Monsters of the Multiverse ended up being 2022's first new Dungeons and Dragons books. Or should that be old D&D books? You see, this addition to one of the best tabletop RPGs is crammed with updated character and foe options. Which begs the question: is it something entirely fresh, or just a greatest hits re-run?
The truth is, it's a bit of both. Monsters of the Multiverse rounds up player races, enemies, and more that were scattered across the wider D&D library into one book. However, it's not simply a copy-paste job. Rather, it goes out of its way to streamline those rules with more than a few revisions. As such, it's better described as a 'best of' compilation.
To help you decide whether Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse is for you, we've gathered all the need-to-know details on this D&D sourcebook below.
Everything you need to know about Monsters of the Multiverse
What is Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse?
Combining 33 improved player races and more than 250 monsters from every sourcebook since the current edition of D&D launched in 2014, Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse is intended to be a more convenient way of accessing all that information. This makes it perfect for beginners looking to step beyond the core rules or long-term fans that don't want the hassle of flipping between books for the details they need.
Rules Expansion Gift Set
Monsters of the Multiverse is also featured in the Dungeons and Dragons Rules Expansion Gift Set that launched at the end of January 2022.
Everything within Monsters of the Multiverse has been slightly tweaked as well. Those changes range from streamlined combat abilities to less prescriptive character creation, and the aim is to let players make the adventurer they want without feeling pigeon-holed into a specific build.
This helps ensure that the book is compatible with the next edition of D&D, which is due to launch sometime in the next few years (a quiet bombshell announced at the end of 2021). In theory, that means you don't need to worry about Monsters of the Multiverse becoming outdated shortly after buying it.
How much does it cost?
Like most other D&D sourcebooks, hardcover versions of Monsters of the Multiverse costs $49.95 in the USA (roughly £42 for UK fans). This would be true for any alternate cover, too - if it existed. Meanwhile, digital copies of the book are available for $29.99 from D&D Beyond, Fantasy Grounds, and Roll20.
When is it coming out?
If you're looking to buy the book by itself, Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse is available now - it launched on May 17th, 2022.
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Monsters of the Multiverse is also available if you buy the Rules Expansion Gift Set - it's included in the pack regardless of whether you get the standard or alternate edition.
Is Monsters of the Multiverse worth buying?
Should you buy Monsters of the Multiverse?
If you're new to D&D and want to take the game further, this book is shaping up to be an essential purchase; it gets you all of the extra player races and monsters you could need.
That isn't to say it's not any good for long-term fans, though. Monsters of the Multiverse offers a streamlined revision of old material, and the designers took it as an opportunity to improve both gameplay and story across the board.
Monsters of the Multiverse seems worth a look regardless of how long you've been playing and no matter which books you already own
Besides spotlighting revised lore that the team said should "delight fans" during our preview in January, it expands on the backstory of 'monstrous' races such as goblins by removing negative associations and putting a greater emphasis on choice (they aren't universally 'evil', for example). In other words, they're treated like humans in the game - the book avoids making sweeping assumptions about culture or alignment.
This is also true for player races at large. As well as scrubbing ability score recommendations that often shoehorn them into specific classes, these are multiversal versions for inclusion on any world.
That last part applies to monsters too; these foes can be dropped into any setting, and rules changes ensure that they're at their most dangerous when they make the trip. This is because players have criticised certain enemies for being too easy in the past, and the design team told us during a preview event in January that they realised it wasn't always clear what the optimal strategy for using these monsters was supposed to be. With that in mind, they worked to make sure each one lived up to their Challenge Rating, no matter which attack Dungeon Masters used.
In short? Monsters of the Multiverse is worth a look regardless of how long you've been playing - and regardless of the books you already own.
Monsters of the Multiverse - alternate covers
Most D&D releases get an alternate cover alongside the standard book, but that hasn't been the case so far for Monsters of the Multiverse. In fact, the only special edition we've seen is the one that comes with the Rules Expansion Gift Set (pictured here).
If you want to get that unique cover from the Rules Expansion Gift Set, you'll need to head out to a bricks-and-mortar shop - it's an in-store exclusive (though we have seen it appear online here and there).
Monsters of the Multiverse - deals
Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse | $49.95 $39.99 at Amazon
The day is finally here - you can now get the standalone hardcover book of Monsters of the Multiverse. No alternate cover exists (unless you count the one from the Rules Expansion Gift Set), so you don't need to worry about missing a prettier version.
UK price: £40.41 at Amazon
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