Breaking my Monster Manual NDA? Gotta share my joy...

[jgsugden]

I think the tactics section open up a bad can of worms. Players may get in trouble assuming the DM will follow the single set of tactics in the book. They might complain if the DM tries something new. Or, the DM might follow them and the PCs might get an advantage over a tough fight by knowing that the enemy will do.

This seems like agreat subject for the 'What is a DM to do?' board over at wizards. Getting a variety of tactics from a number of experienced DMs who are not limited in space for their advice will probably be far more beneficial.

Heck, they could just write tactics for all creatures and post them in a FAQ type document on the WotC site.

 

[Ferret]

I'll have to reserve judgement, but I hate the fact that that the templates have been moved Unless they are clumped them up, I won't be jhappy

 

[zoroaster100]

I prefer having the templates listed alphabetically, with a sample creature given before the instructions on applying the template, like they did with the Fiend Folio. It sounds like that's what they did with the Monster Manual 3.5, which sounds good to me. Does anyone know if they went with the rules for fire and cold subtype immunity/vulnerability like the rules in the Fiend Folio or instead like the rules in Savage Species? One had a -10 save modifier on the opposing element and the other had a +50% damage from the opposing element. I was curious which is used by the 3.5 rules.

 

[seankreynolds]

{ The CR vs. LE (Level Equivilent not Lawful Evil, wish they kept the ECL in this one) was for the author of Bastard's and Bloodlines who pretty much felt that the two were equal while I didn't.}

Joe -

It's CR, LA (Level Adjustment), and ECL (effective character level). There is no LE but lawful evil.

 

[Kobold Avenger]

What is it with people not getting the racial stats of any monster by looking at it's stat block? It's pretty easy. Is it the fact that they don't read well or something? Is it the fact they can't do math like (ability score) minus 10 or 11?

 

[Pbartender]

What is it with people not getting the racial stats of any monster by looking at it's stat block? It's pretty easy. Is it the fact that they don't read well or something? Is it the fact they can't do math like (ability score) minus 10 or 11?

Relax, man.

First off, "people" is me. I'm the only who's complained about it so far, and it was only because I was uninformed about the current rule of thumb.

Second, it's more of a matter of all the multitides of information listed in any of the Core Rulebooks, a short blurb about determining the racial adjustments might be easily overlooked... or it might just be my terrible memory for innocuous details. I know I've never seen anything about that rule of thumb in any of the rulebooks.

That and I'd never gone through the trouble to bother to figure that one out.

Many people don't understand the simple rule of thumb for ability score point buys (to increase your ability score one point, spend a number of points equal to your current ability bonus, with a minimum of one point spent), or for gaining a level from experience (the experience you need to gain one level is equal to your level mutliplied by a thousand).

That's the wonderful thing about these message boards. I've learned that I've made a mistake, and aside from the convenience of having them listed, I no longer have any good reason to complain about not having racial adjustments. So I won't.

 

[Nail]

What is it with people not getting the racial stats of any monster by looking at it's stat block? It's pretty easy. Is it the fact that they don't read well or something? Is it the fact they can't do math like (ability score) minus 10 or 11?

Oh yes. Absolutely.

Haven't you yet realized that everyone in the world is slower than you are?

 

[EricNoah]

*ahem* Come on, guys... let's not let our ranks in Knowledge: Geekery become a point of contention, ok?

 

[jasamcarl]

Relax, man.

First off, "people" is me. I'm the only who's complained about it so far, and it was only because I was uninformed about the current rule of thumb.

Second, it's more of a matter of all the multitides of information listed in any of the Core Rulebooks, a short blurb about determining the racial adjustments might be easily overlooked... or it might just be my terrible memory for innocuous details. I know I've never seen anything about that rule of thumb in any of the rulebooks.

That and I'd never gone through the trouble to bother to figure that one out.

Many people don't understand the simple rule of thumb for ability score point buys (to increase your ability score one point, spend a number of points equal to your current ability bonus, with a minimum of one point spent), or for gaining a level from experience (the experience you need to gain one level is equal to your level mutliplied by a thousand).

That's the wonderful thing about these message boards. I've learned that I've made a mistake, and aside from the convenience of having them listed, I no longer have any good reason to complain about not having racial adjustments. So I won't.

Its in the DMG by the way. Under Monster NPCs/PCs or some such.

 

[Pbartender]

Its in the DMG by the way. Under Monster NPCs/PCs or some such.

Thank you, I'll look it up... that's probably why I missed it. I'd never read that section very closely.

Sorry about that, Eric.

Back to the discussion at hand...

I hear there's a section on creating monsters? I like the idea very much, but did they do it well?