[UPDATE: NOW LIVE] TOME OF BEASTS Preview - A 5E Monster Book from the Kobolds!

Kobold Press is continuing its D&D 5E offerings with a new Kickstarter which is set to launch today (Monday). I'll update this article with the link when it arrives (update - it's now live), but the project is a new 5E monster book called Tome of Beasts. Kobold Press, of course, made the Tyranny of Dragons adventures for WotC. They've kindly sent along a preview of this new book - an eye golem - which is one of the more than 300 monsters in this book.

[UPDATE: The Kickstarter has now launched!]

This makes the second major monster book from a third-party (Necromancer Games produced 5th Edition Foes earlier this year). Here's what I know about it so far - it's 300+ new monsters which are compiled from Kobold Press' history, full colour, and will be Kickstarted for 30 days starting Monday 5th October. They mentioned that the book would include clockwork creatures, drakes, dragons, devils, and dark fey.

There's also a Book of Lairs which features short adventures (and also starring some of these monsters), each with a large encounter map.

What else have the Kobolds produced for 5E? Aside from the two Tyranny of Dragons adventures for WotC, they've already brought us an adventure called The Raven's Call, and a pile of races and backgrounds in Midgard Heroes.

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[Matthan]

I'm interested, but there's a few things that are keeping me from pledging. The price seems high at points. For instance, if I pledged separately for a print copy of the Book of Lairs and a print copy of the Monster book, it's cheaper than the pledge level that has them both. I also would probably prefer the option of adding the Book of Lairs as a pdf and just buying the monster book in print. I don't want to be overly negative, because I really want to back this, but it all feels a little high to me.

 

[jadrax]

Would be interested in seeing the full list of monsters likely to be in the book, as the five examples listed in the stretch goals seem a bit uninspired.

 

[PieAndDragon]

Backed . This has made my day!

 

[Monkey King]

Cost has put me off nabbing this too (in my case pdfs). Not really seeing the value here.

Huh. I thought the PDF was slightly underpriced. Less than 10 cents per monster is a bargain.

 

[Monkey King]

I'm interested, but there's a few things that are keeping me from pledging. The price seems high at points. For instance, if I pledged separately for a print copy of the Book of Lairs and a print copy of the Monster book, it's cheaper than the pledge level that has them both. I also would probably prefer the option of adding the Book of Lairs as a pdf and just buying the monster book in print. I don't want to be overly negative, because I really want to back this, but it all feels a little high to me.

Much smaller print run than a Wizards book does mean the costs are higher, but I pushed them as low as I could for an art-and-map-intensive project like this. There are, of course, stretch goals that turn this book into an even better deal (more monsters, tokens for online play, and a goal to include backer-submitted creatures). So I'd argue it's priced correctly.

The print Lairs + print Monsters combination you're looking at includes the monster previews, which the lower tiers do not.

 

[mellored]

Does anyone think it odd that you can blind the eye golem?

 

[Matthan]

Much smaller print run than a Wizards book does mean the costs are higher, but I pushed them as low as I could for an art-and-map-intensive project like this. There are, of course, stretch goals that turn this book into an even better deal (more monsters, tokens for online play, and a goal to include backer-submitted creatures). So I'd argue it's priced correctly.

The print Lairs + print Monsters combination you're looking at includes the monster previews, which the lower tiers do not.

I figured the cost had to do with the art expenses. Is the intention that every monster will have an illustration then?

Are you open to including add ons like for an additonal amount a person could include a pdf of Lairs with a physical Beasts pledge?

 

[Zaukrie]

I will be backing this. The best 4e stuff I ran came from this company

 

[danir]

Was ready to jump in, but the price point gave me a pause...will wait for the reviews to roll in.
Edit: Does the pledge covers international shipping or is there additional charge?

 

[Guyanthalas]

I would agree with you if it wasn't for enlightened self interest... I get a lot of stuff cheap on the old KS

Agreed on this point, providing the KS stuff /is/ cheaper. I've found that often the kickstarter backer prices are the exact same if you buy the goods after the fact... which begs the question of why to back in the first place (assume its fully funded).

If I know this is going to retail for higher (or not be available at all), that gives some incentive to get it now rather than wait.

That being said, I'm VERY interested in this product.