blackshirt5
First Post
I'm wondering, what do you look for in a third-party monster book? Good stats, good art, portability to other campaigns, uniqueness of monsters?
What do you look for in a monster book?
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blackshirt5
First Post
I think there are enough hags in other books, and I haven't really done any undersea critters yet, it's hard to think of monsters for undersea campaigns that aren't just rehashes of "fishman/sharkman/octopusman #3".
Useful monsters
Back story
Plot lines
Size chart
I like to see monsters I can use over and over again, not just something I will use a few times.
Back story is how and why they are, maybe it is natural facts, maybe myth but something that helps define the monster in a game.
Plot Lines is not that important but a hook or two is sometimes useful to have.
Size chart, okay CoC (old) and Monstericon did it but it really is a nice little bit of fluff.
Back story
Plot lines
Size chart
I like to see monsters I can use over and over again, not just something I will use a few times.
Back story is how and why they are, maybe it is natural facts, maybe myth but something that helps define the monster in a game.
Plot Lines is not that important but a hook or two is sometimes useful to have.
Size chart, okay CoC (old) and Monstericon did it but it really is a nice little bit of fluff.
I'm A Banana
Potassium-Rich
Assuming that the writing's decent and everything is properly done...
* Good art. For a monster book, this is of eminent importance, as this is the image of the rampaging beast I get in my brain...if they look goofy or cartoony, it's less likely that I'd use them.
* A theme. Too many 'generic monster books' out there. If you do a monster book, they should revolve around one aspect of society/life/environment and the critters found there. That way, if I was taking my campaign into the desert, for instance, I could have a whole bestiary to choose form.
* A place in the ecology/society. Monsters fill a niche....which niche do these fill?
* A reason to use them. Nothing frustrates me more than paging through, say the MM2, and going "Wow! Magical Evil Cleric Worms! I like them....now, what kind of story would revove around these guys...I see WotC gives me none....which means I just need to haphazardly insert it into my own campaign whatever which way...."....there should be a reason for the party to encounter the creature above and beyond "it guards treasure."
* Good art. For a monster book, this is of eminent importance, as this is the image of the rampaging beast I get in my brain...if they look goofy or cartoony, it's less likely that I'd use them.
* A theme. Too many 'generic monster books' out there. If you do a monster book, they should revolve around one aspect of society/life/environment and the critters found there. That way, if I was taking my campaign into the desert, for instance, I could have a whole bestiary to choose form.
* A place in the ecology/society. Monsters fill a niche....which niche do these fill?
* A reason to use them. Nothing frustrates me more than paging through, say the MM2, and going "Wow! Magical Evil Cleric Worms! I like them....now, what kind of story would revove around these guys...I see WotC gives me none....which means I just need to haphazardly insert it into my own campaign whatever which way...."....there should be a reason for the party to encounter the creature above and beyond "it guards treasure."
the Jester
Legend
I like a good range of monster types and CRs from low to very high. In contrast to Kamikaze Midgit, I like a variety of climates represented, and I really dig the recent (3e) trend to use lots of extraplanar monsters.
I like to see adventure ideas (the avolakia in the MM2 have the coolest idea- the illithids and the avolakia team up, the illithids eat the brains of thralls and the avolakia animate them since they prefer undead flesh; I used that one as soon as I could!).
I don't like things to be too tied in to a specific campaign; I couldn't justify buying CC1 because of this, or Monsters of Faerun (though a lot of it's useful, there are too many Realms-specific things).
I like to see adventure ideas (the avolakia in the MM2 have the coolest idea- the illithids and the avolakia team up, the illithids eat the brains of thralls and the avolakia animate them since they prefer undead flesh; I used that one as soon as I could!).
I don't like things to be too tied in to a specific campaign; I couldn't justify buying CC1 because of this, or Monsters of Faerun (though a lot of it's useful, there are too many Realms-specific things).
blackshirt5
First Post
Ok, those were very good points KM, I'll keep those in mind. You too Sir Trent, that's a problem that I have with MM2 as well.
Next question: Do you prefer undead as templates or as regular creatures?
And another: If something is brought about by demonic interference or possession, should the demon also be statted up, or just mentioned in the backstory?
Next question: Do you prefer undead as templates or as regular creatures?
And another: If something is brought about by demonic interference or possession, should the demon also be statted up, or just mentioned in the backstory?
blackshirt5
First Post
Ooh, and do you think that including details on harvesting the remains of the monsters and what could be used for magical and mundane purposes would be good? I'm trying to get a feel for this, my basic idea is to model it on the Monsternomicon, I want to match or surpass that book in quality.
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