Monster books: No love?
- Thread starter Crothian
- Start date
pogre
Legend
I think with the flexibility of 3.5 DM's can create monsters for almost any niche in their campaign worlds with a few standard templates. Most folks are sticking to the core and adding twists from time to time around here.
It depends on what you want out of your game - there are only so many ecological niches for creatures. On the other hand, monster variety is certainly part of the historic appeal of D&D. I will quit arguing with myself now and move on...
It depends on what you want out of your game - there are only so many ecological niches for creatures. On the other hand, monster variety is certainly part of the historic appeal of D&D. I will quit arguing with myself now and move on...
Whisper72
Explorer
Well... as far as I am concerned, I do not really feel the need for many monsters/monster books...
- between the first and second edition TSR books, the MMI3.0, MMI3.5, MMII3.x and FF3.x, I have sunk more then enuff money in monster books
- pretty much every setting book / accessory / adventure whatever other book one buys, there are already additional monsters included
- heaps of monster ideas and complete descriptions are available for FREE via the beloved WWW
- since I have no trouble designing monsters myself as needed, on the fly if needed
- since most of the adventures I run are against human / humanoid or in any case selected types of antagonists, I simply do not require heaps of weird creatures to populate my worlds
Conclusion... although I am sure that there are beautiful, excellent, brilliant pieces of work out there, which may even be tons better then what I have now, what I have floats the boat and has already set me back financially enuff as is...
- between the first and second edition TSR books, the MMI3.0, MMI3.5, MMII3.x and FF3.x, I have sunk more then enuff money in monster books
- pretty much every setting book / accessory / adventure whatever other book one buys, there are already additional monsters included
- heaps of monster ideas and complete descriptions are available for FREE via the beloved WWW
- since I have no trouble designing monsters myself as needed, on the fly if needed
- since most of the adventures I run are against human / humanoid or in any case selected types of antagonists, I simply do not require heaps of weird creatures to populate my worlds
Conclusion... although I am sure that there are beautiful, excellent, brilliant pieces of work out there, which may even be tons better then what I have now, what I have floats the boat and has already set me back financially enuff as is...
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Krug
Newshound
Well one monster book that people should still get:
http://www.seankreynolds.com/store/hlm/artpreview/index.html
Personally, I think monster books are a kind of crutch. Honestly speaking, if you look into the ecology and flesh out the culture and background more, you'll have a very interesting monster. Unfortunately, most of them end up being a bunch of stats.
http://www.seankreynolds.com/store/hlm/artpreview/index.html
Personally, I think monster books are a kind of crutch. Honestly speaking, if you look into the ecology and flesh out the culture and background more, you'll have a very interesting monster. Unfortunately, most of them end up being a bunch of stats.
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Gez
First Post
That's a massbattlemat.
Hmm... Of all the supplemental monster books I have, I've used:
3 monsters from Creature Collection 1 (and only two in combat).
3 monsters from Tome of Horrors (and two of them only in narration, the players managed to avoid entering a situation where I would have had to use their stats).
1 monster from Creature Collection 3 (but I'm cheating, as it was the one I made for that book, so it was playtest, not actual, honest use, and so I didn't use it from the book).
If you count the monsters I plan to use, the numbers will raise a lot.
Hmm... Of all the supplemental monster books I have, I've used:
3 monsters from Creature Collection 1 (and only two in combat).
3 monsters from Tome of Horrors (and two of them only in narration, the players managed to avoid entering a situation where I would have had to use their stats).
1 monster from Creature Collection 3 (but I'm cheating, as it was the one I made for that book, so it was playtest, not actual, honest use, and so I didn't use it from the book).
If you count the monsters I plan to use, the numbers will raise a lot.
Katerek
Iconic Gnoll
I for one have reached a sturation point as well. I love monster books and I used to be one of the biggest supporters of the Monsternomicon and Liber Beastarius. But since purchasing both, I don't think I have actually used either one (my fault, I know).
As such, I have noticed that the bulk of the adversaries I throw at my pc's are other core races with levels (NPC's in a sense).
I love a good monster book, but I have resigned myself to the fact that too much is just...well, too much. I did, however, buy the Avadnu book on general principle. It was just too pretty to pass up. Like some one else posted though, I cannot keep track of what is where.
If I were to promote a publishing trend, I would be more interested now in seeing compilations of locales and genre generic sites that can be easily dropped into any campaign. Whether it is a quirky bar in a city or strange druids grove. Oh yeah, and a pc based mapping program that is easy for a dummy like me to use.
As such, I have noticed that the bulk of the adversaries I throw at my pc's are other core races with levels (NPC's in a sense).
I love a good monster book, but I have resigned myself to the fact that too much is just...well, too much. I did, however, buy the Avadnu book on general principle. It was just too pretty to pass up. Like some one else posted though, I cannot keep track of what is where.
If I were to promote a publishing trend, I would be more interested now in seeing compilations of locales and genre generic sites that can be easily dropped into any campaign. Whether it is a quirky bar in a city or strange druids grove. Oh yeah, and a pc based mapping program that is easy for a dummy like me to use.
Psion
Adventurer
BigFreekinGoblinoid said:Is this a troll?What book "surpass"es the Monsternomicon?
If you aren't playing IK? IMHO, lots.
And the IK setting book is still not out...
The Monsternomicon is nicely arranged, but too many of the creatures are either variants of things that either you already have (like goblins and ogres) or steamtech creatures that many not fit. It's a great book within its niche, but otherwise...
Creatures of Freeport is really a better monster book. It takes the same general concept and improves on it -- for example, there is more lore categories, and they are broken down by knowledge types, and the uses section is more robust and the plot hooks are much more developed. AND the creatures are more applicable to a common campaigns.
Gothmog
First Post
BigFreekinGoblinoid said:Is this a troll?
Sorry BFG, but while the Monsternomicon is good, unless you are running an IK or steampunk campaign, its of limited use. Too many of the monsters rely on a steampunk gimmick, or are simply rehashes of existing monsters (there are TONS of monstrous humanoids in that book, and some undead seem repetitive). I did like the format and story hooks- very cool idea.
I'd rank the following monster books from the past year or so as top-notch.
Book of Fiends!!!
Penumbra Fantasy Bestiary
Tome of Horrors II
Denizens of Avadnu
Liber Bestarius (don't remember if its over a year old, but I use it a lot)
Fiend Folio
Deadliest Creatures Tome (I know its FFE, but most of the monster ideas are really pretty cool)
FFG's Lore books (Necromantic, Elemental, Twisted, and Giant)
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