Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Bestiary 5 (OGL)

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Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Bestiary 5 (OGL)
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Beyond the veil!

Creatures strange beyond imagining and more terrifying than any nightmare lurk in the dark corners of the world and the weird realms beyond. Within this book, you'll find hundreds of monsters for use in the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game. Face off against devils and dragons, deep ones and brain moles, robots and gremlins, and myriad other menaces! Yet not every creature needs to be an enemy, as whimsical liminal sprites, helpful moon dogs, and regal seilenoi all stand ready to aid you on your quests—if you prove yourself worthy.

Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 5 is the fifth indispensable volume of monsters for use with the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game and serves as a companion to the Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook and Pathfinder RPG Bestiary. This imaginative tabletop game builds upon 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 a new era.

Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 5 includes:

  • More than 300 different monsters.
  • New player-friendly races like caligni dark folk, deep one hybrids, plant-bodied ghorans, and simian orang-pendaks.
  • Psychic creatures both benevolent and terrifying, from the enigmatic anunnaki and faceless astomoi to the howling caller in darkness and insidious, alien grays.
  • New familiars, animal companions, and other allies, such as clockwork familiars, red pandas, and many-legged wollipeds.
  • New templates to help you get more life out of classic monsters.
  • Appendices to help you find the right monster, including lists by Challenge Rating, monster type, and habitat.
  • Expanded universal monster rules to simplify combat.
  • Challenges for every adventure and every level of play.
  • ... and much, much more!

ISBN-13: 978-1-60125-792-5

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 14 ratings)

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My Favourite So Far

5/5

Don't have really anymore to add beyond that, love all the eldritch and occult flavor being pumped in ^w^


The weakest of the bunch

2/5

On the one hand, there are a good couple of gems and some very inspired entries throughout this book and, in truth, two stars is somewhat unfair, especially for the PDF. But, personally, I feel they're warranted, as this book seems to signal a shift in Pathfinder's direction, and one that I'm not happy about in the least.

First off, while Occult Adventures is readily available for consultation online in the SRD, I did not like to see a sizable number of monsters using rules from that book. It's one thing to have spells or feats from, say, Advanced Player's Guide or Mythic Adventures, as those are books that complement the game as a whole and present options for all classes, whereas Occult Adventures is a very specific niche that not all players will want to incorporate in their campaigns.

Secondly, I did not like the muddled product identity Paizo is showcasing here, with monsters such as the Android, Gray (Roswell), Reptoid (Reptilian) and Robot. Even the Annunaki seems more at home as the antagonist of, say, a Legion of Super-Heroes comic book. It's one thing to want to provide the tools for varied and diverse fantasy campaigns - in which constructs, space aberrations and even clockwork creatures can easily work without sticking out like sore thumbs - but quite another one to insert borderline hard-SF or contemporary conspiracy theorist creatures on a lark. Expedition to the Barrier Peaks this is not, and let's endeavor to keep it that way, please.

Thirdly, snake-bodied weasels with boar tusks? Serpentine bulls? Shark-headed sea serpents? Wolf-headed sea serpents? A chinchilla with a bat wing on the tip of its tail? An octopus with three shark heads? Really? Unless you have an absolutely amazing hook or a compelling campaign seed, why bother putting out this silly, uninspired dross? You can do much better than this, Paizo.


Monsters Galore

4/5

Read my full review on Of Dice and Pen.

I like Bestiary 5 a great deal. On an initial look-through before reading it more thoroughly, there were numerous monsters that drew my attention, that made me want to know more about them, and screamed to be included in one of my games sometime down the road. There's a wide variety of monsters present, with every type represented and the spread between them being fairly even. Ooze is a monster type that is often under-represented, but there are quite a few new oozes in this book. Along with that there are lots of magical beasts, constructs, undead, vermin, fey, and so on. In addition, there are several mythic monsters, and Bestiary 5 is the first hardcover book to contain monsters using the occult rules from Occult Adventures. The monsters cover a wide variety of challenge ratings as well, from 1/6 to 24. The bulk of the creatures are in the low- to mid-CR range, but there are also a sizeable number of high-CR monsters as well.


Grim Reapers, Deep Ones, and Greys Oh My!

5/5

I have always loved Bestiaries and Paizo has yet to disappoint in department. Now with a 5th hardcover bestiary they continue with quality and variety. I will list the good and the bad of this fine product.
The Good
-Dragons, 5 great new true dragons, along with a variety of "lesser" dragons such as jungle drake, rope dragon, vishap, and awesome shen.
-Fey, a variety of ranging from low to high CR such as the house spirits and the glaistag.
-Giants, we finally get the Firbolg, been waiting to see this one for a long time.
-New 0HD races like the Astomi, Caligni, and Reptoid.
-Aliens such as greys and the Anunnaki.
-Elementals such as aether, the wysps and the awesome anemos.
-Interesting oozes such as animate hair, apallie, and living mirage.
-New clestials and aeons.
-Robots!
-Creatures from mythology.
-Old school monster such as moon dogs, muckdwellers, brain moles, and thought eaters.
-Some interesting undead like bone ship and death coach.

The Bad
-Some minor design issues.
-Some art issues.
-The Sahkil, another evil outsider group, could have used this space for Oni, Azura, or Rakshasa.
-Continued use of the mythic rules that to me should be a completely optional rule.


3 STARS?????

5/5

I can't agree with the below rating of 3 stars. (Read Below) This is on-par with any other bestiary piazo has produced. Although i cant speak of quality due to just buying a pdf, this bestiary has the best range of monster selection in my opinion. It adds some technology driven ideas, unique story driven monsters and my favorite: A BoneShip, literally the pcs can fight an undead ship!!!! The complaint of no new monster over CR25 is a lazy lie, using templates the Esoteric Dragons can be over CR25 with other CR20+ monsters utilizing templates provided can increase above CR25. This book contains ideas for familiars, companions, and constructs for many classes and pairs amazingly well with content from the Occult Adventures. I Love this book, and pathfinder in general due to the wealth of information it has for both a PC and a DM. Cant wait for more!!!


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Dark Archive

Is the "caller in darkness" a lovecraftian creature?

Also i would be very interested if more Demon Lords, Great Old Ones and an Archdevil or 2 are included.

Personally i like the inclusion of robots.


AWESOME! were getting thought eaters, brain moles, grays, robots, esoteric dragons, flying monkeys, new angels, and new leshi.

Is this the final cover art?


4 people marked this as a favorite.

I'm hoping for more qlippoth. Definitely need more qlippoth. And plant creatures, can't forget those.


Well the leshy are plant creatures and I am sure we will get more then that.


12 people marked this as a favorite.

Please give the new dragon type at least a page of background. There's so much stat block that usually the new dragons have zero personality, and I never end up using them. What makes these new dragons different besides a few combat tricks and alternate spell like abilities? The last batch in bestiary four was particularly frustrating: I loved the idea of Outer Dragons but all I got was more monsters with the dragon label. I would rather have had the same amount of space dedicated to background on these guys and just had a page or two reskinning old dragons to fit this great new idea.

I have every confidence Paizo can blow me away; your single-page guides to outsider types do this job brilliantly. I'd just would like dragons to get the same love, so they're worth more than a second glance.


1 person marked this as a favorite.

They have art for the dream dragon on the blog they just posted.


1 person marked this as a favorite.

EEEE ITS FINALLY HAPPENING.

I am so psyched for this.

RPG Superstar 2013 Top 8

1 person marked this as a favorite.
Marco Massoudi wrote:

Is the "caller in darkness" a lovecraftian creature?

The caller in darkness is from the 3.0 Psionics Handbook, which makes it OGL. It's a gestalt undead made of dozens of wailing souls.


Pathfinder Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

Hmm, the manasaputra I believe are related to Vedic (ancient Indian) lore...Brahma was supposed to have created ten sons from his mind, rather than from his body, which were called Mānas Putras, or mind-sons or spirits, though I saw somewhere else translate them as 'wish-born-sons'. Sounds like we might have some psychic outsiders that bear some resemblance to divine tulpas? Not sure about the sahkil, though a little searching around had it as Mayan for 'fear'? Not completely sure about that one, though.

Looks like dream dragons are one of several esoteric dragons? I'm guessing astral and ethereal will be represented as well...

Looking forward to this one!


I would also say that astral and ethereal are possible types of esoteric dragons. But I wonder what the rest could be, a positive energy plane, first world, etc. We already have a time dragon though maybe spirit, esper/psychic, or chakra.


Pathfinder Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
Dragon78 wrote:
I would also say that astral and ethereal are possible types of esoteric dragons. But I wonder what the rest could be, a positive energy plane, first world, etc. We already have a time dragon though maybe spirit, esper/psychic, or chakra.

I'm guessing an akashic dragon could be a possibility too.

RPG Superstar 2010 Top 32

I wonder if there will be overlap with Occult Bestiary.


very very very interested to see what the grim reaper is all about


Akashic dragon is a possibility.

I hope there will 5-10 0HD races in there, new and/or reprints.


Joe Wells wrote:
I wonder if there will be overlap with Occult Bestiary.

Doubtful. None of the monsters from the Inner Sea Bestiary have yet to be repeated elsewhere. I doubt they would release two dedicated bestiaries within a year of each other with the same monsters.


Well there is a chance that this book will have overlap with the Inner Sea Bestiary. I doubt it but there is a chance.


Starsunder wrote:
very very very interested to see what the grim reaper is all about

It was in an adventure path volume, Pathfinder Adventure Path #48: Shadows of Gallowspire if you want a closer look.


5 people marked this as a favorite.

how long do think it will take before the "wishlist Bestiary 6" thread to pop up


If it does hopefully they will delete it or combine with the B5 wish list.


It's too early, and honestly it would be easier to just keep the current wishlist going, and modify the list someone has been compiling...


1 person marked this as a favorite.

I never quite got the idea behind a wishlist for a "next" book when we don't know what's going to be in the "current" book yet.

Silver Crusade Contributor

Valantrix1 wrote:
Starsunder wrote:
very very very interested to see what the grim reaper is all about

It was in an adventure path volume, Pathfinder Adventure Path #48: Shadows of Gallowspire if you want a closer look.

Click to look closer...

^_^


I never made a wish list for a bestiary before the current is even out yet.


1 person marked this as a favorite.
Demiurge 1138 wrote:
Marco Massoudi wrote:

Is the "caller in darkness" a lovecraftian creature?

The caller in darkness is from the 3.0 Psionics Handbook, which makes it OGL. It's a gestalt undead made of dozens of wailing souls.

Lovecraft may not have created it, but the description of the critter is right up his alley -- and from bios I've read, Lovecraft was not a purist where his "Yog-Sothothery" was concerned. He would have been the first person to tell you to slot that baby into a Mythos tale post-haste. :)


1 person marked this as a favorite.

Funny that the entire description here is everything I put into the what-I-don't-want-in-bestiary-5.

Spare for the leshies.

Most seem to be focusing on the aliens, lovecraft, robots, familiars, templates and space creatures, while they were also in bestiary 4.

Really hope that isn't the theme again.

Also the psychic monsters from Psionic D&D handbook are exactly the monsters I didn't like in there lol, Pthisic would be out I presume.

Really hope Ravid finally gets it deserved spot.

None of my mythology creatures are mentioned, still probably end up in there somewhere, but some mention before November would be cool.

Really hope the cover changes (but i'm 99% positive it will as it's old artwork) and the artwork for Grim Reaper must also change, i'm mostly fan of Grim Reapers, but that gothic artwork in one of those books is not really a grim reaper, more a gothic horror.


Really curious how much of my biggest wishes this book contains.

My list of biggest wishes for Bestiary 5:

A Bao A Qu / Aatxe / Amhuluk / Acheri / Adze / Afanc / Ahkiyyini / Ugjuknarpak / Aitvaras / Ajatar / Akaname / Alicanto / Argopelter / Asag / Bakunawa / Barbegazi / Cadejo / Batibat / Gaueko / Binaye-Ahani / Spearfinger / Xing Tian / Bonguru / Brobinyak / Bushyasta / Cactus Cat / Nekomata / Cerastes / Cherufe / Chrysaor / Con Rit / Cuca / Curupira / Cu Sith / Cwn Annwn / Djieien / Baldanders / Drop Bear / Echeneis / El Cuero / Erchitu / Fear Liath / Gaasyendietha / Ga-Gorib / Gancanagh / Awd Goggie / Gulon / Gwyllion / Haietlik / Horerczy / Ichneumon / Il-Belliegha / Indus Worm / Jack-in-Irons / Jidra / Jubokko / Kamaitachi / Kampe / Suiko / Karkadann / Katsura-Otoko / Kaw Kaw / Keukegen / Sak / Kludde / Kikimora / Knucker / Kumiho / Lavellan / Lou Carcolh / Ly Erg / Mahaha / Piasa / Mapinguari / Sarangay / Mishibizhiw / Mngwa / Nalusa Falaya / Namazu / Nguruvilu / Nidhogg / Nuberu / Nurikabe / Osschaart / Otso / Planetnik / Pyrausta / Raktavija / Sazae-Oni / Scitalis / Caspilly / Shadhavar / Shellycoat / Sianach / Sigbin / Empusa / Tenome / Tera-Tsutsuki / Tesso / Tiyanak / Tsemaus / Tsuchigumo / Valravn / Raven Mocker / Bolotnik / Wanyudo / Wizard's Shackle / Yale / Parandrus / Yara-ma-yha-Who / Ya-te-Veo / Yeitso / Zaratan / Zhenniao / Yehme Zogbanu / Dalaketnon / Dobhar-Chu / Encantado / The Wild Hunt / Zlatorog

Really hope it are more than in Bestiary 4 who had: Abaia / Almiraj / Alp-Luachra / Buggane / Erlking / Fossegrim / Harionago / Hyakume / Karkinoi / Lampad / Leanan Sidhe / Soulsliver / Cactus-folk / Tikbalang / Tooth Fairy / Other-art for Vouivre from my wishlist.

Also hope on 4 interesting Dinosaurs (therizinosaurus with art) and some megafauna!

Also hope the Raiju, Ammut and Sha (Set Animal) make it from the AP bestiaries.

Sovereign Court RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32, 2010 Top 8

Joe Wells wrote:
I wonder if there will be overlap with Occult Bestiary.

I doubt Overlap, but I'm pretty sure our old friends the caller in darkness, brain mole, and thought eater will be using mechanics from Occult adventures hardcover.

(Since Paizo had to re-invent the psionic wheel :P)


I hope that is not the final cover art. I like how the covers are for the other bestiary with 3 types of monsters, at least one type is found in numbers.

Silver Crusade Contributor

It's definitely not - not just because it's too early, but because it's already a forum avatar. Ask Kaouse or DrDeth. ^_^

EDIT: Did a little search. The cover art is the danse macabre from AP #11.


1 person marked this as a favorite.

I'm guessing this book will show robots, aliens and some devil lord on the cover.

Devil because all the AP's are about devils, and lords do well with many people.

Robots because they sell.

Aliens because they sell.

Maybe the Grim Reaper too, because he's kinda on the cover now, so maybe a hint.

Spare for the Grim Reaper, I hope i'm totally wrong.

caller in darkness, thought eater, and the bizarre brain mole

Somebody else hopes these creatures are changed extremly from their D&D roots? I really hope the Brain Mole isn't just a clone of the D&D version. Same with Thought Eater.

Silver Crusade Contributor

1 person marked this as a favorite.

I think the fact that the product description explicitly says that the grim reaper is in there is a pretty strong clue as to its presence. ^_^


1 person marked this as a favorite.
Kalindlara wrote:
I think the fact that the product description explicitly says that the grim reaper is in there is a pretty strong clue as to its presence. ^_^

I know it's in there, I just think he's on the cover too from the real bestiary 5 cover.

Together with maybe the flying monkeys, robots and greys.

Hope the Leshies are the Cactus Leshy and the Venusflytrap Leshy. :-p

And a leshy that presents the real leshy from myths.

Silver Crusade Contributor

I see. That makes more sense. ^_^


3 people marked this as a favorite.

I hope the final cover has an alien(Gray), a robot, and ether the thought eater or the brain mole. Though the flying monkeys would also be cool for the cover.


Dragon78 wrote:
I hope the final cover as an alien, a robot, and ether the thought eater or the brain mole.

So everything that hurts me is good enough I see.

I love you too.

Damn, normally I would have been much more exsited for another bestiary, but the description and my horrible visions kinda spoil that feeling, making me think this will be my least favorite bestiary.


2 people marked this as a favorite.
Pathfinder Lost Omens, Rulebook Subscriber

Unfortunately it seems I also am most looking forward to things you want the least. Sorry buddy, there will be more bestiaries.


Hopefully they keep the pattern of releasing one every two years.


So what do you guys want the final cover too look like?


1 person marked this as a favorite.

I hope we finally get an updated Cabal Devil....0-O


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nighttree wrote:
I hope we finally get an updated Cabal Devil....0-O

I concur. Cabal devils are a wonderful concept not enough employed


1 person marked this as a favorite.
Kalindlara wrote:
Valantrix1 wrote:
Starsunder wrote:
very very very interested to see what the grim reaper is all about

It was in an adventure path volume, Pathfinder Adventure Path #48: Shadows of Gallowspire if you want a closer look.

Click to look closer...

^_^

oh nice! thanks guys


I heard that the book will 15% psychic creatures so around 45-50 monsters. Hopefully we will get a psychic 0HD race or two.

Dark Archive

4 people marked this as a favorite.

I spotted that in another thread it looks like there's going to be a 0HD Darkfolk and a 0HD Sasquatch-type.


1 person marked this as a favorite.

For the love of Cayden Caidean please tell me we are getting new proteans?

Liberty's Edge

I hope we get a couple more huge monstrous humanoids.


Yeah I heard the same thing Lord Gadigan.

I find having a darkfolk playable race weird.

I like the idea of a sasquatch playable race, I hope it's type is monstrous humanoid.


3 people marked this as a favorite.
Dragon78 wrote:
I like the idea of a sasquatch playable race, I hope it's type is monstrous humanoid.

Pathfinder Wookiee?


1 person marked this as a favorite.

I was thinking the same thing DungeonmasterCal:)


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PLAYABLE DARKFOLK ? YYYEEEEEESSSSSssssssssssss


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It is cool that B5 will have some new 0HD races.

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