What do you think?
Rate this book
Book of Vile Darkness
This sourcebook for the Dungeons & Dragons game is intended for mature audiences and provides a Dungeon Master with unflinching access to subject matter that will broaden any campaign. Included in a detailed look at the nature of evil and the complex challenge of confronting the many dilemmas found within its deepest shadows. Along with wicked spells, wondrous items, and artifacts, Book of Vile Darkness also provides descriptions and statistics for a host of abominable monsters, archdevils, and demon princes to pit against the noblest of heroes.
To use this supplement, a Dungeon Master also needs the Player's Handbook, the Dungeon Master's Guide, and the Monster Manual.
To use this supplement, a Dungeon Master also needs the Player's Handbook, the Dungeon Master's Guide, and the Monster Manual.
191 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2002
6 people are currently reading
218 people want to read
About the author
Wizards of the Coast
432 books434 followersWizards of the Coast LLC (often referred to as WotC /ˈwɒtˌsiː/ 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. Originally a basement-run role-playing game publisher, the company popularized the collectible card game genre with Magic: The Gathering in the mid-1990s, acquired the popular Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game by purchasing the failing company TSR, and experienced tremendous success by publishing the licensed Pokémon Trading Card Game. The company's corporate headquarters are located in Renton, Washington in the United States.[1]
Wizards of the Coast publishes role-playing games, board games, and collectible card games. They have received numerous awards, including several Origins Awards. The company has been a subsidiary of Hasbro since 1999. All Wizards of the Coast stores were closed in 2004.
Wizards of the Coast publishes role-playing games, board games, and collectible card games. They have received numerous awards, including several Origins Awards. The company has been a subsidiary of Hasbro since 1999. All Wizards of the Coast stores were closed in 2004.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
September 30, 2013
Great sourcebook for when you need extra mature options for the villains your players are going to face. While the appendix does give you options for playing such villains, I think the options were designed with NPCs in mind.
It packs in lots of options, some of the interesting ones include two new subraces, lots of evil spells, your typical assortment of feats, and new magical items; all themed with evil and horror. There's also background, stat blocks, and plot hooks for the demon lords of Abyss and the diabolic rulers of the Nine Hells.
Some of the poorer bits include the small section on new monsters. I think it's minor and uninteresting enough that they shouldn't have bothered, and used that space for fleshing out the other sections.
The prestige classes were pretty poor I think. The majority of them were meant to be themed to their respective demon lord or devil prince, but I didn't find them coherent or thematically interesting.
What I would have liked to see more was more evil ideas and hooks. For example, the options on drug use and torture was useful, but would have been better if ideas on how to use them were also present.
Overall though it's a great resource for options you could throw in sparingly into your campaigns, even if you don't want to deal with the subjective morality questions raised in the book.
It packs in lots of options, some of the interesting ones include two new subraces, lots of evil spells, your typical assortment of feats, and new magical items; all themed with evil and horror. There's also background, stat blocks, and plot hooks for the demon lords of Abyss and the diabolic rulers of the Nine Hells.
Some of the poorer bits include the small section on new monsters. I think it's minor and uninteresting enough that they shouldn't have bothered, and used that space for fleshing out the other sections.
The prestige classes were pretty poor I think. The majority of them were meant to be themed to their respective demon lord or devil prince, but I didn't find them coherent or thematically interesting.
What I would have liked to see more was more evil ideas and hooks. For example, the options on drug use and torture was useful, but would have been better if ideas on how to use them were also present.
Overall though it's a great resource for options you could throw in sparingly into your campaigns, even if you don't want to deal with the subjective morality questions raised in the book.
May 13, 2018
A strange book which varies between interesting and (probably unintentionally) hilarious.
On the interesting side, you have stats and information on the Demon Princes of the Abyss and the Archdevils of the Nine Hells, and their respective plots and deranged mortal cultists. Plus, there are plenty of new spells, items, and prestige classes (although some of them fit into the Stupid Evil category). There are definitely some good ideas floating about, among the daftness. Also, some of the art is pretty good, if creepy.
On the hilarious side, there is the "serious" attempt at looking at the concept of Evil. Except, this is a mix of actual evil (but handled in a very simplistic manner), taboo but not necessarily evil (S&M, drug addiction....) and the most insanely Stupid Evil stereotype of some bad guy who has never read the Evil Overlord List. Like... some filth-streaked, devil worshipping "psychopath" (although the book also has its own special definition of psychopathy) who practices black magic, eats kittens, and twirls his evil moustache while tying women to train tracks and cackling maniacally.
I'm honestly not sure if I'd recommend this or not.
On the interesting side, you have stats and information on the Demon Princes of the Abyss and the Archdevils of the Nine Hells, and their respective plots and deranged mortal cultists. Plus, there are plenty of new spells, items, and prestige classes (although some of them fit into the Stupid Evil category). There are definitely some good ideas floating about, among the daftness. Also, some of the art is pretty good, if creepy.
On the hilarious side, there is the "serious" attempt at looking at the concept of Evil. Except, this is a mix of actual evil (but handled in a very simplistic manner), taboo but not necessarily evil (S&M, drug addiction....) and the most insanely Stupid Evil stereotype of some bad guy who has never read the Evil Overlord List. Like... some filth-streaked, devil worshipping "psychopath" (although the book also has its own special definition of psychopathy) who practices black magic, eats kittens, and twirls his evil moustache while tying women to train tracks and cackling maniacally.
I'm honestly not sure if I'd recommend this or not.
August 24, 2010
There have been many supplemental source books released for tabletop games. This is one of the many books that deals with questionable and downright evil material, unlike many other such books this remains tasteful and fun material to use.
I should start off with a warning that inside the book there are some graphic illustrations and the material is of an adult nature. The book warns about this and as long as you act maturely the content can be used with great effect.
The content and rules contained in this book are perfect for a dungeon master to use for their evil NPC's. All manner of evil practices are addressed in this book. Fantasy drugs and poisons, torture and evil religious ceremonies.
I myself played a game with this book where it pretty much replaced the dungeon master's guide and player's handbook. It contains classes, monsters, spells and core rules for a variety of settings. It allowed our great DM to provide us a unique and memorable experience that I would love to visit again in the 4th edition.
I should start off with a warning that inside the book there are some graphic illustrations and the material is of an adult nature. The book warns about this and as long as you act maturely the content can be used with great effect.
The content and rules contained in this book are perfect for a dungeon master to use for their evil NPC's. All manner of evil practices are addressed in this book. Fantasy drugs and poisons, torture and evil religious ceremonies.
I myself played a game with this book where it pretty much replaced the dungeon master's guide and player's handbook. It contains classes, monsters, spells and core rules for a variety of settings. It allowed our great DM to provide us a unique and memorable experience that I would love to visit again in the 4th edition.
January 25, 2008
Think of it as an antagonist cookbook. Great ideas and classes for some truely demented villians.
October 27, 2009
While I thought most D&D sourcebooks were a waste of money, this one gave me lots of evil ideas.
September 29, 2010
This is one of my favorite books to use when DMing.
>D
>D
April 27, 2015
Not really a great book.
September 24, 2015
Always a great book to inspire some fantastic evil.
February 12, 2017
Great resource even for 5e.
November 10, 2025
Some good ideas for Evil in DnD or homebrew campaigns, but 'mature' stuff is often there just for the sake of it, which makes it quite weak. Still, I expected ideas and powerful fiends and Book of Vile Darkness delivered both, though not always in the best way.
May 15, 2019
Tries to be "mature" but only manages "edgy".
April 11, 2020
Trochę niespójności z lore. Okropnie tandetne ilustracje.
January 7, 2026
Some genuinely interesting ideas for characters (player and NPC) that I wish were expanded on more instead of some of the half-assed parts (the monsters section).
June 11, 2012
interesting(but mature!)dnd book.
June 29, 2015
The notion that this is any sort of in-depth source or treatise on the nature of evil is amusing. As a source of in-game material on the politics of Hell and the Abyss, it's pretty good.
Read
October 31, 2018It's not bad or anything, but... "Look, we have a higher age rating! Let's put in everything that would be forbidden in our other books!"
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews