Pathfinder Bestiary overview

I've put together some information from the Pathfinder Bestiary announcement thread over at paizo.com about the upcoming Pathfinder Bestiary. Have fun.
The upcoming Pathfinder RPG is a much improved version of the D&D/d20 rules. The rules are currently available as beta playtest at paizo.
Now paizo announced a monster book called Pathfinder Bestiary that will feature the same improvements of your favorite game for your critters.

Release date: July 2009 (a month before the PF RPG)
Format: Hardcover, cover by fan-favorite Wayne Reynolds
Content:
* Minimum 250 monsters approximatly one per page
* Contains mostly Monsters from SRD plus some from Tome of Horrors, Pathfinder (a few monsters from Adventure Paths or modules) & other sources
* Compatible with the 3.5 & the new Pathfinder RPG
* No Monsters as PC infos (maybe handled in a dedicated book)
* Alphabetical layout plus index or chart that breaks out monsters by CR and by type
* Much flavor text/ecology/society type information
Licence: Probably all content will be open content
Misc: Pathfinder Bestiary II seems to be inevitable

Get it!

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: The Pathfinder Bestiary

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Core Rulebook

Pathfinder Link Collection

For those of you who never heard of Pathfinder RPG or those who are simply newbies I've put together a list of links where you get all the free stuff to get started

PATHFINDER RPG BETA RELEASE - The core book. A nice free download. It's also available as a softcover book (pre-order at amazon.de Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Beta Playtest (Pathfinder))

INDEX - Two guys from the paizo messageboards wrote an index for the alpha playtest rules. Very usefull, as the original documents has no index.

NEW FEATS FOR PLAYTESTING - Lots of new feats for your pleasure

MAGIC ITEMS ATTENDUM - Lots of magic items that did not fit into the book

PRESTIGE CLASSES - Some prestige classes that did not fit into the book

CHARACTER SHEETS

NECRO'S SHEET

ROB RANGER'S SHEET

When the hurlyburly's done - A Forgotten Realms CS review

I) I'm a Grognard. I don't like 4E. I never will. I won't support this edition. I'm a battleworn paladin in the Edition Wars. I'll smite 4E whenever I can!

II) I'm a huge Forgotten Realms fan for almost twenty years now. I had my best times at the gaming table in the Forgotten Realms. I love all stuff from Ed Greenwood.

III) It seems I have a problem! What should I think of the new FRCS?
Finally I decided to get a copy of the new FRCS. Mainly out of curiosity. Full stop. Here is my review:

The good news:
There is not much crunch in the new FRCS, but mostly fluff. Thus you can easily convert what 4E stats you find to your favorite system (like Pathfinder RPG). Most npcs even don't have a level given. So you are fairly free to play the setting with the rules you want.

The bad news:
The new Realms (or the Shattered Realms by some) feel very different for experienced FR gamers. You might feel alienated with some of the changes, like [spoiler] that the concept of magic with Mystra and the weave was never true, or what will happen to your favorite npcs, places, or organizations, or the sudden appearance of new empires, or the drastic changes in the FR cosmology[/spoiler]
The book also reads at some points, as if it was put together in a hurry. It lacks many explanations about what has happend during the time jump, which may annoy you if it comes to some of the major changes to the Realms, as well as these little lovely details you find in other FR books.

Conclusion:
The new FRCS really looks and feels like it has been designed like a completly new campaign setting with only as much information provided as needed to get things running. Which is basically what was WotC's idea for the Realms - to make them playable for new gamers who might feel overwhelmed by the tons of realmslore available.
The Realms feel flat and colorless, which is already announced on the back cover "lands of dark peril await" - Indeed, but IMO WotC has gone one step to far.

Here are my suggestions:
Don't buy the book...
... if you can't live with major changes to the realms. Don't buy it even if you are curious, because the new FRCS will even affect how you see the old Realms when you read it.
... if you like to find plausible explanations for the major changes
... if you are interessted what has happend during the time jump
... if you are an old school FR fan.

Remeber to tell WotC why you did not buy the book.

Buy the book...
... if you think that the old Realms are overloaded with too much Realmslore, but if you still like some of the elements of FR.
... if you are a new gamer
... if you don't care about anything at all

consider to play it not with 4E but with Pathfinder RPG.

As an alternative try the new Pathfinder Campaign Setting or Motherland Campaign Setting at 3POINT75.org, which is strongly influenced by the old Realms.

Poll results

In august we asked our visitors 'What products would you like to see pathfinderized?'
Here are the results:

1. Book of monsters 19
2. alternate classes, like warlock 17
3. campaign settings 14
4. Book of spells 11
5. Book of magic items 9
Book of feats 9
Book of skills 9
modern roleplaying 9
6. future roleplaying 7

Most people would like to see a book of monsters. As you might already know this may happen. There are plans to do a Tome of Horror (Necromancer games) Pathfinder edition.

Second place is 'alternate classes'. As some popular classes like the warlock are not part of the SRD, it is interessting to see what paizo, or other companies will do to make this come true.

Third place is 'campaign settings'. Obviously people are not happy about the way WotC changes their realms. Check out our new poll about this topic.

A 'book of spells' is fourth in line. Of course we have the massive spell compendium, but there is still much to do, for example remove absolutes.

'Book of magical items' is fifth. We already have a magic item compendium. Still some people would like to see basic items overhauled, and new items added to this book.

'Book of feats' is fifth. As PRPG claims to be compatible with 3e this is no surprise. However it would be nice to have a single reference with balanced feats.

'Book of skills' also fifth. PRPG changed the skill system slightly. Maybe a book about expanded skill use would be interessting to some people.

'Modern roleplaying' the pathfinder way is of minor interest for most people.

'Future roleplaying' as well, but check out WARP20 to change your mind ;o)

New poll:
We'd like to know...
If you could cast a powerful spell that would be able to steal a WotC campaign setting, and give it to Paizo, what setting would that be.

Motherland Campaign Setting part 4 - Evil Deities

In the Motherland Campaign Setting many vile gods are plotting in the dark realm of Mag-Mor against the gods of light that dwell in the celestial realm of Tiren-Ag.
Here's a first introduction of the evil immortals of the realm.

Ravager, the Destroyer
chaotic evil
God of destruction, slaughter, bloodlust
Chaos, Evil, Destruction, War, Weather
bared claw

Gothmol, Planter of Strife
chaotic evil
God of plotting, foul intrigues, lies
Trickery, Chaos, Evil, Knowledge, Charm
whip

Nefrast, the Deathwalker
neutral evil
God of undeath and nightmares
Death, Evil, Repose, Knowledge, Earth
axe

Arkul, Master of Tyranny
lawful evil
God of tyranny, slavery
Law, Strenght, Evil, War, Nobility
morning star

Murzul, Lord of Pestilence
chaotic evil
God of disease, poison, pain, loss
Artifice, Evil, Madness, Destruction, Water
spiked chain

Yagúl, Prince of Darkness
neutral evil
God of Shadows, Darkness, Murder,
Darkness, Trickery, Air, Evil, Travel
dagger

Laysia, the Seductress
neutral evil
Godess of trickery, lust, secrets
Charm, Evil, Fire, Knowledge, Nobility
shortspear


(c) Copyright 2009 by Markus Brixius. All rights reserved.

WARP20 - Klingon Mythology part 2

Check out two remaining major deities from the Klingon pantheon. While there are many cults of indiviual Klingon heroes. Stay tuned for part 3 of this series for more mythical stuff.

Molor, the Tyrant
lawful evil
God of Tyranny
Evil, Law, Strenght, War, Destruction
mek'leth

Lukara,
neutral good
Godess of Freedom and Family
Community, Protection, Liberation, Charm, Healing
(small food) knife

WARP20 - Klingon Mythology part 1

While legend says that the Klingon gods were slayed by mortals, there are near-divine figures, that are likewise important to todays Klingons as the ancient gods. Since there are also Klingon clerics WARP20 assumes that the strong believes in these figure made them new gods again. There might also be cults that believe in ancient gods or other cults that deny the existence of gods.

The entries for the deities use the following format:

Deity
Alignment
Portfolios
Domains
Favored Weapon

Kortar, Slayer of Gods
neutral evil
God of the Dead
Law, Evil, Destruction, Death, Repose
Kut'luch

Kahless, the Unforgettable
lawful neutral
God of Honor and Tradition
Law, Strenght, War, Protection, Glory
bat'leth