How would you like the Monsterous Manual organized

[JVisgaitis]

I'd like alphabetical with all of the given critters of a single group in the same entry so brutes, controllers, and artillery monsters of the same creature are all on the same page. I would like every entry to start and end on its on page. For ease of finding creatures of certain levels, I'd like a big icon somewhere on the page that denotes the creature's level. Yeah, I'm biased to the layout we used in Denizens of Avadnu, but you asked.

 

[HeavenShallBurn]

No, that wasn't us. We wanted to do that, but didn't have time. I think you are referring to the equally awesome Monsternomicon by Privateer Press.

Thanks I was spinning my wheels between Denizens, Monsternominicon, and one of the Scarred Lands books and since mine are stored in rubbermaid containers until the roof is fixed I couldn't easily dig through and find it.

 

[CleverNickName]

I'd like to see it organized with a clean GUI, complete with a pull-down menu that lets me sort the database by monster name, or by type, or by level/CR, or by environment, all with the click of my laptop touchpad...

Just kidding. But you know that it will happen...it's just a matter of time (and a matter of getting enough D&D Insider subscribers.)

As for the book itself, I would like to see alphabetic organization, with a handful of appendicies that sort the monsters by level/CR, by environment, and by type.

 

[Angel Tarragon]

Alphabetically.

 

[AffableVagrant]

I'd like alphabetical with all of the given critters of a single group in the same entry so brutes, controllers, and artillery monsters of the same creature are all on the same page. I would like every entry to start and end on its on page. For ease of finding creatures of certain levels, I'd like a big icon somewhere on the page that denotes the creature's level. Yeah, I'm biased to the layout we used in Denizens of Avadnu, but you asked.

Do we know for sure that the new MM have the names "brute", "controller" etc explicitly written on the stat block? If so, that's good news!

I wouldn't mind a table of monsters that would logically hang out with one another. For example: Driders, Spiders, Drow, etc. all have beers together after work, so they have a table together. Goblins and Bugbears hang out... you get the idea.

 

[Cbas_10]

Alphabetically.

One thing I DON'T want to see as part of the format and organization is what started popping up in MM4 and 5 (maybe earlier): entries and stats for critters that have already been produced in other books...but newly presented with class levels or advanced hit dice. Perfect examples are Drow, Githyanki, and Gnolls from the MM4. Perfect wastes of page count. Instead, a short discussion of common templates, classes, and such would have been amazing.

 

[erf_beto]

I wouldn't mind a table of monsters that would logically hang out with one another. For example: Driders, Spiders, Drow, etc. all have beers together after work, so they have a table together. Goblins and Bugbears hang out... you get the idea.

This will probably happen since they're aiming at newcomers to the game. It's often very hard for them to group monsters together.
Newbie DM: "You walk down the dungeon corridor and find... err... a manticore and... hmm... a fish".

also, they keep saying how mixed encounter will be more present, so guidelines for that should be present too.

 

[Szatany]

Do we know for sure that the new MM have the names "brute", "controller" etc explicitly written on the stat block? If so, that's good news!

I wouldn't mind a table of monsters that would logically hang out with one another. For example: Driders, Spiders, Drow, etc. all have beers together after work, so they have a table together. Goblins and Bugbears hang out... you get the idea.

I get it and I think it's a very good idea.

 

[SpiderMonkey]

Chronologically. Of course.



Er...How about alphabetically with indices for level and theme/group? I like that.

 

[Yalius]

The 4e Monster Manual(s) should have one monster per page, all on looseleaf sheets in a 3-ring binder, so that you can organize them however you like -- alphabetically, by type, whatever.

Think about it: wouldn't that be the best solution ever?

With a few changes, this would actually be fantastic. Stronger paper, maybe even semi-laminated, to prevent the pull-through from the MC's; more precisely drilled holes; a 4" D-ring binder; laminated full-color cardstock dividers with pockets on the back sides; cumulative exhaustive indices with each expansion volume. That would be perfect.