Campaign Monsters [Archive] - Wizards Community

Campaign Monsters [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Hroth
12-29-05, 11:28 PM I was wondering what the monsters usable in a campaign are. For example, say I was running a Dragonlance campaign. I know that the monsters in the Dragonlance Campaign setting and the Bestiary of Krynn manuals are good as well as those found in the Monster Manual (being a core book), but what about those found in the Monster Manual II or Monster Manual III? Could I use monsters found in the Miniatures Handbook? I believe that the Monsters of Faerūn book would probably not be usable in a Dragonlance campaign, but am I right in this line of thought?

Simply put, is there a simple way to determine which monsters from my books can be used in a specific campaign, even if the descriptions don't mention that particular campaign? Thanks.
OamuTheMonk
12-30-05, 12:28 AM Step one: Examine new Monster.

Step two: Determine if monster is appealing to you, as DM. If answer is yes, go to step three. If answer is no, return to step one.

Step three: Use monster in campaign.

Step four: There is no step four. You are done.
ubernex
12-30-05, 01:29 AM Oamu pretty much hit the nail on the head there, use what feels right for the flavor of your campaign. If you want to make sure not to break the "style" of a setting just make sure that you are not violating any major rules of the realm. If the setting doesn't have an ethereal plane, then you probably don't want to use the ethereal filtcher. Then again you could just rename it a "transdimensional filtcher" and run it anyway. For the big traditional settings (FR, Greyhawk, Dragonlance) pretty much anything goes, although some of them have a couple of critters "unique" to that realm. But if you want to mix-and-match no one is going to come breaking down your door in the middle of the night.
Hroth
12-30-05, 03:07 PM Thanks. I had been wondering about that and just was wanting to know what I could use or couldn't. Thanks for clearing it up. :)
devilMonkey
12-30-05, 05:27 PM Yeah, I think you just toss in any monster that you want.

The only caveat I think of is monsters that are clearly part of a civilization. Isolated individuals are one thing. But even monsters have to come from somewhere.

But you could drop even "civilized" monsters into a campaign and just say that they're planar travelers, right?
cat_god
01-02-06, 08:35 PM Monsters of Faerun could be used in Dragonlance, you would just remove all references to Faerun. Abishai could definitely be used as servants of Takhisis. :D

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Hroth 12-29-05, 11:28 PM	I was wondering what the monsters usable in a campaign are. For example, say I was running a Dragonlance campaign. I know that the monsters in the Dragonlance Campaign setting and the Bestiary of Krynn manuals are good as well as those found in the Monster Manual (being a core book), but what about those found in the Monster Manual II or Monster Manual III? Could I use monsters found in the Miniatures Handbook? I believe that the Monsters of Faerūn book would probably not be usable in a Dragonlance campaign, but am I right in this line of thought? Simply put, is there a simple way to determine which monsters from my books can be used in a specific campaign, even if the descriptions don't mention that particular campaign? Thanks.
OamuTheMonk 12-30-05, 12:28 AM	Step one: Examine new Monster. Step two: Determine if monster is appealing to you, as DM. If answer is yes, go to step three. If answer is no, return to step one. Step three: Use monster in campaign. Step four: There is no step four. You are done.
ubernex 12-30-05, 01:29 AM	Oamu pretty much hit the nail on the head there, use what feels right for the flavor of your campaign. If you want to make sure not to break the "style" of a setting just make sure that you are not violating any major rules of the realm. If the setting doesn't have an ethereal plane, then you probably don't want to use the ethereal filtcher. Then again you could just rename it a "transdimensional filtcher" and run it anyway. For the big traditional settings (FR, Greyhawk, Dragonlance) pretty much anything goes, although some of them have a couple of critters "unique" to that realm. But if you want to mix-and-match no one is going to come breaking down your door in the middle of the night.
Hroth 12-30-05, 03:07 PM	Thanks. I had been wondering about that and just was wanting to know what I could use or couldn't. Thanks for clearing it up. :)
devilMonkey 12-30-05, 05:27 PM	Yeah, I think you just toss in any monster that you want. The only caveat I think of is monsters that are clearly part of a civilization. Isolated individuals are one thing. But even monsters have to come from somewhere. But you could drop even "civilized" monsters into a campaign and just say that they're planar travelers, right?
cat_god 01-02-06, 08:35 PM	Monsters of Faerun could be used in Dragonlance, you would just remove all references to Faerun. Abishai could definitely be used as servants of Takhisis. :D