Complete Book of Humanoids
Encyclopedia
The Complete Book of Humanoids is a sourcebook for the second edition of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons
fantasy
role-playing game
. It was written by Bill Slavicsek
for TSR
, in 1993.
The book's primary goal was to provide guidelines for several races to be used as player character
s which were normally considered only "monsters".
The races dealt with in this book include: aarakocra
, alaghi
, beastman, bugbear
, bullywug
, centaur
, fremlin
, giant-kin (firbolg)
, giant-kin (voadkyn)
, gnoll
, gnoll (flind), goblin
, hobgoblin
, kobold
, lizard man
, minotaur
, mongrelman, ogre
, half-ogre, orc
, half-orc
, pixie
, satyr
, saurial, swanmay, and wemic
.
magazine #205 (May 1994). Swan considered the book a "major shake-up in the AD&D rules," as the Players Handbook only allowed players to choose from six player character
races, while this book expands the number of race options by 20. He notes that the book imposes restrictions to maintain game balance: "PCs can’t be undead
, nor can they be monsters taller than 12 feet. Centaur
wizards
can’t go beyond 12th level; goblins
can’t be wizards at all." Swan also notes the difficulties involved in playing non-standard races, citing having a member of a typically evil race functioning in a lawful good society, or how very tall characters might navigate areas with low ceilings. However, he felt that adventurous players would appreciate the book, and closed the review by saying, "Who could pass up the chance to play a pixie
?"
An article by James Wyatt
in Dragon #250 (August 1998) presented rules for playing various aquatic races, including crabmen, koalinth, locathah, malenti, merfolk, pahari, selkies, and vodyanoi in the same format used in The Complete Book of Humanoids. Wyatt acknowledged that "The Complete Book of Humanoids broke a long-standing barrier in the AD&D game by allowing players to make characters of nearly any humanoid race," and noted that the book carefully balanced such advantages such as great physical strength against substantial disadvantages, mostly in the form of prejudice and superstition from the more common races. Player characters based on the creatures presented in this article would face the same sort of prejudices, as well as special physical limitations when trying to interact with surface dwellers.
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
role-playing game
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
. It was written by Bill Slavicsek
Bill Slavicsek
Bill Slavicsek is a game designer who served as the Director of Roleplaying Design and Development at Wizards of the Coast. He previously worked for West End Games and TSR, Inc., and designed products for Dungeons & Dragons, Star Wars, Alternity, Torg, Paranoia and Ghostbusters.-Biography:Bill...
for TSR
TSR, Inc.
Blume and Gygax, the remaining owners, incorporated a new company called TSR Hobbies, Inc., with Blume and his father, Melvin Blume, owning the larger share. The former assets of the partnership were transferred to TSR Hobbies, Inc....
, in 1993.
The book's primary goal was to provide guidelines for several races to be used as player character
Player character
A player character or playable character is a character in a video game or role playing game who is controlled or controllable by a player, and is typically a protagonist of the story told in the course of the game. A player character is a persona of the player who controls it. Player characters...
s which were normally considered only "monsters".
The races dealt with in this book include: aarakocra
Aarakocra
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, the aarakocra are a race of bird-like monstrous humanoids dwelling in high mountains...
, alaghi
Alaghi
In the Forgotten Realms campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, the alaghi is a monstrous humanoid that lives in temperate mountains and forests...
, beastman, bugbear
Bugbear (Dungeons & Dragons)
The bugbear is a type of fictional monster for player characters to encounter in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game.A bugbear is depicted as a massive humanoid distantly related to goblins and hobgoblins...
, bullywug
Bullywug
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game, the bullywug is a type of fictional monster for player characters to encounter. The bullywugs are portrayed as a violent race of marsh-dwelling frog-like humanoids. The bullywug was introduced in the first edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons...
, centaur
Centaur (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, the centaur is a large monstrous humanoid. Based upon the Centaurs of Greek myth, they resemble humans with the lower body of a horse.-Publication history:...
, fremlin
Fremlin
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game, the fremlin is a type of fictional monster for player characters to encounter.-Publication history:Fremlins first appeared in the first edition AD&D module The Lost Island of Castanamir in 1984...
, giant-kin (firbolg)
Firbolg (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, the firbolg is a giant.-Publication history:The firbolg first appeared in the first edition Monster Manual II under the "giant" entry....
, giant-kin (voadkyn)
Voadkyn
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game, the voadkyn is a giant.-Publication history:The wood giant first appeared in Dragon #119 ....
, gnoll
Gnoll
A gnoll or gnole is a fictional humanoid creature - a cross between a gnome and a troll. They first appeared in Lord Dunsany's story in The Book of Wonder: How Nuth Would Have Practised His Art upon the Gnoles and subsequently reappeared in Margaret St. Clair's, The Man Who Sold Rope to the Gnoles...
, gnoll (flind), goblin
Goblin (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, goblins are a very common and fairly weak race of evil humanoid monsters. Goblins and Kobolds are commonly non-human monsters that low-level player characters will face in combat. In D&D, goblins aren't smaller cousins of orcs, but are a part of...
, hobgoblin
Hobgoblin (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game, hobgoblins are a larger, stronger, smarter and more menacing form of goblins. They are smaller and weaker than bugbears, but better organized. Hobgoblins are humanoids that stand nearly 6'6" tall on average, a little taller than orcs...
, kobold
Kobold (Dungeons & Dragons)
Kobolds are a fictional species featured in the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game. Aggressive, xenophobic, yet industrious small humanoid creatures, kobolds are noted for their skill at building traps and preparing ambushes...
, lizard man
Lizardfolk
Lizardfolk are a fictional humanoid species in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game.-Publication history:...
, minotaur
Minotaur (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, minotaurs are a race of monstrous humanoids, resembling bull-human hybrids. Many minotaurs worship the demon lord Baphomet.-Dungeons & Dragons :...
, mongrelman, ogre
Ogre (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, ogres are a lesser race of giants, rather being simply large brutes with clubs. An aquatic subrace of ogres is known as "merrow." D&D ogres are also closely related to the race of ogre magi, a smarter race with blue skin and great magical abilities...
, half-ogre, orc
Orc (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, orcs are a primitive race of savage, bestial, barbaric humanoid.-Publication history:The orc was one of the earliest creatures introduced in the D&D game. The D&D orc is largely based upon the orcs appearing in the works of J.R.R...
, half-orc
Half-orc
The half-orc is a creature born to mixed orc and human parentage in the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. The half-orc is a playable race for D&D player characters. Half-orcs are typically born in wild frontiers where human and orc tribes come into contact. Half-orcs are between six and seven...
, pixie
Pixie (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, the Pixie is a Fey. Based upon the faeries and pixies of myth, they are merry and carefree pranksters who inhabit forests and woodlands.-Publication history:...
, satyr
Satyr (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game, the satyr is a fey creature. Satyrs started as standard D&D creatures, and later became a player character class. Satyrs are the children of a satyr and dryad union, while half-satyrs are the result of a satyr and human woman union. Satyrs are...
, saurial, swanmay, and wemic
Wemic
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game, the wemic is a humanoid with the upper body of a leonine human and the lower body of a lion. Like centaurs, they are considered "tauric" creatures.-Publication history:David C...
.
Reception
The Complete Book of Humanoids was reviewed by Rick Swan in DragonDragon (magazine)
Dragon is one of the two official magazines for source material for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and associated products, the other being Dungeon. TSR, Inc. originally launched the monthly printed magazine in 1976 to succeed the company's earlier publication, The Strategic Review. The...
magazine #205 (May 1994). Swan considered the book a "major shake-up in the AD&D rules," as the Players Handbook only allowed players to choose from six player character
Player character
A player character or playable character is a character in a video game or role playing game who is controlled or controllable by a player, and is typically a protagonist of the story told in the course of the game. A player character is a persona of the player who controls it. Player characters...
races, while this book expands the number of race options by 20. He notes that the book imposes restrictions to maintain game balance: "PCs can’t be undead
Undead (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, undead is a classification of monsters that can be encountered by player characters. Undead creatures are most often once-living creatures, which have been animated by spiritual or supernatural forces....
, nor can they be monsters taller than 12 feet. Centaur
Centaur (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, the centaur is a large monstrous humanoid. Based upon the Centaurs of Greek myth, they resemble humans with the lower body of a horse.-Publication history:...
wizards
Wizard (Dungeons & Dragons)
The wizard is one of the standard character class in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. A wizard uses arcane magic, and is considered less effective in melee combat than other classes.-Creative origins:...
can’t go beyond 12th level; goblins
Goblin (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, goblins are a very common and fairly weak race of evil humanoid monsters. Goblins and Kobolds are commonly non-human monsters that low-level player characters will face in combat. In D&D, goblins aren't smaller cousins of orcs, but are a part of...
can’t be wizards at all." Swan also notes the difficulties involved in playing non-standard races, citing having a member of a typically evil race functioning in a lawful good society, or how very tall characters might navigate areas with low ceilings. However, he felt that adventurous players would appreciate the book, and closed the review by saying, "Who could pass up the chance to play a pixie
Pixie (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, the Pixie is a Fey. Based upon the faeries and pixies of myth, they are merry and carefree pranksters who inhabit forests and woodlands.-Publication history:...
?"
An article by James Wyatt
James Wyatt (game designer)
James Wyatt is a game designer and a former United Methodist minister. He works for Wizards of the Coast, where he has designed several award-winning supplements and adventures for the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game...
in Dragon #250 (August 1998) presented rules for playing various aquatic races, including crabmen, koalinth, locathah, malenti, merfolk, pahari, selkies, and vodyanoi in the same format used in The Complete Book of Humanoids. Wyatt acknowledged that "The Complete Book of Humanoids broke a long-standing barrier in the AD&D game by allowing players to make characters of nearly any humanoid race," and noted that the book carefully balanced such advantages such as great physical strength against substantial disadvantages, mostly in the form of prejudice and superstition from the more common races. Player characters based on the creatures presented in this article would face the same sort of prejudices, as well as special physical limitations when trying to interact with surface dwellers.
Additional reading
- Reviews: White Wolf #38 (1993)