A Monster for Every Season - Summer! (Vol.2)

[The Giant]

Summer may be drawing to a close, but Summer monsters are just getting here.

It's time for the second volume of A Monster for Every Season, a comprehensive set of print-and-play miniatures covering a wide variety of monsters and adventurers for your D&D game. It's basically a PDF file with pages upon pages of new OOTS-style monster art that you can print, cut, fold, and tape before dropping them into your game. Each page looks like this:



And then when you're done assembling them, they look like this:



Also, every monster is included in both full color and toner-saving line art, so you can change the colors yourself:



The sets are loosely themed around the four seasons, and this is the second set we're putting out, Summer. (I'm actually releasing it during the season it's named after!)

The first set includes the following categories:

• Dragons (20 figures)
• Fighters (38 figures)
• Fire (34 figures)
• Genies (6 figures)
• Kobolds (31 figures)
• Lizardfolk (39 figures)
• Marine Animals (35 figures)
• Oceanfolk (38 figures)
• Ogres (12 figures)
• Pyramid Guardians (26 figures)
• Sahuagin (11 figures)
• Sea Monsters (36 figures)
• Water (23 figures)
• Wizards (42 figures)

For a full list of all the monsters, here's a helpful Content List to download. Future sets will include pretty much every major category of monster, once everything's said and done. Here's a pic from the forthcoming Autumn set (which will hopefully be on sale this Autumn):



I've set up a product page for the first set with more information, or you can head over to Gumroad and get it now. Or you can read the FAQ that is coming up.


Frequently Asked Questions:

Purchasing

I can't figure out how to buy them!
You can get to the purchase page by clicking here, or on the big cover pictures above, or you can get to the Giant in the Playground profile page at Gumroad (which lists all the products we have on one page) by clicking here.

How do I get my PDFs?
You'll get an email with a download link a few minutes after ordering. Keep an eye on your spam folder, just in case.

I paid for the product but I didn't get an email to download it! What do I do?
The first thing to try is to go to your Library on Gumroad, at this link: https://gumroad.com/library You should be able to see everything you've bought from them, and you can just manually download the file. That only works if you have an account there, but if you bought it without one, you can just make a new account using the same email you used to buy it and it should show up in your Library retroactively. If that doesn't work, then you need to contact [email protected]. I don't have much control over Gumroad's technical side, since I don't own them or run their service, so your best bet is to talk to them directly.

What does the watermark look like?
It's on the first page (the cover), and it's a small grey ribbon-shape with the Gumroad "G" logo, next to which it says "Sold to" and then the email address that you gave when you purchased the book. So don't buy using your top secret email.

Why does it say there are two files?
Your purchase includes a full color version of every monster, and also a separate black-and-white line art version. These two sets are in separate files, so you'll get one file that has everything in color and one file that has everything in line art.

Why are you using Gumroad instead of (insert name of other company)?
Because they charge the lowest commission, which means I could lower the price more. Plus, most other companies that offer a watermark service add it to every single page, which seemed like overkill to me. One page is enough.

Contents

Does this set have every monster I would need to play? Does it have the entire contents of the Monster Manual?
No. Rather than sample every type of monster shallowly, each set attempts to be comprehensive for a limited set of categories. For example, this set includes 34 fire elemental creatures but no plants (which you can find in the Spring issue, which came out earlier this year). The goal is that by the time the project is over, the collected set will include pretty much every monster that has ever been released for the game, or at least an exhaustive selection thereof.

Is this useful for players, rather than just DMs?
Yes! Each set includes a few pages dedicated to two or more character classes, showcasing a variety of player-ready characters in all of the most common player races. This Summer set includes 38 different fighters and 42 different wizards (and if you wanted to use a wizard as a sorcerer or a warlock, no one will stop you). Also, the set includes a wide array of aquatic animals for players to use on nautical adventures as familiars, animal companions, nature's ally summons, wild shape forms, etc. along with a selection of fire and water elementals to summon. There are plenty of miniatures that would be useful even if you never ran an adventure yourself.

What are "oceanfolk" and "pyramid guardians"?
These are just categories I used to group a number of related monster types that didn't really have enough examples to form categories on their own. Oceanfolk are aquatic humanoids: merfolk, aquatic elves, locathah, koalinths, and "kooatowa" (wink, wink). Pyramid guardians are an assortment of desert and Egyptian-themed monsters: sphinxes, mummies, jackalweres, etc.

Release Schedule

When will the rest of the seasons be coming out?
Spring is already out; you can buy it here. For the remaining two, they will hopefully be released during their respective seasons. The Autumn set is completed and just needs some light file conversion, while the Winter set is expected for both Kickstarter backers and the general public late this year or early 2018.

Why did you waste your time drawing 391 monsters instead of doing more comics?!?
I didn't, at least not any time recently. This was originally part of the Kickstarter project, which means that the bulk of the work was done back in 2013. All I did now was some art conversion and a small number of new figures, which took only a few days total.

Why did you put this out so soon after the last one?
The last one, Spring, came out in mid-July, so the real question is, why did I release that one so late? And the reason is: because I suck. But this one is out on time, so I'm sucking less!

Is there going to be a comic today?
Yes. A little later.

Kickstarter Questions

Is this the same set that I got in 2013 as a Kickstarter backer?
Mostly. The art has been updated to reflect the current style and to match the Autumn set, and switched over to vector images to allow for better scaling. There are also 51 all-new miniatures that weren't in the original set, to bring the monster count closer to that of the larger Autumn set.

What are the new miniatures that weren't in the 2013 Kickstarter version?
You can see the full list of included monsters, but briefly speaking, I added 8 dragons, 3 kobolds, 14 lizardfolk, 9 oceanfolk, 1 ogre, 9 pyramid guardians, 2 sea monsters, and 4 water elementals. There are no completely new categories that weren't in the set before.

I'm a Kickstarter backer and I never got my free copy of this!
You must have missed the update with the download link. You can download the file for free from your Kickstarter account by going to the pledge drive's page and looking for Update #65 from September 29, 2013. You'll need to be logged into your account in order to view that update.

I'm a Kickstarter backer and I got a discount code for the Spring set. Is there a discount for Kickstarter backers for this one, too?
Yes. Use the same code you used for the Spring set for this one. The discount will last until the end of September.


If you have any questions, comments, concerns, or technical difficulties, feel free to post them here. You can also check out the thread for the Spring set here, where your question might have been answered.

[CoffeeIncluded]

Just purchased the new set--thank you for this!

By the way, here are a few things I've done with reinforcing the minis that other people might find helpful:

Coins provide a lot of weight, but if you don't have coins, small flat rocks or thick cardboard also work well. You can also use glue sticks to glue the printed minis to index cards for added reinforcement if you don't have cardstock to print them out on. And one thing I've always done is a sort of homemade lamination by covering the minis--front and back--with clear packing tape. This makes them nearly waterproof, more durable, and lets you draw on the minis (for example, marking status conditions) with dry-erase markers. I highly recommend doing this.

[some guy]

Ogre War Hulk, huh? I though I smelled cheese nearby.

I had no idea that there were so many aquatic humanoids in dnd history.
The acid shark gave me a good chuckle. I like the great variety in giant crabs. I also love the warforged wizard.
Again, a great collection of monsters (that juvenile tojanida!).

[Rinion]

These look great!

FYI, the link in the associated News announcement that's meant to take you to the summer page (i.e. "You can check out the product page to look at the cover and learn more about it") links to the spring page instead.

[GooeyChewie]

I'm so excited! I have a campaign starting next week, and I'm playing a high-elf fighter! I'll be sure to have my standee up and coined by then!

[Lord Torath]

Yes! Thanks, Giant! These are the best!

The Minor Sphinx is adorable! I just know my daughter will want a real one...

[Lissou]

I wasn't expecting this set so soon! Bought it, everything looks great. Thanks, Giant!

[Bastian Weaver]

Very good, very good indeed. The dragons looks awesome. And the many beautiful aquatic creatures, including Mr Stiffy's personal favorites.

[The Giant]

By the way, here are a few things I've done with reinforcing the minis that other people might find helpful:

Coins provide a lot of weight, but if you don't have coins, small flat rocks or thick cardboard also work well. You can also use glue sticks to glue the printed minis to index cards for added reinforcement if you don't have cardstock to print them out one. And one thing I've always done is a sort of homemade lamination by covering the minis--front and back--with clear packing tape. This makes them nearly waterproof, more durable, and lets you draw on the minis (for example, marking status conditions) with dry-erase markers. I highly recommend doing this.

These are great tips. I may include some "protips" for making the miniatures work better in the Introduction to a future installment. Would you mind if I included these, with credit?

[Unbodied]

Dammit I need to pay more attention. Knowing that Summer had been released would have been really useful yesterday when I was making guard miniatures. Oh well, at least I hit on some story ideas while improvising rangers to fill every soldier/pirate/militia role for my campaign.

[Lord Torath]

I also love the warforged wizard.

I wonder where he got the idea for his wizard robes?

[CoffeeIncluded]

These are great tips. I may include some "protips" for making the miniatures work better in the Introduction to a future installment. Would you mind if I included these, with credit?

Of course you can; thank you and I don't mind at all! Would you like me to provide some pictures as well?

[2.5 cats]

Coins provide a lot of weight, but if you don't have coins, small flat rocks or thick cardboard also work well.

Kickstarter backer here. I have been using these in my games, but use smallest-size binder clips. Faster and less messy to get on and off than weights-and-tape.

[Rogar Demonblud]

I don't use tape, just fold them and put a coin on the foot.

I was going to Squeee about having fire giant minis for this weekend (yes, I'm running G3), but I saw the kobold bard and now have to write that guy up.

[TheBeggarDwarf]

Again, thank you very much. My players love the minis (and one player's daughters absolutely love cutting them out and putting them together, so they're happy and I get enthusiastic preppers ). Definitely looking forward to the Autumn edition, since I'll be starting up Curse of Strahd in October (Here's hoping for a Rod Van Starovich mini Yes, I am embarrassed for writing that).

[Karma Kollapse]

I love these, these are amazing, more more MORE!

[Ornithologist]

I wonder where he got the idea for his wizard robes?

Seriously, That's possibly my favorite one of the set...

[Kayvaan]

Adolescent tortle ninjas!
Adolescent tortle ninjas!
Adolescent tortle ninjas!
Really tiny ninjas; tortle power!

[CoffeeIncluded]

Hey Giant, I have a question. Will you ever be releasing the "Make your own mini" templates for sale? I use the ones you released with the kickstarter rewards quite a bit to make custom minis for my players, as I can't afford to buy plastic ones and don't have the time or money to paint. They're also quite charming, are actually less fragile when I do the reinforcement that I mentioned above, and really pop in a way that plastic minis don't always.

[Bastian Weaver]

I second that question. I'd buy those.

[Unregistered]

Bought them, love them.

[dtilque]

I was going to Squeee about having fire giant minis for this weekend (yes, I'm running G3), but I saw the kobold bard and now have to write that guy up.

Yes, noticed the kobold bard, too. Could that be

::drum roll:: ...


YwkYwk


?

[Kardwill]

Oooooh, shiny new monsters and adventurers!

*Grabs*

[GooeyChewie]

We got the chance to use these figures last night. I have to say, they were pretty awesome! The only thing we really lacked for our adventure was a generic townsperson. Perhaps we'll see some in a future season?

I was wondering too if there's any possibility of a fifth "season" with all the main cast of Order of the Stick? I would love to have some of them as guest NPCs in some of our campaigns.

[Lord Torath]

I was wondering too if there's any possibility of a fifth "season" with all the main cast of Order of the Stick? I would love to have some of them as guest NPCs in some of our campaigns.

Probably not:

I decided to keep those an exclusive for the Kickstarter backers, both as a special bonus for them and so as not to cause a problem with my good friends at Moreland Miniatures, who produce the metal-and-resin official OOTS gaming miniatures.

[GooeyChewie]

Probably not:

Fair reasoning. As for drawing my own, I always accidentally make their eyes the same size. :-)

[Lord Torath]

Fair reasoning. As for drawing my own, I always accidentally make their eyes the same size. :-)

That's okay; Roy can never remember which foot the big boot goes on.

[JustinKase]

Hey Giant, I have a question. Will you ever be releasing the "Make your own mini" templates for sale? I use the ones you released with the kickstarter rewards quite a bit to make custom minis for my players, as I can't afford to buy plastic ones and don't have the time or money to paint. They're also quite charming, are actually less fragile when I do the reinforcement that I mentioned above, and really pop in a way that plastic minis don't always.

I don't recall the Make your Own template - which update did that come out under?

Thanks :)

[Lord Torath]

Update 23 (Spring A Monster for Every Season - May 15th, 2012) and Update 65 (Summer A Monster for Every Season - Sept 29th, 2013)

[JustinKase]

Many thanks - I hadn't noticed the blanks previously!