D&D 2025 Monster Manual Deep Dive – Lazy RPG Talk Show

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00:00 Show Start 00:00:58 Hexploration Decks 00:02:59 Mike on EN World and Kobold Press Podcasts 00:04:09 All Three D&D 2024 Core Books are Released 00:06:33 2024 Monster Manual is the Most Important DM-Focused D&D 2024 Book 00:07:46 Is the 2025 Monster Manual Better than the 2014 MM? 00:08:40 Is the D&D 2025 MM the Best 5e Monster Book? 00:12:30 Could It Have Been Better? Of Course. 00:14:36 Monsters Hit at Their Challenge Rating 00:19:59 Other Designers on the Monster Math 00:22:05 D&D 2025 Monster Manual Compared to Forge of Foes 00:25:56 2025 Monster Manual Effects Don't Negatively Impact Damage Anymore 00:28:04 Vampire 00:30:15 Requires Looking Up Spells 00:35:50 Cultist Fanatic 00:37:59 The Language of the 2025 Monster Manual 00:39:47 No Orcs, Drow, or Duergar 00:50:56 Static Initiative Scores 00:54:16 Crappy Treasure "Tables" 00:56:29 Crappy Ability Score Tables 01:00:05 Awesome Contextual Random Tables 01:03:01 Alphabetically Sorted Most of the Time 01:05:31 What Else Is Missing? 01:06:38 Day 1 Errata 01:07:55 Final Thoughts Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: BackerKit: Hexploration Decks by Inkwell Ideas Mike on Morrus's Unofficial Tabletop Podcast (YouTube – MM starts at 1:18:00) Mike on Morrus's Unofficial Tabletop Podcast (Podcast Recording) Mike on Kobold Chat Talking About Doom Points Paul Hughes on 2025 Monster Manual on a Business Card Alphastream YouTube Monster Manual Analysis Bob World Builder on the Monster Manual