Teos Abadie

The feats, for example, that this monster had, the class levels it had, the spell lists. And one of the big questions design-wise is to what extent are you capturing everything? Right. So it's really easy to run. Or are you reflecting the larger world of the game? Right. A wizard is a wizard and has these spells because that's what wizards do at this particular level that this monster represents.

The feats, for example, that this monster had, the class levels it had, the spell lists. And one of the big questions design-wise is to what extent are you capturing everything? Right. So it's really easy to run. Or are you reflecting the larger world of the game? Right. A wizard is a wizard and has these spells because that's what wizards do at this particular level that this monster represents.

Right. All of that can be design goals that you have to tug at and balance.

Right. All of that can be design goals that you have to tug at and balance.

Yeah, no, that makes perfect sense. So I think those are our design goals. And increasingly, I think, you know, DMs and players expect, especially DMs, that you're going to have this block, this definable thing, right? It's not a paragraph of text for D&D, especially fifth edition and kind of future editions. It's going to be this sort of block that breaks things up.

Yeah, no, that makes perfect sense. So I think those are our design goals. And increasingly, I think, you know, DMs and players expect, especially DMs, that you're going to have this block, this definable thing, right? It's not a paragraph of text for D&D, especially fifth edition and kind of future editions. It's going to be this sort of block that breaks things up.

And it's because of those design goals that there should be some complexity, some richness to the battle. Though, in a lot of ways, we can look at how 5th edition stepped back from 4th edition, right? 4th edition had multiple interesting things per creature. A lot of the 5th edition ones don't quite stand up to your rule of the proficiency bonus minus X, minus 1, because...

And it's because of those design goals that there should be some complexity, some richness to the battle. Though, in a lot of ways, we can look at how 5th edition stepped back from 4th edition, right? 4th edition had multiple interesting things per creature. A lot of the 5th edition ones don't quite stand up to your rule of the proficiency bonus minus X, minus 1, because...

They are a little simpler, especially at the lower levels. They can often have not a lot that's interesting. It just does what it does. It's a little more like second edition, perhaps.

They are a little simpler, especially at the lower levels. They can often have not a lot that's interesting. It just does what it does. It's a little more like second edition, perhaps.

And D&D Beyond, yeah.

And D&D Beyond, yeah.

Yeah, so what's really interesting is what jumps at you visually immediately when you look at this stat block is it now has the ability scores in these kind of color-shaded tables. And so it'll say strength, this is for an ape, strength 16, mod plus 3, save plus 3, int 6, mod minus 2, save minus 2, dex 14, and so on, right?

Yeah, so what's really interesting is what jumps at you visually immediately when you look at this stat block is it now has the ability scores in these kind of color-shaded tables. And so it'll say strength, this is for an ape, strength 16, mod plus 3, save plus 3, int 6, mod minus 2, save minus 2, dex 14, and so on, right?

So it breaks this out, and almost everybody when they first look at it goes, wait, what is this?

So it breaks this out, and almost everybody when they first look at it goes, wait, what is this?

what is this what is it doing and and because it's now added right explicitly the saving throws so you don't have to you know think through the math of it as you did before when you saw strength 16 plus three now it stinks strength 16 plus three but also save plus three and in this table format i would say this is a questionable decision

what is this what is it doing and and because it's now added right explicitly the saving throws so you don't have to you know think through the math of it as you did before when you saw strength 16 plus three now it stinks strength 16 plus three but also save plus three and in this table format i would say this is a questionable decision

I'm just trying to be fair here, like trying to not be personal about it, but it's questionable. Questionable because from a graphic design, layout design, you are making this like the thing that jumps out at you at the page. And I think everybody would admit those are not the most important things in this stat block.

I'm just trying to be fair here, like trying to not be personal about it, but it's questionable. Questionable because from a graphic design, layout design, you are making this like the thing that jumps out at you at the page. And I think everybody would admit those are not the most important things in this stat block.