Your one favorite monster book

[midknight12]

Bestiary of Krynn
It has great artwork and I like how they did the monsters. The charisma draining trend the wizards and other publishers started using is a real nice touch especially against those fighters and barbarians who always put their lowest stat in charisma.

i know u didnt ask for second but i would like to mention Monte Cook's Legacy of the dragon. It has some nice ideas and unique monsters.

 

[Crothian]

Monster Manual

Most of the others are extras -- nice, but unnecessary. The basic one is NECESSARY!

Except it isn't. It has some good information in it, but I can use any book of creatures without the MM. THe more I think about it, unless people are hung up on using the "traditional" D&D creatures, the MM is really not a must by. Heck, it shouldn't even be called a Core book.

 

[Frost]

I really like the Tome of Horrors 2... new monsters, but they have a classic feel. Of course, the Monster Manual has the old standards, but Tome of Horrors 2 monsters are just plain cool.

 

[Knightfall]

I wouldn't game without my Monster Manual. Monster Manual II is pretty good too, even though it is an older 3.0 book. Fiend Folio is good, but mainly I bought it to add some classic monsters to my collection. The Miniatures Handbook has several great critters in it, but it will never be a major reference. (It was a good deal at half-price though.) I also have MoF.

I bought Creatures of Freeport, which is one of the most unique monster books I've ever seen. Some great information in that one for all aspects of what you can get from monsters.

I had the 3.0 Creature Collection at one point but I didn't like it, so I got rid of it. Never went for Tome of Horrors, just couldn't bring myself to spend that much money. (Canadian-Us $ conversion is a big deal to Canadian gamers.)

Cheers!

KF72

 

[Ed Cha]

My all-time favorite is the 1st edition Monster Manual. The pictures of all the monsters made me want to buy the book, not knowing that it was a game or anything. Reading all the great descriptions and beautiful, beautiful drawings got me interested in the game. So art DOES matter! It inspired me to get into D&D.

Unfortunately, I find the artwork in much more recent print matter uninspiring at best.

 

[ruleslawyer]

Except it isn't. It has some good information in it, but I can use any book of creatures without the MM. THe more I think about it, unless people are hung up on using the "traditional" D&D creatures, the MM is really not a must by. Heck, it shouldn't even be called a Core book.

Not quite true. There are a lot of rules embedded in the MM that are very much "core." The monster entries themselves may not be (although I find it hard to imagine a D&D game without animals!), but the bookend chapters are.

In any case, the question was "favorite" and not "necessary" (and in any case, most of the Monster Manual is available for free online as part of the SRD). I'd say Monsternomicon, Fiend Folio, and Legacy of the Dragons, in that order. All three books have fabulous presentation, interesting monsters, detail on game info other than strict monster entries, and good rules-fu.

 

[Hand of Evil]

Monsternomicon - it is a good read, monsters are really good for any game and has those neat size chart.

Monster Manual is the most used, they don't call it core for nothing.

 

[Garnfellow]

Best all-around bet, after the 3.5 Monster Manual?

Probably Tome of Horrors 2. A broad selection of monsters, rock-solid mechancs, and some pretty nasty ideas.

 

[Nightchilde-2]

I'm gonna have to say the Monster Manual.

Past that, I really like Fiend Folio (and it's easy to update fully to 3.5).

Third favorite: Tome of Horrors II.

Note that I'm not counting Draconomicon as a "monster book." If I were, it would take the favorite slot!

 

[Belegbeth]

... Unfortunately, I find the artwork in much more recent print matter uninspiring at best.

I agree with this completely.

Best monster books for d20 (except for the MM, which is necessary): Tome of Horrors II (best); Tome of Horrors I (second best).