Sean Merwin

Same with zombies, same with skeletons, same with anything, giving them this one cool thing. And in fact, I've sort of made a rule for myself now Whereas when I make a monster, I want to have one cool thing per proficiency bonus minus one. All right, so if the monster has a proficiency bonus of two, which is the lowest it could have, take away one from two, you get one.

So that's one cool thing that... Monsters with that. Now, if you get to a proficiency bonus of three, you're talking CR four. So you're talking, you know, fourth, fifth level characters. You're getting into tier two use there a bit. So I want to have two cool things that that monster can do. Maybe it's that plus a breath weapon or that plus an area attack.

So that's one cool thing that... Monsters with that. Now, if you get to a proficiency bonus of three, you're talking CR four. So you're talking, you know, fourth, fifth level characters. You're getting into tier two use there a bit. So I want to have two cool things that that monster can do. Maybe it's that plus a breath weapon or that plus an area attack.

Now, if you get into, you know, the fifth level, proficiency bonus, proficiency bonus of five. I want to have four cool things because now...

Now, if you get into, you know, the fifth level, proficiency bonus, proficiency bonus of five. I want to have four cool things because now...

combat should be lasting a little longer players should be a little stronger so i want to surprise them in ways and this could be layer actions this could be anything but the important thing for me is these be active things these be things that the players see and know and understand not just like oh they're resistant to non-magical weapons uh it needs to be something they can do or act a reaction that makes a certain attack miss you know that sort of thing yeah

combat should be lasting a little longer players should be a little stronger so i want to surprise them in ways and this could be layer actions this could be anything but the important thing for me is these be active things these be things that the players see and know and understand not just like oh they're resistant to non-magical weapons uh it needs to be something they can do or act a reaction that makes a certain attack miss you know that sort of thing yeah

So a stat block that does that, though, becomes larger. Because now it's not only giving that basic information of hit points in armor class, but you're also having to describe and detail these cool things that the monster does that's different than just attacking and doing damage. Yeah. Any thoughts there? I went on for a bit.

So a stat block that does that, though, becomes larger. Because now it's not only giving that basic information of hit points in armor class, but you're also having to describe and detail these cool things that the monster does that's different than just attacking and doing damage. Yeah. Any thoughts there? I went on for a bit.

Yeah. So what I did was I took some of the stat blocks that we have for 2024, and I put it in a document directly next to the one from 2014. And the first thing I thought was, well, this is done via D&D Beyond. So the first thing I thought was, well, we know from the Player's Handbook that there is a new layout for the stat block. It looks slightly different.

Yeah. So what I did was I took some of the stat blocks that we have for 2024, and I put it in a document directly next to the one from 2014. And the first thing I thought was, well, this is done via D&D Beyond. So the first thing I thought was, well, we know from the Player's Handbook that there is a new layout for the stat block. It looks slightly different.

Teos is holding up a copy here that shows what the new stat block looks like. So when I went to the 2024 stat block in D&D Beyond, I realized they didn't really update that layout. It's still using the old layout.

Teos is holding up a copy here that shows what the new stat block looks like. So when I went to the 2024 stat block in D&D Beyond, I realized they didn't really update that layout. It's still using the old layout.

And D&D Beyond. And now I don't know if they're going to change that because that would probably take more work than they want to do. But the print version is definitely different looking. With the book right in front of you, what are some of the things that you note, Teos, about the new stat block?

And D&D Beyond. And now I don't know if they're going to change that because that would probably take more work than they want to do. But the print version is definitely different looking. With the book right in front of you, what are some of the things that you note, Teos, about the new stat block?

Yeah. When I first saw it, I went, oh, cool. Okay, that's going to save space. And then I realized, no, it really doesn't save space. And if the... if the saving throw bonus was going to be different than the just plain ability score bonus in a lot of monsters, I would say, okay, cool.

Yeah. When I first saw it, I went, oh, cool. Okay, that's going to save space. And then I realized, no, it really doesn't save space. And if the... if the saving throw bonus was going to be different than the just plain ability score bonus in a lot of monsters, I would say, okay, cool.

Now I don't have to look down a line, look for that saving throw line that they used to have, where if the bonus was more because they were proficient in that save, it would give you the updated save. But for so many monsters, unless something changes in the player's handbook where monsters are now getting bonuses to their saves, it seems like an extra bit of work for not very much payout.

Now I don't have to look down a line, look for that saving throw line that they used to have, where if the bonus was more because they were proficient in that save, it would give you the updated save. But for so many monsters, unless something changes in the player's handbook where monsters are now getting bonuses to their saves, it seems like an extra bit of work for not very much payout.

And as you say, it draws the eye, but it's drawing it to something that we rarely see.