How Many Monsters Have You Actually Used?

[demiurge1138]

The controversy over the MMIV (which, like all good internet controversies, is raging without almost any of the participants having seen the book at hand) has gotten me thinking. I love monster books. Collect 'em. But how much of them actually see use in my games?

I will compare and contrast the amount of monsters in the MM 3.5 that I've used. This will be exceedingly longwinded, so spoiler tags will be used extensively. Final tallies will be posted. Results will be inferenced.

Oh, and I'm counting advanced versions and sample templated/advanced examples seperately. I won't count every time I've used the vampire template as a seperate use, for instance, but if I've used one of the sample vampires in the MM, I'll count it. And true dragons count as one. Same for elementals.

I've used:
[sblock=Monster Manual 3.5]
Achaierai
Allip
Angel, Solar
Animated Object, Small, Medium, Large
Ankheg
Aranea
Assassin Vine
Azer
Barghest and Greater Barghest
Greater Abyssal Basilisk
Behir
Beholder
Beholder, Gauth
Belker
Bodak
Bugbear
Celestial Template
Chimera
Choker
Chuul
Cloaker
Cockatrice
Delver
Demon, Babau
Demon, Balor
Demon, Bebilith
Demon, Dretch
Demon, Hezrou
Demon, Quasit
Demon, Succubus
Demon, Vrock
Derro
Destrachan
Devil, Barbed
Devil, Bearded
Devil, Bone
Devil, Chain
Devil, Horned
Devil, Ice
Devil, Imp,
Devil, Lemure,
Devil, Pit Fiend
Digester
Dinosaur, Dinonychus
Dire Ape
Dire Boar
Dire Rat
Dire Weasel
Dire Wolf
Displacer Beast
Displacer Beast Packlord
Doppelganger
Black Dragon
Red Dragon
Silver Dragon
Drider
Dryad
Dwarf
Air Elemental
Earth Elemental
Fire Elemental
Elf
Elf, Drow
Ettercap
Ettin
Fiendish Creature
Fungus, Shrieker
Gargoyle
Genie, Efreet
Ghost
Ghoul
Ghast
Giant, Hill
Gibbering Mouther
Girallon
Githyanki
Gnoll
Gnome
Goblin
Golem, Flesh
Golem, Iron
Gray Render
Grick
Grimlock
Hag, Sea
Half-Dragon
Half-Fiend
Halfling
Harpy
Hell Hound
Hobgoblin
Howler
Hydra - 5, 7, 10 headed
Invisible Stalker
Kobold
Krenshar
Kuo-toa
Lich
Sample 11th level Wizard lich
Lizardfolk
Lycanthrope template
Lycanthrope, Wererat
Lycanthrope, Werewolf
Manticore
Mephit, Dust
Mephit, Fire
Mephit, Ice
Mephit, Salt
Mimic
Mind Flayer
Minotaur
Morgh
Mummy
Mummy Lord, 10th level cleric
Dark Naga
Night Hag
Nightmare
Nightshade, Nightcrawler
Nightshade, Nightwalker
Ogre
Ooze, Black Pudding
Ooze, Elder Black Pudding
Ooze, Gelatinous Cube
Ooze, Gray
Orc
Otyugh
Owlbear
Planetouched, Aasimar
Planetouched, Tiefling
Pseudodragon
Purple Worm
Rakshasa
Ravid
Remorhaz
Rust Monster
Salamander, Average
Shadow
Shadow, Greater
Shadow Mastiff
Shambling Mound
Shield Guardian
Skeleton Template
Skeleton, Human Warrior
Skeleton, Troll
Skum
Slaad, Blue
Slaad, Green
Slaad, Death
Spectre
Stirge
Swarm, Bat
Swarm, Rat
Swarm, Spider
Tendriculos
Thoqqua
Treant
Troglodyte
Troll
Umber Hulk
Truly Horrid Umber Hulk
Vampire template
Vampire Spawn
Vargouille
Wight
Worg
Wraith
Wraith, Dread
Wyvern
Xorn, Average
Ythrak
Zombie template
Human Zombie
Troglodyte Zombie
Bugbear Zombie (named Chumley)
Ape
Bear, Brown
Crocodile
Crocodile, Giant
Dog, Riding
Warhorse, Heavy
Hyena
Lion
Lizard, Monitor
Monkey
Octopus, Giant
Rhinoceras
Shark, Medium
Shark, Large
Snake, Constrictor
Snake, Tiny Viper
Snake, Large Viper
Squid, Giant
Wolf
Giant Praying Mantis
Giant Wasp
Montrous Centipede, Huge
Monstrous Scorpion, Medium
Monstrous Spider, Small, Medium, Large[/sblock]

So, out of 458 monsters I counted (not counting elementals or dragon age categories, mind), I've used 202 of them. That's a total of 44% of the monsters in the MM I've used. Neat, huh?

What does this have to do with anything? Well, the MM 3.5 is certainly the high mark of my monster usage. As much as I love my Tomes of Horror, my MM 2 and 3, the Fiend Folio, even my poor abused copy of Monsters of Faerun... none of them have likely seen anything approaching a 44% use-rate.

...not that I really know what that has to do with the MMIV. I think. Maybe what I'm saying is, if the creatures there are useful, it'll still be worth it, despite the lower number of unique monsters? I'm not even sure anymore. That list took a long time.

So, how many monsters have you used? Is 44% about the magic number? Or has someone actually used every monster in one of their books?

Demiurge out.

 

[Crothian]

I have no idea, I don't keep track. I know I've used every monster in the MM.

 

[atom crash]

Wow, 44%, you say? I don't think my usage comes anywhere near that. Probably even less than 10% from the MM 3.5 alone.

(You see, I run a mainly urban game that's heavy on the RP and light on the monster combat. Most encounters are with NPC residents of the city. And the main villain races IMC thus far -- other than the villainous human, dwarven, half-elven, half-orc, halfling and gnomish NPCs -- have been drow, bugbears, kobolds and a race of snake people similar to but not exactly like yuan-ti).

Since I do most of my prep work from the SRD -- then I crack open my books to crunch the numbers -- I mainly draw from the Monster Manual. While I own at least a dozen books full of monsters -- as well as one book full of nothing but templates -- I have to say I hardly ever use any of them.

If the MMIV has just one or two monsters in it that I really love and will get immediate use out of in my game, I'll consider it worth the price.

 

[EricNoah]

I like monster books for monsters ... but I also like seeing different powers/abilities and types put together in different ways. Sometimes I'll see some new monster ability and think it's a really good fit for an existing monster.

As far as percentages ... I think if I use about 25% or more of the book I've gotten my money's worth. Plus who knows about the future -- something that is a "no way" now might be just the ticket later.

 

[ThirdWizard]

I'd give a ballpark around 40%. There are a lot of monsters in the MM 3.5 that I don't even really like and will never use. Now, that's "interacted with." So I'm counting Hound Archons and such even if the PCs didn't atually fight with it because it rounds out the campaign. In that case, the stats aren't as important as the fact that it exists within the world for me to be able to use.

Actually, I do get more out of low LA humanoid races than I do out of monsters since I run game where the PCs mostly fight NPCs, but over the course of the past 5 years I've run my fair share of beasts. But, the strange thing is that I rarely use them more than once. I like to use a monster and then not use it again for a long time unless its some kind of intelligent thing that will be part of the campaign (illithids currently) or low end undead creatures (like ghouls).

That helps me get more % out of every book. I've even only used several templates only once or twice. I do the same thing with PrCs, actually... there are just so many and I want to use them all so every NPC has a different PrC. It's the obsessive compulsive disorder. I just can't help myself! It always makes sense though, I'm not just going down the list. Like I made a Dustman a Thrall of Orcus and worked his worship into the campaign, and its working really quite well.

 

[Agent Oracle]

Maybe 30% from the MM, but... I design monsters in my spare time (it's a hobby). I've only used about half of the monsters I've made. I test them, and compare them to other creatures, and i've got a Fair grasp on the mechanics of a CR estimate. Of course, my adventures rarely go extraplanar, or underwater, though, i have used a few 3rd party monsters (after careful review)

 

[Pants]

Hm, I'm pretty sure I could come up with a list:

[sblock=MM3.5]
Aboleth
Allip
Ankheg
Assassin Vine
Athach
Barghest
Barghest, Greater
Basilisk
Beholder
Bugbear
Bulette
Carrion Crawler
Chaos Beast
Chimera
Choker
Chuul
Cloaker
Cockatrice
Demon, Babau
Demon, Bebilith
Demon, Dretch
Demon, Glabrezu
Demon, Hezrou
Demon, Quasit
Demon, Retriever
Demon, Succubus
Demon, Vrock
Destrachan
Devil, Bearded
Devil, Chain
Devil, Erinyes
Devil, Hellcat
Devil, Imp
Devil, Lemure
Devourer
Digester (Yes, I used one, but it was in RttToEE)
Dire Animals (All)
Displacer Beat
Doppleganger
Dragon, Black
Dragon, Blue
Dragon, Green
Dragon, White
Drider
Dwarf
Dwarf, Duergar
Elemental (All)
Elf
Elf, Drow
Ethereal Filcher
Ettercap
Ettin
Fungus, Shrieker
Fungus, Violet
Gargoyle
Genie, Djinni
Genie, Efreet
Ghost
Ghoul
Ghast
Giant, Fire
Giant, Frost
Giant, Hill
Girallon
Gnoll
Gnome
Goblin
Golem (All)
Grick
Grimlock
Half-Dragon (Template)
Half-Fiend (Template)
Halfling
Harpy
Hellhound
Hobgoblin
Howler
Hydra
Kobold
Krenshar
Kuo-Toa
Lamia
Lich (Template)
Lizardfolk
Lycanthrope
Manticore
Medusa
Mephit (Many)
Mimic
Mind Flayer
Minotaur
Mohrg
Mummy
Naga, Spirit
Night Hag
Nightmare
Nymph
Ogre
Ogre, 4th Level Barbarian
Ogre Mage
Ooze, Black Pudding
Ooze, Gelatinous Cube
Ooze, Gray
Orc
Otyugh
Owlbear
Phantom Fungus
Phase Spider
Rakshasa
Rust Monster
Shadow
Shadow Mastiff
Shield Guardian
Shocker Lizard
Skeleton (Template)
Skum
Slaad (All)
Spectre
Spider Eater
Stirge
Swarm, Bat/Centipede/Rat/Spider
Tendriculous
Tojanida, Juvenile
Treant
Troglodyte
Troll
Umber Hulk
Vampire (Template)
Vampire, 5th-Level Human Fighter
Vampire, Elite
Vampire Spawn
Vargouille
Wight
Winter Wolf
Worg
Wraith
Wyvern
Xorn, Average
Yeth Hound
Yuanti (All)
Zombie (Template)
[/sblock]

[sblock=MMII]
Demon, Palrethee
Demon, Zovvut
Fihyr
Frost Salamander
Grell
Nimblewright
Spawn of Kyuss
Twig Blight
Death Knight (Template)
Half-Golem (Template)
Spellstitched (Template)
[/sblock]

[sblock=MMIII]
Bonedrinker
Ephemeral Swarm
Gnoll, Flind
Harpoon Spider
Kenku
[/sblock]

[sblock=FF]
Abyssal Ghoul
Ahuizotl
Caryatid Column
Chwidencha
Crypt Thing
Dark Creeper
Dark Stalker
Death Dog
Demodand, Kelubar
Demon, Maurezhi
Giant, Bog (Used them as stand ins for Verbeegs)
Blood Golem of Hextor
Huecuva (Template)
Maelephant
Vine Horror
Yellow Musk Creeper
Yellow Musk Creeper Zombie (Template)
[/sblock]

[sblock=MoF]
Banedead
Beholder, Eyeball
Bullywug
Cloaker Lord
Dark Tree
Dragon, Song
Gibberling
Helmed Horror
Leucrotta
Planetouched, Fey'ri
Planetouched, Tanarruk
Spectral Panther
Sword Spider
[/sblock]

[sblock=BoVD]
Demon, Babau
Demon, Bar-lgura
Demon, Chasme
Demon, Manes
Demon, Rutterkin
Demon, Shadow Demon
Vilewight
[/sblock]

I really try to round out my monster usage, but I usually end up defaulting to a core group of monsters (low-level, variously classed humanoids, demons, undead) that I use 'a lot.'

But if I use a monster once and it provides a memorable encounter, then it's money well-spent!

 

[Hussar]

Well, since I'm running the World's Largest Dungeon, my MM useage should be pretty close to 100%. However, since the party will not actually see more than half the Dungeon, and will certainly not meet every creature in each section, I would peg it at about 30-40%

That being said, I ran Scarred Lands exclusively for three years and I doubt my usage of the three Creature Collections got anywhere near 25%. Probably closer to 15.

There's a reason I don't buy monster books anymore.

 

[airwalkrr]

Just glancing at the first 30 or so monsters in the MM I realized I've only not used 2 or 3 of them. So I've probably used around 90% of them. I know I used a good number of the MM2 critters in my first 3e campaign which lasted a long time, probably about 30-40%, plus occassional uses since then. I have used a lot of FF stuff in my campaigns lately, and despite the newness of the MM3 it has seen a fair bit of usage as well (redcaps are nasty). I've also used the hell out of the EPH monsters cuz I run psionic campaigns.

 

[pogre]

I pretty much stick to the MM and probably have used 60% or so of them.