could you please help me choose... [Archive] - Wizards Community

could you please help me choose... [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
RedUncle
06-12-06, 05:24 PM I already own Monster Manual 1, and I've already (as a DM) "used up" all the monsters worthy of interest ------- I desire a new book! I'm trying to choose between either MM2/MM3/and the Fiend Folio.... or perhaps another book which I've failed to mention...

which of these books would best compliment the content of the MM1? I seek diversity, and my budget allows only the purchase of one additional book ------- thanks in advance!!

warm regards
Talisman
06-12-06, 05:33 PM MM2 has more of your basic monsters in it...if you're a fan of some of the classic AD&D2 monsters that aren't in the MM, MM2 has many of them. It's not, however, a 3.5 book; it's 3.0.

FF has weirder monsters, including a few favorites from the 1st-ed FF. It's almost 3.5, but not quite.

MM3 is (for my money) the least valuable of the monster books. Too many unnecessary expansions, too many full stat blocks for advanced monsters, and too many weird monsters. I have it, but I cannot resist monster books in general. It is, of course, 3.5.

If you are a fan of Cthulhoid aberrations, I highly recommend Lords of Madness, one of the best WotC books I've ever owned. It's 3.5.
Golem011
06-12-06, 05:34 PM MM 3.5 would be a good start.
RedUncle
06-12-06, 07:13 PM thank you for your responses - I know now to avoid MM3 --- after having thumbed through it a couple times, I now have had my concerns confirmed ------------ thanks for suggestions - i'll look into that!
dok
06-12-06, 08:40 PM The MM2 is the worst of that selection, IMO. It was the first monster expansion written for 3.0, it was written without the use of any non-core rules (Psionics, Epic) and many of the monsters have serious problems preventing their use. Most monsters have CRs that are too high (especially those above 20), many monsters are "paired" with monsters too strong or too weak for them to effectively work together to challenge PCs, and a lot of the monsters just aren'te well written.

The Fiend Folio is a much better book from my perspective. The monsters are better designed, work better together, and are better for CR. (if they err, it's that the monster might be stronger than expected)

I don't have a lot of direct experience with MM3, though my observation is that the CRs are almost always too low, and that the MM3 assumes PCs are always optimized.

Don't overlook 3rd party publishers. Necromancer Games produces a huge monster book called "The Tome of Horrors", and will provide you with a lot of bang for your buck. Especially if you purchase it as a PDF file, but even paying for the hard copy you get a lot of creautres. Green Ronin is another 3rd party publisher with a strong reputation for quality.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
RedUncle 06-12-06, 05:24 PM	I already own Monster Manual 1, and I've already (as a DM) "used up" all the monsters worthy of interest ------- I desire a new book! I'm trying to choose between either MM2/MM3/and the Fiend Folio.... or perhaps another book which I've failed to mention... which of these books would best compliment the content of the MM1? I seek diversity, and my budget allows only the purchase of one additional book ------- thanks in advance!! warm regards
Talisman 06-12-06, 05:33 PM	MM2 has more of your basic monsters in it...if you're a fan of some of the classic AD&D2 monsters that aren't in the MM, MM2 has many of them. It's not, however, a 3.5 book; it's 3.0. FF has weirder monsters, including a few favorites from the 1st-ed FF. It's almost 3.5, but not quite. MM3 is (for my money) the least valuable of the monster books. Too many unnecessary expansions, too many full stat blocks for advanced monsters, and too many weird monsters. I have it, but I cannot resist monster books in general. It is, of course, 3.5. If you are a fan of Cthulhoid aberrations, I highly recommend Lords of Madness, one of the best WotC books I've ever owned. It's 3.5.
Golem011 06-12-06, 05:34 PM	MM 3.5 would be a good start.
RedUncle 06-12-06, 07:13 PM	thank you for your responses - I know now to avoid MM3 --- after having thumbed through it a couple times, I now have had my concerns confirmed ------------ thanks for suggestions - i'll look into that!
dok 06-12-06, 08:40 PM	The MM2 is the worst of that selection, IMO. It was the first monster expansion written for 3.0, it was written without the use of any non-core rules (Psionics, Epic) and many of the monsters have serious problems preventing their use. Most monsters have CRs that are too high (especially those above 20), many monsters are "paired" with monsters too strong or too weak for them to effectively work together to challenge PCs, and a lot of the monsters just aren'te well written. The Fiend Folio is a much better book from my perspective. The monsters are better designed, work better together, and are better for CR. (if they err, it's that the monster might be stronger than expected) I don't have a lot of direct experience with MM3, though my observation is that the CRs are almost always too low, and that the MM3 assumes PCs are always optimized. Don't overlook 3rd party publishers. Necromancer Games produces a huge monster book called "The Tome of Horrors", and will provide you with a lot of bang for your buck. Especially if you purchase it as a PDF file, but even paying for the hard copy you get a lot of creautres. Green Ronin is another 3rd party publisher with a strong reputation for quality.