AD&D 2E Monstrous Manual feedback thread

[celestian]

If you have suggestions, feedback or bug reports for the AD&D 2E Monstrous Manual please post them here.

I'm working on a project site here. My goal will be to try and translate requests here (Bugs/feedback) to there as I can so folks will be able to see what is being worked on and what is in the queue. I'll do my best to update them in a reasonable timeframe.

So, with that said if you have questions, suggestions, feedback or bugs. Please post them here.

[Varsuuk]

I just glanced at the Reference book, it looks like it lists "monsters" but nothing shows up there, only genral stuff on dragons, elementals, werecreatures and another thing in next section.
Was this oversight or cut due to immense size of the book?

Also, I'd have to go to the basement to check (especially since I never bought the revised book physically - I bought the DMSGuild pdfs though) but I don't recognize any of the art I saw in MM or the one I saw at start of the PHB. Did you guys hire an artist to do them all due to art copyrights? A shame, if so, but one I can live with. I like the idea of it being a true reproduction but hey...


EDIT: NOPE, I am an idiot ... I forgot that by the time they got to Monstrous Manual they redid the art of my youth I'd forgotten - I just looked. My bad - too bad we can't ALSO buy the original 1st Edition as well (I'd be buying both!)

[celestian]

I just glanced at the Reference book, it looks like it lists "monsters" but nothing shows up there, only genral stuff on dragons, elementals, werecreatures and another thing in next section.
Was this oversight or cut due to immense size of the book?

Also, I'd have to go to the basement to check (especially since I never bought the revised book physically - I bought the DMSGuild pdfs though) but I don't recognize any of the art I saw in MM or the one I saw at start of the PHB. Did you guys hire an artist to do them all due to art copyrights? A shame, if so, but one I can live with. I like the idea of it being a true reproduction but hey...


EDIT: NOPE, I am an idiot ... I forgot that by the time they got to Monstrous Manual they redid the art of my youth I'd forgotten - I just looked. My bad - too bad we can't ALSO buy the original 1st Edition as well (I'd be buying both!)

The monsters are as NPC records. The documentation that was un-related to the specific creatures (like dragon, lycanthropes and golems general information) is in the reference manual. It's the same style used for the 5E MM so the style I went with to keep within the norms.

[Varsuuk]

Works for me. Just checking. It is redundant and I never page through reference manuals when I have the pdf or physical book

[Eru the One]

Ogre & Ogre, Merrow both have an Ability called spell Attack #1 that I can't find what it is supposed to do.
Ogre, Ogre Mage is there supposed to be a darkness Ability with the rest of their spells/abilities?

I have a question about monster xp. I've checked several entries (goblin, ogre, etc.) and the base xp is not used, instead the chief (goblin) or leader (ogre) is used instead.
I know making multiple xp entries would be inefficient, but could the base xp be used on the sheet and the chief, leader, or others be added to the details tab so I don't have to have my PDF open when making encounters?

[celestian]

Ogre & Ogre, Merrow both have an Ability called spell Attack #1 that I can't find what it is supposed to do.
Ogre, Ogre Mage is there supposed to be a darkness Ability with the rest of their spells/abilities?

I have a question about monster xp. I've checked several entries (goblin, ogre, etc.) and the base xp is not used, instead the chief (goblin) or leader (ogre) is used instead.
I know making multiple xp entries would be inefficient, but could the base xp be used on the sheet and the chief, leader, or others be added to the details tab so I don't have to have my PDF open when making encounters?

Both of these items are the remaining bits from the bulk importing I did. I've cleaned up the spell/poison/wand/death Attack #1, there shouldn't be anymore of those.

The exp items I walked through the npcs several times and fixed this on almost all of these I thought but it seems the easiest ones I missed. I've corrected this for those you've listed. You are right, unless I specifically had multiple HD types (like I do for the dragons, elementals/etc) it should have the XP of the basic type.

If you notice anymore of these let me know and I'll correct.

[hawkwind]

Should an ogre be getting 18/00 strength , i was rather surprised when this happensogre.jpg

also is there a way to be turn off the optional rule of PC's dying at -10 HP?

[Full Bleed]

Should an ogre be getting 18/00 strength , i was rather surprised when this happensogre.jpg

That's how strong ogres are. They even have an iconic item named for it: Gauntlets of Ogre Power that imparts 18/00 to the wearer.

The other benchmark strength creatures are the giants: Hill (19), Stone (20), Frost (21), Fire (22), Cloud (23), and Storm (24).

also is there a way to be turn off the optional rule of PC's dying at -10 HP?

While not related to the Monster Manual, being able to houre rule the death threshold more easily would be a nice feature. I always used a house rule where a player could be reduced to -10 + 1/2 their level before dying (with 1/2 their level being a no bleed zone.) The static -10 just doesn't suit the higher level game as well as it does the lower level game.

[hawkwind]

i appreciate that but the stat block on the MM is a straight 1d10 dnd 2e creatures don't get effected by stats, i don't remember coming across DM's back in the day adding strength damage to monsters

[JohnD]

i appreciate that but the stat block on the MM is a straight 1d10 dnd 2e creatures don't get effected by stats, i don't remember coming across DM's back in the day adding strength damage to monsters

For something like an ogre I personally always did.