D&D 5E Monster Builder's Guide

[DEFCON 1]

A) Nope.

B) Nope.

My explanation for B) is simple. I wouldn't buy a book that had those rules, but almost certainly would/will continue with my DDI subscription if they had a 5E Monster Builder online tool, and would just use that to build new monsters instead.

For the most part I don't need new monsters. Usually, I just want leveled-up or leveled-down monsters that already exist. Online tools are much more useful to me than doing it all by hand.

 

[Kinak]

A) Nope. Exposing the math, even in it's own book, is way more friendly than just using the math behind the scenes to pump out book after book.

B) Probably not. I'm not really sure I'll be buying into 5e, but all I really need is a chart for the numbers. The special abilities I'll handle on my own.

Cheers!
Kinak

 

[Jack99]

1) Nope
2) Probably

Speaking of monster-crunch, has anyone done some work on the playtest monsters? A bit pressed for time these days, so if someone has already done it...

 

[GX.Sigma]

I can't imagine a D&D Next monster builder's guide needing to take up more than a few pages. It basically has two parts:

To make sensical stats for a creature:
Number of Hit Dice based on level of characters you want to be able to fight it
Size of Hit Dice based on role/size
Attack bonus by ability and training
Damage by weapon (multiplied by size)
Special abilities (use spells as guidelines if you're lost)

To determine what level/XP value a creature is:
A level X creature should have Y hit points and deal Z damage
Special abilities are worth a certain amount

And then you can approach it from whichever direction you want.

 

[the Jester]

Inspired by another month-old debate elsewhere:

If 5th edition had a robust, complex system for building and rebuilding monsters, and existing monsters clearly fit into the system - but the system was not in the Monster Manual:

a) would you be upset?

It depends on where this system was. DMG? Okay. PH? Uhh, no. Separate book entirely? If it needs a whole book, it's too complex for my tastes.

Now, I'm totally down with a robust monster building/advancing system that appears in the MM or DMG and a later expansion book all about different cool advancement/building tricks.

b) would you purchase a future volume containing the robust system?

If the system wasn't in the MM or DMG as well, I dunno, I might be all butt-hurt about it, but if the system was good and the book in question was well-done, I probably would end up getting it eventually. I'm a D&D whore, after all.

 

[Darth Illithid]

A. No, I wouldn't be upset.

B. I'd probably buy it at some point, but I'd prefer it to be in the Monster Manual or Dungeon Master's Guide. I probably wouldn't buy a full book (as in, same size and price as the core books) if the main draw was "make your own monsters," though.

 

[Thunhusthelord]

I'd love to have book like The Random Esoteric Creature Generator by Goodman Games with D&D Next rules. Online tools to make unique monsters with stats.
Thunhus

 

[Starfox]

A) No. Not sure such a formula really would be a benefit.
B) Doubtful, depends on what else is in the book

 

[Li Shenron]

a) would you be upset?

b) would you purchase a future volume containing the robust system?

No to both.

When it comes to customizing monsters, I only go as far as adding class levels, templates or individual features to them. All I need is guidelines on how to calculate the equivalent level, so that I don't accidentally make an encounter too easy or too hard.

I never design monsters from scratch, so I am not in the target audience for this kind of product. It actually felt good in 3e that the system was there in core, but ultimately I never used it.

 

[Li Shenron]

To make sensical stats for a creature:
Number of Hit Dice based on level of characters you want to be able to fight it
Size of Hit Dice based on role/size
Attack bonus by ability and training
Damage by weapon (multiplied by size)
Special abilities (use spells as guidelines if you're lost)

I wonder if attack bonus for monsters can be safely based on HD, using the same proficiency bonus progression as PCs...