D&D 5E Starter set unboxing photos

[Falling Icicle]

I really like the monster stat blocks! They're very easy to read and well organized.

 

[MerricB]

Does anyone know more about nothics, where they were originally published?

Miniatures handbook originally, then MM2 in 4E.

The lore in 5E looks good for them.

Cheers!

 

[Remathilis]

Nothic
Medium Aberration, neutral evil
Armor Class 13 (natural armor)
Hit Points 43 (6d8+18)
Speed 30 ft.

Str 14, Dex 16, Con 18, Int 13, Wis 10, Cha 8
Skills Arcana +3, Insight +4, Perception +2, Stealth +5
Senses truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 12
Languages Undercommon
Challenge 2 (450 XP)
Keen Sight. The nothic has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight.

ACTIONS
Multiattack. The nothic makes two attacks with its claws.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack:+4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6+3) slashing damage.
Rotting Gaze. The nothic chooses one creature within 30 feet of it that it can see. The target must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw against this magic or take 10 (3d6) necrotic damage.
Weird Insight. The nothic chooses one creature within 30 feet of it that it can see. The target must contest its Charisma (Deception) check against the nothic’s Wisdom (Insight) check. If the nothic wins, it magically learns one fact or secret about the creature.

(A nicer formatted version is on my blog).

Fixed the one you missed. (It helped to know the 3e/4e ones were aberrations also)

 

[the Jester]

Ogre and ochre jelly, sure. Let's talk about that nothic! It's definitely an interesting choice for inclusion in the Starter Set, but not necessarily a poor one.

My original opinion of it was that it's a weird/dumb monster I first saw in 3E. (Miniatures Handbook, maybe?) That said, its appearance here is giving it new credibility and I'm curious to see how it's used in 5E.

Does anyone know more about nothics, like where they were originally published?

Merric gave the nothic's previous appearances, but I'll add that the 4e version was tied to Vecna and secrets. So the weird insight ability makes a cool sort of sense.

Personally, I think nothics' best feature is the fact that they have a GIANT EYEBALL FOR A HEAD GIANT EYEBALL MONSTER!!!! I love eyeball monsters for some reason.

 

[Talath]

Just in case there are clueless people like me, this is what a nothic looked/looks like.

 

[Zaukrie]

I jabber used extra powerful Nothics in my campaign, but them I love wooed weird monsters

 

[Iosue]

I see NOTHIC!
I know NOTHIC!

*Backs slowly away...*

 

[FitzTheRuke]

CR 2 means that the PCs should be atleast 2nd level before facing this challange. The XP determines the number of creatures the Pcs should face.

Are you sure? Because what would that mean for CR 1/2? ("You have to be at least a half level before facing this challenge"?)

 

[fjw70]

Are you sure? Because what would that mean for CR 1/2? ("You have to be at least a half level before facing this challenge"?)

That is what Rodney Thompson told me on Twitter. Here is part of the conversation.

@wotc_rodney: @FJw1970 I know the gricks are OK to include because they are CR 2, so below my Darty's level. Here, CR is just an easy-to-reference flag.

@wotc_rodney: @FJw1970 Each grick is worth 450 XP, so there's 1,350 XP worth of monsters in the encounter.

@wotc_rodney: @FJw1970 Referencing my encounter-building tables, I see that each PC contributes 200 XP to the encounter budget of a moderate fight.

Do we know there will be CR 1/2 monsters?

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Do we know there will be CR 1/2 monsters?

Yep. It's why they went for CR instead of Level.
I suppose it just means that two of them count as a CR 1.