D&D 5E Zooming In On Monsters of the Multiverse [UPDATED!]

Earlier, WotC announced Mordenkainen Presents Monsters of the Multiverse, a new D&D compilation of monster material from previous products updated to a new format. These screen grabs are as good as I could get them. They're not terribly clear, but you can make more out than in the original images.

The screenshots show the original entry in Volo's Guide to Monsters next to the new entry in Mordenkainen Presents Monsters of the Multiverse.

"The Future of D&D" (New Core Books in 2024!)

The online D&D Celebration event, which has been running all weekend, comes to a close with The Future of D&D, a panel featuring WotC's Ray Winninger, Liz Schuh, Chris Perkins, and Jeremy Crawford, hosted by Elle Osili-Wood. D&D is exploring the multiverse Revisiting classic settings. 1st of...

www.enworld.org

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UPDATE -- a cleaned up version of the War Priest has appeared on imgur.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Snip

On the other hand, i never actually changed them... And when I had to, I just added some levels of PC wizard.

 

[Neonchameleon]

So I have a few concerns with this new system.

Under the current rules, you have an overt idea of the class approximation the class is going for: IE Priest is a 6th level cleric, Mage is a 9th level wizard.

And this is a CR2 Bard. What it is going for is right there.

This gave the DM method of upping or lowering caster NPCs by changing caster level.

This has never worked properly in the whole history of D&D. NPCs normally have a single encounter - but for some utterly bizarre reason were created with a full spell list reflecting that they came in to encounters as fresh as a daisy. The superficial symmetry lead to utterly asymmetric results under most practical in game situations.

It also provided a spell list and caster stat. Looking at the new bard, I don't know what his approximate PC level is: what spells should I look at to up or lower him. Can I just add a bunch of utility magic willy nilly? Is Mass Heal 1/day op?

We're talking about a CR2 Bard. You can do whatever you want. But is Mass Heal 1/day OP at CR2? Yes. You have the character's level.

What if I want to reflect a different type of caster using the NPC stat block? Before, if I wanted a Droid that worshipped Sacred Fire I could pick the Druid stat block and sticky note a new spell list. Now, it looks like I'd have to rebuild the block from scratch to change his attacks or utility magic.

You now have to change less than you would before because your spell list is much smaller. And if you get NPCs not having the character depth of PCs, you also don't have a player able to devote the game time to them and they shouldn't be the stars of the show.

Now granted, the new system is easier to read and I've been adding spell attacks to stat blocks for a while, but this feels like I'm losing the ability to reverse engineer the stat blocks for customizing in the fly.

One of the things I hope happens is that we get actually good guidelines, not the disasterpiece in the current DMG that provides even worse bullet sponge enemy design and doesn't come close to matching the monster manual

 

[Neonchameleon]

I do not see any psionics listed. I know half love it and half hate it, but not sure what that means for Dark Sun or such.

How D&D 5e is going to handle Psionics is demonstrated by Tasha's.

• The Psion will not be a class. The Aberrant Mind Sorcerer is a psion right down to using spell points other than a connection to the Far Realm.
• The Psychic Warrior and Soulknife are also subclasses that are explicitly also psionic. There are others.

Dark Sun will also have Psychic Gifts for everyone the way Theros has Supernatural Gifts or Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft has Dark Gifts.

Psionics are already there - they are just treated as subclasses rather than full classes.

 

[Faolyn]

What if I want to reflect a different type of caster using the NPC stat block? Before, if I wanted a Droid that worshipped Sacred Fire I could pick the Druid stat block and sticky note a new spell list. Now, it looks like I'd have to rebuild the block from scratch to change his attacks or utility magic.

I think that in this case, you would just have to add whatever abilities you have and not worry about if it's the "correct" level. If it has a power that does 8d6 damage, you know what level of damage you can be doing and stay at the same power.

 

[Remathilis]

And this is a CR2 Bard. What it is going for is right there.

Challenge Rating=/= spellcaster level. The old CR2 bard was a 4th level caster. All CR measures is that a group of 2nd level PCs won'tv likely die fighting it.

This has never worked properly in the whole history of D&D. NPCs normally have a single encounter - but for some utterly bizarre reason were created with a full spell list reflecting that they came in to encounters as fresh as a daisy. The superficial symmetry lead to utterly asymmetric results under most practical in game situations.

Agreed, it wasn't a perfect system. It rewarded using your highest spell slots. That said, there was ways to mitigate it without discarding it.

We're talking about a CR2 Bard. You can do whatever you want. But is Mass Heal 1/day OP at CR2? Yes. You have the character's level.

Is meteor swarm appropriate for a CR 12?

Because an archmage (caster 18) is a CR 12. He can cast it once.

You now have to change less than you would before because your spell list is much smaller. And if you get NPCs not having the character depth of PCs, you also don't have a player able to devote the game time to them and they shouldn't be the stars of the show.

NPCs aren't there to be killed by PCs. Sometimes, they are powerful, helpful characters the PCs need to do things they themselves can't do. They aren't as full featured as a PC, but share some measure of thier ability.

I guess it's just weird that every bard that isn't a PC just happens to have the exact same suite of powers from now on...

One of the things I hope happens is that we get actually good guidelines, not the disasterpiece in the current DMG that provides even worse bullet sponge enemy design and doesn't come close to matching the monster manual

I'll agree on this. The monster stat block rules are a hot mess and need fixing. Hopefully, we won't have to wait to 2024 to see them updated.

 

[Zaukrie]

My reason for not linking them is I see no reason they need to be linked. It's a vast universe, some people can do things others can't.

 

[Neonchameleon]

I guess it's just weird that every bard that isn't a PC just happens to have the exact same suite of powers from now on...

Just as weird as they all had the same spell list before.

Or if before they were a good example bard then they are now.

 

[Zaukrie]

This...
actually every power being called differently and being slightly differently was a pita.
Knowing that an npc casts fireball was enough.
That was my first thought when I read Kelek in dragon+
Why didn't they just say:
Reaction: Kelek casts shield (level 1)
Action: Kelek casts fireball (lvl 5) recharge 4 - 6?

Because it is a pain to look up what spells do. That said, I agree, this could really nerf counterspell and items that work against spells.

 

[Zaukrie]

So I have a few concerns with this new system.

Under the current rules, you have an overt idea of the class approximation the class is going for: IE Priest is a 6th level cleric, Mage is a 9th level wizard. This gave the DM method of upping or lowering caster NPCs by changing caster level. It also provided a spell list and caster stat. Looking at the new bard, I don't know what his approximate PC level is: what spells should I look at to up or lower him. Can I just add a bunch of utility magic willy nilly? Is Mass Heal 1/day op?

What if I want to reflect a different type of caster using the NPC stat block? Before, if I wanted a Droid that worshipped Sacred Fire I could pick the Druid stat block and sticky note a new spell list. Now, it looks like I'd have to rebuild the block from scratch to change his attacks or utility magic.

This is doubly painful if you had stat block NPCs as party members. It makes them very one tick ponies and loses a lot of flexibility. No more asking the war priest ally to memorize raise dead or restoration I guess...

Now granted, the new system is easier to read and I've been adding spell attacks to stat blocks for a while, but this feels like I'm losing the ability to reverse engineer the stat blocks for customizing in the fly. Which is a big loss for me as someone who tried to keep consistent with WotCs design paradigm. This feels like NPC stat blocks are being designed with combat function as a primary design goal rather than representing what the NPC's overall power and abilities are.

You could just do what you did before. Also, I think it is clear they have other spells available, just not as actions.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

How D&D 5e is going to handle Psionics is demonstrated by Tasha's.

• The Psion will not be a class. The Aberrant Mind Sorcerer is a psion right down to using spell points other than a connection to the Far Realm.
• The Psychic Warrior and Soulknife are also subclasses that are explicitly also psionic. There are others.

Dark Sun will also have Psychic Gifts for everyone the way Theros has Supernatural Gifts or Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft has Dark Gifts.

Psionics are already there - they are just treated as subclasses rather than full classes.

That isn't good enough for alot of fans, which is why I think the Psion class will get at least 1 more kick at the can in a October UA.