Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="gideonpepys" data-source="post: 6331722" data-attributes="member: 79141">I didn't say it was your idea of a stat block - I recognise an AD&D stat block, and have played the game since 1979.My point was that if, in any discussion about what was desired/required in a stat block, one party insists that the answer is 'this much and no more' one can always argue further that, if some fairly important information (relative strength values, perception score, etc) are unnecessary - as the DM can invent them on the fly - why have any information at all.A lot of people (including myself) want the designers of the game to do a bit more work for their money than the amateur enthusiasts who stumbled upon the magic recipe for roleplaying some 40 years ago.  There are nice, simple mechanical ways to distinguish an orc from a kobold from a goblin from a hobgoblin, that go beyond AC and HD - and these wee mechanics happen to be one of the things I think 4e did very well. But this does not in any way preclude or exclude the responsibility of the DM to roleplay and describe such creatures.To return to the point of the OP - I too very much hope that I don't have to pick up a rulebook or go online to access lists of spells or spell-like abilities for any of the creatures I am DMing.  It slows down the game.</blockquote>