Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Advanced Race Guide (OGL)

4.20/5 (based on 30 ratings)
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Advanced Race Guide (OGL)
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Get the most out of your heritage with the Pathfinder RPG Advanced Race Guide! Embrace your inner monster by playing one of 30 iconic races from mythology and gaming history, or build an entirely new race of your own. If classic races are more your style, go beyond the stereotypes for elves, dwarves, and the other core races with new options and equipment to help you stand out from the crowd.

The Pathfinder RPG Advanced Race Guide is a bold new companion to the Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook. This imaginative tabletop game builds on more than 10 years of system development and an Open Playtest featuring more than 50,000 gamers to create a cutting-edge RPG experience that brings the all-time best-selling set of fantasy rules into the new millennium.

The 256-page Pathfinder RPG Advanced Race Guide includes:

  • New rules and options to help you customize all seven of the classic core races, including new racial traits, racial subtypes, and racial archetypes.
  • 30 exotic races, from mischievous goblins and reptilian kobolds to crow-headed tengus and deadly drow, each with complete rules for use as player characters, plus archetypes, alternate racial traits, and other options for maximum customization.
  • A complete and balanced system for creating an unlimited number of new races, mixing and matching powers and abilities to form characters and cultures specific to your campaign.
  • Tons of new race-specific equipment, feats, spells, and magic items for each of the races detailed!
  • ... and much, much more!

ISBN-13: 978-1-60125-390-3

Errata
Last Updated - 7/29/2015

Other Resources: This product is also available on the following platforms:

Hero Lab Online
Fantasy Grounds Virtual Tabletop
Archives of Nethys

Note: This product is part of the Pathfinder Rulebook Subscription.

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Average product rating:

4.20/5 (based on 30 ratings)

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Probably one of my favorites...

5/5

All the new races and traits and feats and racial magic items really helped me flesh out my campaign world. The addition of being able to make your own race made me sing soprano. Excellent, excellent book for those who want to play a race that's completely outta the ordinary. Part of the reason I got this book is because in the core rulebook it says something like this: "only for more experienced GMs, having players play odd races can be rewarding and fun, but you have to be careful" etc. but doesn't give you a glimpse of the races or explain how they might effect a campaign world a certain way. Using this book, you can experience what it would be like to play a rare (and really cool) race. Being an Oread is awesome and probably one of the most exciting and fun experiences in my gaming career.

Awesome product, Paizo!


Too campaign-specific

2/5

The book is focused heavily around the PFRPG "host" campaign, with no clear instructions on how to extrapolate for other campaigns (we use the 3.0 Forgotten Realms setting). So in the end, most of this book is filler and not really very useful. Even the second printing tied the book more closely with the "home team" setting.

What little can be gleaned from the book is helpful, but it's not worth the hardcover price if your campaign is something other than the generic one sponsored by Pathfinder. I wonder why it is, that almost every "host" campaign seems like a patchwork quilt of several others, with most of the interesting stuff left out?


The ARG is how the ACG should of been

5/5

The Race Guide is how the Advanced Class Guide should have been set up- with clear rules and customization options to create your own class. Great book for players and GM's ready to venture out into some custom races.


Hit the sweet spot

5/5

I don't quite know what it is but this is one of my favorite Paizo products to date. Maybe it's the way the book is organized with each race with its own section. Maybe it's the swappable racial traits akin to class archetypes. Maybe it's the artwork, showing two to three examples of each race to demonstrate the variety within each species. Maybe it's the archetypes, favored class bonus options, notes on society and appearance, spells, feats. It just felt like icing on the cake to include a race builder at the end.


Exactly What my Campaign Needed

5/5

please excuse any typos.

so you're supposed to start off easy, right? go by the book, go by the campaign setting they give you. just stick to the six core races, and don't go overboard trying to invent stuff, right? well, I didn't exactly do that. I created a whole world from scratch, messed with the core qualities of numerous races, core races or otherwise, and on top of that, invented a pantheon and mythos which is completely incompatible with Golarion's. this is the first game I will ever GM. to be frank, I'm in trouble.

with that context, this book is a godsend, and I'm glad to have the freedom and ease of use this guide gives me. having a game world populated with multiple monstrous races (most of them completely reimagined), I needed to have a way to make sure the stats reflected the people. it breaks immersion to have a race with traits that quite clearly do not make sense for them. something that always bothered me with the core material is how race was treated: I found it restricted, stereotypical. clearly, the Pathfinder race system needs a little diversity, especially if your campaign isn't actually set in Golarion.

one clear example of the usefulness of this guide for worldbuilding and racial diversity is the Gnome trait "hatred". see, the rules state that the Gnomes have a deep-seated hatred of goblinoid and reptilian races, but in my campaign, Gnomes and Goblins hail from different corners of the universe, and logically, shouldn't even be aware of the other's existence. it simply wouldn't make sense for me to have a gnome character that's trained against a race they've never seen before in their life. thank god this guide has other plausible gnome traits that I can replace that problematic one with one with. not even to mention how the Ifrits, Oreads, Sylphs, and Undines had filled a gaping hole in my mythos. (though I was dissappointed to find that the Kobolds were still utter weaklings)

in another spur of greatness, I can already tell that my players, by now fairly intoxicated on the freedom I've given them, are going to love these new options. I can already see one of them deciding they want to go with one of the very comprehensive and imaginative archetypes, or choosing catfolk or kitsune instead of elf or goblin. the best part is, this book is so easy to figure out, so I am perfectly able to give them this freedom without puzzling over the rules for a month (like I embarrassingly did with the core rulebook).

trust me. if you're the kind of Game Master that doesn't like playing by the rules, and likes to do your own thing lore wise (like create a complete departure from the default setting), then this book is almost a necessity for you. for anyone else who likes the idea of monstrous PCs, you'll love this one.


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No Problem


Erik Mona wrote:

You should read the description. Every playable race in the entire game will be in this book.

Plus new ones you can make from scratch.

I hope we'll also get ways to 'translate' races from 3rd party products into being Pathfinder-legal. I like some of them, even if a few seem overly powerful.

Really this does look like something I'll vastly enjoy. Thank you, Paizo.


>>Lastly, the Advanced Race Guide includes an extensive section that allows players and GMs to build their own custom races, either to emulate more powerful creatures that already exist in the game or to create wholly original characters unique to their campaign.<<

Really liking this part. I enjoy creating my own worlds with different races. Just as an example, I have one world with a race of halfling sized mouse people. Another with a pterodactyly like race. And so on, etc etc blah blah.

And while I think I can create pretty balanced races on my own simply using the ones that already exist in the CRB as a guide, it's awesome to finally have an "extensive" section of advice and guidance from professionals who've been doing this as a living for a long time.

So yeah. Definitely buying this. :D

Dark Archive

1 person marked this as a favorite.

I am looking forward to the playtest announcement. I really want to get my hands on that stuff.


David Fryer wrote:
I am looking forward to the playtest announcement. I really want to get my hands on that stuff.

Can't wait to see the Dhampir stuff.


David Fryer wrote:
I am looking forward to the playtest announcement. I really want to get my hands on that stuff.

Same here

Liberty's Edge

Pathfinder Battles Case Subscriber; Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Charter Superscriber; Starfinder Charter Superscriber
David Fryer wrote:
I am looking forward to the playtest announcement. I really want to get my hands on that stuff.

I don't see this as a product that they would playtest, It is more like an Bestiary type product, which they don't playtest.

Liberty's Edge

Don't they already have some of these races in the bestiaries, like the drow and grippli? Am I missing something?

Liberty's Edge

Dragnmoon wrote:
David Fryer wrote:
I am looking forward to the playtest announcement. I really want to get my hands on that stuff.
I don't see this as a product that they would playtest, It is more like an Bestiary type product, which they don't playtest.

last line of the current description says the race building rules will be the next major open playtest.

Liberty's Edge

Pathfinder Battles Case Subscriber; Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Charter Superscriber; Starfinder Charter Superscriber
Tessius wrote:


last line of the current description says the race building rules will be the next major open playtest.

See what happens when I don't read the last line!


PeevedNixie wrote:
Don't they already have some of these races in the bestiaries, like the drow and grippli? Am I missing something?

Its for racial options for those races

Dark Archive

Dragnmoon wrote:
Tessius wrote:


last line of the current description says the race building rules will be the next major open playtest.

See what happens when I don't read the last line!

:)

Liberty's Edge

Dragnmoon wrote:
Tessius wrote:


last line of the current description says the race building rules will be the next major open playtest.

See what happens when I don't read the last line!

Eh..I was scrolling up from the posts. I didn't read the first umpteen lines of the description :)

Liberty's Edge

Azure_Zero wrote:
PeevedNixie wrote:
Don't they already have some of these races in the bestiaries, like the drow and grippli? Am I missing something?
Its for racial options for those races

OK. Thanks!

RPG Superstar 2008 Top 32

A post was removed. "Firsting" is not a habit we want to encourage.


PeevedNixie wrote:
Azure_Zero wrote:


Its for racial options for those races
OK. Thanks!

A wish list is being compiled in the "Advanced Race Guide" Wish List thread

Read and enjoy peoples thoughts on their wishes


1 person marked this as a favorite.
Ross Byers wrote:
A post was removed. "Firsting" is not a habit we want to encourage.

Boy I so read that wrong at fist.

Scarab Sages

I can't wait for this book!!
I have never been someone that dips outside the "core 7" races (I've only played elves, sometimes half elves & humans) but I cannot wait for more racial archetypes!
I am also way excited for mermaid options. Can they shapeshift to legs now, making them playable outside an aquatic game? We will have to see! (There are always the aquatic nymphs to use instead.)

Anyway, I saw the cover in my email notice for this announcement (if that is the cover. It's different from this mockup, which is from the Core book I believe) & love it.

Excited about elves & mermaids especially, but overall just psyched for this.

Owner - House of Books and Games LLC

KaeYoss wrote:
Ross Byers wrote:
A post was removed. "Firsting" is not a habit we want to encourage.
Boy I so read that wrong at fist.

You are not alone.

And now I'm wondering if that was an intentional typo :)


Will this product include material from the "Pathfinder Companion: <Race> of Golarion" products?


Travis Heldibridle wrote:
Will this product include material from the "Pathfinder Companion: <Race> of Golarion" products?

It's a possibility.

A wish list is being compiled in the "Advanced Race Guide" Wish List thread

If you wish it, it may come true.


I believe we have tons of options for the "core" races. I really want to see more options for the other races like the elemental touched races, the dhampyrs, etc. Then this book will be worth my money :D

Liberty's Edge

Travis Heldibridle wrote:
Will this product include material from the "Pathfinder Companion: <Race> of Golarion" products?

I think its probable that we'll see some updated versions of stuff from the 3.5 racial companions, but I doubt we'll see anything from the newer ones.

Dark Archive

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber
CapeCodRPGer wrote:
Dark_Mistress wrote:
CapeCodRPGer wrote:

So this has 64 pages less the the just announced Beastary 3. But both retail for $39.99.

Should'nt it be less?

Who said it was 64 pages? Since it is a hardback book I imagine it will be at least 200 pages.
The Beastary 3 is 320 pages, the Advanced Race Guide 256 pages. 64 pages LESS then the Beastary 3. But both retail for the same price.

Ah ok my mistake, I misread what you said, sorry. Teach me from posting at nearly 5am my time.

As for why. Well other than art, I am not sure the cost of producing and printing a book of those sizes would be much different. Plus as someone else said I imagine they will print fewer as likely less will buy it.

Dark Archive

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber
KaeYoss wrote:
Ross Byers wrote:
A post was removed. "Firsting" is not a habit we want to encourage.
Boy I so read that wrong at fist.

You wasn't the only one. :)

Shadow Lodge

Pathfinder Lost Omens, Rulebook, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
Dark_Mistress wrote:
KaeYoss wrote:
Ross Byers wrote:
A post was removed. "Firsting" is not a habit we want to encourage.
Boy I so read that wrong at fist.
You wasn't the only one. :)

Ditto :)

Dark Archive

Erik Mona wrote:

They're called races in the game, so the word "race" is going to be in the title of the book.

In fact, the title of the book is going to be "Advanced Race Guide".

Given that EVERY SINGLE PC-appropriate race will be included in this book, they all get to be "advanced" races together.

Does that mean that a black dragon or an aboleth or something might get offended because it is not "advanced"?

Probably.

So be it. I am not afraid of them, because they are imaginary.

I'm imaginary? Hmmmm....

Paizo Employee Chief Technical Officer

Dark_Mistress wrote:
CapeCodRPGer wrote:
The Beastary 3 is 320 pages, the Advanced Race Guide 256 pages. 64 pages LESS then the Beastary 3. But both retail for the same price.

Ah ok my mistake, I misread what you said, sorry. Teach me from posting at nearly 5am my time.

As for why. Well other than art, I am not sure the cost of producing and printing a book of those sizes would be much different. Plus as someone else said I imagine they will print fewer as likely less will buy it.

Well, we could charge $44.99 for the Bestiary 3 if you'd prefer.

I'm only half kidding. In theory, anything could be priced at any amount, but there's a much smaller number of potential price points that actually make sense for consumer products due to perceived distinction. That is, most purchasers don't see a lot of difference between, say, $40.00 and $44.99, but, to many people, $45 "feels" noticeably more expensive. (In lower price tiers, increments smaller than $5 have perceived distinction, and in higher price tiers, the increment can be much larger.)

Realistically, then, the price points that make sense in that range are $34.99, $39.99, and $44.99.

$34.99 is too cheap given our cost of goods even for the 256-pagers, and $44.99 is too expensive given our cost of goods even for the 320-pager (because higher prices can mean lower sales). $39.99 gives us an acceptable margin on both (though obviously a slightly lower margin on the larger book).


I'm definitely interested :) And glad it's a year away ... far too many other PF books to get before it ;)


Sketchpad wrote:
I'm definitely interested :) And glad it's a year away ... far too many other PF books to get before it ;)

So true

Scarab Sages

I'm thrilled to bitses! :-D

Dark Archive

I am so happy to see this book as i loved the Races books of 3.5. I am glad I just got my Roleplaying Subscription and cannot wait for the Bestiary 3 and this little lovely!! Thank you guys ever so much for this.

...now maybe a Kingdom Building/ Stronghold HC would be fantastic!!


Finally. The Aasimar gets some love. I just hope they have a lifespan as long as the half-elf.


PeevedNixie wrote:
Azure_Zero wrote:
PeevedNixie wrote:
Don't they already have some of these races in the bestiaries, like the drow and grippli? Am I missing something?
Its for racial options for those races
OK. Thanks!

I think the guidelines found in the bestiaries for these races, however, lend themselves to a playable PC:

http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/rules-for-monsters/monsters-as-pcs

Dark Archive

golem101 wrote:

OK, it had to happen.

Not interested. Also, would be a sad panda if supporting cast NPCs of exotic races would become suddenly more frequent than the current rare/thematically appropriate (eg. tieflings in CoT) as a consequence.

+1

But this being a non Golarion specific book I doubt there will be a sudden rise of non basic races in the Golarion specific stuff. At least I hope not. And I pretty much do not allow any of the non basic races in my game unless there is a really good reason for a player to be playing one.

Regardless I will buy it through my subscription as I do own all of the Piazo3.5 and Pathfiner materials.

Silver Crusade

We need some kind of dragon race! No not lizard folk. Dragons are completely different from reptiles.


Triga wrote:
We need some kind of dragon race! No not lizard folk. Dragons are completely different from reptiles.

The return of the Draconic template anyone

or we could just have a Dragon-touched race.

Put it in the "Advanced Race Guide" Wish List

Contributor

I've already put this in the wish list, but I'd like to see a playable construct race. I wouldn't mind if it had some kind of LA, I just want to a construct. Perhaps playable clockworks?

Sovereign Court

3 people marked this as a favorite.
Triga wrote:
We need some kind of dragon race!

You've already got kobolds.


What are the odds that the "spotlight" races will be playable in PFS?

Magic 8-Ball Says, "signs point to yes."

Stupid 8-ball!

Tries again, "better not tell you now"


1 person marked this as a favorite.
Kyle Baird wrote:
What are the odds that the "spotlight" races will be playable in PFS?

I hope there's a race powered by gunpowder that shoots bullets out of its eyes. I'm gonna make mine a magus.


Long wait but worth it for some monstrous humanoid playable races.

Must buy. 'Nuff Said.

Sovereign Court Raging Swan Press

Twin Dragons wrote:
David Fryer wrote:
I am looking forward to the playtest announcement. I really want to get my hands on that stuff.
Can't wait to see the Dhampir stuff.

Landon Bellavia is working on a dhampir supplement for Raging Swan which is designed as a player options type product. If you are after dhampir stuff, you should definitely check it out! It should be out in a couple of months.


What no Thundarians?


gbonehead wrote:
KaeYoss wrote:
Ross Byers wrote:
A post was removed. "Firsting" is not a habit we want to encourage.
Boy I so read that wrong at fist.

You are not alone.

And now I'm wondering if that was an intentional typo :)

Ha ha ha!

Travis Heldibridle wrote:
Will this product include material from the "Pathfinder Companion: <Race> of Golarion" products?

This isn't about Golarion, so I guess not. Except maybe a few traits.


I wonder if a playtest of the Advanced Race Guide will allow us to test out some of the new racial options paizo is cooking up.


I hope the heritor feat hierarchy, I proposed in the first post gets considered.


Corrected:

I hope the heritor feat hierarchy, I proposed in the first post of the Advanced Races Guide Wish list thread gets considered.

Grand Lodge

Also I want to see the ubue, or some other playable large sized and/or powerful build like race like the Goliath


Critzible wrote:

Also I want to see the ubue, or some other playable large sized and/or powerful build like race like the Goliath

I personally think Powerful Build is too powerful to be a Racial Trait. I don't like it on the Half-Giant (Dreamscarred Press) and I wouldn't like it on any other race.

Now, a feat that granted Powerful Build, that I could get behind.

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