Monster Compendium: Monsters of Faerûn is a 96-page sourcebook for Dungeons & Dragons 3rd edition released in February 2001.
Official synopsis[]
Demons and half-demons, dragons and dragonkin, animated corpses and restless spirits, wielders of magic and eaters of spells: These are the creatures of Faerûn, the monsters of the Forgotten Realms campaign setting.
Monster Compendium: Monsters of Faerûn contains scores of new monsters for use in Dungeons & Dragons adventures. From the aarakocra to the Tyrantfog zombie, these monsters present a whole new range of challenges.
Although usable in any campaign, these monsters are especially suited for the Forgotten Realms setting -- a world of great magic, terrible villains, and high adventure.
Content[]
Introduction[]
Monsters of Faerûn begins with an eight-page introduction, which describes how to use the sourcebook and how to read the statblocks, as well as monster feats and rules for creature advancement.
List of monsters[]
The book provides game statistics for over 80 monsters:
aarakocra, aballin, abishai (white abishai, black abishai, green abishai, blue abishai, red abishai), alaghi, asabi (asabi, stingtail), banedead, baneguard, direguard (baneguard), banelar, deep bat (bonebat, night hunter, sinister), beast of Malar, beholder mage (prestige class), beholderkin (death kiss, eyeball, gouger), bullywug, chitine, choldrith, chosen one, cloaker lord, crawling claw, darkenbeast, dark tree, deepspawn, demon (ghour, yochlol), doppelganger (greater doppelganger), dragon (brown dragon, deep dragon, fang dragon, shadow dragon, song dragon), dragonkin, dread warrior, Faerûnian dwarf (shield dwarves, gold dwarves, duergar, arctic dwarves, urdunnir, wild dwarves), firenewt, ghaunadan, giant (fog giant, phaerlin giant), giant strider, gibberling, goblin (Dekanter goblin), golem (gemstone golem (ruby golem, emerald golem, diamond golem), Thayan golem), green warder, groundling, gulguthydra, half-fiend draegloth, helmed horror, hybsil, ibrandlin, ice serpent, leucrotta, malaugrym, meazel, myrlochar, nishruu, nyth, peryton, phaerimm, planetouched (genasi (air genasi, earth genasi, fire genasi, water genasi), tiefling (fey'ri, tanarukk)), pterafolk, quaggoth, shalarin, sharn, siv, spectral panther, subterranean spider (hairy spider, sword spider), stinger, tall mouther, tomb tapper, unicorn (black unicorn), wemic, zombie (tyrantfog zombie).
Each entry provide specific guidance for how the creature fits into the Forgotten Realms campaign setting.
Appendix: Templates[]
Appendix: Templates contains a selection of monster templates.
beast of Xvim (hell hound beast of Xvim), curst (5th-level human fighter), ghost (doomsphere, ghost dragon, spectral harpist, watchghost, Zhentarim spirit), lich (alhoon (illithilich), banelich, good lich (archlich, baelnorn)), lycanthrope (werebat, werecrocodile, wereshark, lythari, werecat), revenant (7th-level elf sorcerer), yuan-ti (tainted one, broodguard).
The appendix is followed by a list of monsters in the book, ranked by Challenge Rating.
Development and release[]
Development[]
The primary people credited for Monsters of Faerûn were James Wyatt and Rob Heinsoo. Duane Maxwell was credited as editor, Richard Baker as creative director, Justin Ziran as project manager, Erin Dorries as typesetter, Chas DeLong as production manager.
The cover artists were Henry Higginbotham and Brom. Sherry Floyd and Sean Glenn were the graphic designers. Dawn Murin was the art director. The interior art was provided by Daren Bader, Ed Beard, Theodor Black, Carl Critchlow, Brian Despain, Scott Fischer, Michael Kaluta, Todd Lockwood, David Martin, Monte Moore, Allan Pollack, Adam Rex, Wayne Reynolds, Richard Sardinha, Brian Snoddy, and Sam Wood.
"Special thanks" was given to Eric Boyd, Monte Cook, Troy Denning, Andrew Finch, Jeff Grubb, Julia Martin, Sean Reynolds, Steven Schend, Jonathan Tweet, and Skip Williams.
Release[]
Monsters of Faerûn was released by Wizards of the Coast in February 2001 for $21.95 US.[1]
On March 8, 2016, it was re-released in digital format. It is currently available on DriveThruRPG and Dungeon Masters Guild for $7.19.
Reception and influence[]
Critical reception[]
As of 2023, Monster Compendium: Monsters of Faerûn reached the rank of Electrum seller on DriveThruRPG.[2]
Influence on other works[]
External links[]
- Monster Compendium: Monsters of Faerûn (3e) on Dungeon Masters Guild
- Product page (Internet Archive)
- Web enhancement at Wizards.com (2001)
- Art gallery at Wizards.com (2003)
References[]
| Dungeons & Dragons 3rd edition Forgotten Realms |
|---|
| Supplements |
| Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting • Faiths and Pantheons • Lords of Darkness • Magic of Faerûn • Monsters of Faerûn • Races of Faerûn |
| Adventures |
| City of the Spider Queen • Into the Dragon's Lair • Pool of Radiance: Attack on Myth Drannor |
| Dungeons & Dragons 3.0 |
|---|
| Core rules |
| Player's Handbook • Dungeon Master's Guide • Monster Manual • Dungeons & Dragons Adventure Game |
| Supplements |
| Arms and Equipment Guide • Book of Challenges • Book of Vile Darkness • Defenders of the Faith • Deities and Demigods • Enemies and Allies • Epic Level Handbook • Fiend Folio • Ghostwalk • Hero Builder's Guidebook • Living Greyhawk Gazetteer (Gazetteer) • Manual of the Planes • Masters of the Wild • Monster Manual II • Oriental Adventures • Psionics Handbook • Savage Species • Song and Silence • Stronghold Builder's Guidebook • Sword and Fist • Tome and Blood |
| Adventures |
| The Sunless Citadel • The Forge of Fury • The Fright at Tristor • The Speaker in Dreams • The Standing Stone • Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil • Heart of Nightfang Spire • Deep Horizon • Lord of the Iron Fortress • Bastion of Broken Souls • City of the Spider Queen |