After Creature Catalog, MM Advice needed - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

After Creature Catalog, MM Advice needed

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
DontEatRawHagis
Aug 09, 2011 19:09:03 So I have the Dark Sun: Creature Catalog(4e) already, but I want to increase the pool of monsters to choose from so that my players get some different types of monsters to fight.

I usually stick really close to the Heroic tier and am looking for a monster manual that has Elementals, Undead, and insects(maybe even a few beasts).

I know MM3 was very complementary to Dark Sun, but I was wondering if the new Monster Vault is a better buy. I have a limited budget so I can't get both.

If anyone can help I would really appreciate it. Thanks in advance.

Side note: a friend is borrowing some of my books for another campaign outside of Dark Sun.
#2
DontEatRawHagis
Aug 10, 2011 9:50:23 Just wanted to bump this with a simple question:

Monster Vault or Monster Manual 3 for use with Dark Sun
#3
Kurmudgeon
Aug 10, 2011 15:45:40 I don't own the Monster Vault. I have friends who do and they tell me that the monsters in it are reworked, improved versions of some of the older monsters that came out in the MM1 and possibly MM2 (not sure). Anyway, take this with a grain of salt because it is merely second hand info. Perhaps someone else can confirm this?

My view would be, if you want improved versions of MM1 and possibly MM2 monsters go with the Monster Vault. If you want more variety of creatures go with the MM3. Not real sure how much variety it would add to your game though. On the other hand it does have some information about a couple of the Primordials which would be useful if you plan on playing that up.

The best possible thing I can think of is, if there is someway to get ahold of the index and compare what each has. Not sure if this is possible though.

#4
Bly2729
Aug 13, 2011 15:42:04 You might want to consider MV: Threats to the Nentir Vale. The book is full of heroic tier monsters and organizations.
#5
DontEatRawHagis
Aug 13, 2011 22:19:15 I got the Monster Vault, mainly because it was a good combo deal. So far I have to say that it was a good buy, plenty of low level monsters that I can use as well as variations for paragon and epic if I want. Only section lacking is the elemental section, lvl 1 elementals are less scary than the house's stats.

Demons are awesome, aside from Thrii-kreen and Shardminds the humanoid enemies are plenty useful. Maybe if I get bored I'll make a list of monsters that are not compatible with Dark Sun.

#6
therion666
Aug 15, 2011 17:11:40
So I have the Dark Sun: Creature Catalog(4e) already, but I want to increase the pool of monsters to choose from so that my players get some different types of monsters to fight.

I usually stick really close to the Heroic tier and am looking for a monster manual that has Elementals, Undead, and insects(maybe even a few beasts).

I know MM3 was very complementary to Dark Sun, but I was wondering if the new Monster Vault is a better buy. I have a limited budget so I can't get both.

If anyone can help I would really appreciate it. Thanks in advance.

Side note: a friend is borrowing some of my books for another campaign outside of Dark Sun.

You can use any creatures for Dark Sun, just add Psionics. Creatures in all the main books are the same as for darksun (although aquatic ones are almost impossible to come across) but most creatures in Dark Sun are just tougher than the standard creatures and often mutated and exhibiting Psionic innate abilities more often than not.

In the old game of Dark Sun I even converted sharks to land sharks (as apposed to the Bullet 'land shark') but these monsters could dig through the ground to attack, had thick brown scales and about 4 small black eyes.

Others could fly psionically. I even had a plant that could Dominate people and was about 50ft in radius with long tentacles ( yes I used a squid for the encounter but it fitted the plant thing really well), the party killed it and found a water pocket in it's body that they used to save themselves from dying of thirst.

Overall use anything, just reskin it to be scales like a lizard or chitin like a beetle. Funny thing was that the story of Dark Sun saw the Orcs getting killed but their was a very Orc-Like creature called a Tarek, big humanoid with orcish features.
#7
Alphastream
Aug 15, 2011 17:42:14 MM3 has elementals, kreen, and other baddies. All of the monster books favor heroic, though MM3 has a fair bit of paragon.

I am a big fan of reskinning. Take those monsters and change just a few bits and they can be Athasian in flavor. An elemental power, a psionic ability, and cover them in chiton... order up, one Athasian monster, ready to go!

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 DontEatRawHagis Aug 09, 2011 19:09:03	So I have the Dark Sun: Creature Catalog(4e) already, but I want to increase the pool of monsters to choose from so that my players get some different types of monsters to fight. I usually stick really close to the Heroic tier and am looking for a monster manual that has Elementals, Undead, and insects(maybe even a few beasts). I know MM3 was very complementary to Dark Sun, but I was wondering if the new Monster Vault is a better buy. I have a limited budget so I can't get both. If anyone can help I would really appreciate it. Thanks in advance. Side note: a friend is borrowing some of my books for another campaign outside of Dark Sun.
#2 DontEatRawHagis Aug 10, 2011 9:50:23	Just wanted to bump this with a simple question: Monster Vault or Monster Manual 3 for use with Dark Sun
#3 Kurmudgeon Aug 10, 2011 15:45:40	I don't own the Monster Vault. I have friends who do and they tell me that the monsters in it are reworked, improved versions of some of the older monsters that came out in the MM1 and possibly MM2 (not sure). Anyway, take this with a grain of salt because it is merely second hand info. Perhaps someone else can confirm this? My view would be, if you want improved versions of MM1 and possibly MM2 monsters go with the Monster Vault. If you want more variety of creatures go with the MM3. Not real sure how much variety it would add to your game though. On the other hand it does have some information about a couple of the Primordials which would be useful if you plan on playing that up. The best possible thing I can think of is, if there is someway to get ahold of the index and compare what each has. Not sure if this is possible though.
#4 Bly2729 Aug 13, 2011 15:42:04	You might want to consider MV: Threats to the Nentir Vale. The book is full of heroic tier monsters and organizations.
#5 DontEatRawHagis Aug 13, 2011 22:19:15	I got the Monster Vault, mainly because it was a good combo deal. So far I have to say that it was a good buy, plenty of low level monsters that I can use as well as variations for paragon and epic if I want. Only section lacking is the elemental section, lvl 1 elementals are less scary than the house's stats. Demons are awesome, aside from Thrii-kreen and Shardminds the humanoid enemies are plenty useful. Maybe if I get bored I'll make a list of monsters that are not compatible with Dark Sun.
#6 therion666 Aug 15, 2011 17:11:40	So I have the Dark Sun: Creature Catalog(4e) already, but I want to increase the pool of monsters to choose from so that my players get some different types of monsters to fight. I usually stick really close to the Heroic tier and am looking for a monster manual that has Elementals, Undead, and insects(maybe even a few beasts). I know MM3 was very complementary to Dark Sun, but I was wondering if the new Monster Vault is a better buy. I have a limited budget so I can't get both. If anyone can help I would really appreciate it. Thanks in advance. Side note: a friend is borrowing some of my books for another campaign outside of Dark Sun. You can use any creatures for Dark Sun, just add Psionics. Creatures in all the main books are the same as for darksun (although aquatic ones are almost impossible to come across) but most creatures in Dark Sun are just tougher than the standard creatures and often mutated and exhibiting Psionic innate abilities more often than not. In the old game of Dark Sun I even converted sharks to land sharks (as apposed to the Bullet 'land shark') but these monsters could dig through the ground to attack, had thick brown scales and about 4 small black eyes. Others could fly psionically. I even had a plant that could Dominate people and was about 50ft in radius with long tentacles ( yes I used a squid for the encounter but it fitted the plant thing really well), the party killed it and found a water pocket in it's body that they used to save themselves from dying of thirst. Overall use anything, just reskin it to be scales like a lizard or chitin like a beetle. Funny thing was that the story of Dark Sun saw the Orcs getting killed but their was a very Orc-Like creature called a Tarek, big humanoid with orcish features.
#7 Alphastream Aug 15, 2011 17:42:14	MM3 has elementals, kreen, and other baddies. All of the monster books favor heroic, though MM3 has a fair bit of paragon. I am a big fan of reskinning. Take those monsters and change just a few bits and they can be Athasian in flavor. An elemental power, a psionic ability, and cover them in chiton... order up, one Athasian monster, ready to go!