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Radically shrinking stat blocks
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<blockquote data-quote="Quickleaf" data-source="post: 9448007" data-attributes="member: 20323"><p>That's a college try for sure! Two things are working against the annotated short-form of this monster.</p><p></p><p>First, I think A5E in particular - where that stat block comes from - has a more complex design (compared to 2014 5e) that makes shrinking stat blocks more difficult. Ambusher, Ruthless, and Acid Spite are examples of this increased complexity. I think the design gestalt of A5E works against this kind of extreme condensing.</p><p></p><p>Second, legendary monsters are always going to be lengthier; even in short-form by at least 4-5 lines.</p><p></p><p>If we imagine complexity as a dial, with this sort of complex monster we can turn it up to a 3/4 page stat block (iirc that's what the A5E ancient dragons take up) or down to a small paragraph. However at both extremes, there are downsides. Too condensed and there's information / clarity loss. Too lengthy and it's hard to keep track of it all.</p><p></p><p>Anyhow, I'll take a stab at a short-form / in-line text / AD&D stat style version of this <a href="https://a5e.tools/node/1525" target="_blank">A5E Ancient Black Dragon</a>...</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]378377[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p><strong>Ancient Black Dragon.</strong> LE Gargantuan;</p><p><strong>Senses </strong>22 (blindsight 60 ft, darkvision 120 ft); <strong>Stealth </strong>+9 (advantage in water); <strong>Lang </strong>Common, Draconic; <strong>AC </strong>22; <strong>HP </strong>367;<strong> Spd </strong>40 ft, fly 80 ft, swim 40 ft (amphibious);<strong> </strong></p><p><strong>Saves S</strong> +8, <strong>D</strong> +9, <strong>C</strong> +14, <strong>I</strong> +3, <strong>W</strong> +9, <strong>Ch</strong> +11; <strong>Defenses </strong>Acid resistance, Legendary resistance (3/day); <strong>Multiattack </strong>(x1 bite or acid spit, x2 claw) x1 <strong>Bite</strong> +15 (15 ft) 4d10+8 piercing and 2d8 acid (grapple if target can’t see dragon), x1 <strong>Acid Spit</strong> (60 ft, DC 22 Dex, 4d10 acid and 2d10 ongoing/half), x2 <strong>Claw</strong> +15 (10 ft) 3d8+8 slashing;</p><p><strong>Special Attacks Acid Breath</strong> (re5-6, 90 ft x 10 ft line, DC 22 Dex, 19d8 acid/half), <strong>Reaction Tail</strong> (when creature within 10 ft hits dragon; tail +15 3d8+8 bludgeoning and push 10 ft), <strong>Ruthless</strong> (1/round after critical hit make claw attack);</p><p><strong>Spells </strong>spell save DC 19</p><p> 3/day <em>fog cloud, pass without trace, legend lore, speak with dead</em></p><p> 1/day <em>create undead, insect plague</em></p><p><strong>Legendary Actions (3) </strong></p><p>• <strong>Darkness</strong> (40 ft sphere magic darkness w/in 120 ft)</p><p>• <strong>Roar</strong> (120 ft burst, DC 19 Cha, frightened, repeat save)</p><p>• <strong>Wing Burst</strong> (15 ft burst, DC 22 Dex, push 10 ft and prone, then dragon flys 40 feet)</p><p><strong>CR </strong>23 (50,000 XP)</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Quickleaf, post: 9448007, member: 20323"] That's a college try for sure! Two things are working against the annotated short-form of this monster. First, I think A5E in particular - where that stat block comes from - has a more complex design (compared to 2014 5e) that makes shrinking stat blocks more difficult. Ambusher, Ruthless, and Acid Spite are examples of this increased complexity. I think the design gestalt of A5E works against this kind of extreme condensing. Second, legendary monsters are always going to be lengthier; even in short-form by at least 4-5 lines. If we imagine complexity as a dial, with this sort of complex monster we can turn it up to a 3/4 page stat block (iirc that's what the A5E ancient dragons take up) or down to a small paragraph. However at both extremes, there are downsides. Too condensed and there's information / clarity loss. Too lengthy and it's hard to keep track of it all. Anyhow, I'll take a stab at a short-form / in-line text / AD&D stat style version of this [URL='https://a5e.tools/node/1525']A5E Ancient Black Dragon[/URL]... [ATTACH type="full" alt="Screen Shot 2024-08-30 at 4.24.09 PM.png"]378377[/ATTACH] [B]Ancient Black Dragon.[/B] LE Gargantuan; [B]Senses [/B]22 (blindsight 60 ft, darkvision 120 ft); [B]Stealth [/B]+9 (advantage in water); [B]Lang [/B]Common, Draconic; [B]AC [/B]22; [B]HP [/B]367;[B] Spd [/B]40 ft, fly 80 ft, swim 40 ft (amphibious);[B] Saves S[/B] +8, [B]D[/B] +9, [B]C[/B] +14, [B]I[/B] +3, [B]W[/B] +9, [B]Ch[/B] +11; [B]Defenses [/B]Acid resistance, Legendary resistance (3/day); [B]Multiattack [/B](x1 bite or acid spit, x2 claw) x1 [B]Bite[/B] +15 (15 ft) 4d10+8 piercing and 2d8 acid (grapple if target can’t see dragon), x1 [B]Acid Spit[/B] (60 ft, DC 22 Dex, 4d10 acid and 2d10 ongoing/half), x2 [B]Claw[/B] +15 (10 ft) 3d8+8 slashing; [B]Special Attacks Acid Breath[/B] (re5-6, 90 ft x 10 ft line, DC 22 Dex, 19d8 acid/half), [B]Reaction Tail[/B] (when creature within 10 ft hits dragon; tail +15 3d8+8 bludgeoning and push 10 ft), [B]Ruthless[/B] (1/round after critical hit make claw attack); [B]Spells [/B]spell save DC 19 3/day [I]fog cloud, pass without trace, legend lore, speak with dead[/I] 1/day [I]create undead, insect plague[/I] [B]Legendary Actions (3) [/B] • [B]Darkness[/B] (40 ft sphere magic darkness w/in 120 ft) • [B]Roar[/B] (120 ft burst, DC 19 Cha, frightened, repeat save) • [B]Wing Burst[/B] (15 ft burst, DC 22 Dex, push 10 ft and prone, then dragon flys 40 feet) [B]CR [/B]23 (50,000 XP) [/QUOTE]
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