making new monsters and equipment

[nerdronomicon]

are there guidelines in the DMG or MM to create new balanced monsters and items? I'm working on a campaign and i need to make some custom creatures. for some of the things i can use one thing and call it another (it's easy enough to call a shadowhunter bat a giant dragonfly, or a stirge a giant mosquito). but there are a few things i need to do where a renamed hobgoblin just won't do the trick. I'm sure I'm just drawing a blank here but i can't seem to find the guidelines i need.

 

[Mengu]

DMG Chapter 10, The DM's Toolbox has all the info you need under the aptly named sections Customizing Monsters and Creating Monsters.

 

[nerdronomicon]

ug, thanks. i feel like a total tool for missing that. need to go wash my glasses.

 

[Coldaan]

i have a question on this topic...

i have a lvl 3 monster of the monster manual with lets say 40 hitpoints, if i make it an elite with a template, it has less hitpoints than if i just turn it into an elite without a template (DM 185)?

i also have the same problem with solos btw.^^