Monsterous Menagerie book by Level Up is Really Good - Thoughts/Recommended Changes

I just got it. Liking it a lot,... well actually really liking it a lot. Only wishing it had way more monsters, but still very very cool.  I'd give it a 5 out of 5 stars so far, no kidding. 

https://a5e.tools/rules/monstrous-menagerie

What's it got?

1. Mostly the MM1 type monsters. Many more would be better. 
2. Variant/Types of - seems like most have one alt version, but some have two alternate versions of those monsters (only humanoid ones?), very nice. Examples:
1. Some monsters like the Gnolls and Goblins have 3 total types.  
1. Gnoll, Gnoll Packlord, Gnoll Demonfang
1. A druid Lizardfolk as an alternative to a vanilla lizardman. Nice.
2. How about a CR12 Gibbering Mouther (Called a Murmuring Worm). Very cool.  
3. A lot of fun descriptions. 
1. The book does go very much into the realm of "nothing is evil by default", so I don't agree with that, but otherwise it's great stuff. 
1. I'll be leaving out the "goblins are mean b/c larger humanoids are mean to them" type stuff. For example:
1. It’s A Living. Life is unfair to goblins. It’s the one thing they can count on. Goblins are rarely granted mercy or kindness by larger folk, and in return they rarely extend it to others.
   
2. Will get changed to something like:
1. It’s A Living- It's a Killing - they hate everyone equally. [From a goblin's point of view,] Life is unfair to goblins. It’s the one thing they can count on. Goblins are rarely granted mercy or kindness by larger folk [due to goblins' cruel and evil ways- murder is their 2nd favorite hobby after all], and in return goblins rarely extend it to others. [Don't get them wrong, they wouldn't extend mercy naturally given the chance, although they might feign mercy to get into position to steal or kill. The foreign concepts of true mercy or kindness would never cross their mind or even make logical sense among their corrupted thoughts]. 
   
2. I'll keep the awesome description extras. For example:
1. Feral Glee. Goblins take their joy wherever they can find it. An unsupervised moment to play is a prize they cherish more than food or treasure. It may not last long, but goblins can make a game out of anything, and they respond well to anyone who plays along.
2. Changing to my version, which would be something like:
1. Feral Glee-kill your pet dog style. Goblins take their joy wherever they can find it. An unsupervised moment to play [(like stuffing offal into an unsuspecting comrade's pouch or torturing a live animal/enemy)]  is a prize they cherish more than food or treasure. It may not last long, but goblins can make a game out of anything, and they respond well to anyone [they trust] who plays along. [But don't turn your back on them or they'll stab you right in your kidneys in the throws of their game or not.]
4. Encounter CR Options & Treasure/Loot left by monsters
1. Pick your CR... they'll give you more monsters and their typical allies. Very handy!
2. Lots of relevant options for treasure. 
1. The final option is always a little extreme (super treasure you probably won't hand out all the time), but otherwise very very useful and fun stuff. 
3. Example:
1. CR 3–4 is 4 to 6 goblins with goblin boss, goblin warlock, or 2 goblin specialists; 3 or 4 goblins riding worgs (or Large rats with the statistics of worgs); 3 or 4 goblins with bugbear, death dog, or ogre; 4 to 6 goblin specialists
   Treasure 100 gp, 500 sp, dented silver helmet (75 gp), a hollow book containing 2 potions of growth and 2 potions of healing, 6 +1 arrows
   
5. Legends and Lore
1. Gives DC checks to see what the party would know. 
2. Different types. Like NATURE or HISTORY for Griffons. Then ARCANA or HISTORY for Hellhounds. 
3. I LOVE IT... I do this all the time on the fly, but it's nice to have some pre-built DC checks, and especially the different types. Examples:
1. DC 10 Goblins are small humanoids. While many find them disgusting, they are clever and resourceful creatures.
   
2. DC 15 Goblins rarely attack unless they outnumber their foes. For every goblin you see, there are usually two more lurking nearby.
   DC 20 Goblins sometimes serve larger humanoids or train giant rats as watchdogs or mounts
   
6. Signs of the monsters, as you approach their area
1. These Signs are one of my favorite things in the whole book. It gives you clues, sometimes obvious, sometimes obscure, to keep things interesting for the PCs. 
1. Example: 
1. 1 DC 15 Perception or Survival check: small
   footprints
   2 DC 15 Perception or Survival check: a
   concealed trap, such as a hunting trap, pit
   trap, or tripwire
   3 A filthy campsite
   4 A looted corpse or an arrow-riddled
   game animal
   5 A dead goblin
   6 Discarded gear, such as a broken shortsword, an arrow stuck in the ground, or a
   smashed bottle
   
2. Kobold Examples
1. 1–3 DC 12 Perception check: small footprints [[[generic enough, I'd say "not human, probably not children, can't make out the rest.]]]
   4 Abandoned campfire with dirt kicked over it [[[dirt kicked over... I like the contrast to Goblins. Kobolds seem neater/more cautious.]]]
   5 Several fresh kobold corpses, savaged by some beast [[[poor little buggers... damn how'd I get a soft spot for kobolds, Meepo?!!!]]]
   6 A dragon scale, pierced as if once part of a necklace [[[fits their honoring/worship of evil dragons]]]
   7 DC 12 Perception check: A concealed entrance to a narrow tunnel [[[I like this, feels like a twist to a plain-old adventure already]]]
   8 Caltrops, tripwire that tips a torch into a puddle of oil, or other trap [[[they have gained that super-trap reputation from times of old TSR, so I like this]]]
   9 Small footprints pass over a concealed pit trap that collapses beneath 80 or more pounds of weight
   10 Hidden kobold sentry
   
7. Behavior - solo or group
1. Monsters don't all have this much (Gnolls only have solo and group, two options), but Goblins have 7 options, wow. Solo, group underground, group in grasslands/desert, group in hills/mountains, forest/swamp, etc. 
2. Some are nice setups for a new plot that can happen in your game. See red betrayal (or double-cross) option below. Really cool. 
3. They did throw in a circus fun-loving nice goblin thing, so I'll cross that out (you do what you like, I just like my evil monsters to stay as such). 
1. Gnoll Examples of Group Behavior (roll a d6, I like this)
1. 1 Performing a gruesome sacrifice to the demon
   lord that first transformed them from hyenas
   2 On a surprise raid against an undefended
   village, seeking plunder and slaughter
   3 Fighting among themselves
   4 Taking grisly trophies such as ears and teeth
   from the corpses of villagers
   5 Giggling as they hunt a human or other
   humanoid
   6 Feasting on corpses, drunk with bloodshed
   
2. Goblin Examples
1. Lone Behavior
   1–3 Scouting or patrolling for a larger group
   4 Exiled; will betray its former comrades’
   location to well-armed travelers (unless it’s
   a doublecross?)
   5 Loaded down with stolen treasure
   6 A goblin with no tribe; it knows the local
   area well
   
2. Group Behavior in Settled Land
   1 On a raid, setting fire to a barn
   2 Stealing panicky horses, several goblins to
   a horse
   3 With goods to trade
   4 Running a traveling circus or theater
   
3. Kobold Behavior Examples - they have 12 types, awesome variety.
   1 Attack on sight; armed with vials of acid or alchemist’s fire
   2 Attack on sight; armed with a jar of scorpions, snakes, or green slime
   3 Suspicious of strangers; may have set ball bearings, caltrops, or hunting traps
   4 Running with sacks of stolen food
   
4. Kobolds continued... (I can't get rid of this # easily, thx but noThx Blogger.com's text editor)
   5 Peeking from behind cover, such as high in a tree, behind a wall, or inside an abandoned building
   6 Arguing over the proper way to roll a boulder onto intruders
   7 Digging a pit trap
   8 Hiding in ambush, disguised as bushes or rocks that occasionally move around
   9 Bearing a message from their overlord
   10 Guarding a high position such as a ledge or balcony
   11 Terrified and hiding in a hole or inside burlap sacks, or just lying down covering their eyes [Not going to use this, makes them too innocent/childlike]
   12 Fleeing from a battle in which their companions were killed
   
8. Names for the monsters
1. Nice to have a few to choose from. They don't give but about a dozen, good enough. 
1. EXAMPLE for Goblins: Blacktooth, Briarbones, Dinda, Flea, Flundercork, Grimgargle, Gurp, One-Toe, Ood, Skirn, Thrunk, Vivvle
   
1. Compare Goblin examples from https://www.fantasynamegenerators.com/dnd-goblin-names.php
1. nab
   sichurg
   ellas
   zrugrak
   sedge
   Mite
   Worm
   Widelegs
   Frogface
   Slimegut
2. Example for Kobolds (waaay too cutesy, going to redo probably all of them):
1. Their Kobold Names - Blimbik, Flaw, Lublub, Luckluck, Pip Nip, Queek, Skirn, Vis, Zabblescrubble, Zorna
   
2. Less cute (mine/other) Kobold Names - https://www.fantasynamegenerators.com/dnd-kobold-names.php
   Nom, satt, tuks, ras, erbu, hohzu, galpi, ovni, rolbu, kuble, kex, heg, vogs, vek, mukli, erpo, diplu, ulgu, raglu, uhro

Random things in general or differences from the 2014 MM I've stumbled across:

• Skeletal Horde is a neat one under Skeleton(s)
• think of swarm of bats, but it's a 10x10 grid (Large creature) with 1d4+4 skellies. 
• The Shield Guardian takes an action to self-repair/heal 15HP, instead of auto 10HP per round. 
• What is,  Maneuver DC 15? Shield Guardian has that. 
  
• Half-Dragons
• So I don't see Dragonborn, but half-dragons are back. I think I like that. Some are probably badguys, since they are in this monster book. 
• They give 2 statblocks. Half red veteran and a half green assassin. Good info/stats I think. 
• The alt (variant) for inviz stalker is a houndlike creature, the Invisible Render. Pretty cool actually. 
• Slam Attacks - 
• Great details here: https://rpg.stackexchange.com/questions/47920/what-is-a-slam-attack
• Examples - 
• might be a punch, like from golems
• appendage attack 
• a body tackle
• a headbutt
• whatever unarmed type of attack would make sense
• Khalkoi and maybe a couple of other unique(?) monsters I've never heard of.
  
• The  Khalkoi is a mind wasp. Looks humanoid. 
  
• Khalkoi, more commonly known as mind wasps, are parasitic predators that feed on the cosmic principles of good and evil, law and chaos. They conquer reality after reality, leaving behind deserted heavens and dead gods as they rob worlds of divine magic.
  A khalkos is humanoid in shape with an inexpressive wasp face. It is able to disguise itself psionically in order to infiltrate sacred or profane places, dooming them to destruction.
  
• A ton of stuff was shared on ENworld before official release(?): https://www.enworld.org/threads/monster-preview-thread.679876/page-8

All in all, yeah, I can see why people say it's such a good book b/c it really is excellent for DMs. 

MORE TO GET? DIDNT KNOW THESE EXISTED, Monster Manual Expanded I, II, and III for 5e:

https://www.dmsguild.com/product/267678/Monster-Manual-Expanded-5E?src=also_purchased