Publisher: Wizards of the Coast
Authors: Jeremy Crawford, F. Wes Schneider, Mackenzie De Armas, Chris Perkins, and Ben Petrisor
Artists: Many, many illustrators
Year: 2025
Genre: Revamped Monster Manual for the latest edition of Dungeons & Dragons
Pages: 384 pages
MSRP: Hardcover $49.99
This time around I provide an unvarnished review of the new Dungeons & Dragons 2024 Monster Manual from Wizards of the Coast. The 384 page volume contains over 500 stat blocks for fantasy creatures and monsters to utilize in the famed roleplaying game. The hardcover is available now and carries an MSRP of $49.99.
SUMMARY
The production quality of the new D&D Monster Manual is quite solid with good paper stock and excellent artwork throughout. I think the book should physically hold up to repeated use too. The gameable contents however are in my opinion a major missed opportunity for Wizards of the Coast. Granted the volume is chock full of content (over 500 stat blocks in fact) but for many entries we receive the barest of information outside of what the creature/monster does in combat. DMs deserve more info on what these things do; outside of sitting around waiting to be killed by the PCs. I do like the book but it could have been so much more than just a revamp of what's always come before.
Summary
The production quality of the new D&D Monster Manual is quite solid with good paper stock and excellent artwork throughout. I think the book should physically hold up to repeated use too. The gameable contents however are in my opinion a major missed opportunity for Wizards of the Coast. Granted the volume is chock full of content (over 500 stat blocks in fact) but for many entries we receive the barest of information outside of what the creature/monster does in combat. DMs deserve more info on what these things do; outside of sitting around waiting to be killed by the PCs. I do like the book but it could have been so much more than just a revamp of what's always come before.
Founder/Editor-in-chief of The Gaming Gang website and host of The Gaming Gang Dispatch and other TGG media for fifteen years, Jeff takes on any and all sorts of games but is especially ready to tackle roleplaying games and strategy games. He's been involved with the hobby since he was just a wee grade school lad, over four decades ago.
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