Editing Monster Manual II (section)

==''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons''==
''Monster Manual II'' was a 160-page hardcover book published in 1983, credited solely to [[Gary Gygax]], which featured cover art by Jeff Easley.<ref name="HW">{{cite book|last=Schick |first=Lawrence|author-link=Lawrence Schick|title=Heroic Worlds: A History and Guide to Role-Playing Games|publisher=Prometheus Books |year=1991|isbn=0-87975-653-5 |pages=107}}</ref> The book was a supplement describing over 250 monsters, most with illustrations. Many of the monsters were drawn from scenario modules,<ref name="HW"/> in particular from ''[[Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth|S4: Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth]]''.{{citation needed|date=October 2017}} The book included random encounter tables for dungeon and wilderness settings built from the ''[[Monster Manual]]'', ''[[Fiend Folio]]'', and ''Monster Manual II'',<ref name="HW"/> and a dozen new devils that had been first published in the pages of ''Dragon'' magazine. Like the ''Fiend Folio'' before it, the monsters in ''Monster Manual II'' listed the experience point value for each monster within the entry.  The ''Monster Manual II'' along with the First Edition ''[[Unearthed Arcana]]'' book featured quite a number of monsters, races, and places from Gary Gygax's [[World of Greyhawk|Greyhawk]] Campaign world. The book featured interior illustrations by [[Jim Holloway (artist)|Jim Holloway]], Harry Quinn, [[David C. Sutherland III|Dave Sutherland]], and [[Larry Elmore]].

In 1999, a [[paperback]] reprint of the first edition was released.<ref name="Fogens">{{cite magazine|title=Classic ''AD&D'' books are back|last=Fogens|first=M.|issue=52|magazine=[[InQuest Gamer]]|page=20|publisher=[[Wizard Entertainment]]|date=August 1999}}</ref>

===Reception===
''Monster Manual II'' garnered positive reviews, receiving a score of 7 out of 10 in a review in ''[[White Dwarf (magazine)|White Dwarf]]'' magazine.<ref name="WD49">{{cite journal| last =Evans  | first =Megan C| title =Open Box: Dungeon Modules | type = review| journal =[[White Dwarf (magazine)|White Dwarf]]| issue = 49| pages =14| publisher =[[Games Workshop]]|date=January 1984| issn =0265-8712}}</ref> The reviewer praised the book's standard of clear presentation, and felt that the artwork was of a higher quality than that in the previous monster books.  However, the reviewer felt that there were too many high level and overly deadly monsters, and that most of the monsters in the book were inimical to adventures. The reviewer did make note of the fact that there were "many interesting ideas and several well-developed tribes and hierarchies", and felt that, overall, the book is "a good, well presented addition to the ''AD&D'' series, with some very useful creatures".  The reviewer recommended the book to anyone who likes a wide range of monsters in the game.<ref name="WD49"/>

Doug Cowie reviewed ''Monster Manual II'' quite favorably for ''[[Imagine (AD&D magazine)|Imagine]]'' magazine.<ref name="Imagine12">{{cite journal | last = Cowie|first = Doug| title =Game Reviews | type = review | journal = [[Imagine (AD&D magazine)|Imagine]] | issue = 12| pages =14 | publisher = TSR Hobbies (UK), Ltd. |date=March 1984}}</ref> He noted that the cover was good, and contrasted it with the first edition ''Monster Manual'', whose cover was "universally held to be appalling" and whose "childish style" may have "seriously hampered the development of RPGs as adult games".<ref name="Imagine12"/> As for ''Monster Manual II'', Cowie suggested: "If you like the AD&D game, go and buy it immediately."<ref name="Imagine12"/> Although he found some monsters "to be just plain silly", they are all "well presented, properly thought out and adequately described".<ref name="Imagine12"/>

Adam Benowitz reviewed ''Monster Manual II'' for ''[[Different Worlds]]'' magazine and stated that "Aside from the dragon shortage [...] ''MM II'' is excellent. It triumphs over old problems without creating new ones."<ref name="dw33">{{cite journal | last = Benowitz |first = Adam | title = Game Reviews | journal = [[Different Worlds]] | issue = 33 | pages =32–33 |date=March–April 1984}}</ref>

Lawrence Schick also commented on the ''Monster Manual II'' in ''Heroic Worlds'', stating "Some of the monsters are less than inspired, and some are quite silly; this author's favorites are the stegocentipede, a giant arthropod notable for its twin row of back plates (wow!), and the stench kow, a monstrous bison that smells ''real bad''."<ref name="HW"/>

Scott Taylor for ''[[Black Gate (magazine)|Black Gate]]'' in 2014 listed ''Monster Manual II'' by [[Jeff Easley]] as #3 in The Top 10 TSR Cover Paintings of All Time.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.blackgate.com/2014/09/17/art-of-the-genre-the-top-10-tsr-cover-paintings-of-all-time/ | title=Art of the Genre: The Top 10 TSR Cover Paintings of All Time – Black Gate | date=17 September 2014 }}</ref>

Scott Taylor of ''[[Black Gate (magazine)|Black Gate]]'' listed the ''Monster Manual II'' as #1 on the list of "Top 10 'Orange Spine' ''AD&D'' Hardcovers By Jeff Easley, saying "Jeff's first 'Orange Spine' and first hardcover ''AD&D'' work, and it absolutely takes it to church. If you haven't sat around wondering A: if this [is] a hill giant or and ogre lord and B: if this poor bastard fighter is going to live, then you aren't a ''D&D'' player. Truly, one of the greatest masterworks to ever grace a gaming product."<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.blackgate.com/2016/09/14/art-of-the-genre-top-10-orange-spine-add-hardcovers-by-jeff-easley/ | title=Art of the Genre: Top 10 'Orange Spine' AD&D Hardcovers by Jeff Easley – Black Gate | date=14 September 2016 }}</ref>