What do you want from the Monster Manual?

[ForeverSlayer]

What exactly do you want from the next Monster Manuals in terms of write up?

Personally I like the old write ups of the monster manuals with regards to in depth information on the monster. I don't want just a stat block, a few sentences and a picture. I like to know common tactics of the monster, where they live etc...

Believe it or not, this helps me when creating campaigns and encounters. I know that I can use my own imagination to create the info but sometimes I like to use the default because I don't always have the time to start from scratch. I am paying Wizards to give me great stories and information.

 

[Steely_Dan]

-I want then built differently from players, like every edition aside from 3rd.

-I want them user-friendly (high level 3rd Ed monsters could become too unwieldy).

-More fluff is always welcome (but not too much, don't want to feel straightjacketed with monster use).

-Playable monsters (Centaur Monks etc), ala Savage Species (obviously there were problem with ECL, but that can be remedied).

 

[Sadras]

- Great Picture (not cartoony)
- Description Write-Up
- Fluff (like that of 2E)
- Tactics
- Similar simple styled 4E Stat Blocks with common attacks, which made them user
friendly for DMs
- Variations of Monster when required (like 4E) i.e. different types of Orcs.

They have a lot of resources to pull their material from - it would be great reading up one MM than going through 3-4 to get the best possible information for a particular MM like I do right now.

 

[pemerton]

I want an MM that focuses on using the monsters in play.

That means not just descriptions/"fluff" from the ingame point of view, but comments from the meta- point of view about how the monster can be used in interesting ways.

And I want statistics - be they for combat, interactin, exploration or all three - that make it transparent how the monster will play in the game. 4e is the best RPG I've seen for this, and although the 4e MM has a tactics section, the statblock design makes it basically unnecessary.

I also want mechanics that express the story role of the monster. If an undead is scary, for example, I want mechanics that express this somehow. Some of the 4e humanoids are particularly distinctive in this respect - hobgoblins with their phalanxes, for example, or goblins and kobolds with their shifting.

 

[Gold Roger]

Customizability, customizability, customizability. Adding and removing abbilities, changing creature types around, advancing the up the powercurve, depowering, theming etc. should all be easy as pie.

Straightforward, compact stat blocks 4th edition style.

Math that actually works throughout the entire level range from launch.

Lots of fluff, but present options for the DM. Don't go to heavy on implied setting. So stay ambigous on stuff like origin stories. I often make my own fluff anyway, but it's easier when there's a baseline to draw from, while the implied setting isn't to heavy.

As many classic monsters as possible. Go with pre-4th monster fluff, but present 4th fluff and new fluff as options. No arbitrary changes like 4th ettercap visual design.

Diversity in types and levels. Don't go overboard with low level humanoids and mid level aberrations, then offer next to no high level magical beasts.

 

[Kzach]

Old school AD&D 2e pages please.

 

[Steely_Dan]

Old school AD&D 2e pages please.

Yeah, that Monstrous Manual is still a blast to pick off the shelf and sit down with for a bit.

Oh, yeah, another point: make monsters interesting to read about (inspirational etc), not as dry as 4th Ed.

 

[erleni]

Basically:

- 2ed fluff
- 4ed crunch

 

[Ramaster]

Basically:

- 2ed fluff
- 4ed crunch

This!
Basically, at least two pages per monster. One page full of fluff, another page full of crunch.

If the designers can't think of AT LEAST one page for mechanics and one page for the flavor of the monster, chances are that the monster is not worth including in the book.

And, as someone else already said, give me several variations of the same monster when it would be worth it (Orc with falchon, Orc Archer, Orc Shaman, Orc Captain, etc...).

 

[ForeverSlayer]

What I don't want are five different types of orcs for example. If I want to differentiate my orcs I want to be able to give them different weapons, feats, themes, classes, templates etc....