Where do your monsters come from?

[the Jester]

Where do the monsters you use as a dm come from? Do you mostly use the Monster Manual, mostly WotC books, mostly something else entirely?

Myself, I tend to use a lot of WotC monsters, mostly because I mostly own WotC monster books. I hear Monsternomicom is great, though, and would love to pick it up.

 

[MerricB]

Mostly the Monster Manual, though admittedly, I'm not running a high-level campaign as of yet.

In the last couple of years I've used Monsters of Faerun, Monster Manual II, Fiend Folio, Miniatures Handbook, Manual of the Planes and the Tome of Horrors as sources of additional monsters.

Cheers!

 

[johnsemlak]

In addition to what's posted above, the Creature Catelog at EN World, both the site and the forum. It's the best place for converted monsters not in any WotC product or Tome of Horrors.

 

[the Jester]

Oh, forgot to mention the Tome of Horrors- I love that book!!

 

[Bendris Noulg]

I'd say a bulk of the monsters "present" in my campaign are from the MM, although there are quite a few "basics" in it: Animals to Dragons, Goblins to Fiends, etc. Of course, there are a few that I don't use or those that I have renamed/redescribed (ex: Owlbears are called Gu'Nok Bears and look more like vicious mutant bears rather than a crossbread).

Outside of that, I draw from quite a few sources. Tome of Horrors and Liber Bestarius are high on my list; I also commonly re-use monsters from Minions: Reborn, Nyambe, Necropolis, and Creature Collections 1 & 2. I also have a few flagged out from Chaositech, Creatures of Rokugan, Midnight, and Monsternomicon for future use.

[Edit: Add Creature Catalogue to the "commonly re-used" list... Thanks for the reminder, John!]

I also plan on using most of the Demons/Devils from Armies of the Abyss and Legions of Hell, although I'll likely be getting the compiled/updated book before I do, or I might just update them myself.

I've also used quite a few critters that were released in Fantasy Flight's and AEG pamphlet-sized adventures, as well as gleamed a few from other sources that had a few monsters as extra crunch (adventures, books focusing on a single magical school, etc.).

 

[Inconsequenti-AL]

Mostly they come from the Monster Manual.

Sometimes I'll use a monster that I see somewhere else that strikes a chord... planning to use a few from the rogues gallery here. Legions of Hell from Green Ronin was cool... although I found their ideas more useful than the crunchy bits due to level differences, etc, etc.

I often use the stat blocks from the MM and come up with a completely different description - which can work well if I've got a concept but can't be bothered to do new numbers. Sometimes add a template to them if they need more creepy powers!

I've found that approach only works if you copy the stat block out of the book. Otherwise the Players will be playing the 'guess the monstaaaarrr' game!

 

[DragonLancer]

Mostly they come from the Monster Manual, although Tome of Horrors is up there next.

I am a big buyer of monster sourcebooks but I find them either too specific, (another) humanoid, or are just too difficult to put into an adventure.

The monster books I use are:
Monster Manual 1 & 2. Fiend Folio. Tome of Horrors 1 & 2. The Book of Fiends. Dangerous Denizens. Warcraft Manual of Monsters. Monsternomicon. Libre Bestarius. Dinosaurs that Never Were. Bastards & Bloodlines. Crossbreeds. Monsters of Faerun. Monsters of the Mind. Aasimar & Tiefling. Avatar's Handbook. Creature Collection 1, 2 & 3. and Ravenloft Denizen's of Darkness.

 

[Chacal]

Besides the classic:
Monster manual, Monsters of Faerun, Monster Manual II, Fiend Folio,

I've used 2 books from a friend called "draconic lore " and "necromantic lore" or some title approaching.
I tend to mix monsters, and creat new ones by taking flavor or abilities from several monsters.
I like some of my monsters to have lots of different abilities, even at low level. To keep it from being too much deadly, I usualy choose non lethal abilities, and not too many immunities.


Chacal

 

[Evilhalfling]

Mostly the monster manual, fiend folio, manual of planes (rarely) and ratmen from the creature collection, and , although I tend to make up about/ modifey to be unfamilliar a good number of monsters. I only have 9 humanoid races(well 7 varieties of ratman + 8 other races) and one of the nine has never been seen, only discussed. It makes the world more consitant, but hard to use published material without overhalls.

 

[diaglo]

most of the monsters i use come from my memory. i have trouble remembering which book, article, or source they are in.... so i have to make them up.