Monster Deck Games
Where your intuition and your monsters meet
Dear player,
Welcome to a realm brimming with imagination, wonder, and a touch of delightful fright!
This deck of 34 monster cards is inspired by the book I Want My Monsters Back. Whether you're a fan of the book or encountering these creatures for the first time, you're about to embark on a journey where creativity knows no bounds.
Each card is a portal to a world of monstrous fun, showcasing beautifully illustrated beings that will spark your imagination. These cards can be used alongside the book, serving as a guide to their lore and powers, or they can stand alone for countless games and stories.
We also encourage you to let your own imagination take the lead! While this site provides a variety of gameplay ideas, feel free to invent your own rules, adapt the games to your liking, or create entirely new adventures inspired by the monsters.
The possibilities are as limitless as your creativity. From dueling monsters to weaving tales of adventure, every game offers a unique chance to unleash your inner storyteller, strategist or dreamer.
Gather your friends, shuffle the cards, and let the monsters guide you on a joyous adventure.
Prepare to laugh, ponder, and occasionally shiver as you uncover the secrets and challenges of the monsters.
The monsters are waiting - are you ready to join them?
With excitement and monstrous cheer,
Simon & Hildert
Monster Deck
In search for your monsters
The monster deck isn’t just a tool for thrilling games and adventures - it’s also a powerful guide to help you navigate your daily opportunities and challenges. Each monster is more than just a beautifully illustrated creature; it holds unique traits and meanings that can reflect the emotions, decisions, and paths we face in life.
By using the for monstrous readings you can uncover insights about your inner world. Gain clarity on tough decisions. Find inspiration for the day ahead. Or end the day with a promise for tomorrow. The monsters become your guides, showing you the light and shadows of your journey while encouraging you to face challenges with courage and creativity.
Whether you draw a card to reflect on a specific question, explore hidden aspects of yourself, or simply seek guidance, this deck invites you to embrace the unknown and let the monsters lead the way. Each creature holds a story, and within that story lies wisdom you can apply to your own life.
So shuffle the deck, draw a monster card, and let it reveal what today has in store for you!
Daily Monster Draw
Purpose: gain insight or guidance for the day ahead.
How to Play: shuffle the deck and draw one card in the morning. Reflect on the monster’s traits and how they relate to your current situation
Example: you draw Blaze, the fiery destroyer. This might suggest a day where your emotions could flare up, warning you to control your temper or encouraging you to embrace your passion and energy. Additionally, observe others around you—Blaze's traits might appear in someone else's actions, offering further insight or a chance to respond with understanding.
Monster Path Reading
Purpose: explore the steps to approach a challenge or opportunity.
How to Play: draw three cards and place them in order. Interpret their meanings as:
* Challenge: what’s standing in your way?
* Strength: what power or resource can you use to overcome it?
* Outcome: what could happen if you embrace this path?
Example: as Challenge you draw Tearbeard, as Strength Arch-eye and as Outcome Gulp. Tearbeard shows emotional overwhelm, urging you to address sadness or feelings of loss. Arch-eye reminds you to see the bigger positive picture for more clarity and nuance. Gulp suggests the that with some modesty and restraint you may arrive at the best solution.
Monster Mirror Reflection
Purpose: dive deeper into your inner world and current feelings.
How to Play: ask yourself the question, “What monster reflects the best what I’m feeling right now?” Draw one card and let its story help you uncover your emotions. Alternatively, spread all the cards out and intuitively choose one that resonates with you.
Reflect on how the monster’s traits appear in your life, yourself, or your current challenges:
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First, consider your intuitive impressions.
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Then, read the monster’s description for additional insights.
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Repeat the process by drawing another card (or two) to explore additional layers of your emotions or situation
Example: You draw Gulp, the monster that swallows words and retreats. This might reveal that you’ve been holding back what you want to say, encouraging you to find a way to express yourself more freely.
By choosing multiple cards, you can build a richer understanding of your emotional landscape and possible paths forward.
Decision-Making with Monsters
Purpose: seek guidance for making a tough decision.
How to Play: assign two options to two different cards, then shuffle and draw a third card for insight.
Example: you’re deciding whether to take a new job or stay where you are. Assign Arch-eye to the new job (expanding your vision) and Tearbeard to staying put (a place of emotional (dis)comfort, consuming loss or grief). Drawing Blaze as your insight suggests bold action, encouraging you to embrace change and take the fiery path forward.
Monster’s Advice Spread
Purpose: get advice for navigating a specific situation.
How to Play: draw two cards to represent the following:
* What should I be aware of?
* What action should I take?
Please note: each monster represents both its own characteristics (as a totem being), but is also a reminder of a possible danger. Your intuition tells you best how to best interpret this in your own situation.
Example: for a conflict with a friend, you draw Tearbeard for Awareness and Gulp for Action. Tearbeard advises you to recognize the emotions involved, both within yourself and the other concerned. Gulp suggests that a more reserved attitude might be an option... or that you could actually express yourself a little more clearly. Take this monstrous advice to heart, sleep on it and... follow your intuition.
Monster Guidance for Groups
Purpose: use the deck for collaborative storytelling or group problem-solving.
How to Play: in a group, shuffle the deck and let each person draw a card to answer a shared question or for inspire a creative story.
Example: the group asks “What’s the best way to work together on this project?” One person draws Blaze, which suggests bold action, the fiery path forward. Another person draws Arch-eye, which encourages planning and seeing the big, positive picture. Together, the group interprets the cards as a call for ambitious, clear, positively teamwork.
Monster Allies for Strength
Purpose: discover what strengths you can embrace to tackle challenges or achieve goals.
How to Play: ask yourself the question: “What monster ally can help me today?” Shuffle the deck and draw one card. Reflect on how the monster’s traits can guide or empower you.
Example: you draw Blaze, the fiery destroyer with his heart on his sleeve. This suggests that you can tap into your boldness and passion to clear obstacles and make a powerful impact. But Blaze also reminds you to channel your energy wisely to ignite change without causing unnecessary destruction.
Monster relationship reflections
Purpose: Foster understanding and connection by exploring the "monsters" that appear in your partner, friend, or colleague under stress.
How to Play: Spread all the monster cards out face-up.
Ask yourself the question: "When my partner/colleague/friend is under pressure, which monster comes to life in them?"
Choose one card that represents the behaviors, emotions, or reactions you notice in them during stressful moments.
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Reflect on the monster and share your thoughts: Describe how this monster manifests in their actions, words, or demeanor (e.g., "You might say X," or "I notice Y behavior").
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Ask follow-up questions to start a conversation: Does the other person recognize this monster in themselves?What triggers this monster for them? How do they feel about it?
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Explore together:What strategies can help manage this monster when it appears? What support does the other person need from you (or others) to prevent the monster from having a destructive impact?
Team Variation:For a group or team, ask: "What is the typical monster of our team under stress?" Choose a card that reflects the shared dynamic. Then, discuss how this "team monster" affects collaboration, how it can be addressed, and what the team needs to foster a healthier environment.
Game opportunities
Monster Duel
Players: 2+
Setup:
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Shuffle the monster cards thoroughly.
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Deal an equal number of cards, facedown, to each player.
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Players should not look at their cards until gameplay begins.
Gameplay:
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Players take turns flipping a card to reveal their monster for the round.
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Each monster has specific attributes such as Strength, Cunning, Weaknesses, and Talent.
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Players discuss and debate which monster would hypothetically win in a battle based on these attributes.
Goal: the player with the winning monster or the most winning monsters wins the duel.
Monster Storytelling Challenge
Players: 2+
Setup: shuffle the deck and deal a certain number of cards. Place one card face-up as the starting point of a story.
Gameplay:
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Players take turns adding a card to the story. They must incorporate their monster into the narrative, explaining how it interacts with the existing plot.
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If a player cannot connect their monster, they skip a turn.
Goal: build the most entertaining or coherent story collaboratively. Optionally, vote for the best storyteller or the most exciting highlight.
Escape the Monster Realm
Players: 2-4
Setup:
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Shuffle the deck of monster cards and lay them face down in a 5x5 grid (adjust size for fewer players or shorter games). This grid represents the Monster Realm.
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Each player selects a small object (e.g., coin, button, figurine) to represent their pawn.
Gameplay:
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Roll a die to move
1-2: Move one space horizontally or vertically.
3-4: Move two spaces horizontally or vertically.
5-6: Move one space diagonally. -
Land on a card and decide what monster you flip
Friendly Monster: Offers an extra move
Neutral Monster: Allows safe passage.
Challenging Monster: Blocks the player until tamed. -
Taming Monsters:
If a player encounters a challenging monster, Roll 4-6 on a die or complete a quick task (e.g., balance a card for 10 seconds). -
If a player successfully tames a monster, they keep the card as a trophy.
Goal:
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Escape: The first player to move off the opposite edge of the grid (Monster Realm exit) wins.
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Collection Victory: If no one escapes, the player with the most tamed monster cards wins.
Which Monster Am I?
Note: This game requires players to know all monsters from the book well.
Players: 3+
Setup: shuffle the deck and deal one card face-down to each player. Players cannot look at their own card but can see others.
Gameplay:
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Players take turns asking yes/no questions about their monster (e.g., "Does my monster have wings?")
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Try to deduce their monsters' identity through this questioning
Goal: the first player to guess their monster correctly wins the most points. Complete the round until everyone has guessed their monster.
Monster Power Draft
Players: 3+
Setup: shuffle the deck and lay out all the cards face-up. Players take turns choosing monsters for their own 'team'.
Gameplay:
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Once the teams are selected, players take turns describing a task their monsters must perform (e.g., 'survive a firestorm' or 'win a cooking contest').
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Players argue why their monster would excel and the group votes who wins.
Goal: the player whose Monster Team wins the most challenges, wins the game.
D&D Campagne
Are you a D&D player? Scroll down for inspiration on how to incorporate the monsters in your D&D campaign..
Monster Cards & Your D&D Game
Enhance your Dungeons & Dragons campaign with the monster card deck, introducing unique creatures and thrilling new encounters to your game. Create dynamic and unpredictable moments that bring new depth to your campaign.
Let the monsters inspire your world-building and storytelling, turning every session into a monstrous adventure. Here's how you can seamlessly add them to your adventure!
Random Encounter Generator
Setup: shuffle the monster deck and keep it nearby during your D&D session.
Gameplay: when the party enters a new area, faces an ambush, or triggers a random encounter, draw a card from the deck. The drawn monster becomes the featured creature of the encounter. You can create D&D stats for the monster or use existing stats from a similar creature in the D&D Monster Manual, modified with the monster's unique traits.
Example: if Blaze is drawn, the players encounter a fiery elemental-like creature leaving a path of destruction. Adapt the Fire Elemental stats and add a trait like Inferno Rage—a devastating fire burst when Blaze takes damage.
Monster Ally or NPC
Setup: use the cards to represent potential allies or quirky NPCs in your campaign.
Gameplay: the players meet a monster from the deck as a companion, guide, or enigmatic stranger. Roleplay the monster's personality based on its traits, and let the players decide whether to ally with it or face it as a challenge.
Example: the party encounters Tearbeard, who floods a river with his endless tears, blocking their path. The players can comfort him and gain his assistance or risk battling him to stop the flood.
Monster Lair Bosses
Setup: select a monster card to represent a key antagonist or mini-boss in your campaign.
Gameplay: build an encounter around the chosen monster, complete with environmental challenges reflecting its traits. Use the monster's theme to inspire lair actions or special mechanics.
Example: the party infiltrates Gulp's cavern, a maze of swallowed treasures and echoing whispers of unsaid words. During combat, Gulp can "gulp" players' verbal components for spells, silencing them temporarily.
Deck of Fate
Setup: allow players to interact with the monster deck directly as part of a magical artifact or fate mechanic.
Gameplay: when a player draws a card from the deck, the chosen monster manifests in the game world, either as an ally, a foe, or a narrative twist. The DM improvises based on the monster's traits and integrates it into the story.
Example: a player draws Arch-eye from the deck, and suddenly, an all-seeing monster appears, revealing hidden truths to the party—but only at the cost of exposing their secrets.
