The ambitious plan to update and revise Dungeons and Dragons is complete. The 2024 Monster Manual comes to stores this week with over 500 monsters for Dungeon Masters to use. This includes 85 new monsters spread across multiple Challenge Ratings.
D&D remains st a level of unprecedented popularity. The new core books aim to take advantage of a fresh audience with an eye to better organization and user friendliness aimed at new players and Dungeon Masters. Wizards of the Coast provided me with physical copies and D&D Beyond access to the book for this review.
The Monster Manual remains the most utilitarian of the three D&D core books. It's page after page of information on monsters to challenge players as they explore the Dungeon Master's world. Sometimes the DM has a monster in mind for their next story; sometimes browsing the book inspires the next adventure.
Each monster entry contains three basic things. There's a short paragraph or two featuring the essential information about the creature, vital game statistics for use in play and an illustration of the antagonist in action. These entries generally span a page or two with some offering multiple stat blocks for different variations of monster, such as spellcasters and leaders.
This Monster Manual includes more monsters that are built for high level opponents. These entries are often meant as the apex predator for a particular type of monster. Several entries also include a "boss monster" version of a lower level foe, such as the kuo-toa archpriest or gnoll demoniac.
Dragons, naturally, get the most luxurious write ups. They spread out over a few pages featuring multiple pieces of art and write ups that span different ages and power levels. Both chromatic and metallic dragons are presented here.
A few monsters get additional elements. Many get a quote from D&D fiction that suggests a way for the Dungeon Master to present the monster. Several get small charts offering ideas to inspire how the monster could be used, such as what strange price a hag might have for its secrets or what an owlbear might keep in its den beyond treasure.
The entries are presented in alphabetical order from aarakockra to zombie. An appendix covers animals including giant and swarm variations. The book ends with monster listings grouped by habitat, monster type and Challenge Rating.
The biggest strengths of the 2024 Player's Handbook and 2024 Dungeon Master's Guide were their organization. The presentation of the game marks a shift from the place holder nature of the 2014 books. These books are built to be more welcoming to players who came to D&D through Fifth Edition.
One of the biggest changes reflects the idea that these new players prefer more monster options over D&D lore. Many entries shorten the description of the monster to present additional variations of that monster in that space instead. I assume that information will be shifted to the campaign books for specific settings or adventures that feature those creatures.
The Monster Manual remains a pleasure to page through. Each monster is an inherest story hook tht offers inspiration on how to feture it as an encounter in the game. By providing more monsters the Dungeon Master has more possibilities for something that fits their idea perfectly or makes them consider using an old monster in a new way.
Stat blocks are presented more clearly. The book opens up with a short chapter on what all the sections mean with some clarifcations on what goes where. I really appreciate the addition of an initiative callout, complete with a median score similar to the ones for damage rolls for those times when you just want to slot in the monster and run the risk of having them roll to go dead last.
The clarity of the stat block breakdown really helped my understanding of how some monsters worked. I like the clear lines between traits, which are constantly active, versus actions and bonus actions which require a roll. I also think consolidating legendary actions and lair actions makes things easier for Dungeon Masters trying to remember all the options they have for ruining a player's day.
There are a few organizational details that struck me as odd. The Challenge Rating is still buried in the stat block instead of clearly stated at the top of each entry. Magic remains a challenge for the concept of having everything on the same page for easy reference during play by listing available spells without listing the details of those spells in the name of saving space.
The small charts that offer story options for some monsters underwhelmed me. If every monster had them it could be col, but they often seemed like they were added to full out the space in an entry where some extra lore could have been added in. Dungeon Masters looking for a masterful execution of this idea with multiple charts full of great inspiration themed to specific monsters should check out Skerple's The Monster Overhaul as an additional resource.
The biggest complaint I have is how the book can be inconsistent in listing monsters. Dragon types, for example, get individual entries but all cultists are filed in the same entry. Maybe I'm being picky, but it bugs me that I have to look up Green Dragon rather than Dragon, Green.
The choice to list monsters alphabetically makes the most sense, but then the alternative listings by type and Challenge Rating in the back should have the proper page numbers as well. If I have to look up something in an index, then find it in the table of contents and then flip to the entry that's frustrating to me as an experienced Dungeon Master. For the new audience this book appeals to, that strikes me as potentially confusing.
Some players will be disappointed in the trade off of lore for more stat blocks. I think it's okay here as someone who got sick of using the same cultist stat block for a decade. Different flavors of the same monster and different builds that scle up are a welcome return from Fourth Edition to keep players on their toes.
2024 Monster Manual is my least favorite of the updated core books but that doesn't make it any less essential. It presents hundreds of challenges ready to be dropped into any Dungeons and Dragons campaign. Each entry offers a chance to hook Dungeon Masters with evocative art and devastating powers. The next adventure is just a page turn away.