Monster Manual IV - an ongoing review

[BryonD]

Good thing that I didn't say that, then.

Good thing I didn't say that you did, then.

 

[Staffan]

* Blackspawn Raider (CR 4) - a vicious hunter

I gotta say that the Blackspawn Raider came at a very nice time for me. In my Eberron campaign at level 10 or so, most of my PCs have a pretty high AC, as in 25-30. That means that it's pretty hard to find monsters that can hit them without rolling a natural 20, and still not smash them into a pulp when they do hit. That goes double for "mass" monsters, the kind you can toss at them five or more at a time.

But the Blackspawn Raiders are almost perfect for this. With their +10 attack bonus at CR 4, but still only doing 2d4+3 damage, they're almost exactly what I want. Add two levels of warrior (including a masterwork weapon, weapon focus, and slightly better Strength), and they're up to +15, which means they'll hit reasonably often, but still won't smash the party.

 

[MerricB]

Couldn't they just give them one or two abilities for the non-psionic sorts and include the actual psionic statblock info in a paranthetical aside for people with XPH?

That's a good question. Actually, I think such would make an excellent web enhancement.

The trouble with the basic approach, of having a "non-XPH" version, is that you confuse the issue significantly. This isn't a monster with psionic abilities; it's easy enough to say "psionic teleport" or "psionic stomp (Sp)... **descriptive text**", but in this case you're talking about a classed creature.

Having "Githyanki Psion 4" at the top of the statblock and then the stats having no relation to what the Psion's abilities are is a real problem. It's not hard to do in the case of monster abilities, because they're whatever you want them to be anyway, but there's a problem when you're talking about class levels.

In the end, I think the Githyanki are a significant part of D&D mythology even without groups using the XPH, so that presenting the non-XPH versions here is something that helps secure their status as one of the iconic monsters of D&D. Consider if the Githyanki only ever appeared in the XPH! Suddenly, a huge portion of the D&D community never see them, and they forfeit their iconic status.

Cheers!

 

[GQuail]

Consider if the Githyanki only ever appeared in the XPH! Suddenly, a huge portion of the D&D community never see them, and they forfeit their iconic status.

It's worth remembering that in 3.0 they weren't a core rules monsters: but as well as cropping up in the XPH, they got a "normal" entry in the Manaul of the Planes. One could argue that, following their history of appearing in the 1E MotP and 2E Planescape material, that they're as much a "planar" monster as a "psionic" one.

 

[MerricB]

Spiders!
Does D&D need more spiders? Well, the designers of MMIV think so, because we've got three new ones here, not counting the "Lolth-touched" template that makes regular spiders (and other favourites of Lolth) stronger.

I must say, after reviewing the spiders' stats and using the Inferno Spider in play, I'm inclined to agree with the designers. These new spiders are great additions to the DM's armoury.

What makes the spiders worthwhile is that the designers have identified what abilities are important to a spider - webs and poison - and designed the creatures around those abilities. I've found regular D&D spiders to be somewhat underwhelming in play, but these spiders restore health to the archetype.

First up is the Bloodsilk Spider (CR 2). This small magical beast doesn't have a poison bite, but something quite creepy: its webs can drain blood from those entangled in them and channel it to the spider, making it stronger.

The second is the Tomb Spider (CR 6). This large magical beast has both a poison bite and a web attack. The web is standard, but the Tomb Spider has been tainted by negative energy, so that negative energy heals it and positive energy hurts it. Its poison carries its taint, so that those affected by it will find healing spells to suddenly quite dangerous!

To make the Tomb Spider more unusual, the entry also gives stats for the Tomb Spider Broodswarm (CR 2), the tiny progeny of the mother spider, and the Web Mummy, an animated corpse that the mother spider has laid its eggs in - destroying it will just release a broodswarm! The Web Mummy is presented as a template, with a Human Commoner Web Mummy (CR 4) being given as the sample creature.

Finally, we have the Inferno Spider (CR 8). This large elemental hails from the elemental plane of fire, and has both a web and poison attack. The web is flaming, and burns those it entraps. Likewise, its caustic poison converts to 3d6 fire damage upon a failed save. This spider also has several elemental traits and is quite fast, with Dodge, Mobility and Spring Attack giving it yet another set of tactics.

The entries for these spiders also bring out a strength of MMIV: the special abilities are laid out in an easily comprehensible form, with almost all of the information you need to run the monster being present. The Inferno Spider's flame web entry tells us that it deals extra flame damage on the spider's turn, how to escape the web - by weapon, strength or escaping - and special considerations that need to be taken into effect, like how to extinguish the flame. However, the entry doesn't give the effects of "entangled", which is in the glossary of the PHB and DMG. It's about the only thing missing.

At this point, I'll also mention that MMIV occasionally has flavour quotes discussing the monsters from the point of view of some inhabitant of the D&D world, similar to those found on Magic cards or D&D Miniatures cards. I love this addition to the format, as I often find them amusing or inspirational. Consider the entry for the Bloodsilk Spider:

"It was on the third day that we encountered a pair of woodsmen with a tale of red webs. Prince Lumien determined to see these webs for himself, and he persuaded the holy man Ilix to accompany him. We did not see them again - not living." - Guldur of the Royal Guard.

A rumour for my campaign world? Quite likely.

 

[Felon]

Love the MMIV. Maybe my favorite purchase this year.

 

[Aus_Snow]

Thanks a lot MerricB, I really enjoy reading your reviews and it's giving me a new insight into the book, though I really hate the monsters with classes...

I'll second all of the above. I'm still not very keen on those classed critters being there. But I might even look at picking this one up now.

I thought that the Bloodsilk Spider sounds particularly cool, incidentally.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

As Merric has noted, some of the new monsters are really cool. But my gripe about this book is that it spends far too much page count giving us sections on MMI monsters that are really just standard monsters with class levels. I haven't counted the actual number of pages, but it seems like a significant portion of the book. IMO, new monster manuals should be about new monsters -- not simply stat blocks for older ones.

Overall, I'd say 2 of 4 stars is fair. This one definitely is not a "must have" as far as I'm concerned.

 

[MerricB]

As Merric has noted, some of the new monsters are really cool. But my gripe about this book is that it spends far too much page count giving us sections on MMI monsters that are really just standard monsters with class levels. I haven't counted the actual number of pages, but it seems like a significant portion of the book. IMO, new monster manuals should be about new monsters -- not simply stat blocks for older ones.

I have a suspicion that the sections with these "standard" monsters will see more use than most other new monsters in monster manuals. There's a reason those monsters have seen expansion in this book: they get used a lot. For the most part, the additional levels aren't of standard classes, either.

Incidentally, I thought (and think!) Monster Manual III was an excellent book. How many monsters from it have I used? 9. Mostly through published adventures, as well. (The list? Ambush Drake, Boneclaw, Chraal, Drowned, Kenku, Skullcrusher Ogre, Cave Troll, Salt Mummy, & Redcap).

The count for MMIV is currently at 8. (Bloodhulk Fighter, Lolth-Touched Monstrous Spider, Blackspawn Raider, Greenspawn Leaper, Greenspawn Razorfiend, Greenspawn Sneak, Redspawn Arcaniss, Inferno Spider). Not bad for a book I've had for only a few weeks.

Cheers!

 

[Psion]

You can't. To include psionic material would require too many pages of explanations. You'd need to explain Power Points, Psionic Focus, give every power description a monster has, reprint lots of feats, and so on.

To include a scout just required a very short description of Skirmish and Battle Fortitude, as follows:
Skirmish (Ex): +1 bonus on damage rolls and to AC in any round during which the scout moves at least 10 feet. Complete Adventurer 12.
Battle Fortitude (Ex): Bonus on Initiative checks and Fortitude saves while wearing light or no armour and carrying a light load. Included above. Complete Adventurer 12.

That was it. Compare how much text you'd need for even a 4th level psion.

Non sequitir. You do not need this.

Just include the stats for a 4th level psion. You will have wasted much less space for those who won't use the psion than you will have wasted repeating material for those who actually WANT it repeating material that they already own.