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

[Parmandur]

This.
also picked up my early copy at my FLGS. Very happy for the changes, perusing Im struck by the overall improvement in layout and art; the stat blocks are organized to help the DM, and now everything being alphabetical. I wish this was the design 10 years ago but whatever, I have it now and 5.5 is what my group is playing. Beautiful book.

I am not sold on all of the changes (I prefer all demons. devils, and dragons being in one place, respectively, among other issues), but I think it is overall an improvement.

I am pretty indifferent on the grouping versus pure alphabetical approaches personally, ainxe they are both logically valid approaches: however, my nine year old who is very excited about the book did express frustration that Drsfons are not all in the same place like they were in the 2014 book.

 

[Parmandur]

My favorite surprise: the quality and drep-cut nature of in-character quotes throughout this book.

 

[mamba]

My favorite surprise: the quality and drep-cut nature of in-character quotes throughout this book.

well, if they are good this time, that is a change, usually I cringe at them

 

[Queer Venger]

My favorite surprise: the quality and drep-cut nature of in-character quotes throughout this book.

I like these a lot!

 

[Parmandur]

well, if they are good this time, that is a change, usually I cringe at them

Well, YMMV. I actually meant to write quantity lol. But there references to things Luke The Isle of Drwd and Kungdom of the Ghouls and all sorts of stuff from all D&D history.

 

[TravDoc42]

Well, YMMV. I actually meant to write quantity lol. But there references to things Luke The Isle of Drwd and Kungdom of the Ghouls and all sorts of stuff from all D&D history.

The quote on the zombie entry mentions Marais d'Tarascon, from Souraigne in Ravenloft, and the smoke mephit entry quotes a mephit shopkeeper in Sigil from 2e Planescape, for other examples I've noticed so far!

 

[Lazybones]

Most of my criticisms so far are issues of convenience (like the lack of customization instructions or custom stat blocks for NPCs of various Humanoid species), but overall I'm enjoying the book and am looking forward to getting a copy in my VTT of choice in two weeks so I can start finalizing my next campaign. I think the book does address the issue of power creep for player characters and adds a significantly upgraded challenge for 2024 characters built from the new Player's Handbook, especially but not exclusively at the higher CRs (for a prominent low-CR example, see the thread talking about the Hobgoblin Warrior).

 

[TravDoc42]

There's a few things so far I'm not content with (some of the organization changes, mostly, and a few minor typos), but so far, I think this book is very well done!!
Some of the things I like so far:

• Salamanders are now focused on "fire as art", and their evil comes from their lack of regard for the damage they do, as opposed to the slavery thing.
• There's stat blocks for swarms of dretches, larvae, and lemures, allowing for them to be used more often!
• New monsters like the Elemental Cataclysm, and the animal lords!
• The lil tables of ideas that a lot of the entries have are nice! As a DM, I love idea starters like that.

 

[dave2008]

There's a few things so far I'm not content with (some of the organization changes, mostly, and a few minor typos), but so far, I think this book is very well done!!
Some of the things I like so far:

• Salamanders are now focused on "fire as art", and their evil comes from their lack of regard for the damage they do, as opposed to the slavery thing.
• There's stat blocks for swarms of dretches, larvae, and lemures, allowing for them to be used more often!
• New monsters like the Elemental Cataclysm, and the animal lords!
• The lil tables of ideas that a lot of the entries have are nice! As a DM, I love idea starters like that.

Yep, I think there is a lot of positives in the 2024 MM, really a lot. My disappoint stems from missing demon, devil, and dragon lore (which I like a lot) and the design of the dragons. They are better than the 2014 dragons, but leave a lot of room for improvement. The game is Dungeons & Dragons. They really should do more with the dragons IMO. They spend a whole page on a CR 13 Vampire and the CR 24 ancient red dragon is only a half page. They could have made these better.

 

[abirdcall]

I have it in hand and it is gorgeous.

The choices of layout, colour, font, and art placement makes it easier to read than the digital images suggest.

And most importantly, I got hit with nostalgia of flipping through 2e monster manuals when I was a kid. The 3e and 2014 books did not do that for me. It is how dynamic the art is I think, which is lost when individual pictures are posted online.

The MM is the key 2024 update book IMO. It certainly won't be perfect, some things will be designed worse than others and some of the art will be misses, but so far it's the best looking D&D book I've owned.