Review: Learn to create monsters for Finster’s POWER RANGERS RPG

This year, Renegade Game Studios released a very important manual for the Power Rangers RPG. Finster’s Monster-Matic Cookbook provides tons of useful information for both Game Masters (GMs) and players. Renegade was kind enough to send me a copy to review and review. You can grab your copy from the Renegade site or your local game store. All thoughts below are my own.

Finally the secrets of the Monster-Matic are revealed! Finster’s Monster-Matic Cookbook provides over 100 threats for use with the Power Rangers RPG. In addition to threats, their tactics, and story ideas, this recipe book offers tips for creating, adapting, and using threats in the game. Test your Power Rangers with Rita Repulsa and Lord Zedd’s alien sorcery and explore sinister options for your Power Ranger roleplay! Finster’s Monster-Matic Cookbook also contains tips for using Heroes of the Grid miniatures in the Power Rangers RPG.

Inside Finster’s Monster-Matic CookbookGMs will find more than 100 threats to use in their Power Rangers RPG sessions and guidelines for creating your own threats. Additionally, there are rules to introduce evil sorcery rules that allow some evil magic to play a larger role in your stories. These are all great additions for Power Rangers RPG. Sourcebooks like this are always very welcome as more and more people look to create their own adventures and campaigns. Threats range from minions to monsters of the week to main villains. I also appreciate the included table that outlines where each threat comes from.

Some of the threats include Lord Drakkon from the BOOM! Studios comics, Commander Crayfish and his Mutant Rangers from Morphin’ mighty Power RangersMesagog da Dino ThunderBlaze and Roxy from Beast Morpherand much more. I won’t lie Powerful morphine has the most threats, but I appreciate that there is a variety that spans a wide range of seasons. If you’re a GM, this is a must-have book in my opinion!

It is important to note that there is also something for gamers. Finster’s Monster-Matic Cookbook includes rules for players to take on the role of Psycho Rangers. This means players can run an evil campaign, have a traitor (or traitors) with the Infiltrator’s influence, or take on the role of reformed villains aiming for redemption. Overall, everything is quite simple with one exception. I’m not sure how I would proceed in character creation with a traitor in the party. The best thing I can come up with is, if anyone is interested in being the traitor, create their own character separately and then pop it up to create characters in session zero and create their own cover identity. If you have a better idea, let us know in the comments.

I have to say I’m a little disappointed by one aspect Finster’s Monster-Matic Cookbook. In the product description it talks about “tips for using the thumbnails of Grill heroes”. I feel like I’m selling too much. The book marks Minions and Threats which have Heroes of the Grid miniatures with the iconic lightning bolt and introduces the Larger Than Life perk. This allows the GM to “treat imposing figures as the size that best fits the narrative”, he quotes using the miniatures of Grill heroesand gives them the Reach of a Large creature.

If you are playing or want to play Power Rangers RPG, Finster’s Monster-Matic Cookbook It is a must. There is a lot it offers. Yes, I’m not disappointed with how they mention the use of Heroes of the Grid miniatures. Yes, there are spelling/grammar errors that need to be corrected (but do not affect understanding). However, having rules for Evil Rangers, over 100 threats and minions to throw at players, guidelines for creating your own enemies, and introducing sorcery are all great additions.