What did you actually use for monster sources?

What monster sources did you actually use?

  • MM/SRD

    Votes: 39 100.0%
  • Other WotC Monster Books

    Votes: 28 71.8%
  • Non WotC Monster Books

    Votes: 27 69.2%
  • New Monsters in Modules

    Votes: 21 53.8%
  • Monsters from Non-Monster Sourcebooks

    Votes: 22 56.4%
  • Web Enhancements/Online Sources (not counting core srd)

    Votes: 17 43.6%

Voadam

Legend
There were a ton of sources for 3e/d20/OGL monsters. I think far more than there have been for any other edition or RPG ever. With the new edition here looking back on your 3e experience which books/sources did you actually use in your games?

Was it just the MM/SRD? Did you use other WotC monster books? 3pp monster books? New ones from modules you ran? Monsters from non-monster focused books? Web enhancements or online content?

I'm curious how the lists vary for different people.
 

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EricNoah

Adventurer
Many of the above. Some of my past and current favorite monster sources: Monsters of Faerun; MM III; Fiend Folio; Libris Mortis; Lords of Madness; Tome of Horrors; Advanced Bestiary.

I find a good illustration is a really important part of a monster book/resource.

I am finally at point where I am comfortable enough with the rules that I can take existing monsters and dress them up differently. I enjoy doing that a lot.
 
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delericho

Legend
Little bits from here and there.

Most monsters came from the Monster Manual, of course. However, I also pulled a number of encounters from the Fiend Folio, and I actually found the pre-advanced creatures in the much-maligned MMIV (and the somewhat less-maligned MMV) invaluable. I probably also used some creatures from MMII and MMIII.

I made quite heavy use of the Tome of Horrors in a couple of campaigns (and expect to use it more heavily when running Pathfinder APs in future), and used the Book of Fiends heavily for one campaign. I never quite got to use Green Ronin's Advanced Bestiary (I think that was it), but definately would have liked to - that book had a huge number of solid ideas. Finally, I did use several monsters from Sword & Sorcery's Creature Collections, although these always required conversion to the real D&D rules - the monsters had major balance problems without.

I also made use of several monsters from the Manual of the Planes, Draconomicon, Libris Mortis, and Dragon magazine. I don't recall ever using a monster from an adventure, although I might have done so when running the adventure itself. I certainly never transplanted one to another adventure.

Monster books were really one of those areas where there was no such thing as 'too many'. Most books had some or many monsters that could be used, and there tended not to be too much overlap. That said, I could live quite happily without ever seeing a new type of dragon, and there were far too many too-similar types of undead out there.
 


freyar

Extradimensional Explorer
I've plans to use all of the above sources, though I haven't played enough to get around to all of it. Still, in two relatively short campaigns, I've used critters from various WotC books, netbooks some people put together, and ToH. There are a lot of really nice options out there!
 

Wombat

First Post
Well, I used about 20% of the critters in the base MM (I ignored most of the rest as inappropriate to my worlds) and several out of White Wolf's Creature Collection series ... but in the end I ended up making up a lot of them and/or having NPCs (classed characters) as opponents, simply because they felt more in keeping with my worlds.

I find most of the creatures in the various monster supplements ... well ... silly...
 

Voadam

Legend
I think I've used monsters from the following sources:

5e:
Monster Manual
Animated Armor, Animated Object Rug of Smothering, Chuul, Crawling Claw, Cyclops, Demon Chasme, Displacer Beast, Dragon Brass Young Adult, Elemental Air, Ettin, Ghost, Ghoul Ghast, Gnoll Fang of Yeenoghu, Golem Stone, Helmed Horror, Hobgoblin, Hobgoblin Captain, Kobold, Lycanthrope Werewolf, Manticore, Orc, Ogre, Ooze Black Pudding, Ooze Gelatinous Cube, Ooze Grey Ooze, Ooze Ochre Jelly, Owlbear, Rust Monster, Skeleton, Specter Poltergeist, Sphinx Gynosphinx, Stirge, Vampire, Vampire Spawn, Wight, Will-o'-Wisp, Wraith, Zombie, Giant Centipede, Giant Crab, Giant Fire Beetle, Giant Rat, Giant Wolf Spider, Hawk, Acolyte, Assassin, Commoner, Thug (47)

Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes
Iron Cobra, Ogre Howdah, Skulk, Troll Venom (4)

Volo's Guide to Monsters
Neogi, Orc Red Fang of Shargaas, Vegepygmy, Vegepygmy Chief, Yuan-Ti Nightmare Speaker, Abjurer, Bard, Warlock of the Fiend (8)

Ebberon Rising from the Last War
Karrnathi Soldier, Valenar Hound (2)

Player's Handbook
Skeleton (1)

Tales of the Yawning Portal
Huge Giant Crab, Kelpie (2)

5e Conversion of The Haunting of Harrowstone
Animated Straightjacket, Blood Writ Names, Burning Skeleton, Father Charlatan, Flaming Skull, Ghostly Brands, Giant Rat, Giant Stirge, Gibs Hephanus, Gurtis Vortch, Mosswater Marauder, The Lopper, Piper of Illmarsh, Professor Lorrimor, Skeleton Prisoner, Slamming Portal, The Splatterman, (17)

Creature Codex
Bearmit Crab, Blood Zombie, Darakhul High Priestess, Dark Voice, Dust Goblin Chieftan, Gargoctopus, Gnoll Slaver, Golem Bronze, Golem Manastorm, One-Headed Clockwork Dragon, Ooze Suppurating, Orc Black Sun, Speaker to the Darkness, Ratfolk Mercenary, Tusked Crimson Ogre, Tveirherjar (16)

Fifth Edition Foes
Algoid, Beetle Giant Slicer, Cobra Flower, Froghemoth, Gargoyle Four-Armed, Giant Jack-in-Irons (6)

The Fiddler's Lament
Crawling Hand, Ghoul Wolf, Grammy Zombie, Grampy Zombie, Kurchega the Skeletal Bandit, Pecrit Murick the Ectoplasmic Man, Skeletal Horse, Skeleton (8)

The Murmuring Fountain
Blood Raven, Embryonic Neh-Thalggu (2)

Tome of Beasts
Azza Gremlin, Clockwork Abomination, Clockwork Huntsman, Dragon Mithril Young, Erina Defender, Erina Scrounger, Ghoul Beggar, Ghoul Darakhul, Ghoul Iron, Grim Jester, Ravenfolk Warrior, Ratfolk Rogue, Spectral Guardian, Spider of Leng, Spider Thief, Swarm Fire Dancers (16)

4e:
Monster Manual
Demon Hezrou, Elemental Earthwind Ravager, Ghoul Abyssal Myrmidon, Giant Death, Giant Storm, Goblin Cutter, Skeleton Decrepit, Scorpion Thunderclaw, (8)

Monster Manual 2
Angel of Light, Demon Aspect of Demogorgon, Oni Thunderer, Retriever, (4)

Monster Manual 3
Elemental Earth Greater, Elemental Fire, Tanarukk Marauder, (3)

Monster Vault
Goblin - Cutthroat, Skeleton - Decrepit, Stirge Suckerling Swarm, (3)

Pathfinder 1e:
Pathfinder Bestiary
Advanced, Animated Object - Large, Animated Object - Medium, Bebilith, Boggard, Centaur, Doppelganger, Dragon - White - Young, Elemental - Air - Small, Elemental - Water - Medium, Ettin, Ghoul, Giant - Frost, Goblin, Golem - Ice, Green Hag, Half-Fiend, Leopard, Lion, Gray Ooze, Mantis Giant, Mephit - Ice, Ogre, Orc, Satyr, Skeleton - Human, Will-O'-Wisp, Wolverine Dire, Worg - Winter Wolf, Yeth Hound, Young Creature, Zombie Fast, Zombie - Human, (33)

Pathfinder Bestiary 2
Amoeba Giant, Attic Whisperer, Bodak, Elemental - Ice - Small, Forlarren, Gremlin - Jinkin, Gremlin - Nuglub, Krenshar, Mandragora, Megaloceros, Peryton, Quickling, Revenant, Spriggan, Sylph, Tendriculos, Troll - Ice, Twigjack, Witchfire, (19)

Pathfinder Bestiary 3
Annis Hag, Atomie, Caryatid Column, Cold Rider, Familiar - Goat, Faun, Golem - Bone, Herd Animal - Elk, Huecuva, Merrow - Freshwater, Puckwudgie, Sprite, Tatzylwyrm, Troll - Moss, Trollhound, Zoog, Zuvembie, (17)

Adventure Path 67 Snows of Summer
Arctic Tatzylwyrm, Atomie Winter-Touched, Atomie Winter-Touched Oracle 2, Boreal, Forlarren Winter-Touched Bard 2, Frost Skeleton, Giant Weasel, Half-Orc Rogue 3, House Spirit - Domovoi, Human Cleric 3, Human Fighter 2 Sorcerer 3, Human Fighter 2 Ranger 1, Human Warrior 1, Human Warrior 1 Sick, Human Witch 5, Mantis Giant Advanced, Sprite Winter-Touched, Sprite Winter-Touched Fighter 1, Sylph Cleric 3, Winter-Touched, Witchcrow Greater, (21)

Adventure Path 68 The Shackled Hut
Animal Companion Bird Falconer, Dancing Hut, Dawn Piper, Goblin Snow Alchemist 2, Goblin Snow Warrior 3, Gremlin Jinkin Winter-Touched, Huldra Sorcerer 2, Human Fighter 2, Human Fighter 4, Human Ranger 2, Human Rogue 6, Human Witch 6, Ice Troll Advanced, Mirror Man, Quickling Winter, Winter, Worg Winter Wolf Sickened, (17)

Adventure Path 69 Mother, Maiden Crone
Annis Hag Cleric 5, Centaur Ranger 1, Demon - Andrazku, Ettin Witch 4, Forlarren Advanced Alchemist 4, Human Ghost Barbarian 6, Megaloceros Boreal, Satyr Half-Fiend (8)

Book of Beasts: Monsters of the Shadow Plane
Onyx Ooze (1)

Classic Horrors Revisited
Burning Skeleton, (1)

Classic Monsters Revisited
Wikkawak, (1)

Midgard Bestiary
Kikimora, (1)

Irrisen Land of Winter
Boreal Creature, Boreal Wolf, Guardian Doll, (3)

Land of the Linnorm Kings
Huldra, Mindslaver Mold, (2)

Tome of Horrors Complete
Baccae, Swarm - Raven, Witch Tree, (3)

3e:
Monster Manual:
MM 3.0
Pit Fiend, Frost Giant, Gnoll, Kuo Toa, Kuo Toa Archpriest, Kuo Toa Whip, Orc, Skeleton, Snake Constrictor, Giant Ant, Giant Spider (11)

3.5 SRD/Monster Manual
Aboleth Mage, Allip, Animated Object, Aranea, Archon Lantern, Archon Hound, Archon Trumpet, Avoral, Azer, Behir, Bugbear, Celestial Creature, Chimera, Demon - Bebilith, Demon - Dretch, Demon - Glabrezu, Demon - Hezrou, Demon - Retriever, Demon - Succubus, Demon Vrock, Devil - Horned, Devil - Imp, Dire Bat, Dire Boar, Dire Weasel, Dire Wolf, Dwarf - Deep, Dwarf - Duergar, Elemental Water, Gray Elf, Wild Elf, Fiendish Creature, Fomorian Worker, Fomorian Myrmarch, Fomorian Queen, Shrieker, Gargoyle, Efreeti, Fire Giant, Goblin, Gray Render, Griffon, Half-Fiend, Hellhound, Hobgoblin, Cryohydra, Invisible Stalker, Lizardfolk, Lycanthrope - Wererat, Air Mephit, Ice Mephit, Dark Naga, Night Hag, Gray Ooze, Orc, Planetouched Aasimar, Planetouched Tiefling, Rakshasa, Roper, Slaad Red, Hellwasp Swarm, Rat Swarm, Treant, Troll, Worg, Badger, Black Bear, Bison, Cat, Dog, Riding Dog, Eagle, Horse Light Riding, Hyena, Lion, Monkey, Owl, Rat, Raven, Constrictor Snake, Wolf, Giant Fire Beetle, Giant Wasp, Giant Centipede, Monstrous Spider Hunting, Zombie Human, (86)

Other WotC Monster Books:
MMII
Ash Rat, Demon - Palrethee, Moonbeast, Runic Guardian, Teratomorph, (5)

Non-WotC Monster Books:
Advanced Bestiary
Dread Wight Creature, Nightmare Creature (2)
Book of Beasts
Dragon - Gray, (1)
Book of Fiends
Devil - Magugon, (1)
Book of Templates
Elemental Creature - Earth, Elemental Creature - Water, (2)
Complete Minions
Asherake, Demon - Salt, Dover, Faust, Forlorn, Frostbiter, Ulatra, Vore, (8)
Creature Collection II
Golem - Serpent, (1)
Creature Collection III
Grillin (1)
Denizens of Avadnu
Spirit Swarm - Earth Swarm, Tangleweed, (2)
Denizens of Darkness
Elemental - Pyre, Golem - Zombie, Vampire - Vyrloka, (3)
Encyclopedia of Demons and Devils
Aatze the Bull Demon, Belial, (2)
Kaiser's Garden
Bractyran Whelp (1)
Manual of Monsters
Jungle Troll, (1)
Monster Geographica Forest
Gorilla Bear, Stinging Woodfly, (2)
Monsters of Norrath
Sarnak, (1)
Penumbra Fantasy Bestiary
Zenzogin, Barrow Wight, (2)
Tome of Horrors Revised
Bullywug, (1)

Non-Monster Sourcebooks:
Complete Guide to Drow
Shur, (1)
Complete Guide to Wererats
Wererat Exemplar, Wererat Shifter, (2)
Complete Book of Eldritch Might
Magical Construct, (1)
Everybody Else
Sailor 1, Sailor 3, Sailor Ship's Mate, (3)
Mindcraft
Mindeater, (1)
Neiyar:
Generic Sailor (1)
Slayer's Guide to Demons
Dark Lantern, Jarugar, Pyarian, Mad Winds, (4)
Tome of Magic
Dark Creature, (1)
Strange Tribes of the Scarred Lands
Pandemoniac Creature, (1)

Modules:
Lord of the Iron Fortress
Axiomatic Creature, Blade Golem, Steel Predator, (3)
Demon God's Fane
Iron Chimera, (1)
The Crypt of St. Bethesda
Spider - Giant, Wormwraith, (2)
Freeport Trilogy
Serpent Folk - Degenerate, Serpent Folk - Civilized (2)
Crucible of Chaos
Shoggoth (1)

Web Enhancements/Online sources:
Book of Fiends Web Enhancement
Demonic Creature, Devilish Creature, (2)

Fiery Dragon Web Enhancement Ogdoad
Blue Ogdoad, Death Ogdoad, (2)

Freeport web enhancement
Disease Spirit, (1)

RollInitiative.com monsters
Oozombie, (1)

d20 Modern:
d20 Modern SRD:
Fiend Rotlord, (1)

d20 Arcana SRD:
Chemical Toxyderm, (1)

d20 Menace Manual
Dimensional Horror, Fiend Stygilor, (2)

Hackmaster:
Hacklopedia of Beasts VII
Snow Beast, (1)

2e:
Monstrous Manual
Goblin

RA1 Feast of Goblyns
Crawling Claw, Goblyn, Skeleton Warrior, Swordwraith, Undead Beast (5)

RA2 Ship of Horror
Lebentod, Meredoth Necromancer 20, Skeletal Shark, Snow Golem, Starfish Giant, (5)

RM3 Web of Illusion
Archer, Arijani Illusionist 13 priest 9 Rakshasa, Dark Sister Assassin 5, Nightmare Tree, Priestess of Kali 8, Spirit Naga, Tiger, Weretiger, (8)

The Dancing Hut of Baba Yaga
Baba Yaga (1)

1e:
Monster Manual
Aerial Servant, Ankheg, Ant - Giant, Ape - Carnivorous, Bear - Cave, Boar - Wild, Bugbear, Crayfish - Giant, Dog - War, Doppelganger, Elemental - Earth, Frog - Giant, Ghost, Ghoul, Giant - Hill, Gnoll, Green Slime, Harpy, Hell Hounds, Hobgoblin, Hyena - Giant Hyenaedon, Leprechaun, Lizard - Giant, Lizard Man, Ogre, Ogre Mage, Orc, Rat - Giant, Shrieker, Skeleton, Sphinx - Gynosphinx, Spider - Huge, Stirge, Treant, Troglodyte, Troll, Wight, Vampire, Zombie, (39)

Fiend Folio
Caryatid Column, Devil Dog, Elf - Drow, Frost Man, Guardian Familiar, Lizard King, Ogrillion, Revenant, (8)

Monster Manual II
Atomie, Aurumvorax, Boggle, Cloaker, Deva Astral, Executioner's Hood, Galeb Duhr, Haunt, Sundew Giant, Tenebrous Worm, Tunnel Worm, Wolfwere, Xeg-Yi, Yeth Hound, Yochlol, (15)

I2 Tomb of the Lizard King
Vampiric Lizard Man (1)


Ones encountered playing as a PC
as Voadam:
2e: Aboleth, Basilisk, Bugbear, Demon Succubus, Devil Ice, Dracolisk, Draconian, Dragon Blue, Dragon Celestial, Dragon Red, Dwarf, Earthquake Beetle, Elf, Elf Dimernesti, Elf Drow, Gargoyle, Giant Cloud, Gnoll, Gorgon, Griffin, Human, Kobold, Lizard Man, Mimic House Hunters, Mind Flayer, Minotaur, Nightmare, Nymph, Orc, Orc Scro, Otter Giant, Vampire,

1e: Ancient Earth Powers, Astral Marauder, Chaos Slugs, Death Knight, Demon Imp, Demon Key, Dragon Black, Dragon Bronze, Dragon Celestial(?), Dragon Man, Elf Drowesti, Githyanki, Goblin, Human, Lich, Lycanthrope Werewolf, Skeleton, Skeleton Mastodon,

3e: Al Miraj, Angel Planetar Corrupted, Archon Hound, Archon Lantern, Athach, Beholder, Bodak, Blood Ooze, Carrion Crawler Half Black Dragon, Catfolk, Celestial, Couatl, Crocodile Giant, Demon Alrunes, Demon Balor, Demon Dretch, Demon Hezrou, Demon Marilith, Demon Wolf-Spider, Demon Vrock, Devil Bone, Devil Chain, Dire Tiger Pseudonatural, Dire Wolverine, Displacer Beast, Dragon Black Ghost, Dragon Silver, Dragon Turtle, Drider, Dwarf, Elemental Air, Elf Drow, Elf Drow Drau, Elf Drow Half Black Dragon, Elf Gray, Elf, Elf Wild, Fiendish, Gibbering Mouther Vampire, Ghost, Giant Hill, Giant Stone Half Black Dragon, Girallion, Golem Dragon, Golem Tombstone, Gray Render, Hag Green, Hag Night, Half Dragon, Harpy, Human, Ironmaw, Lamia, Lizardfolk, Minotaur, Mind Flayer, Mohrg, Mummy, Orc, Orc Half-Orc, Ogre, Ogre Mage, Phasm, Shadow, Slaadi, Spectre, Tendriculous, Tiefling, Treant, Umber Hulk, Umber Hulk Half Black Dragon, Vampire, Werewolf Vladaam, Warforged, Wight, Wraith Dreadwraith, Wylden, Wyvern, Yuan Ti,

4e: Archon Ice, Beholder Undead Tyrant, Blackstar Knight, Death Knight Human Fighter, Doomspeaker, Effigy St. Alabat Tainted, Elf Drow, Elf Drow Exarch of Lolth, Frog Thornskin, Gargoyle Monastery, Ghoul Abyssal, Ghoul Abyssal Horde, Ghoul Straggler, Ghovran Akti Ebon Rider Spellmaster Eladrin Lich, Giant Earth, Giant Earth Titan, Giant Fire King, Giant Fire Icefist, Giant Fire Titan, Giant Frost, Giant Frost Titan, Githyanki, Golem Iron Arcanohive, Hellhound, Hertrud, Hippogriff, Hobgoblin Possessed Girl, Living Spell Black Tentacles, Living Spell Flaming Sphere, Living Spell Web, Monk Corrupted Abbot, Monk Corrupted Archer, Naga Bone, Neogi Larvae Swarm, Neogi Old Master, Nightmare Shadowclaw Mount, Orc Battle-Tested, Ogre Hunter, Owlbear Butler, Pestilence Orb of Omak-rhun, Primordial Piranoth, Salamander, Skulk Murderer, Snake Flame, Snake Shadow, Steel Wasp Darter, Stirge Suckerling Swarm, Troll Druid, Troll Grappler, Troll Tree Hurler, Troll Shade, Troll Shadow Shaman, Troll Two-Headed, Troll War Troll, Umber Hulk, Vampire Mob, Wight,

August's Game: Goblin, Jungle Squid, Spider Big, Werecrocodile, Wereshark, Werewolf,

Pathfinder: Angel Planetar, Archon Lantern, Auroch Man-Eating, Banshee, Barghest, Bat Swarm, Bebilith, Berbalang, Bison Fiendish, Bodak, Bulette, Chimaera Mythic, Cockroach Giant, Darkmantle, Demon Abrikandilu, Demon Babau, Demon Dretch, Demon Incubus, Demon Marilith, Demon Nabassu, Demon Nalfeshnee, Demon Quasit, Demon Retriever, Demon Schir, Demon Shadow, Demon Succubus, Demon Succubus Mythic, Demon Vermlek, Devil Imp, Dragon Blue, Dragon Copper, Dragon Purple, Dragon Red, Dragonborn, Drake Rift, Dwarf, Eagle Fiendish, Elemental Air, Elemental Earth, Elemental Fire, Elf, Elf Drow, Elf Eladrin, Elf Half-Elf, Fiendish, Fire Beetle Fiendish, Fly Giant, Froghemoth, Gargoyle, Ghoul, Ghoul Ghast, Giant Cloud, Goblin, Golem Clay Mythic, Golem Clockwork, Golem Stained Glass, Golem Stone, Gorgon, Grimslake, Halfling, Hobgoblin, Horse Pony Fiendish, Huecuva, Human, Hyena Fiendish, Kobold, Kraken, Lich, Linnorm, Maggot Giant, Mephit, Minotaur Fiendish, Mimic Advanced, Mongrelman, Monitor Lizard, Mummy, Neothelid, Night Hag, Nightmare Cauchemare, Orc Half-Orc, Purple Worm, Qlippoth, Rat Dire, Revenant, Salamander, Shadow, Siren, Spectre, Spider Giant, Slaad (Brown?), Snake Venomous, Swarm Abyssal Worm Larvae, Tiefling, Vampire Orc, Vampire Spawn, Vescavore Swarm, Wasp Swarm, Wight, Wight Winter, Will-o'-Wisp, Woundwyrm Female, Woundwyrm Male, Zombie Human, Zombie Human Apocalypse,

5e: Animated Object Tree, Animated Object Teapot, Carrion Crawler, Crocodile, Dinosaur Brontosaurus, Dragon Young Bronze Dragon, Dragon Silver, Fungi Shrieker, Gargoyle, Grimlock, Hag Sea Hag, Mephit Steam, Myconid Sprout, Myconid Adult, Sprite,
Alligator Plant Zombie, Bullywug Plant Zombie, Corzathon the Dreamer, Giant Space Hamster With Laser Eyes, Reverse Hydra, Steampunk Undead Hand, Steampunk Undead Torso,

As Esmerelda:
5e: Daemon Arcanoloth, Demon Quasit, Demon Vrock, Flameskull, Flaming Pumpkin, Ghost, Ghoul Ghast, Golem Amber, Kraken Swamptipus, Mirror Fiend, Night Hag, Nothic, Roc, Scarecrow, Slaad Death, Specter, Specter Poltergeist, Zombie Sodden, Dire Wolf, Snake Constrictor, Snake Swarm, Berserker, Berserker Leader

Monkey Toy Assassin, Vistani Thug, Vistani Soldier, Wachter Son,
 
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Arnwyn

First Post
All of the above except online sources [edit: and modules]:

For example:
- MM
- MM2
- MM3
- FF
- MooF
- ToH
- CC1
- CC2
- a whole bunch from converted 2e MCs
- some (but not many) from FR accessories
- very rarely from modules (eg. Pathfinder... once... I think) Nah, I never use monsters from modules.
 

Mercule

Adventurer
I run a pretty PC-race-centric game, so there are more monsters in the MM1 than I'll ever use. I've probably grabbed one or two from some other source, but not enough to remember doing it.
 

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