D&D 5E What is a Monster

Athinar

Explorer
A Monster is defined as any creature that cab intercted with and
potentially fought and killed. Even something as harmless as a frog
or as benevolent as a unicorn is a monster by this definition.
The term also applies to humans, elves, dwarves and other civilized folks
who might be friends or rivals to the player characters.

I have played in games that the biggest threat came from the evil characters,
fighting over magic items (Sword of Kos) or baby red dragons. so by this definition
Player Characters should also be termed "Monster" and have the HD penalty for size or
bonus for hit points (i.e. wizard)
 

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To me a monster is more of a creature or creatures that don't act in a civilized manner. Orcs are considered monsters but if it came down to it you could reason with them. Giant spiders are monsters. There is no reasoning with it. However to the contrary an evil NPC could be reasoned with but is so set in its goal that it can't see any other possibility, hence exhibiting a monster-like quality.
 

Sorry but played with some people that you could not reason with either so the Characters would be Monsters per MM

also :
The term also applies to humans, elves, dwarves and other civilized folks
 

In D&D terminology, a monster is any being in the game world who is not a PC.

The orc who wants to eat your liver is a monster.

The innkeeper who wants to sell you food & drink is a monster.

That mercenary in the tavern that you might hire as a retainer is a monster.


from Moldvay B/X page B30:

Any creature that is not a player character is called a monster.
Monsters may be friendly or unfriendly, wild or tame, normal
beasts or fantastic. The DM will choose, from these monsters, the
friends and opponents of the players
 




gnomemonster.jpg

RAWR!
 

Straight from the MM 5e pg 4:
A Monster is defined as any creature that can interacted with and
potentially fought and be killed. Even something as harmless as a frog
or as benevolent as a unicorn is a monster by this definition.
The term also applies to humans, elves, dwarves and other civilized folks
who might be friends or rivals to the player characters.

Don't know what or who this is?
from Moldvay B/X page B30: Don't care, 5e is official
 

To reply to you initial query: No. PCs and Monsters are not the same thing. That is why they are PCs and [everything else is] Monsters. So there is literally no reason that what adjustments and systems used for Monsters would be applied to a PC.

At the root orf practically every game or contest is the concept of "Us vs. Them." In D&D, that is the "PCs [us] vs. Monsters [anything that is a them]."

Yes. A Monster can be a PC race (human, elf, dwarf, etc...). Yes. A Monster can have PC class features/spell use/abilities. But that does not make them a PC any more than making a PC who is, say, a centaur or hobgoblin or pixie makes them a Monster.

Again, PCs and Monsters are not the same thing. So, in the game, there is no reason for them to be treated exactly the same. There are similarities, certainly. They have to interact and [potentially] fight each other in the same game system. But they have no reason, nor precedence in D&D history, to be the same.

Which brings me to my next point...
To you other comments and queries: "B/X" is a term that refers to "Basic/eXpert." Namely, the "Basic" and "Expert" sets of the original D&D game.

Tom Moldvay was the editor of the next revised edition of these manuals (the first being John Holmes, who you might see referenced as "Holmes D&D" or "Holmes B/X" which preceded Moldvay B/X be a few years). Hence, you will see reference to that particular revision/edition as "Moldvay B/X" [and/or possibly the "Magenta and Light Blue boxes", respectfully].

Following this is the Basic and Expert editions (also sometimes referred to as the "Red & Blue boxes", respectfully) were edited/revised by Frank Mentzer, hence "Mentzer D&D" or "Mentzer Basic" or (somewhat inaccurately) "Mentzer B/X." This edition from the early 1980's further expanded in the following few years for "Companion", "Master", and "Immortal" PC level play, completing what is commonly referred to as "BECM" or "BECMI" D&D.

So "Moldvay B/X" is widely considered one of the earliest versions, leading to the mass popularity of the early/mid-80s, of the game called Dungeons & Dragons...which you are apparently playing.

All of these versions [not to mention "White Box" or "Old D&D", AD&D 1e, 2e, D&D 3e, etc...] are "official" D&D.

So, before you want to get rude and dismissive with people contributing to your thread, maybe you should know a little something about the history of the game you are playing. Wikipedia has all kinds of info on all of the above [and more] editions of D&D. Should be easy enough to find.
 

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