My ugly, picture-free creature guide
In Footprints, I talk about goblins, kobolds, bandits and a few other classic fantasy foes.
Most such guides would have pictures here and there to really sell the quality.
I didn’t bother.
Sure, I could have tracked down some public domain images, maybe commissioned an artist or two.
Why, though? You know what a kobold looks like. If not, you can look it up in seconds.
I’d rather you focus on the ideas - that’s where the value lies. It’s designed to get you thinking. If the lack of images is a dealbreaker for you, then I’ve saved you some money – you’re welcome.
Footprints can revolutionise the way you run your games. Instead of mindlessly plonking monsters down for the party to run into, it builds them into your world. It takes them from being random encounters and resource sinks into living, breathing inhabitants.
These enemies aren’t just fodder for XP and they don’t exist solely to fight PCs. They have lives, just off-screen, and those lives can reshape your entire world.
It makes your setting feel real.
Clever players can use their lives against them.
It creates opportunities, plot hooks and memorable encounters, even with the simplest enemies.
If that sounds like fun to you, then grab Footprints, read it, then get to thinking about how you’ll make it work: