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

[Mistwell]

If they are concerned about social blowback from their choices (including choosing not to change), and it seems clear to me that they are concerned, then it's fear.

Some posts make me concerned, but I am not afraid of those posts. Concern and fear are not the same emotions.

I'd rather they addressed those concerns and improved the existing tool rather than tossing it as a public option and slotting in a new tool in its place, but what can you do?

I see you agree with me concerns don't mean fears. Unless you were expressing fear in that sentence?

 

[Demetrios1453]

I think it's less about page count and more about a set of rules that new DMs will find confusing and old DMs inadequate.

That's probably pretty much close to the truth, I would think.

 

[dave2008]

I think using existing monsters as starting points and examples will result in more accurate and easier monster building than 4 pages of instructions.

A worthwhile guide to me is ~20 pages and it is easy to mess it up too.

Well I am will to give it try. I have refined my goal a bit:

1. Quick creation rules: 1-2 pages
2. Complex creations rules: less than 10 pages

We will see if I can do it in about a month.

 

[Mistwell]

They should have done the work and put it in the DMG IMO.

I think they do this by feel, and believe every level poses different complexities. So the rule might have been pick an existing monster of the challenge rating you prefer, re-skin it, and then exchange any powers they have for a power of a different monster of that same CR.

And you, and most of us, would have been unsatisfied with that. Even though that's probably the closest to a "formula" they use.

I've n been a DM for over forty years. I've never used monster creation rules. I just take existing monsters and redo them.

Yup. I suspect that's how most people do it. It's how I do it too.

 

[Mistwell]

Or they could have just opened Greyhawk up on the Guild (along with all their other settings IMO) and used that space for the monster rules as you suggest.

OR they could have put Greyhawk there, which makes me very very happy, and left out the monster creation rules, which I don't care much about. Like I suggest.

Also, they could have included a lot of art, which they did, instead of monster rules, like I suggest. Which they did.

 

[Micah Sweet]

OR they could have put Greyhawk there, which makes me very very happy, and left out the monster creation rules, which I don't care much about. Like I suggest.

Also, they could have included a lot of art, which they did, instead of monster rules, like I suggest. Which they did.

Well, we all have different opinions about how important art is, and how much we need or want.

 

[Maxperson]

Bounded accuracy and variant monster stat blocks will help with this.

Sure, you can do it. In my experience, though, DM's like to switch things up and use different monsters at mid and high levels. You aren't likely to be charming many, if any goblins with charm monster.

 

[abirdcall]

Well I am will to give it try. I have refined my goal a bit:

1. Quick creation rules: 1-2 pages
2. Complex creations rules: less than 10 pages

We will see if I can do it in about a month.

The tough part would be for millions of people to use it and all come out with what they wanted.

 

[Maxperson]

Well if your players treat you as a waiter I feel sorry for you. On the other hand I plan on collaborating with my players on their bastion as well as homebrewung a few options I want them to have for it.

Yeah. Bastions in my game will not be order and attach. Gaining them, expanding them, and often just issuing orders will involve roleplaying, planning and time. I love the concept, but it needs tweaking to be used by me.

 

[Maxperson]

I definitely think bastions could have been cut. But I think adding greyhawk was a great add and very helpful to new DMs. More so than either bastions or monster building rules are.

Bastions is the only portion of the new DMG that I have any interest in. I just don't need any of the other sections. Fortunately, I've looked at the 5.5e DMG and it looks like Bastions are either unchanged or virtually unchanged from the playtest version, so I'm going to use my playtest information since I won't pay the DMG price just for one small section of it.