D&D (2024) Wizards have a problem with Spellcasting stat blocks

[Pedantic]

I think we can disagree about whether there should be a universal spellcasting framework and still agree this stat block is a bad expression of both schools of design.

It's wasteful and unhelpful if it was trying to use a universal spell reference, and woefully incomplete if it wasn't.

 

[Zaukrie]

I think we can disagree about whether there should be a universal spellcasting framework and still agree this stat block is a bad expression of both schools of design.

It's wasteful and unhelpful if it was trying to use a universal spell reference, and woefully incomplete if it wasn't.

This.

 

[Reynard]

Yes, of course there were. That’s why I said “as much”. The main thing being that initially spellcasting NPCs mostly conformed to the same rules as PCs insofar as they had spell slots and lists of spells per level (and could do things like upcast spells).

I always find it fascinating that spells are the one place where lots of folks seem to emand that their PC have the opportunity to learn that thing that the NPC or monster can do. I have never had a player ask if their character can learn "dark devotion" (cultist) or leadership (knight).

 

[jayoungr]

Spells being the statblock is not much faster than quickly looking them up in the book.

I was thinking more in terms of hyperlinks.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

I have long, long contended that ALL SPELLS should be written with a very brief, mostly mechanical, description of what it does, followed (or preceded) by a longer-form version that goes over both a flowery description, and deals with reminders of corner-cases, exceptions, and delves into more specifics.

Written by the designers, at the same time as they write the spells.

THEN, both Monsters and PC Character Sheets can use the brief descriptor, and everyone can look up the long-form only in cases of conflict or questions.

 

[J-H]

I have long, long contended that ALL SPELLS should be written with a very brief, mostly mechanical, description of what it does, followed (or preceded) by a longer-form version that goes over both a flowery description, and deals with reminders of corner-cases, exceptions, and delves into more specifics.

Written by the designers, at the same time as they write the spells.

THEN, both Monsters and PC Character Sheets can use the brief descriptor, and everyone can look up the long-form only in cases of conflict or questions.

That's how I do my monster statblocks.
2 Hold Person (C up to 1 min, 90', 1 target, Wis or paralyzed, save at end of turn, upcast +1/level within 30')
3 Fireball (150', 20' radius, 8d6 fire, Dex half)

 

[Zaukrie]

I have long, long contended that ALL SPELLS should be written with a very brief, mostly mechanical, description of what it does, followed (or preceded) by a longer-form version that goes over both a flowery description, and deals with reminders of corner-cases, exceptions, and delves into more specifics.

Written by the designers, at the same time as they write the spells.

THEN, both Monsters and PC Character Sheets can use the brief descriptor, and everyone can look up the long-form only in cases of conflict or questions.

Mearls is doing this (most likely) in his Odyssey game. Though there are still a few more words than needed in the "mechanics" section.

He has a description, mechanics, and beyond the rules section for each spell.

beyond the rules is stuff like "consider allowing this to light stuff on fire" type advice.

 

[MonsterEnvy]

I was thinking more in terms of hyperlinks.

I was talking about that too. It’s just not that much faster if you have the book memorized.

 

[GMMichael]

both Monsters and PC Character Sheets can use the brief descriptor, and everyone can look up the long-form only in cases of conflict or questions.

This is how I'd do it. There seems to be a bit more room for art . . . and interpretation.

 

[Bae'zel]

Unless there's a clear reason why it wouldn't be accurate, I'll be taking a fine-point pen and just WRITING what the spell is supposed to do in the margin. 2d4+3.

Unless... are there templates that can change a creature's caster level? Or something else that determines the caster level? I'm confused why they'd do this.