D&D 5E Radically shrinking stat blocks

[Zaukrie]

I'd rename this to "combat block" and put all the other stuff in the monster entry.

That entry can have elements of a block (like A5e has for stuff and signs and stuff), so it is easy to read/find.

 

[Yaarel]

This statblock is to simplify a more complex creature, here the Drow Favored Consort.

The official statblock says "Wizard". His Proficiency is legendary +6, yet the highest slot spell is Dimension Door 4. Possibly a Fighter/Wizard concept. I am arbitrarily rating him something like a Bladesinger Wizard at roughly level 18.

"Wizard 18" means use the Wizard spell list, with 18 spell points. The slot of the spell is its spell point cost. The statblock lists the slot level after each spell. Thus the 18 points can cast Dimension Door four times plus Shield twice, before running out of spell points. The DM can easily have the Consort cast different spells from a spellbook or personalize a particular Consort who has different spells prepared. The highest castable spell slot is half the max spell points. This Wizard concept is high enough level to cast slot 9 spells. (Half of 18 spell points is slot 9 spells.) The Mage Armor appears as an adjustment to the AC number.

Here too, "Perception" is a saving throw that keys off of Intelligence, thus also handles Intelligence checks, as well as discerning Illusion and Invisible. The Investigation serves as the skill. The Athletics proficiency also handles Acrobatic checks. Persuasion helps convey the Charisma of the concept.

 

[Yaarel]

The spell points are the "short rest spell points" that recharge after each Short Rest. They correspond to the Warlock chassis, converting Warlock slots into points. The indy Psion class by LaserLlama, and other indy Psions, use this system.

The full caster class gets level+1 spell points. The spell cost is the slot itself. The highest slot possible is half the max spell points. So a level 5 caster has 6 points, can cast upto slot 3 spells, and Fireball costs 3 points. The spell points refresh after each rest (short or long).

These short rest spell points balance extremely well, preventing too many points at any one time thus reducing "novas", and creating better balance between casters and martials.

These short rest spell points radically simplify D&D spellcasting generally, especially for high tier characters − and make simple statblocks for spellcasting monsters a breeze.

 

[Quickleaf]

This statblock is to simplify a more complex creature, here the Drow Favored Consort.

The official statblock says "Wizard". His Proficiency is legendary +6, yet the highest slot spell is Dimension Door 4. Possibly a Fighter/Wizard concept. I am arbitrarily rating him something like a Bladesinger Wizard at roughly level 18.

"Wizard 18" means use the Wizard spell list, with 18 spell points. The slot of the spell is its spell point cost. The statblock lists the slot level after each spell. Thus the 18 points can cast Dimension Door four times plus Shield twice, before running out of spell points. The DM can easily have the Consort cast different spells from a spellbook or personalize a particular Consort who has different spells prepared. The highest castable spell slot is half the max spell points. This Wizard concept is high enough level to cast slot 9 spells. (Half of 18 spell points is slot 9 spells.) The Mage Armor appears as an adjustment to the AC number.

Here too, "Perception" is a saving throw that keys off of Intelligence, thus also handles Intelligence checks, as well as discerning Illusion and Invisible. The Investigation serves as the skill. The Athletics proficiency also handles Acrobatic checks. Persuasion helps convey the Charisma of the concept.



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You put together a really tight stat block. It’s tricky when presenting spellcasters in the conversation about “condensing” stat blocks because the go-see-X-Page-for-spell-description offloads TONS of space.

For me, it gets back to the why I’m condensing stats - to make it easier to run at the table. Yeah that means being able to visually find info quickly & parse text smoothly… but I also think that means not being expected to reference another book/website for a monster feature/spell.

I want the essential info right there in the block.

If you saw my Ancient Green Dragon rewrite you’ll see I modestly condensed the stat block while even adding brief descriptions for key combat spells. For me that’s the cool move: Doing MORE (in terms of usability) with less space.

 

[Yaarel]

You put together a really tight stat block. It’s tricky when presenting spellcasters in the conversation about “condensing” stat blocks because the go-see-X-Page-for-spell-description offloads TONS of space.

For me, it gets back to the why I’m condensing stats - to make it easier to run at the table. Yeah that means being able to visually find info quickly & parse text smoothly… but I also think that means not being expected to reference another book/website for a monster feature/spell.

I want the essential info right there in the block.

If you saw my Ancient Green Dragon rewrite you’ll see I modestly condensed the stat block while even adding brief descriptions for key combat spells. For me that’s the cool move: Doing MORE (in terms of usability) with less space.

I figure, if a particular spell is central to the monster concept, then stat it out in the statblock. Otherwise, even here for the Drow Favored Consort, the statblock has the Arcane Eruption as a go-to, and Shield, Fly, Dimension Door, and Darkness dont take too much thought, so the DM can conveniently play it.

If the DM has certain spells in mind for an encounter, then the 18 spell points (slot 9 spells) makes it easy to plug these in.

 

[cbwjm]

Things I've done in the past (though difficult to find in my notes) is to remove range (it rarely matters in actual combat); condense abilities and saves to the same line; change all stats from the 6 ability and use fort/ref/will or sometimes physical/mental (though I prefer to differentiate between physically strong and physically quick creatures). I don't bother with the ability scores any more, if I need to break an initiative tie I rule in favour of the PCs and if my monsters tie then I'll just go in whichever order I like.

One more thing I just remembered, I don't bother differentiating between bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing any more, I just note it as physical if I note it at all, sometimes I don't using that as the default and just call out damage types that are different.

 

[Voadam]

One more thing I just remembered, I don't bother differentiating between bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing any more, I just note it as physical if I note it at all, sometimes I don't using that as the default and just call out damage types that are different.

Does it matter for any 5e PC side thing coming from a monster?

Skeletons and ice mephits have bludgeoning vulnerability. Rakshsasas have vulnerability to magic piercing weapons wielded by good creatures.

Does the weapon damage bludgeoning, slashing, piercing type matter in any other context?

 

[Zaukrie]

Does it matter for any 5e PC side thing coming from a monster?

Skeletons and ice mephits have bludgeoning vulnerability. Rakshsasas have vulnerability to magic piercing weapons wielded by good creatures.

Does the weapon damage bludgeoning, slashing, piercing type matter in any other context?

monster vs monster? Even then, kind of boring for the most part.

 

[cbwjm]

Does it matter for any 5e PC side thing coming from a monster?

Skeletons and ice mephits have bludgeoning vulnerability. Rakshsasas have vulnerability to magic piercing weapons wielded by good creatures.

Does the weapon damage bludgeoning, slashing, piercing type matter in any other context?

Yeah, very few monsters have a vulnerability to a specific type of physical damage and for those that do, it's very easy to adjudicate. If you have an axe, a treant takes double damage; a mace, skeletons and ice mephits take double damage.

I don't recall ever reading the Rakshasa vulnerability, it's interesting that it needs to be weilded by a good creature, that's one of the few times I've seen alignment matter in 5e.

 

[Yaarel]

The Cat statblock is slightly tricky to simplify.

Here, the Fortitude saving throw represents both Strength and Constitution skill checks. The Cat is strong, athletic, and effective in combat attacks. However, its Carrying Capacity is Tiny proportional to its size.

Perception serves as a save that keys off of Intelligence, thus also represents Intelligence skill checks. The low number relates to its animal Intelligence. But it has "Senses" as a special trait that gives an alternate Perception number. The dichotomy means, the Cat is more likely to sensorily detect something, but is less likely to figure out what something unfamiliar is.

The Claws inflict 1 point of Slashing damage, and key off of Reflex, whence the +4 attack (Proficiency + Reflex) and 3 Slashing (1 + Reflex).