This. I'm not sure why I need ANOTHER MM given how many 5e monster books I own. I recently glanced thru Flee Mortals, and I can't for 1 second imagine WotC being that innovative, and it's not all that innovative.....
D&D (2024) D&D Monster Manual (2025)
Uni-the-Unicorn!
Hero
It is one of the core books for the 2024 revision, but the book is coming out early in 2025.
- Vecna: Eve of Ruin (May 21)
- The Making of Original Dungeons & Dragons: 1970-1977 (June 18)
- Quests from the Infinite Staircase (July 16)
- Player’s Handbook (Sept 17)
- Dungeons Master’s Guide (Nov 12)
- Monster Manual (Feb. 18, 2025)
Uni-the-Unicorn!
Hero
Yep, my DM regretted purchasing Flee Mortals. He wasn't impressed. However, I know he plans on getting the new MM for the art lone (if it lives up to his hopes).
Oh, I really like Flee Mortals.....it's just quite as innovative as I expected (frankly, no idea what I expected). It's got great ideas, and I love the new fluff (which you can use or ignore).
What did the DM think they were getting? I'm not sure how you could be disappointed with it.
Mirrorrorrim
Hero
Same.
I already personalize many creatures that aren't one-shot wonder minions, and it helps if the template is a bit simpler. I get to choose if I want them to be a bit more complicated. They don't need to have Prestidigitation prepared. If it fits the narrative, they get it. I don't have to plan out all the spells they are never going to cast in the 3 rounds they have before they are defeated.
Dragons may be shapechangers, or have a couple thematic spells; Spellcasters will have some spells swapped for thematic reasons; Creatures with spell-like abilities may have different damage types and visuals.
Sometimes they have different weapons or armor (or special items that can become loot), or have variant abilities. If these alterations make them easier or harder, I make sure the rewards are updated as well.
For instance, a traveling ogre rarely just has a greatclub and a couple javelins. They usually have scavenged items/weapons they can wield or throw, too. They loot those they kill for resources like anyone else. Spears/javelins are extremely common in my games, but if it makes sense that in the past they killed a town guard, and those guards wield standard issue halberds, the ogre would be walking with a halberd that some may recognize. Good for chopping off legs. Yum.
Mirrorrorrim
Hero
Have you never bought something because you liked the designer? And were then disappointed after perusing it in more detail?
There are at least two schools of thought on this:
1: "give them a full list of spells cuz it's realistic/useful for all situations, not just combat"
2: "give them in full detail what's relevant for combat, that's when I'm going to need their statblock otherwise they'll just use whatever spells I think they'd have. I don't want to have to flip around the spell section for it all, just print it on the statblock."
When we had the 2014 MM, you had folks like Matt Colville saying "I really don't need this huge list of spells that are never going to be used, 5e combat lasts for ~4 rounds and they're going to use their most powerful things; why do I need to know that they have sleep and charm person?"
And now that they've gone the other way, the vocal folk on the other side are speaking up. I will say that they SHOULD be stated whether or not they count as spells, or can be counterspelled, etc. I'm assuming that they don't state that based on folks comments here.
It just goes to show that you can't please all of the people all of the time!
a5e does something interesting though, which is BOTH. Their lich has a list of spells, and the combat spells' description are presented in the statblock, and also has (3e term) spell-like abilities like arc lightning and not-counterspell; afaik the latter can't be counterspelled.
Considering how concerned the a5e crew was about page space etc. in the AG, I'm surprised that they printed all those combat spell details in the entry... BUT it's appreciated.
Uni-the-Unicorn!
Hero
I don't really want to put words in his month, but IIRC his issues where:
- Not enough art
- designs were not better or more interesting than what he makes himself
- villian actions were a disappointment and step back from legendary actions
- Didn't expand on / utilize the design space of mythic monsters
- implementation of "roles" felt thin and underdeveloped
Uni-the-Unicorn!
Hero
I think my DM would agree it was not as innovative as he hoped. He basically said he can do a better job.
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