The most recent Dungeons & Dragons release, Monsters of the Multiverse, is a massive collection of monsters that adventurers can encounter during their travels and contained streamlined and rebalanced versions of monsters that had been printed in Volo's Guide to Monsters and Modenkainen's Tome of Foes. While this is great for DMs, for players, the book notably includes a sizable roster of thirty-three playable races, thirty-one of which have been updated and rebalanced.
While many of the races that appear in Monsters of the Multiverse have received notable upgrades, gaining access to new abilities and improvements of traits they already had, some of the more potent races of the game have received nerfs to their capabilities. As these nerfs vary in severity and impact, we're going to delve into every race that has received a nerf in Monsters of the Multiverse. Before we begin, we should note that many races in the book have received nerfs to some areas whiling being buffed in other areas. With this in mind, we will be including the races whose nerfs outweigh their buffs.
7 Aarakocra
A race of birdfolk, the Aarakocra have long been highly regarded for their incredible maneuverability through their fifty-foot flying speed. Through playing a Monk and gaining access to and improved movement speed, Aarakocra were among the most mobile characters in all of D&D.
Fans of Aarakocra will immediately notice that with the race's update in Monsters of the Multiverse, while their walking speed has been increased from twenty-five to thirty, their flying speed has been reduced all the way down to thirty. While Aarakocra now have access to the Gust of Wind spell once per long rest, this far from makes up for a loss of such stellar mobility.
6 Aasimar
Aasimar are descendants of celestials and those whose origins have been directly influenced by the likes of angels. It's no secret that this race has been quite potent since its printing in Volo's Guide to Monsters, with access to two resistances, healing in the form of Healing Hands, and special transformations that can provide a damage boost as well as provide extra utility. While these transformations were once tied to an Aasimar's subrace, an Aasimar now simply picks which of these transformations they want at level three. While in these minute-long, once-per-long-rest transformed states, Necrotic Shroud, Radiant Consumption, and Radiant Soul would cause the first attack dealt by that character each turn to deal extra damage equal to that Aasimar's level.
However, with their updated rules, these forms now deal damage equal to that Aasimar's proficiency bonus. While they can now be activated as a bonus action rather than an action, for a level twenty character, this is a decrease from two-hundred damage over a single combat down to only sixty damage. What's especially egregious is that while many once-per-long-rest abilities of other races can now be used a number of times equal to the character's proficiency bonus, these transformations can still only be used once per day.
5 Goblin
While goblins remain a solid race, retaining the majority of their abilities and even gaining advantage to saving throws against the charmed condition, they received a similar damage reduction to that of Aasimar. One of a goblin's key features, Fury of the Small, allows it to deal extra damage to a creature larger than the goblin.
Though this ability used to deal damage equal to the goblin's level, recharging on a short rest, it now deals damage equal to their proficiency bonus. Though this trait can now be used a number of times equal to a goblin's proficiency bonus, its uses are regained after a long rest rather than a short rest. When used within shorter combat encounters or in a campaign with several encounters broken up by short rests, this ability is notably weaker than it once was.
4 Kobold
Kobolds are a D&D race that have been almost completely overhauled in Monsters of the Multiverse. While they once had drawbacks such as sunlight sensitivity, this was outweighed by its access to one of the best racial abilities in the entirety of Fifth Edition: Pack Tactics. Pack Tactics is an ability that allowed a Kobold to make each of its attacks at advantage as long as the target was near one of the Kobold's allies, allow them to utilize a consistent offense. While Sunlight Sensitivity is gone, so is Pack Tactics.
While a Kobold's means of supporting their allies has been improved via their Draconic Cry ability (formerly known as Grovel, Cower, and Beg), Pack Tactics has been replaced by Draconic Legacy, an ability that provides one of three abilities, none of which come remotely close to matching the impact of Pack Tactics.
3 Lizardfolk
Lizardfolk are among the most mind-boggling nerfs in Monsters of the Multiverse. Remaining largely the same, their natural bite attack now deals slashing damage and is considered an unarmed attack rather than a natural weapon, and they can now take proficiency in medicine as part of their Nature's Intuition ability, formally known as Hunter's Lore.
However, Lizardfolk have had an entire ability removed from the game. While their Cunning Artisan ability could be used during short rests to create gear out of the parts of defeated monsters. However, this ability is no longer available to the race, removing some fun flavor and utility.
2 Triton
Remaining nearly unchanged Triton have received one of the most subtle nerfs in Monsters of the Multiverse. With nearly each of their abilities remaining unchanged, while a Triton still has access to several spells through its Control Air and Water trait, the spell provided at level five has been changed.
While Triton could once cast the spell, Wall of Water, they can now instead access Water Walk. While each of these spells are solid and useful, Water Walk offers a more niche and less frequently applicable effect as Wall of Water.
1 Yuan-Ti
Formerly known as Yuan-Ti Pureblood, the Yuan-Ti are perhaps the race that has received the most blatant nerf. A serpentine people, Yuan-Ti were once completely immune to poison damage and the poisoned condition, this immunity has been reduced to a resistance, while their condition immunity has been replaced with advantage on saving throws against poison.
Additionally, while a Yuan-Ti once had advantage on all saving throws against spells and magical effects, the latter half of this advantage has been removed, meaning they now only have this benefit on their saving throws against spells.
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