Editing Monstrous Compendium

{{Short description|Series of tabletop role-playing game supplements}}
{{Infobox game
| name = ''Monstrous Compendium''
| italic title = yes
| date = {{Start date and age|1989}}
| designer = 
| image = MC1 TSR2102 Monstrous Compendium Vol I.jpg
| caption = MC1, ''Monstrous Compendium, Volume One''
| publisher = [[TSR, Inc.]]<br />[[Wizards of the Coast]]
| language= English 
| years        = 1989–1998, 2022
| random_chance = [[Dice]] rolling
| playing_time =
| genre= [[Role-playing game]]
| system = ''[[Advanced Dungeons & Dragons|''AD&D'' 2nd Edition]]''<br />[[Editions of Dungeons & Dragons#Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition|''D&D'' 5th Edition]]
| media_type = Game accessories
| web =
| footnotes = 
}}
The '''''Monstrous Compendium''''' is a series of accessories for the ''[[Dungeons & Dragons|Advanced Dungeons & Dragons]]'' [[fantasy]] [[role-playing game]] released from 1989 to 1998. The title was then used for a series of [[Editions of Dungeons & Dragons#Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition|5th Edition ''Dungeons & Dragons'']] supplements released on [[D&D Beyond]].

==Volumes==
MC1 ''Monstrous Compendium, Volume One'' was published by [[TSR, Inc.|TSR]] in 1989.<ref name="history">{{cite web| url=http://www.wizards.com/dnd/DnDArchives_History.asp| title=The History of TSR| publisher=[[Wizards of the Coast]]| access-date=2005-08-20| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080924195557/http://www.wizards.com/dnd/DnDArchives_History.asp| url-status=dead| archive-date=2008-09-24}}</ref> It was written by the TSR staff, with a cover by [[Jeff Easley]], and interior illustrations by [[Jim Holloway (artist)|Jim Holloway]], and came boxed with 144 loose-leaf pages and eight color cardstock dividers (each with a color painting on it) in a three-ring binder.<ref name="HW">{{cite book|last=Schick |first=Lawrence|title=Heroic Worlds: A History and Guide to Role-Playing Games|publisher=Prometheus Books |year=1991|isbn=0-87975-653-5 |page=107}}</ref> This supplement was presented as the base monster supplement intended to containing all the enemies required for most campaigns using 2nd edition ''AD&D'' rules.<ref name="HW"/> Each monster has both a description and an illustration on a page separate from the other monsters, allowing for easy removal and retention of alphabetical order when other monsters are added to it.<ref name="HW"/>

MC2 ''Monstrous Compendium, Volume Two'' was published by TSR in 1989.<ref name="history"/> It was written by the TSR staff, with a cover by Jeff Easley and interior illustrations by Jim Holloway and [[Daniel Horne]], and was published as 144 loose-leaf pages of more monsters, with eight color cardstock dividers.<ref name="HW"/>

MC3 ''Monstrous Compendium, Volume Three, Forgotten Realms Appendix'' was published by TSR in 1989.<ref name="history"/> It was written by the TSR staff, with a cover by Jeff Easley, and was published as 64 loose-leaf pages and four color cardstock dividers.<ref name="HW"/> This was a supplement focusing on [[Forgotten Realms]] monsters.<ref name="HW"/>

MC4 ''Monstrous Compendium [[Dragonlance]] Appendix'' was published in 1989. It had 96 pages, 4 dividers and a 3-ring D-binder.

MC5 ''Monstrous Compendium [[Greyhawk]] Adventures Appendix'' was published in 1990. It had 64 pages and 4 dividers.

MC6 ''Monstrous Compendium, Kara-Tur Appendix'' was written by the TSR staff, with a cover by Jeff Easley, and was published by TSR in 1990 as 64 loose-leaf pages with four cardstock dividers.<ref name="HW"/> This was a supplement focusing on [[Kara-Tur]] monsters.<ref name="HW"/>

MC7 ''Monstrous Compendium Spelljammer Appendix'' was written by the TSR staff, with a cover by Jeff Easley, and was published by TSR in 1990 as 64 loose-leaf pages with four color cardstock dividers.<ref name="HW"/> This was a supplement focusing on [[Spelljammer]] monsters.<ref name="HW"/><ref name=":0">{{cite web|last=Lucard|first=Alex|date=May 27, 2013|title=The Top Ten Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Second Edition Releases I'd Like To See on DNDClassics.com|url=http://diehardgamefan.com/2013/05/27/the-top-ten-advanced-dungeons-dragons-second-edition-releases-id-like-to-see-on-dndclassics-com/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130529144402/http://diehardgamefan.com/2013/05/27/the-top-ten-advanced-dungeons-dragons-second-edition-releases-id-like-to-see-on-dndclassics-com/|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 29, 2013|access-date=2020-12-29|website=Diehard GameFAN|language=en-US}}</ref>

[[Image:MC14 TSR2132 Monstrous Compendium Fiend Folio Appendix.jpg|thumb|right|150px|The cover of the ''Fiend Folio Appendix'' (1992)]]
Further volumes included the following:
*MC8 Monstrous Compendium [[Outer Plane]]s Appendix (1991)—96 pages, 4 dividers
*MC9 Monstrous Compendium [[Spelljammer]] Appendix II (1991)—64 pages, 4 dividers
*MC10 Monstrous Compendium [[Ravenloft]] Appendix (1991)—64 pages, 4 dividers
*MC11 Monstrous Compendium [[Forgotten Realms]] Appendix II (1991)—64 pages, 4 dividers
*MC12 Monstrous Compendium [[Dark Sun]] Appendix: Terrors of the Desert (1992)—96 pages, 4 dividers
*MC13 Monstrous Compendium [[Al-Qadim]] Appendix (1992)—64 pages, 4 dividers
*MC14 Monstrous Compendium [[Fiend Folio]] Appendix (1992)—64 pages, 4 dividers
*MC15 Monstrous Compendium [[Ravenloft]] Appendix II: Children of the Night (1993)—64 pages, 4 dividers

==Annuals==
* Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994)—reprints from modules and magazines of 1993
* Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two (1995)—reprints from modules and magazines of 1994<ref name="Arcane5"/>
* Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three (1996)—reprints from modules and magazines of 1995<ref name="Arcane15"/>
* Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Four (1998)—96 pages; reprints from modules and magazines of 1996–7

==Campaign settings==
[[Image:TSR2613 Monstrous Compendium Appendix II.jpg|thumb|right|150px|The cover of the ''Dark Sun Appendix II: Terrors Beyond Tyr'' (1995)]]
* [[Mystara]] Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994)
* [[Planescape]] Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994)
* [[Planescape]] Monstrous Compendium Appendix II (1995)
* [[Planescape]] Monstrous Compendium Appendix III (1998)
* [[Ravenloft]] Monstrous Compendium Appendix III: Creatures of Darkness (1994)
* [[Ravenloft]] Monstrous Compendium Appendices I & II (1996)—reprinting MC10 & MC15<ref name="Arcane8"/>
* [[Dark Sun]] Monstrous Compendium Appendix II: Terrors Beyond Tyr (1995)
* [[Savage Coast]] Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1996) (download-only)

== ''Dungeons & Dragons'' 5th edition ==
In 2022, Wizards of the Coast announced a new ''Monstrous Compendium'' series of 5th Edition supplements to be exclusively released on the online platform [[D&D Beyond]]; some of these supplements are available for free to registered users.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=April 22, 2022 |title=Dungeons & Dragons Brings Back Monstrous Compendium Series, Free for All Players |url=https://comicbook.com/gaming/news/dungeons-dragons-monstrous-compendium-volume-1-spelljammer-dndbeyond/ |access-date=June 21, 2022 |website=[[ComicBook.com]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Goh |first=Marcus |date=May 9, 2022 |title=What will Dungeons & Dragons bring in 2022? D&D Direct reveals critical hits, failed saving throws |url=https://ph.news.yahoo.com/dungeons-dragons-2022-critical-hits-failed-saving-throws-095715860.html |access-date=June 21, 2022 |website=Yahoo Gaming SEA |language=en-PH}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Robertson |first=Joshua |date=September 23, 2023 |title=Dungeons & Dragons Is Crossing Over With MTG's Wilds Of Eldraine |url=https://www.thegamer.com/dungeons-dragons-mtg-wilds-of-eldraine-crossover/ |access-date=November 30, 2023 |website=TheGamer |language=en |quote=Unfortunately, while the first three Monstrous Compendiums were free, you'll have to dish out $5.99 if you want the Eldraine Creatures one.}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="margins:auto; width=95%; font-size: 95%;"
|-
!width="30%"|  Title
!width="15%"|  Author(s)
!width="15%"|  Date
!width="40%"|  Notes
|-
|-
| ''Monstrous Compendium Vol 1: Spelljammer Creatures''
| [[Chris Perkins (game designer)|Christopher Perkins]], [[Jeremy Crawford]]
| {{dts|2022-04-21}}
| Introduced ten creatures from the ''Spelljammer'' setting to the 5th Edition.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=May 11, 2022 |title=D&D: Best New Spelljammer Monsters For 5e (So Far) |url=https://screenrant.com/dungeons-dragons-spelljammer-new-monsters-dnd-5e-campaign/ |access-date=June 21, 2022 |website=ScreenRant |language=en-US}}</ref> 
|-
| ''Monstrous Compendium Vol 2: Dragonlance Creatures''
| [[F. Wesley Schneider]], Makenzie De Armas, Ron Lundeen, Jeremy Crawford
| {{dts|2022-12-5}}
| Introduced ten creatures from the ''Dragonlance'' campaign setting to the 5th Edition.<ref>{{Cite web |date=December 5, 2022 |title=Dungeons & Dragons Releases New Monstrous Compendium for Dragonlance, Adds New Red Dragon and Walrusfolk |url=https://comicbook.com/gaming/news/dungeons-dragons-monstrous-compendium-dragonlance-new-red-dragon-draconian-walrusfolk-5e/ |access-date=December 5, 2022 |website=ComicBook.com |language=en}}</ref>
|-
|''Monstrous Compendium Vol 3: Minecraft Creatures''
|Christopher Perkins
|{{dts|2023-3-28}}
| Introduced five creatures from the ''[[Minecraft]]'' video game to the 5th Edition to promote the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' [[DLC (video gaming)|DLC]] for ''Minecraft''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hall |first=Charlie |date=March 28, 2023 |title=D&D adds Minecraft monsters with free Monstrous Compendium DLC |url=https://www.polygon.com/23659965/dnd-dungeons-dragons-minecraft-monstrous-compendium-volume-3-release-date-price |access-date=March 28, 2023 |website=Polygon |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=March 28, 2023 |title=Minecraft mobs now have official D&D stat blocks - and you can download them for free today |url=https://www.dicebreaker.com/games/dungeons-and-dragons-5e/news/minecraft-monsters-dnd-5e-monstrous-compendium |access-date=March 28, 2023 |website=Dicebreaker |language=en}}</ref>
|-
|''Monstrous Compendium Vol 4: Eldraine Creatures''
|[[James Wyatt (game designer)|James Wyatt]], Jeremy Crawford, Ron Lundeen, Ben Petrisor
|{{dts|2023-9-21}}
| Features "creatures from Eldraine, the ''[[Magic: The Gathering]]'' plane recently featured in the ''Wilds of Eldraine'' set".<ref>{{Cite web |date=September 21, 2023 |title=Dungeons & Dragons Releases Surprise Magic: The Gathering Crossover |url=https://comicbook.com/gaming/news/dungeons-dragons-magic-the-gathering-crossover-eldraine/ |access-date=September 22, 2023 |website=[[ComicBook.com]] |language=en}}</ref>
|-
|}

==Reception==
[[Steve Wieck|Stephan Wieck]] reviewed ''Monster Compendium Volume One'' in ''[[White Wolf (magazine)|White Wolf]]'' #17 (1989) and stated that "Of the three new 2nd Edition books, the monster compendium is the one that I feel improves the most over its predecessor."<ref name="WW17">{{Cite magazine |last=Wieck|first=Stephan |authorlink=Steve Wieck |date=1989 |title= Overview: AD&D 2nd Edition Rules |magazine= [[White Wolf Magazine]] |number=17 |page= 17 |url=https://imgur.com/a/HTFPJ1o}}</ref>

Berin Kinsman reviewed ''Terrors of the Desert'' in the Mar–Apr 1993 issue of [[White Wolf (magazine)|''White Wolf'']].<ref name=Kinsman>{{cite magazine |last= Kinsman|first= Berin|date= 1993|title= Capsule Reviews: Terrors of the Desert|magazine=White Wolf|issue= 35|page= 64|url=https://imgur.com/a/ZO7xBER}}</ref> This 96-page manual was written by Tom Prusa, Louis J. Prosperi, Walter M. Bass, and Kira Glass and is "the first ''Monstrous Compendium'' appendix to deal with the AD&D Dark Sun setting".<ref name=Kinsman/> Kinsman stated that it was "an invaluable tool for Dungeon Masters running a game in this setting, and DMs who have included psionics in non-DARK SUN campaigns should look here for interesting challenges".<ref name=Kinsman/> He rated it overall at a 3 out of 5 possible points.<ref name=Kinsman/>

[[Rick Swan]] reviewed ''Ravenloft Monstrous Compendium Appendix II: Children of the Night'' for ''[[Dragon (magazine)|Dragon]]'' magazine #206 (June 1994).<ref name="Dragon #206">{{cite journal| last = Swan| first = Rick| author-link = Rick Swan| title = Role-playing Reviews| journal = [[Dragon (magazine)|Dragon]]| issue = #206| pages = 85–86| publisher = [[TSR, Inc.|TSR]]| location = [[Lake Geneva, Wisconsin]]|date=June 1994}}</ref> He commented on the proliferation of monster books from TSR and other publishers: "Role-players seem to have an insatiable appetite for monsters. The sound you hear is that of publishers scraping the bottom of the barrel for new ones."<ref name="Dragon #206"/> Swan noted that ''Children of the Night'', by [[William W. Connors]], adds living brains, bardic liches, and half-golems to the Ravenloft roster. Reviewing this with two other monster books from two other publishers, he quipped: "They're all interesting, but I bet if I read you the descriptions, you'd be hard-pressed to tell which monsters belonged to which system.<ref name="Dragon #206"/>

Trenton Webb reviewed ''Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix II'' for ''Arcane'' magazine, rating it an 8 out of 10 overall.<ref name="Arcane2">{{cite journal|last= Webb|first=Trenton|date=January 1996|title=Games Reviews|journal=Arcane|publisher=[[Future plc|Future Publishing]]|issue=2|pages=71}}</ref> He commented that the book "has a great cover and it's a top read too" and that the artwork "isn't exactly exactly inspired but it does sport a coherence and consistency rarely seen in roleplaying books. There are no 'well it's a man's head on a chicken's body' Crimewatch photofit embarrassments'" found in many other monster books.<ref name="Arcane2"/> Webb noted that the text "goes out of its way to encourage adventurers to use this book as a foundation rather than a work of reference" and that most of the descriptions feature quotes to add flavor, "which normally involve the quotee being horribly killed".<ref name="Arcane2"/> He felt that the blend and balance of the roughly 100 creatures in the book was good, "with a lively mix of the lawful and chaotic, the mighty and meek" but noted that the book "does err slightly in favour of the more fearsome, more powerful creatures".<ref name="Arcane2"/>

Trenton Webb reviewed ''Monstrous Compendium Annual Two'' for ''Arcane'' magazine, rating it a 7 out of 10 overall.<ref name="Arcane5">{{cite journal|last=Webb|first=Trenton|date=April 1996|title=Games Reviews|journal=Arcane|publisher=[[Future plc|Future Publishing]]|issue=5|pages=74}}</ref> He comments: "Serious work goes into bringing the beasties to life, but the crippling list format means they limp rather than leap (or crawl, or slither, or fly for that matter) from the page. A fault this work compounds by further tweaking the experience points system. A factor that's made all the more frustrating when it becomes apparent that the ''Monstrous Annual 2'' dangles some delightful creatures before the referee's eyes."<ref name="Arcane5"/> Ramshaw appreciated one creature entry above all the others, naming the "star, without a shadow of a doubt" as the shambling [[umpleby]]: "Even without the Umpleby the ''Monstrous Annual 2'' would be a necessary resource for all mainstream refs. With the shaggy-haired one, though, it rapidly approaches the essential."<ref name="Arcane5"/>

Trenton Webb reviewed ''Ravenloft Monstrous Compendium Appendices I & II'' for ''Arcane'' magazine, rating it an 8 out of 10 overall.<ref name="Arcane8">{{cite journal|last=Webb|first=Trenton|date=July 1996|title=Games Reviews|journal=Arcane|publisher=[[Future plc|Future Publishing]]|issue=8|pages=74–75}}</ref> He noted that this product was a re-release of the first two ''Monstrous Compendium'' appendices for Ravenloft, in a single bound volume, and that ''Appendix I'' details "the variants, updates and unique monsters which lurk in the Demiplane's mists" while ''Appendix II'' "takes these new creatures and fleshes them out into full NPCs, expanding the descriptions in ''Appendix I''".<ref name="Arcane8"/> He commented that as a reference book, "''Appendix I'' does its job well enough. The true worth of the work, though, undoubtedly comes from the quality of ''Appendix II'''s creations" which "offer referees a varied and rich source of legends to drop into their tavern conversations or to add colour to campaigns". Webb concluded his review by saying: "All ''Appendices I & II'' offer DMs who own the old loose leaf versions are a few new piccies and the tidy new bound form, which is all well and good but hardly enough to justify [the price]. But for ''Ravenloft'' DMs who've been struggling on without the compendiums, this re-issue is an essential purchase which offers both core reference material and an inspirational glimpse of the Demiplane's dark heart."<ref name="Arcane8"/>

David Comford reviewed ''Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three'' for ''Arcane'' magazine, rating it a 4 out of 10 overall.<ref name="Arcane15">{{cite journal|last= Comford|first=David|date= January 1997 |title=Games Reviews|journal=Arcane|publisher=[[Future plc|Future Publishing]]|issue=15|pages=77}}</ref> He commented that "The strength of the annual is that the contents are drawn from a variety of ''AD&D'' settings. Creatures from the TSR magazines, ''Forgotten Realms'', ''Birthright'', ''Ravenloft'', ''Dark Sun'', ''Al-Quadim'' and ''Greyhawk'' can be found giving referees access to monsters with abilities that otherwise might not have been thought of."<ref name="Arcane15"/> However, he questioned, "Are a few interesting ideas and cross-over scenarios worth over a tenner, though? Well, TSR has released such a stupefying amount of products to date that every referee should have a decent supply of challenging monsters available for them to use. If you don't, then have a flick through this for a few new ideas, but think twice before you buy it."<ref name="Arcane15"/> Comford concluded his review by saying, "Volume three is a mixed bunch. Bar a few good entries it falls into a compilation of variations on a theme which, with a little time and imagination, most referees could come up with."<ref name="Arcane15"/>

Alex Lucard, for Diehard GameFAN, highlighted the ''Spelljammer Monstrous Compendium MC7'' on a list of 2nd Edition products he would want rereleased on [[OneBookShelf#DNDClassics|DNDClassics]]. He commented that "I think the best ''Spelljammer'' piece to first put on DNDclassics.com would be with its first ''Monstrous Compendium''. By taking a look at the wide range of creatures available to the setting, DMs would know if there was anything there to inspire them. [...] There are so many cool monsters in this book. [...] What veteran AD&D 2e gamer hasn’t at least heard of the most infamous race of creatures TSR ever put out? [...] I know, as teens, we all laughed at the concept of a tyrannohamsterus rex – until we had to fight one".<ref name=":0" />

<!--  Reviews that need to be incorporated:
*''Backstab'' #6 (Planescape Monstrous Compendium)<ref>{{cite journal |last=Collin |first=Olivier |date=November–December 1997 |title=La Bestiaire Monstrueux Planescape |url=https://archive.org/details/backstab-magazine-french-06/page/n35/mode/2up |language=French |journal=Backstab |volume=6 |pages=36, 40 |access-date=August 13, 2021}}</ref>
*''Backstab'' #9 (Planescape Monstrous Compendium III)<ref>{{cite journal |author=Kaneda |date=May–June 1998 |title=Monstrous Compendium Planescape Appendix III |url=https://archive.org/details/backstab-magazine-french-09/page/n31/mode/2up |language=French |journal=Backstab |volume=9 |page=32 |access-date=September 2, 2021}}</ref>
*''Backstab'' #14 (Annual Volume Four)<ref>{{cite journal |last=Tessier |first=Philippe |date=March–April 1999 |title=Monstrous compendium annual Volume four |url=https://archive.org/details/backstab-magazine-french-14/page/n51/mode/2up |language=French |journal=Backstab |volume=14 |page=52 |access-date=September 2, 2021}}</ref>
*''[[Australian Realms]]'' #19 (Planescape Appendix)<ref>https://archive.org/details/australian-realms-magazine/Australian%20Realms%20%2319%20SeptemberOctober%201994/page/4/mode/2up {{Bare URL inline|date=August 2024}}</ref>
*''[[Australian Realms]]'' #22 (MC Annual One)<ref>https://archive.org/details/australian-realms-magazine/Australian%20Realms%20%2322%20MarchApril%201995/page/4/mode/2up {{Bare URL inline|date=August 2024}}</ref>
-->== See also ==
* [[List of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition monsters|List of ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' 2nd edition monsters]]
* ''[[Monster Manual]]''

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{D&D topics}}
{{D&D books}}

[[Category:Dungeons & Dragons sourcebooks]]
[[Category:Role-playing game supplements introduced in 1989]]