johnsemlak
First Post
Frostburn and Frost and Fur:
A comparison
I have just recently acquired both of these titles. I had ordered Frost and Fur some time ago, after waiting for this book in anticipation for nearly two years (the product was delayed numerous times; unfortunately it is the last d20 product from the now defunct MonkeyGod Enterprises). Shortly after acquiring Frost and Fur, Frostburn became available and after looking at the book at a book store, I decided they were sufficiently distinct to own both, despite significant overlap.
Frost and Fur is 236 pages hardcover. Interior is black and white. The list price is $32.95. Frostburn is $34.95 and is 223 pages hardcover. Illustrations are mostly full color and are at an extremely high standard. Both books are 3.5 compatible.
The format of the books is remarkably similar. Both books have chapters or sections on cold terrain, races, magic, equipment, monsters, magic items, and feats. Both books describe cold terrain of various types (high altitude, arctic and other high-latitude climes, ice age, and just plain winter). Both provide new races, and prestige classes. Finally, both contain encounter tables for cold climes.
Where the books differ is that Frostburn is basically a vanilla fantasy sourcebook (albeit rich in material), while Frost and Fur is colored by real-world cultures associated with the cold (ice-age Neanderthals, Norse, Slavic/Russian, and different Eskimo cultures). Also, Frost and Fur has chapters for each culture, each containing several base classes, prestige classes, deities, spells, and campaign hooks. The other chapters of Frost and Fur are also full of references to the above cultures. The sections on the environment details cultural specific natural hazards and Serac, Jokulhlaup, etc. Frost and Fur also provides subraces of the playable humanoids for each of the above cultures (i.e. there is a slavic dwarf varient, a nordic dwarf varient, etc).
Frostburn, while lacking much of the cultural elements, has more detail on fantasy-cold effects. The book discusses natural hazards of a magical or otherwise fantasy origin, outer planes with extreme cold climes, as well as a number of ‘Frostfell traps’. Frostburn contains subraces appropriate for a colder clime (glacier dwarf, ice gnome, tundra halflings, and snow elves). Frostburn also provides two brand-new subraces: the Uldra and the Neanderthal. The Uldra is a more unique arctic fey race. Frostburn also provides nine original deities for a cold setting (one for each alignment).
Frost and Fur’s treatment of arctic and other cold hazards and climates is generally more extensive than Frostburn. If you want to find d20 effects of blizzards, avalanches, crevasses, icebergs, etc., Frost and Fur is generally a bit more detailed and complete. Frostburn is perhaps somewhat hampered by the fact that it in fact is supplementing material already in the DMG--you need to reference the DMG to get complete info on teh effects of cold environments. Overall, naturally, there is considerable overlap in the books on these topics.
Another area of considerable overlap is the monster sections. Unsuprisingly, both books contains versions of wolly mammoths, caribou, polar bears, arctic foxes, and a few others. But both books also contain a number of interesting monsters not in the the other book. Frost and Fur has two new Dragons, the Goryshche and the Linnorm (both fully described as per dragons in the MM), and two new giant types: Ice Giants and Syatagor Giants. Both books are filled with some monsters inspired by norse or Slavic myth, but Frost and Fur is a tad stronger on this point (examples include the Kam--Slavic orcs, Draugr--a Nordic animated corpse undead, Dvorloem--a two headed eagle of Slavic origin, and Tapagoz--a one-eyed multi-headed giant). Frostburn contains a few original monsters as well as monsters from previous editions (e.g. the Yeti and White Pudding). Unfortunately, Frost and Fur’s monster section, while more extensive, offers less details on the monsters’ backgrounds--the descriptions are rather short. Several are not illustrated. Conversely, Frostburn’s monster sections is pretty much the same as the MM.
Finally, Frostburn provides two sample locations: Dezlomen’s Iceforge--a dungeon buried beneath the ice; and Icerazor City--a city floating on an iceberg. Both are quite detailed with maps, encounter keys, plot hooks, and histories.
All in all, these books cover very similar ground but compliment each other rather well. Both appear to be high quality (though I haven’t delved into the mechanics yet). Either book could be a stand-alone sourcebook for an arctic setting or campaign.
Most DMs and those players who buy lots of sourcebooks will probably not need to buy both, unless the person is looking for exhaustive detail on a campaign set in a cold clime. Frostburn is probably better for those wanting to run a standard D&D campaign set in the cold, or for those who do not prefer real-world cultural background. Frost and Fur does the opposite, offering extensive information for campaigns involving several real-world cultures.
WotC are planning to continue their environmental series with the upcoming Sandstorm and others most likely. MonkeyGod, on the other hand, will not be following up on Frost and Fur. It's a great pity, as Frost and Fur is a great book.
A comparison
I have just recently acquired both of these titles. I had ordered Frost and Fur some time ago, after waiting for this book in anticipation for nearly two years (the product was delayed numerous times; unfortunately it is the last d20 product from the now defunct MonkeyGod Enterprises). Shortly after acquiring Frost and Fur, Frostburn became available and after looking at the book at a book store, I decided they were sufficiently distinct to own both, despite significant overlap.
Frost and Fur is 236 pages hardcover. Interior is black and white. The list price is $32.95. Frostburn is $34.95 and is 223 pages hardcover. Illustrations are mostly full color and are at an extremely high standard. Both books are 3.5 compatible.
The format of the books is remarkably similar. Both books have chapters or sections on cold terrain, races, magic, equipment, monsters, magic items, and feats. Both books describe cold terrain of various types (high altitude, arctic and other high-latitude climes, ice age, and just plain winter). Both provide new races, and prestige classes. Finally, both contain encounter tables for cold climes.
Where the books differ is that Frostburn is basically a vanilla fantasy sourcebook (albeit rich in material), while Frost and Fur is colored by real-world cultures associated with the cold (ice-age Neanderthals, Norse, Slavic/Russian, and different Eskimo cultures). Also, Frost and Fur has chapters for each culture, each containing several base classes, prestige classes, deities, spells, and campaign hooks. The other chapters of Frost and Fur are also full of references to the above cultures. The sections on the environment details cultural specific natural hazards and Serac, Jokulhlaup, etc. Frost and Fur also provides subraces of the playable humanoids for each of the above cultures (i.e. there is a slavic dwarf varient, a nordic dwarf varient, etc).
Frostburn, while lacking much of the cultural elements, has more detail on fantasy-cold effects. The book discusses natural hazards of a magical or otherwise fantasy origin, outer planes with extreme cold climes, as well as a number of ‘Frostfell traps’. Frostburn contains subraces appropriate for a colder clime (glacier dwarf, ice gnome, tundra halflings, and snow elves). Frostburn also provides two brand-new subraces: the Uldra and the Neanderthal. The Uldra is a more unique arctic fey race. Frostburn also provides nine original deities for a cold setting (one for each alignment).
Frost and Fur’s treatment of arctic and other cold hazards and climates is generally more extensive than Frostburn. If you want to find d20 effects of blizzards, avalanches, crevasses, icebergs, etc., Frost and Fur is generally a bit more detailed and complete. Frostburn is perhaps somewhat hampered by the fact that it in fact is supplementing material already in the DMG--you need to reference the DMG to get complete info on teh effects of cold environments. Overall, naturally, there is considerable overlap in the books on these topics.
Another area of considerable overlap is the monster sections. Unsuprisingly, both books contains versions of wolly mammoths, caribou, polar bears, arctic foxes, and a few others. But both books also contain a number of interesting monsters not in the the other book. Frost and Fur has two new Dragons, the Goryshche and the Linnorm (both fully described as per dragons in the MM), and two new giant types: Ice Giants and Syatagor Giants. Both books are filled with some monsters inspired by norse or Slavic myth, but Frost and Fur is a tad stronger on this point (examples include the Kam--Slavic orcs, Draugr--a Nordic animated corpse undead, Dvorloem--a two headed eagle of Slavic origin, and Tapagoz--a one-eyed multi-headed giant). Frostburn contains a few original monsters as well as monsters from previous editions (e.g. the Yeti and White Pudding). Unfortunately, Frost and Fur’s monster section, while more extensive, offers less details on the monsters’ backgrounds--the descriptions are rather short. Several are not illustrated. Conversely, Frostburn’s monster sections is pretty much the same as the MM.
Finally, Frostburn provides two sample locations: Dezlomen’s Iceforge--a dungeon buried beneath the ice; and Icerazor City--a city floating on an iceberg. Both are quite detailed with maps, encounter keys, plot hooks, and histories.
All in all, these books cover very similar ground but compliment each other rather well. Both appear to be high quality (though I haven’t delved into the mechanics yet). Either book could be a stand-alone sourcebook for an arctic setting or campaign.
Most DMs and those players who buy lots of sourcebooks will probably not need to buy both, unless the person is looking for exhaustive detail on a campaign set in a cold clime. Frostburn is probably better for those wanting to run a standard D&D campaign set in the cold, or for those who do not prefer real-world cultural background. Frost and Fur does the opposite, offering extensive information for campaigns involving several real-world cultures.
WotC are planning to continue their environmental series with the upcoming Sandstorm and others most likely. MonkeyGod, on the other hand, will not be following up on Frost and Fur. It's a great pity, as Frost and Fur is a great book.
Last edited:
![:]](http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/devious.png "Devious :]")
