I would at lest like to see a 2e style 1 per page with ecology's and such.
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I do understand your concern. I actually think it would be more than 3 or four books. But I think from a long term vitality standpoint it makes more sense to add more IP to the Monster Book. I hardly ever use my Monster Manual, since it is just easier to use D20srd or print out from the website. There is not a tremendous value to the MM otherwise. Perhaps we wouldn't need six pages for an entry, but I would certainly desire something more substantial that the existing Monster Manual.
I'm glad there are no immediate plans for a 3P SRD then, you'll have to use the 3P monster manual when it comes out.
Realize that most of us DO use the Monster Manual. Page waste might not effect you, but it will effect the majority.
Also, from a business standpoint it's a terrible idea. Any company thinking about using 3P as their game system won't have a monster manual to draw from because it's only got 45-70 monsters in it under your design, that's less then a fifth of the monster in the 3e MM. They can't wait around two or three years before Paizo converts the BASIC library of Monster Manual monsters.
And before you suggest it, PDF products to get stat blocks out faster are unacceptable.
I want Monster Manual Core Rulebook 3 replaced by 1 book, 1 release. After that I want to see no more 3P specific products that don't relate to Golarion for a very long time.
Creative Director
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In my perfect world, there would be three types of monster books for Pathfinder.
1) A core monster book that updates all the SRD monsters and perhaps a bunch of other 3.5 open monsters into one big book. This would have 2 monsters per page (one per column of text, or 1 monster per page for really complex monsters), probably with pretty dense and/or small text and about as much flavor as the 3.5 MM has. This would become the core monster reference book, and we'd likely do ecology-style writeups of monsters from here in Pathfinder now and then (or in book category #3; see below). This book would be super big, too. As many pages as I can get away with, in other words. The monsters in here would be world-neutral, just as in the current MM.
2) Pathfinder Campaign Setting Monster Books that use a format similar to the bestiary at the end of each Pathfinder Adventure Path (1 monster per 2 pages). The monsters in here would be Golarion-specific, and would probaly include a lot of reprints from Pathfinder and the modules.
3) Lots of Classic Monsters Revisited style books that cover various types of monsters. Again; these would be Golarion-specific, to the same extent that Classic Monsters was.
NOTE: No such books are on any schedules yet. But that's my personal take on one possible route we might take.
In my perfect world, there would be three types of monster books for Pathfinder.
1) A core monster book that updates all the SRD monsters and perhaps a bunch of other 3.5 open monsters into one big book. This would have 2 monsters per page (one per column of text, or 1 monster per page for really complex monsters), probably with pretty dense and/or small text and about as much flavor as the 3.5 MM has. This would become the core monster reference book, and we'd likely do ecology-style writeups of monsters from here in Pathfinder now and then (or in book category #3; see below). This book would be super big, too. As many pages as I can get away with, in other words. The monsters in here would be world-neutral, just as in the current MM.
2) Pathfinder Campaign Setting Monster Books that use a format similar to the bestiary at the end of each Pathfinder Adventure Path (1 monster per 2 pages). The monsters in here would be Golarion-specific, and would probaly include a lot of reprints from Pathfinder and the modules.
3) Lots of Classic Monsters Revisited style books that cover various types of monsters. Again; these would be Golarion-specific, to the same extent that Classic Monsters was.
NOTE: No such books are on any schedules yet. But that's my personal take on one possible route we might take.
For what its worth, I really like that plan of attack.
I want Monster Manual Core Rulebook 3 replaced by 1 book, 1 release. After that I want to see no more 3P specific products that don't relate to Golarion for a very long time.
Ummmmm.... good for you? Maybe some of the rest of us want something different. I like the OP's suggestion. And by definition, wouldn't a 3P MM be a Golarion release?
You're sounding a little cranky Sir Urza...
In my perfect world, there would be three types of monster books for Pathfinder.
1) A core monster book that updates all the SRD monsters and perhaps a bunch of other 3.5 open monsters into one big book. This would have 2 monsters per page (one per column of text, or 1 monster per page for really complex monsters), probably with pretty dense and/or small text and about as much flavor as the 3.5 MM has. This would become the core monster reference book, and we'd likely do ecology-style writeups of monsters from here in Pathfinder now and then (or in book category #3; see below). This book would be super big, too. As many pages as I can get away with, in other words. The monsters in here would be world-neutral, just as in the current MM.
2) Pathfinder Campaign Setting Monster Books that use a format similar to the bestiary at the end of each Pathfinder Adventure Path (1 monster per 2 pages). The monsters in here would be Golarion-specific, and would probaly include a lot of reprints from Pathfinder and the modules.
3) Lots of Classic Monsters Revisited style books that cover various types of monsters. Again; these would be Golarion-specific, to the same extent that Classic Monsters was.
NOTE: No such books are on any schedules yet. But that's my personal take on one possible route we might take.
Even better!
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Ummmmm.... good for you? Maybe some of the rest of us want something different.
Yes well just remember, there are people out there fearful they'll be lured into having to replace their entire collection of 3E stuff. The moment Paizo starts reprinting CORE product over several books instead of quick and easy is the moment they lose those people.
I don't mind a 3P Monster Manual 2 of good 3rd party monsters under 3P rules and reprints of monsters from the AP volumes. But such a book is optional, unlike Monster Manual Core Rulebook 3.
And by definition, wouldn't a 3P MM be a Golarion release?
So when you play D&D 3E you're playing in Greyhawk? Because you know, the gods in the PHB are Greyhawk.
No a 3P MM would not be a Golarion release, it's gotta be as generic as the 3E. Pathfinder RPG isn't meant to be Golarion ONLY.
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1) A core monster book that updates all the SRD monsters and perhaps a bunch of other 3.5 open monsters into one big book. This would have 2 monsters per page (one per column of text, or 1 monster per page for really complex monsters), probably with pretty dense and/or small text and about as much flavor as the 3.5 MM has. This would become the core monster reference book, and we'd likely do ecology-style writeups of monsters from here in Pathfinder now and then (or in book category #3; see below). This book would be super big, too. As many pages as I can get away with, in other words. The monsters in here would be world-neutral, just as in the current MM.I'd sort of expected that #2 and #3 were a given. But a dense, intense heavy-hitter like #1 would be awesome!
Don't get too excited, he said in a perfect world and that none of it was planned. Such a Monster Manual as described by #1 would break 700 pages in order to JUST "updates all the SRD monsters" and likely carry a $75+ price tag.
Never going to happen.
So when you play D&D 3E you're playing in Greyhawk? Because you know, the gods in the PHB are Greyhawk.
No a 3P MM would not be a Golarion release, it's gotta be as generic as the 3E. Pathfinder RPG isn't meant to be Golarion ONLY.
So 3E is generic but 3E is Greyhawk? Didn't you just contradict yourself in two sentences space?
Bleed over from the default setting is almost inevitable. I can't see the 3P MM containing dragons and NOT having those dragons be the Golarion dragons rather than 3E dragons. 3E goblins versus 3P goblins? Monster listing without flavor is just stat blocks and for that PDFs will be just fine...
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So 3E is generic but 3E is Greyhawk? Didn't you just contradict yourself in two sentences space?
So when you play D&D 3E you're playing in Greyhawk? Because you know, the gods in the PHB are Greyhawk.
No a 3P MM would not be a Golarion release, it's gotta be as generic as the 3E. Pathfinder RPG isn't meant to be Golarion ONLY.
I'm not contradicting anything, look at what I quoted you saying. You said a 3P Monster Manual would be a Golarion release, I'm point out to you that it doesn't have to be. The PHB had Greyhawk in it but it wasn't Greyhawk.
Bleed over from the default setting is almost inevitable.
Glad that's cleared up.
I can't see the 3P MM containing dragons and NOT having those dragons be the Golarion dragons rather than 3E dragons. 3E goblins versus 3P goblins? Monster listing without flavor is just stat blocks and for that PDFs will be just fine...
No, they shouldn't be Golarion dragons.
The Pathfinder RPG book is a setting neutral product.
Let me say that again, setting neutral.
Yes, the Golarion gods are there to replace the Greyhawk gods, because there need to be goods in the PHB. BUT that's all there is in the Pathfinder RPG book. Just like the Greyhawk gods in the PHB, the Golarion gods aren't open content.
The first Monster Manual needs to be as setting neutral, just like the original Monster Manual, as the Pathfinder RPG book is, so that anyone that wants to use these rules, both player and publisher, can without information in it being invalid and wasteful.
The moment a Core supplement gets cluttered with setting specific stuff, is the moment it becomes unusable as an independent game system.
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Creative Director
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Don't get too excited, he said in a perfect world and that none of it was planned. Such a Monster Manual as described by #1 would break 700 pages in order to JUST "updates all the SRD monsters" and likely carry a $75+ price tag.
Never going to happen.
Never say never...
And I'm not sure why this thread's threatening to turn into a big argument or flame war. Monsters shouldn't cause arguments or flame wars! That's not what monsters are about!
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Never say never...Don't get too excited, he said in a perfect world and that none of it was planned. Such a Monster Manual as described by #1 would break 700 pages in order to JUST "updates all the SRD monsters" and likely carry a $75+ price tag.
Never going to happen.
Pffft. I'll believe it when I see it. Necromancer was in the best position in 3E to do that and they opted for 3 hardcovers instead.
Monsters shouldn't cause arguments or flame wars! That's not what monsters are about!
Monsters cause arguments all the time.. especially when they're mixed races banding together... orc and goblins don't get along. As for flame wars.. tell that to the goblin pyros!
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Creative Director
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Pffft. I'll believe it when I see it. Necromancer was in the best position in 3E to do that and they opted for 3 hardcovers instead.Never say never...Don't get too excited, he said in a perfect world and that none of it was planned. Such a Monster Manual as described by #1 would break 700 pages in order to JUST "updates all the SRD monsters" and likely carry a $75+ price tag.
Never going to happen.
In any event... we haven't really started to think about what we're going to do with a Pathfinder RPG Monster Book, beyond the obvious fact that we'll NEED one. At the very least, it'll more or less amount to reprinting the SRD monsters (illustrated, likely, with a combination of new art and art harvested from our other products), which would give us a book roughly the size of the 3.5 Monster Manual. Honestly... that's all that book really needs to be, but I'd like to add in more monsters, of course. The 3.5 Monster Manual is only 320 pages long. Adding 100 pages to that would basically give us another 150 to 200 or more monsters to add in. We know we can make and sell a 400 or so page book... that's how big the Shackled City hardcover was, after all. A big monster book like this is ABSOLUTELY not impossible.
It is, however, well over a year away at the VERY LEAST. So it doesn't make much sense for me to talk much more about it, aside from confirming the hopes/suspicions that we are very likely to have a big thick monster book to support the Pathfinder RPG. It'd be stupid not to do that, I would think.
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Creative Director
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Have you ever seriously considered printing a monster manual with maybe more pages, but also with BIGGER pages. Is there any industry related reason why all RPG books seem to be the same size as the 3.5 D&D core books? Something to do with the dimensions of shop shelves, for example, or what size bookcases most people have in their homes?
RPG books are the size they are for a very good reason, actually; that's the size of the bookshelves in book stores where they're sold. Making a bigger book (as in wider or taller—thicker isn't an issue) means that all of a sudden you not only have to use non-standard boxes to ship them in, but also the bookstores don't have anywhere to display them and are less likely to carry the books. And I'm sure that's only the tip of the iceberg—I'm sure there are all sorts of other problems with making books strange sizes, not the least of which being I'm not sure how we'd print those pages out here at Paizo to proof them...
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In any event... we haven't really started to think about what we're going to do with a Pathfinder RPG Monster Book, beyond the obvious fact that we'll NEED one. At the very least, it'll more or less amount to reprinting the SRD monsters (illustrated, likely, with a combination of new art and art harvested from our other products), which would give us a book roughly the size of the 3.5 Monster Manual.
That's not only a realistic plan, but I thought that was the point of all this; reprinting 3E SRD (and improving on it) so the edition doesn't disappear.
Honestly... that's all that book really needs to be, but I'd like to add in more monsters, of course. The 3.5 Monster Manual is only 320 pages long. Adding 100 pages to that would basically give us another 150 to 200 or more monsters to add in. We know we can make and sell a 400 or so page book... that's how big the Shackled City hardcover was, after all. A big monster book like this is ABSOLUTELY not impossible.
And I'm all for bringing the existing Paizo Bestiaries into 3P as well as bringing third party monsters in. You even gain on page count from monsters not part of the SRD.
But expanding on monsters should be saved for more Classic Monster books. Golarionizing monster should be saved for Adventure Path articles like the Dragon article in PF3(?).
It is, however, well over a year away at the VERY LEAST. So it doesn't make much sense for me to talk much more about it, aside from confirming the hopes/suspicions that we are very likely to have a big thick monster book to support the Pathfinder RPG. It'd be stupid not to do that, I would think.
Of course... just don't swap demons and devils around, don't make succubus and erinyes the same monster, and DO NOT make the Tarrasque a pretty woman made up of a swarm of scarabs. :)
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RPG books are the size they are for a very good reason, actually; that's the size of the bookshelves in book stores where they're sold. Making a bigger book (as in wider or taller—thicker isn't an issue) means that all of a sudden you not only have to use non-standard boxes to ship them in, but also the bookstores don't have anywhere to display them and are less likely to carry the books.
The retails.. mostly Gamestop.. demanded a few years ago that the PC industry changed their box size. It took a couple years, but PC software, both games and software, come in a box the same height of a dvd case. It allows retails to stock more, use less shelf space, and save on shipping costs.
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You could probably ditch some of the lesser-used monsters/monsters that wouldn't fit into golarion so well. A few examples (only one type of Sphinx, the rest could go into a PF write-up; Athach, Formians, Magmins) could go, and be replaced with Golarion monsters.
And I really really want to see Classic Undead Revisited ^_^
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In my perfect world...
1) A core monster book ... 2 monsters per page (one per column of text, or 1 monster per page for really complex monsters), probably with pretty dense and/or small text ...
My only fear is that this book would be referenced an awful lot, on the fly, during a game. Pretty dense and/or small text can be a real pain to scan through when you're trying to pick details in a hurry.
This book would be super big, too. As many pages as I can get away with, in other words.
Sounds really appealing to have all your monsters in one place, but I wonder whether a MM sized volume is optimal size for a monster book? Otherwise, it becomes too much like a brick, and too many monsters to absorb in one place. Sometimes it can be better to break it up a bit, both physically, and in terms of release date. Gives customers time to absorb one group of critters, and something to look forward to in the next release.
An annual Monster volume doesn't sound like a bad idea, bundling reprints from Pathfinder (two adventure paths) and modules along with new creatures.
Also, I like the idea of organising a monster book into creature types, instead of alphabetically. Eg, Animals in one section; Humanoids in another section; Undead given their own section etc - one section per creature type. I think the 2E Creature Catalog did this? I think this method is more useful for finding a creature you can't remember the name of, and also assists comparing/choosing creatures of a particular type for an upcoming adventure without excessive index referencing and page flipping - eg, I need a small savage humanoid; or a ghostly Undead, what do I have to choose from? - they're all gathered together in the same section. Or alternatively, arrange them by Ecology.
I don't think non-alphabetical creature listings will be a problem. Pathfinder adventures will refernce creatures directly by their page number, and anyone already knowing the name of the creature they're lookig for can easily find their page reference by looking them up in the index.
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My two cents...James I think that is a GREAT idea and agree with it would just be stupid not to create a Pathfinder MM with the game selling so well and it seems more and more are coming over to it other than going to 4e.
I for one would gladly replace my 3.5 books as Piazo released versions to replace the existing MM's. And I would also spend the money on other re-visted Monster books that explains some in more detail, this also would allow me to buy the ones that contain the monsters I most commonly use or provide a reason to use one's i've never really used before.
I really enjoy the Pathfinder setting and RPG, hell so much it's stopped me from running my own homebrew campaign, which did come with a struggle from my group.
So in short i'm behind the creation of such products as James discussed and for one will spend my money on the products!!
Keep up the GREAT work!
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At least 150 more monsters...wow! I'd like to see the monsters from the SRD, at least a few from the various adventure modules and bestiaries (especially the tatzlwyrm and the reefclaw), and the best of the best from other open content.
Not really that hard, look at the MM right now, there were times that Wizards was able to fit 2 1/2 monsters on a page (and in the case of the Demons and Devils, sometimes a full 3 or 4.) It depends on how many extra lines there are. If the monster has a lot of Abilities then suddenly he has 2 or 3 more lines, which means his attack line is probably 2 lines long also.
So they can squeeze in a lot, particularly if they're adding demons, devils, and dragons because they just need to include stat blocks for them, they don't have to reprint what all the abilities do since they're at the beginning of the entry before all the stats. :)
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Creative Director
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You could probably ditch some of the lesser-used monsters/monsters that wouldn't fit into golarion so well. A few examples (only one type of Sphinx, the rest could go into a PF write-up; Athach, Formians, Magmins) could go, and be replaced with Golarion monsters.
And I really really want to see Classic Undead Revisited ^_^
No SRD monster left behind!
aka: We won't be ditching any of the SRD monsters at all in the Pathfinder Monster Book. Every "lesser-used" monster in there is someone else's favorite or campaign lynch-pin, after all...
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You could probably ditch some of the lesser-used monsters/monsters that wouldn't fit into golarion so well. A few examples (only one type of Sphinx, the rest could go into a PF write-up; Athach, Formians, Magmins) could go, and be replaced with Golarion monsters.
And I really really want to see Classic Undead Revisited ^_^
No SRD monster left behind!
aka: We won't be ditching any of the SRD monsters at all in the Pathfinder Monster Book. Every "lesser-used" monster in there is someone else's favorite or campaign lynch-pin, after all...
How about the monsters from the Expanded Psionics Handbook? They are in the SRD, but some of them need the psionic rules to work properly unless you want to rewrite all their powers.
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How about the monsters from the Expanded Psionics Handbook? They are in the SRD, but some of them need the psionic rules to work properly unless you want to rewrite all their powers.
In a way, you've answered your own question. The monsters in the EPH use extra/different rules. It would be folly to include them in the main beastiary, as the book would have to devote extra pages to describe their unique abilities. If Paizo decides to make a 3P version of the psi handbook, that would be the proper place to deposit those monsters.
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In a way, you've answered your own question. The monsters in the EPH use extra/different rules. It would be folly to include them in the main beastiary, as the book would have to devote extra pages to describe their unique abilities. If Paizo decides to make a 3P version of the psi handbook, that would be the proper place to deposit those monsters.
The same would hold true for the monsters from the Epic Level Handbook. So, that would only leave the monsters from the Monster Manual (plus scorpionfolk and razorboar). Which would result in a book no larger than the Monster Manual. So, I might be wrong, but "all the monsters in the SRD" probably means all monsters in the SRD, which would include psionic and epic ones.
James:
As a DM aide, is there any chance of Paizo being able to release a reasonably-priced, low-graphics, 1-to-a-page companion-PDF for the PRPG Monster Manual? (i.e. something to buy in addition to the printed book, not in replacement of the standard PDF of the printed book)
The reason I ask is two-fold:
* When I'm DM-ing, space behind the DM screen is rather limited even with 2 screens setup at the head of a dining room table. Having the adventure module open with dice atop it and paper for tracking monster damage takes up a good deal of room. Having to keep MM up there too compounds matters. I'd much rather be able to print out just the monsters I need and then do my mark-ups and mods on the sheet (figuring buffs, class levels, etc.).
* Having a laptop at the gaming table is handy, but really takes up too much weight and room. Especially when I have to haul a tackle-box full of minis, a duffle-bag full of rulebooks and a roll of battle-maps printed out on a wide-format printer. O_o It would be great if I could instead open such rule documents as-needed on my Smartphone/PDA but those things don't exactly have a lot of RAM and even a 20MB PDF is hard-to-handle. (In this instance, a HTML version would be superb.)
The layout wouldn't have to be fancy (indeed less would be more), but it would be cool if the monster artwork could occupy the bottom-half of each PDF page so that the DM could fold their print-out in half to show the party what the monster looks like without revealing stats and notes scrawled on the top.
No SRD monster left behind!
aka: We won't be ditching any of the SRD monsters at all in the Pathfinder Monster Book. Every "lesser-used" monster in there is someone else's favorite or campaign lynch-pin, after all...
Bless you James, that's the answer I was hoping for.
I have the same view. This is why I like the binder approach, we could simply pull out the monsters we need, but your pdf idea works well too
Another alternative would be Monster cards. Though, for me, that is a less desirable option
The binder approach (ala 2nd Ed) would be cool BUT it's usefulness would be contingent upon Paizo not repeating TSR's mistake (i.e. each monster would need to be on it's own sheet of paper). That would seem to run counter to James' theory that there would be 2 monsters to a page.
I would NOT favor a binder approach if a single sheet has more than one monster on it. In fact, I think I'd have to multiclass in RealLife™ just to unleash the full measure of the rage I would feel. ;)
Monster cards are an interesting idea, but I suspect that would increase the printing costs. I suspect that cards would also make it easier for us to lose monsters or get extremely disorganized very quickly. "What do You mean You *shuffled* my Monster Manual while I was in the kitchen?! That's it, rocks fall, everyone dies!"
EDIT: Rocks fall... That gives me another idea.
James: Thought about having an appendix in the MM containing Traps and Hazards by CR? :D
Hey James, have you looked at Castle&Crusades' Monsters and Treasures? If you did a small print format like that book you could fit a ton of monsters in your book. Also when you do a monster book make sure that you pick up all the classic monsters that are open content. The leucrotta, peryton, and catoblepas are open even though they are not in the monster manual.
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In my perfect world, there would be three types of monster books for Pathfinder.
1) A core monster book that updates all the SRD monsters and perhaps a bunch of other 3.5 open monsters into one big book. This would have 2 monsters per page (one per column of text, or 1 monster per page for really complex monsters), probably with pretty dense and/or small text and about as much flavor as the 3.5 MM has. This would become the core monster reference book, and we'd likely do ecology-style writeups of monsters from here in Pathfinder now and then (or in book category #3; see below). This book would be super big, too. As many pages as I can get away with, in other words. The monsters in here would be world-neutral, just as in the current MM.
2) Pathfinder Campaign Setting Monster Books that use a format similar to the bestiary at the end of each Pathfinder Adventure Path (1 monster per 2 pages). The monsters in here would be Golarion-specific, and would probaly include a lot of reprints from Pathfinder and the modules.
3) Lots of Classic Monsters Revisited style books that cover various types of monsters. Again; these would be Golarion-specific, to the same extent that Classic Monsters was.
NOTE: No such books are on any schedules yet. But that's my personal take on one possible route we might take.
I love this plan. Let me also add that I would gladly spend more money for a larger monster book to get more monsters in there. No matter how many games I have run I NEVER have enough monsters. At bare minimum I think the core monster book needs everything in the SRD and any other common monsters used from open content (like the advanced bestiary since it is so hard to find one). I may be in the minority, but I would pay up to double the price of the original Monster Manual to get a large Monster book done by you guys.
For what its worth, I really like that plan of attack.In my perfect world, there would be three types of monster books for Pathfinder.
1) A core monster book that updates all the SRD monsters and perhaps a bunch of other 3.5 open monsters into one big book. This would have 2 monsters per page (one per column of text, or 1 monster per page for really complex monsters), probably with pretty dense and/or small text and about as much flavor as the 3.5 MM has. This would become the core monster reference book, and we'd likely do ecology-style writeups of monsters from here in Pathfinder now and then (or in book category #3; see below). This book would be super big, too. As many pages as I can get away with, in other words. The monsters in here would be world-neutral, just as in the current MM.
2) Pathfinder Campaign Setting Monster Books that use a format similar to the bestiary at the end of each Pathfinder Adventure Path (1 monster per 2 pages). The monsters in here would be Golarion-specific, and would probaly include a lot of reprints from Pathfinder and the modules.
3) Lots of Classic Monsters Revisited style books that cover various types of monsters. Again; these would be Golarion-specific, to the same extent that Classic Monsters was.
NOTE: No such books are on any schedules yet. But that's my personal take on one possible route we might take.
I'd like to second the good Sir Knights 'Aye' to this plan put forth by Mr. Jacobs.
At first, I would have said just include fewer monsters and make them better, like they did with CMR, but after reading others opinions on that, they have swayed me. I had assumed I could just use my 3eMM for any of my normal monster needs, and then use the 'Revisited' books to flesh them out, but I do see that there is a need for a standardized PF version of the 3e MM for it to get the wide-spread support we/they are hoping for.
So ONE MM with all the standard critters, and perhaps 'Golarionized' Ecology-style books every year or so compiling stuff from the Adventure Paths, similar to what TSR did when they relesed the Monster Annual books back in 2e. Also, keep the beasties in the PFMM standard fair - please don't do what WotC did and add in a bunch of Bizzarro-critters that no one will use unless they were running a Cthulhu game. I'd rather have a few less monsters in the book then a bunch of poorly-conceived 'filler'.
That would make me very happy Paizon. :D
EDIT: Thinking on this further, and rememebring the nighmare it was trying to organize those 2e MM sheets (with different creatures printed front and back), I think I'd prefer a 400 Page book with 200 monsters then a 300 pg book with 300 monsters (paying more for the 400 pg book, of course). I think if everything needed for the encounter was printed on the front (including Pic), and then all the ecology stuff was printed on the back, it would make it easier for DMs to use and organize. If you just want the stats for an encounter, you just print up the page; if you want the whole enchilada, you print it out front and back (I'm sure most of us know how to do 2-sided printing without a 2-sided printer). Since Paizo so graciously offers PDFs to go with their print books, this would be a most-excellent solution for putting together adventures. I think this would also satisfy everyone on the "fluff vs crunch" argument.
Just my two cents - take it with a grain of salt.
You could probably ditch some of the lesser-used monsters/monsters that wouldn't fit into golarion so well.
But they all fit. And unless you get a list of monsters you want to ditch and have everybody sign the list to show they're okay, you can't just go wotc on people and leave stuff out. You're bound to piss off people with such a move. Paizo's not known for being pisser-offers
No SRD monster left behind!
Yay! That's what I needed to hear.
I hardly ever use my Monster Manual, since it is just easier to use D20srd or print out from the website.
Not everyone's like that, though.
I wouldn't mind two pages per monster, or at least one full page - like in the Pathfinder bestiaries.
I have all of the SRD monsters contverted to the current Pathfinder version of the DMGII stat block format. NOT the Alpha Pathfinder RPG. I'll start doing that when Beta comes out. The pdf only includes the combat stat block and not the ecology, etc. If anyone has an interest in it I'd be willing to post it somewhere to share.
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Having to keep MM up there too compounds matters. I'd much rather be able to print out just the monsters I need and then do my mark-ups and mods on the sheet (figuring buffs, class levels, etc.).
Ah ha! I have the solution for you and it doesn't require Paizo to do a single thing different.
All of Paizo's PDFs have selectable text. This means you can search the text, this means you can copy and paste the text. So when you're doing your PREP for the game session, just copy and paste the stats for the monster into WORD.
Type up, alter, etc whatever editions you need for the monster in WORD, print and DONE.
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Creative Director
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James:
As a DM aide, is there any chance of Paizo being able to release a reasonably-priced, low-graphics, 1-to-a-page companion-PDF for the PRPG Monster Manual? (i.e. something to buy in addition to the printed book, not in replacement of the standard PDF of the printed book)
I suppose there's a chance, but we have a limited amount of man-hours on our art/layout staff, and it's likely that we thus won't have the resources to do something like this.
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I have all of the SRD monsters contverted to the current Pathfinder version of the DMGII stat block format. NOT the Alpha Pathfinder RPG. I'll start doing that when Beta comes out. The pdf only includes the combat stat block and not the ecology, etc. If anyone has an interest in it I'd be willing to post it somewhere to share.
I would like to see it, and I'm sure others would too. I also like the idea of a once a year annual with the creatures from the adventure paths as well. That way I could convince my wife to let me buy one book instead of dozens. It would make things around my house a lot easier.
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And now for a tricky question:
What about those non-SRD monsters which are needed for a full D&D-like experience? Will we have our "big head with many eyes", our "psionic humanoid with squid-like head who eats brains", our "panther with tentacles that might not be exactly where you see it" and so on?
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And now for a tricky question:
What about those non-SRD monsters which are needed for a full D&D-like experience? Will we have our "big head with many eyes", our "psionic humanoid with squid-like head who eats brains", our "panther with tentacles that might not be exactly where you see it" and so on?
Actually Eric and James have both commented on this to some extent and said that making up their own version of the sorts of things you are talking about is treading perilously close to trademark infringement and that they would not go there. They said when needing a go to aberration or whatever they would emphasize those in the SRD, or make and original creation (quite likely rooted in real world myth) rather than just make a rehashed Mind Flayer or Beholder and just calling them something else. Personally I am inclined to agree with their decision. They have so much great content to work with and are so good at making their own creations that I don't think they need to tip toe the line on what is and isn't allowed under the OGL by doing something like you are suggesting.