Mixing Monsters

[klofft]

Today I became the happy owner of Monster Vault. I was comparing some similar creatures in MV and MM1 and noticed that, for example, the kinds of goblins or orcs are different.

Has anyone mixed these creature types? I can't perceive that any problem would occur, but I was just wondering (I am still very, very new to encounter design).

 

[FreeXenon]

The math for MM1 is off and has it needs to be corrected to fall in line with MV critters. I think the new math was introduce circa MM III.

Other than that. I think you will be OK.

Perhaps others can way in on this who are more knowledgeable.

 

[mudlock]

The math for MM1 is off and has it needs to be corrected to fall in line with MV critters. I think the new math was introduce circa MM III.

Other than that. I think you will be OK.

Perhaps others can way in on this who are more knowledgeable.

That's pretty much it. If you're just mixing low level (i.e., heroic) monsters from the two books, like goblins and orcs, you shouldn't notice any difference. Higher level monsters, and elites or solos, you're going to start seeing that the MV monsters are just a lot more fun, for the DM and for the players.

Dragons, for instance, are MUCH better in MV.

Conveniently, if the names are the same (and I mean the full name, the one at the top of the stat block) that's a good sign that you really should use the MV one; you'll like it better. But if the names are different, mixing probably will work fine, especially if you apply the math fixes (which have 1,000 threads detailing them, so please don't ask for them to be repeated here again