The monsters in the book alone make it worth your while as well as the many islands to explore. I always like some fun world building books and this one is no exception. We have pirates, undead pirates, dinosaur islands, dragon islands, sea monsters, killer palmtrees, crazy fey, and much more. The only compaint I have is that wasn't enough room to talk about all the islands and weird places to explore.
I have to say that this book is one of, if not the, best campaign setting book I have ever seen from Paizo, wich is all of them so far. So many interesting worlds from the steamy jungles (and steamy woman)of Castrovel, to the red planet of Akiton with 4 armed giant warriors,to gas giants of Bretheda or Liavara, to the horror that is Aucturn. There is something for every one, if want planet size space ships, planet of the living dead, space ships, planet imhabbited my machines, moon inhabited by silicon based life, or even a living planet. The only real complaint I have is there is just not enough room for it all.
Nice book with a great viking style flavor, with some detail on cultures, varius towns, dangerous locations, special payment for death and maiming, and much more. There some fun mosters in here such as Fafneir, the Huldra, Fey animal template and Mountain trolls to name my favorites. If you like viking style settings then this is a book you will want to add to your collection.
I like the asian flavor stuff along with flavors from other countries. So I was happy about to get this one for the Oni bloodline, several very useful traits, some interesting archtypes, and a few feats. thought the book was worth it, my main complaint was that there wasn't room for more.
I alsways like my fantasy game worlds to have many different cultures because lets face it every land being like eruope is boring. So thanks to Paizo we get some nice info on an asian style continent and not just Japanes and Chinese ether. This book has interesting places such as a huge mountain range with a portal Leng, a steamy jungle with anciemt ruins build by 15ft tall lizard people, a kingdom run my a dragon, a land ruled Oni, an underdark with undead clockwork creatures and so much more. My only regret is we didn't get a big hardcover book for this (and the other continents) but maybe one day we will.
I have alsways loved mythology, especially the monsters from those stories. In this book you find useful information for favorites such as the Hydra, Chimera, Griffon, Harpy, Kraken, Sphinx, Medusa, Couatl, and Phoenix. The types of information you will get will be cultural, ecological, treasure, goals, origins, and more. You also get some nice variants like a poisonous version of the hydra, an evil Phoenix, the origanal version of the Chimera to name a few. All in all I really like this book and I think other people also find as useful as I did. The only complaint I have is the inclusion of the Wendigo who is nether classic myth or D@D for me. But the good outways the bad and I still like this book, thank you Paizo.
I love Monster books and I love that Paizo loves them as well and it shows. This is the third one for them and not surprising it stands up to the others. This book has much to offer such as new playable races, familiars, animal companions, and plethera of creatures new and old, familiar and exotic. Lets start with the playanle races such as Catfolk(love that picture), Suli(genie blooded), Vanra(monkey race), Ratfolk(finally), and the Vishkanya(poisonous exotic humaniods). We get several new familiars like the Harbinger archon and new animal companions such as the Kangaroo. There are also many monsters from varius cultures like the Kirin, Akhlut, Ahuizotl, Norns, Valkyries, Hekatonkheires, Tanuki, Gorynych, Simurgh, and many more such diverse creatures. There are many new or expanted types of evil outsiders like Oni, Azura, Divs, Rakshasas, Demodands, and Kytons. New types of dragons such the asian Imperial dragons and more Linorms, Drakes, and few surprises such as the Faerie dragon. There are new Fey such as the Atomie, Bogeyman, Nixie, Rusalka and a fey creature template. Monsters from classic liturature such as the Bandersnatch and Jubjub bird are welcomed surprises as well. I could praise this book all day but I will focus on my nitpicks and issues to round out my review. My biggest disapointment with the book was the Sprite, no fey, especially one of my favorites, should be weaker(CR1/3) and dumber (Int6)then a Mite. Also the Atomie, Gourd Leshy, Leaf Leshy(also the soulbound doll but that is a Beastairy2 issue) would have made good familiars and the Porcupine and skunk(regular and giant) would have been good animal companions. Most my other problins are just some artist issues like the face design for the Atomie so no big deal. In closing, Paizo has once again, given us a good Beastairy and I hope many more to come.
I had some of the same problems with this as I had with ultimate magic, It doesn't have something for every class and some classes(wizard) get more that others(sorcerer). I also would have liked some unarmored options, more feats for unarmed, light, and natural weapons. Things like adding dex intead of strength to light weapon damage, adding wisdom to unarmed strike damage for monks, gaining monk like ac instead of armor prof.,some prestige classes, etc. But with that being said there is a lot of good stuff in this book such as more feats than I have seen in one location, many good archtypes, new weapons, armor , special materials, called shots, duels, seige weapons, and much more. All in all I still like the book but it is hard to compete with the Advanced players guide wich in my opinion is the best player options book I have ever seen. So if you like martial themed characters then this definitly up your ally if you are spellcaster or skill monkey then you might still find some good stuff in here as well.
I like this one the most of the carrion crown Aps so far especially the beastairy and the article for the elder gods, for this stuff alone made it worth it for me. I am not much for using modules/adventure paths for I like home brewd adventures when I DM but I love ideas and tools so that is why I buy them, well that and I love monsters and magic items. The adventure itself is chock full Lovecraftian goodness that oozes out of every pore just like a lot creatures in there would do if they had the chance.
I would have given it 4 1/2 stars but that option wasn't avaliable. Anyway let me start by saying I do like this book, it has many great spells, feats, archtypes and other character options for each class. I didn't like it as much as the APG because it didn't have any magic items, traits, prestige classes, and no racial traits for the magus and for other reasons that are not that important. But my main complaint comes from the words of power wich would have been better given it's own book and left more room for things like crafting rules, more class features, wild magic ,etc. But despite my gripes, I still like this book and recomend it to anyone who likes to play spellcasters or classes with any magical abilities. In conclusion thank you Paizo for another great product.
I have seen many monster books in my day but I have never seen a monster book #2(or more) that was at least as good, if not better, as the first in the seies. This book is awesome with monsters like the Jaberwock, Scylla, Primal dragons, soulbound dolls, cool familiars, interesting playable races, Aeons, Proteons, actually interesting undead,NEW FEY and much, much, more.Paizo rules.
I love monsters, especially from mythology, in fact it was the secend edition monster manual that got me into D@D to begin with. So when I got this Beastiary, I was not disapointed, it was in many ways superior to the 3.5 monster manual wich is not an easy feat to do. While I do have some things to nit pick, like some monster choices or artwork, I am still very satisified with this product.
This by far is the best suplument book I have ever seen. With 6 awesome new classes, countless new character options, spells, traits, skills, etc. Finally a character/class book that is actually worth. My only complaint is the lack of good/interesting magic items, especially ones that are not class/specific ability based.
I have always love monsters and little book has some of my favorites like the Nixie, Annis hag, Faerie dragon, and Dragonne. My only complaint is there not a single monster in this book that should have been in the main Beastiary.
I have been playing D@D since second edition in the early 90's, when I went to walden books and bought the Monter manual they had there. I read that book many times and evently got the other books and started playing with my friends. I haven't felt that way since like forever until Pathfinder came along and renewed my interest in 3rd edition and D@D in general. This book is well done with many (needed) changes to classes, spells, rules, and that horrid 3.0/3.5 skill system. I love what Paizo has done with 3.5 and after 2 years I haven't been disapointed with there products yet. Thank you Paizo.
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