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Seems to me the new monsters released are just plain more badass than the early 4e monsters. Examples are the adamantine dragon and the remorhaz.
Wizards seem to have learned a lot about the system. It bothers me that some of the most iconic monsters are not as 'attractive' as the new monsters released. In 3E, for me the MM1 remained the most important source for monsters, with the later MMs being secondary.
Should Wizards release a revised version of the MM, or will this just raise outcries of 4.5!! ZoMG!!11!
Is it necessary?
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All of the above is of course in my opinion only. But do consider that I'm often right.
I see this as an added bonus of not releasing all the iconic "must have" monsters in MM1.
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Only if I can trade in my old MM and get the new one. Buying MM1 again? No thanks.
Quote:
Originally Posted by malraux
I see this as an added bonus of not releasing all the iconic "must have" monsters in MM1.
But that's just money grubbing!
But if they're going to revise the MM, I think they ought to revise the PHB. I think the Warlord could really benefit from their expanded understanding of the rules.
I think one of the benefits of how monsters are set up this time around is that I don't feel there is a "standard" monster of X type. IE there isn't one set of Goblin stats that I look at and say "this" is a goblin- everything else is a modified goblin. Each one I see is a "type" of goblin.
So in effect, I don't think they need to re-release the MM1, since they can just add more goblins for instance, or even put out more dragon articles with suggested powers I can swap in and out.
I don't feel it will invalidate the "original" goblin at all, even if I end up using those goblins less.
I think WoTC ought to revise the MM, yes. However, just include the new numbers (and maybe a few revised abilities) in the next printing. All the changes (but obviously not the book itself) should be documented online, in a file that everyone can download for free.
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I think WoTC ought to revise the MM, yes. However, just include the new numbers (and maybe a few revised abilities) in the next printing. All the changes (but obviously not the book itself) should be documented online, in a file that everyone can download for free.
I think WoTC ought to revise the MM, yes. However, just include the new numbers (and maybe a few revised abilities) in the next printing. All the changes (but obviously not the book itself) should be documented online, in a file that everyone can download for free.
All the changes they've made are here for everyone to download for free:
THat's ERATTA. Not going back and re-designing them with the new standards.
Like how Solos seem to be more offense, less defense, and have more attacks period.
I doubt they will go back and do a complete redesign of the MM. Any changes would be the application of trends that they have discovered. Like lowering the HPs of elites and solos and upping their damages. Patches basically. And those could easily be handled in the Update files. Could be why the decided on the name Updates instead of Errata. It allows them to include items that aren't just mistakes, but changes to improve gameplay.
I was mainly pointing out that they already have a place to update people who have not subscribed at no cost. And that they made a few changes already. I do think they could make more to improve the creatures in the MM.
While WoTC may have tweaked at least some of the solos and elites, I'm betting the majority of the monsters in MM2 are still at the general power level of the ones in the MM. I mean, I haven't seen a great disparity between the monsters in the MM and those in other sourcebooks WoTC has released so far.
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Redesign monsters already released? No. New printings including errata? yes.
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Well, I would probably buy a new book, if the changes were significant enough. But since I have now permanently switched to changing every monster I use in my campaign, I would just buy it for completeness sake.
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I love 4E and I want it to live a long and healthy life. Because of this, I think a revision would be ideal, not just to the MM, but to the whole edition, and not soon, but rather once all eight power sources have been detailed. This way, the revision can be made with the benefit of hindsight, and things could be balanced in the context of the entire system.
Every edition so far has seen a revision, IIRC. I figure it will be four or five years before all the power sources have been detailed, at which point it will be a good idea to redesign the core books anyway. The revision will extend the lifespan of the system, allowing 4E to continue to detail another campaign setting each year until 2016 or so.
Does the current MM need a revision immediately though? No, not immediately, and for the reasons others have mentioned. The MM is 95% fine, and what's left merely needs some clever adjustments.
I'm afraid a full scale revision would be hailed as a 4.5
You're right, but WotC definitely wouldn't call it that. I'm not even sure it would need to be as sweeping as the 3E -> 3.5E revision was. Regardless, Lord knows that some nerds will rage no matter what WotC does.
As long as they update the DDI, I do not care (snip)
I agree.
This is another reason I was hoping the PDFs would not just continue but would also be updated on a regular basis. It would be nice to have well-edited books.
If they expanded it out to 320 pages, cleaned up the massive amounts of white space, put in more guidelines on making encounter groups, role playing the monsters, showing methods for changing small details without altering the mosnter completely, etc.... and did it for a lower cover price... sure!
I really think in 5 years we WILL be playing 4.5, it just won't be called that. It will be due to small changes made to improve play over time incorporated into new books, while the old rules fade away.
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