to have lost the Orc subtype not because the Orc subtype got axed, but because the lore changed so that they're not all modified from orcs, but rather from any people chosen by Baphomet or Gruumsh to become their demonic servants.

In addition, the following creatures were renamed, seemingly to also unite them in searches. Why they didn't just add a clockwork subtype, I'm not sure. Maybe to bring in-line with the Clockwork Behir, etc naming convention from other sources? Same deal with the the other monsters listed below:

1. Bronze Scout -> Clockwork Bronze Scout
2. Iron Cobra -> Clockwork Iron Cobra
3. Oaken Bolter -> Clockwork Oaken Bolter
4. Stone Defender -> Clockwork Stone Defender
5. Gloom Weaver -> Shadar-Kai Gloom Weaver
6. Shadow Dancer -> Shadar-Kai Shadow Dancer
7. Soul Monger -> Shadar-Kai Soul Monger
8. The Angry -> Angry Sorrowsworn
9. The Hungry -> Hungry Sorrowsworn
10. The Lonely -> Lonely Sorrowsworn
11. The Lost -> Lost Sorrowsworn
12. The Wretched -> Wretched Sorrowsworn
13. Thorny -> Thorny Vegepygmy
14. Abjurer -> Abjurer Wizard
15. Conjurer -> Conjurer Wizard
16. Diviner -> Diviner Wizard
17. Enchanter -> Enchanter Wizard
18. Evoker -> Evoker Wizard
19. Illusionist -> Illusionist Wizard
20. Necromancer -> Necromancer Wizard
21. Transmuter -> Transmuter Wizard

Finally, the Dolphin Delighter (Medium Fey, Typically Chaotic Good) is a brand new creature listed under the head Dolphins alongside the Dolphin.

EDIT eck, accidentally wrote that Firenewts were always considered Elementals; that was a mistype. I was tired!

 

[Weiley31]

the Gish I guess must be a Bladesinger, since it's got the Wizard subtype. I guess that answers what WotC thinks the Gish archetype is?

I mean, the Bladesinger's Extra Attack is pretty much a way to do the Gish so it makes sense.

 

[TerraDave]

Or I misread the review! That would make more sense.

It would have made more sense.

Oh well. The all powerful Druid casts fairy fire!

 

[bergec]

Wow! Thanks for the run-down!

 

[JEB]

Changes of Creature Types or Subtypes in the Book (creature Size Categories have been omitted for brevity):
[trimmed for length]

Thanks for this rundown. (Minor note: firenewts were formerly humanoids, not elementals.)

So in theory, you can now have an effect that specifically targets cattle? How odd.

 

[JEB]

I know everybody isn't happy with how the new Spellcasting Paradigm is now but remember: you can always take spells from the old versions and add them into the old blocks or switch up the Monsters of the Multiverse spell lists with some of the original version's lists.

Doesn't help you with spellcasting traits for monsters going forward, though. (In general, "you can use the old versions" only works when there are, in fact, old versions to use.)