Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.
ShortQuests -- individual adventure modules! An all-new collection of digest-sized D&D adventures designed to plug in to your game.

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Messageboard Golem" data-source="post: 2009388" data-attributes="member: 18387">BASIC OVERVIEW: ***spoilers ahead***The Monsternomicon is a 240 page hardcoverbook about the denizens of the Iron Kingdoms campaign setting. The cover shows an undead ripping through the metallic binding.The interior consisits of "parchment" type paper with black and white art. The font size used is a 10 point font and there is minimal borders / empty space. The average entry per monster is two pages. The book has been in production for a long time. The release dates were pushed back a few times. Is this book just a typical monster manual or is it actually worth the wait?A DEEPER LOOK:The monsternomicon contains 80 monster plus sections on "quickplates"(templates that can be added on to boost critters, Prestige classes, Cosmology of the Iron Kingdoms and Playable Races of Iron Kingdoms. The book introduce a great idea in the monster lore skill which is tied into the Legends & Lore section explained later on in this review. The art with in, usually one or more per creature, is outstanding and relevant to all entries.The book is written in first person narrative by "professor Viktor Pendrake". This basically means that all monsters are given a first person introduction/ blurb in the monster entries giving each monster a unique perspective and giving the GM a very good understanding of how they fit in.1. MONSTERS: (PGS 4- 206) The extra time spent on produciing the book seems to have been well worth it. Each monster entry has the following additonal features in comparison to other products: a size comparison chart on top of the page- namely the outline of the creature VS humans, Treasure, Legends & Lore and Hooks.The size chart is a very cool idea. It helped tremendously in visualizing the creature. The treasure section breaks down what can be found from the creature - this is not necessarily money or items but what can be harvested/ used from the creature itself; i consider this to be a tremendous and very useful idea; many adventure ideas popped into my head when i was looking through this. The Legends & Lore breaks down what the player character would know depending on the sucess level of their monster lore check (which is either tied into existing knowledge skills such as wilderness lore or knowledge skills or a separate skill - the choice is left up to the GM). The hooks provide the GM with great or unique ways to introduce a monster.Here is an example of a typical monster and how these features apply : Burrow Mawg:Treasure: "... The adrenal gland, located at the base of its brain, is teeming with the hormone that gives the beast its exceptional physicality. Eating the adrenal gland of a Burrow Mawg raises the Str and Con score of the consumer by +2 for 4d8 rounds."Legends & Lore: (catogorized as common, uncommon, rare and obscure)common: NoneUncommon: "Burrow Mawgs cannot tolerate direct light....they hybernate during the deepst part of the summer months" etc.Hooks: "... the adrenal glands have become the drug de jour among the local nobility..."Some of the entries that stood out to me include the following:Dragons (CR49-66): Not your typical dragons, these are unique creatures that could destroy a kingdom and they have some cool extra powers such as blighting the area that they dwell in. I would run from these guys on any day of the week.Cephalyx (CR6): Monsterous humanoids that twist their captives into mindless servitors. They have multiple mechanical armsIron Lich (CR14>): A creature that has sold its flesh for immortality with some cool abilities as well as vulnerabilites.Totem Hunter(CR11): Seems to have been inspired by predator, yet the creature is so unique with some ver cool abilities such as totem reaping (gains strength and additonal abilities by beheading the target).2. LEGENDS AND LORE (PG208-209).Gives an explanation of how the legends & lore works including how existing skills apply to what is known of a creature (common and uncommon legends & lore only). Rare and uncommon lore has to be researched.Introduces the new skill, Creature lore, which is very well blanced and thought out. The section also introduces 4 new feats, namely unearthed arcana - the ability to gain rare legends on lore on 2 creatures per selection of this feat, Myth Delver - which gives a +4 on bardic knowledge or research checks, Sagas and Stories - which automiatically gives a PC common knowledge on a specific creature type (undead, fay etc) and Tall tales- which gives you an intelligence check DC10 to recall any common knowledge on a creature.The skill and the research/ synergy info in this chapter is exceptionally well done. The feats, even though relevant, seemed a bit repatitive. I think the number of feats could have been reduced  but never the less, none of the feats are unbalancing (some seem a bit underpowered)and they do add a new dimension to the game/3.QUICKPLATES: (212-215)These are templates that can be easily added to creatures to make them a bit more unique and challenging. The templates are:1. Alpha Hunter: as the title imples, the leader of a pack, basically doubles con bonus, addition of the improved intitative feat plus bonus to stats, saves and feats. Restricted to only     creatures that hunt in packs and have some form of communication2.Blood Thirsty: as the title implies a creature whose love of killing has grown so strong that it is filled with blood lust. Boosts stats a bit, reduces AC and gets the Blood Rage ability .3. Crafty: as the names implies, added bonuses to Int and wisdom etc.4.Deep Dweller: a creature who has wandered into the subterranian environment and has adapted5.Holy:  a creature that has guarded a holy site for so long that it has gained abilities such as detect evil, damage reduction and enlightened body.6.Maligned: a creature that has been tainted by dark energies. Gets additonal abilites such as detect good and logevity.7.stealthy:  as the name implies, gains sneak attack ability as well.8. Tough: as the name implies, gains improved healing.9. Urban: a  creature found in the wilderness that has adapted to city life; gets abilites such as city stealth and hidden denThe templates are very utilitarian. They are well designed for a quick bump to creatures and also give regular monsters some added flavor if used properly. 4. PRESTIGE CLASSES: (219-234)This section contains the following prestige classes:1. Adveturing Scholar: A very well thought out prestige class. This PrC is very Indiana Jonsesque. The BAB, saves etc are on par with a rogue. The Prc gets features such as Field of Study and other abilities reating to the field of study which helps with knowledge skills, Base of Operations, Against all Odd (luck bonus that increases with level), Adventurer's Zeal(cha bonus to AC) and Pen scholarly work (which helps the Scholars abilites in influenicing other academics). Overall, a very well balanced and interesting PrC. The PrC migh be improper in a hack n slash campaing.2. Bone Grinder:  a PrC where the character gains the ability to create spell tokens that enhance spells and other abilities. This can only be done through hunting/ harvesting monster parts and specific types of monster parts enhance specific spell types and the HD of the creature used must be at least twice that of the spell enhanced (via metamagic feat). A very quirky and exceptional PrC.3.Monster Hunter:  similar to a ranger in some ways, this PrC also provides the character with the ability to set and create and set traps to capture creatures (think of the bad guys from Tarzan etc.). This PrC didnt really stand out to me, it could be duplicated by multi classing and as such seemed a bit redundant.5&6: COSMOLOGY AND PLAYABLE RACES: (234-239)Both these sections are unique to the Iron Kingdoms (IK) campaign setting and as such might not be portable to other campaigns. COSMOLOGY: right off the bat the reader is told that there are no planes in IK and no planar travel. There are very few Outsiders in IK. There are only 2 kingdoms known to the denizens of IK, namely the living and the dead (Caen and Uracen). Another key factor that stood out was the fact that the gods are embroiled in fighting in an endless war (reading between the lines, i would presume no raise dead etc. in IK as the gods have an eminent need for souls). The Infernals in IK are in the Soul trade (not by tempting mortals mind you but by outright stealing souls on their journey in the after life - souls are pretty valuable in Uracen as they are the armies in the endless war).  An order within the Infernals is given with the breakdown of the basic functions within the group. This section was very unique and interesting. It peiqued my interest in IK. what seems to stand out is the fact that Privateer Press seems to be willing to think outside the box. The information here is a bit scant as one suspects that this is a teaser for their campaign  setting.PLAYABLE RACES: The races outside of humans are, Dwarves, Elves, Gobbers, Trollkin, Ogrun and NyssDwarves: As per PHB except they are Oathbound - any oath taken by a dwarf is considered a Geas/ Quest spell with all repercussions. Dwarves have to be Lawful.Elves: Same as PHB except elves are Natural Diviners -  free spell focus divination and +2 on scry checks.Gobbers: two variations with the basic gobber getting +2 dex and -2 strength and the Bogrin getting +2 dex, -2 dex and cha. They get special abilities such as camouflage (+4 to hide checks)., +1 on saves vs. poison, +2 to alchemy checks, and +2 to escape artist checks (Gobber only). The Bogirin get the following additonal abilities; immune to natural exteme cold and heat, do not gain the +2 to escape artist and have a -2 to Bluff and Diplomacy. Trollkin: +2 str, +4 con, -2 to dex and charisma. They also get improved healing (heal at twice the normal rate along with  +4 vs poison and +2 vs disease and regenerating lost limbs), toughness (ability to shrug of subdual damage). they are considered level +1 creatures. Ogrun: +4 str, -2 wis and int. These are large creatures +2 bonuses to intimidate and Craft checks. Once an Ogrun swears fealty to a cause it cannot betray those oaths. They also start with +1 hit dice at first level. They are considered level +1 creatures.Nyss: Winter elves with +2 bonus to dex, -2 to wis. They are resistant to natural cold and vulnerable to hot weather. They also get +4 to saves vs cold based spells, -2 vs heat/fire based attacks, +2 to listen spot and hide. They also gain proficiency in the Claymore and  Longbow and can apply weapon finesse  to the Claymore.The races, even though interesting, didnt seem well balanced. All races get skills that they are always adept at; this seems like a very good concept.Some of the races seem to have game mechanic bonuses off set by role playing penalties which does not work well in all situations. Further, the Gobbers seemed a bit underpowered while the Trollkin seemed a bit too powerful even considering the level adjustment (this is diregarding what seems to be an editing mistake where the poison and disease resistance was repeated twice under seperate sections).OVERALL IMPRESSIONS:This book is outstanding as far as production values and content goes.The art, layout and concepts were all above par. The only issues I had was with the Races section as noted above. The portability of the creatures to any setting was a pleaseant surprise and the monster section stands out as the strongest section in the book. This book is well worth having just for the monster lore concept alone. The detail provided for each creatures raises it a level above MM and similar books. Kudos to Privateer. Please feel free to ask any questions or post any comments, both positive and negative.</blockquote>

Verification