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Title: Monster Manual: Core Rulebook III (Dungeons & Dragons, Edition 3.5) ISBN: 0-7869-2893-X Publisher: Wizards of the Coast Pub. Date: 18 July, 2003 Format: Hardcover Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $29.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.2 (15 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: WOW---the wait was DEFINITELY worth it
Comment: It took quite a while to get all three third edition rulebooks, but now they're out. DMs and players alike will enjoy this new spin on the monster manual. It has many many many encounter charts and they have taken a whole new approach by giving PC stats on all of the creatures. I always thought that they should have done this long ago; it really helps when trying to decide, say, if an Ogrillon could bash through the locked door protecting our brave and intrepid heroes. Plus it lists standard feats and skills that certain creatures always have. This is a new move for the D&D game...it breaks down the barriers between "player" races and "monsters." Wanna be a Black Pudding fighter, go for it! But you'll really need this book to get all of the necessary information. Like the other two books, the illustrations are just great. They really help you visualize the creatures, and the artwork is a little more edgy than previous editions. Another thing that I was quite glad to see was the revival of the Demons and Devils. I mean obviously in second edition they just called them Baatezu and whatnot, but now they are back and unapologetic about it. In fact they go into quite a lot of detail as to the fauna of the lower planes, which should really make for some interesting adventures. They also have added some new spins to old creatures, the celestial hound for instance. Also a whole new subtype of creature: the dire animal. Since these are listed in the summoning tables in the Player's handbook, it is really essential that anyone playing a spellcaster get this book to find out the details....all I can say is you WON'T be disappointed.
If you have purchased the other two books and, like me, have been frustrated with the lack of good monster descriptions in the DM guide, then you really MUST buy this book.
Rating: 4
Summary: An improvement, but with room for more improvement
Comment: I'm not going to talk about the controversy over the release of these books and will only be reviewing the information as it's written, and commenting on improvements or setbacks since the last edition.
The previous Monster Manual was a good guide to the basic monsters necessary for a DM to attempt to kill his PCs. The problem is, at that time the rules for 3rd edition were still fairly skeletal, and as time passed and rules were published enabling players and DMs alike to use monsters as PCs, these rules were not in the Monster Manual. Also, some terms were redefined, and even the manner in which the stats of a monster are to be determined changed. Adding to the confusion, the book was designed a little haphazardly, making it difficult to tell just where you're supposed to look for the information you need.
All these rules changes and additions have been incorporated into the new Monster Manual, and this book is now a complete, up-to-date, bound volume of WoTC's holy writ. The problem is, a lot of the organizational problems still exist or were expanded on.
The book boasts a few nice new illustrations, and they're more closely linked to the appropriate monster entry, but there are still some times where there'll be only a portion of a paragraph about a monster on the page that carries that monster's illustration.
Also, the templates have been shuffled in with all the monsters. I have no idea why they did this. There are monsters, and then there are templates to add to monsters. It makes perfect sense to separate the two. I must admit, though, making zombies and skeletons into templates, rather than monsters of dubious usefulness, was a great idea.
Some additions were simply wonderful, though. The "How to Create a Monster" section is welcome, laying out bare a lot of rules that were previously only available by cross-referencing several books. The short, italicized descriptions of every monster are a great template to drop into a dungeon encounter, or at least a starting point for a DM to get an image from.
On the whole, the Monster Manual is a useful tome, and a definite improvement on its predecessor. It still has a few flaws, however, which will no doubt be fixed in upcoming errata.
Rating: 4
Summary: Better than 3rd
Comment: 3.5 MM is alot better than the 3.0 MM IMO. It's easier to use. Grapple attack rating is listed YAY! Orginization is improved to. Templates(like half dragon) are now listed with the rest of the monsters not in a seperate section for templates, which you may or may not like(personal I'd rather flip to where the Hs are at than have to go to the back of the book and look through the template section). Devils got a much needed boost. I wish there was more new art. If you are thinking about getting 3.5 this book is should be near the top of your list. 2 stars for what you call the best 3.5 book? I'd hate to hear what you think of the rest of revised core ruleboks.
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Title: Complete Warrior (Dungeons & Dragons Accessory) by Andy Collins, David Noonan, Ed Stark ISBN: 0786928808 Publisher: Wizards of the Coast Pub. Date: 03 December, 2003 List Price(USD): $26.95 |
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Title: The Draconomicon (Dungeons & Dragons) by Andy Collins, James Wyatt, Skip Williams ISBN: 0786928840 Publisher: Wizards of the Coast Pub. Date: 14 November, 2003 List Price(USD): $39.95 |
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Title: Book of Exalted Deeds (Dungeons & Dragons Supplement) by James Wyatt, Darrin Drader, Christopher Perkins ISBN: 0786931361 Publisher: Wizards of the Coast Pub. Date: 29 October, 2003 List Price(USD): $32.95 |
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Title: Monster Manual II (Dungeons & Dragons Supplement) by Jeff Grubb, Rich Redman, Steve Winter, Ed Bonny, Skip Williams ISBN: 0786928735 Publisher: Wizards of the Coast Pub. Date: 25 September, 2002 List Price(USD): $29.95 |
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Title: Arms and Equipment Guide (Dungeons & Dragons Accessory) by Eric Cagle, Jesse Decker, Jeff Quick, Rich Redman, James Wyatt ISBN: 078692649X Publisher: Wizards of the Coast Pub. Date: 05 April, 2003 List Price(USD): $26.95 |
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