How have you used monsters/lore from non-Monster Manual sources?

[Ronnocius]

This could include Volo's Guide to Monsters, Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes, Tome of Beasts/Creature Codex/3rd party or even monsters of your own design. I am always curious to see how often other DMs use material from non-MM sources.

I have used the firenewts from Volo's Guide to Monsters (firenewt warrior and warlock of Imix). I described their blood as extremely hot and that it sizzled when it was spilled which the players found pretty interesting. The firenewts were fairly strong (lots of hit points, high armor class, multiattack and a spit fire ability). The warlock was taken out pretty quickly but seemed relatively standard (I am always horrible at using low level spellcasters such as firenewt warlock, cult fanatic, hand of Yurtrus etc)

[Theron_the_slim]

A lot. I mean Volos Guide and Mordenkainens Tome are pretty much just additions to the monster manual (with the slight advantage, that my more experienced players haven´t memorized every monster of the book yet)

The tome of beast I use more rarely, some great monsters are in there, but a lot of them are just not fitting for my tastes.

My own design comes on occasion into play, sometimes if I need a specific monster that isn´t in any book so far or when the party is facing of against humanoids or something similar. Here I like to add more variety to the common fighters (usually you only have: fighter, caster, chief/king). Having 3-6 different roles for fighters (all with the same cr, just different strengths, weaknesses and purposes) it makes for more interesting fights. (The role of the monster system of 4e is a good baseline here)

[Kane0]

I’ve used monsters from previous editions of the MM, sometimes unaltered even.

[Wryte]

Volo's: I've used Kobold Dragonshields in an early dungeon. I have a Mindwitness located in a mind flayer outpost my players may be discovering soon. I had a band of Tlincalli enslaving a colony of thri-kreen out in the desert, who my players defeated and liberated, respectively. I had a Trapper in an early dungeon, but it died before it really got to do anything. I'll be drawing on more of the mind flayer-related material if my players go further down that storyline.

I used an Archer to great effect in a fight in a sewer. He kept an entire party of level 4 or 5 characters cowering at the other end of the sewer as a CR 3. I've used a Master Thief as a boss fight, and a Swashbuckler as an ally NPC. I've taken elements from the Conjurer, Diviner, and Transmuter to flavor various wizard NPCs.

Mordekainen's: I haven't actually used any yet, but I've got a few planned in some upcoming areas my players should be exploring in the next couple sessions. They're currently investigating a rock gnome archmage's tower, where they may encounter a handful of Clockworks in her study. The wizard's tower may lead them to a mind flayer outpost, where they could find an Oblex Spawn in a jar in the flayer's chamber, and depending on how they handle things, they could find themselves dealing with the city above being taken over by Adult and Elder Oblexes.

I've used an Al-jahar/Dazzle, a creature I found in a 2e Monster Manual, and updated for 5e.

I've also brewed a number of custom NPCs, often through some mix of beefing up the stat blocks of NPCs in the books, and giving class abilities to NPCs. For example, I made a set of Elite Guard NPCs by beefing up the stats and equipment of a Guard, then giving them special actions depending on their equipment. Shield Guards picked up the Protection Fighting Style and a Bash attack for knocking enemies prone. Pike Guards gained the opportunity attack portion of Polearm Mastery. Crossbow Guards gained a toned down version of Hunter's Mark that grants the Archery Fighting Style bonus and advantage on Perception instead of extra damage and magical tracking. Guard Healers gained a 1st level cleric's cantrips and spell slots. And the Guard Sergeant gained the ability to swap the initiative positions of any Guards near her on Ini 20, and a version of Commander's Strike.

Individually they're only, like, CR 1/2 or 1, but as a unit, they can become pretty fearsome, with the Shield Guards standing in front to knock targets prone, granting advantage to the Pike Guards behind them, and disadvantage on any incoming attacks, while the Sergeant ensures the squad is moving in the ideal order and capitalizing on opportune moments.

[PhoenixPhyre]

I routinely use the following:

* MM
* Volo's
* Mordenkainen's
* Kobold Press's Tome of Beasts
* Necromancer Games' 5th Edition Foes
* Lots and lots of homebrew. Actually, 99.99999+% of all the lore I use is my own creation, flavored by bits pulled from the sources. My world is heavily custom, so it kinda has to be.

I find 5e Foes to be a nice resource but I have to alter some things because it was made back during the playtest and things have shifted since then. ToB I use regularly.

[Ronnocius]

Anybody here have the Creature Codex by Kobold Press? I have heard it has dragonborn and the dragonborn nation in my world is going to be at war soon, so I will have to grab it if it does.

[PhantomSoul]

Anybody here have the Creature Codex by Kobold Press? I have heard it has dragonborn and the dragonborn nation in my world is going to be at war soon, so I will have to grab it if it does.

I haven't tried the Creature Codex yet, but the preview (https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/252157/Creature-Codex-for-5th-Edition) includes the index and you're in luck!


Dragonborn, Edjet ............................. 121
Dragonborn, Elementalist..................122
Dragonborn, Heavy Cavalry ............... 123
Dragonborn, Light Cavalry.................124
Dragonborn, Ouroban ....................... 125

[Ronnocius]

I haven't tried the Creature Codex yet, but the preview (https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/252157/Creature-Codex-for-5th-Edition) includes the index and you're in luck!

Thanks, this is all I need to confirm my purchase (I really enjoyed the Tome of Beasts).

[Finback]

CC also has some neat new kobolds for variety. My favourite is the swolbold.

It's a dwarf-sized, ultra-buff kobold. I'm planning to just use lizardfolk minis, but now my players will have to think more creatively against kobolds.