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<blockquote data-quote="DM_Blake" data-source="post: 4103540" data-attributes="member: 57267">The thing I notice about this is that it looks like a MMO monster collection. Or even a CCG card list.Don't get me wrong, I am all for having multiple versions of monsters statted out for me. Makes the chore of creating unique encounters against the same creature type much easier.I just couldn't help that noticing that the names of these creatures feel very MMO and/or CCG ish.If I could design the monster manual, I would create a base creature (e.g. Orc) who has a base HP, AC, Saves, etc. Then I would add a table under the base creature that has rows representing unique orcs (slinger, marauder, witch, rhino-rider, etc.), with columns that represent changes to the base stat block (column 1 would be what you add to their AC, column 2 adds to their HP, etc.). Better yet, these values replace the base values so DMs don't have to do any math on the fly.That way I can maybe have hundreds of unique base creatures in the Monster Manual, with ultimately over a thousand total creatures once you count the tables of variations.Of course, that's a lot of work and it minimizes the profit value of selling MMII, MMIII, MMIV, etc., so I suspect that the actual MM will have fewer base creatures with lots of real estate take up by the variations - real estate that could have had other, new base creatures if the variations had been handled more efficiently.Here's to hoping that the online data is really organized...</blockquote>

[QUOTE="DM_Blake, post: 4103540, member: 57267"] The thing I notice about this is that it looks like a MMO monster collection. Or even a CCG card list. Don't get me wrong, I am all for having multiple versions of monsters statted out for me. Makes the chore of creating unique encounters against the same creature type much easier. I just couldn't help that noticing that the names of these creatures feel very MMO and/or CCG ish. If I could design the monster manual, I would create a base creature (e.g. Orc) who has a base HP, AC, Saves, etc. Then I would add a table under the base creature that has rows representing unique orcs (slinger, marauder, witch, rhino-rider, etc.), with columns that represent changes to the base stat block (column 1 would be what you add to their AC, column 2 adds to their HP, etc.). Better yet, these values replace the base values so DMs don't have to do any math on the fly. That way I can maybe have hundreds of unique base creatures in the Monster Manual, with ultimately over a thousand total creatures once you count the tables of variations. Of course, that's a lot of work and it minimizes the profit value of selling MMII, MMIII, MMIV, etc., so I suspect that the actual MM will have fewer base creatures with lots of real estate take up by the variations - real estate that could have had other, new base creatures if the variations had been handled more efficiently. Here's to hoping that the online data is really organized... [/QUOTE]

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