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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Prakriti" data-source="post: 6937099" data-attributes="member: 6855149">First impression: It's good. 4/5 or 5/5. If you liked the previews, you'll like the whole book.Lot  of NPC needs were filled. High-level Cleric (CR 9), Warlock NPCs (CR 4,  6, and 7), and a Mage for every spell school (transmuter CR 5,  necromancer CR 9, illusionist CR 3, etc.) Plus a Bard (CR 2), Archer (CR  3), and many more.Monsters are much better than we'd probably  have gotten in a MM2. Higher ratio of hit than miss. A lot of monsters  are "expanded from within," as I'd call it, i.e. they get a lot of new  variants of differing CRs. For example, Kobolds now have a CR 1  sorcerer, CR 1 warrior, and a CR 1/4 inventor. Orcs, gnolls, and  hobgoblins all got this sort of treatment. Gnolls (surprisingly) got the  most support. Lots of new variants, plus two monstrous hyena companions  (Shoosuva and Leucrotta). Tables for monsters-by-type (undead,  fey, etc.), monsters-by-CR, and monsters-by-terrain (swamp, underwater,  etc.). These ONLY include the monsters in Volo's Guide, not the MM.The  lair maps are pretty good and functional (Blando, you surprise me).  Some are 1 square = 5 feet, some are 1 square = 10 feet. Only the  Mindflayer map is mostly non-functional as a battle-map, being more of a 3D side-view.Only 18 monsters are CR 10 or above. A little disappointing, but c'est la business-model. Only other complaint: I want more. Luckily, the book doesn't feel as slim as the SCAG (thank goodness), and it's PACKED with useful information. Almost no useless fluff (there is one page of random tables for Beholder "features" (eye shape, etc.), but that's the only thing that struck me as wasted space).The  playable races have all been leaked before now, and I don't have much  to add. I'm not a monstrous-races kind of DM, so these new additions were never going  to be allowed at my table anyways. But the Tabaxi seems kind of  overpowered. Similar to elves, but maybe out-and-out better. +2 Dex and  +1 Cha, Darkvision, Perception AND Stealth proficiency, and a climbing  speed. Tabaxi might be the new go-to race for rogues. The lore information is high-quality stuff. Very inspiring as a DM. Volo's personality doesn't really come through (a good thing, IMO), and it all comes across as truthful information (another good thing). In other words, this is all stuff you can use in your campaigns.Overall, my impression is very favorable. Volo's is a definite buy, the first since the core books. I might even put it ahead of the DMG in usefulness. If not, it's just behind the core books in utility.</blockquote>

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