What we have here is rules for a pen and paper version of the videogame Diablo II, using a modified version of the second edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons rules. This is a thing that exists.

I’m going to sell you on this straight: this is a terrible book. The rules are watered down, the treasure tables are both massive and boring, while the monsters, most of which have seemingly endless variations that lack any…variation, are bland. If you ever wanted to know the incremental differences between all eight clans of goat demons, then this is for you. I suspect there aren’t many of you.

Coming out in 2000, Diablo II: The Awakening represents all the wrong-headed ideas swirling around the by then doomed TSR (the company was already owned by Wizards of the Coast, but it retained the original name until shortly after this Diablo book was released). Why on earth would you strip out everything that makes tabletop gaming unique in service to mimicking a game that perfected addictive combat grinding for randomized treasure, a thing videogames do way better than a bunch of paper charts ever could? Your guess is as good as mine. Somehow, there’s like four other Diablo supplements, including a box set. Ugh.

Dungeons & Dragons has long suffered from an inferiority complex with videogames. That began in the shadow of Diablo II.