MONSTER MANUAL

A very much needed book for DM/GMs and players looking to play as certain monsters (a feature at my table my kids enjoy at times). Filled with useful details, vibrant art, and important stats on monsters in DnD. Its a good value, and its easy to use during games for GM/DMs and players who forget or are thrown off during game nights

After reading this twice I can say that this is a great tome. Great for DMs and the artwork is very inspiring.Things I likedFantastic artworkUpdated stats to make monster challenging for D&D5.5eVery well organisedNew average Initiative makes combat encounters fasterGreat quality of print.Things I did not likeThe treasure attached to mosters feels like an after thought and does not add much to the gameLess lore than the previous 2014 DMGOverall great value for money, lots of monsters and inspiring art (the dragons look amazing). An essential book for DMs

This version of the quintessential monster book for D&D will hit 95% of what you love about bestiaries.The art is phenomenal and evocative. Just the art alone gives so many DM ideas for the active use of the creatures included in creative ways.The glow up to the average monster makes them both more streamlined and potentially deadly.The addition of many very high CR creatures (and with potency to match their epic CRs) finally makes true high level play viable.The organization is better and more user friendly.My only two minor quibbles…:1: No rules for using the math to build a custom creature.2: The Owl Bear is not a beast…. I mean, come on…. Has Wizards even watched Honor Among Thieves?? Easy to house rule though :).All in all, the best Monster Manual D&D has ever produced by a long shot. I have played since basic and this is by far the best. You will not be disappointed

The writeups are detailed, and the artwork could make this a coffee table book! Very well written - the updates are clear and helpful for a DM working to put new creatures into play.

First thing, overall, I really enjoyed just flipping through and looking at the artwork, some of the dragons have some great full-page images.The stat blocks are much more easy to read with a slightly larger font and a better layout. They actually include initiative and both ability mods AND saves. I also like how, at the beginning of each entry, there is a concise description of the monster, like the Aboleth is an "Ageless Alien Mastermind." They still include the size, type, and alignment but it's in the stat block. I also like how each one has a list of habitats and treasure types (described in the new DMG).Another appreciated difference is the inclusion of more developed NPCs, like Assassins, Bandits, Commoners, Cultists, Gladiator, Guards, Knights, Mages, Nobles, Performers, Pirates, Priests, Scouts, Spies, Toughs, and Warriors. Most of them have two or more varieties with different challenge ratings. It makes things easy when you need stats for whichever level your party might be at. For example, the warrior has Warrior Infantry CR 1/8, Warrior Veteran CR 3, and Warrior Commander CR 10. The Mage has the Mage Apprentice CR 2, Mage CR 6, and Archmage CR12 (and their abilities are kept fairly simple with a limited but versatile range of spells and abilities without getting too complex. (Of course, you can always make an NPC with a character class, but that takes time, and these are meant to be easy to turn to when you need stats for an NPC without a lot of prep.)THe other big difference is many of the entries include helpful and interesting tables to give more detail or variety to the creatures. For example, Kuo-Toa has a table for different community features; the Litch has a table for spirit jars; and the Rober has a table of possible hazards it can drag its prey through.Overall, I'm very pleased with this new edition and look forward to using some of the new monsters in my campaigns, like the Blob of Annihilation, the Arch-Hag, and the Swarm of Larvae.