The 2024 D&D Monster Stat Block Has a Hidden Feature | 2024 Player's Handbook 

One of the absolute best things about this new stat block is the stats/mod/save layout. If you ever do need any of that info it's right there and easily accessible.

The new statblock is a solid improvement but I think the resistances and immunities being listed between skills and senses is a weird call. Resistances and immunities are critical game information they will only typically come up in combat, skills and senses are typically relevant before combat. These things shouldn’t be mashed together.

The "typically" before the alignment was never needed for any DM that read the first pages of the Monster Manual. "The alignment specified in a monster's stat block is the default. Feel free to depart from it and change a monster's alignment to suit the needs of your campaign."

Honestly I think with the direction D&D seems to be going, the more detailed stat blocks are the right move. They correspond to the design goals - high power, high magic, and accessibility. Your draft “chimera” combo stat block is looking good! Mayhaps we get a PDF one day for our own homebrews?

I am a big advocate for alignment, not for the player but as a DM tool. In fact, as a forever DM, I never even ask or tell new players about alignment but as a DM if I quickly need to run a creature it's just very usefull to have a general guidline about how they would usually act or how the creatures society is structured. I don't really care either way about the "typically" before the alignment that newer statblocks added. For me it's pretty much wasted space since if I want to change a creatures alignment I'll just do that. I don't need the statblocks permission. But also if it's there it doesn't take away from the statblock either. My guess is that they'll leave out the typically but write in the explaination of what alignment is that it's just a usual suggestion for how a creature would behave. Which would probably be the best move.

Vulnerability? Emotional? Poor guy!

I think one of the major problems people don't realize when thinking about TTRPG design is accessibility. I've seen so many people try to truncate stat blocks down to only just the things it does, without realizing all the redundant and "negative space" in a stat block serves as infrastructure. Allowing for people who are either new to gaming or who have difficulty reading in general an easier time to parse them. Heck, it's even easier for digital databases (much like D&D beyond) if everything is consistent.

It feels like people ignore Lifting and Carrying rules all together and than complain that strength is a useless stat. Difference between 6 and 7 is 15 pounds of weigh it can lift or 30 pound it can move (half of that in case of the familiar), while modifier will be exactly the same.

I didn't think about the accessibility piece. Makes me respect some of their decisions a lot more.

The new stat block is AMAZING. Can't wait for the Monster Manual to come out!

I appreciate the video as this news has been overlooked due to class discussions. Also bravo for focusing on accessibility as I hope this hobby is open to all folks and it’s great that the design team is keeping that in mind.

That raises a good point. WotC didn’t even consider playtesting monster stat blocks to see what the community thinks would have been a stronger approach. Which also leads to my feeling of 5.2 being rushed. I would have liked to see tactics from 4e work its way back in. One of the systems best features really.

Re your stat block design: I do like how condition immunity is laid out. I worry though, about how it will look on monsters with A LOT of condition immunities?

Love your version of statblocks, the resistances/vulnerabilities table is just so nice

Stat blocks like the one @1:15 is useful for published modules/adventure paths/campaigns... since the only important thing about that Goblin Boss is its statistics (possibly its appearance), everything else about it can be gleaned from context of the adventure it is taken from. Stat blocks like the one @2:50 is useful as a source material since it covers, nearly, everything the GM needs to know about that monster. I think the stat blocks from the 3.5 Monster Manuals are superior since they also lists where they usually live and _how_ the live. Which is extremely useful when designing custom adventures/worlds. The 3.5e one is great because it explains how those monsters work within the game, as not all IPs have the same idea of what a "werewolf" _is_ or _does,_ thus it avoids misunderstanding between the game designers and the readers. As for your stat block @12:20. It can be improved. Having a chart, as it is currently laid out, for Resistances, Immunities, Vulnerabilities, and Conditions will result in a lot of wasted space in a book of 300+ monsters. If you made each category a row instead of a column, there will be less wasted space. Paizo's PF2e stat blocks have better layout, imo. Let me recreate it using a custom monster. *Insight Check* *Creature 20* ----------------------------------------- Unique Medium Human Humanoid [Any other Appropriate trait tags] *Perception* +35 *Languages* English *Skills* Acrobatics +25, Athletics +20, Crafting +15, Computer Lore +25, Games Lore +40, Diplomacy +35 *Str* +2, *Dex* +3, *Con* +3, *Int* +5, *Wis* +4, *Cha* +6 *Items* Laptop, Microphone, Headset *Computer Expert* Insight Check may use their Computer Lore skill instead of their Crafting skill when trying to repair or build a computer. ----------------------------------------- *AC* 30 *Fort* +30, *Ref* +30, *Will* +35 HP 175 *Immunities* Sleep *Avid Gamer* When a person attempts to use Deception to Create a Diversion using rules from a game, the DC is determined by Insight Check’s Games Lore instead of Perception. ---------------------------------------- *Move* 25 Feet *Melee* Fist +24 (Agile Finesse), *Damage* 3d6+2 bludgeon *Melee* RPG Books +30 (shove, thrown 5 feet), *Damage* 3d8+2 bludgeon *Rules Lawyer* Insight Gamer makes a Games Lore check against up to 2 targets’ Perception Check with the following effects *Critical Success* target moves towards Insight Check, if possible, and suffers a -2 penalty to AC until the start of Insight Check’s next turn. *Success* target suffers a -1 penalty to AC until the start of Insight Check’s next turn. *Critical Failure* Insight Check has a -2 penalty to Will saves until the start of their next turn as they forget what they are talking about. This makes it easier for the GM to run the creature, as all the things in social situations are together, all things that it can do on its turn are together, everything that could come into play on other creatures' turns are together all in easy to find categories.

I think it they have learned to walk back the whole 'natural language,' particularly with spells, that they initially trumpeted. There were numerous spells that were ambiguous, over/under powered due to interpretations and natural language.

I was also thinking of moving the Speed of the creature under Initiative. The only reason, it looks nicer. I would prefer if Str and Dex, Int and Wis, were in the same vertical column. It's just easier to read for me and gives me a faster picture of the creature in question. I would place the Traits section above the ability scores and would also move vulnerabilities, resistances, and immunities into it. The purpose of this is to divide the information so that the passive always-on abilities that do not require dice rolls are in one section, and active abilities like actions, bonus actions, and reactions are in another. The middle part like skills, senses, and language as situational abilities would separate the two. I would not remove the total ability scores from the creatures or character sheets. The inclusion of total scores allows me to homebrow items, effects, and abilities that instead of Hit Point damage, cause ability score damage.

I like the new Stat Block for Tales of the Valiant, by Kobold Press!!! The take a way the bulkiness of numbers, condense saves and skills, and give monster types their own trait for their immunities and resistances.

I love the table listing as I agree the old stat block saving throws only listing ones that were different from the ability modifiers is just not as clear as the new table. Also, I love that the monsters have ability scores and alignments. Lots of people like rolling for stats and the proponents of point buy or standard array just need to accept that. D&D should not try to become PF, DC20, etc. Why would it change to be more like less successful games? If the players are going to have ability scores, it is just aesthetically satisfying for the monsters to have ability scores. I played editions where the ability scores weren't listed and it just seemed like the monsters were not as well-defined. Finally, alignment is a core rule of D&D whether you use it or not. It separates the devils, demons, angels, modrons, etc. It is two words that give you a wealth of information and connect the creature to the cosmology without needing a paragraph to explain the creature motivations. When you're trying to fit as much information as possible into your 400 page book moving away from something that actually saves space is not ideal.

I like it alot its laid out nicely and will have consistent formatting.

your update vs the new 5e design is what colville was to the old 5e design, familiar but polished. nothing felt better to me comparing a Monster Manual Caster vs Flee Mortals. gone were the list of spells found in a separate book but instead a list of defined magical abilities that gave insight into how the monster is role-played in and out of combat (see colvilles hill giants - players can use a reaction to redirect attacks to themselves instead of their weak caster showing how dumb and easily distracted they can be) plus those magical abilities have spell level equivalents listed for counter spell and dispel purposes. overall I'm excited for the new MM and hopefully with a few design cues from this video , all the 3rd party monsters to come following the format change.

Subbed! looking forward to the new edition and your uploads...i love monster stat blocks as well,and have recently purchased some new 3D prints to get painted for the new players hand book so i will be looking for good stat blocks.

I play a Conjuration Wizard and fill out a tactile, leather bound spellbook for my spells. When it comes to summons, I write out statblocks on index cards that slide into paper pockets next to the spell’s entry in my spellbook. I’ve had to do a lot of formatting to include all the info I need on these index cards and nearly every change to this statblock fits perfectly with what I’m looking for in terms of ease of reference.

What I've always done as a DM for quickly reframing stats: 1. *BOLDED* stats with Saving Throw Proficiencies. 2. A quick laundry list of Passives, Actions, Bonus Actions, & Reactions. I really like the redesgned character sheets with Modifers front & center, with the ability scores on the side, followed by a column of would be proficiencies in Saves or Skills. The new monster stat blocks should follow a sinilar suit but instead of all the numbers: Modifers & *BOLDED CIRCLE* FO- for proficiency in Saves. It'll keep the pages clean. I also liked it when 14th level Monks have all their stats *BOLDED* with Diamond Soul.

I was worried about Trigger and Response wording because 4e was universally slammed on for being too video game-y and these wordings were the same.

Hurray for accessibility!

DnD ‘24 maybe

8:00 just by looking at it, I wished they had merged the modifier and the save, and put just one number if it was the same value. Less clutter and automatically brings attention to the score with a extra bonus, as there are 2 numbers to look at

I find it curious that the monster's Initiative and HP rounds down when it comes to averages. That's how HP works now, it just throws me off a bit since I calculate averages the other way. And when it comes to D&D still telling us the flat stats instead of just the modifiers: Good. I like knowing at a glance how well they stack up to players without having to do math. Could I just compare modifier to modifier? I suppose I could, but I really just work better with Average of 10. 15 also just sounds more impressive than 2 imo.

Gotta love how you had fun with the custom stat block lol! It’s also probably a good idea to make sure it’s not potentially misunderstood to be a real one haha.

Looking forward to seeing what you think about the DC20 beta stat blocks!

i would love an entire monster book using ur stat block it would be awesome

is that astarion on the far right at 3:00?

what program did you use to make your dnd statblock?

Please make a short of your description of the text reader. I have literally never heard of that being mentioned in this kind of scenario.

I’m calling it 5.5 - what about you?

I was really hoping they were going to move away from straight ability saves and use skills for saves instead. Then they could get rid of that entire column and your character creation choices would matter more. The brawny fighter with 8 DEX but put a lot of time and effort into Acrobatics from his circus days, so took skill expertise in it. He should be able to use his +3 acrobatics instead of his -1 dex for the save. For spells and abilities saves descriptions just print Acrobatics (DEX) save. If the block has a prof. skill in Acrobatics use that, if not use the DEX mod. I was also hoping for skills based off CON like endurance, grit and focus. Thanks for your time and effort making this content for us!

So great. Easy to see during the chaos of battle.

Hey out of curiosity where’d you find the art of the thumbnail?

Definite improvement.

Emotional Damage!

DC20 stat block review?

Dude, it's a shame to admit, but your statblock is better... it's about colors for ability bonuses/saves and damage/condition table... and layout fot AC/hp block too... but why official statblock is so worse to read... it's a shame... but well maybe it's just you're great )

your zoom in on the images is hurting my eyes. its wiggling so much...

If you don't think D&D should have ability scores, I'm not sure you want to play D&D...

I can't believe how hard you are reaching on to justify bad designs on putting saves using extra space on the sheet. Even if you have visual impairment i really can't see how putting more numbers will help someone

Can we settle on a name? Let’s go with 5.5. WotC hasn’t given a name but they sacked all their workers so we don’t care what they think.

#boycottWotC