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Player access to the Monster Manual
- Thread starter dreaded_beast
- Start date
Pseudonym
Ivan Alias
As the vast majority of my gaming group can quote the Monster Manual verbatem, flipping through the MM during combat is generally not an issue.
Geek recall aside, our group would look askance at anyone doing so, as it denotes a lack of ... not sure what the term would be. Ethics, maybe? Honor? In any event, we'd look down upon them.
Geek recall aside, our group would look askance at anyone doing so, as it denotes a lack of ... not sure what the term would be. Ethics, maybe? Honor? In any event, we'd look down upon them.
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Altamont Ravenard
Explorer
Most of my players are DM's too, so they probably know a lot of the monsters. I wouldn't let a player read the MM during play, although I doubt that any player ever would.
When I am a player, I try to have stats for summoned creatures / familiars ready before actual game play.
When I am a player, I try to have stats for summoned creatures / familiars ready before actual game play.
Nyarlathotep
Explorer
It's only happened once to me and I jumped on the characters with both feet as a result. While I can't remember what monster it was, when I saw the player looking it up, I just picked two random monsters, combined their stats, applied to the monster and proceded to rampage on the party. Not fair probably, but I regard this the same as a player reading the module that we're playing (something else that has happened to me 
).
).
Trickstergod
First Post
The last time I PC'ed, it was a bard with a number of knowledge skills, and while I didn't look up monster stats during a fight, the DM was fairly decent with me using what I knew off the top of my head in-game, though there were the occasional bardic lore checks and the like.
There was also a mid-high level game I'd been in a while back where I kept identifying beasts from the slightest of descriptions, and the DM at least didn't look annoyed that I kept doing it...heh. As the game had started at level 13, there was some amount of assumption as to being familiar with various beasties.
Again, though, that was just using knowledge I had off the top of my head.
For my part, as a DM, I don't mind some amount of foreknowledge on the PC's behalf. However, I wouldn't let them pop open the Monster Manual during a fight, or before if they knew it was going to happen. Afterwards, that's fine - just because I've had disagreements with DM's in the past about how a monster worked, and wanted to check afterwards, and I'd be hypocritical if I didn't let the same happen with my players. But that's after the fact.
There was also a mid-high level game I'd been in a while back where I kept identifying beasts from the slightest of descriptions, and the DM at least didn't look annoyed that I kept doing it...heh. As the game had started at level 13, there was some amount of assumption as to being familiar with various beasties.
Again, though, that was just using knowledge I had off the top of my head.
For my part, as a DM, I don't mind some amount of foreknowledge on the PC's behalf. However, I wouldn't let them pop open the Monster Manual during a fight, or before if they knew it was going to happen. Afterwards, that's fine - just because I've had disagreements with DM's in the past about how a monster worked, and wanted to check afterwards, and I'd be hypocritical if I didn't let the same happen with my players. But that's after the fact.
I would agree with most of you that allowing Players to browse the MM during the game is not acceptable. If they are able to memorize the whole book, then they need to seriously think about getting a life.
If there is a requirement for stats for a summoned monster and the Player in questions doesn't have it then the spell fails. They are responsible for preparing everything for their character before the game session. Just as if they had a cohort, or mount, or animal companion.
If there is a requirement for stats for a summoned monster and the Player in questions doesn't have it then the spell fails. They are responsible for preparing everything for their character before the game session. Just as if they had a cohort, or mount, or animal companion.
Our group is all experienced adults. Any books are allowed (and sometimes encouraged) during the game. A DM saying, "hey, look this up for me" or "do you guys agree," happens all the time. DM is an adjudicator role for us that rotates around the group from campaign to campaign and we all want to stick the the books.
As player's we realize that part of the fun of combat is not knowing what's monster X is capable of. None of us look during combat. Even if we remember what something is, that doesn't mean our characters know, and the DM can just say, "make a knowledge (whatever) check" to get folks back in character. Also, remind your player's they're loosing out on some fun for themselves if it's bugging you.
Post-game analysis happens all the time with us. We rehash stuff to learn. It's fun.
AG
As player's we realize that part of the fun of combat is not knowing what's monster X is capable of. None of us look during combat. Even if we remember what something is, that doesn't mean our characters know, and the DM can just say, "make a knowledge (whatever) check" to get folks back in character. Also, remind your player's they're loosing out on some fun for themselves if it's bugging you.
Post-game analysis happens all the time with us. We rehash stuff to learn. It's fun.
AG
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BrooklynKnight
First Post
To combat metagaming PC's once i tossed into my game a new giant.
The head of a drow, body of a hairy russian, and Al Bundys feet.
Needless to say they werent sure how to handle it.
The head of a drow, body of a hairy russian, and Al Bundys feet.
Needless to say they werent sure how to handle it.
PoppaGunch
First Post
One of the many reasons I have a laptop for use in games and a networked printer handy in the PC room.
Log onto DMGenie (Or ETools if I am desperate) and find the data I need, make a stat block, and print the bad boy for them.
Simple!
Log onto DMGenie (Or ETools if I am desperate) and find the data I need, make a stat block, and print the bad boy for them.
Simple!
