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<blockquote data-quote="Uller" data-source="post: 6336854" data-attributes="member: 413">I agree with this.&nbsp; And as Merric pointed out, it sounds like Mike Mearls agrees with this...except for spell casters (not monsters with powers that could reasonably be replaced with spell, but honest to goodness spell casters).I really liked 4e's monster blocks and design concept...even for run of the mill spell casters...but sometimes you want a monster to be a spell caster and have all the flexibility that infers.&nbsp; Look at a the 4e Lich (Monster Vault Lich Necromancer)...It's a fine monster...it's got an aura (Necromantic Aura), a cool melee attack (Vampiric Attack), a controllery ranged attack (Freezing Claw) and a controllery AoE attack (Enervating Tendrils) along with a couple interesting move and minor actions.&nbsp; All good.But it doesn't feel like a spell caster to me.&nbsp; I want my liches to have the same flexibility as a PC wizard and generally follow the same rules.&nbsp; I don't want the Monster Manual (or even an adventure) to limit itself the way 4e caster type monsters are.&nbsp; I want actual spell casters.&nbsp; And if the choice is 1) a full page or more of reprinted spells with every caster 2) limiting caster NPCs to just 3 or 4 spells (with full descriptions) or 3) a list of suggested prepared spells, I'd much prefer 3.&nbsp; The stock monster should (as Mike Mearls suggested) stick with common spells that most DMs will be familiar with...but if I want my NPC wizard to cast Evard's Black Tentacles instead of Wall of Fire, I can swap the latter for the former and keep right on trucking without much worry.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Uller, post: 6336854, member: 413"] I agree with this. And as Merric pointed out, it sounds like Mike Mearls agrees with this...except for spell casters (not monsters with powers that could reasonably be replaced with spell, but honest to goodness spell casters). I really liked 4e's monster blocks and design concept...even for run of the mill spell casters...but sometimes you want a monster to be a spell caster and have all the flexibility that infers. Look at a the 4e Lich (Monster Vault Lich Necromancer)...It's a fine monster...it's got an aura (Necromantic Aura), a cool melee attack (Vampiric Attack), a controllery ranged attack (Freezing Claw) and a controllery AoE attack (Enervating Tendrils) along with a couple interesting move and minor actions. All good. But it doesn't feel like a spell caster to me. I want my liches to have the same flexibility as a PC wizard and generally follow the same rules. I don't want the Monster Manual (or even an adventure) to limit itself the way 4e caster type monsters are. I want actual spell casters. And if the choice is 1) a full page or more of reprinted spells with every caster 2) limiting caster NPCs to just 3 or 4 spells (with full descriptions) or 3) a list of suggested prepared spells, I'd much prefer 3. The stock monster should (as Mike Mearls suggested) stick with common spells that most DMs will be familiar with...but if I want my NPC wizard to cast Evard's Black Tentacles instead of Wall of Fire, I can swap the latter for the former and keep right on trucking without much worry. [/QUOTE]

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