AC
12
Initiative
+2 (12)
HP
11
(2d8 + 2)
Speed
40 ft.
Mod | Save | ||
---|---|---|---|
STR | 14 | +2 | +2 |
DEX | 15 | +2 | +2 |
CON | 12 | +1 | +1 |
Mod | Save | ||
---|---|---|---|
INT | 3 | -4 | -4 |
WIS | 12 | +1 | +1 |
CHA | 6 | -2 | -2 |
Skills
Perception +5, Stealth +4
Senses
Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 15
Languages
--
CR
1/4 (XP 50; PB +2)
Traits
Pack Tactics. The wolf has Advantage on attack rolls against a creature if at least one of the wolf’s allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally doesn’t have the Incapacitated condition.
Actions
Bite. Melee Attack Roll: +4, reach 5 ft. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) Piercing damage. If the target is a Medium or smaller creature, it has the Prone condition.
New wolves are very interesting, and the auto prone seems quite strong. Finally, the level 1 generic pack of wolves encounter will have some tactics to it.
Got a Harengon Ranger in my campaign with this as his animal companion. He is small sized, so it's absolutely adorable to imagine the tiny little rabbit snuggled up with a wolf.
Knocking a creature prone and having pack tactics is quite strong.
A bit weird that they lost Keen Hearing and Smell. I guess getting Expertise in Perception mitigates it a little bit? Also, their damage die changing from 2d4 to 1d6 makes them much less deadly – Pack Tactics and knocking enemies prone increases their crit chance, so it's kind of sad that they won't get to benefit from this as much as the 2014 version.
Removal of Keen Senses/Hearing/Smell is a bit puzzling as it was the ability that most defined Beast inclusive encounters i.e. less prone to surprise and they can find hidden creatures in combat more easily. Perhaps it is a universal trait of all Beasts and defined in the forthcoming 2024 MM now? I liked it in 3e when monster type conveyed a series of unifying traits - it also saved room in stat blocks.
they removed the advantage, but gave them a +5 to perception checks, it's statistically very similar, but streamlines things for the DM so they only have to roll one die. this is a good change, it doesn't affect the math much but it makes things simpler.
removing the saving throw for the prone condition is a terrible change, tho, makes them much too strong.
-2 damage per round on average isn't make or break. In fact it is better, because now you can have players fight a larger pack.
" and the target gets knocked prone if it is Medium or smaller." this sounds so much better
Really not liking how frequent & common condition's being afflicted with no saving throws seem to be in the new edition. At least it's balanced, with PC's having a bazillion ways to knock something prone or cause forced movement with no saving throw, the monsters need to be able to do the same. But even so..this reduces the importance of saving throws as a mechanic, when so many things bypass it, and honestly it shouldn't be as easy to knock down a level 20 barbarian with 24 strength & a +13 to athletics, compared to some random commoner. A wolf bite shouldn't effect those two beings equally when it hits them, just because they're both medium.