For a guy like me who was (is) a little OCD about organizing game components, the Monstrous Compendium was the greatest thing ever. The brilliance of this release was that it was a three-ring binder full of one-sheet descriptions of monsters.
The first “Monster Manual” for 2E AD&D was the Monstrous Compendium. Most of my D&D playing years took place in 2nd edition. For similar reasons, the Fiend Folio is out of the discussion, even though I love it so much. That doesn’t make it less important, but the book isn’t even close to perfect. The art, layout, and overall weirdness of old school AD&D make it less useful at the table. However, as the first in a line of continuous revisions, it falls short when compared objectively to its descendants. The 1E Monster Manual is iconic and deserves a place in the discussion. All subsequent collections owe too much to the original for it to not be considered as the best. The first edition Monster Manual for AD&D is the gold standard. Fans of those tomes, please don’t get upset when I don’t mention them. (Sorry, Ravenloft Monstrous Compendium.) I should also disclose that I have no experience at all with D&D 3.0 or 3.5. No other game systems, or setting specific stuff. I think it is a contender, but a few offerings from the past might actually be better, or, at least, just as good.įor the purposes of this comparison, I am only referring to official material from TSR or WotC, released for any version of “core” Dungeons & Dragons. Does the 5th ed Monster Manual need to be the greatest one of all time? Not really. It is a fine follow-up to the Player’s Handbook, and bodes well for quality of the upcoming Dungeon Master’s Guide.īut is it the best Monster Manual ever? If you had asked me this question the first night I read it, I wouldn’t have hesitated at all before answering a resounding “YES!” However, after the new has worn off slightly, I am not as certain.
The interior art ranges from simply good to bedazzlingly perfect, and the book strikes a balance between pleasantly fluffy and satisfyingly crunchy. The amazing cover, meticulous graphic design, and sturdy heft of the book make it look and feel wonderful in your hands. Reviews all over the blogosphere have been overwhelmingly positive, and deservedly so. There is quite a lot to like about this, the second major rulebook for 5th Edition. The quality of the book is striking, from the physical appearance to the content inside. I picked up the new D&D Monster Manual shortly after it was released.
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