August RPG Book Club: Classic Monsters Revisted

[Garnfellow]

I've ordered this book from Amazon, and they tell me it shipped Saturday, so they must have some copies in stock, too. I'm really looking forward to reading this one.

I see that several people here are agitating for OGL versions of the mind flayer and beholder. Check out Ari Marmell's freaktastic PDF, Iconic Bestiary: Classics of Fantasy (Lion's Den Press). It has outstanding analogues of these two monsters and several other classic critters that are not open content.

I'd love to see Pathfinder use some of these monsters in future installments.

 

[knightofround]

Best thing about the book: the goblin poetry! Seriously, I would pay to see book full of such D&D-esque poems. The way they did goblins was awesome.

I guess I'm kinda meh on the Bugbears. Its a very cool variety on the bugbears, but it just doesn't fit their stature somehow. The description suited kobolds more imho.

I was a little disappointed by the hobgoblins, I wish they took a more-organized route so they'd be less "orc lite"

Kobold section was awesome, as was lizardfolk.

 

[Aus_Snow]

Wow, that's awesome, that it won gold.

I'm certainly interested in hearing more about it. Probably one of those books that'll make the (now short) list.

 

[Crothian]

I got to use the Lizard Men last night. They saw some of the detail come through but not too much as they left the swamp area quickly. I also introduced the Hobgoblin and Kobolds. It was a good night for creatures from this book.

 

[NiTessine]

I think this is book is awesome.

I don't think any of the entries are weak, though the hobgoblin one could use a bit of tuning.

Trolls cutting open their own stomachs and divining from their entrails is just great.

I also like how they're moving away from the cutesy kobold we've been subjected to lately. These kobolds are dangerous and scary again, like they're supposed to be.

I am also a great fan of the goblins. Probably the best take on them yet, though there's a short story by (I think) Roger E. Moore in one of the Forgotten Realms anthologies (Realms of Villainy, likely) that also delivered a very cool interpretation of them.

The bugbears resonate very strongly with me, though usually it's been me playing the slasher flick villain as my PC instead of running it as a DM. There's an old Living Greyhawk adventure I think I could trick up with a bugbear villain.

I think I'll be getting great use from this book in making Pathfinder Society modules really come alive.

 

[Crothian]

August is coming to an end. Any suggestions for September? The book I had in mind I wasn't as thrilled about when I read through it so I'm looking for something people will like and want to talk about!!

 

[demiurge1138]

If anyone is curious, I did the stats of the koblak, one of the variant bugbears in Classic Monster Revisited here.

Is there any interesting 3rd party 4th Edition content we could look at in September?

 

[Angel Tarragon]

August is coming to an end. Any suggestions for September?

How about the Pathfinder Chronicles Campaign Setting? That is one of the books I have on preorder from Amazon.

 

[Wyrmshadows]

I own this book and thoroughly enjoy it and see it as an excellent example of how familiar concepts can be reimagined into vital new forms. IMO reimagining the old is often a more effective dynamic than the creation of entirely new races that, due to lack of familiarity, don't have the same cache.

I too think that the Pathfinder Campaign Setting would be a good book to review. I own in and think that is does what it sets out to do very well. I won't elaborate because here is not the place to review it.


Wyrmshadows

 

[Crothian]

Is there any interesting 3rd party 4th Edition content we could look at in September?

Those really come out in October. There area few smaller things already out the go around the GSL though.