Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 velkymx Jan 15, 2015 16:27:11	One of the things I’ve always had an issue with in all versions of D&D is the idea that everything is a “Monster”. Many of the monsters in the Monster Manual are unique and would not be encountered more than once in a player’s life time.    http://osrtoday.com/2015/01/15/random-thursday-not-all-monsters-are-monsters/
#2 Razintarr Jan 16, 2015 5:23:02	If the players are going to fight it, it's going to need stats. And having stats in the Monster Manual works well as a stepping stone. From that base you can make adjustments to stats, add abilities and spells, add personalties, motivations, organisations, or in the case of demons whole secretive cults.    Giving a monster like Orcus something like his own supplement wouldn't work for me. It would probably have to many ties to the Forgotten Realms or other existing settings to be of use for me. Just having his stats and being able to mold him into a role in my own campaign world works much better. I see the Monster Manual as a source of inspiration in this regard.
#3 Sorxores Jan 16, 2015 6:58:57	having the stat for the AVERAGE great wyrm dragon, it's cool, it's your job as a DM, to realized that those stats are for the AVERAGE no name great wyrm dragon.   If you want to name your great wyrm dragon, create his backstory, give him allies, foe, friend, slave, servant etc... give him access to legendary artifact etc... it's your job as a DM to do so since Smaug is a great and powerfull dragon on middle earth, but if we move to Tarkir setting (from MTG multiverse) he might be a whimp compare to Nicol Bolas or Urgin.   Then WotC will release a book talking about the named NPC in Forgotten realm, Greyhawk, Eberron, Dark sun etc...   The monster manual exist to give you the average stats of the average creature. Yes Demon Lord are rare and you won't face them often, except if you create a setting where for thousand of years, an evil wizard organization have been doing dark ritual and have created/transform many demon lord, and now this campaign setting is filled with those powerfull demon lord and your epic adventurer need to clean that mess so the world can go back to peace. Then it's your job to take a few of those demon lord and named them, boost there stats and role play them to be as epic and memorable as you want them to be.   If you look, you cannot find TIAMAT in the monster manual, you need to get Rise of Tiamat for her stats, and in there they will give you details on how to play her, what she does, etc...