Do you prefer Monster statistics in an adventure's text or at the end

[Silveras]

I did not vote, because my response would be "both".

I would prefer a short stat block in the text near its "normal" location, with a matching lookup stat block in the summary list.

Why? How does the short summary stat block help? If that's all you need why would you want the larger stat block in the back? I am trying to gain insight into people's playing (DMing really) styles - not attacking your position

That was why I said "matching". I appreciate the convenience of having the stat block with the most likely encounter space, but I also appreciate having it repeated for easy lookup when encountered away from there.

Of course, that is how I respond to the two choices given. Like others, I tend to run my own homebrew worlds and adventures. In those, I keep all my monster stat blocks on their own pages in an appendix, grouped by encounter. I also print out my own sheets of checkboxes for things like spells, spell-like abilities, and hit points.

Since I use an Access database to hold the monster, PC, and encounter information, I can print the same creature in multiple encounters should I need to. I have also written routines that take the basic Monster Manual entry data and create a specific creature from it. This way, I can populate an encounter with 20 orc Warriors at the touch of a button, and each gets different hit points.

My stat blocks are generated in a report, as are the checkoff sheets.

 

[Ferret]

I prefer it to have the stat block where it needs to be used, with the condition that it can't go over the page/column, and it can't be arbitraily placed so that it inturupts description.

 

[Dagda]

I voted for in the appendix.

I've used published adventures with both, and the "in the text" mode sucked because repeated monsters referred you back to the first occurance (which was page flipping, but to different pages). I flip to the index in RttToEE where a bookmark sits. It works fine. I can also copy the appendix to make a "pull out" easily. Can't do that on "in the text" version.

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

I prefer it to have the stat block where it needs to be used, with the condition that it can't go over the page/column, and it can't be arbitraily placed so that it inturupts description.

I actually voted for in-line statblocks... before I voted against it.

Let me explain.

While laying out Slavelords of Cydonia, a 200+ page, 20-level epic campaign adventure, I started out with in-line statblocks. As a player, that's what I wanted. There's no question that it's easier for the GM that way.

I was through a pretty good chunk of the layout before I realized it's just not feasible. A statblock completely ruins your text flow and layout. It gets downright ugly.

On top of that, consider the case of a statblock that's repeated more than once. Sure, you can put it in-line the first time it appears, but do you really want the full statblock every time? And if not, then you just end up flipping back to an earlier point in the book-- and the more different statblocks you do this with, the more random those page references become. That's a lot of flipping.

All things considered, although it's not perfect, a single reference in the back of the book is best.

But I will definitely make sure to include a PDF of the statblocks so you can print out a seperate "booklet."


Wulf

 

[pogre]

Since I use an Access database to hold the monster, PC, and encounter information, I can print the same creature in multiple encounters should I need to. I have also written routines that take the basic Monster Manual entry data and create a specific creature from it. This way, I can populate an encounter with 20 orc Warriors at the touch of a button, and each gets different hit points.

My stat blocks are generated in a report, as are the checkoff sheets.

That sounds like a cool system.

 

[Mr. Kaze]

My first choice would be to have the stat blocks as text files in a .zip file that people who own the mod can download from the publishers' site -- maybe just password the .zip and put the password in the module. Then we've already got copies of everybody, so if we go changing them (to use the Book of Vile Darkness, Book of Exaulted Deeds, or Book of Beige Neutrality, for example) to make them fit the campaign world better, we don't end up having to re-type them or handle copy-and-pasting them out of a multi-column .pdf of any of that.

Second option would be a pull-out section in back with the monsters appearing in roughly the order that they're encountered.

Third option would be as per the second option but without the "pull-out" and surprise-round creature features -- that is, the part of the statblock that we'll use in the surprise round of combat like "Name, Initative, Favorite Spell" -- so the players can go into combat mode while we flip to the back of the book.

Fourth option would be as above without the surprise-round stats -- so they're just in the back in roughly the order encountered.

Fifth option would be to use adamantine dimensional manacles to bind creatures to where they're supposed to be encountered in the mod if the PCs do exactly what they're expected to do -- because we all know that PCs are naturally going to do what we expect them to, right?

::Kaze (notes that if you reactively move a creature whose statblock is in-text from the room that it is in, you're on your own... so a creature's statblock should never be just printed in-text. So he should probably vote accordingly.)

 

[pogre]

But I will definitely make sure to include a PDF of the statblocks so you can print out a seperate "booklet."
Wulf

That is the solution most folks seem to want anyway - a free "pullout" section. PDF seems to be the best way of providing this.

 

[Bulak]

I generally like creature stats listed with the encounter. I don't like it when the same stat block is in a module several times, though.
If a creature has a very large stat block, I'd probably want it in the back (I have little experience with high level modules).

In the appendix, if at all. MM page references save space; only include them if the creature is special or in a supplmental monster book.

However (and this is a mistake I see a lot) ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS have page references! A can handle flipping pages. I cannot handle searching in game time.

There's a reason publishers don't have page references:
"You may refer to the Dungeon Master’s Guide only as the DMG and the Monster Manual only as the MM. You may refer to the Psionics Handbook only by title. You may refer to the Epic Level Handbook by title or as the ELH. You may refer to the d20 Modern Roleplaying Game only by title. You must not cite page number references, because pagination may change in future printings. You may cite chapter, heading, and subheading titles from the PHB, the DMG, the MM, the Psionics Handbook, the Epic Level Handbook, or the d20 Modern Roleplaying Game."

 

[KB9JMQ]

I gotta go with Crothian on this one. Page flipping kills.

I agree. If it has to be in the book then I want it next to its corresponding text otherwise I prefer a pullout sheet.

 

[dcollins]

That is the solution most folks seem to want anyway - a free "pullout" section. PDF seems to be the best way of providing this.

Well, that seems to be how the comments are going, but the actual poll is running 2:1 in favor of just having them in the encounter text.


I actually had a chance to fiddle with this on a small scale on the last adventure I drew up (cave system with about 12 encounter areas, 6 pages or so). I started putting the statblocks in the encounters, then thought it would be better to remove them to a one-page pullout appendix. However, in practice I wound up having to shuffle multiple pieces of paper, lose the pullout under other stuff, and having difficulty referencing tactics in the encounters to spells & gear in the statblocks. I've decided to henceforth put them directly in the encounters (excepting standard MM grunts who appear numerous times).

Yes, it breaks the text flow some, and it gets worse at higher levels. A strong critique could be made that the statblocks have simply gotten unmanageably long. I've considered just slashing off everything outside of the statblock header -- cut off abilities, skills, feats, descriptions of standardized special abilities, stuff like that. Either provide tactical notes on the specific relevant stuff, or reserve that for an appendix for long-term NPCs in full form.