BX Advanced Bestiary

[thirdkingdom]

My new Kickstarter, the BX Advanced Bestiary, Vol. 1, is now live. Written for OSE, it can be used with any OSR-style game. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/th ... iary-vol-1

[dmw71]

I didn't see this until just now, and I'm glad I did because I love monster books!

Two Three questions:

1. From the preview:

   This book serves two purposes. First, it goes through the monsters in the OSE Basic book and expands them with variants and options to add a bit of variety. Second, it introduces new monsters that can be used in your game to threaten and bedevil players.

   Do you know roughly what the percentages of variants versus new monsters will be?

2. Creatures from the OSE Basic Book are presented in the following format. Their stat blocks are not included in this book.

   I take this to mean that the stat blocks for the original monsters will not be included in the book; but, all the variants and new monsters will have their own stat blocks. Can you confirm, or clarify?
3. Looking at the basilisk, for example, it has some really cool special qualities! The basilisk variants listed beneath this list already seem to have their abilities already detailed.
   
   My question then, I guess, is: are these special qualities just extra features that can be applied to the core monster? Be added to the variant listed? Either? Both?

P.S. In my opinion, especially when it comes to monsters, art is really important. Here's to hoping you hit that last stretch goal!

[thirdkingdom]

I didn't see this until just now, and I'm glad I did because I love monster books!

Two Three questions:

1. From the preview:

   This book serves two purposes. First, it goes through the monsters in the OSE Basic book and expands them with variants and options to add a bit of variety. Second, it introduces new monsters that can be used in your game to threaten and bedevil players.

   Do you know roughly what the percentages of variants versus new monsters will be?

2. Creatures from the OSE Basic Book are presented in the following format. Their stat blocks are not included in this book.

   I take this to mean that the stat blocks for the original monsters will not be included in the book; but, all the variants and new monsters will have their own stat blocks. Can you confirm, or clarify?
3. Looking at the basilisk, for example, it has some really cool special qualities! The basilisk variants listed beneath this list already seem to have their abilities already detailed.
   
   My question then, I guess, is: are these special qualities just extra features that can be applied to the core monster? Be added to the variant listed? Either? Both?

P.S. In my opinion, especially when it comes to monsters, art is really important. Here's to hoping you hit that last stretch goal!

Sorry, I missed this.

1. About 1/2 will be new and the other 1/2 adopted from other sources (mostly from 1e and 2e, but some from more modern books, like the 3x era chuul (see next post)). They will all be statted for OSE.

2. I'm not including the original monster stat blocks because I feel like that will be taking too much from another author. Gavin very kindly allows 3pp publishers to use stat blocks for adventures and such, but I felt like writing a bestiary that included a bunch of his stat blocks was going too far. As written, the special qualities can be applied to both the original monster type as well as the variants.

[thirdkingdom]

Art is starting to come in for the book.




Reshla, by Denis McCarthy



Chuul, by Adrian Barber

[dmw71]

Okay, those are art pieces are creepy AF. Which is a good thing.

[thirdkingdom]

Okay, those are art pieces are creepy AF. Which is a good thing.

Ha! Yeah, I'm pretty pleased with them (not all the pieces are as creepy. The chuul is a monster from 3x, converted to OSE, while the reshla is a unique monster.

[dmw71]

Just received Kickstarter update #3. That cover art is amazing!

[thirdkingdom]

Just received Kickstarter update #3. That cover art is amazing!

Thanks! Michelle does some great stuff. The plan is to use the same party of adventurers inside for the chapter headings, and show them getting progressively more battered and bloodied throughout the book as they face the monsters within.

[dmw71]

The plan is to use the same party of adventurers inside for the chapter headings, and show them getting progressively more battered and bloodied throughout the book as they face the monsters within.

I love that concept.

I'm still not convinced they're going to make it out of this first/cover image!

[thirdkingdom]

The BX Advanced Bestiary, Vol 1 is now available in pdf from my website. It takes the standard monsters A-D found in BX and OSE books and expands on them and offers a selection of variants on the same theme: https://www.thirdkingdomgames.com/produ ... iary-vol-1

[thirdkingdom]

Nice review of the BX Advanced Bestiary, Vol. 1: https://denofgames.wordpress.com/2023/0 ... -bestiary/

[thirdkingdom]

The BX Advanced Bestiary, Volume 1, is today's Deal of the Day on Drivethrurpg, for 60% regular price: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/41 ... iary-Vol-1