So, where's the 4E monster books?

[jmucchiello]

I'm shocked, actually, that no one like me (as in, no real experience) has tried to seel some pdf monster books. I think there was a real opportunity right after the books came out for a pdf with a bunch of low level orcs and other traditionally low level monsters, and yet, nothing.

Monster books are the most expensive type of 3pp book to create because they need illustrations. That's a barrier to entry. If you have a book of 3e monsters already illustrated the GSL makes it questionable that you'd want to stop selling that older book in order to save the costs on illos.

The GSL makes monsters based on existing monsters hard to make. You can't release a full statblock for your Goblin Balloon Brigade monster because when you get to "Goblin Tactics" (a power all goblins possess) you can refer to it but you can't print what it does. That cuts down the utility of your book at the game table. And for some people that is a barrier to purchase.

I'm sure these are not the only reasons why a pub would not have released a monster book. (I have GSL issues, myself.)

 

[JVisgaitis]

We're working on it. Trying to find a format that works and that I like...

 

[thundershot]

I'd just make a bunch of goblins that have a different ability to replace goblin tactics and voila! Done. I won't buy a monster book that makes you refer to another book. I want everything right there and in front of me.