Is there a way to know what armor a monster is wearing now?
In the 2014 MM a monster's armor was listed. Now it seems to only be listed if it's "dropped loot". It makes modifying monsters harder. Like the Oni in 2014 wore chainmail and had an AC 16. So if I wanted to put one in Plate or Leather, I knew the effect at a glance. Now an Oni has AC 17. Why? Is he wearing Splint Mail? What if he puts on Plate?
This feels like a slouch into the MMOy 4e monsters (some of which were great, but not because we didn't know what armor they were wearing).
The thing is, the 2014 Oni wasn't really wearing chain mail. It was a shapeshifting creature that's default size was Large; wearing chain mail made no sense, its art certainly didn't include it, and I imagine virtually no DM ever paid attention to it and changed an Oni's AC when it shape shifted. They simply put in "chain mail" to justify its AC, which was rather pedantic and unnecessary. The best way to run an Oni is to have it be in shape-shifted disguise, gain the party's trust, and betray them. When that betrayal happens, and the Oni shape shifts back into its natural form, a 2014 Oni would then technically have 10 AC - as chain mail wouldn't shape shift with it - which is very dumb.
Per the new Monster Manual, "A monster’s Armor Class (AC) includes its natural armor, Dexterity, gear, and other defenses. See the Player’s Handbook for information on Armor Class." An Oni's AC is 17 because that includes its "natural armor and other defenses," which, while certainly vague, makes balancing monsters a whole lot easier.
You say it makes modifying monsters harder, but I would have to disagree. You can adjust things on the fly in whatever way suits your needs. If you want to run an Oni wearing plate - which is a little unorthodox, but power to you - just give it 18 AC, which is what plate always gives.
The 2014 rules tried too hard to have monsters follow the same rules as PCs, which was unnecessary and over-complicated things. They are different, and they function differently.
Sure. In fact the Oni I'm running is the one in A2 Secret of the Slavers Stockade. But my issue isn't with this specific monser. It's that the new MM gives the DM less info about the monster than 2014 did. With the Oni as an example, it matters if I need to include a DEX modifier in the AC or not.
I would prefer more information than less, clearer information than vague. It makes my life as a DM easier, because I usually tweak monsters either to match them to an individual in an old adventure or just for fun.
I also think internal consistencey between PCs and creatures is good math to have when I want to build balanced encounters. Maybe you don't need that info, but some DMs liked having it.
I'm also not sure why you find Oni in armor "unorthodox" since they've been depicted that way for centuries in art.
Well nothing is stopping you from sticking to 2014 monsters if you prefer that style. WotC certainly took pains to make their stats calculable, compared to some things - like AC - in 2024.
And I didn't say an Oni in any armor was unorthodox, I just meant plate. Oni have been depicted wearing like.. feudal Japan-style leather samurai armor. Which is where their folklore originates. Plate armor is a tad strange for an Oni, but this is D&D, do whatever you want.
Is there a way to know what armor a monster is wearing now?
In the 2014 MM a monster's armor was listed. Now it seems to only be listed if it's "dropped loot". It makes modifying monsters harder. Like the Oni in 2014 wore chainmail and had an AC 16. So if I wanted to put one in Plate or Leather, I knew the effect at a glance. Now an Oni has AC 17. Why? Is he wearing Splint Mail? What if he puts on Plate?
This feels like a slouch into the MMOy 4e monsters (some of which were great, but not because we didn't know what armor they were wearing).
Well, DM fiat is a thing so set it where you will. Plate is AC18 with no dex bonus available so there is that.
I also think internal consistencey between PCs and creatures is good math to have when I want to build balanced encounters. Maybe you don't need that info, but some DMs liked having it.
This is the issue. There is, by design, no internal consistency between PCs and other creatures. NPCs don’t have to follow PC rules.
Monster AC isn’t set by gear so much as by putting it at a place where the PCs of the appropriate level will hit about 55-60% of the time. So changing the gear of a monster doesn’t have to change its AC if you don’t want it to. Conversely, if you want a creatures AC changed, you just do it, without needing to change what they’re wearing.
It's hard to make beholder armor... Unless you make it magic, I can't think of a good way to make it unique.
Personally, I'd just make it hide/leather and there's a lot of eye stalks coming off of it. It could give you advantage on intimidation checks on creatures from the underdark (where beholders are known and feared) as a non magical boon https://100001****/https://1921681254.mx/ .
Other than that, it'd be magical unless you can think of a non magical way to have it give you a perception boost, psionic powers, or floating abilities.
If you don't mind it being magic, I'd probably take this property and nerf it for balance:
All-Around Vision (Ex): Beholders are exceptionally alert and circumspect. Their many eyes give them a +4 racial bonus on Spot and Search checks, and they can't be flanked.
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Is there a way to know what armor a monster is wearing now?
In the 2014 MM a monster's armor was listed. Now it seems to only be listed if it's "dropped loot". It makes modifying monsters harder. Like the Oni in 2014 wore chainmail and had an AC 16. So if I wanted to put one in Plate or Leather, I knew the effect at a glance. Now an Oni has AC 17. Why? Is he wearing Splint Mail? What if he puts on Plate?
This feels like a slouch into the MMOy 4e monsters (some of which were great, but not because we didn't know what armor they were wearing).
The thing is, the 2014 Oni wasn't really wearing chain mail. It was a shapeshifting creature that's default size was Large; wearing chain mail made no sense, its art certainly didn't include it, and I imagine virtually no DM ever paid attention to it and changed an Oni's AC when it shape shifted. They simply put in "chain mail" to justify its AC, which was rather pedantic and unnecessary.
The best way to run an Oni is to have it be in shape-shifted disguise, gain the party's trust, and betray them. When that betrayal happens, and the Oni shape shifts back into its natural form, a 2014 Oni would then technically have 10 AC - as chain mail wouldn't shape shift with it - which is very dumb.
Per the new Monster Manual, "A monster’s Armor Class (AC) includes its natural armor, Dexterity, gear, and other defenses. See the Player’s Handbook for information on Armor Class."
An Oni's AC is 17 because that includes its "natural armor and other defenses," which, while certainly vague, makes balancing monsters a whole lot easier.
You say it makes modifying monsters harder, but I would have to disagree. You can adjust things on the fly in whatever way suits your needs.
If you want to run an Oni wearing plate - which is a little unorthodox, but power to you - just give it 18 AC, which is what plate always gives.
The 2014 rules tried too hard to have monsters follow the same rules as PCs, which was unnecessary and over-complicated things. They are different, and they function differently.
Sure. In fact the Oni I'm running is the one in A2 Secret of the Slavers Stockade. But my issue isn't with this specific monser. It's that the new MM gives the DM less info about the monster than 2014 did. With the Oni as an example, it matters if I need to include a DEX modifier in the AC or not.
I would prefer more information than less, clearer information than vague. It makes my life as a DM easier, because I usually tweak monsters either to match them to an individual in an old adventure or just for fun.
I also think internal consistencey between PCs and creatures is good math to have when I want to build balanced encounters. Maybe you don't need that info, but some DMs liked having it.
I'm also not sure why you find Oni in armor "unorthodox" since they've been depicted that way for centuries in art.
Well nothing is stopping you from sticking to 2014 monsters if you prefer that style. WotC certainly took pains to make their stats calculable, compared to some things - like AC - in 2024.
And I didn't say an Oni in any armor was unorthodox, I just meant plate. Oni have been depicted wearing like.. feudal Japan-style leather samurai armor. Which is where their folklore originates. Plate armor is a tad strange for an Oni, but this is D&D, do whatever you want.
Well, DM fiat is a thing so set it where you will. Plate is AC18 with no dex bonus available so there is that.
This is the issue. There is, by design, no internal consistency between PCs and other creatures. NPCs don’t have to follow PC rules.
Monster AC isn’t set by gear so much as by putting it at a place where the PCs of the appropriate level will hit about 55-60% of the time. So changing the gear of a monster doesn’t have to change its AC if you don’t want it to. Conversely, if you want a creatures AC changed, you just do it, without needing to change what they’re wearing.
It's hard to make beholder armor... Unless you make it magic, I can't think of a good way to make it unique.
Personally, I'd just make it hide/leather and there's a lot of eye stalks coming off of it. It could give you advantage on intimidation checks on creatures from the underdark (where beholders are known and feared) as a non magical boon https://100001****/ https://1921681254.mx/ .
Other than that, it'd be magical unless you can think of a non magical way to have it give you a perception boost, psionic powers, or floating abilities.
If you don't mind it being magic, I'd probably take this property and nerf it for balance:
All-Around Vision (Ex): Beholders are exceptionally alert and circumspect. Their many eyes give them a +4 racial bonus on Spot and Search checks, and they can't be flanked.