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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Faolyn" data-source="post: 8086956" data-attributes="member: 6915329">Here's what I'd like to see:I don't want to see a bunch of different types of each monster. For instance, there are ten or so different drow statblocks (not including ones for specific adventures). Are they really necessary outside of a drow-specific campaign or setting book? Now look at the vampire, which merely has a sidebar on vampire spellcasters and vampire warriors--mini-templates, if you will. Now, I'm not saying get rid of all those extra statblocks if they're sufficiently different; I'm just saying try to condense and have sidebars and mini-templates where possible.At the same time, provide interesting variation within a monster species. For instance, take a look at the old Van Richten guides. These books provided ways to make unique individuals just by adding a different ability or two, or removing a standard one, or including a different weakness or resistance. There've been a few occasions of that in 5e so far (fiends who can summon other fiends, satyrs with pipes, different-patron deathlocks, etc.), and I'd like to see that expanded. For monsters--at least the more supernatural ones--provide a sidebar with some optional powers. Make sure every monster fulfills a purpose. It's far too easy to create monsters just to fill space. Make sure each monster is necessary, interesting, and sufficiently different from existing monsters in both stats and lore. Make sure each monster has motivations of its own. Heck, a list of personality traits, like VGM and MTF had, would go a long way.More templates! I know that in 5e, the templates are supposed to be math-free, which I like, but adding a few more would be pretty cool.While this is probably not the right thread to include this in, I'd like to see a few other conditions. Bleeding would be good (make a DCX Con save at the end of your turn or take 1dX damage from blood loss; on a successful save, the effect tends on you; magical healing or expending a use from a healer's kit also ends the effect) and Confused (roll on this list to determine your action for the turn; can't use reactions or bonus actions). A lot of monsters cause confusion, and at least a few cause bleeding, and both would benefit from simple unified rules.Perhaps make Giant into Humanoids with the Giant tag. Make sure that beasts are of animal intelligence and lack magical abilities. Why are cranium rats and giant eagles beasts? Why are griffons and owlbears monstrosities? A druid being able to turn into a griffon isn't going to be OP if they can already turn into a flying animal of similar CR.Have a new monster type: Spirit. For creatures that shouldn't be considered fey, undead, or elemental.Personally, I dislike the monster types that everyone else is talking about, from 4e. Brute, Skirmisher, etc. I think it puts unnecessary constraints on the monster.I'd like a better Habitat and Ecology section for each monster (just call it Ecology). The 2e monster books were often filled with wonderful plothooks and interesting tidbits of information because of these sections. Monsters are more than just blobs of hp!</blockquote>

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