Men or Monsters?

[Diremede]

I've noticed lately that in my current campaign I am using more and more people as combatants for the PC's than monsters as potential enemies. I know that most of that has to do with the current story I'm focusing on, but always before I managed to sneak in monsters and make them part of the adventure.

Just as a note of curiousity I was wondering as a GM which do you prefer to use or perhaps what do you find yourself using the most in your adventures.

 

[DungeonmasterCal]

I use monsters (unintelligent ones) as random encounters. Very, very, VERY few intelligent ones as major villains have ever surfaced in my campaigns. I'm very anthrocentric; humanity is its own greatest enemy.

 

[jdrakeh]

I like how Ken Hite defines monsters and villains in Nightmares of Mine - monsters are one-dimensional, mindless, creatures where villains are dynamic, sentient, beings with a plan. He uses Michael Myers (aka The Shape) and Jason Vorhees (aka The Crystal Lake Killer) as examples of monsters, with Hannibal 'The Cannibal' Lector serving as an example of a villain (IIRC). Anyhow...

The point is that if it's just a dumb animal and/or one-dimensional killing machine, it's a monster. If it's a dynamic character with elaborate motivations, plans, and goals; then it's a villain. This means that orcs can easily be villains or monsters, depending upon how you portray them as a DM. Me, I like villains - monsters are good every now and again, but using them as the meat of a campaign induces exceptional boredom.

 

[JimAde]

I enjoy the combat variety that comes with monsters, but most of the antagonists in my campaign are humanoids (mostly humans, actually). To mix it up a bit, I use a lot of summoning magic. A common magic item in my game is a one-use summon gadget, so that tough fighter you're mixing it up with can suddenly summon some backup.

 

[Jdvn1]

I like to mix it up--at least, I try to. Monsters are easier for me to use, generally, but men seem to fit into more stories.

 

[Aust Diamondew]

"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you."
Friedrich Nietzsche

Reminded me of that quote
I too tend to use more humans/elves/dwarves than monsters. Or at least 50/50.

 

[The Shaman]

I've become more and more monster-stingy over the years - most of the antagonists in my campaigns were humans, followed by other humanoids, followed by undead and other spirit creatures.

I like it when monsters are rare or even unique beings - it makes encountering one more special.

 

[Funeris]

Humans mainly. You know...I'm not even sure I've thrown a non-humanoid at my current group (constructs aside). And I'd say the reason is that I prefer dynamic characters--and the villain description above. Monsters are all nice and fine...but they don't make for meaty stories.

~Fune

 

[Hand of Evil]

I use men/women a good bit, pushing more to groups and orginizations.

 

[DonTadow]

Monsters are more of henchmen and random encounters in my campaign as well. I do use humanoids as my enemies, mostly from the monsterious races such as mind flayers, drow, duergars and such for now. But the pcs fail to realize their greatest enemy is the humans.