Slayers
Guide to Gnolls
A d20 Supplement
for the 3rd Edition Dungeons and Dragons game
Written by Matthew Sprange
Illustrations/design
by Anne Stokes, Chris Quilliams, Nathan Webb, Dave Cousens and
Dan Boultwood
Additional text by Teresa Capsey, Mack Brewer, Mike Major
ISBN 1-903980-01-1
RRP £4.99
Mongoose Publishing
MGP0002
'Advanced
Menu Avoidance...' - They will eat just about anything, make sure
its not YOU!
The second
in the Slayers Guide d20 sourcebook series from UK newcomers Mongoose
Publishing.
Another 32
pager, with the same layout, ideas and coverage as the Hobgolblins
Guide. Again well illustrated throughout and well written, and
although the content is based on a different monster, this book
has a very similar feel to the last. Now this is not a bad thing
in itself, as the Hobgoblins guide is a cut above the rest, but
it doesn't seem at first glance to be any different.
Looking deeper,
however, the book provides a wealth of detail that differenciates
the Gnoll from other run-of-the-mill monsters. They are painted
as a fierce, bloodthirsty, brutish race whose only goals are feeding
and breeding. Slavery, intra pack rivalry, blood lust, territorial
dispute.... its all here, and with great rationale for the existance
of the race.
If you thought
of Gnolls as big, funny looking bipedal dogs who were frankly
laughable, then this book will make you think again. The writers
have injected a vicious streak into this old foe, drawing together
aspects of many 'canine' species familiar to us. Imagine the ferociousness
of Hyaenas, the cunning of the Jackal, the pack instinct of the
Wolf and you have an idea of what the Gnoll is capable of.
A fully detailed
Gnoll lair complete with floorplans, cutaway view and populated
with individuals as well as a generic tribe allow you to introduce
Gnolls to your campaign, and scare the living daylights out of
your players in the process.
One area I
was dissapointed not to see expanded upon was the North African
influence that was conjoured up in one of the opening passages.
It seems Gnolls are not too keen on Deserts or Mountain ranges,
(well the ones described in this book are not, anyway) yet the
notion of hyaena like packs of vicious scavengers preying on the
hapless desert dwellers of remote oasis' strikes me as perfect
Gnolldom... Especially after watching the Mummy II recently (Warriors
of Anubis? Nah, Gnolls with attitude...).
A word to
the artists involved on both these projects. FANTASTIC. Well illustrated
throughout, this series cannot help but inspire the reader, be
you DM or Player, keep it going.
My only word
of advice would be to try and make the books appear more individual
in style, make them stand appart from each other not only through
the content but in the design and layout as well.
We like this
even more than the last one! 9/10
Andy Warner
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