Monster Manual 2...super rant!!!

[muhcashin]

Ok, well, i was wrong. 10% isn't that much. It was my first impression when I read the book.

But, I still don't like the fact that they included the chainmail monsters. If you want to make conversions, just use the cool monsters from 2nd edition and convert them. I mean there are a lot of demons and devils out there in 2nd ed. Just take the Planescape monster compendiums for instance. The abyssal maw is just plain awful.

 

[Sir Edgar]

Dire goats are cool. You should see the Dire Rhino. Someone asked for the stats on the NG boards, so I whipped 'em up and posted them. Now that is one evil Dire monster.



Since your email isnt listed, guess I'll answer here. Inside story on...??? The Tome? Basically, we (Clark and I) worked closely with WotC. They saw what we had planned for the Tome. We saw what they had planned for the MM2, FF, BoVD. Everyone made sure no one duplicated efforts. There is a handful of duplications (3-4 monsters at most) between the Tome and the aforementioned books, but no more. All is good.

Yes, but WHY did they decide not include the Aerial Servant, Brownie, Hippocampus, Kelpie, Leprechaun, Mongrelman, Nereid, Spriggan, and Yeti? Instead, they decided to put in these "experimental", as some say, monsters.

Oh yeah, remember if you want to use paperman and scissorman in Tome of Horrors 2, you'll have to get my written permission. Because it's not OGL. Hehe.

 

[Vanye]

happen to have my copy here...

They've got this broken down really strangely on the listing of monsters, including some things in a general category, then breaking them down in another category(Such as outsider has 7, but then there are Outsider (Chaotic, evil) which aren't included in Outsider)

Aberration: 15
Animal: 6
Beast: 6
Construct: 14
Dragon: 4
Elemental: 6
Fey: 4
Giant: 3
Humanoid: 1
Magical Beast: 23
Monstrous Humanoid: 12
Ooze: 4
Outsider: 7
Outsider(Air): 1
Outsider (Chaotic, Evil): 9
Outsider(Evil) 4
Outsider (Evil, Lawful): 5
Outsider(Good) 2
Plant: 6
Shapechanger: 2
Undead: 13
Vermin: 5


This doesn't include subtypes of the various things, like dragons, dire beasts, legendary beasts, etc.

Subtypes
Air: 6
Aquatic: 9
Cold: 3
Earth: 9
Evil: 1
Fire: 6
Incorporeal: 6
Water: 2

 

[Grazzt]

Yes, but WHY did they decide not include the Aerial Servant, Brownie, Hippocampus, Kelpie, Leprechaun, Mongrelman, Nereid, Spriggan, and Yeti? Instead, they decided to put in these "experimental", as some say, monsters.

Because we said "Hey! We are doing these....so there!".

Oh yeah, remember if you want to use paperman and scissorman in Tome of Horrors 2, you'll have to get my written permission. Because it's not OGL. Hehe.

I'll remember that.

 

[Kai Lord]

Because we said "Hey! We are doing these....so there!".

I hope you guys don't cut corners when it comes to the art. I don't know how many 3rd party hardcover books I've casually picked up then almost immediately put down without a second look because of the abysmal illustrations. Nothing screams "amateur hour" like lackluster art. I hope you aim to impress.

 

[jgbrowning]

well

I hope you guys don't cut corners when it comes to the art. I don't know how many 3rd party hardcover books I've casually picked up then almost immediately put down without a second look because of the abysmal illustrations. Nothing screams "amateur hour" like lackluster art. I hope you aim to impress.

to offer a different opinion. art schmart... make the monsters balanced first. I dont know how many books ive picked up and looked at a few things and went.... "nice art.. to bad the mechanics bite"



joe b.

 

[Krug]

Here, I got a sneak peak at Monster Manual 3:

...
Dire Goat
Dire Cow
Dire Chicken
..

Finally! Creatures done with IMAGINATION!

 

[Kai Lord]

Re: well

to offer a different opinion. art schmart...

Okay, you settle, I'll spend my money on WOTC monster books.

make the monsters balanced first.

Then make them look wickedly cool. Its not an either/or proposition.

 

[Grazzt]

I hope you guys don't cut corners when it comes to the art. I don't know how many 3rd party hardcover books I've casually picked up then almost immediately put down without a second look because of the abysmal illustrations. Nothing screams "amateur hour" like lackluster art. I hope you aim to impress.

Nope- didnt cut art at all. There is a preview (art included) of the Tome on the Necromancer Games site.

Here is the cover and back panel art:

http://www.necromancergames.com/previews/toh.html

And here is the preview of the book:

http://www.necromancergames.com/pdf/Tome_Teaser.pdf

Stats and art for Hutijin (Duke of Hell), Lucifer (yes the same Lucifer you are thinking of), Moloch (Arch Devil), Nupperibo, Tormentor of Souls, Flail Snail, Flind, Floating Eye, Flumph, Giant Fly, Fogwarden, Forester's Bane, Forlarren (hot chick ), Titivilus, and Monstrous Frogs.


And just to pimp it some more ; Hardcover, 400+ monsters, November 2002, $29.95

Check the Necromancer Games boards for an entire list of the monsters in teh book.

 

[muhcashin]

talking about art...

Well, many third party books have awful art. I say this because I am pretty good at drawing myself. But, the Monster Manual II has one abysmal drawing. THE BOGGLE! That one is just downright pathetic. A illustration like that one makes the monster look crappy, even though it isn't that bad a creature.