Get ready for the biggest and most monster-packed Monster Manual ever! The 2024 Monster Manual releases February 18 and contains over 500 monsters to challenge your players. Full of iconic creatures, revamped favorites, and brand-new baddies, this monstrous menagerie will keep your encounters stocked, no matter where your multiversal adventures take you!

Let's take a tour of the 2024 Monster Manual and see how this massive tome of monsters is chock-full of challenges for your table.

• Over 500 New and Updated Monsters
• Legendary Monsters for Higher-Level Play
• Revamped NPC Stat Blocks
• Variations of Iconic Monsters
• Monsters Are Easier to Find
• Advice on Running Monsters for DMs of All Levels

Pre-order Your 2024 Monster Manual

Craft unforgettable encounters using the monster-filled pages of the 2024 Monster Manual! With new monsters designed for higher-level play and a trove of tools to help Dungeon Masters save time, this massive manual will make sure every session is brimming with excitement.

If you want all three core rulebooks, you can save $60, get exclusive digital bonuses, and immediately access the 2024 Dungeon Master's Guide and 2024 Player's Handbook when you pre-order the Digital & Physical Core Rulebook Bundle.

Subscribers can also access their pre-ordered digital copies early, starting February 4 for Master Tier subscribers and February 11 for Hero Tier subscribers.

Over 500 New and Updated Monsters

Artist: Tyler Jacobson

Whether you're prepping encounters, seeking inspiration for your campaign, or crafting a world of your own, the 2024 Monster Manual is here to inspire you.

The revised book features over 500 monsters, including more than 85 brand-new creatures, and hundreds of pieces of gorgeously crafted artwork. From the terrifying tarrasque to the brain-munching mind flayer, each monster has been carefully rebalanced to ensure encounters are challenging and fun.

In addition to balancing each monster for the 2024 rules, monsters now use an updated stat block design with new language that focuses on making monsters easier to use.

Habitat and Treasure

Most monster listings now provide new information about a creature's habitat and treasure to help you plan your encounters. For example, the section on centaurs provides a list of environments where centaurs could typically be found and the potential treasures that could be acquired from them.

Gear

There is also a new Gear section that appears on the stat block of creatures who possess equipment suitable for use or retrieval. This allows Dungeon Masters to easily determine what items a defeated creature might leave behind in addition to the treasure mentioned above.

Thanks to this new addition, if your Fighter wants to upgrade to Plate armor, you can pit them against a monster with this item listed in their Gear section, like the hobgoblin warlord. This ensures they’ll walk away with the gear they seek after a hard-fought victory!

Legendary Monsters for Higher-Level Play

Artist: Dario Jelusic

Whether you want to end your campaign with a bang, introduce a world-shattering threat, or pit your players against a villain they'll never forget, the high-level threats introduced in the 2024 Monster Manual will give you that jaw-dropping final encounter.

You'll discover new titanic monsters capable of causing vast destruction, like the CR 22 elemental cataclysm, alongside scheming villains that make the perfect BBEG, like the CR 21 arch-hag. You'll even find stat blocks for high-level creatures perfect as allies and leaders of your campaign's factions.

These high-level threats have also been made easier to run with streamlined attacks and revamped Legendary Actions, ensuring you can focus on the fun during your epic encounter!

Revamped NPC Stat Blocks

Artist: Viko Menezes

The stat blocks of monsters with the Humanoid creature type have been redesigned to represent any Humanoid species. Now, these stat blocks include distinct mechanics aligned with a certain role or profession. So, whether you're introducing your player characters to a charismatic drow performer or a questing goliath knight, you can find inspiration for your NPCs.

With over 40 of these stat blocks that range from CR 1/8 to CR 12, you'll be able to find the perfect nonplayer character for every occasion!

Variations of Iconic Monsters

Artist: Eric Belisle

Have you ever wondered what the owlbears of the most ancient and magical wildernesses look like? Well, look no further! The 2024 Monster Manual contains variations of iconic monsters, like the primeval owlbear, who have distinctive abilities from their original counterparts.

These variations are perfect for creating varied encounters, forming unique groups of monsters, and challenging higher-level characters during combat. Just wait until your party sees a scourge of vampire nightbringers commanded by a vampire umbral lord heading their way!

Monsters Are Easier to Find

Artist: Olena Richards

The 2024 Monster Manual introduces extensive lists to help you find the monsters you need or spark inspiration for your adventure. These lists, a new addition to the Monster Manual, were previously found in the Dungeon Master's Guide. Now, all your monster needs are in one book! You'll find the Monster Manual's menagerie organized by habitat, creature type, and Challenge Rating, making it easier than ever to prep encounters and keep your sessions running smoothly.

You'll also be able to search for that perfect monster much more quickly because the entire book has been reorganized so monsters appear in alphabetical order, grouped alongside their stat block variations to make them easier to find.

Advice on Running Monsters for DMs of All Levels

Artist: Joshua Raphael

The 2024 Monster Manual kicks off with a revamped “How to Use a Monster” chapter which breaks down stat blocks with clear explanations, ensuring DMs of all skill levels get the most out of their monsters.

Complementing this is an all-new "Running a Monster" section, which provides practical advice for ensuring your monsters perform up to their Challenge Ratings.

Whether you're a new DM learning the ropes or a seasoned storyteller looking to freshen up on the basics, these sections will have you well-equipped to unleash the full potential of every monster in your campaign!

Pre-Order Your Copy of the 2024 Monster Manual Today

On top of being the biggest Monster Manual ever, the 2024 Monster Manual implements design philosophies learned over a decade to ensure it offers exactly what Dungeon Masters need. With new monsters, streamlined tools, and breathtaking artwork, this book will surely offer inspiration for every encounter, no matter where your adventures take you.

Pre-order your copy of the 2024 Monster Manual today and prepare to unleash the multiverse's greatest threats at your table!

Mike Bernier (@arcane_eye) is the founder of Arcane Eye, a site focused on providing useful tips and tricks to all those involved in the world of D&D. Outside of writing for Arcane Eye, Mike spends most of his time playing games, hiking with his partner, and tending the veritable jungle of houseplants that have invaded his house.