D&D (2024) Monster Manual 2025 Stat Block Compilation

This thread contains a compilation of the Monster Manual 2025 stat blocks which have been previewed publicly so far.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Stop making it personal. If you can't see the difference, it is not my problem.

I don’t see the difference, no. The DM is constantly adjusting both the powers and descriptions of monsters. There is no need for WotC to spell everything out in fine detail. In my opinion, that is NOT their job.

 

[ezo]

The DM is constantly adjusting both the powers and descriptions of monsters.

Really? I hardly ever do...

There is no need for WotC to spell everything out in fine detail.

We aren't talking "fine detail" here. We're talking how we expect a base game mechanic (i.e. AC) to work.

2014 specified with AC things like natural armor, mage armor, shields and actually worn armor. Why they decided to back track on that beats me... there was room for it and it isn't like it saved them anything really.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

I don’t see the difference, no.

Ok. Can't help you then.

The DM is constantly adjusting both the powers and descriptions of monsters.

Yes. Of course.

There is no need for WotC to spell everything out in fine detail.

No. But enough detail to easily make sense of it.

In my opinion, that is NOT their job.

In my opinion, it is their job to create a game that makes sense (and I think they do it well enough).

If a warrior has 18 AC, I want to at least be able to deduce why.
Chain mail and shield? CHECK.
A monk with wisdom and dex both 18? CHECK.

I didn't complain about legendary monsters having +19 initiative. Easy to deduce that they just add double proficiency to their dex score.
Even nicer if somewhere in the monster manual there is an explanatiom of how legendary creatures work, where this is mentioned.

If you are happy with a stat block of:
Generic soldier level 5. Make up the rest, (Vanilla) 4th edition might be the game for you.

 

[Azzy]

Never mind, I'm late to the party.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Why they decided to back track on that beats me

As someone who has often transcribed monster stat blocks into the virtual tabletop I can see exactly why that info was left of, since I leave it off myself.

If you have a band of bandits, they aren’t going to all have exactly the same armor and weapons are they? Do you think WotC should include dozens of bandit variants, or leave it to the DM to fill in details if needed?

 

[Zaukrie]

This thread needs more statblock. My apologies for contributing to the off topic discussion

 

[Minigiant]

I don't think anyone expects that.

Well the 2014 CR 13 storm giant is rocking a lowly 16 AC because it wore scale armor

When PCs have +10 to hit.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Well the 2014 CR 13 storm giant is rocking a lowly 16 AC because it wore scale armor

When PCs have +10 to hit.

Because that superseeds natural armor?

Ok. Noone had minded if they got +2 extra AC for good measure.

 

[ezo]

As someone who has often transcribed monster stat blocks into the virtual tabletop I can see exactly why that info was left of, since I leave it off myself.

Why? This is a printed stat block in a physical book and it should be designed as such IMO.

If you have a band of bandits, they aren’t going to all have exactly the same armor and weapons are they?

No, but they won't all have exactly the same ability score, or hit points, or whatever, would they? The numbers presented represent the average or typical values. Some will be more here or there, some will be less, and when taken as a whole we use the average or typical values.

The same is true for every single non-unique stat block in the game. Does every Hill Giant have the same DEX? Does every Vampire have the same HP or spells.

The DM is free to adjust any or all of those things, but for expediency often doesn't.

Do you think WotC should include dozens of bandit variants, or leave it to the DM to fill in details if needed?

There is no need to "fill in details" here because they aren't needed, are they? WotC doesn't need to do any such thing.

Now, if the PCs loot the bandit bodies or strip captive of armor and weapons, the DM can give an accounting of each type of weapon and armor typically used (like done in AD&D ) or again the DM can say you find "10 suits of leather armor, 10 scimitars, and 10 light crossbows" (does some maths) "worth 300 gp and weighing 180 lbs if you can carry it all; the weapons are worth a lot more than the armor"; or the DM can just say it is an assortment of armor and weapons worth 300 gp and weighing 180 lbs.

But what WotC has done smacks of inconsistency. Two creatures obviously using gear. One has a "Gear" entry, the other doesn't. Why? If a PC can pick up a strange spear or sticky shield, they should be able to do it. But according to the stat block there is no "gear" for them so I guess the PC is out of luck.

Also, the AC issue is a stupid omission by WotC. There is no reason why they couldn't continue to have the entry for AC like in the 2014 entry. AC 13 (natural armor, sticky shield) would be simple enough and clarifies precisely where the AC comes from... Without it, escpecially for a new DM, it is not clear and could lead to confusion. Does the AC 13 include the sticky shield, or should it be AC 15 when the sticky shield is used??? Why make things more unclear and harder for new DMs??

 

[Chaosmancer]

Really? I hardly ever do...


We aren't talking "fine detail" here. We're talking how we expect a base game mechanic (i.e. AC) to work.

2014 specified with AC things like natural armor, mage armor, shields and actually worn armor. Why they decided to back track on that beats me... there was room for it and it isn't like it saved them anything really.

Actually 2014 rarely did more than state "natural armor" and then leave up to the DM to run back the AC calculation to figure out where the AC came from. So... this Kuo-tao is the exact same. IT has an AC of 13 with a dex of +0. It either has natural armor or leather armor. Describe it either way and it works.

Or look at the Skeleton stablocks. One of them has just their Dex mod, the other three have some sort of armor enhancement... but would you be able to tell as a player? The Skeleton Warhorse and the Skeleton have the exact same AC, the only way I can tell one of them has some sort of different armor is that I can see their Dex score. But as a player I don't have access to the AC, the Dex score, any special abilities... so I just would be forced to go off the die rolls.