D&D 5E New Spellcasting Blocks for Monsters --- Why?!

[Reynard]

I, for one, am really looking forward to Edition War 3, and this thread is just another bit of evidence that it is coming soon.

 

[Helldritch]

A PC wizard≠NPC wizard. NPCs don't have a class unless the DM gives them one so they aren't forced to remain within those restrictions. If a DM wants to build every caster to follow the same rules as PCs they are free to do so and is a suggestion in the DMG as an option.

Up to a few books prior, the casters in the MM all had spell slots as the default ( a reminder in case you do not remember). This is a very recent shift in paradigm that they have done.

Nothing prevented you from taking the 4ed MMs and use them for your 5ed games either. But now they are forcing us to comply to the 4ed way of playing foes... I liked my 5ed as it was thank you. Do not force the 4ed way into my throat thank you WotC.

 

[Thomas Rainsborough]

And mage hand! We cannot forget about mage hand...

What are you talking about? Vecna never was killed. He and Elvis run a dry cleaning shop in Instanbul, where Vecna uses those cantrips on continual basis.

Seriously, what target audience is WOTC going after when they keep for possibly the most iconic and powerful villians such inane cantrips like one that cleans your clothes.

 

[DND_Reborn]

What are you talking about? Vecna never was killed. He and Elvis run a dry cleaning shop in Instanbul, where Vecna uses those cantrips on continual basis.

Seriously, what target audience is WOTC going after when they keep for possibly the most iconic and powerful villians such inane cantrips like one that cleans your clothes.

But without mending, he cannot repair those tears. No wonder his clothing looks so shabby!

So, I wonder what Elvis's statblock would look like? Maybe as a "bard" he has mending...

Vecna: I have returned from my travels, Elvis.
Elvis: Well, it's good to see ya again, Vec. Wait a minute, what have you done to your robes?!
Vecna: They were torn in the feeble attempts to defeat me. Those fools could not harm me, only my clothing.
Elvis: Sighs. Again? Alright, bring yourself on over here and I'll fix it up.
Vecna: Why, thank you, Elvis, thank you very much.
Elvis: Hey Vec! That's my line!
(Both laugh.)

 

[Stoutstien]

Up to a few books prior, the casters in the MM all had spell slots as the default ( a reminder in case you do not remember). This is a very recent shift in paradigm that they have done.

Nothing prevented you from taking the 4ed MMs and use them for your 5ed games either. But now they are forcing us to comply to the 4ed way of playing foes... I liked my 5ed as it was thank you. Do not force the 4ed way into my throat thank you WotC.

Some did. Some didn't. There wasn't a default unless you added in thematic ties ( all wizard use spell books or whatever) About half the MM used in the "other" category of magic. Sure humanoids tend to follow closer to the PCs rules but they never fully did and it wasn't defined default.

No one is forcing anything on anyone. DMs have always had full freedom to add or subtract content as they see fit. If you don't like a stat block that's okay and you just don't use it. If enough ppl stop buying content that utilizes the change of presentation (all it really is) they will try something different.

Im largely indifferent to it because I almost exclusively make everything from scratch. I pick apart features and blocks for options and ideas. that's it. I'd rather monster splat book be 80% template layout personally.

 

[Synthil]

But there are many many DM's who DO have the experience and organizational skills to run complex spell casters, especially ones that were historically spell casters first and foremost. These changes badly hurt their options, and adds a ton of DM prep time as DM's now have to add them back in

If you're oh so superior in your organizational skills, it should be no problem to add stuff back in. People with lesser skill on the other hand, cannot easily change stuff to make it more easy.

This change, therefore, allows more people to run interesting combats than the previous iteration of monsters.

 

[Thomas Rainsborough]

If you're oh so superior in your organizational skills, it should be no problem to add stuff back in. People with lesser skill on the other hand, cannot easily change stuff to make it more easy.

This change, therefore, allows more people to run interesting combats than the previous iteration of monsters.

So you are saying, we should dumb down the game, to accommodate those with lesser organizational skills, instead of actually keeping a hybrid of spell slots and spells plus these new features. As I said before, the BBEG only gets one Action, and would have to CHOOSE between casting or innate features.

But no, WOTC has decided to go the simplified route, and make life harder for the plethora of good DM's who can deal with BBEG spell casters.

 

[Helldritch]

Some did. Some didn't. There wasn't a default unless you added in thematic ties ( all wizard use spell books or whatever) About half the MM used in the "other" category of magic. Sure humanoids tend to follow closer to the PCs rules but they never fully did and it wasn't defined default.

No one is forcing anything on anyone. DMs have always had full freedom to add or subtract content as they see fit. If you don't like a stat block that's okay and you just don't use it. If enough ppl stop buying content that utilizes the change of presentation (all it really is) they will try something different.

Again, we have been talking about NPCs with characters like abilities. Even the drow priestesses were following the general rules. I don't care one iota about monstrous NPCs such as demons and such. These were fine.

The main problem is that future product will follow that pattern whether I want it or not. This will force me, yes force me and others like me to readjust the foes to our taste of the original 5ed. Yep, my future 5ed books will give me a lot of work and there are books that I have been waiting foe a long time that are coming (Spelljammer) but their monsters will conform to the new stat blocks.

For good or bad, this is a very big change in philosophy and monster building. Again, if they wanted and had the balls to be clear, they would simply wait for 6ed and we would all be in the same wagon. But this is not what we have now.

 

[EzekielRaiden]

Yep, my future 5ed books will give me a lot of work

Honestly: Is this really "a lot of work"? Dead serious. Are you really saying you have to put in hours and hours and hours?

How do you even make custom caster NPCs if that's the case?

 

[Hussar]

Btw, just as a question but since when is a Lich always a wizard? Why not a sorcerer or a warlock or a cleric or a ranger for that matter?

Granted Vecna started life as a wizard, but only because in 1e an MU was the only thing he could be.

Why does Vecna the lich have to be a wizard? And what kind of wizard? How come he doesn’t get sub-class abilities? What gives? 5e is totally letting everyone down here by not following the pc creation rules.

I mean if we’re going toinsist on following the rules shouldn’t we follow all of them?

At least only when dealing with casters. Non-casters of course don’t matter.