D&D 5E Volo's Guide to Monsters: First Impressions

[Prakriti]

First impression: It's good. 4/5 or 5/5. If you liked the previews, you'll like the whole book.

Lot of NPC needs were filled. High-level Cleric (CR 9), Warlock NPCs (CR 4, 6, and 7), and a Mage for every spell school (transmuter CR 5, necromancer CR 9, illusionist CR 3, etc.) Plus a Bard (CR 2), Archer (CR 3), and many more.

Monsters are much better than we'd probably have gotten in a MM2. Higher ratio of hit than miss. A lot of monsters are "expanded from within," as I'd call it, i.e. they get a lot of new variants of differing CRs. For example, Kobolds now have a CR 1 sorcerer, CR 1 warrior, and a CR 1/4 inventor. Orcs, gnolls, and hobgoblins all got this sort of treatment. Gnolls (surprisingly) got the most support. Lots of new variants, plus two monstrous hyena companions (Shoosuva and Leucrotta).

Tables for monsters-by-type (undead, fey, etc.), monsters-by-CR, and monsters-by-terrain (swamp, underwater, etc.). These ONLY include the monsters in Volo's Guide, not the MM.

The lair maps are pretty good and functional (Blando, you surprise me). Some are 1 square = 5 feet, some are 1 square = 10 feet. Only the Mindflayer map is mostly non-functional as a battle-map, being more of a 3D side-view.

Only 18 monsters are CR 10 or above. A little disappointing, but c'est la business-model. Only other complaint: I want more. Luckily, the book doesn't feel as slim as the SCAG (thank goodness), and it's PACKED with useful information. Almost no useless fluff (there is one page of random tables for Beholder "features" (eye shape, etc.), but that's the only thing that struck me as wasted space).

The playable races have all been leaked before now, and I don't have much to add. I'm not a monstrous-races kind of DM, so these new additions were never going to be allowed at my table anyways. But the Tabaxi seems kind of overpowered. Similar to elves, but maybe out-and-out better. +2 Dex and +1 Cha, Darkvision, Perception AND Stealth proficiency, and a climbing speed. Tabaxi might be the new go-to race for rogues.

The lore information is high-quality stuff. Very inspiring as a DM. Volo's personality doesn't really come through (a good thing, IMO), and it all comes across as truthful information (another good thing). In other words, this is all stuff you can use in your campaigns.

Overall, my impression is very favorable. Volo's is a definite buy, the first since the core books. I might even put it ahead of the DMG in usefulness. If not, it's just behind the core books in utility.

 

[gyor]

First impression: It's good. 4/5 or 5/5. If you liked the previews, you'll like the whole book.

Lot of NPC needs were filled. High-level Cleric (CR 9), Warlock NPCs (CR 4, 6, and 7), and a Mage for every spell school (transmuter CR 5, necromancer CR 9, illusionist CR 3, etc.) Plus a Bard (CR 2), Archer (CR 3), and many more.

Monsters are much better than we'd probably have gotten in a MM2. Higher ratio of hit than miss. A lot of monsters are "expanded from within," as I'd call it, i.e. they get a lot of new variants of differing CRs. For example, Kobolds now have a CR 1 sorcerer, CR 1 warrior, and a CR 1/4 inventor. Orcs, gnolls, and hobgoblins all got this sort of treatment. Gnolls (surprisingly) got the most support. Lots of new variants, plus two monstrous hyena companions (Shoosuva and Leucrotta).

Tables for monsters-by-type (undead, fey, etc.), monsters-by-CR, and monsters-by-terrain (swamp, underwater, etc.). These ONLY include the monsters in Volo's Guide, not the MM.

The lair maps are pretty good and functional (Blando, you surprise me). Some are 1 square = 5 feet, some are 1 square = 10 feet. Only the Mindflayer map is mostly non-functional as a battle-map, being more of a 3D side-view.

Only 18 monsters are CR 10 or above. A little disappointing, but c'est la business-model. Only other complaint: I want more. Luckily, the book doesn't feel as slim as the SCAG (thank goodness), and it's PACKED with useful information. Almost no useless fluff (there is one page of random tables for Beholder "features" (eye shape, etc.), but that's the only thing that struck me as wasted space).

The playable races have all been leaked before now, and I don't have much to add. I'm not a monstrous-races kind of DM, so these new additions were never going to be allowed at my table anyways. But the Tabaxi seems kind of overpowered. Similar to elves, but maybe out-and-out better. +2 Dex and +1 Cha, Darkvision, Perception AND Stealth proficiency, and a climbing speed. Tabaxi might be the new go-to race for rogues.

The lore information is high-quality stuff. Very inspiring as a DM. Volo's personality doesn't really come through (a good thing, IMO), and it all comes across as truthful information (another good thing). In other words, this is all stuff you can use in your campaigns.

Overall, my impression is very favorable. Volo's is a definite buy, the first since the core books. I might even put it ahead of the DMG in usefulness. If not, it's just behind the core books in utility.

I think the Gobliniods, Kobolds, will be the go to race for rogues. I think Tabaxi and Lizardfolk will be go to races for monks, especially Tabaxi. There is a good reason that the guy in extra life played a Tabaxi Monk, the synergy is off the charts. Monk fast speeds, with Tabaxi speed boosting, slashing unarmed attack, climbing which I think will be boosted by monk speed, stealth and perception skills good for monks, darkvision, great monks.

Tabaxi make great monks, unarmed totem Barbarians, Dragon and Storm sorcerors (applying their speed boosting to flight), Rogues, Rangers. A Tabaxi Paladin could work descent, no body would think a plate mail wearing knight could suddenly show a burst of speed, take them by surprise. Can you smite with claws? Dex based fighter. Bladelock maybe, especially cool if you can make your claws your pact weapon.

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

Goblins now make amazing Moon Druids.

I'm looking forward to the expanded gnoll society. Sounds interesting.

 

[gyor]

Goblins now make amazing Moon Druids.

I'm looking forward to the expanded gnoll society. Sounds interesting.

Why moon druids?

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

Because a 6th level Moon Druid rhinoceros with +12 to Stealth (proficiency + Pass Without Trace) and bonus action Hide is terrifying. I'm just imagining a Longstridered, Darkvisioned goblin rhinoceros with Mobile and Skulker feats (8th level) who fights monsters in the dark. He lurks until a monster gets 20' to 30' away, charges and gores it at advantage for 23 points of damage and knocks it prone, then uses the rest of his 60' movement to lumber (silently!) over to a new hiding spot and hide.

Imagine it from the monster's perspective. "Hey. Didn't there used to be five of us?" It's like a slasher film where the Moon Druid is the slasher and the monsters are the high school kids*!

* Counterplay is possible with readied actions and search actions, but the Moon Druid still has high odds of being in a favorable position for every engagement.

It doesn't have to be a rhinoceros of course. Could be a giant octopus or a giant constrictor snake or a polar bear or a hulking crab or a giant crocodile. But I think the rhino is funniest.

If it isn't dark you might have to spend your concentration on Fog Cloud instead of Pass Without Trace, which makes hiding less effective, but still very much worthwhile. And of course it's also useful to have Disengage available, in case you lack Mobile or need to bypass more monsters than you have attacks per turn.

 

[Giant2005]

I like the Kobold for Moon Druids. Wildshape doesn't port over racial senses which means Sunlight Sensitivity isn't a factor; and Pack Tactics for easy advantage on any animal is just amazing.

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

On the one hand, I'm not so sure about that interpretation of Sunlight Sensitivity as a racial sense that goes away when you wildshape. "You retain the benefit of any features from your class, race, or other source and can use them if the new form is physically capable of doing so. However, you can’t use any of your special senses, such as darkvision, unless your new form also has that sense." Sunlight sensitivity isn't a special sense.

On the other hand, it says you retain the benefit of racial features. It doesn't say anything about retaining penalties.

On the gripping hand, using Pack Tactics requires that other PCs be in melee with the enemy. Much like Sentinel Druids, that sets up an anti-synergy: in order to make the best use of your offensive druid features (Pack Tactics, Sentinel reaction attack) you have to make poor use of your defensive druid features (free HP) because enemies are free to just target the other PC. Not all of them will, but they can, and perhaps will.

Still, it's not a bad feature. I don't like it as much as Nimble Escape or the variant human feat, but it's definitely not terrible. It could be pretty good on a Sharpshooter fighter.

 

[Sacrosanct]

I think the Gobliniods, Kobolds, will be the go to race for rogues..

I don't. This isn't directed solely at you, because I've seen a lot of reactions about these various races and how they are better/worse than class builds. The reason I don't think any of these races will be a go to race for anything is because they are monsters. That seems to be a fact that people are forgetting. This book is the new shiny, so people are thinking of different characters they can build, but most games either won't allow a player to play an orc in a campaign, or if they did, it would be much more challenging from a role-play perspective. People want to play goblin rogues? Sure, but every town will try to kill you. At the very least you'd run into a ton more problems than if you were playing a more "good" race.

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

I don't. This isn't directed solely at you, because I've seen a lot of reactions about these various races and how they are better/worse than class builds. The reason I don't think any of these races will be a go to race for anything is because they are monsters. That seems to be a fact that people are forgetting. This book is the new shiny, so people are thinking of different characters they can build, but most games either won't allow a player to play an orc in a campaign, or if they did, it would be much more challenging from a role-play perspective. People want to play goblin rogues? Sure, but every town will try to kill you. At the very least you'd run into a ton more problems than if you were playing a more "good" race.

Well, goblin Rogues might be okay. With +enormous to Stealth and Reliable Talent, nobody ever has to even know they are there!

Warlocks with the Disguise Self invocation and Deception proficiency might be okay too. "Er, yes, I am totally a halfling. Look over there, it's a bag of gold! [Invokes One With Shadows]"