These Monster Manuals Are Great Even if You Don’t Play RPGs

Monster Manual, by Wizards RPG Team
This is the Monster Manual for the current (5th) edition of the venerable fantasy RPG Dungeons & Dragons, and it’s an excellent example of the form. The monster art is spectacular, and the descriptions of the creatures are like glimpses into weird little fantasy stories, detailing how each beastie will try to kill you, how they interact with other monsters, and sometimes even a suggestion as to how it was created in the first place. Plus, if you do ever decide to get together with your friends and play some D&D, 5th Edition is a pretty good way to do it.

Dungeons & Dragons: Monster Manual: A 4th Edition Core Rulebook, by Wizards RPG Team
It’s…another D&D Monster Manual? Sure, but this one is from 4th Edition. Ok, I can hear your eyes rolling, let me explain: 4th Edition D&D is drastically different from all the other editions in terms of the game’s mechanics. Imagine an online game like World of Warcraft, where your character has abilities that are activated, then recharge over time. It’s sort of like that. Whatever its flaws (4th Edition has plenty), it’s actually a great tactical combat game. So if your idea of a fun weekend is statting up some wizards and fighters to see who’d win in a fight between your crew and a couple of owlbears, this Monster Manual is exactly what you need.

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Bestiary (Pocket Edition), by Jason Bulmahn
Pathfinder is a strong contender for the “World’s Most Popular Fantasy RPG” throne, a title held by D&D for generations (Pathfinder basically is D&D, but that’s a long story, and you’re here for the monsters). You’ll find a lot of standard fantasy monsters in the first Pathfinder Bestiary, but some lost classics too, like the Froghemoth (self-explanatory) and the Vargouille, which is sort of a flying vampire head with tentacles. In the last few years, Paizo has started publishing pocket editions of their rule books. These are softcover edition, roughly the size of a paperback, and much easier to read on the subway or carry to game night than the original hardcovers. The text is a bit smaller, so you might need reading glasses to enjoy them, but overall, the pocket editions are a great addition to any monster fan’s bookshelf.

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Bestiary 5, by Jason Bulmahn
Wait a minute, how many Pathfinder Bestiaries are there anyway? Well, the sixth recently arrived. If that sounds excessive…just trust me, it’s not excessive. Books of monsters, people! We can never have enough. Anyway, Bestiary 5 makes this list because it’s closely tied to Pathfinder’s Horror Adventures book, and that means an extra dose of creepy, otherwordly monsters. There are Cthulhuian creatures, a group of bizarre demons sort of like the Cenobites from Hellraiser, a collection of “esoteric dragons,” plus a giant sharkkraken for good measure. They’re good monsters, Brent.

Midgard Bestiary, by Ash Law
The Midgard Bestiary has a lot going for it. It’s designed for the 13th Age RPG, which is itself a marvelous game that streamlines the rules of your typical fantasy RPG while adding key elements that help drive collaborative storytelling. This bestiary is specific to the Midgard setting, which was developed by Kobold Press and incorporates a lot of interesting folk and mythological traditions. There are elements of eastern European folklore, Nordic mythology, and a rich, dark world of shadowy fey creatures. You’ll encounter a lot of creatures in this book you won’t find in the other on this list.
Have you ever read a Monster Manual for fun?