Everybody loves new monsters. But,if you've played D&D for a while, the old staples become a little jaded. We all know what to expect when a Blue Dragon rears its head or an Ettin stands around the next bend in the round. A recent session demonstrated just how knowledgeable we have become about D&D monsters.
GM: "A lion flashes it's ivory white teeth, preparing to pounce"
Myself and adventuring partner (in perfect, spontaneous unison): "5 HD, 2 claw and 1 bite attack, AC 15. no problem
we attack".
We sounded like Borg preparing to assimilate.
Even when players aren't quite as, shall we say gaming savvy (read geek), as my gaming companions and I, most veteran players have a pretty good idea of the capabities of the foes they face. The other problem is that with alarming regularity, players are able to predict the monsters they will meet during their adventures. "Let's see. 1st level characters. Ruined tower inhabited by marauding humanoids. We can expect some goblins or kobolds, maybe some stirges or giant bats in the belfry, and that disturbance in the cemetery…..zombies or skeletons. Lock and load, boys!"
This is why I love to see collections of new monsters. They give gms something surprising to throw at the pcs, keeping the game fresh and the players excited. I drool when I see a cool monster that will keep my jaded and unforgiving gaming troupe interested. When I received Nightmares and Dreams, I practically had to wear a bib.
Nightmares and Dreams is a 72 page monster collection for the dark fantasy world of Gothos. The second release by Mystic Eye Games, this book captures the essence of horror that promises to be central to the game world much better than the initial release, the fine adventure The Pit of Loch-Durnan.
There are some 35 new monsters in total, each fantastic and frightful. These creatures are actually manifestations of nightmares that somehow gain substance, and all have a vignette that helps to define them and the horror they can inflict. The writing is very evocative, inspiring adventure at every turn.
And who couldn't get up for an adventure featuring the Incinerated, undead who return from a fiery death ("don't touch, they're hot"); the Mirror Creep, shadowy fiends that only appear in reflective surfaces; or the Evil Clown Doll, a monster that captures the essence of my fear of clowns! Others? Try the Dark Cloud, a creature that incites mass hysteria and riots; or maybe the Cthulhu-esque mass of blood and guts called the Visceral Mass.
Far more than just a book of nasties, you will also find other resources that relate to the monsters scattered through-out. These could be sample NPC villains, rules on undead creation, new magic items, adventure hooks, unique spells, and mysterious cults. There is actually a lot in here, enough to keep you returning for more even after depleting the ranks of foes.
As a package, Nightmares and Dreams is excellent. The cover art is beautiful, lay-out professionally done, and the interior illustrations generally very good....some of it outstanding.
While I would have loved to have had an adventure outline for each monster, this is a minor quibble as it would have been unprecedented among "monster manuals". As it stands, Nightmares and Dreams is a nice addition to any D&D library, especially for gms striving to keep grizzled vets interested. And if they soil themselves with fright along the way, such is life……..
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