D&D 5E Monster Builder's Guide

[jacktannery]

Have you guys seen this: http://surfarcher.blogspot.ie/2013/08/d-next-monsters-part-8-putting-it-all.html It looks pretty easy to be honest.

 

[jrowland]

I can't imagine a D&D Next monster builder's guide needing to take up more than a few pages. It basically has two parts:

To make sensical stats for a creature:
Number of Hit Dice based on level of characters you want to be able to fight it
Size of Hit Dice based on role/size
Attack bonus by ability and training
Damage by weapon (multiplied by size)
Special abilities (use spells as guidelines if you're lost)

To determine what level/XP value a creature is:
A level X creature should have Y hit points and deal Z damage
Special abilities are worth a certain amount

And then you can approach it from whichever direction you want.

Pretty spot on. Grognards might remember 1E/2E days where monsters where what you described. The AC, HP, Attacks, Damage, etc where kinda secondary. I feel like 5E feels the same. For the encounters season (Murder in Baldur's Gate), the party just fought a couple Mud Men. I made it up on the fly (alchemical toxic spill in the outer city...the combat monkeys were bored...so mud men). I just winged it and we had a good time.

 

[Dwimmerlied]

I think it would be a good idea, especially if it appraoches anywhere near the complexity of 3.x (though seems most posters so far believe it wont). It would have a market amongst the people who like to tinker.

However, I'm cautious of buying new products because I've seen low-quality stuff pumped out for sales before and I'd want to make sure that I'd be paying for something worth what I spend.

 

[frankthedm]

A: Why yes, I am sick of already developed material being held off for later books. $upplement treadmills and incomplete rules systems are getting tiresome.

 

[Jack99]

Have you guys seen this: http://surfarcher.blogspot.ie/2013/08/d-next-monsters-part-8-putting-it-all.html It looks pretty easy to be honest.

If those numbers match up (haven't checked) it's very easy indeed.