Monster Manual 5

[Jimp]

I just saw it in the Next Month column of the wizards site.
So, anyone thinking of buying it?
I'm going to give it a miss. I've only ever used 1 creature out of MM 2-4 and 2 from Fiend Folio. My shelves are cluttered enough as it is.

[Darkflame]

I can certainly cope without anymore Monster Manuals.

I liked the various books that focussed on specific Monster types (Draconomicon and Libris Mortis, for example), but generic Monster Manuals don't do it for me.

Chris

[Rahdjan]

I don't even own the first Monster Manual.

[The Vorpal Tribble]

Everyone knows I love me creepy crawlies and fanged beasts, but the new format has totally put me off my appetite. Not only that, but the MM IV was so utterly dull and filled with so much needless filler that I don't have high hopes for future publications.

[Charity]

I thought you were the monster manual 5 ^

[ZeroNumerous]

I don't even own the first Monster Manual.

I'm in the same boat as this guy. MMs never appealed to me, because I don't see a reason to buy one when 99% of my villains are human-like in nature. With a human-like villain, I know how to make him that much more of an evil, conniving, little ********. A monster? Most of them are just following their innate biological callings, others have alien-minds that are incomprehensible from the outside anyway, and still more are just recklessly Chaotic Stupid rather than true villain material.

[The White Knight]

I thought you were the monster manual 5 ^

Hahaha, awesome. But really though - VT's concoctions are, at the very least, far more interesting than some of the haphazard creations presented in the MMs. I'd rather buy a book of his than another WotC MM.

[Penguinsushi]

Everyone knows I love me creepy crawlies and fanged beasts, but the new format has totally put me off my appetite. Not only that, but the MM IV was so utterly dull and filled with so much needless filler that I don't have high hopes for future publications.

That is almost me exactly as well. The only reason I own a MMIV, is because I got it for about half price...

As for the V, I'll probably give it a look and then decide. If there's anything I think is cool in it, there's about a 50/50 chance i'll end up with it...

I'm in the same boat as this guy. MMs never appealed to me, because I don't see a reason to buy one when 99% of my villains are human-like in nature. With a human-like villain, I know how to make him that much more of an evil, conniving, little ********. A monster? Most of them are just following their innate biological callings, others have alien-minds that are incomprehensible from the outside anyway, and still more are just recklessly Chaotic Stupid rather than true villain material.

Actually, that's not true. Most of the critters in the MM's are completely sentient - and quite a few, in fact, are smarter (on average) than the humanoid races. I haven't done the math, but I'd guess that less than 1/3 of the published monsters have only an animalistic intelligence. There are very few who's minds are completely alien - most with inhuman psychological makeups are at least comprehensible by the world around them (if a bit deviant), otherwise interaction would be too random to make sense. As for the others being 'chaotic stupid', I think that just depends on how you play them.

Not that I think there's anything wrong with your approach of using humanish villains. Sometimes that's the best way to go. I'm just saying that I'm betting almost all of your human-like villains' personalities could easily be plausible as monstrous creatures as well - so it's really more an issue of style and taste.

~PS

[Fako]

Hahaha, awesome. But really though - VT's concoctions are, at the very least, far more interesting than some of the haphazard creations presented in the MMs. I'd rather buy a book of his than another WotC MM.

I second this one...I'd love to get my mitts on a VT MM.

[Charity]

Hahaha, awesome. But really though - VT's concoctions are, at the very least, far more interesting than some of the haphazard creations presented in the MMs. I'd rather buy a book of his than another WotC MM.

VT's e-book of e-vil will be hitting a forum near you any day now... Or at least it should if there is any justice.

[Dark Knight Renee]

I didn't bother with the MM4, and from the looks of it won't be bothering with ths one, either. It promises to have few new monsters, inevitably fewer useful ones, and lots of space wasted on stuff like Gnolls with Class Levels. No, thanks.

[Renegade Paladin]

As a lazy DM who's in a constant arms race with his players, I'll give it a look, but it's not an automatic buy. If I don't like what I see in the store, it stays on the shelf.

As for not owning the original MM, most of my villains are humanoid too... but those humanoids include those of the "savage" variety, and there's nothing like a polymorphed dragon to mix things up a bit in an intrigue-based campaign arc.

[Skyserpent]

Xern were cool...

[Rincewind]

I've read and will be reading each and every D&D 3rd - 3.5 edition rule, errata book ever published.

There's only one, ONE, 1, I, uno monster book that I can suggest. Buy it. Read it.

"The Lords of Madness"

Probably the best book D&d dudes have ever written.

[Morty]

Since many monsters in first M&M look like offspring of octopus and bicycle, I don't even imagine what's in next ones. So, no, thanks.

[Dhavaer]

I'll buy it if and only if every monster in there is a grick that's either advanced or has some kind of template, each with at least a page of backstory. And there should be a long discussion on the grick psyche and ecology.

Gricks don't get enough love.

[Emperor Tippy]

I'll look at it and keep a copy if I can get it free, but it isn't something I have any real interest in.

I do like the Shadesteel Golems from the MM3 though.

[Rincewind]

"Lords of Madness" is made of Aboleths, Beholders, Illithids, Neogi, Grell and Tsochar... Sod most of them...

I cried man tears of joy as I read the chapters about the Mind Flayers, Tsochars and the Aboleths...

Just mentioning this books brings tears to my eyes... It's so beautiful...

Oh man... Roy, why did you die????...

[Jimp]

Lords of Madness was fantastic alright. I'd tend to put it in the same category as Draconomicon and such though, rather than a monster manual.

[bosssmiley]

I thought you were the monster manual 5 ^

The Hivemind commands that this eggy drone adds its' "+1" to the consensus.

Unless the MM5 has VT's meatworld name adorning the credits section, I will not be spending my hard-earned £££s on it. That man gives us more monsterish goodness in one post than was contained in the entire MM4!

Open message to WOTC: hire Vorpal Tribble as a contributing author on the next D&D monster book. His sheer "this is now it should be done-ness" needs the widest audience possible.

[Damionte]

I always pick up the monster manuals. Even the monster manuals from other sources. The more monsters I have to pull from the better. Most players don't pick up or study all of the monster manuals. so the more variety Ihave the better. My play group is made up of players with 15-30 years of D&D play time a piece. and it's an 8 person play group so you have to work hard to find monsters they're not intimately familiar with.

[Charity]

The Hivemind commands that this eggy drone adds its' "+1" to the consensus.

Shhhh are you mad, don't tell the Americans about the hivemind! (they've been looking for a lost brain for years now)

[Fax Celestis]

Open message to WOTC: hire Vorpal Tribble as a contributing author on the next D&D monster book. His sheer "this is now it should be done-ness" needs the widest audience possible.

I keep trying to get VT to do a book with me, but he keeps turning me down.

[Knight_Of_Twilight]

Need 1, 2 was ok, 3 was amazing.

4 sucked, didn't buy it.

5 looks a lot like 4.

Lords of Madness- 2nd Favorite splat-book ever.

[Jack Mann]

Lords of Madness plus Heroes of Horror plus a comprehensive review of Vorpal's creations equals joy in my black, dungeon master heart.

[Orzel]

I fill my dungeons with very high level fighters, evil sandwiches, basic wizards, pack animals, and vermn with too many HD.

I don't buy MMs. Too much things I never use because I only CoDM.

[de-trick]

id get none cause why have 3 million monsters that u use once or zero times

[Icewalker]

I don't have any. I make all my own monsters.

May get 1 from my friend though, he stopped playing and has it.

[Valdyr]

I'm still waiting for one of these monster manuals to have either a Mauve or a Puce Dragon.

I'll buy that one.

[Sundog]

I get a lot of use out of 1, a little out of 2, quite a bit from 3 (as I mostly play Eberron games) and a fair bit from the Fiend Folio. 4 I didn't (and won't) buy because it has nothing new. This looks the same.

Lords of Madness is quite useful. So is the Libris Mortis.