Blog (A5E) Level Up’s Monsters: Ecology

In another post, I talked about the updates we’re making to monster stat blocks in Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition. Today, I want to talk about the changes we’re making to the rest of the monster entry.

RPG bestiaries generally accompany a monster’s game statistics with an essay about the monster’s appearance, ecology, lore, and place in the world. We’re doing that too! I hope that most of our monster descriptions will include a twist, re-interpretation, or story seed that you haven’t seen before and that you’ll find useful. But our monster information isn’t limited to these (hopefully inspiring) essays.

Level Up’s Monsters: Ecology — Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition (A5E)

In another post, I talked about the updates we’re making to monster stat blocks. Today, I want to talk about the changes we’re making to the rest of the monster entry.

www.levelup5e.com

 

[Micah Sweet]

An extra vote for listing treasure available from monsters via harvesting.

A common reason D&D characters adventure is - kill monster; collect treasure. So if there is some X CR monsters should have Y treasure table then instead of an ankheg having some items of value like a silver mirror and a bag of gp according to this formula make harvesting its chitin, mandibles and acid have an intrinsic worth of say 1/2 or 1/3 the expected treasure value.

This doesn’t have to be for all monsters but preferably creatures that don’t otherwise collect loot and things like trolls, beholders, gorgons etc

A further extension of this (which goes beyond the extra monster info part) is information about what monster bits are commonly used to make magic items. So maybe ankheg chitin can be burned in forges to facilitate items of acid resistance being made?

I vote for monster harvesting as well. It makes for a mini game that is an absolute blast for some players (me, probably others), while being completely ignorable to other players at the same table.

 

[Faolyn]

I vote for monster harvesting as well. It makes for a mini game that is an absolute blast for some players (me, probably others), while being completely ignorable to other players at the same table.

It also gives the option to stop the monster harvesters, if you have that kind of party.

 

[bedir than]

tiny request - can we get the name for a group of beasts/monstrosities? Are they a mob, flock, pack, etc?

 

[Eyes of Nine]

tiny request - can we get the name for a group of beasts/monstrosities? Are they a mob, flock, pack, etc?

You mean a parliament, or a murder, or a shrewdness (of apes), an embarrassment (of pandas), a superfluity (of nuns)?

(btw, here you go. You're welcome:

https://owlcation.com/stem/collective-names-for-groups-of-animals

)

 

[bedir than]

You mean a parliament, or a murder, or a shrewdness (of apes), an embarrassment (of pandas), a superfluity (of nuns)?

(btw, here you go. You're welcome:

https://owlcation.com/stem/collective-names-for-groups-of-animals)

What about Cockatrices, or Owlbears, etc etc

 

[tetrasodium]

What about Cockatrices, or Owlbears, etc etc

Run

 

[johnber]

This will be amazing for solo play- I’m in day one!

 

[Eyes of Nine]

What about Cockatrices, or Owlbears, etc etc

Welp, since many/most of those interesting names were created in the 15th century by a nun, and since (perhaps) Cockatrices and Owlbears weren't in her consciousness at this time; they are not recorded.

BUT - nothing is stopping you from creating your own and then sharing with the rest of the world (and hopefully here on ENWorld). I look forward to hearing about the steadfastnesses of Cockatrices and Peregrination of Owlbears... And my personal favorite, a ninepin of Beholders

 

[bedir than]

Welp, since many/most of those interesting names were created in the 15th century by a nun, and since (perhaps) Cockatrices and Owlbears weren't in her consciousness at this time; they are not recorded.

BUT - nothing is stopping you from creating your own and then sharing with the rest of the world (and hopefully here on ENWorld). I look forward to hearing about the steadfastnesses of Cockatrices and Peregrination of Owlbears... And my personal favorite, a ninepin of Beholders

You see, I'm commenting on a post about an upcoming monsters book for D&D. While I am completely capable of doing the creation on my own, for my table and the 12 people who read my blog, that isn't the same as having canon naming as part of the book.

Listing them in the book also means that I don't have to look them up online during a session or during prep. This is the same reason why there are currently canon listings as to what terrains you will find mastiffs in. Most people know it, but having it in the book makes it easier.

 

[Eyes of Nine]

You see, I'm commenting on a post about an upcoming monsters book for D&D. While I am completely capable of doing the creation on my own, for my table and the 12 people who read my blog, that isn't the same as having canon naming as part of the book.

Listing them in the book also means that I don't have to look them up online during a session or during prep. This is the same reason why there are currently canon listings as to what terrains you will find mastiffs in. Most people know it, but having it in the book makes it easier.

Ah, totally missed the original context of your post.
Yes, it would be great to finally have "Cackle of Demons" (or whatever) become D&D (or at least EN Publishing) naming canon.