The Game Master’s Deck of Fantastic Familiars & Animal Companions Review

Running a tabletop RPG (TTRPG) is an exciting experience, with the Game Master building a world filled with people, cities and towns, unique political systems and, of course, intriguing animals. Pre-built magical worlds that utilize familiars for witches, wizards, druids and otherwise often provide plenty of interesting creatures to choose from, but sometimes going one step beyond and preparing something not offered by source material allows players to get even closer to their vision for the character they want to roleplay.

Over the years, Media Labs Books has brought plenty of exciting tools and books designed to cut a GM’s prep time in half, while providing them with interesting alternatives to utilize within their own game worlds. Their most recent tool, The Game Master’s Deck of Fantastic Familiars & Animal Companions, is designed to aid a GM in filling their D&D 5e compatible world with unexpected creatures guaranteed to capture and hold player interest.

The Deck of Fantastic Familiars & Animal Companions Offers Amazing Choices

Logan Reese’s (aka Runesmith) The Game Master’s Deck of Fantastic Familiars & Companions comes complete with an 88-page booklet that not only explores each card from the accompanying 40-card deck, but provides additional insight into how these intriguing creatures can be used. From picking one at random for caster-characters using the Find Familiar spell to giving NPCs an interesting companion creature guaranteed to get attention and potentially brook an encounter, this is a utility deck designed to enhance gameplay. These creatures can be used to launch intriguing new adventures, while also prompting roleplaying opportunities, because they crave the attention of their caretakers and allies.

There’s nothing overtly dangerous about any of the creatures in this deck, but they do have minor abilities that make the game more fun. For example, the Achilles Beetle companion can use its unique horn to aid in lock picking, while the Knird’s Advanced Mimcry ability allows it to mimic simple sounds or conversations it’s heard within the last 5 days. Skills like this contribute to more exciting roleplay, as players around the table start imagining ways to take advantage of their companion’s abilities.

Creatures from the deck can also easily be side quest story starters, crossing paths with the party and leading them toward their next adventure, all the while bonding with them and potentially becoming a permanent part of the group. The possibilities are endless, and even though the deck was designed to be compatible with 5e games, an experienced GM could easily tailor them to suit other systems with a few minor tweaks.

Media Lab Books Puts Their All Into Creating Useful & Beautiful TTRPG Content

Each gorgeous card is illustrated by artist Tim Foley, whose style and color palette for this deck are straight out of a historical children’s book on creatures of the occult. That’s not to say they’re scary, they’re unique, and they add a layer of quirkiness to each creature’s design that players won’t soon forget. To make it even more appealing, it’s perfectly portable in a sturdy case that can be easily tossed in a GMs travel bag to take on the road.

Every single item I have in my personal GM collection from Media Lab Books is of undeniable quality, with as much eye appeal as usefulness when it comes time to sit down and play. They take the TTRPG basics and turn them into something even more engaging than originally intended, which says a lot about their dedication to enhancing every aspect of tabletop gaming for everyone around the table.

Since The Game Master’s Deck of Fantastic Familiars & Animal Companions isn’t available until September 8, 2026, now is the perfect time to pre-order from your local brick and mortar game shop or online from retailers like Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million and more. Retailing for $19.99, it’s never too early to start shopping for the holidays, and this fun little deck of adorable creatures is the perfect stocking stuffer.

CBR received a physical copy of The Game Master’s Deck of Fantastic Familiars & Animal Companions from Media Lab Books in exchange for an honest review.