Written by Ian S. Johnston, Chris S. Sims, Devon Apple, Erica Balsley, Robert Blezard, Nathan Irving, Andrew Pray, and Sean K Reynolds.
Published by Silverthorne Games
71 color/70 b & w pages
$11.99
Twisted Menagerie is a sourcebook for those seeking monsters freshly created by adding templates to existing monsters giving you a ‘brand new’ monster. Clocking in at 70 pages (one more for the color version thanks to the cover), it retails for $11.99 at places such as DriveThruRPG.
Formatted in landscape format, the PDF includes two versions; One full color, for on screen viewing, and a black and white one for ease of printing. On the full color version, the background of the pages is done up like old faded parchment, similar to how the Forgotten Realms books use their graphic design. Illustrations are provided by Colin Throm, Jake Richmond, and Daniel Garcia of Empty Room Studios who do a great job of bringing to life these new creations. The PDF does include bookmarks for ease of navigation.
Stats are broken down into two separate areas. There is a condensed block of information including all the standard 3.5 information and a larger section where details are provided. For example, the Verminshell Ankhegs have their statblock at the bottom and details on combat, including special abilities, new magic items, and construction all next to an illustration of the monster. Others, like the Gnasher, a half-gnome dire badger, include details on their society as well as details on how they work as a player character race.
In terms of game stats, with John Cooper as the editor, I’m sure that in terms of the actual mechanics, everything checks out. I’m afraid I’ve never been the strongest at catching these errors until the creatures are actually in game play. Having said that though, some of the challenge ratings seem suspect and that’s more or less due to the core challenge rules, especially in terms of templates, being broken. For example, the Ogre Fiend is listed as a CR 11 creature but it only has five hit dice. Regardless of how powerful it may be, and it does have some nice abilities, it seems grossly over rated at CR 11.
In terms of utility, the book provides both players and game masters many options. For those game masters that don’t want to overwhelm their game world with creatures too exotic, they have some of the standard monster races with templates that can provide different cultural experiences to the players. Forge goblins are often part of a normal goblin tribe anyway and can be used to showcase some special abilities or special outlooks. Perhaps due to an alliance with a mad fire wizard or alchemist. Ablative golems can be used to showcase golem creation that doesn’t require quite as much funding but still provides a powerful guardian.
On the other hand, there are a few creatures that can hold their own as campaign nemesis. Iron Hyde the Mauler is an entity that clocks in at CR 14 and would be a powerful entity for characters entering the double digit levels. On the other side, not all encounters need to be of the hack and slash variety and we have Kalalismat, the daughter of the serpent god Olamet. While she would make a great final enemy in an evil campaign, in a more standard campaign she can serve as wise yet mysterious patron.
Entries like this and others like the Steel Scorpion, provide more than just monster stats. They provide inspiration for various campaign bits which make it easier to want to use them and to introduce other little bits to the game. It’s easy to imagine placing an island in the campaign that represents where the “Order of the Iron Guard” created the Steel Scorpion or picturing the players fighting against undeath cults expecting to find Orcus behind everything only to learn that they’ve been fighting against Garooshka, the god of death and decay.
Another good example of this ‘extended use’ would be Vessip’s Gang, a motley crew of humanoids with various templates applied to them. While the GM could just mash them into the campaign against the players, they could make for longer term foes if built up before the meeting of PC and NPC. In addition to providing unique monsters and all purpose monsters, there are several entries that have player information. While the ECL might make most of them out of range for starting campaigns, more advanced campaigns may easily find places for races like the goat headed humanoids the valcos (a +0 ECL race ) or blighted goblin thralls (+ 2 ECL adjustment). I suspect that the stone children, half-gargoyle humans who bear a resemblance to the old gargoyle cartoon show, may be a favorite among players despite their +2 ECL. And 2 racial hit dice.
If you’re a GM looking for a monstrous sourcebook with unique entries as well as some new standards to augment your home brew with, Twisted Menagerie has you covered.
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