[Proposal] Fluffster Manual 2 - Content Edition

[Keefe the Thief]

DDI surprised me, i admit it. I was prepared for Dungeon and Dragon goodness, but not for this unstoppable flood of premium content. Trying to find monsters for my 4e oneshot, i checked the "undead" group in the Compendium and hit "search". 1400+ hits.

So, why do i need MM2? I´m standing kneedeep in deadly creatures, and the waterlevel is rising all the time! Which is awesome, if i may say so.

The solution is the Fluffster Manual: Based on fluff-heavy books like the old Planescape compendia, it features prime art, lavish background information, loads of "do this to achieve that with these monsters" articles, and minimal crunch. Most of that is reskinning: "Take Monster X from Compendium, add Y, remove Z, use with this interesting backstory."

Aint gonna happen i know, because many people are not subscribers, and many people want a favourable crunch - fluff - ratio in their books. And yet, i think this is where the future lies: creamy fluff in lavish full-color hardcover books, crunchy bits on DDI.

 

[Protagonist]

I read that as Fluffer Manual and got confused...need more coffee asap

Edit to add some content to this post: I agree, a book like that would be great, especially if the ecologies and tactics presented are well thought out and inspiring

 

[Jack99]

I would so buy this.

 

[Kzach]

Wow, yeah, I have to say, this is a really nice idea.

Reminds me of the old MM entries in 2e that had the ecology sections.

Ooh, and those random encounter indexes were so sweet. I have to remember to include one in my campaign folder I'm putting together for my next group.

 

[I'm A Banana]

As long as we get more attention than was paid in the 4e MM, I'll probably be content with the direction. That book is basically a waste of paper if you have the DDI subscription (and perhaps a half-competent google search for images).

Plus, the D&D MM should have at least as much fluff as children's drawings of their own monsters.

WotC: Trumped by seven year olds.

 

[Mercurius]

Is there any word that MM2 will have more fluff, thereby addressing the error of MM1? I mean, it seems like a common--even generally consensus--view that MM1 was way light on the fluff, so I would think WotC would address that.

 

[thundershot]

Especially since they obviously WROTE the fluff from the beginning. The monster stat blocks in KotS have the fluff... (and don't say that's because it came out before the MM, because the MM didn't HAVE the fluff)

 

[Holy Smokes]

/ahem

Draconomicon 1 & 2, Open Grave, [Giants Book], etc... Not one book. Many books!

 

[I'm A Banana]

Not one book. Many books!

I'd rather see a better balance between stats and mythos. The Drac/Open Grave/Whatnot have almost too much, while it's obvious that the MM, at least, has not enough. Something between a treatsie on red dragon gender codes and page after page that reads like IKEA assembly instructions with pretty pictures is preferred.

Seek the middle path, Coasties!