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Message: <blockquote data-quote="CapnZapp" data-source="post: 6876660" data-attributes="member: 12731">As a looming stumbling block, I would say not giving us a MM2 fairly soon.At game launch, the selection of monsters (and NPC's!) was fine, and definitely not an issue.But after a certain point, the... mechanical diversity of NPCs in particular is starting to get very old, very fast. It simply isn't very interesting (from a D&D as a game perspective) to meet and battle the same Thugs and Spies over and over again. It is high time for a new helping of generic NPCs!That play differently than the ones we've already got. (It's best to be clear my concern isn't a role-playing one. I'm talking about NPCs as pieces on a board. It's boring if every NPC around CR 5 is always taken from the same (very limited) pool of possible statblocks.I'm mostly concerned about the single-digit CR range above CR 1 or so. At Challenge Ratings 2 or lower people haven't had the chance to develop any "signature" abilities, so there it's okay if most NPCs simply charge you and try to whack you with a club, or something. The expectation of diversity isn't there.But having all elite guards be Veterans is simply lazy. We need a selection of generic NPCs in the CR 3 to CR 9 range that offers a noticeably different experience for the players. Let's call that "combat texture".Again, this isn't about realism or verisimilitude. To put it bluntly: this is about there being an arsenal of stat blocks that the DM can choose from that really makes a difference in how a fight plays out. For instance, two varieties of the basic Veteran: one with halberds that let the players experience what it feels like fighting against foes with reach. This stat block should then have a special attack or two that really uses the mechanical possibilities offered by the reach. Another that gives us Veterans that are, say bladesingers, or swashbucklers.4th edition was really great in this area. There were loads and loads of variety in stat blocks. So let's hope a MM2 is scheduled for the fall, or I will be forced to add this to the list of stumbles...</blockquote>

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