D&D (2024) D&D Monster Manual (2025)

[Imaro]

It does, don't get me wrong! There's just something that I haven't gotten used to yet about the new design
Perhaps it'll become more "normal" in my mind with time

There's something uncanny valley-ish about it... but I feel like that's what the Fey would be like. Colorful, vibrant even beautiful in an extreme way that's also slightly off putting or slightly wrong-ish to mortals.

 

[TravDoc42]

There's something uncanny valley-ish about it... but I feel like that's what the Fey would be like. Colorful, vibrant even beautiful in an extreme way that's also slightly off putting or slightly wrong-ish to mortals.

That makes total sense!!

 

[mamba]

Also, he mentioned there was only 1 CR 24 monster (ancient gold dragon), but in the 2014 MM there were 2: ancient gold & red dragons. Based on his spreadsheet I think the ancient red might have moved to CR 25 (assuming he didn't make mistake)

didn’t they say everything would stay the same CR?

 

[dave2008]

didn’t they say everything would stay the same CR?

They did, that is why this jumped out at me. We know the ancient red is there, but video claims there is only one CR 24 monster. There was no CR 25 monster in the 2014 MM, but there was one on the spreadsheet and from what I could see it match the red dragon pretty well. I will say the ancient red in the 2014 MM was OP for its CR, so maybe this is a bit of a correction?

 

[Siravia]

They did, that is why this jumped out at me. We know the ancient red is there, but video claims there is only one CR 24 monster. There was no CR 25 monster in the 2014 MM, but there was one on the spreadsheet and from what I could see it match the red dragon pretty well. I will say the ancient red in the 2014 MM was OP for its CR, so maybe this is a bit of a correction?

On the one hand, that would make more sense - on the other, it would bother me very much if they broke the Dragon Math (+1 age category = +7 CR; wyrmlings excepted). Could raise all red dragons up by one, but then that would defeat the purpose of having every monster be the same CR, so who knows. Could also be an error in the video. Guess we'll know in 4 days!

 

[dave2008]

On the one hand, that would make more sense - on the other, it would bother me very much if they broke the Dragon Math (+1 age category = +7 CR; wyrmlings excepted). Could raise all red dragons up by one, but then that would defeat the purpose of having every monster be the same CR, so who knows. Could also be an error in the video. Guess we'll know in 4 days!

Personally I am not too concerned with sticking to a strict CR schedule between dragon ages and types. I would rather they design them well and the CRs fall where they fall.

 

[Umbran]

Give it a minute. Someone will jump in to let us all know they like the change, and it isn't worth having any kind of issue with.

Mod Note:
Probably.

But, that's okay. Because, guess what? We allow a variety of opinions on these boards!

So, maybe you ought to find a more constructive way to handle that than pre-emptive potshots at people who don't agree with you.

 

[MonsterEnvy]

Personally I am not too concerned with sticking to a strict CR schedule between dragon ages and types. I would rather they design them well and the CRs fall where they fall.

There are explicitly 2 CR 24 monsters. The Red and Gold Ancients. AlphaStream miscounted probably. This guy counted everything.


The reason there were 2 more monsters by type is because the Empyreans are both fiends and celestials.

 

[abirdcall]

There's something uncanny valley-ish about it... but I feel like that's what the Fey would be like. Colorful, vibrant even beautiful in an extreme way that's also slightly off putting or slightly wrong-ish to mortals.

Reminds me of the 2018 horror movie Annihilation.

There are some beautiful creatures in it which are also somewhat wrong and that amps up the tension.

 

[kittenhugs]

Got my early copy today. I did a quick go-over but what stuck out:

• The entries for certain humanoid species (e.g. Orcs, drow) have been removed. Many other humanoid enemies (aarakocra, goblin/hobgoblins/bugbears, kobolds, etc.) have had their types changed. This has left some weird stuff like minotaurs and lizardfolk with entries in the Monster Manual that are only specific members of that species that have connections to fiendish, elemental, etc. I understand the reasons they did this but especially with the context of the 2014 MM it leaves some entries a little strange.
• The art is very nice with more illustrations of monsters in action than the 2014 MM. I especially like how each type of dragon gets two evocative scene illustrations, one for its adult and one for its ancient form (I especially like the adult green dragon trailing behind adventurers in a canoe while underwater, completely unseen). There are some like the art for the troll that have this really grungey aesthetic that makes some of the creatures that might otherwise be a lil goofy seem like real horrors. The special edition cover is as good in quality as the PHB and DMG were but the mind flayer illustration is a lil boring comparatively. Also the DMG special edition cover spine doesn't line up with the MM and PHB, which will irritate me probably for years to come.
• Resistance to non-magical, silvered, or adamantine weapons is gone as a concept. Leads to some weird things like being able to hurt both a ghost and a powerful fiend with a mundane dagger or an improvised weapon. It is kind of just getting rid of a part of the game that got completely ignored the moment the party martials got magic weapons, though, and saving a ton of space across all stat blocks. I have mixed feelings but must admit in practice the weapon resistances never mattered much in-play.
• NPC stat blocks are segmented into their own sections (e.g. bandits, cultists, berserker, commoner) instead of condensed in an appendix. Most of them have extra variants for higher-level play.
• Animals still get their own appendix though, with dinosaurs being thrown in there for good measure.
• Demons, dragons, devils, yugoloths, and angels aren't grouped together and instead each type gets its own section, alphabetically placed based on its name (e.g. Brass dragon, Chasme, Hezrou, Pit Fiend). There are some exceptions like modrons and slaadi being grouped together. This is probably why the lore overviews for the Nine Hells and other planes made it into the DMG instead of being in the MM. Mixed feelings but it does mean that each type of demon, devil, etc. gets its own page to shine with new art.

Overall fairly impressed with it, but wish that my group was more consistent so that I could get some use out of it. Now that all the core books are out I might be be motivated to start another group, anyway.