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Introduction

I've never quite understood rpg hardbacks. They're big, they're heavy, and, if over four of them are in a backpack, a cover's going to be damaged. I'm fine with the core books being hardback, but a $30 hardback supplement is, in my opinion, a bit much. I prefer the old days of softcover rpg supplements. Which brings us to Monster Geographica: Underground. MG:U is a conventient, small softback, selling at $20, and containing two hundred monsters in as many pages. Gamers might balk at $20 for an rpg book of this size (and no pictures), but I'd say that there's little difference in, say, using fifty monsters from a $30 monster book versus fifty monsters from a $20 one. MG:U is entirely OGC, drawing from twenty different sources (listed below). And, no, they're not all monster books.

Organization, Layout, Sources

Speaking of monster books, MGU also takes care of another peeve I have with them: they're alphabetical. Sure, in the D&D Monster Manual, you knew what a hobgoblin was, so found it by looking under the letter 'H'. And, yes, it's important you know where aardvark is in a dictionary. But palnor? An undal? Monster names often didn't tell you anything about the monster itself. Alphabetical entries might as well be random.

CR: Monster Geographica's strength is organizing monsters by CR. Need a random encounter? Populating a dungeon level? Rather than consulting the CR index of a book and madly flipping pages back and forth, with MG you just thumb through the book to the CR you're looking for. MG organizes creatures by CR, then organizes the CRs in numerical order. The range of CR 1 to CR 9 has the most monsters. From CR 1/3 to CR 1/2, there are about two creatures per CR. From CR 1 to 2, about fifteen creatures per CR. From CR 3 to 8, about twenty creatures per CR. For CR9, ten creatures. For CR 10 to 12, about six creatures per CR. From CR 13 to 20, about two creatures per CR. Of course, the book also has an alphabetical listing, and listing of monsters by type. For easy reference, each creature typically has its own page.

Editing: Since this is a book of monsters from other sources, it's particularly important that the entries be edited to have one "voice". That is, you don't want to read one monster entry with one writing style, and another entry with a different one. The book does a pretty good job of this, with the first or second paragraph being the monster description (particularly important since there are no illustrations), Subsequent background paragraphs vary. Hunting habits, ecology, and languages spoken are the most common topics. Afterwards is the Combat section, starting with a description of how the monster attacks, followed by its Special Abilities. Overall, like many monster manuals, it's a book of monster fodder, not creature documentaries.

Layout: The layout organizes and doesn't try to impress. Most monster entries begin at the top of the page. Body font is serif. Boldface is used for stats and special abilities. Stats have a slightly larger serif font. Headers (eg. name of creature and Combat) use the stylish but not busy font found on the front cover. As said, there's no interior art for the monster entries.

Sources: Most sources are not monster manuals. These sources are listed roughly as they appear in the MG:U OGL section.

• A Magical Society: Ecology and Culture, Expeditious Retreat Press
• Nyambe: African Adventures, Atlas Games
• Minions, v.3.5: Bastion Press
• Monster of the Mind, Green Ronin Publishing
• Monsters of the Endless Dark: The Wanderers Guide to Subterranean Organisms, Goodman Games
• The Kaiser's Garde Volume I, Mongoose Publishing
• Into the Black, Bastion Press
• Liber Bestarius, Eden Studios
• Creature Collection, Creature Collection II, and Creature Collection III: Savage Bestiary, White Wolf
• Tome of Horrors and Tome of Horrors II, Necromaner Games, Inc.
• Denizens of Advanu, The Inner Circle
• Penumbra Bestiary, Trident Inc. / Atlas Games
• Original Spell Name Compendium, Necromancer Games
• Relics and Rituals and Relics and Rituals II, White Wolf
• Mithril: City of Golem, White Wolf
• Hollowfaust: City of Necromancers, White Wolf
• The Wise and Wicked, White Wolf
• The Divine and Defeated, White Wolf
• Burok Torn: City Under Seige, White Wolf
• Vigil Watch: Warrens of Raften and Vigil Watch: Secrets of Aatthi, White Wolf
• Secrets and Societies, White Wolf
• Wilderness and Wasteland, White Wolf
• Scarred Lands Campaign Setting: Ghelspad, White Wolf
• Serpent Amphora Cycle, Books I, II, and III, White Wolf
• Calastria: Throne of the Black Dragon, White Wolf
• Scarred Lands Gazetteer: Termana, White Wolf
• Hornsaw: Forest of Blood, White Wolf
• The Penumbra Pentagon, White Wolf
• Shelzar: City of Sins, White Wolf
• Blood Bayou, White Wolf
• Player's Guide to Wizards, Bards, and Sorcerors, White Wolf
• Player's Guide to Fighters and Barbarians, White Wolf
• Player's Guide to Clerics and Druids, White Wolf
• Player's Guide to Rangers and Rogues, White Wolf
• The Complete Guide to Drow, Goodman Games
• Hammer and Helm: A Guidebook for Dwarves, Green Ronin Publishing
• Dungeon, Evil, Dragons, Undead, War, Monster, Alderac Entertainment
• Into the Green, Bastion Press
• Occult Lore, Trident Games / Atlas Games

Content

Most monsters are aberrations, magical beasts, or undead, with from forty to twenty entries each. Humanoids, oozes, vermin, plants, and constructs have about fifteen entries each. Other categories have five to ten entries. There's only one animal and one dragon, and no demons or devils. Overall, most monsters are cannon fodder and subterraneous creatures, rather than bizarrely exotic and unique "boss" monsters. I did notice a handful of classic monsters, such as the Crypt Thing, Cave Fisher, and Disenchanter, from the Tome of Horrors series. I actually think this book would make a good "core" monster book for underground adventures.

In addition, MG:U contains short entries called Flora and Fauna, scattered throughout the book. While there's not enough material to create a dungeon ecology, there's enough to add some atmosphere to a game. Most are fungi, acting as potions or hallucinogens. Others are ores, with magical properties, or cave formations, such as lava tubes. Magical fungi and ores should make interesting plot devices for a quest. Hallucinogens should spice up an otherwise mundane encounter...

Conclusion

I don't have any problems recommending Monster Geographica: Underground. Its layout and organization should be the model for other monster books. GMs who design dungeons and have a limited budget (such as newbie GMs) could even purchase this before the Monster Manual. Of course, someone who owns books MG:U use as a source (eg. Creature Collection, Tome of Horrors) may find less value with MG:U. Monster Geographica's next books will be Marsh and Aquatic; Forest, Hills, and Mountains; and Plains (Deserts and Tundra). They may also be small, but they should also be quite useful.

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