D&D 5E Green Ronin's Book of Fiends for 5E

Green Ronin has launched the crowdfunding campaign for their Book of Fiends -- a hardcover book of demons, devils and other assorted nasties.

Game On Tabletop • Project list • Game On Table Top

List of available crowdfunding projects on Game On Tabletop

www.gameontabletop.com

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These Planes of Perdition are home to the wickedest denizens of the multiverse and The Book of Fiends brings them crashing into your 5E campaign!

The original Book of Fiends came out back in the early-2000s for D&D 3.5. It compiled Legions of Hell, and Armies of the Abyss, Green Ronin's two previous books (the former was one of my favourite third party 3.5 books at the time).

This is a 200-page book with over 130 demons, devils, and over plane denizens, the Lords of Hell, Demon Princes, and Exarchs of Gehenna, and monsters from CR 0-31.

It's on GameOnTabletop, and you can grab the PDF for $25 or the hardcover for $50.

 PRESS RELEASE

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These Planes of Perdition are home to the wickedest denizens of the multiverse and The Book of Fiends brings them crashing into your 5E campaign! This 200+ page, beautifully illustrated, full-color hardback includes:

• Details on the nine Lords of Hell, the seven Exarchs of Gehenna, and a plethora of Demon Princes.
• Over 130 daemons, devils, demons, and other creatures of the Lower Planes.
• Monsters with challenge ratings from 0 to 31; there are foes for characters of all levels.
• Info on the celestial choirs and the fallen angels.
• Details on the Abyss, Hell, and Gehenna and their place among the planes.
• A fantastic new cover from Svetoslav Petrov and evocative interior illustrations from artists like Andrey Vasilchenko, Stanislav Dikolenko, and Katerina Ladon.

What’s more, all the rules and stats in The Book of Fiends were designed by Robert J. Schwalb (of Shadow of the Demon Lordfame), who was on the Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition design team. The rest of the original design team is also stellar: Aaron Loeb (Book of the Righteous), Erik Mona (Paizo Publishing), and Chris Pramas (AD&D Guide to Hell).

The Book of Fiends provides profoundly evil foes your players will never forget. Level Ups (AKA stretch goals) will add new Player Character options, tie-in fiction, and more.

Why Game on Tabletop, and not Kickstarter? Green Ronin's Chris Pramas says --

"What’s different about this project is that we are doing it on Game On Tabletop. This is a newer crowdfunding platform and we are excited to launch our first campaign there. Game On was created by our long-time partners in France, Black Book Editions.

Game On Tabletop has a lot of great tools, most of which will be invisible to you but are hugely useful to us. The best thing about it is that it’s a crowdfunding platform and a pledge manager rolled into one. This means you’ll be able to take care of everything at one site. You can back the project, buy add-ons, and pay shipping all in one place. If you haven’t backed a project there before, we think you’re really going to like it."

 

[eyeheartawk]

I don't get why your upset. You don't have to back it, you can wait until it is published. I am really interested in this product, but that is what I am going to do.

However, I have no problem with a publisher taking this approach either. Why wouldn't I want to make sure there is a market first? I mean isn't that a part of the reason TSR went under? Printing a bunch of product without enough demand and losing money on it? It just makes sense from a publisher viewpoint and I don't typically blame people for being smart. GR is not a huge company, a few bad products can mean people lose their jobs. Better to be safe than sorry.

Not upset. Just saying that as a value proposition it's lacking.

You want to back it, feel free. I'll just wait and get all the same content for half the price from Gamenerdz or Amazon or whoever.

 

[Marandahir]

Not upset. Just saying that as a value proposition it's lacking.

You want to back it, feel free. I'll just wait and get all the same content for half the price from Gamenerdz or Amazon or whoever.

And that's fine for you. If we all did that it wouldn't get made. But I also can't begin to understand what cost/benefits you're weighing when you decide you can't support it ahead of time because too expensive.

I think what some folks are saying, just remember the hidden costs of doing so. Those everyday low prices have a price; they aren't free.

 

[eyeheartawk]

And that's fine for you. If we all did that it wouldn't get made. But I also can't begin to understand what cost/benefits you're weighing when you decide you can't support it ahead of time because too expensive.

I think what some folks are saying, just remember the hidden costs of doing so. Those everyday low prices have a price; they aren't free.

I would like to point out that Green Ronin isn't some small fly-by-night publisher, they are a solidly mid tier enterprise as we reckon things in our little hobby. Most of their catalog is just published without any crowdfunding, as was the original incarnation of this book in an arguably more crowded market. So, the argument that this wouldn't get published otherwise, I don't know about that. But that's not really my problem with this.

Sure, this benefits them, but what benefit do you as the backer, who assumes the risk in the creator's place, gain? Most crowdfunding campaigns will try to give you something for helping them out in advance. A lower price, exclusive content etc. This gives you nothing.

You want me to gauge the market for you, assume the financial risk of this product not delivering, receive our feedback on earlier iterations and in return I get to pay full price plus shipping?

BRO.

 

[JiffyPopTart]

Sure, this benefits them, but what benefit do you as the backer, who assumes the risk in the creator's place, gain? Most crowdfunding campaigns will try to give you something for helping them out in advance. A lower price, exclusive content etc. This gives you nothing.

I already answered this question...

1. It might get dropped if not enough people are interested in the crowdfunding so people pledge to see it made.

2. They might solicit input from backers on the product and you want a say in its design.

3. They might have a limited amount left over after fulfilling the backer units and there isn't a deep reserve of distribution for normal channels and you want to ensure you get one.

4. You like the company and want to support them in hopes of getting more awesome books.

 

[eyeheartawk]

I already answered this question...

1. It might get dropped if not enough people are interested in the crowdfunding so people pledge to see it made.

2. They might solicit input from backers on the product and you want a say in its design.

3. They might have a limited amount left over after fulfilling the backer units and there isn't a deep reserve of distribution for normal channels and you want to ensure you get one.

4. You like the company and want to support them in hopes of getting more awesome books.

I'm talking about this campaign specifically.

You're talking generally.

 

[JiffyPopTart]

I'm talking about this campaign specifically.

You're talking generally.

All 4 of those apply to this campaign. I suppose if they are way over goal you can eliminate #1 because you know it's solidly backed but the other 3 still apply.

 

[Morrus]

I would like to point out that Green Ronin isn't some small fly-by-night publisher, they are a solidly mid tier enterprise as we reckon things in our little hobby. Most of their catalog is just published without any crowdfunding, as was the original incarnation of this book in an arguably more crowded market. So, the argument that this wouldn't get published otherwise, I don't know about that. But that's not really my problem with this.

Sure, this benefits them, but what benefit do you as the backer, who assumes the risk in the creator's place, gain? Most crowdfunding campaigns will try to give you something for helping them out in advance. A lower price, exclusive content etc. This gives you nothing.

You want me to gauge the market for you, assume the financial risk of this product not delivering, receive our feedback on earlier iterations and in return I get to pay full price plus shipping?

BRO.

It's OK if you don't back it. Nobody minds.

 

[Marandahir]

I would like to point out that Green Ronin isn't some small fly-by-night publisher, they are a solidly mid tier enterprise as we reckon things in our little hobby. Most of their catalog is just published without any crowdfunding, as was the original incarnation of this book in an arguably more crowded market. So, the argument that this wouldn't get published otherwise, I don't know about that. But that's not really my problem with this.

Sure, this benefits them, but what benefit do you as the backer, who assumes the risk in the creator's place, gain? Most crowdfunding campaigns will try to give you something for helping them out in advance. A lower price, exclusive content etc. This gives you nothing.

You want me to gauge the market for you, assume the financial risk of this product not delivering, receive our feedback on earlier iterations and in return I get to pay full price plus shipping?

BRO.

I'm not asking you to do any of that. Don't mind what you do or not. Just expressing my calculus - do I save some cash here at the expense of hurting my FLGS, putting drivers at risk, and supporting the corporate giant Amazon, or do I support the companies I like for a bit more money? For me, those 15USD are worth it to me to support companies I believe in over those I don't.

But that's me, and I understand you can come to a completely different analysis and result.

 

[Matrix Sorcica]

I'm not asking you to do any of that. Don't mind what you do or not. Just expressing my calculus - do I save some cash here at the expense of hurting my FLGS, putting drivers at risk, and supporting the corporate giant Amazon, or do I support the companies I like for a bit more money? For me, those 15USD are worth it to me to support companies I believe in over those I don't.

But that's me, and I understand you can come to a completely different analysis and result.

For me, it's the principle that they don't offer you more (well, yes the pdf but IMO the pdf should always be included with the hardcover if feasible at all), some incentive, for paying full price, shipping and carrying some of the risk, more than it is the dollars.

I never support Kickstarters where you have to pay extra for access to the non-physical stretch goals for much the same reason. I'm supporting this project, making the stretch goals possible in the first place, but I have to pay extra for getting them? No thanks.

 

[SkidAce]

I never support Kickstarters where you have to pay extra for access to the non-physical stretch goals for much the same reason. I'm supporting this project, making the stretch goals possible in the first place, but I have to pay extra for getting them? No thanks.

Yeah, that part always makes me raise an eyebrow too.