📖 Overview
Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes provides background lore and game statistics for Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition. The book focuses on major conflicts across the D&D multiverse, including ancient wars between elves and drow, devils and demons, dwarves and duergar.
The first section contains detailed histories of these conflicts from the perspective of Mordenkainen, a powerful wizard who documents the eternal struggles between opposing forces. The second half presents monster stat blocks and descriptions that Dungeon Masters can use in their campaigns, featuring many high-level threats and planar creatures.
Players gain access to new character options, including tiefling subraces and backgrounds tied to the Blood War. The book includes information about halfling and gnome societies, enriching character creation possibilities for these races.
This sourcebook examines themes of cosmic balance and the cyclical nature of conflict in the D&D multiverse. Through Mordenkainen's neutral perspective, it presents complex rivalries where neither side can be considered entirely right or wrong.
👀 Reviews
Readers value the deep lore and background information on D&D races like elves, dwarves, and tieflings. Many cite the Blood War chapter as a highlight, explaining the demon-devil conflict. Players appreciate the new monster stat blocks and player options.
Likes:
- Detailed history and mythology behind major races
- Quality artwork and illustrations
- Useful high-CR monsters for high-level play
- Clear organization and layout
Dislikes:
- Some find the lore sections too long compared to game content
- Price point ($50) considered high for the content
- Several readers note overlap with previous D&D books
- A few mention errors in monster stat blocks
Ratings:
Goodreads: 4.35/5 (500+ ratings)
Amazon: 4.7/5 (2,000+ ratings)
DriveThruRPG: 4.5/5 (100+ ratings)
Notable comment from Amazon reviewer: "The monster section is smaller than expected, but the depth of lore makes up for it. Great for DMs who want to enrich their world-building."
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🤔 Interesting facts
🎲 The book is named after Mordenkainen, a powerful wizard character created by D&D co-creator Gary Gygax for his personal campaigns in the 1970s
🗝️ This tome explores the eternal conflicts that shape the D&D multiverse, including the Blood War between demons and devils, and the centuries-old feud between elves and drow
🎮 Released in 2018, it serves as both a monster manual and a deep lore repository, providing Dungeon Masters with high-level challenges for advanced players
🐉 The book introduces several new playable race options, including the gith, who were once enslaved by mind flayers and split into two distinct subspecies after gaining their freedom
📚 Unlike previous D&D monster manuals, this book dedicates significant space to explaining the societies, motivations, and cultures behind its creatures, making it as much a work of fantasy anthropology as a game resource