Once again we thank the Italian duo of authors, Marco Bertini and Marco Fossati, this time for sending us a digital review copy of Undead Monsters. The volume is a small bestiary for D&D5e. As the title suggests, the theme are the undeads. The two authors prove to be among the best content creators in their sector: compact and very focused supplements, but highly useful in any themed campaign.
Their reputation is confirmed by special thanks in the credits. There are names like Venti di Ruolo, Andrea “Rosso” Lucca, Riccardo “Musta” Caverni, and many others.
Undead Monsters is available in digital format on DMsguild, as many other works by Bertini and Fossati. It can be bought for $4,95. For the lovers of digital platforms, this bestiary is on Fantasy Grounds for $7,50.
Review of the Volume Undead Monsters
Undead Monsters offers 28 pages full of content. There are neither introductions or premises, nor particular tables. Only twenty-one undead creatures to populate any campaign, presented alphabetically; plus a single table listing them in Challenge Rating order.
Like many other works by Bertini and Fossati (Acererak’s Guide to Lichdom and Born to Be Kobold, for example), Undead Monsters has been realized with the free tool Homebrewery, assurance in offering an accurate replication of the layout standards for D&D5e. The DMsguild formula allows you to use illustrations by leading authors in the fantasy and role-playing publishing scene, while keeping the cost very affordable. From time to time this can feel like something you’ve seen before, but certainly the talent of names like Dean Spencer or Wayne Reynolds compensates more than generously.
It’s Raining Undeads
As anticipated, Undead Monsters is a thematic bestiary, which presents 21 new undead creatures. Most of them (seventeen) are equal or below Challange Rating 10. There are only three that exceed this level: the Giant Undead, the Many-Eyed Zombie and the Skeleton Warrior. With the addition of the advanced version of the Vrykolakas, a creature presented in this same manual that normally has a Challenge Rating of 7.
Despite the compact size of this supplement, it has been created with undoubted care. There is no particular lore, also because the creatures are not boud to a specific setting; although it must be said that the Banedead, as the name suggests, is thematically related to the deity of Tyranny of the Forgotten Realms. Yet, despite this theorical “lack”, the strong point of the creatures presented is precisely that of having a strong characterization.
Review of the Creatures of Undead Monsters
In addition to the aforementioned Banedead, which is precisely a creature that immolates itself in a necromantic ritual in the name of Bane, the Baneguard is also dedicated to the tyrant, conceived more as a servant. For the rest, the manual presents various types of undead; skeletons (flaming or not) and zombies, but also ghouls, variations on the vampire theme and completely original creatures.
Among the most interesting is certainly the Coffer Corpse, the result of an incomplete necromantic ritual in search of an ultimate end that is impossible to reach. The Ghostly Horde has the very interesting concept of being a sort of swarm of incorporeal ghosts completely dedicated to a cause, usually originating from the remains of an army that died in battle.
Moreover, the Screaming Ghoul is a remake of the traditional ghoul, just like the Lightning Zombie is a remake of the traditional zombie. The Spectral Mage stands out because, unlike the others, has a usually evil, but non-binding alignment.
Conclusions
One would risk wasting far too much time discussing the creatures presented in Undead Monster, but it would spoil the pleasure of reading. As anticipated, each of them has a simple but solid characterization; and as in all the supplements published by Bertini and Fossati, they are flexible and adaptable to any setting. The material is certainly congruous to the price for which it is offered, with all its pros and cons.
But in the end it is above all the pros that weigh in the balance, because it is extremely useful content. If you need to introduce some threat that straddles the line between life and death into your campaign, Undead Monsters is perfect. But it is also absolutely useful for giving a boost of darker and horror tones to the narrative. In general, as these two authors have accustomed us, it is absolutely recommended material.
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