What Supplement Monsters Deserve a Promotion to Core?

[Stalker0]

I really love the ragewalker from MM3, and its ability to inspire rage in the party definately gives it some uniqueness.

Another vote for living spell. So versatile, but the template is well designed and easy to construct.

 

[pawsplay]

I recall that in one of the interviews at GenCon, one of the designers said that the 4e Monster Manual is intending to avoid Monster Overlap. By that, every monster should bring something new to the table.

He gave an example of a Night Club, with a long line of monsters. And the Red dragon walks up to the bouncer and the bouncer says, "What do you do?" "I breathe fire." "Okay, come on in." And then some other fire breathing monster comes up, and the Bouncer asks "So, what do you do?" "I breathe fire." "Welll we all ready have someone who does that."

So an important question is: What does This Monster bring to the table that other monsters don't? What makes this guy unique?

I think that's a misguided design philosophy. That's how you end up with edible lasagna golems. There is a reason some concepts have never really made it as monsters. It's really a mistake to think there is anything new under the sun. It's all in presentation and language.

Still, that does not mean this view is inaccurate WRT the 4e design team.

 

[Simia Saturnalia]

I think that's a misguided design philosophy. That's how you end up with edible lasagna golems. There is a reason some concepts have never really made it as monsters. It's really a mistake to think there is anything new under the sun. It's all in presentation and language.

Still, that does not mean this view is inaccurate WRT the 4e design team.

If one isn't looking to believe the worst - I'll even grant you I'm an optimist about the 4e team - it could also imply that the next question is "What else have you got?"

 

[Exen Trik]

Fang dragons.

Sometimes, I like a big, scary, spiky, sharp, pokey lizard-thing that doesn't have to breathe fire.

Seconded.

Also shadow dragons, song dragons, or really any other cool dragons that are outside of the chromatic or metallic lines.

That's how you end up with edible lasagna golems.

Hey now don't be hatin', I have SUCH fond memories of my Calzone Golem.

 

[Shades of Green]

All of the Mind Flayer variants from Lords of Madness...

 

[Kunimatyu]

From Lords of Madness:
Grell, Tsochari

From MM3:
Boneclaw, Ambush Drake, Rage Drake, Wood Woad

 

[Felon]

Avolakia (MM2)--The idea of a race of nauseating necrophage aberrations--combining the features of octopus, worm, and insect- that worship Kyuss and shapeshift into the guise of beautiful humanoids is the stuff iconic monsters are made of! The orginal Dragon mag illustration was perfect. The one that wound up in MM2 sucks. Mechanically, it needs some offensive punch so it can do something in a fight.

Braxat (MM2)--A very effective "decathlete" critter with a mixture of control and melee abilities to keep PC's on their toes.

Giant, Death and Eldritch (MM3)--They kill storm and cloud giants and take their stuff.

Grell (MM2)--I think to a lot of folks, these are so iconic that they unconsciously think of them as "core" despite their late inclusion.

Grisgol (MM3)--A magic item golem! It's like a lost creation of Gary Gygax, complete with a screwjob curse for anyone who recklessly runs over and starts rummaging through its remains.

Living Spell--Neat idea, would be great to see how they could be implemented in 4e.

Spellweaver (MM2)--You need an arcane heavy-hitting monster to serve as a change of pace from all of those big, dumb bruisers? This is it. Would also make a great playable race.

Summoning Ooze (MM3)--Basically, an evil slot-machine. Great encounter for a low-levle party.

Zern (MM4)--Like a mind flayer in terms of lfavor, eminently superior in terms os combat options.

Oculus Demon, Carnifex Demon, Viper Tree, Abyssal Giant, Lamia Noble (Expidition to the Demonweb Pits)--EttDP might have had its flaws, but one of them was not a failure to deliver tough opponents. Most of them were well-rounded enough to be proof against the most commonly-exploited PC tactics (like kiting).

 

[Daz]

The one newer monster that I loved to throw at my PC's was the drowned from MM3 (or maybe 4) I don't really think there is another monster with a drowning aura either.

 

[Lonely Tylenol]

Spellweavers--It'll be interesting to see how they get redesigned to interact with the new spellcasting system

Nimblewrights--same reasons as MoogleEmpMog

Kenku--they just make a cool villain race. They worship Pazuzu, and they're a damn sight better than drow in the skulking creatures of the underworld role.

 

[Kaodi]

OK, all of these are from MM2:

Abeil, Automaton, Banshee, Death Knight, Effigy, Famine Spirit, Immoth, Linnorm, Moonrat, Nimblewright, Phoenix, Rogue Eidolon, Spirit of the Land, Sylph, Tempest, Yugoloth