Why Dungeons and Dragons’ 2025 Monster Manual is Sitting on a Powder Keg

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Why Dungeons and Dragons' 2025 Monster Manual is Sitting on a Powder Keg

As a seasoned gamer with decades of Dungeons and Dragons under my belt, I can’t help but feel a tinge of anticipation mixed with trepidation regarding the upcoming Monster Manual revamp in 2025. The fifth edition has been a rollercoaster ride, excelling at lower levels but faltering when it comes to mid-high CR monsters.

In simpler terms, the upcoming “Player’s Handbook” for Dungeons and Dragons in 2024 is just one of several revised core rulebooks. Meanwhile, the third book in this series, the updated “Monster Manual,” scheduled for release in February 2025, has a significant challenge ahead due to the revisions being made to Dungeons and Dragons in 2024.

5e D&D often struggles to appropriately represent mid to high-level Critical Role (CR) creatures in terms of their actual power. While it’s easy for Dungeon Masters (DMs) to overwhelm new D&D players with the goblins of Phandelver, causing many casualties among beginners, powerful deities and natural forces pose little threat at their designated level. The sweet spot for D&D tends to be around levels 3-10, where encounters seem balanced. However, even in this range, there are monsters that are significantly weaker than their assigned CR—despite the constant addition of more powerful player options in new books.

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2024-08-18 21:06