D&D 5E Volo's Guide to Monsters: General Discussion.

[MechaTarrasque]

Definitely a lot of critters that I will find use for. I was hoping for a few more celestials, but the ki-rin will be nice, and it doesn't hurt my feelings to see some of those demons get the 5e treatment.

Here is hoping for Volo's Guide to the Planes at some point.

 

[Jester David]

Just for a little clarification: are you not feeling the draegloth because it's one of the ones you don't know, or because you just dislike draegloths?

Bit of both. I vaguely remember them from the 3e days when I found them unexciting. As a monster, they overlap with the cambion, tiefling, and half-fiend. Their name makes them sound more like a yugoloth.
They'd have been a better fit for Out of the Abyss. Since there's no drow section in the book, it feels needless: a space that could be filled by a dozen more interesting monsters. Maybe something higher CR.

 

[flametitan]

Bit of both. I vaguely remember them from the 3e days when I found them unexciting. As a monster, they overlap with the cambion, tiefling, and half-fiend. Their name makes them sound more like a yugoloth.
They'd have been a better fit for Out of the Abyss. Since there's no drow section in the book, it feels needless: a space that could be filled by a dozen more interesting monsters. Maybe something higher CR.

Ah, fair enough. They're still somewhat interesting (But then again being as new to the game as I am, anything seems new and interesting) but I can see why you'd rather something else.

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

They only do the bonus damage once per short rest, and nimble escape is disengage/hide as a bonus action. Not bad.

I hereby celebrate by rolling up a theorycrafted goblin. Here's my first BrockJones.com array:

12

11

15

16

12

7

That... does indeed make a pretty decent Bardlock.

Harry "Gnak-gnak" Henderson, seven-eights-goblin one-eight-probably-gnome Outcast (Outlander variant) witch doctor-in-training
NE Wild Sorcerer 1 (aiming for Warlock 5/Lore Bard 11/Sorcerer 3/Life Cleric 1 some day)
Str 7 Dex 15 Con 12 Int 11 Wis 12 Cha 16 HP 7
Skills: Arcana, Deception, Stealth, Perception
Spells: Minor Illusion, Dancing Lights, Mold Earth, Fire Bolt, Mage Armor, Shield
Owns a light crossbow and 20 bolts, arcane focus, explorer's pack, two daggers, and a change of clothes.
Racial ability: Nimble Escape, Disengage/Hide as a bonus action

Harry likes to carve miniature skulls out of the life-sized skulls of his enemies. He loves good food and has always wanted a personal body slave. He's handsome and vigorous and remarkably popular with the ladies... or would be, he thinks, if there were any ladies in the wilderness where he is forced to skulk after being exiled from his tribe over a misunderstanding involving the chief's pigs and a bottle of glue. For now, he amuses himself with casual brigandage and petty theft, and carving skulls out of pig skulls. But he is starting to get bored with that and is looking for something more rewarding, exciting, and lucrative. Maybe he should join a mercenary company?

 

[Zarithar]

I'm frankly surprised that any text in Volo's guide is dedicated to cattle, oxen, or any other bovine.

On that we are in total agreement (but minotaurs would have been sort of cool).

 

[Dualazi]

So, is anyone else irritated by the inclusion of so many humanoid/class templates? By my count there's about 19 of them, since I wasn't sure if the warlocks listed were generics or no. Most of the examples of such in the MM average 2-3 per page, so that means at best 6 pages of generics, more with art present. Couple that with, as others point out, the frankly bizarre number of cows listed, and it almost feels like they somehow needed filler in an already light book.

 

[gyor]

So, is anyone else irritated by the inclusion of so many humanoid/class templates? By my count there's about 19 of them, since I wasn't sure if the warlocks listed were generics or no. Most of the examples of such in the MM average 2-3 per page, so that means at best 6 pages of generics, more with art present. Couple that with, as others point out, the frankly bizarre number of cows listed, and it almost feels like they somehow needed filler in an already light book.

I think its so DMs have a quick easy way to use the PC races for NPCs. Maybe you use a Triton as Champion, Archfey Warlock, or Master Thief, and a Fallen Aasimar as a Fiend Pact Warlock, Blackguard, or Bard, ect..., so with the PHB it allows alot of quick easy Monsters/NPCs.

Templates are great in that they take up relatively little space, but allow for alot of variety and mixing and matching.

I think Thorny is a template as well.

 

[Parmandur]

So, is anyone else irritated by the inclusion of so many humanoid/class templates? By my count there's about 19 of them, since I wasn't sure if the warlocks listed were generics or no. Most of the examples of such in the MM average 2-3 per page, so that means at best 6 pages of generics, more with art present. Couple that with, as others point out, the frankly bizarre number of cows listed, and it almost feels like they somehow needed filler in an already light book.

Heavens no, humanoid NPC templates are the best; more, please!

On reflection, I'm guessing the Cow situation is not filler for this book, but that the Cows got cut from the MM for space, probably the Dolphin too.

 

[gyor]

"Perhaps the most surprising reveal, but not entirely unwarranted; Pureblood Yuan-ti have always been the most "human" of Faerun's snake-folk, and did in fact get a PC writeup in the Serpent Kingdoms sourcebook for that setting back in 3e. As for their crunch... put it like this; there's powerful, there's overpowered, and there's "holy , what were you ing thinking, WoTC?!" Yuan-ti fit pretty firmly into that last category: +2 Cha, +1 Int, Darkvision, Medium with Normal Speed, Poison Immunity, Poison Spray cantrip spell-like-ability, Suggestion 1/day, permanent Animal Friendship (snakes only) and, the cherry on top, "Magic Resistance: You have Advantage on all saving throws caused by spells and magical effects". Sweet crunchy christ..."

I found this on the internet. I was pretty close in my guess. I was right about Poison Spray being a full cantrip, Poison Immunity, Darkvision, Animal Friendship with snakes only. I wrong but close on suggestion, I thought it would be once per short rest, but it got nerfed to once per day, and I thought they'd drop magical resistance, but the Purebloods get it.

Still they over state their case at it being over powered. No physical stat bonus, poison spray is one of the weakest combat cantrips, dealing poison damage the worst form of damage you can deal because alots of stuff is immune to it, and having poor range, animal friendship with snakes is so narrow its going to be incredibly situational, darkvision is common in 5e races, suggestion is only once per day. Poison Immunity and Magic Resistance are good, with without these the Purebloods would be weak. Absolutely balanced in my opinion.

 

[Jester David]

So, is anyone else irritated by the inclusion of so many humanoid/class templates? By my count there's about 19 of them, since I wasn't sure if the warlocks listed were generics or no. Most of the examples of such in the MM average 2-3 per page, so that means at best 6 pages of generics, more with art present. Couple that with, as others point out, the frankly bizarre number of cows listed, and it almost feels like they somehow needed filler in an already light book.

Looking at the page numbers on top, it's 2 pages of beasts (where all the cows fit in) and 12 pages of NPCs.

The number of cows looks odd, but really it's a couple classic semi-monsters and a bunch of different sizes of herd animals that could be used for cows, llamas, buffalo, wildabeast, yaks, and the like. Any four legged herd animal really.

Usage of NPCs will vary based on game. A *lot* of people will be excited by these. Plus, it's pretty easy to make them orcs, gnoll, goblins, etc.