D&D 5E How I prep monsters in 5E D&D.

[UngeheuerLich]

The way I do it is I tweak monsters to match my personal taste.

Black pudding -> vanilla pudding?

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Black pudding -> vanilla pudding?

 

[el-remmen]

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.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

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.

Is the 2024 green dragon not more interesting? Or does that only kick in at later age tiers?

 

[el-remmen]

Is the 2024 green dragon not more interesting? Or does that only kick in at later age tiers?

I skipped 2024 completely, so not sure.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I skipped 2024 completely, so not sure.

They don't look super-interesting in 2024, per D&D Beyond. Amphibious, multiattack, poison breath.

The cool magical stuff starts later, starting with mind spikes and clouds of poisonous miasma around them as an adult.

For the 2014 version, I might just give them enchanter abilities, which is the general direction 2024 went with them (and arguably didn't go far enough for my tastes, as I like green dragons to be schemers and manipulators).

 

[el-remmen]

When it comes to stuff like dragons, I’d rather make bespoke versions that evoke wonder and dread than follow some prescriptive rules for “what dragons are like.”

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

When it comes to stuff like dragons, I’d rather make bespoke versions that evoke wonder and dread that follow some prescriptive rules for “what dragons are like.”

I 100% agree.

 

[el-remmen]

I 100% agree.

That should have read “than,” not “that.” Edited now.

 

[^Dagon^]

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

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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.

Lol, I use 2nd edition reference too! Loved how the game was way more challenging and diverse back then. 5e monsters are somewhat boring at least.