D&D (2024) Do you think we will get MM Playtest Packets?

[Mirrorrorrim]

I think we'll see samples, but not multiple packets filled with monsters. Maybe some dragons as the flagship monster in case they are further refining how Solo/legendary monsters might be enhanced. Maybe pitch how they might make an Ogre be more than a sack of HP with a club. Stuff like that.

 

[bedir than]

We SHOULD get some monsters with more and varied powers. And I don't see how that would be incompatible with the 2014 books. But I worry we won't. For certain the CR system could use some fixing.

The CR math is in the DMG, not the Monster Manual.

 

[Micah Sweet]

We do not need them- it is 'fully' compatible with the 2014 books.

Oh yes, "fully".

 

[Micah Sweet]

Yeah, I mean, they've talked about it.

They talk about a lot of things.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

They talk about a lot of things.

Haw! Sure, that's true. But for now, at least, we know that their intention is to do at least ONE MM-related UA. We might not get to it at the rate they're going, and it might not be all that good or interesting by the standards of the community - that I can't say. But until they don't give us one, I'm going to assume that they mean to put one out, because they said they would. I'm not going to hold my breath or anything, but I expect that it will happen until it doesn't.

 

[Charlaquin]

Didn't they show us a presentation that showed MM and DMG playtests? Not sure what exactly they will contain, but I would expect to see something

Yeah, it said “playtest 11 and beyond” would be DMG and MM material. I doubt there’s going to be time for more than 11 or 12 UAs, which is why I think DMG and MM material will be tested in the same UA(s). But I do suspect content from both will be present.

 

[Remathilis]

I think we'll get a few monsters that they want to highlight changes to. For example, adding abilities to dragons or redoing raksasha magic resistance. Something like that. A "does this still feel like an X" type of testing.

 

[mamba]

Yeah, it said “playtest 11 and beyond” would be DMG and MM material. I doubt there’s going to be time for more than 11 or 12 UAs, which is why I think DMG and MM material will be tested in the same UA(s). But I do suspect content from both will be present.

No idea how many there will be, anything less than 2 would be a surprise, anything more than 5 as well I guess. It does make sense to spend the most time on the player facing stuff. They have a pretty good idea about the monster changes I guess, so this is just about checking some ideas, not about reviewing every entry of the MM.

 

[MonsterEnvy]

Yes cause they said they were going to do one.

 

[Kobold Stew]

One thing that I think they do need to implement in the MM is the new weapon mastery properties. If they don't -- if no monster is going to have these abilities -- it's going to feel wrong, cheap. At the same time, if every time a gnoll hits you with its flail you attack with disadvantage (sap), combat is going to slow down -- with an additional round or two, I expect, per combat. (That's based only on a handful of practice combats; it could be more).

I have not seen anyone else talking about the impact of Weapon Masteries in the hands of the monsters. A MM playtest would make that clear.