D&D (2024) New Constructs, Plants, Beasts & Humanoids | 2024 Monster Manual | D&D

[Henadic Theologian]

I couple of minor curiosities.mostly, but in the humaniod section we find out Evil Drow of Lolth are reappearing in one of the FR products (no doubt the FRAG), and going forward humaniod stats with actual species flavour baked in are exclusive to setting books, because it's based on culture/history of a setting. The mention Menzo (I'm not spelling out the whole dang word).

The MM has the generic NPCs. This erks me, not not as much as it will erk none FR fans who just want Drow stats and now have to buy this product.

 

[el-remmen]

non-FR fans who just want Drow stats and now have to buy this product.

Do they though? Presumably there is a more economical way to get such stats without buying a whole book just for them. Like using and/updating an older version, finding a version you like online somewhere, or best yet, making it up.

Now if there other stuff that might also be useful in an FR book for someone not planning to run the realms, it might be worth getting (I definitely did that in previous editions despite never having run in the Realms).

 

[Kobold Avenger]

I couple of minor curiosities.mostly, but in the humaniod section we find out Evil Drow of Lolth are reappearing in one of the FR products (no doubt the FRAG), and going forward humaniod stats with actual species flavour baked in are exclusive to setting books, because it's based on culture/history of a setting. The mention Menzo (I'm not spelling out the whole dang word).

As it probably should be, though I think a lot of Realms exclusive NPC statblocks like a typical Harper or Zhent probably aren't going to be tied to a particular species, but I could see there being a mix those generic and those that aren't.

 

[Leatherhead]

They really could have done with a proper "Build your own NPC/Monster" chapter and sidestepped most of the problem people have with humanoids in the book entirely.
Just throw in a bunch of templates, one for each species, and have the generic stat blocks to drape them over.

And lets be clear, these templates would basically only have to be something like pick one of two or three powers for combat (For variety and better synergy with their role) and then a few traits like Darkvision and Fey Ancestry where appropriate. So they wouldn't be big. They don't even need stat adjustments, we are past that now.

 

[Phaezen]

They really could have done with a proper "Build your own NPC/Monster" chapter and sidestepped most of the problem people have with humanoids in the book entirely.
Just throw in a bunch of templates, one for each species, and have the generic stat blocks to drape them over.

And lets be clear, these templates would basically only have to be something like pick one of two or three powers for combat (For variety and better synergy with their role) and then a few traits like Darkvision and Fey Ancestry where appropriate. So they wouldn't be big. They don't even need stat adjustments, we are past that now.

page 56 of the DMG Creating a Creature

 

[dave2008]

Gorgon being a construct now was something I missed with my skim through of the MM.

 

[MonsterEnvy]

I like the idea of Lolth Drow showing up in the FR book.

 

[Reynard]

Oh, good, another MM thread to discuss orcs and drow in!

Anything of interest otherwise? Any new plants, or existing creatures reclassified as plants?

 

[Parmandur]

I couple of minor curiosities.mostly, but in the humaniod section we find out Evil Drow of Lolth are reappearing in one of the FR products (no doubt the FRAG), and going forward humaniod stats with actual species flavour baked in are exclusive to setting books, because it's based on culture/history of a setting. The mention Menzo (I'm not spelling out the whole dang word).

The MM has the generic NPCs. This erks me, not not as much as it will erk none FR fans who just want Drow stats and now have to buy this product.

That is a perfect solution: this allows for different Settings to bend further away from the "D&D Standard", while the FRAG can provide that old school Setting flavor. For people who like trad D&D lore, even if they don't run the FR I imagine the FRAG will be a good booster of generic High Fantasy material for Greyhawk or homebrew (like a sidebar suggesting using Baldur's Gate for Dyvers or something).

 

[mamba]

That is a perfect solution: this allows for different Settings to bend further away from the "D&D Standard"

for this to work some more setting books need to be released though. Dragonlance, Ravenloft more 'urgently', PS and maybe SJ only need a little freshening up, and FR and Eberron are on the way already. Without additional support everything but Eberron is just FR