Sean Merwin

because we were constantly having to adjust things he he did you know great in getting everything where it needed to be but there were still times when it would be like okay we need to change the name of this monster i'm like why do we need to change the name of the monster because we're making the book alphabetical and we have a single page that's orphaned

because we were constantly having to adjust things he he did you know great in getting everything where it needed to be but there were still times when it would be like okay we need to change the name of this monster i'm like why do we need to change the name of the monster because we're making the book alphabetical and we have a single page that's orphaned

So we need to change the name of a monster and move it into somewhere between L-I and L-U. And I'm like, okay, L-O, so we're going to have a monster named L-O. That's how silly making a monster book is.

So we need to change the name of a monster and move it into somewhere between L-I and L-U. And I'm like, okay, L-O, so we're going to have a monster named L-O. That's how silly making a monster book is.

What do you think of that? I think it's problematic. I'm going to throw myself into the hot water here. It's problematic because, again, you want game masters to love these books. But What most game masters need is a fun monster to, at the table, challenge and surprise your players with. By trying to put every monster in a place in the world, you're actually narrowing what game masters can do.

What do you think of that? I think it's problematic. I'm going to throw myself into the hot water here. It's problematic because, again, you want game masters to love these books. But What most game masters need is a fun monster to, at the table, challenge and surprise your players with. By trying to put every monster in a place in the world, you're actually narrowing what game masters can do.

And you run the risk of quote unquote humanizing the monsters. to the point where you no longer want to use them as what they are made for, which is in D&D, beating on and taking their treasure. And telling good stories with. But they need to be antagonists in a way. And so there is this need for empathy in the world, there's no doubt. We need to understand things better. But a game is not life.

And you run the risk of quote unquote humanizing the monsters. to the point where you no longer want to use them as what they are made for, which is in D&D, beating on and taking their treasure. And telling good stories with. But they need to be antagonists in a way. And so there is this need for empathy in the world, there's no doubt. We need to understand things better. But a game is not life.

And so we always run this risk of overbuilding these things that have a very specific need in the game. So it's not bad to do, it can just be if you overextend yourself

And so we always run this risk of overbuilding these things that have a very specific need in the game. So it's not bad to do, it can just be if you overextend yourself

Right. Having a place in the world is fine. It's just make their place in the world something that enhances the story of what the characters are going up against, as opposed to what we did with the space we had in the monster grimoire. was use rather than having big long mythological or sociological or historical where these monsters fit is if you kill this monster and use its brain

Right. Having a place in the world is fine. It's just make their place in the world something that enhances the story of what the characters are going up against, as opposed to what we did with the space we had in the monster grimoire. was use rather than having big long mythological or sociological or historical where these monsters fit is if you kill this monster and use its brain

You can make these things. Because that's what players want to do. When the players kill this strange creature, they don't know. Now tell me about its history. They're like, okay, what do we do now? Oh, you could do this. Or use that space that you have, that limited space, as Teo said, to put in things that characters can interact with, like lore.

You can make these things. Because that's what players want to do. When the players kill this strange creature, they don't know. Now tell me about its history. They're like, okay, what do we do now? Oh, you could do this. Or use that space that you have, that limited space, as Teo said, to put in things that characters can interact with, like lore.

Lore that's specific to that creature as the players are interacting with it. Oh, this thing has a strange horn that glows out of its head. What's the DC arcana check so I can figure out what that horn does while I am fighting this creature? Or what can I do after with that horn? That's what a player is generally going to be interested in.

Lore that's specific to that creature as the players are interacting with it. Oh, this thing has a strange horn that glows out of its head. What's the DC arcana check so I can figure out what that horn does while I am fighting this creature? Or what can I do after with that horn? That's what a player is generally going to be interested in.

Yeah. And that's why art can be so important. in general and why it's super important in this D&D book. Because when you're searching as the game master for story, The first thing you're going to see is the art. So you need to have that context right away of, okay, vampire, as you say. Is it a sparkly vampire?

Yeah. And that's why art can be so important. in general and why it's super important in this D&D book. Because when you're searching as the game master for story, The first thing you're going to see is the art. So you need to have that context right away of, okay, vampire, as you say. Is it a sparkly vampire?

So if I look and if I go to the Monster Grimoire and I flip through and in the back, not only do I see vampire, but I see bugbear vampire. elf vampire and dwarf vampire, and none of them look inviting, right? None of them look like someone you'd want to sit down and have a cup of tea with. So right then, you know that, okay, these are the enemies.

So if I look and if I go to the Monster Grimoire and I flip through and in the back, not only do I see vampire, but I see bugbear vampire. elf vampire and dwarf vampire, and none of them look inviting, right? None of them look like someone you'd want to sit down and have a cup of tea with. So right then, you know that, okay, these are the enemies.