MM2: More fluff?

Is it me, or does the MM2 have more fluff than the MM1?

I don't mean by leaps and bounds, but some pages seem to have just more info. Like the Fell Taint entry, or the Steel Predator entry.

Rechan said:

Is it me, or does the MM2 have more fluff than the MM1?

I don't mean by leaps and bounds, but some pages seem to have just more info. Like the Fell Taint entry, or the Steel Predator entry.

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I think that there is indeed a bit mroe, but there would have to be,as more of the monsters are new or unusual. Like shards. I have never heard of them before in a monster context. the yneed some explaination.

I kinda doubt this is the kind of fluff the fluff-positive people are looking for. It is more like description than true fluff.

You people that got the book early? Hate hate hate.

Bah!

On a more useful note, I do like that the vast majority of the monsters come from older editions, though there are still some that I think are "missing" from the list of classic monsters. I'd have loved to see yellow musk creepers/zombies, for one, or the intellect devourer. Where are my nimblewrights? The deepspawn? I could go on, but I'm sure everyone has their own list of "why haven't you converted this yet??" mosnters.

Dice4Hire said:

I think that there is indeed a bit mroe, but there would have to be,as more of the monsters are new or unusual. Like shards. I have never heard of them before in a monster context. the yneed some explaination.

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I found the Shards odd. I mean, "WHEN EVIL AND THE ELEMENTAL CHAOS MEET" ... and then they give you a level 4 one. How the heck do level 4 PCs come in contact with something from the elemental chaos and the abyss rolling around together?

I kinda doubt this is the kind of fluff the fluff-positive people are looking for.

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I donno. I found the Fell Taint and Myconid sections fluffy.

the jester said:

You people that got the book early? Hate hate hate.

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Well, yes. I went into a bookstore Thursday, and asked if they had gotten their shipment of books yet - it had just came in the night before, so I asked if they could go look for the MM2. I paid $10 over what I would've at Amazon, but it was nice gettin' it early.

As far as old monster conversions, who needs WotC's conversions when I got The Jester's?

Although, I too would like to see the Yellow Musk Creeper. But I have a suspicion we'll see quite a few monsters yet to come (Cloakers and Derro? Probably in the Underdark book. Yellow and Brown mold? Hopefully in the DMG2).

Dice4Hire said:

I kinda doubt this is the kind of fluff the fluff-positive people are looking for. It is more like description than true fluff.

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Actual descriptions? Definite step in the right direction. Good job WotC, keep up the improvements.

Rechan said:

I found the Shards odd. I mean, "WHEN EVIL AND THE ELEMENTAL CHAOS MEET" ... and then they give you a level 4 one. How the heck do level 4 PCs come in contact with something from the elemental chaos and the abyss rolling around together?

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Ah, see, I disagree entirely. Since most of the campaigns I DM or play in are based solely in heroic tier, I want more and more heroic tier monsters... especially those that give some sort of hint at a greater, world-threatening evil. They allow you to give hints about the coming epic-style storylines. Or they give your players a sense of accomplishment, allowing you to have a finale with weight if you decide to end a campaign at heroic-level.
I don't understand why heroic level characters only get to fight kobolds and orcs and wolves. I'm in favor of more heroic-level demons/devils/dragons/big scary stuff.
*Sigh* Hope I can get my hands on MM2 soon. Sounds pretty darn sweet.

Kinneus said:

Ah, see, I disagree entirely. Since most of the campaigns I DM or play in are based solely in heroic tier, I want more and more heroic tier monsters... especially those that give some sort of hint at a greater, world-threatening evil. They allow you to give hints about the coming epic-style storylines. Or they give your players a sense of accomplishment, allowing you to have a finale with weight if you decide to end a campaign at heroic-level.
I don't understand why heroic level characters only get to fight kobolds and orcs and wolves. I'm in favor of more heroic-level demons/devils/dragons/big scary stuff.
*Sigh* Hope I can get my hands on MM2 soon. Sounds pretty darn sweet.

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The Starspawn Entry has neat stuff that gives us also some background to the Star Pact. As I mentioned elsewhere, these are not your fathers stars.

Well, I think MMII has helped out the lower heroic tier with some oddball monsters that they can encounter, instead of yet another animal, undead or humanoid monster. This is especially true at level 3-5, where there is a nice variety of monsters for heroic types to try their hands at.

Dice4Hire said:

Well, I think MMII has helped out the lower heroic tier with some oddball monsters that they can encounter, instead of yet another animal, undead or humanoid monster. This is especially true at level 3-5, where there is a nice variety of monsters for heroic types to try their hands at.

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Care to elaborate, you lucky, lucky bastard?

Inyssius said:

Care to elaborate, you lucky, lucky bastard?

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Non-humanoid, non-undead, non-animal levels 1-5:

Ankhegs - level 1 minion, level 3... if you don't know what an Ankheg is, tsk.

Barghest - Level 4 (and 7, but that's beyond what's being discused here)

Beholder Gauth - 5th level beholder.

Chaos Shard - Level 4 elemental evil crystal thingie.

Cockatrice - 5th level cockatrice.

Demon: Level 2 and several 5th level ones.

Dimensional Marauder - 4th level... (3.5 Ethereal Marauder)

Dust Devil and Mud Lasher - Level 3 and 4 Elementals.

Giant Ants - 1-5 bugs

Gray Ooze - 2nd level non-elite ooze.

Green Slime - 4th level non-elite ooze.

Fell Taint - level 1-4. Flying tentacled aberrations that eat your thoughts.

Homoculi: 2 and 4th level construct.

Krenshar: Level 3 and 5.