Monsters in the MM3 (and other upcoming books)

[Shade]

Dragon also mentioned a few of the creatures in Frostburn:

Seal
Polar Bear
Glyptodon
Megaloceros

 

[Knight Otu]

Which is strange, considering that there is already a polar bear in the MM...

 

[Shade]

I thought so, too. But perhaps this polar bear can actually survive in cold climates.

 

[Knight Otu]

Apparently, the book's available at GenCon:

Alchemical Golem - As Featured in Dragon some time ago...
Ambush Drake - A wolf-like dragon
Ancient Night Twist - Old Scary Tree
Arcane Ooze - Spell eating goo
Armand - Armadillo Monks
Astral Stalker - Evil Predators with a few days to kill
Avalancher -Spits rocks at you.
Battlebriar - Another angry plant
BearHound - Druid Bears
Boar Topiary Guardian (I kid you not... its an angry bush)
Boneclaw - Undead with spearlike fingers
Bonedrinker - Undead Bugbears
Brood Keeper - Swarm launcher
Brood Keeper Larva Swarm Above Referenced Swarm
Cadaver Collector - A Collector of Cadavers
Changeling - Um... Subtle Shapechangers
Charnel Hound - Giant Undead Hound Shaped beast
Chelicera - Spider with mimicry
Chilling Fog - Chilling... um... fog...
Chraal Evil Ice or Water Based critter
Chrysalis - Phoenix like egg form of a Phoelarch

More descriptions later, my phalanges are failin' me... on with the list

Cinder Swarm
Conflagration Ooze
Deathshrieker
Arrow Demon
Sorrowsworn Demon
Dinosaur, Battletitan
Dinosaur, Bloodstriker
Dinosaur, Fleshraker
Dinosaur, Swindlespitter
Dracotaur
Dragon Eel
Dread Blossom Swarm
Dread Harpoon Spider
Drowned
Dust Wight
Elder Odopi
Elder Redcap
Elemental, Storm
Elite Demon War Mount
Ephermal Swarm
Feral Yowler
Fiendish Rage Drake
Geriviar
Death Giant
Eldritch Giant
Sand Giant
Glaistig
Glitterfire
Gloom Golem
Gnoll, Flind
Goatfolk
Goblin, Forestkith
Golem
Greater Cadaver Collector
Greater Seryulin
Greater Shadesteel Golem
Greater Seige Crab
Greater Savaklor
Grimweird
Grisgol
Gulgar
Hangman Golem
Harpoon Spider
Harssaf
Horrific Vasuthant
Infernal Conflagration Ooze
Inronclad Mauler
Justicator
Kenku
Knell Beetle
Lesser Bonedrinker
Lesser Knell Beetle
Lhosk
Lion Topiary Guardian (Even angrier bush)
Living blasphemy
Living Spell
Lizardfolk, Blackscale
Lizardfolk, Poison Dusk
Lumi (Interestingly enough, Fans of Days of our Lives (the American Soap Opera) refer to the romance between LUcas and saMI as LUMI)
Lurking Strangler
Mastodon
Mindshredder Larva
Mindshredder Warrior
Mindshredder Zenthal
Mivilorn
Mud Golem
Necronaut
Necrothane
Needletooth Swarm
Night Twist
Nycter
Odopi
Ogre, Skullcrusher
Omnimental
Otyugh, Lifeleech
Petal
Phoelarch
Phoera
Plague Brush
Plaguespewer
Prismatic Golem
Protean Scurge
Quaraphon
Rage Drake
Ragewalker
Rakshasa, Ak'chazar
Rakshasa, Naztharune
Redcap
RejarRoper, Prismatic
Rot Reaver
RunehoundSalt Mummy
Sea Tiger
Seryulin
Shadesteel Golem
Shifter
Shimmerling Swarm
Shredstorm
Shrieking Terror
Sickening Sleep
Siege Crab
Skindancer
Slaughterstone Behemoth
Slaughterstone Eviscerator
Snowflake Ooze
Spellwarped Creature
Spellwarped Ettin
Splinterwaif
Ssvalkor
Stonesinger
Summoning Ooze
Ten-Headed Terror
Thorn
Triceratops Topiary Guardian (MUCH LARGER Angry Bush)
Trilloch
Troll
Troll, Cave
Troll, Crystalline
Troll, Forest
Troll, Mountain
Troll, War
Vasuthant
Vermin Lord
Visilight
Voidmind Creature
Voidmind Grimlock
Warbound Impaler
Warforged
Web Golem
Witchknife
Wood Woad
Woodling
Yugoloth, Canoloth
Yugoloth, Mezzoloth
Yugoloth, Nycaloth
Yugoloth, Ultroloth
Zezir

Edit: Changeling, living spells, lizardfolk variants, shifter and warforged are clear Eberron monsters. With the appearance of the Warforged, we might get a clearer description of the Living subtype, and how/if it applies to undead.

 

[Shade]

Thanks for sharing! After reading the list, I must say that my initial reaction is...unispiring.

The one really bright spot for myself is the inclusion of the yugoloths from Manual of the Planes. My fingers are crossed that they have been given the "3.5 fiend power boost" that the demons and devils received. Now is there chance to right the wrongs that were inflicting on the ultroloth and nycaloth!

A few other random thoughts:

Prismatic is the new fire. They've really gotten carried away with prismatic creatures, haven't they?

Sea tiger, eh? Sea lion had to be renamed sea cat, and along comes the sea tiger. Ugh.

It sounds like we'll be seeing the usual truckload of undead and golems.

Not as much rehash as usual. The glaistig is from WOTC's site, and the harpoon spider is from Dungeon. I see very few conversions from previous editions.

I really hope the "rot reaver" is the rotripper from Dragon Annual 5. That is one of my all-time favorite creatures.

 

[Shade]

....and that sound you just heard was my excitement for the MM3 evaporating.

I just read the posts on the General boards from the folks who've see the book. So, ultroloths actually got weaker!?!?

The book sounds like it should've been called Monsters of Eberron. This is unfortunate, since it is supposed to be a "core" book. I now demand a hardcover, expanded Monsters of Faerun as compensation. :\

And only three CR 20 monsters, and none over 20...bummer.

It sounds like this book was one giant leap backwards from the outstanding Fiend Folio.

They'll still get my money, though, so I can round out the collection. So I guess my ranting is pointless. Sigh. (Laments lack of smiley to express disappointment).

 

[Knight Otu]

I'd advise you to calm down a bit.

So, ultroloths actually got weaker!?!?

Unfortunately, it seems so.

The book sounds like it should've been called Monsters of Eberron.

That is rather baseless, don't you think? There were several people who were expecting more Eberron-specific monsters, like the Aundair Dragonhawk. The only ones in it are the ones are the ones I mentioned above, and the nycter.
You can also make a point of the book to be called Monsters of the Forest. Plant creatures seem to be the "minor" theme we've talked about earlier.

I now demand a hardcover, expanded Monsters of Faerun as compensation.

You'll get that as well with the Monster Manual III - remember your dislike for the Monster XYZ in Eberron and Monster XYZ in Faerûn sections? If the former counts as Monsters of Eberron, then the latter should count as Monsters of Faerûn. As for Eberron-specific monsters, the only one that I see problems with is the Warforged - and they propably included it for the new Living Construct subtype (and yes, to push Eberron sales).

And only three CR 20 monsters, and none over 20...bummer.

Also very unfortunate, but that's been revealed before by Andy Collins.

 

[Shade]

I'd advise you to calm down a bit.

I should probably take your advice.

Unfortunately, it seems so.

Yeah, this burns me not just for the injustice of not keeping them in line with other fiends, but the fact that I now have purchased worthless stats for these yugoloths twice. It is frustrating that the tactical geniuses behind the Blood War are only as smart as a succubus and aren't nearly as smart as a gelugon.

That is rather baseless, don't you think? There were several people who were expecting more Eberron-specific monsters, like the Aundair Dragonhawk. The only ones in it are the ones are the ones I mentioned above, and the nycter.
You can also make a point of the book to be called Monsters of the Forest. Plant creatures seem to be the "minor" theme we've talked about earlier.

Perhaps, but alot of creatures besides those you mentioned sure sound like Eberron-based creatures. Alll of the following sound Eberron-ish to me:

Dinosaur, Battletitan
Dinosaur, Bloodstriker
Dinosaur, Fleshraker
Dinosaur, Swindlespitter
Greater Seige Crab
Inronclad Mauler
Rakshasa, Ak'chazar
Rakshasa, Naztharune
Siege Crab
Warbound Impaler
Warforged

Now, if I'm correct, that's a total of 18 creatures including the others you mentioned. True, it is not the dominant feature of the book, but it is a fair amount of space devoted to a particular campaign setting.

I freely admit that I may be wrong and my rant is without merit.

And you are definitely right about Monsters of the Forest, which is kind of strange considering the amount of plants in the MM2.

You'll get that as well with the Monster Manual III - remember your dislike for the Monster XYZ in Eberron and Monster XYZ in Faerûn sections? If the former counts as Monsters of Eberron, then the latter should count as Monsters of Faerûn. As for Eberron-specific monsters, the only one that I see problems with is the Warforged - and they propably included it for the new Living Construct subtype (and yes, to push Eberron sales).

Fair enough with the sections bit. It's just that if a monster was created for Eberron, why not include it in the multitude of Eberron products in the pipeline and allow those of us with no interest in the setting a few more classics?

Also very unfortunate, but that's been revealed before by Andy Collins.

True again. A fella can hold out hope, though, can't he?

 

[Knight Otu]

Dinosaur, Battletitan
Dinosaur, Bloodstriker
Dinosaur, Fleshraker
Dinosaur, Swindlespitter

Dinosaurs have a place in the other established worlds as well, but I agree that the fact that they are not based on real species makes them more "Eberron".

Greater Seige Crab
Siege Crab

Only thing I see is the possibility that it is related to the carcass crab - which supposedly comes from natural creatures warped by the cataclysm. Maybe, maybe not.

Rakshasa, Ak'chazar
Rakshasa, Naztharune

Yep, with the caveat that pre-3rd edition, there where different ranks of rakshasa.

Inronclad Mauler
Warbound Impaler

Need more input on those guys.

Warforged

Yep, but I mentioned them.

I freely admit that I may be wrong and my rant is without merit.

And I might be just as wrong. Let's hope someone answers about the number of sections for Faerûn and Eberron. That will give us a better picture.

It's just that if a monster was created for Eberron, why not include it in the multitude of Eberron products in the pipeline and allow those of us with no interest in the setting a few more classics?

I'm not sure if the amount of products can be called a multitude yet. Until April 05, there'll be 3 accessory, 3 adventures and two novels. But as I said, I'm a firm believer that there will be a Monsters of Eberron book in 2005, so I'm not quite sure why the nycter (among other things) is in the MMIII. WotC might have thought that they were interesting enough for other settings.

True again. A fella can hold out hope, though, can't he?

Hope? What is this strangee concept you are talking about?

 

[Shade]

Dinosaurs have a place in the other established worlds as well, but I agree that the fact that they are not based on real species makes them more "Eberron".

True. And they may be based on real species, and just used the Eberron naming conventions, which I will take issue with. The non-scientific names would be the kind of info that belongs in the "In Eberron" sidebar.

Only thing I see is the possibility that it is related to the carcass crab - which supposedly comes from natural creatures warped by the cataclysm. Maybe, maybe not.

That was my guess as well. Seeing as crabs have been neglected in 3E books until Eberron, it seemed a logical guess.

Yep, with the caveat that pre-3rd edition, there where different ranks of rakshasa.

Indeed. And honestly, I wouldn't mind these guys.

Need more input on those guys.

Yep. I based that assumption truly on name.

Yep, but I mentioned them.

D'oh! You sure did.

And I might be just as wrong. Let's hope someone answers about the number of sections for Faerûn and Eberron. That will give us a better picture.

Yeah, that would be nice to know.

I'm not sure if the amount of products can be called a multitude yet. Until April 05, there'll be 3 accessory, 3 adventures and two novels. But as I said, I'm a firm believer that there will be a Monsters of Eberron book in 2005, so I'm not quite sure why the nycter (among other things) is in the MMIII. WotC might have thought that they were interesting enough for other settings.

It's just alot of products real fast. In three years, we've had one FR adventure. Granted, it was a "mega" adventure.

Hope? What is this strangee concept you are talking about?

I believe it is new in Episode IV.