Menu
News
All News
Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
Pathfinder
Starfinder
Warhammer
2d20 System
Year Zero Engine
Industry News
Reviews
Dragon Reflections
Columns
Weekly Digests
Weekly News Digest
Freebies, Sales & Bundles
RPG Print News
RPG Crowdfunding News
Game Content
ENterplanetary DimENsions
Mythological Figures
Opinion
Worlds of Design
Peregrine's Next
RPG Evolution
Other Columns
From the Freelancing Frontline
Monster ENcyclopedia
WotC/TSR Alumni Look Back
4 Hours w/RSD (Ryan Dancey)
The Road to 3E (Jonathan Tweet)
Greenwood's Realms (Ed Greenwood)
Drawmij's TSR (Jim Ward)
Community
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Resources
Wiki
Pages
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Downloads
Latest reviews
Search resources
EN Publishing
Store
EN5ider
Adventures in ZEITGEIST
Awfully Cheerful Engine
What's OLD is NEW
Judge Dredd & The Worlds Of 2000AD
War of the Burning Sky
Level Up: Advanced 5E
Events & Releases
Upcoming Events
Private Events
Featured Events
Socials!
Twitch
YouTube
Facebook (EN Publishing)
Facebook (EN World)
Twitter
Instagram
TikTok
Podcast
Features
Top 5 RPGs Compiled Charts 2004-Present
Adventure Game Industry Market Research Summary (RPGs) V1.0
Ryan Dancey: Acquiring TSR
Q&A With Gary Gygax
D&D Rules FAQs
TSR, WotC, & Paizo: A Comparative History
D&D Pronunciation Guide
Million Dollar TTRPG Kickstarters
Tabletop RPG Podcast Hall of Fame
Eric Noah's Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News
D&D in the Mainstream
D&D & RPG History
About Morrus
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
Community
General Tabletop Discussion
*TTRPGs General
There Be Monsters Here! (A Pre-Release Review of D&D Monster Manual by Wizards of the Coast)
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="Neuroglyph" data-source="post: 7654146" data-attributes="member: 85633"><p><span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Despite the ending of the summer and the lull after <strong>GENCON</strong> and <strong>PAX PRIME</strong>, the excitement at the release of the new <strong><em>5th Edition Player’s Handbook</em></strong> last month is still going strong! And by all accounts, the new adventure arc <strong><em>Hoard of the Dragon Queen</em></strong> is doing quite well, with many <strong><em>D&D</em></strong> fans enjoying the new organized play activities presented each week in stores around the country.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span>[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]<span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">[align=right]http://www.enworld.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=64110[/align]But now, <strong><em>D&D</em></strong> enthusiasts have a new release coming up at the end of this month – the <strong><em>D&D Monster Manual</em></strong> goes on sale this Friday the 19th of September in select stores, and for general retail sales on the 30th! As the second core rulebook for the new <strong><em>5th Edition</em></strong> of <strong><em>D&D</em></strong>, the <strong><em>Monster Manual</em></strong> is an absolute essential purchase for any Dungeon Master looking to create their own worlds and adventures.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"><strong>Don't Miss: </strong><a href="http://www.enworld.org/forum/content.php?1845-Hoard-of-the-Dragon-Queen-WotC-Kobold-Press-Team-Up-for-the-Inaugural-Campaign-Arc-of-D-D-5th-Edition" target="_blank">Review of Hoard of the Dragon Queen</a> | <a href="http://www.enworld.org/forum/content.php?1811-DnD-Fans-Rejoice-WotC-Releases-the-5th-Edition-Players-Handbook-Tomorrow-Part-1" target="_blank">Review of the Player's Handbook</a> | <a href="http://www.enworld.org/forum/content.php?1744-The-Wait-is-Over-The-Magic-has-Returned-WotC-Releases-the-D-D-Starter-Set-Pre-Release-Review" target="_blank">Review of the D&D Starter Set</a></span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"><em>So how does this new D&D Monster Manual compare to its predecessors? Read on and find out!</em></span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"><strong><u>D&D Monster Manual (5th Edition)</u></strong></span></span></p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"><strong>Lead Designers</strong>: Mike Mearls & Jeremy Crawford</span></span> </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"><strong>Monster Manual Lead</strong>: Chris Perkins</span></span> </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"><strong>Stat Block Development</strong>: Chris Sims, Rodney Thompson, Peter Lee</span></span> </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"><strong>Story Development</strong>: Robert J. Schwalb, Matt Sernett, Steve Townsend, James Wyatt</span></span> </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"><strong>Cover Art</strong>: Raymond Swanland</span></span> </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"><strong>Publisher</strong>: Wizards of the Coast</span></span> </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"><strong>Year</strong>: 2014</span></span> </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"><strong>Media</strong>: Hardbound (352 pages)</span></span> </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"><strong>Price</strong>: $49.99 (Available for pre-order on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Monster-Manual-Core-Rulebook-Wizards/dp/0786965614?&linkCode=wey&tag=neurogames-20" target="_blank"><strong>Amazon.com</strong></a> for $29.97) </span> </span> </li> </ul><p><span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">The <strong><em>D&D Monster Manual </em></strong>is the second hardbound book released for the new edition of <strong><em>Dungeons & Dragons</em></strong> (<strong>5th Edition</strong>). The <strong><em>D&D Monster Manual</em></strong> includes more than 400 iconic monsters from the previous editions of <strong><em>Dungeons & Dragons</em></strong>, and comes complete with monster stat blocks, full-color illustrations, description of powers, ecologies, lairs, and much more... </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"><strong><u>Production Quality</u></strong></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">The production quality of the<strong><em> D&D Monster Manual</em></strong> is much like its predecessor in the <strong><em>D&D 5th Edition</em></strong> core rulebook series – it’s another stunning jaw-droppingly gorgeous book! Like the <strong><em>Player’s Handbook</em></strong> released last month, this <strong><em>D&D Monster Manual</em></strong> is designed to impress even the most picky RPG rulebook collectors. The authorship of the writers on this project is simply incredible, with prose which cannot help but fire the creativity of Dungeon Masters as they read the lore of their favorite monsters. The layout of the pages is designed for maximum effect of being both useful to the DM and beautiful to look upon. It is one of those RPG rulebooks that simply compels a gamer to pick it up and leaf through its pages over and over again.</span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">[align=left]http://www.enworld.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=64107[/align]The <strong><em>D&D Monster Manual</em></strong> possesses both a table of contents and an index of the creature stat block locations for quick reference. But regretfully, the index font is tiny 6pt fine style which makes it very frustrating to puzzle out without a magnifying glass. And the <strong><em>D&D Monster Manual</em></strong> lacks a listing of monsters by the <strong>CR</strong> (<strong>Challenge Rating</strong>) - a troubling oversight by the designers when trying to make a user-friendly edition of <strong><em>D&D</em></strong>.</span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Looking at the tome itself, this new <strong><em>D&D Monster Manual</em></strong> is a heavy beast of a rulebook, weighing in at just over two and a half pounds. It has a good sturdy binding, like the <strong><em>Player’s Handbook</em></strong> and solid glossy cover panels heavy enough to let the book lay open on a table. The cover art wraps around the through front and back, and it has the same thick black endpapers on the inside. Again, like the <strong><em>Player’s Handbook</em></strong>, the inner pages are slick to the touch and of good weight with a faint parchment style graphics. The monster stat blocks appear in gold boxes which really stand out on the page, and any special text or notes of interest appear in vibrant mint green boxes.</span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">And the Art Directors at <strong><em>Wizards of the Coast</em></strong> have really kept their artists busy this year with the new <strong><em>D&D 5th Edition</em></strong> releases! Many of the same artists who worked on the amazing illustrations for the new <strong><em>Player’s Handbook</em></strong> are back again with art for this new <strong><em>D&D Monster Manual</em></strong>, but there are nearly twice the number of illustrators working on this new sourcebook! Fans of <strong><em>MTG</em></strong> will likely recognize the names and styles of some of the artists who contributed their talents to this project – the cover depicting the infamous Xanathar disposing of some pesky unwanted visitors was rendered by <em>Raymond Swanland</em>. Leafing through the interior pages, A Reader will find that nearly every monster listed in the new <strong><em>D&D Monster Manual</em></strong> has an accompanying illustration, most of which are new imaginings of classic <strong><em>D&D</em></strong> monsters and beautifully rendered. And in some cases, the full-color illustrations are accompanied by a smaller sketch or two showing the monster in different action poses or as a close-up image. Certainly there might be some gamers not particularly fond of a new rendition here and there of their favorite monster, but given the fantastic work of the artists, those complaints will likely be few. </span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">In overall production quality, the new <strong><em>D&D Monster Manual</em></strong> is perfectly designed to impress, awe, and inspire Dungeon Masters riffling through its pages. It’s a handsome companion to the new Player’s Handbook – and it certainly makes one wonder what the new <strong><em>Dungeon Masters’ Guide</em></strong> might look like when it is finally unleashed!</span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"><strong><u>Somebody Order the Oldies but Goodies?</u></strong></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">[align=right]http://www.enworld.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=64108[/align]For the most part, the new <strong><em>D&D Monster Manual</em></strong> is populated with creatures and beasties that will be completely familiar to anyone who has played any <strong><em>D&D</em></strong> in the past 30 years - or any heroic fantasy MMO or video game for that matter. If a gamer has played at least one edition of <strong><em>D&D</em></strong>, the monster recognition could easily be as high as 75% here, and certainly even higher for gamers who have played two of more editions of <strong><em>Dungeons & Dragons</em></strong> (or <strong><em>Pathfinder</em></strong>).</span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">The new <strong><em>D&D Monster Manual</em></strong> for <strong>5th Edition</strong> is presented in the straightforward fashion of previous <strong><em>Monster Manuals</em></strong> before it – <em>alphabetically</em>. Monsters which belong to a particular family of creatures -such as <em>demons, lycanthropes, </em>and<em> oozes</em> – are listed alphabetically under that grouping. Other than the monster listings, the new <strong><em>D&D Monster Manual</em></strong> has an introduction, two appendices, and an index at the end – the vast bulk of the pages are devoted to hundreds and hundreds of monsters for <strong><em>D&D</em></strong>!</span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Statistically, there are about 435 monsters in the book, with more than half of the creatures listed as being of <strong>Challenge Rating</strong> (<strong>CR</strong>) 2 or lower. The chart below reveals that there is a largest numbers of monster listings at <strong>CR</strong> 2 (58 entries), <strong>CR</strong> 1/4 (44 entries), <strong>CR</strong> 1/2 and <strong>CR</strong> 1 (35 entries each). At first glance, this might seem to be an issue with so many monsters designed for low-level play and few at high level play. However, this is not the case when taking into account the <em>bounded accuracy</em> design concept in the new <strong><em>5th Edition D&D</em></strong>, which keeps <em>AC</em> and <em>to-hit</em> bonuses from reaching extreme levels. Of course, the stats and abilities vary considerably across monsters even of the same <strong>CR</strong>, but the theory is that a party of four decently equipped heroes will find themselves evenly matched by a monster of the same <strong>CR</strong> as their character level. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span><span style="font-size: 10px"><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-family: 'verdana'">[ATTACH]64111[/ATTACH] </span></p></span></p><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 10px"><span style="font-family: 'verdana'"></span></p><p></span><span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">In the <em>Introduction</em> of the <strong><em>D&D Monster Manual</em></strong>, the authors discuss the various working parts of a monster entry – including the aforementioned <strong>CR</strong>. A creature’s <em>Size, Type, Alignment, AC, Saving Throws, Ability Scores</em>, and the rest of the mechanics are explained in detail here, giving a DM all the information needed to design and run an encounter with any monster in the book. To gamers familiar with at least one edition of <strong><em>Dungeons & Dragons</em></strong> – particularly <strong><em>d20</em></strong> or <strong><em>4E</em></strong> – much of this information is quite familiar, although there are a few new mechanics for monsters that are quite new for <strong><em>5th Edition</em></strong>. </span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">It should be mentioned that despite there being some new mechanics, the authors did a solid job of capturing the essential “classic” combat abilities of each of the monster. Although the infamous “save or die” mechanics in the <strong><em>D&D Monster Manual</em></strong> are now “save and then save again or die”,so heroes have two chances to avoid a grisly end from a medusa’s gaze or a beholder’s disintegrate eye-stalk.</span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">[align=left]http://www.enworld.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=64109[/align]Monsters capable of grappling is quite a common trait in the new <strong><em>D&D Monster Manual</em></strong>, and these creatures only require a single hit to allow them to have the hero in a grapple hold. Further, these automatic grapple effects are often the prelude to a more vicious assault such as gaining <em>advantage</em> for additional attacks or simply swallowing a hero whole!</span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Another mechanic used frequently is <em>limited usage</em>, which typically appears as <em>X/Day</em>. However, the <em>Recharge X-Y</em> mechanic from <strong><em>4E</em></strong> has some monster abilities coming back based on a d6 roll (i.e. <strong>Recharge 5-6</strong>).</span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">But one of the more interesting and potentially dramatic abilities that a few monsters have are th<em>e Legendary Actions</em>. Monsters like <em>dragons, beholders, </em>the<em> Tarrasque</em> (yea, it’s in there!) are deemed as <em>Legendary Monsters</em> and gain three special actions they can use each turn at the end of another creature’s action. Further, these <em>Legendary Monsters</em> have <em>Lair Actions</em> which can cause effects to occur within their abode once per turn. A <em>Red Dragon</em> might cause the ground in her lair to shake violently nearby, possibly thrown heroes to the ground unless they make a saving throw. Charging into a monster’s lair has never been quite so frightening! Some <em>Legendary Monsters</em> even have legendary resistance in the form of a daily number of automatic saving throws. Bottom line – <em>Legendary Monsters</em> are tough, mean, and very, very dangerous! In some cases, <em>Legendary Monsters</em> even cause effects around the countryside near their lair, like earth tremors or strange feelings experienced by the PCs and NPCs - a clear warning that some very bad <em>thing</em> is lurking in the region.</span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">[align=right]http://www.enworld.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=64112[/align]But one should not get the impression that this new <strong><em>D&D Monster Manual</em></strong> is all about stat blocks and rules. Quite the contrary, this newest incarnation of the ubiquitous monster manual has a great amount of lore and “fluff” about the monster, presenting considerable amounts of roleplaying material for DMs to utilize. Each monster entry has <em>descriptors</em> of its habits and ecology, much the same way that a character in this edition will have <em>ideals, flaws, </em>and <em>backgrounds</em>. These <em>descriptors</em> are much like the <em>aspects</em> used in <strong><em>FATE CORE</em></strong> - a short tag-line that encapsulates a monster’s nature, followed by a paragraph or two explaining more about that tag-line in terms of lore. For instance, a <em>Hook Horror</em> is tagged with <em>Echoes in the Dark</em>, <em>Pack Predators</em>, and <em>Dedicated Clans</em>, with a paragraph describing how <em>hook horrors</em> communicate by tapping their exoskeletons with their claws, how they hunt prey, and how they organize their family units. In essence, a DM can grasp the main concepts behind a monster’s behavior, ecology, and hunting style with a few short phrases, and can reference the more detailed lore for creating encounters or adventure hooks.</span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">[align=left]http://www.enworld.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=64113[/align]As far as monsters covered in this new <strong><em>D&D Monster Manual</em></strong>, there are clearly too many to list in a review of this size. It has all the classic humanoids and giants, dragons, demons, and devils, and all the famed monstrosities loved by D&D fans the world over like owlbears, mind flayers, and drow. But it also has quite a few of the rarer monsters from the early editions, ones found in the <strong><em>AD&D Monster Manual II</em></strong> and from the <strong><em>Fiend Folio</em></strong>, so from there one can find githyanki, githzerai, death knights, behir, and the preposterously Twitter-popular flumpfs.</span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">It should also be noted that there are plenty of side notes and references to other settings beyond the Forgotten Realms made in the new D&D Monster Manual. One can find blurbs about <em>Lord Soth</em> from <strong><em>Dragonlance</em></strong>, <em>Strahd von Zarovich</em> of <strong><em>Ravenloft</em></strong>, and <em>Shemeshka the Marauder</em> of <strong><em>Planescape</em></strong>. Whether this portends the release of new versions of these famous D&D settings is anyone’s guess…</span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"><strong>Overall Score</strong>: 9.1 <strong>out of</strong> 10.0</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"><strong><u>Conclusions</u></strong></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">It’s possible that the new <strong><em>5th Edition</em></strong> <strong><em>D&D Monster Manual</em></strong> might very well be the grandest <strong><em>MM</em></strong> ever produced for this RPG. Certainly, the <strong><em>D&D Monster Manual</em></strong> is physically one of the sturdiest designs -not all of the old MM’s were so well made as anyone who owned a <strong><em>2nd Edition Monster Manual</em></strong> can tell you. And from a writing and illustration perspective, this new <strong><em>D&D Monster Manual</em></strong> is wonderful to read and contains some downright amazing new renderings of iconic fantasy monsters.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">And it would seem that that this new <strong><em>D&D Monster Manual</em></strong> has more monsters between its covers than any single <strong><em>MM</em></strong> has ever had before. Considering the sheer bulk of monsters and lore in this might new <strong><em>Monster Manual</em></strong>, the price to own a copy of is very reasonable indeed! Definitely a must-have book for any DM planning on taking up <strong><em>5th Edition Dungeons & Dragons</em></strong> for a long term campaign!</span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"><strong>Editorial Note</strong>: This Reviewer received a complimentary playtest copy of the product in hardbound format from which the review was written.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"><strong><u>Grade Card (Ratings 0 to 10)</u></strong></span></span></p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"><strong>Presentation</strong>: 9.25</span></span> </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">- Design: 9.0 (Fantastic writing; Great layout; font for the index and some sidenotes very hard to read)</span></span> </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">- Illustrations: 9.5 (Illustrations are mind-blowing. Done. )</span></span> </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"><strong>Content</strong>: 9.0</span></span> </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">- Crunch: 9.0 (Great legendary monster mechanics; good adherence to “traditional” monster attacks )</span></span> </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">- Fluff: 9.0 (Tons of lore and ecology for monsters; adventure hooks abound!)</span></span> </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"><strong>Value</strong>: 9.0 (A gargantuan pile of monsters for a decent price!)</span> </span> </li> </ul><p><span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"><span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"><strong>Don't Miss: </strong><a href="http://www.enworld.org/forum/content.php?1845-Hoard-of-the-Dragon-Queen-WotC-Kobold-Press-Team-Up-for-the-Inaugural-Campaign-Arc-of-D-D-5th-Edition" target="_blank">Review of Hoard of the Dragon Queen</a> | <a href="http://www.enworld.org/forum/content.php?1811-DnD-Fans-Rejoice-WotC-Releases-the-5th-Edition-Players-Handbook-Tomorrow-Part-1" target="_blank">Review of the Player's Handbook</a> | <a href="http://www.enworld.org/forum/content.php?1744-The-Wait-is-Over-The-Magic-has-Returned-WotC-Releases-the-D-D-Starter-Set-Pre-Release-Review" target="_blank">Review of the D&D Starter Set</a></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Neuroglyph, post: 7654146, member: 85633"] [FONT=verdana][SIZE=2]Despite the ending of the summer and the lull after [B]GENCON[/B] and [B]PAX PRIME[/B], the excitement at the release of the new [B][I]5th Edition Player’s Handbook[/I][/B] last month is still going strong! And by all accounts, the new adventure arc [B][I]Hoard of the Dragon Queen[/I][/B] is doing quite well, with many [B][I]D&D[/I][/B] fans enjoying the new organized play activities presented each week in stores around the country. [/SIZE][/FONT][PRBREAK][/PRBREAK][FONT=verdana][SIZE=2] [align=right]http://www.enworld.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=64110[/align]But now, [B][I]D&D[/I][/B] enthusiasts have a new release coming up at the end of this month – the [B][I]D&D Monster Manual[/I][/B] goes on sale this Friday the 19th of September in select stores, and for general retail sales on the 30th! As the second core rulebook for the new [B][I]5th Edition[/I][/B] of [B][I]D&D[/I][/B], the [B][I]Monster Manual[/I][/B] is an absolute essential purchase for any Dungeon Master looking to create their own worlds and adventures. [B]Don't Miss: [/B][URL="http://www.enworld.org/forum/content.php?1845-Hoard-of-the-Dragon-Queen-WotC-Kobold-Press-Team-Up-for-the-Inaugural-Campaign-Arc-of-D-D-5th-Edition"]Review of Hoard of the Dragon Queen[/URL] | [URL="http://www.enworld.org/forum/content.php?1811-DnD-Fans-Rejoice-WotC-Releases-the-5th-Edition-Players-Handbook-Tomorrow-Part-1"]Review of the Player's Handbook[/URL] | [URL="http://www.enworld.org/forum/content.php?1744-The-Wait-is-Over-The-Magic-has-Returned-WotC-Releases-the-D-D-Starter-Set-Pre-Release-Review"]Review of the D&D Starter Set[/URL] [I]So how does this new D&D Monster Manual compare to its predecessors? Read on and find out![/I] [B][U]D&D Monster Manual (5th Edition)[/U][/B][/SIZE][/FONT] [LIST] [*][FONT=verdana][SIZE=2][B]Lead Designers[/B]: Mike Mearls & Jeremy Crawford[/SIZE][/FONT] [*][FONT=verdana][SIZE=2][B]Monster Manual Lead[/B]: Chris Perkins[/SIZE][/FONT] [*][FONT=verdana][SIZE=2][B]Stat Block Development[/B]: Chris Sims, Rodney Thompson, Peter Lee[/SIZE][/FONT] [*][FONT=verdana][SIZE=2][B]Story Development[/B]: Robert J. Schwalb, Matt Sernett, Steve Townsend, James Wyatt[/SIZE][/FONT] [*][FONT=verdana][SIZE=2][B]Cover Art[/B]: Raymond Swanland[/SIZE][/FONT] [*][FONT=verdana][SIZE=2][B]Publisher[/B]: Wizards of the Coast[/SIZE][/FONT] [*][FONT=verdana][SIZE=2][B]Year[/B]: 2014[/SIZE][/FONT] [*][FONT=verdana][SIZE=2][B]Media[/B]: Hardbound (352 pages)[/SIZE][/FONT] [*][FONT=verdana][SIZE=2][B]Price[/B]: $49.99 (Available for pre-order on [URL="http://www.amazon.com/Monster-Manual-Core-Rulebook-Wizards/dp/0786965614?&linkCode=wey&tag=neurogames-20"][B]Amazon.com[/B][/URL] for $29.97) [/SIZE] [/FONT] [/LIST] [FONT=verdana][SIZE=2] The [B][I]D&D Monster Manual [/I][/B]is the second hardbound book released for the new edition of [B][I]Dungeons & Dragons[/I][/B] ([B]5th Edition[/B]). The [B][I]D&D Monster Manual[/I][/B] includes more than 400 iconic monsters from the previous editions of [B][I]Dungeons & Dragons[/I][/B], and comes complete with monster stat blocks, full-color illustrations, description of powers, ecologies, lairs, and much more... [B][U]Production Quality[/U][/B] The production quality of the[B][I] D&D Monster Manual[/I][/B] is much like its predecessor in the [B][I]D&D 5th Edition[/I][/B] core rulebook series – it’s another stunning jaw-droppingly gorgeous book! Like the [B][I]Player’s Handbook[/I][/B] released last month, this [B][I]D&D Monster Manual[/I][/B] is designed to impress even the most picky RPG rulebook collectors. The authorship of the writers on this project is simply incredible, with prose which cannot help but fire the creativity of Dungeon Masters as they read the lore of their favorite monsters. The layout of the pages is designed for maximum effect of being both useful to the DM and beautiful to look upon. It is one of those RPG rulebooks that simply compels a gamer to pick it up and leaf through its pages over and over again. [align=left]http://www.enworld.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=64107[/align]The [B][I]D&D Monster Manual[/I][/B] possesses both a table of contents and an index of the creature stat block locations for quick reference. But regretfully, the index font is tiny 6pt fine style which makes it very frustrating to puzzle out without a magnifying glass. And the [B][I]D&D Monster Manual[/I][/B] lacks a listing of monsters by the [B]CR[/B] ([B]Challenge Rating[/B]) - a troubling oversight by the designers when trying to make a user-friendly edition of [B][I]D&D[/I][/B]. Looking at the tome itself, this new [B][I]D&D Monster Manual[/I][/B] is a heavy beast of a rulebook, weighing in at just over two and a half pounds. It has a good sturdy binding, like the [B][I]Player’s Handbook[/I][/B] and solid glossy cover panels heavy enough to let the book lay open on a table. The cover art wraps around the through front and back, and it has the same thick black endpapers on the inside. Again, like the [B][I]Player’s Handbook[/I][/B], the inner pages are slick to the touch and of good weight with a faint parchment style graphics. The monster stat blocks appear in gold boxes which really stand out on the page, and any special text or notes of interest appear in vibrant mint green boxes. And the Art Directors at [B][I]Wizards of the Coast[/I][/B] have really kept their artists busy this year with the new [B][I]D&D 5th Edition[/I][/B] releases! Many of the same artists who worked on the amazing illustrations for the new [B][I]Player’s Handbook[/I][/B] are back again with art for this new [B][I]D&D Monster Manual[/I][/B], but there are nearly twice the number of illustrators working on this new sourcebook! Fans of [B][I]MTG[/I][/B] will likely recognize the names and styles of some of the artists who contributed their talents to this project – the cover depicting the infamous Xanathar disposing of some pesky unwanted visitors was rendered by [I]Raymond Swanland[/I]. Leafing through the interior pages, A Reader will find that nearly every monster listed in the new [B][I]D&D Monster Manual[/I][/B] has an accompanying illustration, most of which are new imaginings of classic [B][I]D&D[/I][/B] monsters and beautifully rendered. And in some cases, the full-color illustrations are accompanied by a smaller sketch or two showing the monster in different action poses or as a close-up image. Certainly there might be some gamers not particularly fond of a new rendition here and there of their favorite monster, but given the fantastic work of the artists, those complaints will likely be few. In overall production quality, the new [B][I]D&D Monster Manual[/I][/B] is perfectly designed to impress, awe, and inspire Dungeon Masters riffling through its pages. It’s a handsome companion to the new Player’s Handbook – and it certainly makes one wonder what the new [B][I]Dungeon Masters’ Guide[/I][/B] might look like when it is finally unleashed! [B][U]Somebody Order the Oldies but Goodies?[/U][/B] [align=right]http://www.enworld.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=64108[/align]For the most part, the new [B][I]D&D Monster Manual[/I][/B] is populated with creatures and beasties that will be completely familiar to anyone who has played any [B][I]D&D[/I][/B] in the past 30 years - or any heroic fantasy MMO or video game for that matter. If a gamer has played at least one edition of [B][I]D&D[/I][/B], the monster recognition could easily be as high as 75% here, and certainly even higher for gamers who have played two of more editions of [B][I]Dungeons & Dragons[/I][/B] (or [B][I]Pathfinder[/I][/B]). The new [B][I]D&D Monster Manual[/I][/B] for [B]5th Edition[/B] is presented in the straightforward fashion of previous [B][I]Monster Manuals[/I][/B] before it – [I]alphabetically[/I]. Monsters which belong to a particular family of creatures -such as [I]demons, lycanthropes, [/I]and[I] oozes[/I] – are listed alphabetically under that grouping. Other than the monster listings, the new [B][I]D&D Monster Manual[/I][/B] has an introduction, two appendices, and an index at the end – the vast bulk of the pages are devoted to hundreds and hundreds of monsters for [B][I]D&D[/I][/B]! Statistically, there are about 435 monsters in the book, with more than half of the creatures listed as being of [B]Challenge Rating[/B] ([B]CR[/B]) 2 or lower. The chart below reveals that there is a largest numbers of monster listings at [B]CR[/B] 2 (58 entries), [B]CR[/B] 1/4 (44 entries), [B]CR[/B] 1/2 and [B]CR[/B] 1 (35 entries each). At first glance, this might seem to be an issue with so many monsters designed for low-level play and few at high level play. However, this is not the case when taking into account the [I]bounded accuracy[/I] design concept in the new [B][I]5th Edition D&D[/I][/B], which keeps [I]AC[/I] and [I]to-hit[/I] bonuses from reaching extreme levels. Of course, the stats and abilities vary considerably across monsters even of the same [B]CR[/B], but the theory is that a party of four decently equipped heroes will find themselves evenly matched by a monster of the same [B]CR[/B] as their character level. [/SIZE][/FONT][SIZE=2][CENTER][FONT=verdana][ATTACH=CONFIG]64111[/ATTACH] [/FONT][/CENTER] [/SIZE][FONT=verdana][SIZE=2] In the [I]Introduction[/I] of the [B][I]D&D Monster Manual[/I][/B], the authors discuss the various working parts of a monster entry – including the aforementioned [B]CR[/B]. A creature’s [I]Size, Type, Alignment, AC, Saving Throws, Ability Scores[/I], and the rest of the mechanics are explained in detail here, giving a DM all the information needed to design and run an encounter with any monster in the book. To gamers familiar with at least one edition of [B][I]Dungeons & Dragons[/I][/B] – particularly [B][I]d20[/I][/B] or [B][I]4E[/I][/B] – much of this information is quite familiar, although there are a few new mechanics for monsters that are quite new for [B][I]5th Edition[/I][/B]. It should be mentioned that despite there being some new mechanics, the authors did a solid job of capturing the essential “classic” combat abilities of each of the monster. Although the infamous “save or die” mechanics in the [B][I]D&D Monster Manual[/I][/B] are now “save and then save again or die”,so heroes have two chances to avoid a grisly end from a medusa’s gaze or a beholder’s disintegrate eye-stalk. [align=left]http://www.enworld.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=64109[/align]Monsters capable of grappling is quite a common trait in the new [B][I]D&D Monster Manual[/I][/B], and these creatures only require a single hit to allow them to have the hero in a grapple hold. Further, these automatic grapple effects are often the prelude to a more vicious assault such as gaining [I]advantage[/I] for additional attacks or simply swallowing a hero whole! Another mechanic used frequently is [I]limited usage[/I], which typically appears as [I]X/Day[/I]. However, the [I]Recharge X-Y[/I] mechanic from [B][I]4E[/I][/B] has some monster abilities coming back based on a d6 roll (i.e. [B]Recharge 5-6[/B]). But one of the more interesting and potentially dramatic abilities that a few monsters have are th[I]e Legendary Actions[/I]. Monsters like [I]dragons, beholders, [/I]the[I] Tarrasque[/I] (yea, it’s in there!) are deemed as [I]Legendary Monsters[/I] and gain three special actions they can use each turn at the end of another creature’s action. Further, these [I]Legendary Monsters[/I] have [I]Lair Actions[/I] which can cause effects to occur within their abode once per turn. A [I]Red Dragon[/I] might cause the ground in her lair to shake violently nearby, possibly thrown heroes to the ground unless they make a saving throw. Charging into a monster’s lair has never been quite so frightening! Some [I]Legendary Monsters[/I] even have legendary resistance in the form of a daily number of automatic saving throws. Bottom line – [I]Legendary Monsters[/I] are tough, mean, and very, very dangerous! In some cases, [I]Legendary Monsters[/I] even cause effects around the countryside near their lair, like earth tremors or strange feelings experienced by the PCs and NPCs - a clear warning that some very bad [I]thing[/I] is lurking in the region. [align=right]http://www.enworld.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=64112[/align]But one should not get the impression that this new [B][I]D&D Monster Manual[/I][/B] is all about stat blocks and rules. Quite the contrary, this newest incarnation of the ubiquitous monster manual has a great amount of lore and “fluff” about the monster, presenting considerable amounts of roleplaying material for DMs to utilize. Each monster entry has [I]descriptors[/I] of its habits and ecology, much the same way that a character in this edition will have [I]ideals, flaws, [/I]and [I]backgrounds[/I]. These [I]descriptors[/I] are much like the [I]aspects[/I] used in [B][I]FATE CORE[/I][/B] - a short tag-line that encapsulates a monster’s nature, followed by a paragraph or two explaining more about that tag-line in terms of lore. For instance, a [I]Hook Horror[/I] is tagged with [I]Echoes in the Dark[/I], [I]Pack Predators[/I], and [I]Dedicated Clans[/I], with a paragraph describing how [I]hook horrors[/I] communicate by tapping their exoskeletons with their claws, how they hunt prey, and how they organize their family units. In essence, a DM can grasp the main concepts behind a monster’s behavior, ecology, and hunting style with a few short phrases, and can reference the more detailed lore for creating encounters or adventure hooks. [align=left]http://www.enworld.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=64113[/align]As far as monsters covered in this new [B][I]D&D Monster Manual[/I][/B], there are clearly too many to list in a review of this size. It has all the classic humanoids and giants, dragons, demons, and devils, and all the famed monstrosities loved by D&D fans the world over like owlbears, mind flayers, and drow. But it also has quite a few of the rarer monsters from the early editions, ones found in the [B][I]AD&D Monster Manual II[/I][/B] and from the [B][I]Fiend Folio[/I][/B], so from there one can find githyanki, githzerai, death knights, behir, and the preposterously Twitter-popular flumpfs. It should also be noted that there are plenty of side notes and references to other settings beyond the Forgotten Realms made in the new D&D Monster Manual. One can find blurbs about [I]Lord Soth[/I] from [B][I]Dragonlance[/I][/B], [I]Strahd von Zarovich[/I] of [B][I]Ravenloft[/I][/B], and [I]Shemeshka the Marauder[/I] of [B][I]Planescape[/I][/B]. Whether this portends the release of new versions of these famous D&D settings is anyone’s guess… [B]Overall Score[/B]: 9.1 [B]out of[/B] 10.0 [B][U]Conclusions[/U][/B] It’s possible that the new [B][I]5th Edition[/I][/B] [B][I]D&D Monster Manual[/I][/B] might very well be the grandest [B][I]MM[/I][/B] ever produced for this RPG. Certainly, the [B][I]D&D Monster Manual[/I][/B] is physically one of the sturdiest designs -not all of the old MM’s were so well made as anyone who owned a [B][I]2nd Edition Monster Manual[/I][/B] can tell you. And from a writing and illustration perspective, this new [B][I]D&D Monster Manual[/I][/B] is wonderful to read and contains some downright amazing new renderings of iconic fantasy monsters. And it would seem that that this new [B][I]D&D Monster Manual[/I][/B] has more monsters between its covers than any single [B][I]MM[/I][/B] has ever had before. Considering the sheer bulk of monsters and lore in this might new [B][I]Monster Manual[/I][/B], the price to own a copy of is very reasonable indeed! Definitely a must-have book for any DM planning on taking up [B][I]5th Edition Dungeons & Dragons[/I][/B] for a long term campaign! [B]Editorial Note[/B]: This Reviewer received a complimentary playtest copy of the product in hardbound format from which the review was written. [B][U]Grade Card (Ratings 0 to 10)[/U][/B][/SIZE][/FONT] [LIST] [*][FONT=verdana][SIZE=2][B]Presentation[/B]: 9.25[/SIZE][/FONT] [*][FONT=verdana][SIZE=2]- Design: 9.0 (Fantastic writing; Great layout; font for the index and some sidenotes very hard to read)[/SIZE][/FONT] [*][FONT=verdana][SIZE=2]- Illustrations: 9.5 (Illustrations are mind-blowing. Done. )[/SIZE][/FONT] [*][FONT=verdana][SIZE=2][B]Content[/B]: 9.0[/SIZE][/FONT] [*][FONT=verdana][SIZE=2]- Crunch: 9.0 (Great legendary monster mechanics; good adherence to “traditional” monster attacks )[/SIZE][/FONT] [*][FONT=verdana][SIZE=2]- Fluff: 9.0 (Tons of lore and ecology for monsters; adventure hooks abound!)[/SIZE][/FONT] [*][FONT=verdana][SIZE=2][B]Value[/B]: 9.0 (A gargantuan pile of monsters for a decent price!)[/SIZE] [/FONT] [/LIST] [FONT=verdana][SIZE=2] [FONT=verdana][SIZE=2][B]Don't Miss: [/B][URL="http://www.enworld.org/forum/content.php?1845-Hoard-of-the-Dragon-Queen-WotC-Kobold-Press-Team-Up-for-the-Inaugural-Campaign-Arc-of-D-D-5th-Edition"]Review of Hoard of the Dragon Queen[/URL] | [URL="http://www.enworld.org/forum/content.php?1811-DnD-Fans-Rejoice-WotC-Releases-the-5th-Edition-Players-Handbook-Tomorrow-Part-1"]Review of the Player's Handbook[/URL] | [URL="http://www.enworld.org/forum/content.php?1744-The-Wait-is-Over-The-Magic-has-Returned-WotC-Releases-the-D-D-Starter-Set-Pre-Release-Review"]Review of the D&D Starter Set[/URL][/SIZE][/FONT] [/SIZE][/FONT] [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Community
General Tabletop Discussion
*TTRPGs General
There Be Monsters Here! (A Pre-Release Review of D&D Monster Manual by Wizards of the Coast)
Top