PDA

View Full Version : Favorite Monster Manual?



Maerok
2008-03-24, 10:52 PM
I think MM3 would be my favorite. I like a good chunk of what it has to offer (Changelings are nice).

Ascension
2008-03-24, 11:00 PM
I'm in love with V. Xorvintaal Dragons, Thoon, creative low-CR golems, the awesomeness that is Dalmosh of the Infinite Maws (I want to run a campaign in his Gullet someday)... it just oozes awesomeness.

Corsec1337
2008-03-24, 11:09 PM
I've always enjoyed the first one. Nothing quite beats the Tarrasque...

RTGoodman
2008-03-24, 11:26 PM
I personally like MM3 the best, since it has a ton of great monsters of various types, styles, and CRs. MM5 is cool, too, but I don't particularly care for MM2 or MM4. MM1 is good too, but it's sort of generic nowadays.

AslanCross
2008-03-24, 11:29 PM
Tossup between MM3 and MM5. MM3 has a lot of interesting monsters, and also has "smarter versions" of common "stupid monsters" like the ogres, gnolls and trolls. MM5 has the Xorvintaal dragons and the Mind Flayers of Thoon which, apart from making interesting encounters, make good plot elements in campaigns.

Ascension
2008-03-24, 11:34 PM
MM5 has the Xorvintaal dragons and the Mind Flayers of Thoon which, apart from making interesting encounters, make good plot elements in campaigns.

Yeah, that's the tipping point for me. As I read through MMIII I thought "Hey, this would make a nice encounter!" As I read through MMV I thought "Hey, this would make a nice campaign." When you find yourself trying to build an entire saga around a single monster concept, you know you've found a winner.

SilverClawShift
2008-03-24, 11:59 PM
MM2 wasn't the greatest, but it has the raggamoffyns. Raggamoffyns are in one of my favorite gaming memories, so it has a special place in my heart.

I <3 Raggamoffyns.

TheThan
2008-03-25, 12:25 AM
I like MMI 3.5 because its got all the classic monsters, orcs, goblins, dragons, demons etc.

CockroachTeaParty
2008-03-25, 12:36 AM
In the end I think MMI is still my favorite. I love Inevitables, Aboleths, Beholders, the original true dragons... I'm yet to run every monster in it. My last session I finally got around to using a T-Rex. Just some classic stuff in there.

Of the newer manuals, I think MMIII is my favorite. It still has the old format (not a fan of the new format), and it has some great, creative monsters, without respewing old monsters with class levels (cough cough MMIV cough cough). Plus, it has Kenku. I love kenku.

I approve of the direction MMV went, though. Low CR versions of iconic monsters like golems and mind flayers is a good move, and the fresh mechanics of a lot of the creature (such as expending HP to use abilities) is fun to run.

Truth be told, MMII still has a place in my heart. It is perhaps the oddest of the monster manuals. It's fun to crack open every once in a while and unleash something truly bizarre. MMIV gets my vote as the least inspiring of the lot. The Spawn of Tiamat... just... meh.

sonofzeal
2008-03-25, 12:39 AM
You know, the one that comes to mind for me is actually Fiend Folio. While it doesn't have "MM" in the name, it's effectively the same thing, and a lot of the monsters therein are just awesome. Maugs, Shadar-Kai, Half-Golems, not to mention the pile of Far Realms stuff it has. It's still 3.0-ish, but right on the cusp.

evisiron
2008-03-25, 12:47 AM
I like MMI 3.5 because its got all the classic monsters, orcs, goblins, dragons, demons etc.

Same for me. I find myself using it the most, but occasionally dipping into the others. Ah, the Avalancher... Good times. :smallsmile:

Thinker
2008-03-25, 01:26 AM
I love MMII. Bladelings are an awesome race.

Emperor Tippy
2008-03-25, 01:28 AM
MM3 for me. I have found it to have interesting monsters and acceptable CR's.

Nebo_
2008-03-25, 02:15 AM
Fiend Folio is my favourite.

TheThan
2008-03-25, 02:26 PM
You know, the one that comes to mind for me is actually Fiend Folio. While it doesn't have "MM" in the name, it's effectively the same thing, and a lot of the monsters therein are just awesome. Maugs, Shadar-Kai, Half-Golems, not to mention the pile of Far Realms stuff it has. It's still 3.0-ish, but right on the cusp.

cranium rats. I hate rats, and the thought of rats that get smarter as they congregate (even to the point of casting spells) just makes things worse,

and to borrow a saying from Bruce Wayne, "its time my pcs share my dread".
buahah (mandatory evil laugh there).

Bag_of_Holding
2008-03-25, 04:48 PM
MM4, purely because it has Zern in it. :smallbiggrin:

tahu88810
2008-03-25, 04:55 PM
I'd go with MM1, you can't build a classic low-level campaign without one.
Or for that matter, a classic campaign. XD

Mr. Friendly
2008-03-25, 05:48 PM
3e: They are pretty much all really good. Artwork and clarity is high all around, the CRs are wonky in places. Other than that though, all really good. I would say though either 2, 3 or 5 are my favorites. More heavily 3 though.

2e: I really, really, really LOVED the concept of the Monstrous Compediums. Loose leaf pages to put everything together in one book? Brilliant! Difficulty: They made each page double sided, so my natural inclination towards OCD was aggrevated highly by not being able to alphebetize. The Monstrous Manual (1st printing) however stands out, even above the 3e books as one of my all time favorites. I loved the pic of the Tarrasque and the very sexy Medusa (Save vs. Petrification indeed :smallredface: ). It had absolutely beautiful art almost all around and a really good assortment of monsters.

1e: Meh, the art was ok and the creatures were all really wonky; still it was a great book. MM2 was a lot more refined and had my precious, precious Daemons (later dubbed "yugoloths" by 2e, meh) in it. MM2 is the real winned of 1e.