Review: D&D 2024 Monster Manual

The conclusion of the core D&D rulebook trilogy is nothing short of an epic finale. At first glance, the phenomenal artwork stands out. The illustrations of the many monsters throughout the Dungeons & Dragons - Monster Manual 2024 are flawless and leagues ahead of what you might be used to.

Want to flip through the Dungeon Master Manual with Gergon? Check out this detailed video breakdown of the book.

However, it’s not just about the great production value. The content of these illustrations is also much improved. These are no longer static monsters that just show you what a creature looks like. Every creature is depicted in action, and the image captures not only their appearance but also their nature, behavior, and scale—perfectly illustrating the phrase "a picture is worth a thousand words." On the other hand, the new sorting system leaves me a bit conflicted.

New monster sorting

All monsters and NPCs have been mixed together and are now sorted strictly alphabetically. This is great for new players, as they don't need to remember that a Marilith is a Fiend and should be looked up under 'D' for Demon rather than 'M' for its name, as was the case in the previous edition. However, the old system, where all dragons were together, all demons were together, etc., also had its undeniable advantages.

Animals remain a separate group, listed in the Appendix. This makes sense due to Druid Wild Shape and the Polymorph spell, so keeping them together at the end of the book is a logical choice.

A major change compared to the previous version of the Monster Manual is the creature types. There has been a significant reclassification, with many Humanoids moved to Fey, Fiends, or even Dragons. I find the current classification better and more logical, and I have no issues with it. Just be aware that players used to using specific spells on specific beasts might be surprised when a combo no longer works—for example, you can no longer use Hold Person on a Goblin.

Increased monster count

It’s great that the number of monsters has increased (there are over 500). But it’s not just about the quantity; it’s about having more variety within specific monster families. This brings amazing versatility and options.

Previously, the bestiary had one Goblin. Now there are 4 types of Goblins. If your party attacks a Goblin camp, it won't be 8 identical Goblins, but perhaps 4 Goblin Minions, 2 Goblin Warriors, 1 Goblin Boss, and 1 Goblin Shaman. Each has different abilities and combat strategies. This also allows you to spread the same monster family throughout an entire campaign. Before, you had a Vampire Spawn and a Vampire. You had suitable enemies for a level 5 or level 13 party, and otherwise, you had to improvise by increasing the numbers. Now, there are 5 types of Vampires ranging from CR 3 to CR 15.

Stat block tuning

Beyond these changes, virtually every stat block has been cleaned up and tuned. They are adjusted to better match their Challenge Rating, which remains the same. Monsters that were previously weak for their CR now have higher AC, more HP, or more attacks per round. Abilities have been adjusted as well.

In many cases, the stat blocks are simpler and clearer. Where there used to be 15 spells listed, there might now be only 8, but they are the ones a DM will actually use during a game or combat. Lair Actions are gone, but the number of Legendary Actions has increased, and so on. Many small tweaks, and in my opinion, almost all for the better.

Final verdict

Personally, I am very satisfied, even thrilled. This book confirms the great care put into the new D&D 2024 version and perfectly complements the entire core D&D rulebook trilogy. Now that I have all three books at home and see how perfectly they complement and work together, I have no doubt that D&D has moved to a new level and the game is better than ever.

Want to know even more about the Monster Manual? I highly recommend this interview with Jeremy Crawford, D&D game designer, but it's definitely worth watching other videos on the Dungeons & Dragons YouTube channel.

author Gergon