[RPG] Does innate spellcasting by creatures have verbal or somatic components

dnd-5emonstersspells

The Guardian Portrait states that it can innately cast a variety of spells.

The description of its innate ability specifies it needs no material components.

The portrait can innately cast the following spells, requiring no
material components:
3/day each: counterspell, crown of madness, hypnotic pattern,
telekinesis

False Appearance. While the figure in the portrait remains motionless,
the portrait is indistinguishable from a normal painting.

Is it a general rule that innately case spells don’t need material components – or is the exception for material components always listed if possible? Do innately cast spells always need the somatic and verbal components of the original spells unless noted?

Best Answer

Innate spells should follow the normal rules unless otherwise noted

An innate spell can have special rules or restrictions. For example, a drow mage can innately cast the levitate spell, but the spell has a “self only” restriction, which means that the spell affects only the drow mage. (MM 10)

The implication here is that there can be special rules that would override the normal rules. However there are no "normal" rules for innate spellcasting.

Thus, in the absence of any other spellcasting rules specific to innate spellcasting, the normal rules would be the standard spellcasting rules from the PHB. That would mean that innate spells need all the components as normal spells (unless a specific rule for that monster says otherwise).

Jeremy Crawford has confirmed this via Twitter:

Q: Innate spellcasting doesn't require material components. Verbal and somatic?

A: Casting a spell requires all its components unless a trait or feature says otherwise.

Thanks @NickBrown for finding the perfect tweet