This article originally appeared in d20 Weekly
Minions: Fearsome Foes
Published by Bastion Press
Edited by Michael Cantrell
96 full color pages; $24.95
With all of the monster books currently out there, is there any need to pick up Minions: Fearsome Foes, the new collection of creatures from Bastion Press? The value of any new book of this type is in what differentiates it from others. Boasting art that is not only better than that in most other monster manuals, the art in Minions is full color. The book is also apart from others in its scope; it isn't merely a collection of monsters to destroy the players, but a full range of creatures that can add vast depth to any game. In addition to providing the standard statistics, the monsters also include notes on how to use them in a campaign. This can be refreshing (or daunting!) for new DMs who, after reading the Scarred Lands Creature Collections, are expecting only to throw more monsters at the characters.
Some of the creatures can act as plot devices, like the amberjouron. This forest-dwelling creature looks like a snow owl; in fact, it's a powerful spellcaster with vast amounts of knowledge and the occasional magic item to trade. This creature gets over a page of description, making it fully fleshed out so the DM can use it right away. Another example is the Grumpet, a creature that makes its home in fetid bogs and fens so that it can use the gases in its gasbag to float. These creatures are similar to the amberjouron in that they collect knowledge and have items that may . . .
This article originally appeared in the second volume of Pyramid. See the current Pyramid website for more information.
Article publication date: July 10, 2002
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