WotC announced a new book yesterday that will rewrite the rules for monsters. Releasing in January, check out Mordenkainen’s Monsters of the Multiverse.
A “new evolution” of the core rules for D&D might be coming in 2024, but early next year you’ll have a chance to preview some of the changes that the team is working on with a new book, Mordenkainen’s Monsters of the Multiverse.
Mordenkainen’s Monsters of the Multiverse is a new book due out as part of an upcoming gift set, titled Rules Expansion Gift Set releasing January 25th. The new set, which contains Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything, Xanathar’s Guide to Everything, will gather together all the new 5th edition rules expansion books, but it’s also the first place you’ll be able to get your hands on Mordenkainen’s Monsters of the Multiverse.
Mordenkainen’s Monsters is a massive book, packed full of rules for players and DMs:
Includes the debut of Monsters of the Multiverse, a comprehensive resource for players and Dungeon Masters alike, containing over 30 updated player character races and a massive bestiary with over 250 redesigned monsters and stat blocks, all for use in any D&D world.
At the Future of D&D panel, a host of the lead design team for 5th Edition gave a glimpse as to what you can expect. One of the biggest changes in the new book is the way that spellcasting NPCs and monsters function. Instead of having standard spell slots and spell lists that you need to open another book to run, these monsters will new have “spellcasting actions” or other actions that mimic spellcasting without using the same rules that PCs do.
In the panel, they gave the example of an NPC having a “Holy Fire” action that would deal damage instead of the monster casting a spell like fireball. By adding in more specificity, the team can more accurately reflect the CR of a creature. During the panel, we snagged some screen shots of the monsters previewed in the book. Check them out below.
First up a comparison of a Bard NPC as it was in Volo’s Guide to Monsters vs. the new format for spellcasting NPCs with a Bard from Mordenkainen’s Monsters. We took a closer look at the new Bard entry to see what it has:
Though the text is blurry, you can make out that bards have a better multi-attack action, using shortsword or shortbow attacks, and can replace one attack with a use of spellcasting–which we’ll get to in a second. The old shatter action is replaced with Cacophony, a spell-esque ability that recharges on 4-6 and does 2d8 thunder damage while pushing creatures away from the bard.
As far as spellcasting goes, it can cast dancing lights, mage hand, or prestigiditation at will, or it can cast charm person, invisibility, or sleep each once per day.
We got a look at a new Warlock as well, who comes with a Howling Void ability as well as a longer list of at-will spells.
And a new War Priest who has access to the “Holy Fire” action described above.
You can get your hands on this new book as part of the gift set below, or on its own later in 2022.
Rules Expansion Gift Set – $169.95
- Includes fifth edition’s best-selling rules expansions Xanathar’s Guide to Everything, Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything, and Monsters of the Multiverse, along with a Dungeon Master’s screen together for the first time in a beautiful slip case.
- Includes the debut of Monsters of the Multiverse, a comprehensive resource for players and Dungeon Masters alike, containing over 30 updated player character races and a massive bestiary with over 250 redesigned monsters and stat blocks, all for use in any D&D world.
- Each of the three books and the Dungeon Master’s screen feature special foil covers, available only with this release.
- A perfect set for players and Dungeon Masters looking to expand their game with additional rules and character options.
Happy Adventuring!
Source: Bell of Lost Souls
