I was watching some RPG YouTube, and of course there was talk about Monsters. And with the recent OMG CONTROVERSY with the newest Monster Manual, I got to thinking about something that is more inherent in D&D and in fantasy games in general, why so many monsters? I’ve played various other games, and read many books, watched many movies, but it seems that fantasy games, with D&D leading the charge, seem to have more monsters than any other medium in the genre, or other genre’s in particular. So yeah, why are there so many monsters?

    • Maestro@fedia.io
      0·
      9 months ago

      D&D is fucking old. Like, people who grew up on OD&D are dead now.

      What?! D&D isn’t thát old. It’s from 1974. So people who grew up on it are in their 50’s and 60’s.

        • redhorsejacket@lemmy.world
          0·
          9 months ago

          Yes, however, to appease the pedants out there, saying Gygax and Arneson and the rest of the Geneva Lake crew “grew up on” DnD is a bit of a misnomer. They didn’t grow up on it, they invented it, and they were well into adulthood at the time.

    • dumples@midwest.socialEnglish
      0·
      9 months ago

      Attempting to make a monster for literally every situation is how AD&D ended up with the Monstrous Compendium’s fifteen volumes and appendices, so in reality the Monster Manual is an exercise in restrain

      I love the strange monsters from AD&D. Its fun to see how weird they got. I am a big fan of having lots to draw on for inspiration

      • redhorsejacket@lemmy.world
        0·
        9 months ago

        Agreed. It’s why I have all of Kobold Press’s supplemental monster books. Variety is the spice of life, and I’m constantly trying to find ways to make combat more engaging than just slugging it out with my players. Quirky stat blocks help me come up with scenarios.