Monsters, Monsters, Monsters! Podcast

[danbuter1]

Listened to it. Some interesting tidbits. Monster management for the DM should be a hell of a lot easier, which I like. Monsters have certain reactions, like dragons can tailwhip automatically when someone tries to flank. (I'm pretty sure that's what he meant).

MY BIG GRIPE (because there had to be one)
WotC is SPECIFICALLY excluding important monsters from the 1st MM because they want to place them in MM2, MM3, etc, to give those Monster Manuals more "core" impact. They mentioned frost giants in particular, but said there were multiple creatures held back just for this purpose. That's the marketing department dictating stuff to the gaming department, which pisses me off a bit. While I know they want to sell extra MM's, holding off important monsters to save them for later books just to insure people buy those later books is crap. IMO.

 

[Shieldhaven]

I was...unthrilled...with that particular point, though I'd hardly describe myself as being up-in-arms about it. I have never seen a frost giant from either side of the Wall of Fear and Ignorance, and I don't have plans to hang a plot on frost giants in my first year of running 4e games.

But then, given my preferred rate of leveling, PCs will only be 7th to 10th level by the first anniversary of 4e, at which point (in theory) a boatload of new classes, feats, spells, magic items, and monsters will arrive on the blood-dimmed tide of my campaign.

Haven

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Agreed: that point blows goats.

I don't want to lose an iconic monster I use a lot and have since 1E just because WOTC wants to sell the MMIII (not necessarily Frost Giants, though I guess a 4E conversion of G2 will have to wait a year or more -- we don't know what other iconic monsters have been "deferred"). There's plenty of room in the MM to include the iconic, core monsters that have been in all of the early monster manual;s and still put in new, cool monsters.

 

[Guild Goodknife]

I liked the parts about the new encounter design system, sounded pretty cool and i just like the sound of Deathknights being Elite monsters
The part about the Frostgiants and other monsters was the first thing about 4th Ed. i didn't like. I want my classic giants in the same book for fast referance, and not scattered through several tomes!

 

[Abstraction]

I guess you need to D&DI and "unlock" your online books so you can organize those giants.

 

[helium3]

Agreed: that point blows goats.

I don't want to lose an iconic monster I use a lot and have since 1E just because WOTC wants to sell the MMIII (not necessarily Frost Giants, though I guess a 4E conversion of G2 will have to wait a year or more -- we don't know what other iconic monsters have been "deferred"). There's plenty of room in the MM to include the iconic, core monsters that have been in all of the early monster manual;s and still put in new, cool monsters.

Well, it's not like it's going to be all that difficult to just make up your own version of the Frost Giant using the Fire Giant as an example.

 

[Imaro]

Well, it's not like it's going to be all that difficult to just make up your own version of the Frost Giant using the Fire Giant as an example.

Yep, that's exactly why I buy books of pre-made monsters...so I can spend the time making up my own.

 

[Rechan]

Yep, that's exactly why I buy books of pre-made monsters...so I can spend the time making up my own.

Sooo then why do you buy a book with templates in it?

 

[Imaro]

Sooo then why do you buy a book with templates in it?

Because, in the end, it's giving me the mechanics, CR, balance and powers to apply. I'm not designing anything in this case...don't have to worry about balancing it or if the abilities I gave it are more powerful or equal to what the CR is. In fact I'd rather 4e have a giant race and then give me the Frost, Fire, Hill etc. templates to add. The fact that they are presented as seperate monsters means there may be substantial differences.

 

[Cake Mage]

Yep, that's exactly why I buy books of pre-made monsters...so I can spend the time making up my own.

QFT!