Hey Team,

Hope everyone is well.

I was wondering if we could request (maybe even open-source it from subscribers) that monster descriptions be added under the stat blocks? It would help when running an adventure (as a new DM) to be able to have really vivid, and visceral, descriptions of the horrible monsters that the party is encountering. Not like: "a Ghoul, it's a humanoid whose skin is sloughing off".

I know that /r/DnDBehindTheScreen ran an "Ecology of..." series (link if interested https://www.reddit.com/r/DnDBehindTheScreen/comments/3o1p25/the_ecology_project_is_live/) - I was hoping we could maybe utilize something similar? I would think it a huge help, especially to newer DMs.

Thanks!

The descriptions are included if you're looking at the published versions. The basic rules versions don't include this as it's not part of the basic rules. 

I meant a physical description. I have the MM, it's descriptions of creatures range between not good and non-existant. It tells me a bunch about the creature & behavior, and usually a lot about it's lore - but nothing that would help a DM (on the fly) say: "You hear a strange gurgling noise echo to your left, and as you look over to that side of the cavern you see movement; a hunched over humanoid, with long, sturdy arms - hanging loosely at it's side, shuffling in your direction, it's bloodied knuckles dragging over the ground. On it's head, you see small beady eyes focused on you - a face pulled back in animalistic rage; a large, vicious-looking mouth hangs open - with dozens of sharp teeth, and a steady line of drool dripping out onto the floor..."

Maybe not quite like that. But something to help the players conjure an image in their head. Something that gives the DM some more to run with. Much as I'd love to have that prepared for every encounter - it'd make it much easier for me. I think, like with the Ecology project, subscribers would have some great 'go-to's' to slap onto creature pages.

*read OP's comments*

*Goes to the monsters section.*

*Sees the monster's images for those that have them and reads physical descriptions for those that don't*

*Rereads OPs posts.*

*Frowny-face of confuzzlement*

This is the description for a banshee, I think it's very hollow: "a spiteful creature formed from the spirit of a female elf. Banshees appear as luminous, wispy forms that vaguely recall their mortal features. A banshee's face is wreathed in a wild tangle of hair, its body clad in wispy rags that flutter and stream around it." I think that could be wildly improved on *shrug*

DDB includes the monster details that are in the printed books. If the quality of those details is not to your liking, take your complaints up with the publisher, Wizards of the Coast.

What a childish reply lol; that's why I said open it up to subscribers, so other people could contribute their inventions.

Quote from GZafiris >>

What a childish reply lol; that's why I said open it up to subscribers, so other people could contribute their inventions.

 
Every monster details page has a comments section so if people wanted to do that then they could. Some undead entries even feature users. notably RickAJr, who have added extra descriptions and even possible knowledge check DCs on PCs learning/recalling information about them. Check the Ghoul for an example here.

.The feature you say you requested (but not very explicitly, I may add, or at least was not clear to me) is basically already present. It's just not really done much because for the vast majority of users the images and descriptions already given are either sufficient or not necessary.

As for the Banshee specifically, the description gives you everything you need: it's a female elf, so you can check the Elf racial page for those details, that is an undead spirit so probably ghostlike and partially see-through as noting it has incoporeal movement. It lists the hair is wild and the clothing has become rags that flutter around it like wisps. That, plus the image it has, is basically more than enough to start you off. I honestly don't know what more you need. The more specific details like scars or colours or such, well, the monster manual isn't going to provide that: every individual banshee is unique because it's an altered ghost of a unique individual elf. That bit of vagueness is intentional because this is not listing an individual monster, it's listing an entire type of creature - no two should be the same. And that will be true for most of the monsters in the entry, because it is very much your job as DM to take the "base" details provides and work on them to create a unique creature. You also need to take into account that a different DM may want to approach the description differently than the way you do. The Monster entries are designed to allow that freedom so DMs can make even the most common creatures to be unique and memorable.

It's coming across, hopefully unintentionally, that you want WotC/D&DBeyond/Other People to do your job for you. Perhaps it's how I'm reading your words or perhaps you're not being clear in what you specifically want. Perhaps give an example of what you'd prefer the Banshee entry to actually say, bearing in mind some vagueness is necessary to make it easier for other DMs to build upon what you write, not just be able to copy/paste/readaloud the entry into their campaign (not the intention of monster entries).

Quote from GZafiris >>

What a childish reply lol; that's why I said open it up to subscribers, so other people could contribute their inventions.

 D&D beyond has to use the official descriptions. They don't have a licence to chamge anything. DDB does have comments and homebrew tools though, so they have already done as much as they are allowed.

That is why I directed you to the people who set those restrictions.

It's not childish, it's precise and accurate. DDB cannot publish anything that has not first been published by WotC. They can't integrate their own interpretations or third party ones. As such, if you are dissatisfied with the descriptions provided, your ire should be directed solely at WotC, as DDB is powerless to change anything.

So, would it be fair to ask for a DM-specific section (on monster pages) where we could add our own descriptions? If open to public, the good comments would rise up via simple voting system?

I am a fairly new DM; I can give a very bare bones description of some monsters - and some monsters not at all. To have something that would aid me with better descriptions would help everyone, not just myself. I am trying to figure out if there is a way to implement a system that would help with that. I prepare for where I think my party is going, but if a random encounter happens and they encounter a Bulette, I would love to have more to go on than "it appears to be a large, armoured, land-whale with claws and teeth".

It's not so much about 'doing my job for me', so much as it is looking for a tool that can 'fast-track learning for newer players (this time, specifically DM)'. I've got players who've played for 20+ years, so they recognize many creatures - and I've got people who've never played at all, and I feel my descriptions are lacking.

I just think that, if that's the case - surely they can add a 'homebrewed descriptions' section to the monster pages.

There's very clearly a homebrew section, and you can add anything manually in game. So that shows what I'm asking for is possible.

You can copy any existing monster to make a homebrew duplicate and then add whatever descriptive notes you need for your own use.

Yep, I saw that! I'm just trying to see if it's possible/wanted to skip the step of having to do that, and have it available as an option already :) especially if we crowd-source the best description (like from the Monster Ecology - the Aboleth one is my favourite by far)

Like has been mentioned, DDB can only publish official WotC content. You're welcome to ask WotC to expand their descriptions, but it's beyond the scope of DDB.