D&D 5th Edition Monster Manual

TrippyHippy · Dec 22, 2014

4 out of 5 rating for D&D 5th Edition Monster Manual

You certainly get a comprehensive plentiful bunch of monsters to choose from, with decent illustrations, an easy to use format and a general good organisation. The NPCs are useful too. As such, it’s as useful a resource as any Monster Manual ever made for D&D. That said, the themed equivalents for other games such as WFRP, Ars Magica and RuneQuest also came equipped with some narrative ideas beyond a simple catalogue (or in the latter case an actual campaign world) which brings more directly to the table. Good. Very good, in fact. But not the best ever.

Tush Hog · Dec 24, 2014

5 out of 5 rating for D&D 5th Edition Monster Manual

This is a glorious version of the monster manual. The art and monster selection are top notch. I love the new stat blocks.

KirayaTiDrekan · Dec 28, 2014

5 out of 5 rating for D&D 5th Edition Monster Manual

Bestiaries and Monster Manuals and other tomes full of critters and beasties are generally great for reference but almost as boring as spellbooks to actually read. Not so with the 5E Monster Manual. Every critter has nifty bits of lore associated with it, making it actually fun to read through. There's also callbacks to prior editions, with some things like Demon amulets not seen since 1E, as well as nifty upgrades and updates to some creatures that make them intriguing and/or more usable than they were in prior editions. Succubi/Incubi, for example, make so much more sense as independent fiends, as opposed to either demons (most prior editions) or devils (4E). At any rate, this is by far the best book of monsters I have ever encountered.

Edit to add: The art is gorgeous. Prettiest book of beasties I've ever seen as well.

Gilwen · Jan 1, 2015

5 out of 5 rating for D&D 5th Edition Monster Manual

Even though this book didn't have a good CR index it still exceed my expectations and is one of the best MM's from any line that I have played.

JTorres · Jan 3, 2015

5 out of 5 rating for D&D 5th Edition Monster Manual

It would seem that, rather than get bogged down in trying to provide something shiny and new, the design philosophy behind the 5th edition of Dungeons & Dragons was to delve into the game's past in order to define its future. This is no great revelation on my part as many other players and game masters have talked about this very thing but no other book out of the core three better exemplifies this reverence for D&D's past than the 5th Edition Monster Manual. This book is filled with the classic creatures countless of player's have cut down over the years such as the eponymous dragons or the distinctive illithid. Among the usual suspects are odd choices such as modrons which seem to have been placed in as playful nods to the more niche corners of D&D's past. Then again it could be the inclusion of a creature like the modron might be in preparation for a new Manual of the Planes or a resurrection of the Planescape setting. Either way, there is a large selection of creatures to choose from for springing on unsuspecting adventurers. Between the selection of creatures offered, the adventure seeds planted in each creature's fluff, and the enjoyment of just reading the entries for their own sake, I feel this is the best of the core books. There's nothing original here but what is offered is so lovingly crafted that its been worth having on my shelf regardless.

BrockBallingdark · Jan 13, 2015

5 out of 5 rating for D&D 5th Edition Monster Manual

I wasn't sure what kind of art was going to be used, I personally was tired of cartoony/anime art. I feel in love with the art first but then reading every monster just drew you in even more. The layout is really good, easy to find everything you need to know about the monsters for 5E. Love the Legendary actions and Lairs for some of the more nasty and iconic creatures, it makes them scary again.The non player characters and the misc. creatures index are also very helpful. Solid book and my favorite of all three core 5E books.

Bugbear70 · Jan 17, 2015

5 out of 5 rating for D&D 5th Edition Monster Manual

I'll admit it--I'm usually a crunch-over-fluff DM. Just give me a good stat block and I'll figure out the rest. However, the best part of the newest MM is the lore for each monster. Almost every creature had at least one lore entry that got my mind a-churning on some devious campaign seed. The PHB introduces the concept of awarding PCs inspiration, but the MM is meant to provide us DMs with inspiration!

Ezequielramone · Jan 20, 2015

5 out of 5 rating for D&D 5th Edition Monster Manual

Beautiful book. full of things to kill.

Cristian Andreu · Jan 20, 2015

5 out of 5 rating for D&D 5th Edition Monster Manual

Mixing both the streamlined method of 4e's with the in-depth writing of 2e, all the while filling it with top-notch art and a mighty sense of organization (except for the "Monsters by CR" index, which is missing for some reason) the new MM really is a piece of work to behold. Monster ecology is back as an entry and the diversity of creatures manages to showcase D&D's monumental heritage, making it both a useful tool and a nostalgic compendium of the things we all love to kill and loot.