Pathfinder 1E Pathfinder Bestiary - Discussion

[carmachu]

We DID try to squeeze in as much flavor as we could, but two things limited us...

1) We wanted to have a one-monster-per-page (or close to it) format, so that navigating the book would be MUCH easier.

2) We wanted to keep the book world-neutral. There's no mention of Golarion at all in the Bestairy. It's actually kind of tough to get super detailed in the flavor text without assuming too much about the world in which the monster will appear!

In the end, I think that for the vast majority of the monsters, we managed to get a LOT more flavor text in there than most versions of the Monster Manual. There are, of course, some exceptions (the succubus and the linnorms come to mind), but overall I'm pretty happy with the amount of flavor text we DID manage to get in there and retain both of the 2 points above.

And in any event, we've already got a book line that does lots of flavor for monsters (the Monsters Revisited line). We didn't want to have too much reprinting of material. And since the Bestiary's primary job is to provide the raw rules for the monsters, that wasn't really a concern.

Right. I understand all that. I would still buy the book sight unseen as I already did. And I'm pretty happy with it overall.

And I have those- monster revisited items. And their great. But if I were reviewing the book, thats the bad I see. Its not really a bad thing with keeping point 1 and 2 above in mind, but if someone went in thinking it was going to be a Paizo product that had lots of fluff as many of the other products, they would be disappointed.

 

[jaerdaph]

Sounds like an opportunity for 3PPs to fill in the details with products like Behind the Monsters or Slayer's Guides....

 

[pawsplay]

My take (since I'm the one who wrote up the goblin flavor): Goblins are actually pretty canny. Their "eccentricities" rise out of a lack of common sense (low wisdom) and low self-esteem and filthy nature and leadership quality (even lower charisma).

My attention to such details tends to be fairly relentless. In reflection, it occured to me that since goblins would not use wizardry and were unlikely to develop a Knowledge skill to any extent, there was little left to justify beign on the same intellectual plane as humans. Certainly, they may be very skillful creatures who are simply averse to book learnin', but as written they seemed more like average Wis, low Int.

 

[Remus Lupin]

Just got my Bestiary today! I'm a happy panda!

Also, I used to LOVE those Slayer's guides. I'd happy scarf up any more that a 3PP felt inclined to publish.

 

[Nikosandros]

I have a question about racial skill bonuses for monsters. Do they apply when the creature is an animal companion?

 

[James Jacobs]

I have a question about racial skill bonuses for monsters. Do they apply when the creature is an animal companion?

They do not. Unless your GM wants them to!

 

[Starsunder]

So I was wondering James if perhaps you could provide some insight into something that has bugged me since 3.5 came about...why in the bloody hell does the solar always get the stat shaft?

Lets look here...the solar is really probably the top of the top of "normal" outsiders. They have traditionally stood head and shoulders above even pit fiends and balors. I also understand that they get some powerful SLA's and full clerical spellcasting; all good things. What I don't get is why balors are stronger, more dexterous, tougher, smarter, and more charismatic than a solar. And the pit fiends stats are all superior! Every one!

I mean c'mon...I realize that they get the nice DR, and the angel immunities, which are very good. But imo the stats should match the monster, and I cant fathom why a pit fiend is wiser and more persuasive than a solar.

Just curious.

 

[Remathilis]

I cant fathom why a pit fiend is wiser and more persuasive than a solar.

Solar: Join the legion of righteousness, piety and sacrifice to make the world a bette...
Pit Fiend: Forget that! How bout some money, power and unbridled lust?
Commoner: SOLD!
Solar:

 

[Starsunder]

Solar: Join the legion of righteousness, piety and sacrifice to make the world a bette...
Pit Fiend: Forget that! How bout some money, power and unbridled lust?
Commoner: SOLD!
Solar:

All for the small price of your soul and an eternity of torture!

 

[Hunter In Darkness]

All for the small price of your soul and an eternity of torture!

]
pefff details, details...just sign here and power undreamed of and all the willing ladies ya like and loot are yours for the takeing



Of corse no one ever reads the invisible fine print written backwards in infernal and upside down