"Other Resources" and Volo's Guide to Monsters

[FarBeyondC]

The Monster Manual and other resources are legal
rules sources for the purpose of determining what is
available for class features such as Wild Shape, Beast
Companion, and various conjure spells, keeping in
mind that your Dungeon Master is the final arbiter
for deciding whether or not you have satisfied any
requirements imposed upon you by your class (such
as the druid’s requirement to have seen the beast in
question). However, without specific campaign
documentation, you may not use any of the Variant
rules contained therein.
Additionally, as there are no specific stat blocks
for “templated” creatures, such as half-dragons,
these are not permitted for use.

At least according to how I'm reading it, Volo's (and other things) should count for this purpose, but just in case I missed something, I'll ask here:

Does Volo's Guide to Monsters (VGtM) qualify as an 'other resource' for the purpose of Wild Shape, Beast Companion, conjure spells, etc. as specified by the "Can I Use the Monster Manual?" part of the FAQ, or do you still need to have chosen the Guide as your +1 option?

 

[CydKnight]

On Page 1 of the AL Player's Guide it states Additional options for characters are available in the 5th Edition Player's Handbook, the Swordcoast Adventurer's Guide, the Elemental Evil Player's Companion, and Volo's Guide to Monsters .

It is curious that the Monster Manual is not mentioned in that statement yet Volo's is. However, as the FAQ answer states, it may end up being that the DM has the final call since Volo's is not mentioned specifically in the FAQ answer with regards to this class feature.

 

[kalani]

The FAQ is referring to character options such as spells, can trips, races, and subclasses. The monsters in Volos are not included as they aren't "character options". They are only accessible via spells/wildshape. As such by RAW since Volos isn't specifically mentioned in the rule about using monsters-its off limits for spells/wildshape. With that being said the admins have said that DMS can allow these creatures at their table but that the player cannot expect them. Iowa- expect table variance

 

[Pauper]

The monsters in Volos are not included as they aren't "character options". They are only accessible via spells/wildshape.

Wouldn't that mean the monsters in Volo's *are* character options for those characters with those abilities, then?

I mean, there are monsters in the Player's Handbook, and they are pretty clearly there to allow PCs options to use for summoning, wild shape, and similar abilities. While I'm sympathetic to the idea that not everything in every book is necessarily fair game to bring to an AL table, it seems a bit challenging to argue that the monsters listed in a book that is explicitly noted as being a potential player resource aren't available to a player as a resource, even if that player has chosen that resource as his '+1'.

As a DM, I'd be OK with restricting Volo's monsters to those PCs who have taken Volo's as their '+1' (with appropriate caveats for things like the 'you can wild shape into any beast you've seen' part of the wild shape ability). I think a player would be justifiably upset if he took Volo's as his +1 and was told he wasn't allowed to use the monsters for his spells and/or abilities, solely based on the idea that 'monsters aren't a player resource in this player resource'.

--
Pauper

 

[DrBlackLightning]

http://www.dmsguild.com/product/197432/Volos-Guide-to-Monsters-A-DD-Adventurers-League-Reference-5e?term=volo%27s+guide+&test_epoch=0

 

[Pauper]

http://www.dmsguild.com/product/197432/Volos-Guide-to-Monsters-A-DD-Adventurers-League-Reference-5e?term=volo%27s+guide+&test_epoch=0

Do you even read, bro?

That document has nothing but a series of paragraphs about the PC races in Volo's, including information on the required factions that you must take in order to play one. It says nothing about whether the actual monsters in the book count as player options for wild shape, summoning, etc.

But hey, thanks for the link!

--
Pauper

 

[DrBlackLightning]

Do you even read, bro?

--
Pauper

Truthfully, no I had just skimmed the thread. That's what I get for doing that at work...
Sorry about that.

 

[Pauper]

No worries -- I like being snarky, and probably should have noticed it was your first-ever post.

Hope work is going OK!

--
Pauper