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

by Bill Slavicsek (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Part of the bestselling rules for players, this exciting new rulebook allows players to run a "monster" as a character at last. Following on the success of the handbooks dealing with elves, gnomes, and dwarves, it provides all the information necessary to play intelligent humanoid creatures as PC's. Illustrations, many in color.

Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: TSR Inc.; 2nd edition (May 18, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1560766115
• ISBN-13: 978-1560766117
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #246,320 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Good for things TSR never intended, September 30, 1999

By A Customer

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.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Orcs, goblins, and minotaurs oh my!, March 28, 2008

By	Lloyd Metcalf "www.MaineTackle.com" (Buxton, ME) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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.

6 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Idea!, December 2, 1997

By	Teri Tada ([e-mail]) (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews

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.)