''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 (RPG) originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. The game was first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. (T ...

fantasy Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction involving magical elements, typically set in a fictional universe and sometimes inspired by mythology and folklore. Its roots are in oral traditions, which then became fantasy literature and drama ...

role-playing game A role-playing game (sometimes spelled roleplaying game, 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 these roles within ...

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 with 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 * Ceremonial magic, encompasses a wide variety of rituals of magic * Magical thinking, the belief that unrela ...

, 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 (from the Middle English ''kype'') 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 ...

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

planes Plane(s) most often refers to: * Aero- or airplane, a powered, fixed-wing aircraft * Plane (geometry), a flat, 2-dimensional surface Plane or planes may also refer to: Biology * Plane (tree) or ''Platanus'', wetland native plant * ''Planes'' ...

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 crea ...

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 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 David Phillips ...

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."

References

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

Wizards of the Coast Wizards of the Coast LLC (often referred to as WotC or simply Wizards) is an American publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and science fiction themes, and formerly an operator of retail stores for games. It is currently a subsidi ...

, 2002).

Contents

Publication history

Reception

References

Further reading