D&D 5E (2014) How I prep monsters in 5E D&D.

[^Dagon^]

I came back and found this thread because I have been at it again, most recently with

1. Will o' Wisp (wow, so different from earlier editions and now undead? Actually, I like that latter change). Redid it.
2. Myling (from Tome of Beasts) very flavorful, but very wonky to my tastes and mechanics that don't jibe with my preference.. Redid it.
3. Young Green Dragon - the most boring dragon of all! This one is up next and it needs some more interesting abilities.

My general philosophy with tweaking monsters, is that single monsters should have multiple flavorful/thematic powers and monsters meant to be faced in number should be more straightforward to remain easy to run, but maybe have a collective ability.

Since you mentioned will o' wisp, one of my favorite monsters although not for spamming. It is always a special encounter. This monster had the unique quality of having an exceptional AC without being something as impressive as a dragon or a tanar'ri (demon) and was immune to almost all magic. 5e version is a joke, has nothing to tell or to offer to the game, so I returned the old version and it worked wonders. It is so incredibly tough to beat that either the group has to understand that they have to flee or they have to use full synergy and strategy to beat it (depends on level if the second option is viable although I would never throw an 'old' will o' wisp to a party of 3rd level characters, obviously). For 4th level groups they have to retreat, for 5 level parties it depends.

 

[dave2008]

How I prep monsters in 5E D&D (a 7 and a half step process ).​

​

1. I choose the appropriate monster based on the scenario, terrain, my understanding of its relative power throughout my time running D&D of various editions, etc. . .​

2. I look up the monster in the 5E Monster Manual or other 5E book that might contain it. I might also google it.​

3. I inevitably find it unflavorful and mechanically dull and/or not the power level I want.​

4. I look to see if I can find it in MCDM's Flee Mortals​

5a. If it is in there, I inevitably quibble with their thematic take but take note of what abilities they give it.​

5b. If it isn't there, I look at similar monsters, if present, and take note of their abilities.​

6. I look up the monster in the 1E and/or 2E (rarely, 3E) MM and read about it and see how its powers worked (however vaguely written) back then.​

7. I make my own version, taking/tweaking powers from Flee Mortals or other sources and/or making them up using the older edition versions as a guide.​

7a. If necessary, I peek at @SlyFlourish and Co's Forge of Foes and do some very rough monster math - mostly to have a CR I can use to award XP for defeating it (though this is a new thing, and I am just as likely to just eyeball it).​

Basically every time. Today I did it for the Black Pudding. This is not a complaint, tho.

It work for me and I am not sure that even if I found the 5E MM to be a better book, that my inclination to tweak would not lead me down the same basic path. For me, it feels like the culmination of an approach I started doing in 3E (customizing monsters) but not as fiddly.

I do something similar; however, I have one question: why do you skip 4e?

Personally I find that edition usually provides some of the better ideas of what to add to a 5e monster. Also, it is very easy to find the various 4e books online (or used book shops).

 

[dave2008]

3. Young Green Dragon - the most boring dragon of all! This one is up next and it needs some more interesting abilities.
.

I think young dragons are tough as I generally think most of their uniqueness and interesting abilities come on a later ages. Though I don't think I ever use a dragon that is less than adult (and my adult dragons are equivalent to 5e ancient dragons).

 

[Rabulias]

I think young dragons are tough as I generally think most of their uniqueness and interesting abilities come on a later ages. Though I don't think I ever use a dragon that is less than adult (and my adult dragons are equivalent to 5e ancient dragons).

The best feature/trait that young dragons have as opponents is they have bigger, badder, revenge-prone parents.

 

[el-remmen]

I do something similar; however, I have one question: why do you skip 4e?

Bias?

I gave away my 4E books in 2009 and correctly or not, I think of the rules as so far out there that I never think to check its versions of monsters. I feel like I have plenty of sources to use without 4E, but now that you've mentioned it, I will take a peek when relevant, if I remember!

 

[el-remmen]

1. Will o' Wisp (wow, so different from earlier editions and now undead? Actually, I like that latter change). Redid it.

Looking back over this thread, I laughed when I got to this, because by the time I got around to actually including it, I changed it back to fey.

 

[dave2008]

Bias?

I gave away my 4E books in 2009 and correctly or not, I think of the rules as so far out there that I never think to check its versions of monsters. I feel like I have plenty of sources to use without 4E, but now that you've mentioned it, I will take a peek when relevant, if I remember!

I find 4e monsters and monster powers in particular fairly easy to convert.

My order of operations for monster reference is something like:

1. Overview of existing 5e monster
2. Review 1e version (that is were I started so they are the most "canon" to me).
3. Review 4e version* look for updates to interesting 1e abilities. This is typically the highest impact review.
4. Review 3e version. This is typically the least helpful, but sometimes produces something interesting.
5. If I feel like I need something more I will search for 3PP and fan made versions.
6. Take everything I've learned and make my own!

*There is sometimes a step 2b when I review 2e material. If the monster never appeared in 1e I start here or if it changed significantly between 1e and 2e (like dragons) I will note the relevant changes.

 

[Rabulias]

Bias?

I gave away my 4E books in 2009 and correctly or not, I think of the rules as so far out there that I never think to check its versions of monsters. I feel like I have plenty of sources to use without 4E, but now that you've mentioned it, I will take a peek when relevant, if I remember!

I skipped 4e too, and never owned the books. I do sometimes find monster illustrations in DM's Guild products that look unfamiliar to me, but I like the look of them. Poking around online for the source and/or artist I often find that the picture is from a 4e product.

 

[dave2008]

I skipped 4e too, and never owned the books. I do sometimes find monster illustrations in DM's Guild products that look unfamiliar to me, but I like the look of them. Poking around online for the source and/or artist I often find that the picture is from a 4e product.

The 4e MM, and in particular the monster vault, are good resources for interesting monster abilities. 4e applied a lot more conditions and effects compared to 5e, so if you don't like that then 4e monsters may not be for you.

 

[el-remmen]

Based on this post, I am gonna keep an eye out for a cheap secondhand copy of the 4E MM.