This article originally appeared in d20 Weekly
Demons and Devils II
Published by Fast Forward Entertainment
Edited by Timothy Brown and James M. Ward
224-page hardcover; $29.99
Our history provides gamers with a wealth of insidious beings, known collectively as demons and devils, from which to draw inspiration. Demons and Devils II, a follow up (obviously) to Demons and Devils I that contained 173 entries, pulls even more outsiders from the shadows of legend and myth, bringing them to the gaming table for us to enjoy.
The production values and art work for Demons and Devils II is far greater than in its predecessor. The hardback cover features a scanned image of a Greco-Roman statue with a layer of digital effects that proves surprisingly effective in creating a sinister, even disturbing feel. It looks like the demon is looking out at us from behind a shroud of infernal fires and brimstone. Simple, but wonderfully effective. Artwork inside is black-and-white, ranging from average to excellent. Some pieces of clip art were used in lieu of original renderings, with uneven results. In some cases the ploy was effective, but in others it smelled of shortcuts.
Creatures are listed alphabetically, rather than being grouped by culture. While some may prefer to see infernal "pantheons" created, the collection features beings from such a smorgasbord of cultures that this really wouldn't be effective. Besides which, in light of most d20 System fantasy games' rather loose "theology," there's little reason to go to this effort; simply use whatever . . .
This article originally appeared in the second volume of Pyramid. See the current Pyramid website for more information.
Article publication date: December 25, 2002
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