Planescape The Kolyarut has an automatic hit attack.

[UngeheuerLich]

There was always at least one possibility to inflict force damage without a hit...

That said, I think the shield spell should be changed to reaction: add 3+ spell level to AC or reduce force damage dealt to you by 5+5*spell level against a single attack.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Maybe. I think it depends on the players. Some will certainly try to come up with new tactics. Others will simple look at the first round and say "It deals X damage each round regardless, so we will kill it in Y rounds or we won't be able to so we need to flee."

I've got players who can and will do that math instinctively within seconds of the results of the first round. And they will resolve the rest of the encounter in their heads less than a minute later. For my players, no randomness means the results of the encounter are known at the end of round 1. Might as well call it then. Not fun for us.

Wow. You are really playing with geniuses. That must be difficult for you as a DM. They probably memorize all monster stats too. So might I humbly suggest to just change some stats or just use dice that average at the intended number?

 

[Zubatcarteira]

Another issue that brings up is how Legendary Actions interact with conditions. Many conditions disallow reactions; however, none specify Legendary Actions. I don't know that is the design intent, but it gave the DM a "legal" gray area to allow Legendary Monsters to act even under the effect of conditions.

The incapacitated condition also disables Legendary Actions, the MM mentions it.

 

[Stalker0]

It seems that way, which I think is a bit unfortunate. Legendary Actions are easy on the DM. After a creature's turn I can pick one of them to take. With reactions I have to remember the trigger. Clearly they are making the triggers simple; however, IME, it is easy to forget triggers in the heat of battle (particularly if there are lot of combatants).

Also, the Vecna they released to DnDBeyond last year (?) also used multiple reactions instead of legendary actions:
View attachment 299232

Yeah this. I have terrible trouble remembering monster reactions in combat, especially when it’s multiple monsters.

 

[Stalker0]

So how you open with this monster, you hit a weapon guy, auto disarm him, and pick up the weapon with your free use an object interaction.

So now unless they have a second magic weapon your damage resistance kicks in. Rinse and repeat on later rounds for any other magic weapon carriers

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I've got players who can and will do that math instinctively within seconds of the results of the first round. And they will resolve the rest of the encounter in their heads less than a minute later. For my players, no randomness means the results of the encounter are known at the end of round 1. Might as well call it then. Not fun for us.

Then they will reach the wrong answer. Because it can only automatically hit a target within range, and they do not know where it is going to move.

 

[MonsterEnvy]

There was always at least one possibility to inflict force damage without a hit...

That said, I think the shield spell should be changed to reaction: add 3+ spell level to AC or reduce force damage dealt to you by 5+5*spell level against a single attack.

Shield is a reaction.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Shield is a reaction.

Yes... That is not what I proposed to change... you might want to read the rest too.

 

[fuindordm]

It's an inevitable, a automaton of pure law. It's not going to do random dice rolls; it's going to do an exact, non-random amount of damage.

So an equivalent Slaad Lord should do damage with maximum variance, such as d60 or d100 damage?

 

[MonsterEnvy]

So an equivalent Slaad Lord should do damage with maximum variance, such as d60 or d100 damage?

Sure that would be fun.