Dungeon & new monster math

[Dr_Ruminahui]

I was looking for monsters to inflict on my players, and when doing so I prefer to choose those that use the "new monster math" - so, basically those that incorporate the design changes introduced with Monster Manual 3.

Which is great if choosing monsters from a book (so, I chose largely from MM3, MV and MV-ToNV), but how about Dungeon monsters? When did they start using the new math (so, higher damage, less solo HPs, tweaked defences, etc. - especially higher damage)?

Now, I do realise that with Dungeon things may be spottier (as in monsters in the same issue may use both the "old" and the "new" math), but if anyone can give me some guidance as of which issue the monsters are more likely than not to use the new math I would be grateful.

 

[mcmillan]

Looks like Monster Manual 3 came out in June 2010, so you should start seeing things after that, which would be Dungeon 179.

There might be stuff showing up a bit before that, but I'm not certain.

 

[Tony Vargas]

They did the math - they did the monster math
The monster math - it was a real blood-bath
They did the math - it killed my telepath
They did the math - they did the monster math

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

Do a damage check - an at-will should be doing 8 + level (75% for artillery melee and any AoE, +25% for brute).

If the damage is less, especially if significantly less, you need to rework the stats.

In addition, if monsters use the new format (eg if it has traits, or actions are arranged standard/move/minor/triggered) then it's using the new format. If it's not using the new format, you'll have work to do.

 

[Dr_Ruminahui]

Thanks for the suggestions so far.

Checking the format doesn't really help, as I'm searching through the monsters in monster builder (not the individual magazines), where they all get reformated into the new format. Rather, I want a method where I can quickly remove monsters from consideration by looking at what Dungeon # they came from.

And yeah, looking at their damage can work (though, given that some pre-MM3 monsters have greater damage - see, for example, MM's Balhannoth, this isn't infallible) but I was hoping for a quicker way of doing so.

 

[Nemesis Destiny]

If you use Power2ool, it searches the compendium, but still shows the difference between old stat block and new.

 

[Dr_Ruminahui]

Hmm, I do use it, but only for magic items as for some reason its print function doesn't work for me.

I'll have to try it out for monster selection.