Monsters from Beyond

Tuesday June 26, 2018


Illustration by Setiawan Lie

Around here it's no secret that I like monsters. Some could say that monsters are one of the biggest reasons I have a desk in this office. Monsters are not only foes for player characters to fight in Pathfinder, they also help tell stories, particularly stories beyond mortal ability or understanding.

Some monsters have an intrinsic connection to places, things, or philosophical concepts, and no type of monster possesses these qualities more than outsiders. Even though Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Planar Adventures is a book about the planes and it's inhabitants, there are more monster types than just outsiders in the books' bestiary chapter. In Planar Adventures' bestiary you can find an aberration, an ooze, a couple of plants, a monstrous humanoid, in addition to a selection of outsiders that needed new members of their families.

You know what? Why don't I end this little blog with a list of what you'll find in Planar Adventures.

Monster List

Aphorite* CR 1/2 LN Mediuim outsider (native)
Archon, Bastion CR 20 LG Huge outsider (archon, extraplanar, good, lawful)
Argent Warden CR 8 LG Medium construct (extraplanar)
Cynosoma CR 12 CG Medium outsider (chaotic, etraplanar, good)
Duskwalker* CR 1/2 N Medium outsider (native)
Empusa CR 13 CN Medium outsider (chaotic, extraplanar, shapechanger)
Etheroot CR 8 N Large plant (extraplanar)
Ganzi* CR 1/2 CN Medium outsider (native)
Inevitable, Novenarut CR 4 LN Medium outsider (extraplanar, inevitable, lawful)
Inevitable, Valharut CR 11 LN Medium outsider (extraplanar, inevitable, lawful)
Irii CR 19 LN or CN Medium outsider (extraplanar, shapechanger)
Leviathan CR 30 N Colossal magical beast (water)
MoonHag CR 7 CE Medium monstrous humanoid (extraplanar)
Roseling CR 7 NG Small plant (extraplanar, shapechanger)
SapphireOoze CR 2 CG Medium ooze (extraplanar, shapechanger)
Sirrush CR 21 NG Gargantuan dragon (extraplanar, good)
Watcher CR 22 LN Gargantuan outsider
Whyrlish CR 15 N Huge aberration (extraplanar)
Wisagatcak CR 14 LE Small outsider (evil, extraplanar, lawful)
Wrackworm CR 20 CE Colossal outsider (chaotic, evil, extraplanar)
Xiomorn CR 20/MR 8 LN Medium outsider (earth, elemental, extraplanar, mythic)
* Denotes player race

Go out and get your hands on Pathfinder RPG Planar Adventures now!

Adam Daigle
Managing Developer

More Paizo Blog.
Tags: Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Planar Adventures Setiawan Lie
Grand Lodge

4 people marked this as a favorite.
Pathfinder Adventure, Rulebook Subscriber

So much terror in one little book. Don't look at the leviathan, and don't think about the wrackworm.


Wow... Is this the bestiary chapter opener? Such a terrible fate...

RPG Superstar Season 9 Top 16

A shapechanger that has two alignments? Color me intrigued.


2 people marked this as a favorite.

I just like the Qlippoth chapter art myself. ;)


Quick cast DM intervention!


Isn’t the xiomorn already in the emerald spire superdungeon bestiary?


Nick O'Connell wrote:
Isn’t the xiomorn already in the emerald spire superdungeon bestiary?

Yes, now normal folk can see it too.


1 person marked this as a favorite.

I do like the new 0HD races.


At first glance, the picture makes it look like Sajan is opening a book to see what on earth this mob of squishy weirdos is...


Archon, Bastion CR 20 LG Huge outsider (archon, extraplanar, good, lawful)

THANK YOU! I was wondering when we would get the powerful archon :D !

Sirrush CR 21 NG Gargantuan dragon (extraplanar, good)

Huh... call me old, but... wasn't there a Sirrush in the Epic Level Guidebook with looked like a scaled panther which was hunting dragons :p ?


Pathfinder LO Special Edition, Maps, Pathfinder Accessories, PF Special Edition, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

Kind of sad they didn't do anything with special crafting options for Planar Magical and Mundane items. :(


What exactly are the 3 creatures in that picture? Or do they not correspond w/ existing creatures and are meant more for mood?

Also, yes, the Sirrush was in the 3.0 Epic Level Handbook. I think James explained in another thread why it was being used. My guess is that it's a mythological name, so they didn't need to worry about WOTC IP for reframing it into something else.


SapphireOoze, a Chaotic Good ooze. The most friendly blueberry jam you'll ever meet. I'm curious about this one, we don't see a whole lot of intelligent oozes, and a good one is even more unusual. I actually can't find any. So sounds like it'll be an interesting critter. CR 2, so maybe available as an advanced familiar, that could be fun. Although the medium size says probably not.


5 people marked this as a favorite.
BenS wrote:
What exactly are the 3 creatures in that picture? Or do they not correspond w/ existing creatures and are meant more for mood?

They're all qlippoth from Bestiary 2. The black ones on the ground are Chernobue. The really big ones are Augnagar. And the flying critters are Nyogoth. CRs are 12, 14 and 10 respectively. So our heroes are in for a rough fight.

I recognized the Chernobue right off the bat (although not it's name), because we had one as a prominent and eccentric NPC in our Wrath of the Righteous game.

Spoiler:
The GM put him in the cell opposite Arueshalae, the succubus going through redemption. He saw her devotion to Desna and her escape and came up with an odd plan: convert more people and demons to the worship of Desna. So the humans no longer became demons and the demons no longer belong in the abyss, so the Qlippoth can have it back. He ended up becoming a priest of Desna, not out of personal worship, but to convert others to being good and therefore get off his lawn. Through working with him he eventually became Chaotic Neutral (but he didn't realize that and we didn't want to tell him because he might flip out and go back to evil. His plan wasn't to be good himself after-all, just make others that way). He was a lot of fun. Maybe not the most orthodox of Pathfinder characters, but if there is a redeemed succubus, there can be an insane qlippoth trying to corrupt demons with goodness to take back the abyss. Made for a very strange ally.


2 people marked this as a favorite.

Oh, wow. That picture is so awesome! I am going to have to go look for more of Setiawan Lie's artwork now. That is just frighteningly beautiful!


5 people marked this as a favorite.
Doktor Weasel wrote:
** spoiler omitted **

Funny story: this is actually kinda similar to my original design for the utukku qlippoth (Bestiary 6). ^_^


6 people marked this as a favorite.
Doktor Weasel wrote:
SapphireOoze, a Chaotic Good ooze. The most friendly blueberry jam you'll ever meet. I'm curious about this one, we don't see a whole lot of intelligent oozes, and a good one is even more unusual. I actually can't find any. So sounds like it'll be an interesting critter. CR 2, so maybe available as an advanced familiar, that could be fun. Although the medium size says probably not.

Sapphire oozes are definitely good friends to have around!

...bloop. ^_^

Dark Archive

Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

That is a fantastic image of qlippoth and the abyss. Game content aside, I'm looking forward to more of the art.

Paizo Employee Managing Developer

7 people marked this as a favorite.
Cthulhudrew wrote:
Oh, wow. That picture is so awesome! I am going to have to go look for more of Setiawan Lie's artwork now. That is just frighteningly beautiful!

Setiawan does amazing work! Setiawan did the covers for the Ruins of Azlant Adventure Path, the cover for the Doomsday Dawn playtest adventure, many of the half-page illustrations in the Curse of the Crimson Throne Adventure Path Hardcover, the cover for Planes of Power, the cover for Seers of the Drowned City, the cover for Gallows of Madness, and so much more. You can find more work on ArtStation. Easily one of my favorite illustrators.

Dark Archive

4 people marked this as a favorite.
Pathfinder Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

Yaaay for qlippoth group picture! I always wanted one of those!

Isabelle Lee wrote:
Doktor Weasel wrote:
** spoiler omitted **
Funny story: this is actually kinda similar to my original design for the utukku qlippoth (Bestiary 6). ^_^

Huh? Do tell more details please :D


Doktor Weasel wrote:
BenS wrote:
What exactly are the 3 creatures in that picture? Or do they not correspond w/ existing creatures and are meant more for mood?

They're all qlippoth from Bestiary 2. The black ones on the ground are Chernobue. The really big ones are Augnagar. And the flying critters are Nyogoth. CRs are 12, 14 and 10 respectively. So our heroes are in for a rough fight.

I recognized the Chernobue right off the bat (although not it's name), because we had one as a prominent and eccentric NPC in our Wrath of the Righteous game.

** spoiler omitted **

Very cool, we don't see a lot of qlippoth art. Thanks for the story bit as well.


1 person marked this as a favorite.
Isabelle Lee wrote:
Doktor Weasel wrote:
** spoiler omitted **
Funny story: this is actually kinda similar to my original design for the utukku qlippoth (Bestiary 6). ^_^

Ok, now I'm really curious.

EDIT: Went and read their entry. Oh yeah, I can see the similarity. A darker version, but certainly a similar idea. I just emailed the GM to let him know that great minds think alike. :)


3 people marked this as a favorite.
Isabelle Lee wrote:
Doktor Weasel wrote:
SapphireOoze, a Chaotic Good ooze. The most friendly blueberry jam you'll ever meet. I'm curious about this one, we don't see a whole lot of intelligent oozes, and a good one is even more unusual. I actually can't find any. So sounds like it'll be an interesting critter. CR 2, so maybe available as an advanced familiar, that could be fun. Although the medium size says probably not.

Sapphire oozes are definitely good friends to have around!

...bloop. ^_^

Now I'm imagining them changing into useful items when you feed them the right jelly-bean...


Doktor Weasel wrote:
BenS wrote:
What exactly are the 3 creatures in that picture? Or do they not correspond w/ existing creatures and are meant more for mood?
They're all qlippoth from Bestiary 2. The black ones on the ground are Chernobue. The really big ones are Augnagar. And the flying critters are Nyogoth. CRs are 12, 14 and 10 respectively. So our heroes are in for a rough fight.

Just realized that Nyogoth look like Corrupters from StarCraft 2 . . . They even have at-will Acid Arrow to sort of fit the role . . . .

Doktor Weasel wrote:

I recognized the Chernobue right off the bat (although not it's name), because we had one as a prominent and eccentric NPC in our Wrath of the Righteous game.

** spoiler omitted **

That's cool . . . and only surprising in that it hasn't appeared more often.


This looks like a good lineup of monsters for Pathfinder 1's last hardcover. We might not be getting another bestiary, but we're definitely going out with a bang. Looking forward to Leviathan and the sirrush myself.

Scarab Sages

Pathfinder Battles Case Subscriber; Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

Above, you list the Aphorite as a player race; but in the book it says
APHORITE RACIAL TRAITS, as opposed to DUSKWALKER CHARACTERS and GANZI CHARACTERS.


*checks out illustration* Someone watched a lot of Stranger Things I see.


Doktor Weasel wrote:
BenS wrote:
What exactly are the 3 creatures in that picture? Or do they not correspond w/ existing creatures and are meant more for mood?

They're all qlippoth from Bestiary 2. The black ones on the ground are Chernobue. The really big ones are Augnagar. And the flying critters are Nyogoth. CRs are 12, 14 and 10 respectively. So our heroes are in for a rough fight.

I recognized the Chernobue right off the bat (although not it's name), because we had one as a prominent and eccentric NPC in our Wrath of the Righteous game.

** spoiler omitted **

Wait, I don't get it.

Spoiler:
How can a qlippoth become a priest of Desna? I thought a cleric's alignment must be within one step of his deity's.


Aenigma wrote:
Doktor Weasel wrote:
BenS wrote:
What exactly are the 3 creatures in that picture? Or do they not correspond w/ existing creatures and are meant more for mood?

They're all qlippoth from Bestiary 2. The black ones on the ground are Chernobue. The really big ones are Augnagar. And the flying critters are Nyogoth. CRs are 12, 14 and 10 respectively. So our heroes are in for a rough fight.

I recognized the Chernobue right off the bat (although not it's name), because we had one as a prominent and eccentric NPC in our Wrath of the Righteous game.

** spoiler omitted **

Wait, I don't get it.

** spoiler omitted **

Spoiler:
Not all priests are clerics. You can preach the philosophies of a deity and encourage worship without any relevant class features or divine magic.

Can you include the HD too. Planar binders are eager to know.


Mekkis wrote:
Can you include the HD too. Planar binders are eager to know.

If I recall correctly...

Spoiler:
...the empusa and cynosoma may be relevant to your interests. ^_^


1 person marked this as a favorite.
Aenigma wrote:
Doktor Weasel wrote:
BenS wrote:
What exactly are the 3 creatures in that picture? Or do they not correspond w/ existing creatures and are meant more for mood?

They're all qlippoth from Bestiary 2. The black ones on the ground are Chernobue. The really big ones are Augnagar. And the flying critters are Nyogoth. CRs are 12, 14 and 10 respectively. So our heroes are in for a rough fight.

I recognized the Chernobue right off the bat (although not it's name), because we had one as a prominent and eccentric NPC in our Wrath of the Righteous game.

** spoiler omitted **

Wait, I don't get it.

** spoiler omitted **

Spoiler:
There was some rule-bending going on for sure. Our group will often get a bit fast and loose with things in service of the game, and we like weirdness. And in game, Desna decided to play along. She's fine with a bit of rule bending herself if it's for a good cause (she did invade the abyss at one point to rescue a priest after all, causing an inter-planer incident). And she was apparently curious to see if she if the scheme would work. He did eventually get within one-step of Desna, but that was later on. I'm not sure if he was an actual cleric before the alignment shift, or just acted like one.
Community / Forums / Pathfinder / Pathfinder First Edition / General Discussion / Paizo Blog: Monsters from Beyond All Messageboards

Want to post a reply? Sign in.
Recent threads in General Discussion