Dungeons & Dragons: Dungeons & Tombs

 Title: Dungeons & Dragons: Dungeons & Tombs

ISBN: 9781984856449

Price: $12.99

Publisher/Year: Wizards Of The Coast, 2019

Writer: Jim Zub

Rating: 4.5/5

Dungeons & Tombs, like its predecessors, is written to strip away the complexities of D&D and focus on the core concepts that make up the game. Coming in at a mere 100 pages, this book is a quick dissection of what makes a good dungeon in the titular Dungeons & Dragons setting. By calling up a few classic examples from D&D lore, presenting monsters that could inhabit them (including the mimic which I felt was sorely missing from Monsters & Creatures), and even giving examples of how to build a dungeon, this book serves as a crash course in the Dungeon Master experience.

The writing of Dungeons & Tombs is the same tight structure that I appreciated in the earlier installments. Jim Zub, the author, has this remarkable talent for writing simply without feeling like he’s speaking down to the reader, which is especially important when writing for younger audiences. Despite this, I found the writing this time around a little drier than the previous books. Then again, crumbling ruins and underground caves might just lack the same dramatic appeal as knights and dragons.

The artwork is still top notch, and this time around brings with it the added bonus of being comprised primarily of beautiful landscape shots. The bestiary contained within does have its own fair share of beautiful art; the Water Elemental Myrmidon is a particular beauty. Dungeons & Tombs really flexes one of the biggest advantages D&D has over other tabletop systems which is its vast array of incredible artists practically falling over themselves to provide visual intrigue to the world.

Dungeons & Dragons: Dungeons & Tombs is a strong addition to the Young Adventurer’s Guide series. The book stands on its own as an introduction to dungeon crafting, but its greatest value will be as part of a set. Collectively, these books make for a beautiful introduction to the world of fantasy gaming and, as I said back in July, would make an effective tool even for older audiences who were less than familiar with the tropes and ideas of tabletop fantasy. I’d recommend the entire set!

Dungeons & Dragons: Monsters & Creatures

Title: Dungeons & Dragons: Monsters & Creatures

ISBN: 9781984856401

Price: $12.99

Publisher/Year: Wizards Of The Coast, 2019

Writer: Jim Zub

Rating: 4.5/5

Access to Dungeons & Dragons was so restricted when I was growing up due to the stigma it held at the time. But now that everyone has (finally) realized that playing is not going to damn their souls, Wizards has opened the floodgates of marketing and has begun creating some amazing books for younger potential gamers. 

This small hardcover spans a bit over 100 pages and covers a decent selection of the more common creatures an adventurer might encounter. From Bugbears to Vampire Lords, Centaurs to Storm Giants, and a plethora of Dragons, this book covers not just a description, but also includes a bit of advice for each. Advice any adventurer would be glad to have when they come face to face with them in combat. Using a point system to rate the dangers of these beings, the guide gives young readers an idea of the strengths, size, and habitats of each of the 33 listings. The points range from 0 (harmless) to 5 (incredibly dangerous) and even a rating of 1 can be a decent threat to a new adventurer, so be careful! Outside of this range exists a few larger than life creatures and because of their power and abilities, they receive an Epic rating to show that only the bravest heroes with the mightiest weapons would be able to successful vanquish them. Chances are, if you see one of those, you should run!

Monsters & Creatures is broken into five sections as dictated by the areas one might run into the specific monsters. “Caverns & Dark Places” deals with underground enemies, while “Forests, Mountains, & Other Terrain” covers a lot of ground (pun intended), too! “Moors, Bogs, & Boneyards” deals with the spookier sections, “Oceans, Lakes, & Waterways” is pretty self explanatory, as is “Mountain Peaks & Open Skies.” Within each of these sections is also a short written Encounter to help illustrate how one might introduce the creature in a game. In these you’ll get a wonderful description of unicorns, Green Dragons, and more!

Adding to all of this, there are several Legendary personas like Demogorgan, Count Strahd, Tiamat, and Duke Zalto! These are just a few of the big bads that might be encountered further in an adventuring party’s career. This is where you might be inclined to run; in fact, many of these unique creatures inspire fear to such an extent that you might not be able to help yourself. But, if you are prepared and well enough equipped, imagine the legends that would be told about your character should you defeat one of them. Of course, many have tried and failed, but heroes will do what needs to be done, right?

Monsters & Creatures is a fun introduction for early readers and gamers, simplifying the information so it can be understood. This in no way replaces the core rule books for actual tabletop game play, but imagine the fun that could be had as you create some scenarios for them to get their feet wet, so to speak. Oh, and no dice are needed for this introductory level, folks. It is fun for fun’s sake. I hope you take the time to look one of these over. Who knows, you might inspire someone to take up gaming in their spare time!