Too Many Monster Manuals?

[Glyfair]

How many MMs do we need?

Second edition had at least 18. Are we close to that yet?

 

[The Lost Muse]

The way I see it the time they spend making monster manuals, is time they aren't working on 4e. (Wishful thinking? I hope not )

 

[ColonelHardisson]

Why in the heck do we have a MM5? How many MMs do we need? Isn't one big book enough, besides every splatbook for PCs having some, but noo....we get five. Doesn't WoTC print enough? Aren't there rules in the MM for creating your own monsters? Why not use those?

Because not everyone has the time or inclination to create new monsters. Some like to simply play the game when they have the time to do something game related.

Do most people even buy these? I'd rather spend cash on something a PC could use, and also use it for enemy NPCs.

Thoughts?

Monster books are a perennial favorite of a lot of publishers, so they must sell at least fairly well. Look at how many monster books have been published by third-party d20 publishers. What you'd rather spend your money on really has no bearing here; as a DM, why would I necessarily want to buy something for a PC to use? Plus, monster books provide tons of new enemy NPCs, which are always handy for a DM. When it comes right down to it, if you don't feel the need to have another monster book, nobody is forcing you to buy it. I like having a wide range of choices when it comes to buying books, and another Monster Manual is, to me, a far more appealing choice than yet another splat book. How many of those do you need?

 

[RichGreen]

Hi,

There are now hundreds of 3.x/d20 monsters out there so we don't really need any more Monster Manuals. However, like MMIII & MMIV, I'm sure MMV will have a few really cool new creatures in it like the Redcap or the Tomb Spider. If there's a few of those, it's worth buying!

Cheers


Richard

 

[shilsen]

Thoughts?

My thought is that you're way too excited about something that you're apparently not interested in using. There are lots of books coming out that I'm not interested in (Monster Manuals, for example), but I don't operate under the assumption that other people's tastes should match mine or excited when someone else buys a book

 

[Herremann the Wise]

Thoughts?

To the OP, are you more a player or a DM?

As a DM, who has played the game for a long time, I find it fun to see something new or different to throw at my group. And while note every monster in a "monster manual" is useful to me, there are some real beauties that I have developed modules, arcs and even campaigns around - Eldritch Giants, Sorrowsworn Demons, Eyedrinkers of Vecna to name a few. More monster manuals means more ideas and ways to challenge my PCs. As such, whenever WoTC produce a Monster Manual, I'm guaranteed to be purchasing it.

Best Regards
Herremann the Wise

 

[Shadeydm]

After the MM 1&2 and the FF I passed on MM 3&4. I did however purchase FC2 and was pleased enough to consider similar books on thier individual merit going forward.

Do any of you consider MM3 or 4 to be especially good books?

 

[RichGreen]

After the MM 1&2 and the FF I passed on MM 3&4. I did however purchase FC2 and was pleased enough to consider similar books on thier individual merit going forward.

Do any of you consider MM3 or 4 to be especially good books?

MMIII is full of interesting "plot monsters" -- I've used quite a few of them. MMIV is less interesting, but does have the Tomb Spider & Web Mummy which I've used to great effect, as well as the very cool Vitreous Drinker. MMII, although it updates some 1e/2e classics is actually a pretty dull book. Fiend Folio is probably the best of the bunch, IHMO.

Cheers


Richard

 

[DragonLancer]

Why in the heck do we have a MM5? How many MMs do we need? Isn't one big book enough, besides every splatbook for PCs having some, but noo....we get five. Doesn't WoTC print enough? Aren't there rules in the MM for creating your own monsters? Why not use those?

Do most people even buy these? I'd rather spend cash on something a PC could use, and also use it for enemy NPCs.

Thoughts?

The only sourcebooks I buy these days are new monster sourcebooks . You can never have enough monsters.

 

[hong]

MMIII is full of interesting "plot monsters" -- I've used quite a few of them. MMIV is less interesting, but does have the Tomb Spider & Web Mummy which I've used to great effect, as well as the very cool Vitreous Drinker.

It also has the Joystealer, which is the COOLEST MONSTER EVAR because it makes me think of pictures like this.