You've thrown everything in the Monster Manual at your players, and just to keep them on their toes, you threw the whole menagerie of SSS's Creature Collection at them. Well, don't go looking for the kitchen sink just yet, because Sword and Sorcery Studios have gone and released a second Creature Collection: Dark Menagerie 2 (hereafter refered to as CC2 in this review).
The authors don't waste any time getting started, and neither will I. Whereas the first Creature Collection (CC) had a Preface and Intro section, CC2 has only a half page Preface, mostly advertising their web site. Then it's on to the monsters, woohoo!
Like the first CC, monsters are presented in D20 System format, and carefully tip-toe around mentioning D&D, apparantly for licensing and/or legal reasons. The artwork seems to have improved as well. Don't get me wrong, the first CC's artwork was better than average, but there were a few stinkers.
I didn't much care for the illustration of the Acid Shambler (looks like something out of Scooby Doo), but everything else rates from acceptable to exceptional. It's unfortunate that SSS didn't publish their Creature Collection books in color, some of these illustrations would really benefit from some color.
The monsters range from the mundane (more zombie variations, yawn) to the exceptionally creative (Face Stealer, I am so going to use him!). In fact, some of the best creatures almost have adventure plots built in. I'm already starting to plan an encounter around a Sundered Woman for a future adventure.
Overall, this collection of monsters is above average. You really get a sense that they didn't just pile the rejects from the first book into a second volume. Monsters like the Blood Moths really show a lot of creative energy went into CC2.
Now, for some awards:
Most gory illustration: Flesh Strippers (and no color illustrations, darn!)
Eeriest Monster: Hagling (just something about evil children...)
Monsters that beg to have an adventure based around them: A tie between Sundered Woman and Bitter Tree (hmm, maybe both in the same adventure...)
Monster most likely to be confused with a Pokemon: Assassin's Bane (he could be the Jar Jar Binks of your campaign!)
Appendix One contains some Template Creatures. If there's one single thing that sets 3rd Edition D&D apart from earlier editions, it's the ability to customize monsters. CC2 presents a sample grouping of new monsters here that you can customize for the level of your party. Back when your party was 3rd level, those Belsameth Spiders they ran into were kinda tough, but quickly dispatched. Now that they're 8th level, they might be thinking "oh, more spiders. Let's squash 'em and head back to the pub." That's when you get to pick up a fistful of dice and cackle wildly. (As a related aside, it's always fun to customize even the mundane monsters. Suddenly, Orcs get taken a lot more serious when they don't die on the first hit, and then pull a Flurry of Blows in retaliation...)
Appendix 2 is a real treat. This is an 18 page table of monsters grouped by Challenge Rating. Not just monsters from CC2 are here, but also from CC and the Monster Manual. Very useful.
Appendix 3 contains Monster Summoning Tables, but only include monsters from CC and CC2.
Appendix 4 is a copy of the Open Gaming License, which has made it possible for supplements like this. You've got to give WoTC a lot of credit for having the guts to release the D20 system under the OGL, because companies like SSS are sure going to give them a run for their money. TSR would never have done this, and in the end, we as gamers are the beneficiaries.
Conclusion: There's just very little to dislike about CC2. At 25 pages more than the CC, CC2 is jam packed with monsters, templates, and relevant information. If I had to pick one thing to gripe about, it would be the lack of color illustrations. But that's a small gripe. The overall quality of the material more than makes up for this.
At $24.95, it may be a bit pricey for the gamer on a budget. However, it's priced right in line with the D&D core books, and is at least as substantial as any of them. If you're looking for new monsters to challenge your PCs, this is it.
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