I would find it very helpful if the stat blocks in Dungeon magazine included a breakdown of AC bonuses in stat blocks, e.g. "+4 natural, +2 dex, +2 deflection."
Many times I've had an NPC spellcaster cast a spell, e.g. unholy aura, that provides an AC bonus, and then had to look through the equipment list or open the Monster Manual to see if the AC bonus from the spell would stack with the bonuses the target already has.
Hear, hear!!!
I was reading the stats of the Epic NPC's in #123 and trying to figure where the AC bonuses all came from. The Deulist was especially difficult (Intelligence bonuses to AC) especially considering the NPC's option to fight defensively and get another point of AC per Deulist level (15!) to achieve an AC 63 or something ridiculus like that.
I know I should have more faith in the stats as presented but I agree, this measure (AC Breakdown) would be really nice. Why the ommision? Is space that tight (you could make room by cutting the Eberron content - sorry I'll keep on topic now)?
Nuff fer now.
Hear, hear!!!
I was reading the stats of the Epic NPC's in #123 and trying to figure where the AC bonuses all came from. The Deulist was especially difficult (Intelligence bonuses to AC) especially considering the NPC's option to fight defensively and get another point of AC per Deulist level (15!) to achieve an AC 63 or something ridiculus like that.
I know I should have more faith in the stats as presented but I agree, this measure (AC Breakdown) would be really nice. Why the ommision? Is space that tight (you could make room by cutting the Eberron content - sorry I'll keep on topic now)?
Nuff fer now.
I'd tend to trust the stat blocks, since a requirement of manuscript submission is annotated stat blocks that include all the math used to come up with the final numbers.
But that's me. If you want to know for sure, bug James about it... he should be able to pull out the writers manuscript attachments and come up with a list of the modifiers.
- Ashavan
Creative Director
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We could include the bonus breakdown for AC, but that'll pretty much add a line of text to every stat block. Which works out to about a paragraph or more per adventure. Doesn't seem like much, but it can be grueling making that paragraph fit. Although if that were the only reason we don't do this, I'd do it.
The problem is that stat blocks are already cluttered messes to look at. Adding a block that says (-1 size, +3 Dex, +6 armor, +3 shield, +4 deflection, +8 natural, +4 insight, +4 monk bonus, +4 Wisdom) gets complex. Of course... that example is a bit over the top, but you get the idea. It makes an already unwieldy stat block even more so.
We've been trying to give monster ACs that include any spells they cast on themselves before combat to do most of the work for the DM. If a DM reading the adventure is going to be rebuilding an NPC completely, he'll be able to see the AC breakdown on his own and doesn't need us to include a stat block; he doesn't really even need us to include a stat block, for that matter.
And if we include the bonus breakdown for AC, why stop there? Why not do the same for grapple checks, weapon attack bonuses, and saving throw bonuses? Why not for skill checks? By keeping all that ugly math behind the scenes, we keep the stat block as easy to use in game play as possible. We've tinkered a bit with the stat blocks in issue #124, which should be out pretty soon. They're different, but they're easier to run. There'll certainly be more tinkering to come in #125 on; stat blocks, I've found, are a constantly evolving creature.
Wow. See what happens when it's 2:21 AM and I'm dosed up on Nyquil for a sore throat and I start posting to messageboards? An essay falls out!
And if we include the bonus breakdown for AC, why stop there? Why not do the same for grapple checks, weapon attack bonuses, and saving throw bonuses? Why not for skill checks?
Well, one reason to stop there is that that's where the Monster Manual stops. It provides AC bonus breakdowns, but no breakdowns for the other bonuses.
I think the reason for this is that AC bonuses are the main place where the question comes up, does such-and-such stack? Most attack bonuses stack, as do most skill bonuses. (Besides, just about the only skills that come up for NPCs in my games are concentration and tumble.)
I do appreciate including NPCs' pre-cast buffs into their stat blocks.
I agree whole-heartedly with not showing all that stuff. Stat blocks are just plain hard to read in the middle of a game especially if you have multiple statted creatures to deal with. And really why bother, no-one besides the DM ever really has to know what a the monsters are capable of - that's what makes monsters scary. Watch out for those advanced squirrels - they're killer. If the stat block is off by one or two points here or there (like the Cagewright minotaur from "13 Cages") big deal. It won't matter much in the long run especially in high-level games where AC ranges into the forties and beyond. The DM also has the right to creatively tweek encounters one way or another on the fly. Circimstance penalties can come into play at anytime. Perhaps the minotaur is musing over whether or not she left the iron on, -2 penalty. Never let the rules overcome the fun. If it hurts the fun (danger, suspension of disbelief and cool ninja skilz) don't do it.
The latest edition of D&D has given folks lots of options. I sometimes wonder though if all the accounting and reverse accounting has hurt the 'play' aspect of the game.
GGG
I always re-create the stat blocks myself as they are quite often wrong. At least it used to be that way. I remember the Gladiator adventure a couple of years ago when almost every stat block had some flaw in it (people with Dex 11 getting Dodge, strength 11 getting Power Attack).. didn't take anything away from the great adventure, but it did add a little more extra work.
James - is there any chance of getting the "annotated" stat blocks as a web enhancement? That allows you to keep to the minimum in the mag (and I agree - stat blocks are already cluttered enough) while also making it easy for somebody to "reverse engineer" any stat they need easily.
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Creative Director
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James - is there any chance of getting the "annotated" stat blocks as a web enhancement? That allows you to keep to the minimum in the mag (and I agree - stat blocks are already cluttered enough) while also making it easy for somebody to "reverse engineer" any stat they need easily.
Alas, there's only about a 0.003% chance of this happening. First off, not all our readers have access to the internet, so we'll have to print the full stat blocks in the magazine anyway. And second of all, we don't have the manpower or time to do something this extensive.
And isn't most of the fun at reverse engineering stat blocks in published adventures the great mystery at how the editor arrived at giving the bugbear lich a +45 Tumble check?
And isn't most of the fun at reverse engineering stat blocks in published adventures the great mystery at how the editor arrived at giving the bugbear lich a +45 Tumble check?
Well, yeah - but I'm lazy. :D
sidenote: a bugbear lich? I wonder how I can work that into my current campaign. :)[/sidenote]
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I personally wouldn't mind an annotated stat block. Sometimes a creature changes.
The creature may have a shield, and is forced to drop it to wield their weapon two-handed. Now, every time I look at the magazine I'm looking at the wrong AC. If I'm smart, I'll quickly figure out what the shield bonus is make a clear indicator of the actual AC, but that can be tricky.
So, I wouldn't mind seeing it, but I can understand if it is unlikely to happen. I would suggest an alternative. Somewhere in the description of tactics could be included a line that indicates unusual features. For example -
Remember, Korn uses a Monk's belt, so his AC is only 28 as long as he doesn't use any armor or shields. If he succeeds in drinking his potion of Owl's Wisdom his AC will increase to 30.
I know that is somewhat long, but it would be used only rarely.