D&D 5E Volo's Guide to Monsters - Which monsters do you want to see?

[Demetrios1453]

Yup, Mearls has said on Twitter that there will be more NPC templates, that there are zero new monsters (all updates from previous editions), and that there will be options for Rangers and Druids use.



Personally, I would like to see more templates for monsters, we got maybe two or three in the MM.

That's why I suggested templates for skeletons and zombies. Having them in 3e was hugely useful, since you could throw fun things like giant skeletons at your group.

If we don't get templates for them, at least give us a wide variety of examples that we can use, as well as easily modify for similar monster skeleton/zombies...

 

[Demetrios1453]

One further thing that I'm wondering about - will WotC IP creatures that have already been updated in the APs be making an appearance in VGtM? In mostly worried about the derro and ixitxachitl, which are D&D monsters with storied histories. Will the fact they have already been updated for 5e in OotA hurt their chances to be in VGtM as well? I'm hoping that WotC won't skip over these (as well as other long-term D&D creatures like the mongrelfolk) in Volo's simply because they were updated in an AP...

 

[Prakriti]

One further thing that I'm wondering about - will WotC IP creatures that have already been updated in the APs be making an appearance in VGtM? In mostly worried about the derro and ixitxachitl, which are D&D monsters with storied histories. Will the fact they have already been updated for 5e in OotA hurt their chances to be in VGtM as well? I'm hoping that WotC won't skip over these (as well as other long-term D&D creatures like the mongrelfolk) in Volo's simply because they were updated in an AP...

If any of the 221 pages consists of monsters I already own, that would turn me off big-time. Volo's is already over 100 pages shorter than the Monster Manual, for the same price. That's a hard enough sell as it is.

 

[Demetrios1453]

If any of the 221 pages consists of monsters I already own, that would turn me off big-time. Volo's is already over 100 pages shorter than the Monster Manual, for the same price. That's a hard enough sell as it is.

Two or three years down the road, I don't want to have to dig up OotA just because WotC didnt reprint them. I much rather have all my monsters in as few books as possible rather than having to sort through all my books trying to find the one I need. And while you and I may own OotA, what about those who don't? Are you wanting to condemn them to purchase a $50 book just to have access to stats for creatures that should, given their long and storied D&D history, be in a book with all the other monsters? Not having them in this book would turn me off big time...

 

[Prakriti]

Two or three years down the road, I don't want to have to dig up OotA just because WotC didnt reprint them. I much rather have all my monsters in as few books as possible rather than having to sort through all my books trying to find the one I need. And while you and I may own OotA, what about those who don't? Are you wanting to condemn them to purchase a $50 book just to have access to stats for creatures that should, given their long and storied D&D history, be in a book with all the other monsters? Not having them in this book would turn me off big time...

Mostly, I just want to know what I'm getting ahead of time. That way, I can make an informed decision about whether to buy the book or not. If they say "100 new monsters," then I expect there to be 100 new monsters -- not re-prints of previously-released monsters. I'm not saying I wouldn't buy a book with old content in it -- I definitely would, if the price were right -- but in this case, considering Volo's already disappointing page-to-price ratio, it would put me off.

 

[SailorNash]

Fey and dinosaurs, for certain. So many options there that have hardly been touched.

I also wouldn't mind seeing a few quick template critters in the back, such as the monstrous vermin from 3e that could scale to any size. Doesn't make sense that something comes in only two flavors, Tiny and Large, and this would open up CR-appropriate options for ranger companions and Druid shapes at any level.

 

[Olive]

Mostly, I just want to know what I'm getting ahead of time. That way, I can make an informed decision about whether to buy the book or not. If they say "100 new monsters," then I expect there to be 100 new monsters -- not re-prints of previously-released monsters. I'm not saying I wouldn't buy a book with old content in it -- I definitely would, if the price were right -- but in this case, considering Volo's already disappointing page-to-price ratio, it would put me off.

I know that there's no way to get consensus here but I'm another one who wants the monsters from the APs in Volo's. I haven't bought the APs as the only thing I'd want from them are the monsters (and maybe the magic items) so it would be great for me if I could get those in one place.

Actually, is there a list of monsters, magic items etc that are in the APs somewhere?

 

[Demetrios1453]

Mostly, I just want to know what I'm getting ahead of time. That way, I can make an informed decision about whether to buy the book or not. If they say "100 new monsters," then I expect there to be 100 new monsters -- not re-prints of previously-released monsters. I'm not saying I wouldn't buy a book with old content in it -- I definitely would, if the price were right -- but in this case, considering Volo's already disappointing page-to-price ratio, it would put me off.

I would imagine that reprinting the derro and ixitxachitl information from OotA would probably only take up 2 pages total, even with the variants included. Beyond that, I don't feel that any of the creatures from the APs "need" to be reprinted like those two do. They are classic monsters from the earliest eras of the game, and thus have something of a right to be detailed in a true "monster" book, and not consigned to eventual obscurity of an AP appendix. Mongrelfolk from CoS are the only other creature that even comes close to these two in D&D history, so I wouldn't mind them in Volo's either, and would be only a little put out if they weren't. Yakfolk from SKT would be nice, but hardly in the league of the previous creatures, and the rest, no matter how cool tressym are, would be, I agree, taking up space better used for updating more well-known and popular monsters from eras past.

(I disagree with the page-to-price ratio issue too. It's not too many fewer pages than your typical AP for the same price, and will no doubt see much more use over the edition's lifetime than the APs ever will. So what is loses in page count, it will more than make up for in utility, in my opinion at least).

 

[MechaTarrasque]

I have mixed feelings on new monsters vs. reprints. There are some monsters are summonable (like the elemental myrmidons), so it seems like they ought to be in a more convenient place. Most of the cultists could be repurposed as NPC classes, but outside of the water warlock (the name escapes me, but he/she had eldritch blast and could turn into a serpent made of water), I haven't used any of them that way. The big monsters (Tiamat, the elemental princes, and the demon lords) could (and probably should) be reprinted in some kind of Big Book of Big Bads, but for now, they are significant enough that it is worth digging the AP up to use them again.

 

[Parmandur]

Mearls has stated the AP monsters may get published in another collection in the future...after the APs start going out of print. So, I doubt Derro or Yakmen will be in here, except maybe as part of the quick rules chart for PC races...