Monsters of the City: Sins and Virtues by Cawood Publishing takes a different approach to monster manuals for 5th Edition Dungeons & Dragons. Most creature compendiums just list the monsters alphabetically or by category. MotCSaV organizes its content very differently.
[EDITOR'S NOTE: Charles conducted an interview with Andrew Cawood earlier this week.]
MotCSaV is more about potential adversaries (or allies) than just “monsters.” In addition to undead and other typical monster types MotCSaV has NPCs like elite guards, horse master, bounty hunter, charlatan, etc. Some characters are interesting mashups like the werewolf spy, berserk butcher, cursed coachman, the forgotten king (an undead ruler), rich lich, etc.
The more unique adversaries are interesting. Fro example, the Sleepless Governor is a heartless, evil bureaucrat chasing power. Being a workaholic means she makes saving throws late in the day at disadvantage, but because she's so cold, if hit with a melee attack she does 1d8 cold damage from her “cold shoulder.” She also has a bully ability (save vs. Wisdom or be frightened) three times a day and uses an Icy Longsword.
What I like the most is that MotCSaV is as much a supplement for urban settings as it is a monster guide. It's broken into seven districts named for various parts of a city – castle district, wealthy, temple, market, docks, slums, and sewers. Each section has its creatures, as well as info on the authority in that district, factions, landmarks, types of stores and taverns, and sample prices for services like messengers, hirelings, and coaches. Each district also has a d20 encounter chart.
A variety of other items also tip this toward a fantasy urban supplement. In the front of the book is a 2d20 table of plot hooks. In the back is a blank city map so you can place location where you wish. A d100 city events table and city encounters and location d100 table rounds it out with monsters listed by challenge rating and creature type.
MotCSaV also includes two subclasses—cleric domain of truth and paladin order of the heart. The former has existed in prior editions, but I really like the paladin. It uses the power of love to sense evil in one's heart, help allies resist necrotic and poison damage, heal allies when the paladin makes a critic hit, etc. At 15th level this paladin can also summon a Pegasus as a holy horse.
The truth domain cleric is perfectly fine. I just find order of the heart refreshing after having DM'd so many vengeance paladins. Truth domain clerics get advantage on perception rolls and insight checks, find true paths (no traps), and divine strike.
I'm more conflicted about the other thing that makes MotCSaV unique—sins and virtues. Each district starts with a pair of creatures, representing a vice and virtue. Each set is paired thematically with the district. For example the the market district has greed and charity. The legendary beings might be influencing the district through those they have influenced or may be fighting for control of the area. It is a different idea but I can spin enough game plots through politics and personalities. I don't need legendary virtues and vices, but it is something new.
All of the art, which is abundant – Cawood Publishing didn't skimp like some companies do—is by Travis Hanson for a uniform style. I loved Hanson's Life of the Party, and it's perfect for some of the characters (especially the Daydream, which is beautiful), but might seem a bit cartoony for others. On the plus side, it means undead creatures aren't too grotesque looking, which can be a drawback for kids creating their first adventures.
I liked Monsters of the City: Sins and Virtues and not just because I like city and town supplements. It has enough interesting ideas and information that's really handy to more than overcome the pieces I'm less enamored with. It doesn't replace WotC's Monster Manual (and isn't designed to because the encounters include classic MM monsters) but is a very respectable supplement.
Cawood publishing is running a Kickstarter for Monsters of the Wilderness that ends March 4.
[EDITOR'S NOTE: Charles conducted an interview with Andrew Cawood earlier this week.]
MotCSaV is more about potential adversaries (or allies) than just “monsters.” In addition to undead and other typical monster types MotCSaV has NPCs like elite guards, horse master, bounty hunter, charlatan, etc. Some characters are interesting mashups like the werewolf spy, berserk butcher, cursed coachman, the forgotten king (an undead ruler), rich lich, etc.
The more unique adversaries are interesting. Fro example, the Sleepless Governor is a heartless, evil bureaucrat chasing power. Being a workaholic means she makes saving throws late in the day at disadvantage, but because she's so cold, if hit with a melee attack she does 1d8 cold damage from her “cold shoulder.” She also has a bully ability (save vs. Wisdom or be frightened) three times a day and uses an Icy Longsword.
What I like the most is that MotCSaV is as much a supplement for urban settings as it is a monster guide. It's broken into seven districts named for various parts of a city – castle district, wealthy, temple, market, docks, slums, and sewers. Each section has its creatures, as well as info on the authority in that district, factions, landmarks, types of stores and taverns, and sample prices for services like messengers, hirelings, and coaches. Each district also has a d20 encounter chart.
A variety of other items also tip this toward a fantasy urban supplement. In the front of the book is a 2d20 table of plot hooks. In the back is a blank city map so you can place location where you wish. A d100 city events table and city encounters and location d100 table rounds it out with monsters listed by challenge rating and creature type.
MotCSaV also includes two subclasses—cleric domain of truth and paladin order of the heart. The former has existed in prior editions, but I really like the paladin. It uses the power of love to sense evil in one's heart, help allies resist necrotic and poison damage, heal allies when the paladin makes a critic hit, etc. At 15th level this paladin can also summon a Pegasus as a holy horse.
The truth domain cleric is perfectly fine. I just find order of the heart refreshing after having DM'd so many vengeance paladins. Truth domain clerics get advantage on perception rolls and insight checks, find true paths (no traps), and divine strike.
I'm more conflicted about the other thing that makes MotCSaV unique—sins and virtues. Each district starts with a pair of creatures, representing a vice and virtue. Each set is paired thematically with the district. For example the the market district has greed and charity. The legendary beings might be influencing the district through those they have influenced or may be fighting for control of the area. It is a different idea but I can spin enough game plots through politics and personalities. I don't need legendary virtues and vices, but it is something new.
All of the art, which is abundant – Cawood Publishing didn't skimp like some companies do—is by Travis Hanson for a uniform style. I loved Hanson's Life of the Party, and it's perfect for some of the characters (especially the Daydream, which is beautiful), but might seem a bit cartoony for others. On the plus side, it means undead creatures aren't too grotesque looking, which can be a drawback for kids creating their first adventures.
I liked Monsters of the City: Sins and Virtues and not just because I like city and town supplements. It has enough interesting ideas and information that's really handy to more than overcome the pieces I'm less enamored with. It doesn't replace WotC's Monster Manual (and isn't designed to because the encounters include classic MM monsters) but is a very respectable supplement.
Cawood publishing is running a Kickstarter for Monsters of the Wilderness that ends March 4.
