Let (Im)mortal Combat Continue!

Thursday, October 29, 2015

We've got the results in from Round 1, and we're ready to show off Round 2 of our Bestiary 5 previews—not to mention a chance for you to win a copy of Bestiary 5!

Without further ado, let's show off our winners from Round 1!

Illustrations by Bryan Sola and Ben Wootten

Thought Eater CR ??

A nimbus of glowing, intangible matter envelops this strange skeletal creature with a birdlike beak.

N ??? aberration (extraplanar)

Ecology

Ecology any (Ethereal plane)

Organization solitary or group (1–3)

Treasure none

With your votes, the Thought Eater beat out the Monstrous Humanoid it was paired against! Back into the ocean with you, Monstrous Humanoid! The Though Eater might have some problems with its new opponent, though...

Wyrmwraith CR ??

This ghostly, skeletal creature appears to once have been a dragon, but it is now something far less noble.

CE ??? undead (incorporeal)

Ecology

Ecology any

Organization solitary or cadre (1 plus 2–4 dread wraiths)

Treasure double

The Wyrmwraith crushed the Fey by one of the wider margins in the contest. Sharp-eyed fans may have noticed a glowing green dragon on the cover of the Advanced Class Guide, but now it has stats (and if it has a statblock, you can kill it...right? Guys, where did you go?)

Adam Daigle (Developer): "Dwarfed by the wyrmwraith, the thought eater is going to have to be clever to win this battle of the strange skeletons!"

Mark Seifter (Designer): "A lot of people have been saying that the wyrmwraith's phenomenally greater power level will cinch this fight, and it does have the ACG cover on its side, but fundamentally, this is a creature that detests its own existence, whereas the thought eater, while humble, has a go-getter attitude and isn't afraid to team up with adventurers."

Illustrations by Tomasz Chistowski and Subroto Bhaumik

Deep Merfolk CR ??

This gaunt mermaid has a long, semitransparent tail with a vivid red crest and caudal fin.

N ??? humanoid (aquatic)

Ecology

Ecology any oceans (trenches)

Organization solitary, family (2–4), or tribe (10–15)

Treasure standard (spear, other treasure)

Orthos correctly guessed that the humanoid was an "eel-humanoid mermaid-like thing", and the Deep Merfolk won against Outsider C. No love for creatures of the heavens, it seems—mortalkind wins again! But can it win a second time?

Twilight Pitri (Barhisad) Manasaputra CR ??

Cerulean light surrounds this towering four-armed figure in a vibrant corona.

LG ??? outsider (extraplanar, good, lawful, manasaputra)

Ecology

Ecology any (Positive Energy Plane)

Organization solitary

Treasure none

The Twilight Pitri Manasaputra is not the only manasaputra in Bestiary 5, and many of her abilities tie heavily into elements from Occult Adventures—but to see which ones, she'll have to make it to future rounds!

Ashley Kaprielian (Accountant): "Let's hope that the Twilight Pitri can slap some enlightenment into this Deep Merfolk before she's unmade. The Deep Merfolk is cool, calm, and elusive under pressure though, so this will be an epic battle between these paragons of light and darkness!"

Mark: "Let's face it, I have to give the twilight pitri credit for surviving the destruction of the previous Multiverse, and it could deep freeze the deep merfolk in an instant, but the deep merfolk is a mortal humanoid, so I think she's got this by just exploiting the pitri's aversion to meddling in mortal affairs. The pitri would have done better against the wyrmwraith or pakalchi."

Illustrations by Brynn Metheney and Jose Parodi

Su CR ??

This emaciated quadruped has a mouth full of jagged teeth and a cluster of bald, mewling offspring clinging to its back.

CE ??? magical beast

Ecology

Ecology any forests

Organization solitary, pair, or troop (3–6)

Treasure incidental

Alas, John, the Su stomped Magical Beast A by nearly twice the votes, offering no quarter and certainly no mercy. The fight between "who's art is creepier" is gonna be a tough one with its next opponent...

Pakalchi Sahkil CR ??

Thorny vines with tiny red flowers grow from this emaciated woman and flow like a train behind her.

NE ??? outsider (evil, extraplanar, sahkil)

Ecology

Ecology any (Ethereal Plane)

Organization solitary, pair, or plot (3–7)

Treasure standard

DeciusNero was the first to identify Outsider B as a sahkil fiend, and this particular variant is the pakalchi! I would say this creature is spooky good...but there is nothing "good" about any sahkil!

Adam: "Dragons are always tough contenders, so I'm glad that my pakalchi sahkil beat it in the silhouette round. Now that she's squaring off against the su, a beast one of my PCs squared off against recently, she has to bring it to make it to the next round. I'm confident she'll strike fear into her opponent and pull off a win."

Ashley: "It's a good thing the Pakalchi Sahkil can fight blind, because those whelps have a face only their mother could love. I would be angry all the time too if I had six kids clinging to me. The level of malice in this ring is enough to make even Zon-Kuthon take notice."

Mark: "This one's a slam dunk: The su brings its whole family to bear, using its young as psychic batteries for its magic, but the pakalchi specializes in breaking the bonds between loved ones, so this is the perfect match-up for her."

Illustration by Joshua Meehan and Daniel López

Roiling Oil CR ??

This viscous heap slides like an inky spill. It's the color of a starless night sky, and a thick odor permeates the air around it.

N ??? ooze

Ecology

Ecology any underground

Organization solitary

Treasure none

No tempura for me, alas! The Vermin gets to scuttle back to the ocean in peace and comfort, while the Roiling Oil will slither along to face its next victim!

Lotus Leshy CR ??

A plant whose body resembles a blooming lotus flower exudes an air of serenity.

N ??? plant (leshy, shapechanger)

Ecology

Ecology warm lakes or ponds

Organization solitary

Treasure standard

Dragon78 also correctly identified the Lotus Leshy as our representative flora of Bestiary 5! It's definitely winning in the cute department, but will it be enough?

Mark: "Roiling Oil is an unintelligent ooze and lotus leshy is an adorable plant possessed of mystical wisdom. The ooze might be able to resist the leshy's dream pollen attack, but the leshy is smart enough to keep out of the slower ooze's way and find something to slash it with from afar."

Now that you've seen the entrants for Round 2, head on over to the Voting Booth to place your bets! If you vote on a winning creature, you'll increase your chances to win a signed copy of Bestiary 5, or be one of four winners of a digital version! The second round of voting closes at 12:00 PM Pacific time on November 4th, 2015, and remember, each round will give you more chances to win!

Vote Now!

What's that? You want more creatures in this feature? Well, alright then! Here's a few representatives from the creature types that didn't make it into Round 2.

Illustrations by Ertaç Altınöz, Aleksey Bayura, and Jose Parodi

Until we meet again,

Liz Courts
Community Manager

Let Slip the Orcs of War!

Wednesday, Feburary 11, 2015

It seems like forever ago we sent Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Belkzen, Hold of the Orc Hordes off to the printer. So long ago did we ship it, in fact, that I was caught woefully unaware when those little digital orcs we sent across the sea to be printed returned, all grown up and hungry for my blood. I managed to divert their attack to the warehouse, whose border abuts my office, avoiding the worst of the onslaught. I understand they've successfully divided the horde into small, easy-to-defeat single members and sent them off to our noble subscriber allies. To aid you in your orc-slaying efforts, I present a glimpse at some of the horrors that await you. Study them well, and always check your mail with sword drawn until the Belkzen threat has been quelled.

Illustration by Caio Maciel Monteiro

Illustrations by Wayne England and Brynn Metheney

Mark Moreland
Developer

Wrapping Up Iron Gods

Saturday, January 24, 2015

The Iron Gods Adventure Path wraps up this month with Pathfinder Adventure Path #90: The Divinity Drive and the Giantslayer Adventure Path is set to launch next month with Pathfinder Adventure Path #91: Battle of Bloodmarch Hill, so to tie things off we'd like to share a few pieces of the excellent artwork that appeared throughout Iron Gods. Enjoy!

Illustrations by Kari Christensen and J.P. Targete

Illustrations by Dmitry Burmak, Tatiana Vetrova, Brynn Metheney, and Miguel Regodón Harkness

Adam Daigle
Developer

Bestiary 4 Preview #2

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

In just a week or two, Bestiary 4 will be sent out to subscribers and game stores around the world, packed full of deadly terrors and gruesome beasts. Each week, we are going to be taking a look at one of the horrifying monsters from this book, waiting to consume your PCs. This week, we are investigating a truly mind shattering foe! None can resist it. All will bow before it. Every character will want to cuddle with it?!?

PIPEFOX CR 2

Illustration by Brynn Metheney

XP 600
N Diminutive magical beast
Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +5

DEFENSE

AC 17, touch 17, flat-footed 13 (+3 Dex, +4 size)
hp 13 (3d10–3)
Fort +2, Ref +6, Will +1

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft., climb 20 ft.
Melee bite +10 (1d2–5)
Space 1 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 3rd; concentration +5)
 Constant—comprehend languages
 3/day—augury, vanish
 1/day—detect thoughts (DC 14), divination, greater invisibility (self only)

STATISTICS

Str 1, Dex 16, Con 9, Int 14, Wis 11, Cha 14
Base Atk +3; CMB +2; CMD 8
Feats Improved Initiative, Weapon Finesse
Skills Climb +7, Knowledge (arcana) +5, Knowledge (religion) +5, Perception +5, Sense Motive +2, Stealth +19
Languages Common, Draconic; comprehend languages
SQ compression

ECOLOGY

Environment any
Organization solitary
Treasure standard

A pipefox is a foot-long, furry, magical snake with the head of a fox. Often found either climbing in trees or snaking around pipes, these curious and stealthy creatures prefer to skulk about to observe and learn. Neither malicious nor particularly beneficial, pipefoxes love to gather knowledge and sometimes disseminate what they’ve acquired to those they find worthy.

There is no way your players will be able to resist the cuteness that is the pipefox. That is all for this week, next week I think we will take a look at a creature that will be very unhappy about all this sweetness.

Jason Bulmahn
Lead Designer