D&D General Players: Do You Care From Whence Your DM Gets His Monsters/Challenges?

[Micah Sweet]

I do not care at all. I like seeing some classic monsters for nostalgia, but I also like brand new things I knew nothing about. When I DM though I do care the monster is usable, and vaguely balanced for that challenge rating.

See now, if I want to see a particular monster in the monster in the game, I run a game that has that monster in it.

 

[Azzy]

Just an idle curiosity.

If you are playing D&D (any edition, but 3e on have more options in this regard), do you care about where your DM is getting their monsters and stuff? in other words, do you expect or desire your DM to use official monsters? Do you have concerns if they are using 3rd party monster books? Homebrewing monsters? Does it matter if they are using Grimtooth's traps or similar?

If so, why?

If not, is that universal or are there sources that would worry you?

Thanks.

I don't really care. I've even given my fellow DMs some 3PP stuff, so that they can use it.

 

[Micah Sweet]

I’m genuinely intrigued now - in a game that runs from rats in the basement to dryads in the woods to gothic vampires to Mimics to Spawn of the Elder gods, what creatures make it "D&Dish"?

Owlbears and beholders, mostly.

 

[Reynard]

Well, if I am understanding you correctly, the "mundane world" above would not be D&Dish. Once the PCs "pass through the veil" it might become D&Dish, but that depends on the creatures they encounter (among other things).

FWIW, this could be a D&Dish world "above" but changes to not "D&Dish" after passing through the veil if the realm beyond lacks the creatures and aspects which make the above world "D&Dish". This is an example of the PCs being transported to an alien realm and encountering alien monsters. Depending on how it is done, it might easily stop feeling D&D to me and more "horror" or "science fiction" than fantasy.

I take it you prefer the "regular world" of a D&D campaign to be high fantasy?

 

[KYRON45]

In order to maintain my immersion, verisimilitude, and agency while avoiding the urge to sealion my DM...i always assume that my PC doesnt know anything about the monsters that are trying to kill me. As such, I wouldn't know an "official" monster anyway.

 

[ezo]

I take it you prefer the "regular world" of a D&D campaign to be high fantasy?

Oh, NO, NO, NO!!! Far from it!

I much prefer low fantasy games. Magic is rare and wonderful, you do not have a cleric or priest in every village to raise a fallen PC, a magical item is a truly marvelous thing, etc. A creature like a manticore is a terror to locals and they need heroes to deal with such a monster.

Things like "common" magic items are abhorrent to my D&D games and I never allow them short of healing potions which I begrudgingly allow due to their presence in the PHB.

Once I hit 8th or 9th level (such as my current game) I start to lose interesting in running it, and do so from that point forward more for the enjoyment of my players than myself as DM.

As a player, it is the same thing. 5th-level spells like Raise Dead should be the pinnacle of the game, not the mid-point IMO.

After completing the Experience15 project, I am back to working on my 5E Basic project (which probably won't be "5E" at all when I am done...).

 

[Reynard]

Oh, NO, NO, NO!!! Far from it!

I much prefer low fantasy games. Magic is rare and wonderful, you do not have a cleric or priest in every village to raise a fallen PC, a magical item is a truly marvelous thing, etc. A creature like a manticore is a terror to locals and they need heroes to deal with such a monster.

Things like "common" magic items are abhorrent to my D&D games and I never allow them short of healing potions which I begrudgingly allow due to their presence in the PHB.

Once I hit 8th or 9th level (such as my current game) I start to lose interesting in running it, and do so from that point forward more for the enjoyment of my players than myself as DM.

As a player, it is the same thing. 5th-level spells like Raise Dead should be the pinnacle of the game, not the mid-point IMO.

After completing the Experience15 project, I am back to working on my 5E Basic project (which probably won't be "5E" at all when I am done...).

So I don't understand where you are coming from with rejecting the idea that the magic and monsters are on the periphery and in the shadows.

 

[J.Quondam]

No, I don't care at all where a DM sources their monsters. Brand new, surprising monsters are great; as are completely reskinned MM monsters. The one caveat, imo, is just be consistent within the campaign.

 

[KYRON45]

So I don't understand where you are coming from with rejecting the idea that the magic and monsters are on the periphery and in the shadows.

High fantasy = magic and monsters EVERYWHERE...in your garden, at the mall, part of your book club.
Low fantasy = BURN THE WITCH!!!!

 

[uzirath]

Don't care one bit. As long as the story coheres and we're having fun, the DM can invent and plunder to their heart's content.