D&D 5E What are YOU doing for monsters until MM release?

[Halivar]

My players are chomping at the bit to play 5E ASAPOMGWTFBBQ, and they plan to have characters ready for next week's game. BUT... I got no monsters! Even the last playtest packet seems to omit them. I'm picking up HotDQ, so that will hopefully have some creatures, but I'll be limited to that unless someone can tell me if the preview adventures like GoDSC had "up to date" monster stats.

So what are YOU doing until the MM release?

 

[Reynard]

I am creating variants of the Starter Set monsters for all to enjoy!

 

[Bumamgar]

WotC has announced several times and Mike Mearls confirmed that the Basic Rules pdf will be updated with monsters in support of the PHB and HotDQ. Their plan was to update it today, but Mike did indicate that might get delayed slightly due to Gencon and DMG prep work, so I expect we'll have a decent selection of official monsters any day now

 

[Umbran]

My group is probably not going to start playing for a while, so I'm not doing anything.

But, we are only talking about a month until the MM comes out, so you don't have to get by for long. You might just use lots of classed characters as antagonists in the meantime. Start them in town for a couple of sessions, and don't make it to a dungeon for a while, and you'd be okay.

 

[Majoru Oakheart]

For now, I'm using the stats from the adventures I'm running which are Ghosts of Dragonspear Castle and Legacy of the Crystal Shard. I'm increasing their hitpoints slightly to make them a little tougher though.

As of later today(or early next week) when the monsters get added to the Basic rules, I'll use the new stats whenever possible.

 

[delericho]

I'm also still yet to play. However, if I do find I need monsters I'll make do with the ones from the Starter Set, plus Hoard of the Dragon Queen when I pick that up.

Between them, I'm sure those will give me plenty until Basic gets updated.

 

[Bumamgar]

Actually, from what folks have posted, HotDQ doesn't have very many stat blocks, but instead refers folks to the Basic Rules (another reason why I'm sure WotC is doing their best to get the updated Basic PDF out there for folks today).

 

[jodyjohnson]

Lost Mine and Basic.

Plus Dead in Thay.

HoDQ has very few statbooks and would be a bad investment just for monsters.

 

[Halivar]

Actually, from what folks have posted, HotDQ doesn't have very many stat blocks, but instead refers folks to the Basic Rules (another reason why I'm sure WotC is doing their best to get the updated Basic PDF out there for folks today).

HoDQ has very few statbooks and would be a bad investment just for monsters.

Wow, thank you two very much. You saved me some moolah! I was only interesting in HotDQ for monster stats.

 

[TwoSix]

I hope soon; a moon-druid was one of the options I was considering, and there are no beasts higher than Challenge 1 in the appendix.