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):
- Archdruid: Humanoid (Any Race) -> Humanoid (Druid)
- Archer: Humanoid (Any Race) -> Humanoid
- Bard: Humanoid (Any Race) -> Humanoid
- Barghest: Fiend (Shapechanger) -> Fiend
- Blackguard: Humanoid (Any Race) -> Humanoid (Paladin)
- Aurochs: Beast -> Beast (Cattle)
- Deep Rothé: Beast -> Beast (Cattle)
- Ox: Beast -> Beast (Cattle)
- Stench Kow: Beast -> Fiend (Cattle)
- Champion: Humanoid (Any Race) -> Humanoid
- Choldrith: Monstrosity -> Monstrosity (Cleric)
- Cloud Giant Smiling One: Giant (Cloud Giant) -> Giant
- Cranium Rat: Beast -> Aberration
- Swarm of Cranium Rats: Swarm of Beasts -> Swarm of Aberrations
- Death Kiss: Aberration -> Aberration (Beholder)
- Deathlock: Undead -> Undead (Warlock)
- Deathlock Mastermind: Undead -> Undead (Warlock)
- Deathlock Wight: Undead -> Undead (Warlock)
- Deep Scion: Humanoid (Shapechanger) -> Monstrosity
- Derro: Humanoid (Derro) -> Aberration
- Derro Savant: Humanoid (Derro) -> Aberration (Sorcerer)
- Devourer: Fiend -> Undead
- Brontosaurus: Beast -> Beast (Dinosaur)
- Deinonychus: Beast -> Beast (Dinosaur)
- Dimetrodon: Beast -> Beast (Dinosaur)
- Hadrosaurus: Beast -> Beast (Dinosaur)
- Quetzalcoatlus: Beast -> Beast (Dinosaur)
- Stegosaurus: Beast -> Beast (Dinosaur)
- Velociraptor: Beast -> Beast (Dinosaur)
- Drow Favored Consort: Humanoid (Elf) -> Humanoid (Elf, Wizard)
- Drow Inquisitor: Humanoid (Elf) -> Humanoid (Cleric, Elf)
- Drow Matron Mother: Humanoid (Elf) -> Humanoid (Cleric, Elf)
- Duergar Hammerer: Construct -> Construct (Dwarf)
- Duergar Screamer: Construct -> Construct (Dwarf)
- Elder Brain: Aberration -> Aberration (Mind Flayer)
- Fire Giant Dreadnought: Giant (Fire Giant) -> Giant
- Firenewt Warlock of Imix: Humanoid (Firenewt) -> Elemental
- Firenewt Warrior: Humanoid (Firenewt) -> Elemental
- Flind: Humanoid (Gnoll) -> Fiend (Gnoll)
- Frost Giant Everlasting One: Giant (Frost Giant) -> Giant
- Gauth: Aberration -> Aberration (Beholder)
- Gazer: Aberration -> Aberration (Beholder)
- Giant Strider: Monstrosity -> Elemental
- Giff: Humanoid (Giff) -> Humanoid
- Githyanki Gish: Humanoid (Gith) -> Humanoid (Gith, Wizard)
- Gnoll Flesh Gnawer: Humanoid (Gnoll) -> Monstrosity
- Gnoll Hunter: Humanoid (Gnoll) -> Monstrosity
- Graz'zt: Fiend (Demon, Shapechanger) -> Fiend (Demon)
- Grung: Humanoid (Grung) -> Humanoid
- Grung Elite Warrior: Humanoid (Grung) -> Humanoid
- Grung Wildling: Humanoid (Grung) -> Humanoid
- Hobgoblin Devastator: Humanoid (Goblinoid) -> Fey (Goblinoid)
- Hobgoblin Iron Shadow: Humanoid (Goblinoid) -> Fey (Goblinoid)
- Kobold Dragonshield: Humanoid (Kobold) -> Dragon
- Kobold Inventor: Humanoid (Kobold) -> Humanoid
- Kobold Scale Sorcerer: Humanoid (Kobold) -> Humanoid
- Kraken Priest: Humanoid (Any Race) -> Monstrosity
- Martial Arts Adept: Humanoid (Any Race) -> Humanoid
- Master Thief: Humanoid (Any Race) -> Humanoid
- Meazel: Humanoid (Meazel) -> Monstrosity
- Nagpa: Humanoid (Nagpa) -> Monstrosity (Wizard)
- Neogi Master: Aberration -> Aberration (Warlock)
- Nilbog: Humanoid (Goblinoid) -> Fey (Goblinoid)
- Sea Spawn: Humanoid -> Monstrosity
- Skulk: Humanoid (Skulk) -> Monstrosity
- Skull Lord: Undead -> Undead (Sorcerer)
- Stone Giant Dreamwalker: Giant (Stone Giant) -> Giant
- Storm Giant Quintessent: Giant (Storm Giant) -> Giant
- Swashbuckler: Humanoid (Any Race) -> Humanoid
- Tanarukk: Fiend (Demon, Orc) -> Fiend (Demon)
- Tortle: Humanoid (Tortle) -> Humanoid
- Tortle Druid: Humanoid (Tortle) -> Humanoid
- Ulitharid: Aberration -> Aberration (Mind Flayer)
- War Priest: Humanoid (Any Race) -> Humanoid (Cleric)
- Warlock of the Archfey: Humanoid (Any Race) -> Humanoid
- Warlock of the Fiend: Humanoid (Any Race) -> Humanoid
- Warlock of the Great Old One: Humanoid (Any Race) -> Humanoid
- Warlord: Humanoid (Any Race) -> Humanoid
- Apprentice Wizard: Humanoid (Any Race) -> Humanoid
- Abjurer Wizard: Humanoid (Any Race) -> Humanoid
- Conjurer Wizard: Humanoid (Any Race) -> Humanoid
- Diviner Wizard: Humanoid (Any Race) -> Humanoid
- Enchanter Wizard: Humanoid (Any Race) -> Humanoid
- Evoker Wizard: Humanoid (Any Race) -> Humanoid
- Illusionist Wizard: Humanoid (Any Race) -> Humanoid
- Necromancer Wizard: Humanoid (Any Race) -> Humanoid
- Transmuter Wizard: Humanoid (Any Race) -> Humanoid
- Xvart: Humanoid (Xvart) -> Monstrosity
- Xvart Warlock of Raxivort: Humanoid (Xvart) -> Monstrosity
- Yuan-ti Anathema: Monstrosity (Shapechanger, Yuan-ti) -> Monstrosity
- Yuan-ti Broodguard: Humanoid (Yuan-Ti) -> Monstrosity
- Yuan-ti Mind Whisperer: Monstrosity (Shapechanger, Yuan-ti) -> Monstrosity (Warlock)
- Yuan-ti Nightmare Speaker: Monstrosity (Shapechanger, Yuan-ti) -> Monstrosity (Warlock)
- 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:
- Bronze Scout -> Clockwork Bronze Scout
- Iron Cobra -> Clockwork Iron Cobra
- Oaken Bolter -> Clockwork Oaken Bolter
- Stone Defender -> Clockwork Stone Defender
- Gloom Weaver -> Shadar-Kai Gloom Weaver
- Shadow Dancer -> Shadar-Kai Shadow Dancer
- Soul Monger -> Shadar-Kai Soul Monger
- The Angry -> Angry Sorrowsworn
- The Hungry -> Hungry Sorrowsworn
- The Lonely -> Lonely Sorrowsworn
- The Lost -> Lost Sorrowsworn
- The Wretched -> Wretched Sorrowsworn
- Thorny -> Thorny Vegepygmy
- Abjurer -> Abjurer Wizard
- Conjurer -> Conjurer Wizard
- Diviner -> Diviner Wizard
- Enchanter -> Enchanter Wizard
- Evoker -> Evoker Wizard
- Illusionist -> Illusionist Wizard
- Necromancer -> Necromancer Wizard
- 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!