D&D (2024) What would you like to see in the new Monster Manual (2025)?

[Kobold Avenger]

A wish list of things that I feel might reasonably be in the book.
-Beholder Hive Mother (since they insist on families of monsters)
-Illithid Elder Brain (same as above)
-Leonal Guardinal
-Ghaele and Bralani Eladrin (or whatever they're calling them now)
-CR 20 Ultraloth Overlord (to go with the lower CR just plain Ultraloth)
-Zombie Swarm
-Skeleton Swarm
-Generic NPC statblocks with a CR over 15
-A family for Aboleths
-Lower CR versions of Golems

 

[R_J_K75]

Challenge.

I always felt it took a lot more work in 5E than it should to create a challenging encounter using just monsters alone.

Anything that improves player ability to get attacks to their turn is a significant boost…

I didn't follow the playtest or watch any of the PHB preview videos. I've only read the summations in the threads here. I've always considered PC from 2014 to be overpowered, and I'm getting the impression that PCs are going to be even more powerful in 2024. So, unless they really succeeded in making the monsters more difficult, I think it may be even harder to create challenging encounters. I guess we'll find out come February.

 

[Warpiglet-7]

I always felt it took a lot more work in 5E than it should to create a challenging encounter using just monsters alone.

I didn't follow the playtest or watch any of the PHB preview videos. I've only read the summations in the threads here. I've always considered PC from 2014 to be overpowered, and I'm getting the impression that PCs are going to be even more powerful in 2024. So, unless they really succeeded in making the monsters more difficult, I think it may be even harder to create challenging encounters. I guess we'll find out come February.

Well…I don’t think you are wrong.

That said, I have had some riveting games in which we barely made it…but I think character in 5e (which I enjoy!) are overturned.

In the other hand you don’t need as many mulligans from the DM to “make it” but yeah…

It’s more of the same
I wager—-good player need DMs who can turn up the heat

 

[overgeeked]

Drastically smaller stat blocks. Charts like from Forge of Foes so you can have the official math handy for ease of use. Challenge rating that actually works. Monsters that are well designed, like Flee Mortals and 4E. Some ecology notes. How to use notes. The return of monster roles, minions, standard, elite, solo, etc.

 

[R_J_K75]

That said, I have had some riveting games in which we barely made it…but I think character in 5e (which I enjoy!) are overturned.

I wager—-good player need DMs who can turn up the heat

In my experience DMing 5E it's not impossible to create challenging encounters, just a lot of work at times and usually need to introduce terrain features, spells that are constantly in place in an area, mechanical traps, etc. Even after doing all this, I usually had to make adjustments on the fly during the game.

 

[R_J_K75]

Oops, double post

 

[Stormonu]

Compared to older D&D, 5E PCs can do quite a lot.

But 5E monsters have such large blobs of hit points often its like the PCs are armed with wiffle bats.

PC: "Watch what I can do!" Smack Whap Bam
Monster: "I'm still here."

 

[overgeeked]

Compared to older D&D, 5E PCs can do quite a lot.

But 5E monsters have such large blobs of hit points often its like the PCs are armed with wiffle bats.

PC: "Watch what I can do!" Smack Whap Bam
Monster: "I'm still here."

Yep. Monsters used to exist to challenge the PCs. Now they exist to allow the PCs to show off how cool they are. That’s why they can’t do much nor can they die too fast. They need to last long enough for everyone to get an at bat or three to really show off their pew pew.

 

[R_J_K75]

Yep. Monsters used to exist to challenge the PCs. Now they exist to allow the PCs to show off how cool they are. That’s why they can’t do much nor can they die too fast. They need to last long enough for everyone to get an at bat or three to really show off their pee pew.

My gripe with 5E, (and I think it can be traced back to 3E), is that in my opinion its designed more in the players favor than the DMs. I'd say AD&D was the other way around and the DM had more control over the game, so I hope this revision strikes a balance between the two.

 

[TiQuinn]

Something designed to actually give Tier 3 and Tier 4 PCs a challenge.