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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Drammattex" data-source="post: 5580201" data-attributes="member: 55363">I don't usually talk this much on forums, but I'm feeling chatty. Practical use: I plan to use the humanoid type groups for when I need to fill in an encounter with "like" creatures. My game is comprised of mostly human adversaries, so I've used the human bandits, rabble, thugs, etc, far far too many times. It's not that there's a small number of humans in the Compendium, but when I'm putting a game together I spend all my time on the dramatic and story elements and then cobble the mechanics together at the last minute--and I sometimes have a hard time finding the right match for the humanoid type I'm looking for (or else I just use the same ones over and over again).For the humanoid groups I worked on, I approached it mechanically from that standpoint--putting in a nice level spread of several creatures across a variety of roles. You're not seeing the full range of the Mages of Saruun in the preview, but you'll have a better idea once the book is out. As I recall, I wanted to make them fairly typical D&D mages and keep them true to what was printed in Thunderspire Labyrinth. Keeping them typical means that homebrew DMs (like me) have instant stats for mages that we can flavor/reskin however we like.Ultimately, MVNV should not only reintroduce a lot of really cool oldschool monsters with interesting story elements and solid mechanics, but also make it easy to throw together encounters along a theme (i.e. mages). I agree that groups of humanoids aren't nearly as exciting as monsters, but I do think people will get a lot of practical use from their mechanics. And again, I think when you see the full suite of stuff that comes with the Mages of Saruun you'll have a better idea of how varied and useful these can be.Perhaps I'm only speaking for myself and the way I use monsters, but I think that with the wealth of stuff that will enter the Monster Builder and the Compendium after this, a lot of gaps will be filled and encounters like the ones I tend to run will be easier to put together (as well as more interesting). Will it change your life with the sheer power of D&D awesomeness? Of course not; people will find things to like and things to dislike as usual, and often for reasons of personal need/preference. As for me, I'm exceptionally happy with what I've seen thus far, and the stuff Matt, Brian, and Sterling turned in was (imo) really, really cool. Furthermore, this Monster Vault line is the most detailed look at monsters D&D has ever had in a monster product (2e comes close, but the monster info tends to be ecological rather than story-focused). Anyway, I'm excited about it.</blockquote>

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