D&D (2024) Skeleton Entry and Stat Blocks from New Monster Manual

Posted by Christian Hoffer on Twitter, here's a third stat block from 2025's Monster Manual!

Also don't forget check out the ancient green dragon and the kuo-toa.

 

[Zaukrie]

That's a pretty big error on their part, if so.

Meh. Errors happen. It's no biggie. Imo. I mean, plane crash, and they spend a lot more time on error reduction.

 

[MonsterEnvy]

I just don't get the need for all those boxes by the stats.....what percent of monsters won't just be the modifier? Anyway, nothing surprising here good or bad.

Other than I have NO IDEA how an undead skeleton has an alignment......I had hoped alignment was mostly dead (ducks, and is not going to engage in this conversation in this thread).

Mindless Undead normally have the evil alignment cause they kill anything living they encounter unless they have a master that tells them not to. That's basically the extent of it.

Anyway Skeletons are pretty basic, which is fine I was not expecting much from them, they are fodder and not really meant to be more.

 

[MonsterEnvy]

That's a pretty big error on their part, if so.

Text for the books is not finished, they have until a little before February to fix that.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

I have only two minor complaints, both of which I suspect will be fixed before the print book: 1) The description of the Minotaur Skeleton mentioning its Axe, but it doesn't have one (not just the "gear" thing - it has a slam attack instead); 2) The inconsistencies in wording among similar abilities - such as how the Warhorse's ability starts with "If the target is Large or smaller" and the Minotaur's ends with "if the target is Large or smaller". Or the Languages of the Skeleton and Flaming Skeleton - the former says "Understands the languages it knew in life" and the latter says "Understands all languages it knew in life" - it's not a huge deal, but to my editorial eye it just looks sloppy.

I also think that they should only put the Save box in the column if its different from a normal check - it would be clearer, IMO.

Otherwise, I dig the new statblock.

 

[Mistwell]

Things I like: each entry has some portion which isn't just a static "Attack for X, Damage for Y". For the least skeleton, they use weapons so a DM can more easily just swap any other weapon there. For the horse they can knock you prone, the minotaur can gore, and the flaming skeleton can hurl flames. All of this is an improvement over the relatively boring monsters from 2014.

Things I don't like: I was hoping they'd go even more in the 4e monsters direction, with even more interesting abilities for monsters. For example I liked the earlier suggestion they can get surprise easier by being disguised as inanimate ordinary skeletons. I wouldn't have mind a self-healing ability by grabbing a bone and attaching it to an area where they previously got hit. I would have liked to see them have an ability to disarm someone of their non-bludgeoning melee weapon as a reaction after being hit by it (caught in their torso or something). That sort of stuff.

 

[Asisreo]

I’m so annoyed that they didn’t give skeletons false appearance. They should be indistinguishable from inanimate skeletons while prone and motionless, and get advantage on initiative if no one notices they’re animate before the start of combat!

Is a prone and motionless skeleton not already indistinguishable from an innanimate skeleton? I feel like it is. That's how I'd rule it anyways.

 

[Charlaquin]

Is a prone and motionless skeleton not already indistinguishable from an innanimate skeleton? I feel like it is. That's how I'd rule it anyways.

It doesn’t have a false appearance feature explicitly stating that to be the case, unlike say twig blights with piles of twigs.

 

[Warpiglet-7]

I just don't get the need for all those boxes by the stats.....what percent of monsters won't just be the modifier? Anyway, nothing surprising here good or bad.

Other than I have NO IDEA how an undead skeleton has an alignment......I had hoped alignment was mostly dead (ducks, and is not going to engage in this conversation in this thread).

I won’t try to bait anyone into an alignment discussion.

But my take is they are evil aince the black magic that animates them leads them to hate life and if unbound will attack anything that lives.

So I think the alignment is descriptive of their behavioral tendencies when not commanded.

Just my coppers. I know opinions differ about alignment and will leave that alone.

 

[dave2008]

That's a pretty big error on their part, if so.

Not really. It affects absolutely nothing. Not to mention they said these were not final, so it may get caught before it goes to print.

 

[JEB]

Not really. It affects absolutely nothing.

Heh. RAW, I suppose that's true! I guess it menaces the living with its slashing-damage greataxes, then puts them away and just does bludgeoning damage in combat instead. And then the greataxes disappear after the monster is defeated, which is why they're not listed as gear! It all makes sense now.

Not to mention they said these were not final, so it may get caught before it goes to print.

IDK, now I kinda hope they keep it. This could be fun!