''Stronghold Builder's Guidebook'' is a sourcebook for the 3rd edition of the ''

Dungeons & Dragons ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (commonly abbreviated as ''D&D'' or ''DnD'') is a fantasy tabletop role-playing game (TTRPG) originally created and designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. The game was first published in 1974 by TSR (company)#Tactical ...

fantasy Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction that involves supernatural or Magic (supernatural), magical elements, often including Fictional universe, imaginary places and Legendary creature, creatures. The genre's roots lie in oral traditions, ...

role-playing game A role-playing game (sometimes spelled roleplaying game, or abbreviated as RPG) is a game in which players assume the roles of player character, characters in a fictional Setting (narrative), setting. Players take responsibility for acting out ...

This 128-page book begins with a table of contents with a list of tables found in the book, followed by a brief introduction on page 4. Chapter 1: ''Building a Stronghold'' (pages 4–14) details a step-by-step process by which DMs and players can design a stronghold. Notes provided include how to stock the structure with gear and fill it with people, and figuring how much it costs. Chapter 2: ''Stronghold Components'' (pages 14–86) describes where and how to place items such as walls and doors, and various locations that can be placed within a stronghold. Also described are suggestions on how to place

magic items Magic or magick most commonly refers to: * Magic (supernatural), beliefs and actions employed to influence supernatural beings and forces ** ''Magick'' (with ''-ck'') can specifically refer to ceremonial magic * Magic (illusion), also known as sta ...

, spells, traps, and siege weapons in a stronghold. Chapter 3: ''Strongholds in Your Campaign'' (pages 87–104) includes tips for building a campaign with a stronghold as the setting, as well as how to use the book in adventures that have already been established. This chapter also details how a stronghold can be attacked or defended during combat. Chapter 4: ''Example Strongholds'' (pages 104-128) provides room-by-room descriptions and maps for five detailed structures that can be used in a campaign. These include a simple

keep A keep is a type of fortified tower built within castles during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars have debated the scope of the word ''keep'', but usually consider it to refer to large towers in castles that were fortified residen ...

, an undersea castle made of coral, a dwarven redoubt, a floating tower, and a citadel of the

planes Plane most often refers to: * Aero- or airplane, a powered, fixed-wing aircraft * Plane (geometry), a flat, 2-dimensional surface * Plane (mathematics), generalizations of a geometrical plane Plane or planes may also refer to: Biology * Plane ...

Publication history

The book was published in May 2002, and was written by

Matt Forbeck Matt Forbeck (born August 4, 1968) is an American author and game designer from Beloit, Wisconsin. Biography Forbeck first became interested in role-playing games at age 13 when he started playing ''Dungeons & Dragons''. He earned a degree in cr ...

and David Noonan. It featured cover art by Brom and interior art by David Day.

Reception

A review from

RPGnet RPGnet is a role-playing game website. It includes sections on wargaming, wargames, tabletop games and video games, as well as columns on gaming topics. RPGnet was founded in 1996 by Emma and Sandy Antunes, Shawn Althouse ( etrigan) and Brian Dav ...

said that "All in all, the Stronghold Builder’s Guide is a useful, solid product. It is well designed, clean and well written, but lacks a certain amount of flair that would have made it truly outstanding, the authors not having quite gone the extra mile."

Reviews

*''Asgard'' #6 *''Coleção Dragão Brasil''

References

* Noonan, David. ''Stronghold Builder's Guidebook'' (

Wizards of the Coast Wizards of the Coast LLC (WotC or Wizards) is an American game Publishing, publisher, most of which are based on fantasy and List of science fiction themes, science-fiction themes, and formerly an operator of retail game stores. In 1999, toy ...

, 2002).

Contents

Publication history

Reception

Reviews

References

Further reading