The Book of Fiends
Reviewed by: Wayne Tonjes
The Book of Fiends by Green Ronin Publishing is a new d20 sourcebook in their Arcana product line. This product line is designed to provide comprehensive reviews of major themes and include the three rather popular Pocket Grimoires as well as Green Ronin's meticulous work on necromancy. As the title suggests, this volume has the sundry fiends of the outer planes that tempt, torment, and try the strengths of mortals as the theme of interest. The vast majority of the book is devoted to presenting new fiends, although there is some background information provided for all four major types of fiends offered and their home planes, two character classes for mortals who have already succumbed to the temptations of fiendish masters on some level, and some secondary background on celestial orders and fiendish cities. Avid gamers may think some of this material is familiar, which is explained by this summary
from the back cover and product website:
“Devils, demons, and daemons--these are the ultimate servants of evil. Learn all their foul secrets in the Book of Fiends, the definitive sourcebook on these fell creatures. This tome collects Green Ronin's critically acclaimed Legions of Hell and Armies of the Abyss sourcebooks and combines them with the long awaited treatment of daemons, Hordes of Gehenna. All the fiends have been updated to the 3.5 rules, and the material on demons and devils has been revised and expanded. Details on the plane of Gehenna, its rulers, and inhabitants are also revealed for the first time.”
The book is divided into three parts, the first and third of which provide the updated versions of Armies and Legions respectively. The first part contains the bulk of chapters, with the first chapter providing an overview of the Abyss, the second a new complete spell casting class, the third twenty-one demon princes, and the fourth forty-three lesser Abyssal fiends. The first chapter gives a history of the Abyss, introducing a new set of fiends as its former masters, their fall from power, and the establishment of the demons as the new rulers. The second chapter presents the thaumaturge class, divine casters who gain their power through hazardous oaths to demon princes. They gain some limited ability to summon demons to their aid as well as their spell casting abilities, but they gain slowly increasing corruptions and must perform rather heinous rituals to regain their spells. Five feats particular to this class, ten new domains, six new diseases for use with a 'greater contagion' spell and nine spells of varying wickedness are also given. The third chapter reviews a selection of horrid demon princes drawn from legend or created whole clothe. No game mechanics are given for these princes, but a review of their history and foci is provided as well as the particular ritual they require of their thaumaturges to regain spells. Ten demon princes and gods from traditional Dungeons & Dragons are also provided with ritual information and basic worshipper data in a sidebar. The last chapter in this section provides twenty-four new demons including six of lordly status, five of the former Abyssal masters including one of their lords, one template, and a variety of other outsiders. This part is pretty good, although there are few errors that appear. For instance, the demon prince Seere requires thaumaturges to 'beat a sentient creature to death' but many 'kill rats or other lowly beings', which is either a mistake or an implication that rats are a lot smarter than acknowledged. Another fiend has part of its statistical block erased by a layout glitch with its illustration that is not expanded upon in the descriptions.
The second part only consists of two paragraphs. Unfortunately, the Hordes section is the weakest of the book, as it fails to build upon established d20 planes or either of the established races of neutral evil fiends, yugoloths, the current name for the daemon race, or demodands. The fifth chapter of the book introduces this version of Gehenna, a plane of seven circles each devoted to one of the seven deadly sins, the rulers of each circle, and the five roles standard to its inhabitants. The following chapter then presents forty-six creatures, which are almost exclusively daemons. The majority of these creatures are general races, designed with overlap to fulfill the three main roles of mercenary, whisperer, and watcher who fight, call mortals into the appropriate sin, and seek new mortals prone to the proper evil for their master. Each circle also has one servitor described, unique fiends who act as the highest-ranking servant for each master of a circle. Two templates and two independent daemons round out the general creatures while two fallen celestials and a petty godling who just happens to be hiding out in one of the circles completes the roster of unique beings. Overall, these fiends are rather disgusting whether spirits of envy, wrath, or lust, which explains why these fiends employ whisperers and obscured watchers to draw mortals to their doom rather than taking a more direct approach. This section has slightly few glitches, although there is a misidentification of one daemon servant of lust being labeled as independent.
The last part of the book presents the updated material from Legions in three chapters. The seventh chapter summarizes the nine circles and their leaders. This provides a slight variation from the hierarchy listed in various Wizards of the Coast's in the middle layers, but this is a comparatively small change. The eighth chapter presents fifty-three creatures with two templates and seventeen unique devilish nobles included. Of particular note is the repeatedly used 'fallen celestial' template that is outlined in this section. More than one of these tumbled holy spirits appeared in the sections on the Abyss and Gehenna, so it was important that it made its appearance within this volume.
The last chapter of the book presents three examples of prestige classes based upon followers of an infernal lord, similar to the demon following thaumaturge given in the second chapter. Each of these classes require an applicant undergo an initiation ritual that can kill the applicant for some initial physical bonus, change of creature type, and subsequent spell like abilities at higher levels. Epic level progression rules are given for each of these classes as well for a finalizing touch.
Five appendices provide a range of supplemental material. This includes a survey of angelic choirs of one plane as well as a sidebar of two hosts of fallen celestials. The second appendix provides an extended review of the unholy warrior class from one of their Master Class series. This appendix includes updates for the 3.5 rules revision as well a selection of class domains that grant four tiers of class abilities appropriate to a variety of fiendish overlords. Unfortunately, the class does have an incorrect reference to its tables and uses a misdirecting name for its class ability that is already used by one of the core classes. A review of how unholy warriors of different alignment are named and approach their worship to the fiends is also given, which is unfortunate as the oft cited demonic template that makes an actual appearance within the book is not. Appendix three gives two sample fiendish cities, while the fourth appendix lists the monsters of this volume by challenge rating. The last appendix offers a bibliography to general and AD&D; sources, followed by a general index.
The Book of Fiends is a pretty solid source of fiendish rivals for any game master to toss at heroes, whether using the outsiders themselves or their mortal pawns. While the book presents a comprehensive cosmology, it deviates from the existing d20 base cosmology in the middle. Then again, what can one expect from fiends? The editing is generally good, although the recurring glitch of fiends granted missions that they are unable to fulfill does appear more than enough to be frustrating. Then again, this is an issue that appears in Core Rulebook III with some of the fiends assign to police their own bear no arms that are particularly useful for overcoming their neighbors' damage resistance. The layout is quite good, with sharp breaks using creepy headers between the monster listings, good white space, and superb arrangement so that every chapter ends on an odd page. The art uses a variety of grayscale styles to depict the various demonic, devilish, and horded fiends in their horrible guises. Some of these are more grotesque than others, as befits the different styles of fiends, although they lack labels, which is somewhat unclear in places. So, whether an old fan of Green Ronin's monster compendiums or just looking for some new fiendish difficulties to throw at a party, pick up a copy of this book. Just watch out for the horns, fangs, poison spittle, diseased claws, flaming limbs, and seductive wile. Although that is the appeal of the book, so take a look.
For more details on Green Ronin Publishing and their new d20 sourcebook, The Book of Fiends, check them out at their website http://www.greenronin.com and at local game stores.
(Product Summary)
The Book of Fiends
From: Green Ronin Publishing
Type of Game: d20 sourcebook
Written by: Aaron Loeb, Erik Mona, Chris Pramas, and Robert J. Schwalb
Contributing Authors: Jim Bishop, Brian Kirby, and Jesse Decker
Developed by: Chris Pramas
Edited by: Jeremy Crawford, Rob Smolka, and Jennifer Clarke Wilkes
Proofread by: Evan Sass
Graphic Design and Art Direction by: Hal Mangold and Chris Pramas
Cover Art by: Michael Sutfin
Additional Art by: Julian Allen, Toren "MacBin" Atkinson, Tom Baxa, Drew Baker, Brom, Brian Despain, Chris Keefe, Raven Mimura, Sam Wood, Mike Vilardi, Kevin Crossley, James Ryman, Dennis Detwiller, and Kent Burles
Appendix 3 by: Enkwell Press
Number of Pages: 224
Game Components Included: Hard Cover Book
Retail Price: $34.95 (US)
Item Number: GRR1025
ISBN: 1-932442-09-X
Email: custserv@greenronin.com
Website: www.greenronin.com
Reviewed by: Wayne Tonjes
Added: May 4th 2004
Reviewer: Wayne Tonjes
Score: 
Related Link: The Book of Fiends at Green Ronin
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Language: eng |
