Customer Reviews

Complete Book of Humanoids (AD&D Fantasy Roleplaying, PHBR10)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Humanoids can gain skills and levels too.
This supplement is perfect for one DM one player style games where Goblin Characters can be more fun than a sack of angry dwarves!
But why not as a supplement to the DM tool box as well? What if that orc leading the troops was a full on high level NPC with a whole set of skills, and specialty skills?
The Wemic details are re-introduced here as well.
This book can give cause to the monsters. It can make humanoids come to life and detail. A must have for the shelf.

Well it's me again, Look this book is really good for a few things. First, if your char does get reincarnated your set..no more confusion on what that "thing" you have become can do and what it can't. One message to DM's please please read this book before allowing it into your game. This thing makes playing a human pointless, it makes wanting to play an elf..settling for something you really didn't want! It is crazy...stats are way too high new players see this book and don't want to play a human or a gnome they want to be a Quaggoth or a half ogre...limit it's use to moderation...but hey i wouldn't sell it off either.

The basis of this guide is to open up and define the possibilities for playing different, often VERY different races as player characters. In that sense, it has achieved its goal, for The Complete Book of Humanoids by far excels the details in Skills And Powers. In fact, there are a number of contradictory themes within these books, and for realism and playability, the CHH comes out on top. Covering not only races, but also kit specifications, superstitions as well as height, weight and age stats, this book is essential for this purpose. So, if you want to play a Wemic Tribal protector, Alaghi Druid or a Wood Giant Ranger, this is the ONLY book that will give you everything you need.

A good way to spice up your D&D gaming sessions. The selected races available as potential PC's are diverse and believeable, from Pixies to Orcs. The book contains good role-playing notes on racial backgrounds/tendencies and how to bring humanoid races into a campaign. It certainly is interesting and well-written. However, the sections on superstitions and monstrous traits seem grossly inappropriate for some character types.
Still, at heart I think the complete book of humanoids was a great idea. I just started running an ogre mage in a Forgotten Realms campaign and he is definitely one of the most interesting characters I have ever played. It's a fun, unique challenge to play a character with such a radically different perspective from the typical human/demihuman. I do think you need a skilled, experienced dungeon master for humanoid characters to work successfully.
Novice DM's should not include this book in their campaign-- handling the racial details isn't easy, and some of the more powerful humanoid races could get out of control without a good DM to keep 'em in line

Teri Tada
P.S. Does anyone know where I could find more background detail on ogre mages? (TSR novels, etc.)

"The Complete Book of Humanoids" has to be one of the worst misnomers TSR has ever written. "Twink's Bible" is more like it.

This is deceptive. In the beginning, it looks innocent enough; new races, tons of new proficiencies, and new kits galore (the priests are more powerful than the ones in the Complete Priest's Handbook!). But the section on monstrous traits and superstitions is truly insidious in its potential for Twinkdom; potentially, it's possible for a first-level thief to have a Dexterity score of 22 or 23, or a Level 1 Fighter with a Strength that's just as high. This, combined with everything else, makes for what could pose to be the most obscenely powerful PCs in history.

What more can I say? The only drawback is that your DM (or, if you're a DM, you) will, after experiencing what the Complete Book of Humanoids can unleash, forever ban it from use. Until the DM makes that decree, buy The Complete Book of Humanoids and get a taste of what Twinkdom really is.

Simply put, this book is the first that players reach for (after the core books: 2nd Edition Players Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide and Monsterous Manual) and for good reason. It has proven to (a) provide the strongest degree of choice, (b) be the easiest for DM facilitation and (c) flavorful NPC creation for a classic system in a 3rd (and now 4th) Edition world.

My AD&D2 group bought this book collectively. It was one of the best purchases we have bought. The character races in it are superb, and the races are written in such depth it is great. The skills are great. The new races are great. The modified races from the Monsters handbook are great. Basicaly it is great.

I mean, what can I say. I've always wanted to run monster characters, ever since I winged a sprite in a previous campaign. In my home-grown campaign world, there is a horrible war racking a small area called the Isles of Sharratt, the cause, of course, being a high level orc. Thank you, Complete Book of Humanoids!

Once again TSR comes up with a truly great idea but pulls up just short of classic status. The only reason this didn't get 5 stars from me is that many of the races detailed have their powers weakened (couldn't the old D&D Orcs of Thar and Tall Tales of the Wee Folk system of gaining powers at higher levels been used?) and many races are left out entirely (aww, c'mon, moondogs would make awesome characters!). Still, this book is a winner, particularly as a start.

If you only get one handbook, get this one. It will add greatly to your gaming session.