OSR The Monster Overhaul

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I've got no dog in this fight, as I'm not currently running an OSR game, and I'm not in any way connected with this campaign, but this Kickstarter monster book leapt out at me as an incredibly usable work for OSR DMs: The Monster Overhaul.

I'm at the stage of my DMing career -- in the neighborhood of 40 years, yikes -- where I want things to be immediately useful at the table. (I have inspiration for days at this point, thanks.) A book that instantly gives me a list of names for NPCs when my players would rather talk than fight, a random table of colorful descriptions, other things that answer the needs of an actual DM playing the actual game? Yes, please.

Too many books seem to have never been playtested and, moreover, have little to no connection to how they will be used in actual play. This is the exact opposite of that, and I love it. It tempts me to pick up Advanced Fantasy OSE go back to Castles & Crusades just to use it.

(Skerples also created Magical Industrial Revolution, about rapid "technological" magical innovation changing the world -- and almost certainly dooming it. It's a great fantasy city that makes preventing multiple apocalypses fun and even funny. If I didn't already have an ongoing Ptolus campaign, I'd start a campaign in Endon tomorrow. It's also designed to be incredibly useful at the table, so this is just a thing Skerples is into. God bless.)

 

[ruemere]

I concur, the monster entries are awesome. And by monsters I mean creatures like mercenaries and goblins. Thanks to activity, motivation and other feature tables, the book is usable under other fantasy systems.

 

[Mannahnin]

I've dug the previews I've gotten so far. Looking forward to final release on this one!

 

[cfmcdonald]

Any idea how to get this for those of us who missed the Kickstarter? I don't see any way to sign up for a mailing list for a retail release.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Any idea how to get this for those of us who missed the Kickstarter? I don't see any way to sign up for a mailing list for a retail release.

Per the campaign, "physical copies will be distributed by Indie Press Revolution, Compose Dream Games, and Soul Muppet Publishing if everything goes according to plan."

I bought my PDF/book combo of Industrial Magical Revolution (so, so good) from Indie Press Revolution, so I assume they will sell this through their web store as well.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Did anyone end up backing this? I have a question about the grue entry. (I didn't back it and thus don't have the backers' PDF drafts.)

As a Gen Xer, when I see "grue," I naturally think of the grues from Zork, one of the all-time great monsters. But it's listed in Monster Overhaul under the Elemental section, which raises the specter that the Monster Overhaul grues will be things like elemental hedgehogs, which while theoretically fine in the right hands, are not the terror-inducing and proto-meme-generating Zork grues.

Anyone know the answer?

(I ran a game of Flatland Games' Grizzled Adventurers this weekend, and it was a hit with players, so I'm looking for the one OSR bestiary to rule them all, and keep coming back to this one.)

 

[Mannahnin]

Did anyone end up backing this? I have a question about the grue entry. (I didn't back it and thus don't have the backers' PDF drafts.)

As a Gen Xer, when I see "grue," I naturally think of the grues from Zork, one of the all-time great monsters. But it's listed in Monster Overhaul under the Elemental section, which raises the specter that the Monster Overhaul grues will be things like elemental hedgehogs, which while theoretically fine in the right hands, are not the terror-inducing and proto-meme-generating Zork grues.

Anyone know the answer?

(I ran a game of Flatland Games' Grizzled Adventurers this weekend, and it was a hit with players, so I'm looking for the one OSR bestiary to rule them all, and keep coming back to this one.)

Just checked the entry. It is quite clearly and explicitly the sort of thing you were expecting.

"Appearance: A heap of shadow with teeth. A mole-lamprey. A bat-ghoul. A nightmare. Grues cannot be seen by conventional sight; only those who can see without light have ventured to describe its form.
Voice: Silent.
Wants: To bite off heads.
Morality: Bestial cruelty.
Intelligence: Inscrutable.

....A Grue's world is not bounded by stone or air. It is bounded by light. Light is an impenetrable barrier. Surround one with light and it will be squeezed out of existence. A Grue cannot attack anyone in the light. But in darkness, you are likely to be eaten."

 

[Malmuria]

Looks great. I love the "generic" maps they posted online. Will probably pick up the pdf when it releases

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Just checked the entry. It is quite clearly and explicitly the sort of thing you were expecting.

"Appearance: A heap of shadow with teeth. A mole-lamprey. A bat-ghoul. A nightmare. Grues cannot be seen by conventional sight; only those who can see without light have ventured to describe its form.
Voice: Silent.
Wants: To bite off heads.
Morality: Bestial cruelty.
Intelligence: Inscrutable.

....A Grue's world is not bounded by stone or air. It is bounded by light. Light is an impenetrable barrier. Surround one with light and it will be squeezed out of existence. A Grue cannot attack anyone in the light. But in darkness, you are likely to be eaten."

Fantastic. Exactly what I was hoping for, thanks.

 

[ruemere]

The Grue is a scary monster. I have just looked over its stats and they are terrifying.