“Where Evil Lives” Now Available on D&D Beyond

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Published back in late 2023, MCMD’s Where Evil Lives is a best-selling supplement for D&D fifth edition with a focus on creating epic boss battles. A companion piece to MCMD’s excellent creature compendium Flee, Mortals, the book isn’t so much about battling evil monsters as it is about taking on the unique lairs those monsters inhabit.

Now, a new digital version of Where Evil Lives has been released on D&D Beyond, marking yet another instance of Wizards of the Coast opening up their closely-guarded online platform to third-party publishers, with products being re-released from Kobold Press, Critical Role and Ghostfire Gaming.

So just what new terrifying lairs and abominations can D&D Beyond users expect to find in this re-release? Below we break out all the details.

What is “Where Evil Lives”?

Where Evil Lives is a supplement for DnD 5e Dungeon Masters that provides a full range of boss battles, complete with lairs that can be quickly dropped in on the fly or used to support the epic climax of an ongoing campaign. The book boasts 22 detailed lairs that cover characters from levels 2 to 20. Each lair includes a unique boss, accompanying monsters and NPCs, a treasure hoard with magical items and detailed maps for both DMs and players.

Notably, the book uses some of the creatures that are included in MCDM’s monster bestiary Flee, Mortals. This includes new “Action-Oriented Bosses” which have unique Villain Actions (similar to Lair/Legendary actions) that are designed to add more strategy and drama to climactic encounters.

In addition to the action-oriented bosses, the book includes several new rules, including “Minions,” which enables players to take on small hordes of foes at once time without bogging down gameplay. The book also features new rules for recruiting NPC retainers and sidekicks, which builds on concepts first introduced in MCDM’s Strongholds & Followers. Finally, it introduces rules for “Companions,” which includes a range of creatures characters can befriend and bring along on their adventures.

Ultimately, what sets Where Evil Lives apart from other monster books is just how well these lairs are treated. They’re essentially standalone dungeons that are packed with intriguing details, treasure, monsters and memorable moments – all of which taps into the very best aspects of DnD 5e when it comes to combat, exploration and social encounters.

What’s included in the D&D Beyond version of “Where Evil Lives”?

The D&D Beyond version of Where Evil Lives is really a port of the original 320 page book, which is still available on the MCDM website. The D&D Beyond version, however, fully integrates with the platform’s online character builder and other features. Specifically it includes:

• 145 monster stat blocks for use with the D&D Beyond Encounters
• 26 full-color maps, including both Dungeon Master and Player variants
• Custom treasure hoards (including original magic items and unique rewards)
• New traps, hazards and NPCs that can be imported into the D&D Maps VTT

How Much is “Where Evil Lives” on D&D Beyond?

Currently, the D&D Beyond version of Where Evil Lives sells for $29.99 USD. On the MCDM website the PDF retails for $42.00 USD, with the hardcover/PDF bundle selling for $70.00 USD, so if you don’t already own a copy, the price is actually pretty decent. Notably, if you purchase both Flee, Mortals and Where Evil Lives bundle for $59.99 on D&D Beyond (the discount is automatically applied if you add both products to your cart).

That being said, if you’ve already purchase a physical or digital copy of Where Evil Lives there isn’t really any new content beyond what you already own. That being said, if you are a heavy D&D Beyond user, being able to import the book’s maps, monsters, tokens and NPCs into your online campaign profile, is definitely a huge draw.

Why is the Book’s Release on D&D Beyond Such a Big Deal?

After purchasing D&D Beyond for $146 million back in 2022, Wizards of the Coast carefully guarded the online platform, allowing only official DnD 5e content to be accessed. That approach has changed dramatically in the past few months, with WotC opening D&D Beyond up to a range of third-party content, including Critical Role’s Tal’Dorei Campaign Setting, The Dungeon Dude’s Dungeons of Drakkenheim, Hit Point Press’ Humblewood Campaign, Kobold Press’ Tome of Beasts I and MCDM’s Flee, Mortals.

It’s a move that definitely goes a long way towards repairing some of the damage the Wizards of the Coast brand sustained in the wake of the OGL scandal and is a fantastic way to introduce popular DnD third-party books to D&D Beyond users who might not otherwise have heard of them.

Final Thoughts

It’s great to see MCDM content making it’s way onto the D&D Beyond Platform and Wizards of the Coast doings its best to mend fences with one of the TTRPG industry’s most beloved publishers. For DnD 5e players, however, Where Evil Lives is an absolute masterpiece of monster lair design, and something that every DM should own. If you haven’t picked it up already, now is a great chance to get your copy.

You can order Where Evil Lives now on D&D Beyond. Below is an also a video from the official D&D Beyond YouTube channel, which provides more information on the book and an interview with MCDM Lead Designer James Introcaso.

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