This is a collection of 20 Ghoulish variants, turning a progression of monsters into ghoul-templated monsters. Given my love of ghouls (I wrote the Darakhul supplement for Kobold Press, helped convert the Imperial Gazetteer to PFRPG, and was a playtester/contributor to Empire of the Ghouls) I had to review this one, especially since I reviewed Minotaur Games' ghoul piece.
The art is low-key, a bit rough, but it's something, and really, while I know people have had their expectations put up there by various products, I'm ok with the art style. We get descriptive images for each monster, which is what I'd expect for this sort of work, at the very least. Some pieces are better than others, but we're buying this for the monsters, not as Pickman's sketchbook.
It has an on-going narrative, woven through each monster's entry, which is ok, but pretty much represents the stock trope of "the arrogant necromancer who recognizes the power and beauty of undeath as he grows in capability." Take it or leave it, but it's a hidden story arc laid out for a GM willing to apply it to his game.
The document is lacking several important aspects:
1. There's no template given, allowing me to make my own ghoulish monsters. If I want ghoulish hobgoblins, I have to guess at what it takes. This is pretty frustrating. Can I do it? Probably, I don't think it looks hard but it's a task I'll have to sit down and do, and I'm betting Rocks Fall has already done it.
EDIT: The current revision has this template and a spell-- they're just not listed in the table of contents.
2. The descriptive text mentions a spell to create these creatures. No such spell is provided in the manuscript. This is also pretty frustrating.
EDIT: This is at the end, with the template. It's also slipped past the table of contents. Think of it like a surprise treat for finishing the text. ;)
3. Ghouls are social undead. They form packs, they interact with society, they are intelligent and free-willed. There is nothing discussing what ghoulish versions of the base creature's society become upon transformation. Does it really change the gnoll's or dire wolf's society much? Probably not, but more sociable hill giants or owlbears might be interesting. Otherwise, we just get monsters with a channeling weakness and a paralytic attack.
EDIT: This point remains. Each monster is considered as a lone, solitary creature, with little (if any) social consideration.
4. This one's less a ding, so much as a "wow, that would have been nice," kind of comment. After reading through 20 of these monsters and the associated text, I wanted a stat block for the Necromancer. Heck, I would have *loved* three versions to choose from, but I don't want to play Monday-morning-Designer. With that much about the character in the text, leaving the Necromancer completely undefined was a bummer. :) You made me want that bit of content, why not offer it?
Overall, this is a great collection of bad guys you can throw at your party across a wide variety of levels and encounters. It has a hidden foe you could build to suit your own tastes. It has printer friendly options to go with the parchment background versions (although I wonder how the black name-bars will print with red text on some printers). It has some low-key art of each monster. Is it missing a few aspects that would make it shine? Yes. However, at $2.5, this is an acceptable purchase. If I didn't love ghouls, I probably would have passed, but if I was running an undead-centric game, and wanted to keep things fresh? This would be printed out and kept in the binder.
With the missing material I mentioned addressed? This would easily be a 4-star purchase. The lack of the spell and template are really what hurts this most.
EDIT: With the inclusion of this material, I'm content with considering this a solid 4 star purchase. The price for the material's good, and this is something you'd be able to get utility from for an extended period, especially with the inclusion of the spell and template.
-Ben.
