D&D (2024) What would you like to see in the new Monster Manual (2025)?

[JEB]

At least as much lore as the 2014 Monster Manual had, for both the existing monsters and especially for the new ones. Ideally even more. Make me interested in telling stories with these monsters.

 

[R_J_K75]

At least as much lore as the 2014 Monster Manual had, for both the existing monsters and especially for the new ones. Ideally even more. Make me interested in telling stories with these monsters.

Thats what I miss most about 2E was that the Monstrous Compendiums had so much lore on monsters, their habitat/ecology, activity cycle, number appearing, etc. I used to read the ecology and habitat sections first, It made creating encounters and even whole adventures based on it so easy. Regardless of alignment it made creatures more interesting than just 'here is something to attack and kill". When I was still running 5E a few years back I still read my 2E MMs when making adventures.

 

[Dion D Ritter]

I must say, after reading these posts, I'm really looking forward to some adventure designing.

 

[Tonguez]

Flavour

templates & advice on how to adjust monsters to fit different flavors (and roles)

Habitat descriptions and effects for enhanced flavour

Less generic HP bloat

 

[R_J_K75]

Habitat descriptions and effects for enhance flavour

I don't recall which monster it was but I think it was the dragon write-up in the 2E MM. Under the habitat/ecology/society said that there were telltale signs that a dragon had a lair in the area and went on to say how so many miles in a certain radius would be devoid of natural flora and fauna and the area would be a barren wasteland from them hunting and claiming their territory. These are the little details that really make a creature more than just HP. There was a cool quote in Elminsters Ecologies by Elminster where he says something to the effect and Im paraphrasing...if you go hunting a green dragon, you better make sure it's a green dragon.

 

[Sulicius]

Whenever I see people complain about HP bloat, I think of how easy it is to kill any monster intended as a boss encounter. I usually have to double their HP just to make it through 2 turns.

But want some actual news already?

This is (probably) what stat blocks will look like after the revisions.


First Look at a Never Before Seen D&D Monster! - by Dungeon Dad

 

[overgeeked]

Whenever I see people complain about HP bloat, I think of how easy it is to kill any monster intended as a boss encounter. I usually have to double their HP just to make it through 2 turns.

But want some actual news already?

This is (probably) what stat blocks will look like after the revisions.


First Look at a Never Before Seen D&D Monster! - by Dungeon Dad
View attachment 368353

At least it’s slightly refined. Even if they’re still wasting a lot of space. The ability scores are still vestigial and there’s no reason to include mod and save when the numbers are all the same.

 

[Horwath]

CR system that works.

 

[GrimCo]

Rules for designing custom monsters plus CR system that works. Oh, and templates that are easily tacked on to premade monsters and npc-s.

 

[Kaiyanwang]

Thats what I miss most about 2E was that the Monstrous Compendiums had so much lore on monsters, their habitat/ecology, activity cycle, number appearing, etc. I used to read the ecology and habitat sections first, It made creating encounters and even whole adventures based on it so easy. Regardless of alignment it made creatures more interesting than just 'here is something to attack and kill". When I was still running 5E a few years back I still read my 2E MMs when making adventures.

This is something that probably deserves its own thread but... what happened to morale? Why was it deemed obsolete?