The Hero System Bestiary
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''The Hero System Bestiary'' is a supplement published by
Hero Games Hero Games (''DOJ, Inc dba Hero Games'') is the publisher of the Hero System, a generic roleplaying rules set that can be used to simulate many different genres, and was the co-developer of the '' Fuzion'' system. History In 1981, George MacD ...
in 1986 to provide a variety of creatures for superhero, espionage and fantasy role-playing games that use the ''
Hero System The ''Hero System'' is a generic role-playing game system that was developed from the superhero RPG '' Champions''. After ''Champions'' fourth edition was released in 1989, a stripped-down version of its ruleset with no superhero or other genr ...
'' rules. As new editions of the Hero System rules were published, new editions of the ''Bestiary'' were also published.


Contents

''The Hero System Bestiary'' describes creatures for ''Hero System'' games, and includes a special section describing how the creatures can be used with each genre in the system.


Publication history

In 1981, Hero Games published the superhero role-playing game (RPG) ''
Champions A champion (from the late Latin ''campio'') is the victor in a challenge, contest or competition. There can be a territorial pyramid of championships, e.g. local, regional/provincial/state, national, continental and world championships, and ...
'' that used the "Hero System" set of rules. Hero Games subsequently published a number of role-playing games in other genres that used the same Hero System rules, including the pulp-inspired '' Justice Inc.'' (1984), espionage RPG ''
Danger International ''Danger International'' is a modern-day role-playing game published by Hero Games in 1985. Description ''Danger International'' is a role-playing game in which players can take on the roles of spies, private eyes, investigative reporters, and p ...
'' (1985), and fantasy RPG '' Fantasy Hero'' (1986). To provide opponents for the heroes, Hero Games and
Iron Crown Enterprises Iron Crown Enterprises (ICE) is a publishing company that has produced role playing, board, miniature, and collectible card games since 1980. Many of ICE's better-known products were related to J. R. R. Tolkien's world of Middle-earth, but the ''R ...
(I.C.E.) published ''The Hero System Bestiary'' in 1986, a collection of animals and creatures that could be used with any of the Hero Games RPGs that used the 3rd edition of the Hero System rules. The 56-page softcover book was designed by Michael Susko, Jr., with artwork by James Holloway, Stephan Peregrine, and
Jason Waltrip Jason Waltrip and John Waltrip (born 1963) are identical twins who comprise a comic book art and writing team, known for their work on '' Robotech comics'' and in webcomics. Comics career The Waltrips were discovered by a talent scout in 1987 wh ...
. In 1992, I.C.E., which had taken over Hero Games, published a revised and greatly expanded edition of the ''Bestiary'' for the 4th edition of the Hero System rules, a 192-page softcover book designed by Doug Tabb, with contributions by Darrin Zielinski, Brian Nystul, and Mark Bennet, interior art by Storn Cook, Stephan Peregrine, Mitch Byrd,
Jennell Jaquays Jennell Allyn Jaquays (born Paul Jaquays; October 14, 1956 – January 10, 2024) was an American game designer, Game art design, video game artist, and illustrator of tabletop role-playing games (RPGs). Her notable works include the ''Dungeons & ...
,
Liz Danforth Elizabeth T. Danforth is an illustrator, editor, writer, and scenario designer for role-playing games and video games. She has worked in the game industry continuously since the mid 1970s. Early life and education She received her BA in Anthrop ...
, Albert Deschesne,
Denis Loubet Denis Loubet is an artist who has worked on several Role-playing games#Tabletop, pen-and-paper role-playing games and video games, including the MMORPG ''Ashen Empires''. Career Loubet designed a set of miniature figure (gaming), miniatures called ...
, Luther, Elissa Martin, Darrell Midgette, Giorgia Ponticelli,
Roger Raupp Roger Raupp (October 1, 1963 in Elkhorn, Wisconsin — December 17, 2019 in Bellingham, Washington) was an artist whose work has appeared in games such as the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game from TSR, and the collectible card ga ...
, Paulo Romano, Shawn Sharp, and Jason Waltrip, and cover art by Storn Cook. Following the demise of I.C.E., Hero Games was resurrected by DOJ Inc. in 2001, and a new version of the '' Hero System Bestiary'' was published for the 5th edition of the Hero System Rules in 2002. This 239-page softcover book was designed by Stephen Long, with artwork by Peter Bergting, Mitch Byrd, Andrew Cremeans, Keith Curtis, Eric Rademaker, Greg Smith, and Jonathan Wyke. A greatly expanded version was published by Hero Games/DOJ Inc. in 2010 for the 6th edition of the Hero System Rules, a 498-page softcover book designed by Steven Long, Michael Surbrook, and Darren Watts.


Reception

In the August–September 1987 edition of ''
Space Gamer/Fantasy Gamer ''The Space Gamer'' was a magazine dedicated to the subject of science fiction and fantasy board games and tabletop role-playing games. It quickly grew in importance and was an important and influential magazine in its subject matter from the la ...
'' (No. 79), Frank Jesse liked the wide range of creatures portrayed in the original edition of ''The Hero System Bestiary'', saying "''The Bestiary'' is more than a monster manual. Any Game master worth their weight in dice, should feel the tingling of ideas. And this will most likely turn to impatience as the Game master waits to spring these surprises on those unsuspecting adventurers." Sean Holland reviewed ''Hero Bestiary'' in ''White Wolf (magazine), White Wolf'' #36 (1993), rating it a 3 out of 5 and stated that "''The Hero Bestiary'' is a good sourcebook. I would highly recommend it for a ''Fantasy Hero'' GM, and GMs of other ''Hero System'' games should give it a look as well; the dinosaurs are great for ''Champions''." In the September 1993 edition of ''Dragon (magazine), Dragon'' (Issue 197), Allen Varney was grateful that Hero Games had "at last released an expanded and updated ''Hero Bestiary'' [for the 4th edition of the Hero System]," but noted that many of the creatures were fairly ordinary, saying, "this thick volume devotes unusual amounts of space to mundane beasts as well as fantasy monsters, so let’s hope most ''Fantasy Hero'' campaigns need not only dragons but also, say, ostriches."


Other reviews

*''Abyss (magazine), Abyss'' #40 (Spring 1987, p.21)


Notes


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hero System Bestiary Fantasy role-playing game supplements Role-playing game supplements introduced in 1986