Using Non-Monster Manual Monsters

[Voadam]

Joe,

I think there are way too many to do a single book such as the pocket grimoires, perhaps a series such as the original spell and item encyclopedias.

Of course many monsters are closed content names and descriptions so there would be a lot of bald monster stat blocks, perhaps with rewritten names and descriptions.

 

[Dark Eternal]

Well, for my 2cp, nothing has had a more profound impact upon monsters IMC than Savage Species.

I have always tweaked the MM monsters, sometimes to make them tougher, and sometimes to make them unrecognizable. Just as often, I'll custom design a monster from scratch to fill some nitch in my plot or my setting. And whether mutating or custom building a monster, it's never been easier or more fun than it is now that I've got SS on my bookshelf. And nothing is harder for the players to get a handle on than a monster with unknown class levels. Give a hatchling white Dragon 2 levels of rogue and a penchant for ambushes, and suddenly he's more than a minor nuisance for that party of 4th level characters. And it's hard to feel like you're not running a good game when the appearence of a single goblin or a handful of gnolls makes a group of players break out in a cold sweat....

 

[frankthedm]

Gotta say I like using most of the critters out of the MM. I tend to call them different things and describe them in a new way to capture the PCs attention and/or scare them. I think most DMs tweak the monsters a little to add more challenge, and it's aways funny you can scare a 4th level barbarian with a kobold shaman that speaks common.

Creative desriptions can squeeze LOTS of life out of an old monster.

I personally like many off the wall creatures provided they have good artwork. Sometimes the art inspires me to make my own creatures and It really sets my creative ichor flowing for lovecraftian adventures. Plus since wotc is so cool as to have most of the art up online i can easily make hand outs for my players.


Now i haven't seen the book yet, but i bet this monster illo is for some sorta fey creature that makes people party really hearty. With a name like Bacchae you know its a fun creature.

but would also be great for a festival in a small town where the local bloods gone bad.

 

[Mark Chance]

Almost every single game session I am using some sort of non-MM monster. I also make generous use of templates and the addition of character classes to monsters.

Variety isn't only the spice of life; it is also a sharp stick my players' eyes.

 

[drnuncheon]

While I might only use, say, 5% of any given monster book (since my campaign is heavy on NPC antagonists), I like having as much variety as possible to choose from.

The more monster books I have, the more monsters I have to choose from, the greater the chance that there will be the perfect monster for my needs.

That said, the best monster book out there hardly has any monsters at all: FFG's Monsters Handbook. But it's got templates, PrCs, feats, and special abilities (all with info on figuring out CRs) so it multiplies the monsters you have...well...by a lot.

J

 

[Davelozzi]

Most of the opponents in my campaign are either some variety of human or a monster from the Monster Manual. The only time I usually find myself looking in other books is when I need a demon or devil and the MM isn't giving me what I need.

Although I was never particularly a Planescape fan, the first Planescape Monstrous Compendium was one of the best monster books ever in my opinion. I would gladly pay for a book that brought all the 3e fiends together in one place with some other outsides thrown in. I hate having to look all over the place for my fiends. It would also be essential that such a book include pictures of every monster. I thought it was a real shame that the MM skimped on pictures of some demons & devils, although I was glad to hear that the new one won't.

 

[Ace]

I don't use non MM monsters very much. This isn't because the monsters are bad, most of them are great actually.

I just run a low monster game

90% of my encounters are with Humans with class and level --

Of the 0ther 10% they are usually fae, undead or cuthuliod horrors

 

[arwink]

Again, another vote for more monster books. I don't necessarily use them, but I build a rough monster palatte every time PC's move into an area and weirder replacements of standard monsters can up the "Travel" feel of being in a new place.

Add to that a player who knows the monsters as well as I do, and I try to keep things mixed up a little.