D&D (2024) Man I hate the organization of the 2024 Monster Manual

[Stormonu]

This is actually the first physical copy of a Monster Manual I ever bought, and I put it to the test as soon as I got it. It’s easy to find monsters if you are looking for them by name (like when using a published adventure), but a bit less intuitive to browse through.

The real question is, can you learn and adapt to this new book? I can, so I am not as bothered.

Yep, the Gas Spore is exactly where I expect to find it...

Whatever method was going to be used was going to be imperfect. I wish they had stayed with what I was used to.

 

[Dax Doomslayer]

I'm not sure if this helps, but on page 379 of the new MM, it lists all the creatures by creature type. On page 381, it lists all the creatures by group.

 

[pukunui]

Sure unless you want to use the physical book and not use DDB. The physical book as a creative reference tool is subpar at best the way it is organized.

I'm not disputing that at all.

I'm not sure if this helps, but on page 379 of the new MM, it lists all the creatures by creature type. On page 381, it lists all the creatures by group.

Yes, but it doesn't list their page numbers.

 

[Dax Doomslayer]

I'm not disputing that at all.


Yes, but it doesn't list their page numbers.

Granted it's a bit clunky but you can then look at p. 3. I agree they should have added it in the back though.

 

[pukunui]

Granted it's a bit clunky but you can then look at p. 3. I agree they should have added it in the back though.

WotC has always been somewhat allergic to page numbers. LOL.

 

[Kobold Stew]

So the complaints about the alphebetization are completely legit, but one thing that the current order does do, which I still enjoy, is scatter the dragons throughout the book. Each dragon type has four full pages, and three pictures including a splash page. That's fun, and when I first was working my way through the new Monster manual each splash page was a delight.

Will that help me as I run games? No. Could it have been done while still grouping all the dragons together? Yes, but the effect would have been diminished slightly. It was a deliberate aesthetic choice and it was a good one.

(There are many terrible choices too, to be sure; but there's one that I like.)

 

[plecostomus]

I mean, the PHB is laid out nicely - it seems like they put a lot of thought into reworking the layout so it actually teaches a newbie about the game and how to play it before deep-diving into the crunchy bits.

The new DMG is kinda the same for DMs.

But the MM is just kinda ... "Meh. Let's just go with alphabetical because it doesn't really matter. But let's not make it 100% alphabetical just to keep people on their toes!"


Interestingly, I would say it's kind of the opposite with the digital PHB's TOC in DDB. It's not as detailed as the physical PHB's TOC is - it leaves out all the subclasses, all the species, and so on.

Physical TOC:
View attachment 408596

DDB TOC:
View attachment 408597

Oh yeah the Beyond PHB hiding the species drives me crazy.
Curiously the Foundry version does not have that issue.

(sorry if someone posted this already, there's a lot more pages to this thread than I expected from last night to tonight)

 

[pukunui]

Oh yeah the Beyond PHB hiding the species drives me crazy.

Yeah, it's super weird. They've hidden the subclasses and backgrounds and such too! It makes no sense, since there's no real space limitations there.

 

[Clint_L]

No it’s still laid out the same way. The Monster Database is the only place it can really be made easier in.

I'm not following. If you are reading it as a book on DDB it is laid out in the same way, but if you are using it for prep, you search using the encounter builder or the monsters database or whatever. I use DDB pretty much exclusively and that's why I wasn't really aware of this issue until I started flipping through my physical copy.

Edit: So let's say I just want to see devils from the 2024 MM. I just go to: game rules>monsters and then use the advanced filters to just include that book as the source and "devil" as the sub-category. Or same process but using the encounter builder, which is where I am usually looking up monsters.

That's why I agree that the current MM is confusingly organized if you are reading it as a book, but on DDB that doesn't really matter. DDB is weird in that the basic search function is crap, but the specialized ones are great.

 

[MichaelSomething]

You could always buy the monster cards. You could then put them in ANY order you like!!!

Dungeons & Dragons Spellbook Cards: Monsters 0-5

Monsters exist at the heart of every game of Dungeons & Dragons, and monster cards make accessing the information contained in the Monster Manual easier than ever.Quickly organize the creatures your players might meet in your next game and avoid disruption during that critical...

www.barnesandnoble.com