Reviews for Van Richten's Monster Hunter's Compendium

The average rating for Van Richten's Monster Hunter's Compendium based on 2 reviews is 4.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2013-05-26 00:00:00 Terry Bardsley Even though this is a reference book for Dungeons & Dragons, it's written well enough- and is evocative such- that anyone who wants a reference for horror or for storytelling would want to read it. It's a great guide for horror in general, but in particular, this volume covers three creatures that are staples of the genre: vampires, lycanthropes, and golems/Frankenstein's Monster. For all three of these creatures, the book gives some interesting ideas for how to portray them differently, how to create characters with them, and even how to tell stories revolving around them that give the proper sense of horror. Those who play tabletop games, those who write horror, and those who are interested in using these kinds of creatures should definitely check out this book. I guarantee that you'll get some interesting thoughts out of it, and you won't see those three creatures in the same way again.

Review # 2 was written on 2013-03-19 00:00:00 Gerry Berzinski I haven't actually played any of these, but they read well. Each of the seven self-contained "Adventurer's Guild" scenarios is designed for 4-6 mid-level characters, and takes place in a different TSR/WoTC game setting, as follows: 1) Bryon Wischstadt: "Vale of the Dragon Oracle" Forgotten Realms; 5-7th level 2) Christopher McKitterick: "Return of the Pick-axe" Greyhawk; 7-9th level 3) Sean K. Reynolds: "Blood Feud" The Illithiad; 7-8th level 4) Christopher Perkins: "The Manxome Foe" Planescape; 8-12th level 5) John W. Mangrum: "The Heart's Final Beat" Ravenloft; 6-8th level 6) Steven "Stan!" Brown: "Leviathan's Deep" Dragonlance Fifth Age: SAGA System ("Book of the Fifth Age" from that box especially helpful); unspecified level 7) Jeff Quick: "Folds in the Tapestry" Alternity: Science Fiction Adventure Game : The Adventure Begins Now; unspecified level - requires Alternity Player's Handbook