D&D 5E (2024) Views on 24 MM/SRD monster mechanics now

[Voadam]

What are people's views and experiences with the revised monster stat blocks/mechanics of the 24 MM/SRD now that 24 5e has been out for a while?

What do you like or dislike about how mechanics are more streamlined for use at the table? Any specifics of changes that particularly stand out in your experience? What seems the most significant impacts of changes in play?

I have not run or played 5e 24 D&D yet (both games I have played in for the last year are non-D&D) but I have gotten and just started to read the 24 5e MM to get up to speed on new lore, new monsters (capybara animal lords!), and revised mechanics. I played and DMd a bunch of 14 5e over the last decade and have a number of non core monster sources I used, both WotC and 3rd party, though most of the stuff I used in games was generally from earlier sources (Volo's as opposed to Monsters of the Multiverse, Kobold Press's Creature Codex and Tome of Beasts I, etc.) so the statblocks were more 14 MM basis than say later WotC design of less spellcasting and more powers.

 

[Lazybones]

Overall, so far so good. I've even started using some 2024 monsters in one of my 2014 games.

I like the slight increase in difficulty to mid-CR foes. I think they've fixed the action economy for some creatures in that range. For example, I have a cloaker encounter coming up, and it used to be that they could only do one thing per turn, but in 5e 2024 they've moved its Phantasms and Moan abilities to Bonus Actions, ensuring that it can both do something cool and attack each turn. The clay golem is another example; before its Haste ability was pretty pointless since it expended its action, giving it only one attack; now it is clear that it gets three attacks if it uses Hasten as a Bonus. Using these monsters as single foes against a group of PCs is now more workable.

I also like that they've added ranged attack options to some creatures that were melee-only before, like the Stone and Iron Golems. This opens up more tactical options for me as a DM.

The boosts to low-CR foes are more subtle, but necessary to challenge the slightly tougher PCs in 5e 2024. Most of the humanoid foes get a small hp boost (like the goblin, bugbear, and gnoll warriors) or another useful benefit like the extra die of damage from the Hobgoblin Warrior (with Pack Tactics replacing Martial Advantage). The damage ends up being about the same, but now a group of these guys is more of a threat since they hit more often. I like the changes that encourage the DM to use the tactics that the monsters are good at, like the goblins doing extra damage if they have Advantage on the roll (encouraging hit-and-run stealth attacks).

I haven't had a chance to use any of them yet, but I'm also looking forward to the high-CR options that they've added. In previous campaigns I've had to mostly rely on homebrew after about level 12 since high-CR creatures were woefully underpowered in 5e 2014.

 

[Mirrorrorrim]

I like the changes. A lot. @Lazybones does a good job pointing out some benefits. I like the organizational layout of saves, skills, and resistances/immunities/vulnerabilities. Initiative with the (average initiative) is a surprisingly helpful time saver! Better HP too. Much more interesting fights, as the heroes can hit hard, and so can the monsters. It can get swingy, but there are far more defensive abilities to play with too!

That said, when it comes to Humanoids, some DMs prefer their NPCs to be built like PCs, whether for narrative or mechanical reasons. Whether they prefer full spellcasting, or a myriad of class abilities for martial NPCs, the new stat blocks are a lot simpler and don't go into that detail because these NPCs last 1 to 5 rounds, before they are removed from the story. It's a waste of space, imo. I just add any non-combat spells I want them to have if I need them to have it. No biggie. What matters in a stat block is their mechanical options for a one-time encounter.

That said, I much prefer that a CR 12 Archmage (2024) can dish out 4 arcane burst attacks per round (Avg 27 Force damage each) every round as their At-Will, rather than rely just on a single Firebolt with the Archmage (2014). Clear Bonus actions (Misty Step) and Reactions (Counterspell/Shield) are very helpful too. It's easy to swap spells out for variant Archmages.

 

[TerraDave]

Overall they have been given a needed boost. There is also a scattering of cool new abilities.

But I tend to like the spellcasters in 2014 better. 2024 just cuts back the spells too much.

 

[TerraDave]

Also, I do not like the organization or the sameness of all humanoids.

 

[Charlaquin]

I was very excited for the changes initially - I think, for example, that putting save bonuses with the ability scores instead of in a list looks cleaner. I think more unique abilities instead of lists of spells is great for usability. I’m a fan of doing away with non-magic bludgeoning/piercing/slashing resistance. And I understand the design logic behind getting rid of two-stage resolution (i.e. most poison damage having to first hit with an attack roll and then triggering a saving throw). However, I think these changes have all been executed kinda poorly. Fewer monsters have save proficiencies. Non-magic BPS resistance was not replaced with blanket BPS resistance, or any resistance at all, it was just removed entirely. Monsters… still have lists of spells, so what even was the point of turning some of their spells into unique abilities??

Also, a lot of flavorful abilities that monsters had in base 5e are just gone now. No more keen sight/hearing/smell. No more unique Lair Actions for legendary monsters, just an extra use of their Legendary Actions and Legendary Reaistance. Hobgoblins lost their Martial Advantage and just got inexplicably higher base damage with their weapons, and sometimes some poison that is always applied to their weapons without having to spend an action and I guess just evaporates when they die. AC values no longer explain how they’re derived and are often not consistent with the armor listed in the monsters’ gear section. 5e monsters already caught flack for being bags of hit points that do nothing but “claw, claw, bite” every turn. Why on earth they would double-down on that by eliminating a ton of flavor abilities, I have no idea.

A bunch of changes that are great from a base game design principle standpoint, wasted on uninspiring designs. Story of 5e in a nutshell.

 

[Charlaquin]

Oh, and the attempt at alphabetization was a dismal failure.

 

[Clint_L]

Yeah, the new organization kinda sucks.

The creatures themselves are a bit stronger. In particular, a lot more of them have multiple damage types, which makes them more threatening to heavily armoured or (especially) damage resistant characters. There are also a lot more extras that creatures can do in certain situations or as bonus actions. This makes them more fun for me to play, as I have more tactical opportunities, and surprises are always fun for the story. Plus, they are generally a bit tougher, as well.

The little tables that are I think mant to work as story hooks are neato, but I haven't used them once. YVMV.

I really like the expansion of certain popular mobs to give them higher and/or lower level versions (e.g. vampires, owlbear, etc.). I've used a bunch of the alternate versions and this is something I'd like to see more of.

Still salty over the loss of basic representations of iconic species - no orc warrior, elf ranger, and whatnot. Yes, I understand that the generic NPCs are supposed to be applied instead, but it ain't the same. For me.

Overall, I think it's a necessary upgrade that probably didn't go far enough to keep up with PC power creep, but at least kept the creatures in the conversation.

 

[Uni-the-Unicorn!]

I was very excited for the changes initially - I think, for example, that putting save bonuses with the ability scores instead of in a list looks cleaner. I think more unique abilities instead of lists of spells is great for usability. I’m a fan of doing away with non-magic bludgeoning/piercing/slashing resistance. And I understand the design logic behind getting rid of two-stage resolution (i.e. most poison damage having to first hit with an attack roll and then triggering a saving throw). However, I think these changes have all been executed kinda poorly. Fewer monsters have save proficiencies. Non-magic BPS resistance was not replaced with blanket BPS resistance, or any resistance at all, it was just removed entirely. Monsters… still have lists of spells, so what even was the point of turning some of their spells into unique abilities??

Also, a lot of flavorful abilities that monsters had in base 5e are just gone now. No more keen sight/hearing/smell. No more unique Lair Actions for legendary monsters, just an extra use of their Legendary Actions and Legendary Reaistance. Hobgoblins lost their Martial Advantage and just got inexplicably higher base damage with their weapons, and sometimes some poison that is always applied to their weapons without having to spend an action and I guess just evaporates when they die. AC values no longer explain how they’re derived and are often not consistent with the armor listed in the monsters’ gear section. 5e monsters already caught flack for being bags of hit points that do nothing but “claw, claw, bite” every turn. Why on earth they would double-down on that by eliminating a ton of flavor abilities, I have no idea.

A bunch of changes that are great from a base game design principle standpoint, wasted on uninspiring designs. Story of 5e in a nutshell.

I’ll push back a little. The 24 monsters typically still have the flavor traits you speed of, they are just not called out. They are tucked into the stats. So mechanically the same or similar trait, just no name.
Though I miss them too.

They also often added interesting actions in many cases.

 

[Reynard]

Broadly speaking? Terrible. Not that there aren't exceptions, and I admit hit points specifically seem to be more appropriately matched with PC damage output than 2014 HP. But the monsters remain boring and simplistic -- except those that cast spells, in which case they are still a PITA because they won't just embed spell stats into the stat block.

A5E MM remains a much better monster book, and the ToV MM is at least a little better, too.

I get that some people really want the simple monster stat blocks, but I find it frustrating and boring. Make good monsters. they are the heart of the game.