too many monsters in the world?

[Hairfoot]

It's also possible to view the game world as slightly prehistoric, with a larger number of predatory species in the wilderness ecosystem than there is in the real world. Isn't that partially what the points-of-light concept is aimed at?

 

[Fallen Seraph]

For me it is less the variety of monsters that I find weird/annoying. It is when a setting goes off in every-other direction and there is no impact on eachother. It is like whole other worlds exist within one setting (and without any reason why their not impacting on eachother).

 

[Hairfoot]

Mind you, beetles don't generally attack a town and take a princess hostage.

Perhaps not in the literal sense. However, she may refrain from courting princes until some insecticidal shampoo becomes available.

 

[the Jester]

does anybody feel that sometimes, theres too many monsters avaible in the world?

NEVER.

 

[Celebrim]

does anybody feel that sometimes, theres too many monsters avaible in the world?

I had this feeling sometime in the early '90's and made the decision to cut back on certain types of monsters.

But lately I've been moving in the other direction. I've been moving away from having classifiable monsters at all and making each monster more or less unique.

I'm still pretty choosy about what I'd include from a published source though. I don't buy alot of monster manuals because I'd probably use no more than 5-10 monsters out of it ever.

do they make new monsters to give players more things to kill?

No, they make more monsters to give players more things to buy.

 

[jdrakeh]

It isn't as if all those things actually impact a given campaign, though. Within my game, unless I state it or the PCs encounter it, it is only potential.

Well, that's true, but the setting canon in both Greyhawk and FR assumes that monsters are as commonplace as horses and housecats. If you choose not to use the canon, that's cool. It doesn't change the fact that it's canon.

 

[jdrakeh]

It is like whole other worlds exist within one setting (and without any reason why their not impacting on eachother).

This has always been an issue with Rifts Earth, for me. I mean, every continent/state/island/city is controlled by a near omnipotent (or completely omnipotent) being/faction/thing, each of which is bent on total global domination. . . and yet. . . the only majorish conflict to arise in all of the dozens of sourcebooks is the short-lived Siege on Tolkeen? Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight. That's very believable. It's as if every continent/state/island/city/whatever exists in a complete vaccuum.

 

[S'mon]

Scarred Lands definitely has too many monsters!

 

[haakon1]

does anybody feel that sometimes, theres too many monsters avaible in the world? (any one)
. . .
opinions?

I agree. I tend to stick with "classic" monsters that were around in AD&D, or have some basis in real world myth.

I don't like MOST of the new monsters in 3rd edition, though some are fine.

 

[Turanil]

I also think there is too many monsters IF they are too be seen as regular species from the campaign world's ecology. For that reason, I restrict the regular species to a limited number, mostly animals. Then, all other monsters are occasional exceptions. Some examples:

- Except for animated skeletons and zombies, there is no clearly defined types of undead that exist in the world. Rather, undead traits are almost random, and for that I use whatever undead critter I can find in the MM (or stat myself). If there are many wraiths in one place, it probably because one created many more, but it's not a specie of undead in itself.
- Giants come from Jotunheim through overlaps with the material plane, that occur in some places and specific times. Sometimes a giant or two could become stranded in the PC's homeworld, but usually they return to Jotunheim when the planar overlap ceases.
- Things like a mimic or ropper may be living things, but they are definitely not species. They are unique beings created by some magic-user or supernatural event. They will be found once, maybe twice, but are otherwise unknown and never encountered outside of the single dungeons where the PCs adventured.
- Most aberration creatures aren't species, but mutations of normal creatures due to magical pollution. Well, one or two (such as the owlbear) have been known to reproduce, but even in their case aren't found worldwie (only a few specien in a specific region).