London-based independent creator Snowy’s Maps has launched a crowdfunding campaign for the Tome of Monsters: Galactic Edition, a sci-fi monster manual fully compatible with both the 2014 and 2024 rulesets of D&D 5e, as well as Pathfinder 2e and the newly introduced Starfinder 2e. Having already surpassed its initial £5,000 target, raising over £13,000 from more than 280 backers, the project aims to bridge the gap between traditional fantasy rulesets and spacefaring science fiction. The book introduces more than 105 distinct creatures across 20 challenge levels, organised into seven modular sci-fi settings.
The campaign, which is running on Kickstarter, represents a major milestone for cross-compatibility in the tabletop space. By providing immediate support for Starfinder 2e, the creator is establishing herself as one of the first third-party developers to publish resource materials for Paizo’s science-fantasy system. Alongside the monster manual, Snowy’s Maps is producing a companion volume, the Tome of Maps: Galactic Edition, which features 84 custom battlemaps meticulously mapped to the monster sub-themes.
Designing Beyond Genre Silos: An Interview with Lois Brewer
To understand how this ambitious multi-system crossover was engineered, we sat down with Lois Brewer to discuss the challenges of translating monsters across vastly different mathematical systems, the role of virtual tabletop integration, and her perspective as an independent woman working in the modern tabletop industry.
Tome of Monsters: Galactic Edition is entering the market as one of the very first third-party resource books compatible with Starfinder 2e. How early did you get access to the system mechanics, and what unique challenges did you face designing sci-fi adversaries for a system that was itself shifting through its playtest phases?
Starfinder 2e began its launch last year with the introduction of Galaxy Guide, which we got to see a preview of at UK Games Expo in 2025! Both myself and my partner are huge fans of Pathfinder 2e, so spent a lot of time at Paizo’s stand as a result. In the end I ended up trading books with one of Paizo’s staff (they gave a couple of books away for free) and picked up the Galaxy Guide. This was the main inspiration for our monster manual – setting up monsters across the seven key sci-fi themes identified in the Galaxy Guide and the Tome of Monsters: Galactic Edition was born!
You have committed to full compatibility with both the 2014 and 2024 rule sets for D&D 5e, alongside Pathfinder and Starfinder 2e. Given the subtle but significant shifts in monster design philosophies between D&D 5e 2014 and the 2024 updates, such as how spellcasting actions and stat blocks are structured, how are you ensuring the monsters feel native to both eras without making the stat blocks unreadable?
We didn’t want the “Homebrewery” feel that a lot of third-party D&D content has, where everything ends up looking the same. Instead, we went with a custom format inspired by the Pathfinder stat block, and we use it consistently across every system we support. That gives us a unified look that’s still highly readable. And, perhaps controversially, I believe the tag system Pathfinder and Starfinder use is simply better for quick readability than what 5e stat blocks offer for things like size and creature type.
Let’s look at the underlying math of the two primary systems you are supporting. D&D 5e relies heavily on bounded accuracy and Challenge Rating (CR), while Pathfinder/Starfinder 2e utilises a tighter, level-based mathematical progression where even a +1 or -1 variance can radically shift an encounter’s lethality. How do you approach designing a single monster concept so its mechanical identity translates accurately across two radically different mathematical frameworks?
We started with an analysis of the currently available 5.5e monsters (since they’re deadlier than their 5e counterparts) and worked out low, mid, and high ranges for each core stat, such as damage, HP, and so on. We did this instead of using the values provided in the Dungeon Master’s Guide and Monster Manual, because in many cases those numbers simply didn’t match what we were seeing in actual published creatures.
From there, every monster begins with its archetype. Is it a tanky brute? A fast skirmisher? A glass-cannon tech caster? That determines its baseline numbers. We then layer on unique abilities and adjust the statistics based on their impact. The Death Piercer is a good example: because it reduces AC, to compensate, its damage is deliberately lower than that of the other CR 10 creatures we’ve made.
This process is then repeated for Pathfinder/Starfinder, though made significantly easier by the fact that creature tables are accurate.
In your preview text, you highlight the “Death Piercer,” a monster designed to explicitly destroy armour and challenge characters with a 30 AC. Armour destruction is a mechanic fraught with balancing dangers in roleplaying games, especially in 5e where object integrity rules are sparse. How have you balanced this mechanic to ensure it creates genuine tactical tension rather than just frustrating the players?
We avoid player-frustrating mechanics, full stop. There isn’t a single monster in the book that simply prevents you from acting on your turn, as we know how unfun that is for players. There are several that heavily limit what you can do (for example, by copying your action, courtesy of a mirror monster in the horror section, or by restricting you to only an action/bonus action/movement), which massively shapes your combat decision-making without taking your turn away.
In the Death Piercer’s case, armour is only ever “damaged”, never destroyed. It can be repaired afterwards, either via mending or a relevant repair activity, so the effect is temporary and will most likely only last for the duration of the combat.
The preview page displays a monster archetype with custom rules for “Custom Drugs for this Partygoer.” Status effects and consumable mechanics vary wildly between the tactical, condition-heavy Paizo engine and the more streamlined 5e framework. What was your design philosophy behind implementing pharmaceutical and chemical mechanics into these sci-fi stat blocks?
We wanted more unique monsters or, more specifically, we thought that partygoers who only ever use a single type of drug were boring and unrealistic. We use this “pick one optional ability from a list” approach a few times throughout the book, for creatures where the variety makes sense. Another example is the Rabbit-ly, a creature from the high-tech nature subsection, an amalgamation of various animals and insects, where you choose its optional abilities based on which animals are part of it at that point.
Beyond the stat blocks, you are launching The Tome of Maps: Galactic Edition, offering 84 modular battlemaps tied directly to the book’s sub-themes. From a cartographic design standpoint, how does creating a map specifically for sci-fi combat, which frequently involves long-range firearms, cover mechanics, and verticality, differ from designing traditional high-fantasy dungeon rooms?
When I think about making sci-fi battlemaps, my key aim is to make them a lot more strategic by having places to hide behind. In the book these ideas go from: control panels in the ship control room to a labyrinthine style space market or a run down dystopian street with broken walls and large trash cans etc. All of the maps have been designed with usability and flexibility with a sci-fi combat approach in mind.
As a female creator running a successful Patreon and launching major multi-system crowdfunding projects, what is your perspective on the current landscape for independent women working in the tabletop roleplaying games industry? Have you noticed a shift in community dynamics or industry support over the last few years?
I am optimistic about the future of women in the TTRPG industry. As someone who comes from a physics background (also a male dominated industry), you could say that I am “used to it” in a way – but there’s a completely different sense of belonging and openness in the TTRPG industry that makes it welcoming for all. I think in the past couple of years we’ve seen some shifts away from big publishers and towards smaller ones, and a community being built around indie creators. It is honestly very nice to see. :)
There is an ongoing debate within the community regarding the pricing and value of digital versus physical rewards. Your digital tiers are highly competitive, offering a full Foundry VTT module, token packs, and PDFs. As a studio lead, how do you balance the razor-thin margins of physical printing and fulfilment partner logistics with the need to keep digital tiers affordable for the modern GM?
From a physical fulfillment perspective it is quite tricky, especially as an indie creator. The first question I ask myself is: under the current landscape, where does my product fit in? And from there I ask, is it a niche that can be filled? If yes, then is it actually possible to create financially? If on the surface it is a no, then I end up accidentally hyperfocusing to find out if there’s a way to make it possible. All in all, it is a numbers game. I try my best to also factor in a worst case scenario. Most of the time it works but of course, there’s still a lot of things that you cannot anticipate which makes it very hard to “get it right”.
Tome of Monsters relies heavily on themes that blur the lines between genres, such as the “Fantasy” sub-theme where star-born outsiders invade a world powered by blood-stored crystals. Why do you feel the modern roleplaying games community is moving away from strict genre silos and embracing these hyper-modular, genre-fluid settings?
I think the TTRPG landscape is becoming far more open to people trying new things. A few years ago, basically everyone played D&D. Now, people are open to a lot more, to the point where posts on r/rpg say “Recommend me a system, except D&D and Pathfinder”! That said, I think fantasy will remain the dominant genre for the foreseeable future. With the exception of Warhammer 40k, sci-fi is still far less popular than fantasy in tabletop gaming.
The VTT landscape has become highly fragmented, yet you’ve committed heavily to a full integration with Foundry VTT, complete with automated token packs. How central is virtual tabletop architecture to your initial design process? Do you design the maps and monsters with digital walls, lighting, and automation triggers already in mind?
As a DM of eight years, I have just under 1,000 hours of playtime on Foundry VTT, most of it in D&D 5e and Pathfinder 2e (with Starfinder catching up very quickly!). We are very much Foundry-first: maps and monsters ship with automation, walls, lighting, and everything else built in. It also helps that my partner, who wrote majority of the book, is the creator of the Pathfinder Monster Maker module, so in a lot of cases, he just used his own software.
The setting lore provided in your preview introduces some wonderfully dark and surreal concepts, such as “Starzuka,” a planet-eating kraken that holds charity galas to decide whether to consume a world. Where do you draw the line when balancing grim, dystopian sci-fi tropes with the whimsical, high-concept pulp elements that make space opera so fun?
The line is drawn at each theme, quite literally. Because of that separation, you can easily pick exactly where on the grimdark-whimsy-sci-fi-fantasy spectrum your campaign sits. Each theme is heavily centred on its genre but still connects with the others in a sensible way. For example, the corporations in the dystopian theme are trying to make as much money as possible because they know the kraken is coming, and they’ll need that money to save their planet!
You can pick as many or as few themes as you want. While writing the book, I started a Starfinder campaign in this setting to test the ideas, and I’ve used five of the seven themes so far. So: pick what you like, put the rest in a box to the side, and bring it out when it fits, becomes relevant, or you just fancy using it.
Your preview concludes with explicit shoutouts to asset creators like BirdieMaps, Skront Stuff, AoA, and PeaPu. In an industry where third-party licensing and asset attribution can sometimes be opaque, why was it important to you to front-load these collaborative attributions directly in your core marketing and project documentation?
As someone who has personally experienced my work being taken without attribution, I absolutely do not want people to experience the same thing – especially if they are my friends (us TTRPG map/asset creators are quite tight knit in general). Therefore, I think it is very important to be up front and honest when others’ work are involved, particularly if it is for a commercial project like our one. :)
Beyond the metrics of a funding goal or stretch milestones, what does a successful launch for Tome of Monsters: Galactic Edition look like to you when GMs finally bring it to the table this December?
We love seeing people enjoy TTRPGs. We’ll consider the book a success if even one GM says, “I used it, and my players had a blast!”
For our readers who want to follow your design journey, support your Patreon, or jump onto the Kickstarter preview page ahead of the launch later this month, where are the best places to find you online, and are there any community spaces or causes you would like to spotlight?
You can find me on Patreon, with four years’ worth of maps and over 36 one-shots, at snowysmaps.com. And of course, follow the project on Kickstarter.
Thanks, Lois!
Campaign Lore and Creative Settings
The Tome of Monsters: Galactic Edition distinguishes itself by building robust mechanical and narrative concepts. Rather than simple stat-blocks, the manual presents creatures within active settings designed to be modular. Each theme is broken down into three specific sub-themes containing custom plot hooks and setting lore:
- Dystopian: After the fall of the Chimera biotech corp, loose biological experiments wander the city sewers while underground back-alley clinics distribute unstable augments.
- The Precursors: An ancient, god-like empire has awakened from aeons of sleep. Lacking organic numbers, they deploy sleek robotic sentinels and planetary diplomats to subjugate surrounding worlds.
- Eruga: A setting powered by necromantic crystals buried deep within the earth. GMs must navigate ancestral spirits while combating “The Others”—extraterrestrial raiders who seek to strip-mine the crystals to fuel their starships.
- War-Torn: A battleground set around a colossal Dyson sphere, where two warring factions fight constantly, pausing only when stellar flares blast the solar system.
- Horror: Set inside the Ashen Nebula, where a long-ignored distress beacon has guided a massive, cosmic entity named “The Father” to the core systems.
- Weird: Features the planet-eating kraken, Starzuka. The creature visits a new planet every week, holding a massive charity gala where the population must keep the beast entertained to prevent their world from being eaten.
- The Unknown: Focuses on the Mirage Bazaar in the Kuiper Belt, a lawless haven for mercenaries, pharmaceutical smugglers, and military personnel looking to secure off-the-books hardware.
Reward Tiers and Backer Options
The campaign offers several entry points for GMs looking to secure these rulesets and battlemaps:
- Pledge £12: Maps: All Digital. Grants access to all digital battlemap files from the companion book, containing over 80 high-resolution JPG images (140ppi), DD2VTT files, and a dedicated Foundry VTT module. Includes a bonus pack of 14 digital maps.
- Pledge £20: Monsters: PDF or VTT. Provides either the monster manual PDF or the Foundry VTT module (complete with token packs) for a single chosen ruleset (D&D 5e or Pathfinder/Starfinder 2e), alongside 14 bonus digital maps.
- Pledge £25: Maps: Physical. Contains one physical battlemap book, all digital maps, and bonus double-sided A4 physical maps.
- Pledge £35 (Early Bird £30): Monsters: All Digital. Grants both the PDF and the Foundry VTT module for one system of your choice, complete with the full monster tokens pack.
- Pledge £40 (Early Bird £35): Monsters: Hardcover. Includes the physical hardcover book and PDF for a single system, plus bonus digital and physical battlemaps.
- Pledge £45: All-In Digital. Delivers the ultimate virtual tabletop setup, providing the monster manual PDF and Foundry VTT module for one system, along with all 80+ battlemaps, VTT maps, and the token pack.
- Pledge £60 (Early Bird £55): Monsters and Maps: Physical. Designed for traditional table play, this tier provides the physical hardcover monster manual (plus PDF) and the physical battlemap book (plus digital maps).
- Pledge £75 (Early Bird £70): GM Bundle. Includes the hardcover book, PDF, Foundry VTT module, and token pack for one system, plus the physical battlemap book and all digital map files.
- Pledge £130 (Early Bird £120): Two System Wielder. The ultimate bundle for cross-system GMs. Includes physical hardcover books, PDFs, and Foundry VTT modules for both D&D 5e and Pathfinder/Starfinder 2e, along with two copies of the physical battlemap book and all digital files.
Timeline and Fulfilment
The campaign operates under Kickstarter’s traditional all-or-nothing model, meaning the project will only proceed if fully funded by its deadline on Thursday, 30 July 2026, at 2:00 PM BST. Physical printing and global logistics are being managed by GMS, a known distributor of indie gaming resources. Surveys and shipping costs will be handled post-campaign via BackerKit, with physical and digital rewards scheduled for delivery in December 2026.
