Dungeons and Dragons is constantly expanding with new adventures, helping to grow the TTRPG to new heights over the last decade or so. Thanks to those new additions, Dungeons and Dragons is as big as it’s ever been, both in terms of players and impact, and a new sourcebook will help grow that even more. Mordenkainen Presents Monsters of the Multiverse will make monstrous races far more convenient to play, which many players have been asking for.

The Monsters of the Multiverse book collects 30 monstrous races into a single resource book, though it’s worth noting that they have appeared in other sourcebooks in the past. Speaking to Polygon, Dungeons and Dragons Principal Rules Designer Jeremy Crawford also stated that the book will highlight the history of certain races, which has largely been glossed over in other material.

Crawford specifically cited Goblins as one such Monstrous race that will get an expanded lore treatment. Goblins have always been associated with the god Maglubiyet, but the implication is that Maglubiyet conquered the Goblins. Monsters of the Multiverse will expand on Goblins to explain their entire history, giving them more depth for those that want to play as one. Of course, the changes don’t stop there.

For the past few years, questions about Dungeons and Dragons’ handling of race have circulated, as the portrayal of certain races as inherently evil has raised real-world concerns. As part of broader, incremental changes to Dungeons and Dragons, Wizards of the Coast is looking to address the issue, stripping out ideas related to race essentialism. It’s the beginning of big changes for Dungeons and Dragons as a whole, as fans anticipate what’s coming next for the franchise.

Changes aside, Monsters of the Multiverse’s races are an interesting way to shake up a campaign. The Player’s Handbook, or PHB, includes just 9 total playable races, so this is a hefty chunk of new content. The complete list of playable races coming to Monsters of the Multiverse is:

  • Aarakocra Aasimar Bugbear Centaur Chageling Deep Gnome Duergar Eladrin Fairy Firbolg Genasi Githyanki Githzerai Goblin Goliath Harengon Hobgoblin Kenku Kobold Lizardfolk Minotaur Orc Satyr Sea Elf Shadar-kai Shifter Tabaxi Tortle Triton Yuan-ti

Mordenkainen Presents Monsters of the Multiverse will have its own release on May 17 of this year, though it will also be available in the Dungeons and Dragons Rules Expansion Gift Set for $170 starting on January 25, which is now just a few days away. While the latter option has a hefty price tag, it is a comprehensive set of rule books for Dungeons and Dragons.

Dungeons and Dragons 5e is available now.

Source: Polygon