Dreaddisease
First Post
What are the best fantasy setting monster books out there? I already have MMI and the reviews on MMII seem rather unimpressive. So I'm wondering what is the best to buy right now?
Buying a New Monster Book
- Thread starter Dreaddisease
- Start date
Psion
Adventurer
Only two (somewhat shortsighted) reviews are unimpressive; most of the remaining (and more insightful, IMO) reviewers think it is pretty good.
In terms of utility and creativity, I would probably go in this approximate order, making adjustments for your situation, of course (frex, if you are out for a steampunk feel, Monsternomicon is the ticket.):
- Monster Manual I (the staple!)
- Creature Collection 2
- Legions of Hell (probably more inspirational than CC2, but a bit narrower)
- Monster Manual II
- Monsternomicon (Nice art and some neat ideas, but has a steampunk bent that won't fit all campaigns and some creatures are merely MMI creatures recast for Iron Kingdoms.)
- Minions (expensive format, art is not so great, and some creatures are a little goofy, but has a good format and integration notes.)
- Armies of the Abyss
- Creature Collection I (really weak mechanics and art, but some really good creature ideas. Fortunately, we've been promised a revised edition.)
- Monsters of Faerun (expensive format, many conceptually weak creatures, unfortunately this is the only place to find a few conversions of classics.)
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Also, if you want conversions of classic creatures, you may want to hold out for the upcoming Tome of Horrors.
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roytheodd
First Post
The monster books I own in their order of usefulness to me:
1) Monster Manual
2) Monster Manual II
3) Monsternomicon
4) Liber Bestarius
5) Armies of the Abyss
6) Minions
7) Monsters of Faerun
8) Creature Collection
9) Creature Collection II
Creature Collection II really doesn't have any monsters in it that I actively use, whereas Monsternomicon through Creature Collection each submit up to half a dozen monsters to my campaigns.
Let it be known that Monsternomicon is BY FAR, the best laid out monster book I've ever seen! Liber Bestarius comes close to it, but it's still not as well done.
1) Monster Manual
2) Monster Manual II
3) Monsternomicon
4) Liber Bestarius
5) Armies of the Abyss
6) Minions
7) Monsters of Faerun
8) Creature Collection
9) Creature Collection II
Creature Collection II really doesn't have any monsters in it that I actively use, whereas Monsternomicon through Creature Collection each submit up to half a dozen monsters to my campaigns.
Let it be known that Monsternomicon is BY FAR, the best laid out monster book I've ever seen! Liber Bestarius comes close to it, but it's still not as well done.
Voadam
Legend
Just to add to the list of considerations
Denizens of Darkness the ravenloft monster book has a lot of templates and horror themed critters.
MEG has two horror themed shorter (and less expensive) monster books.
Oriental there is Creatures of Rokugan and Jade Dragons and Hungry Ghosts.
Electronically there are the dirt cheap E-Minions, Book of Templates(30 templates but no art) and Bodies and Souls (possession templates for various genres). I think there is a Darwin's World bestiary as well but I'm not sure on the name.
And coming in december is the gigantic but expensive Penumbra Bestiary (over 350 pages I think).
Denizens of Darkness the ravenloft monster book has a lot of templates and horror themed critters.
MEG has two horror themed shorter (and less expensive) monster books.
Oriental there is Creatures of Rokugan and Jade Dragons and Hungry Ghosts.
Electronically there are the dirt cheap E-Minions, Book of Templates(30 templates but no art) and Bodies and Souls (possession templates for various genres). I think there is a Darwin's World bestiary as well but I'm not sure on the name.
And coming in december is the gigantic but expensive Penumbra Bestiary (over 350 pages I think).
Nightfall
Sage of the Scarred Lands
Dunno, roytheodd
I personally thought CC2 had some good monsters. While I don't rate it the same as Psion, I WILL agree it's been one the great books to come out in a while. I won't say it's better than either Monsternomicon OR Liber Beastierus (heard good things about both of them) but I DO think CC2 is a LITTLE better than CC1. CERTAINLY I liked CC2 better than Monsters of Faerun, (Deepspawn not withstanding), or Minions. (Liked the book but not as much). This will all change of course when I get a hold of Tome!
I personally thought CC2 had some good monsters. While I don't rate it the same as Psion, I WILL agree it's been one the great books to come out in a while. I won't say it's better than either Monsternomicon OR Liber Beastierus (heard good things about both of them) but I DO think CC2 is a LITTLE better than CC1. CERTAINLY I liked CC2 better than Monsters of Faerun, (Deepspawn not withstanding), or Minions. (Liked the book but not as much). This will all change of course when I get a hold of Tome!
roytheodd
First Post
I'm not trying to knock the Creature Collection II. It's just that I haven't found a whole lot to cull from it yet. It took me a while to appreciate the first Creature Collection as well. Mostly it has to do with the settings I run. I didn't find either of the Creature Collections to be very generic and thus useful to my worlds.
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