Art first for the MM IV?


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I've done this too. I see a monsrer i like and start statting it up. It makes sence in a way, preventing monster art from making a DM think a monster has something it does not. Art, then monster also ensures someone looks at the art so no creatures that look like reproductive organs sneak past. Century worm part 2 anyone?

I ain't keen on wotc doing this too often though, MM4 was not one i liked that much, but it was worth a shot. Too bad the book was also padded out so much. I suspect WOTC classed so many monsters to they could get two monster books from 1 book's worth of monsters. [MM5 July 07].
 

It's not that much of a new thing. Much of Dark Sun was designed around Brom's art, especially the monsters. Brom drew it first and the designers came up with the beasts to match.

It can work especially well when there is an overarching "look and feel" that is trying to be maintained, like was done with Dark Sun. In a general audience market (which the MM's are for, really)... I'm not sure if it can work regularly effectively.
 

If a fundemental aspect of what makes a monster good is basic coolness then having artists be given free reign (or at least within some broad parameters) to come up with some cool new beasties is a pretty good way to go, I'd say.

Obviously, part of it depends on picking truly interesting and cool pieces of art, but I don't think it's any worse than, say, saying "we need a low CR monster to teach players about invisibility" or "we don't have any construct swarms." In fact, I'd say the "coolness first" technique is more likely to give us satisfying results than the former method.
 
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A lot of times it can be easier for a writer to work off an illustration that for an artist to work off of a writer's description. Far too many times I've seen written descriptions that are next to impossible for an artist to nail.
 


DMH said:
How does all this relate to the question at hand- was this the case for the MM IV?
If someone knew the answer, they'd speak up. In the interim, we're keeping the thread on the front page until someone who does know swings by. If that's OK with you.
 

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