 
Sign in to create or edit a product review. This is one of the coolest creature books I've read in a very long time. With few exceptions, creatures in this book have expansive descriptions. Life processes, society, desires, personality tendencies, and many more flavor articles are common. (Dragons and elementals are notable exceptions, with very short flavor descriptions by comparison) Better still, around half of the monster have a player option. ~20% of the creatures are playable races, but even non-playable monster often have a player option. A magic item, a series of weapons or armor, a consumable, something. This makes the book an attractive one to look at for all player, not just GMs. I'm doubtful the player options are reason enough to buy the book on their own, but I'm very glad that they exist. Importantly, every creature in the book feels like it should be here. You have the "generic needs to be here monsters" like the reptoid, the swarm, Oma (read, space whales) and a few updates to old classics (Ryphorians = Triaxians). Everything feels like it fits with the Starfinder model. It's refreshing to like every monster in a bestiary book, again. The monster creation rules are easy enough to use. In short: Pick if your creature is a caster, a combatant, or an expert. Pick a CR. Look at the appropriate tables for HP, KAC and EAC, attack bonus, damage, and # of special abilities. Pick a few abilities that work with your concept and you have a functional statblock. You can make it more complex if you want to, but it doesn't have to be.
The downside to this easy to use monster creation system is that you're expected to use it. Going back to my earlier comment regarding dragons and elementals: their flavor text is small because they have multiple grafts that give you the special abilities for the different kinds of monsters (fire, cold, air, earth elementals and the different colors of dragons). This is fine for elementals, which have a different statblock for each CR from 1/3-9, with only the special abilities being different. Dragons, on the other hand REQUIRE you to do the prep-work in advanced. There is only 1 dragon statblock, and it's a CR 11. If you want a dragon of any other CR, you pretty much have to make it from scratch using the tables in appendix 1 and applying the right grafts. I liked the bestiaries having three statblocks per dragon variety.
My biggest complaint about the book: It's the smallest Paizo hardcover I own, by a lot. It is 160 pages long. The next smallest I could find (that I own) was 254: Advanced Class Guide, Villain Codex, and Pathfinder Unchained.
TL;DR: Great Book. 5 star content. Small size knocks off a star. I purchased a set of these cards off of Amazon, along with the harrow handbook, and am completely satisfied with both. The artwork is beautiful and often hilarious, and I can't wait to use the archetypes in PFS. Mild confusion, however, regarding the rules for towers. I can't seem to find them anywhere. The harrow handbook says that it's in the divination book included with the deluxe harrow deck. Well, I have the aforementioned book, but haven't seen the rules anywhere. I rather like card games, and would like to be able to learn the most popular one, according to Galorian lore.
About Titus KaneTitus Kane, War-weary Forester. Life is ours, we live it our way. Statistics:
Male Human Investigator (Cryptid Scholar, Natural Philosopher) 1
CG/CN Medium Humanoid (Human) Init +4; Senses Perception +6 ------------------------------ DEFENSE ------------------------------ AC 16, touch 14, flat-footed 12 (+2 armor, +4 dex) hp 10 Fort +1, Ref +6, Will +4 ------------------------------ OFFENSE ------------------------------ Speed 30 ft. Melee Whip +4 (1d3) or Kukri +4 (1d4) Ranged Shortbow +4 (1d6)
*ACP applies to these skills
Languages Common, Goblin, Sylvan, Undercommon Special Abilities:
------------------------------ SPECIAL ABILITIES ------------------------------ Skilled: Humans gain an additional skill rank at first level and one additional rank whenever they gain a level. Bonus Feat: Humans select one extra feat at 1st level. Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A natural philosopher is proficient with simple weapons, plus the handaxe, kukri, shortbow, throwing axe, and whip. A natural philosopher is proficient with light armor but not with shields. This replaces the investigator’s weapon and armor proficiency. Alchemy (Su):
Spoiler:
Investigators are highly trained in the creation of mundane alchemical substances and magical potion-like extracts.
When using Craft (alchemy) to create an alchemical item, an investigator gains a competence bonus equal to his class level on the skill check. In addition, an investigator can use Craft (alchemy) to identify potions as if using detect magic. He must hold the potion for 1 round to attempt such a check. Like an alchemist, an investigator prepares his spells by mixing ingredients and a tiny fraction of his own magical power into a number of extracts, and then effectively casts the spell by drinking the extract. These extracts have powerful effects, but they are also bound to their creator. Extracts behave like spells in potion form, and as such their effects can be dispelled by dispel magic and similar effects, using the investigator’s level as the caster level. An investigator can create only a certain number of extracts of each level per day. His base daily allotment of extracts per day is given on Table: Investigator. In addition, he receives bonus extracts per day if he has a high Intelligence score, in the same way a wizard receives bonus spells per day. When an investigator mixes an extract, he infuses the chemicals and reagents in the extract with magic siphoned from his own magical aura. An extract immediately become inert if it leaves the investigator’s possession, reactivating as soon as it returns to his keeping—an investigator cannot normally pass out his extracts for allies to use. An extract, once created, remains potent for 1 day before losing its magic, so an investigator must reprepare his extracts every day. Mixing an extract takes 1 minute of work. Creating extracts consumes raw material, but the cost of those materials is insignificant—comparable to the valueless material components of most spells. If a spell normally has a costly material component, that component is expended during the consumption of that particular extract. Extracts cannot be made from spells that have focus requirements; extracts that duplicate divine spells never have a divine focus requirement. An investigator uses the alchemist formulae list to determine the extracts he can know. An investigator can prepare an extract of any formulae he knows. To learn or use an extract, an investigator must have at least an Intelligence score equal to 10 + the extract’s level. The saving throw DC for an investigator’s extract is equal to 10 + the extract’s level + the investigator’s Intelligence modifier. An investigator may know any number of formulae. He stores his formulae in a special tome called a formula book. He must refer to this book whenever he prepares an extract. At 1st level, an investigator starts with two 1st-level formulae of his choice, plus a number of additional formulae equal to his Intelligence modifier. At each new investigator level, he gains one new formula for any level that he can create. An investigator can also add formulae to his book just like a wizard adds spells to his spellbook, using the same costs, pages, and time requirements. A formula book costs as much as a spellbook. An investigator can study a wizard’s spellbook to learn any formula that is equivalent to a spell the spellbook contains. A wizard, however, cannot learn spells from a formula book. An investigator can also learn formulae from another investigator’s or an alchemist’s formula book (and vice versa). An investigator does not need to decipher arcane writing before copying that formulae. Inspiration (Ex): An investigator is beyond knowledgeable and skilled—he also possesses keen powers of observation and deduction that far surpass the abilities of others. An investigator typically uses these powers to aid in their investigations, but can also use these flashes of inspiration in other situations. An investigator has the ability to augment skill checks and ability checks through his brilliant inspiration. The investigator has an inspiration pool equal to 1/2 his investigator level + his Intelligence modifier (minimum 1). An investigator’s inspiration pool refreshes each day, typically after he gets a restful night’s sleep. As a free action, he can expend one use of inspiration from his pool to add 1d6 to the result of that check, including any on which he takes 10 or 20. This choice is made after the check is rolled and before the results are revealed. An investigator can only use inspiration once per check or roll. The investigator can use inspiration on any Knowledge, Linguistics, or Spellcraft skill checks without expending a use of inspiration, provided he’s trained in the skill. Inspiration can also be used on attack rolls and saving throws, at the cost of expending two uses of inspiration each time from the investigator’s pool. In the case of saving throws, using inspiration is an immediate action rather than a free action. Natural Philosopher’s Inspiration (Ex): Natural philosophers employ a skill set suited to studying the natural world. A natural philosopher can use inspiration on Heal and Survival checks without expending a use of inspiration, provided he is trained in the skill, but cannot do so for Linguistics or Spellcraft checks. He can later trade an investigator talent for the ability to use inspiration on Linguistics and Spellcraft checks without expending a use of inspiration, provided he is trained in the skill. This alters inspiration. Intuitive Monster Lore (Ex): A cryptid scholar adds his Wisdom modifier on Knowledge skill checks in addition to his Intelligence modifier when attempting skill checks to identify the abilities and weaknesses of creatures. At 5th level, a cryptid scholar can take 10 on such checks, even when threatened or distracted. Track (Ex): A natural philosopher adds half his level (minimum 1) on Survival checks to follow tracks. This replaces trapfinding. Extracts:
------------------------------ Extracts ------------------------------ 1st (2/day) Cure Light Wounds Shield True Strike Enlarge Person Heightened Awareness Gear/Possessions:
------------------------------ GEAR/POSSESSIONS ------------------------------ Carrying Capacity Light 0-33 lb. Medium 34-67 lb. Heavy 68-100 lb. Current Load Carried 33 lb. Shortbow (30g) 2lbs 20 Common Arrows (1g) 3lbs Whip (1g) 2lbs Cold Iron Kukri (16g) 2lbs Thieves’ Tools (30g) 1lb Leather Armor (10g) 15lbs Spell-Component Pouch (5g) 2lbs Backpack (2g) 2lbs Common Survival Kit (5g) 4lbs Spoiler:
A survival kit provides the necessary tools for day-to-day existence in a temperate wilderness. It typically contains a flint and steel, a mess kit, two waterskins (enough to hold water for 1 person for 1 day), very basic maps showing major landmarks, and a small utility knife. Money 5 GP 0 SP 0 CP
Background:
War is Hell. There’s nothing pretty about it. When the captains prance over the battlefields astride their destriers in their shining breastplates, you can see the pride and accomplishment on them. But it’s underscored by the cold, dead eyes all around them. You don’t die with your eyes closed in battle. No. It’s just a field of staring, empty eyes. Nothing inside them left to feel pain or sorrow. The pain and sorrow is in me. Titus Kane was born into the laborer class in Molthune. His parents were loggers on the edge of the Backar Forest, near Canorate. As a young boy, he spent much of his time exploring the forest... to his parents’ displeasure. As he grew older, he grew bolder and his explorations took him deeper and deeper into the forest. The playful fey of the forest took a liking to him, the capricious nature of his keen child’s mind meshing well with their own natures. And so it was that Titus grew up with a healthy love for life despite his distaste for the arduous work his parents made him do. When Titus came of age, he decided the life of a laborer, not much more than an indentured servant, wasn’t for him so he went to Canorate to try for his citizenship. Five years in the Molthuni army and he’d enjoy the freedom he so loved. He even managed to apply his keen mind to getting put in a position where he wouldn’t be in much danger. Scouts, as long as they were careful, didn’t see much combat, right? And so, Titus found himself under the command of Maree Vonn as part of her team of scouts and spies. And he was a decent scout, but never great. He just didn’t care enough about the war to be all that invested in it. His main concern, his own survival, he cared for well and his logical arguments kept him out of trouble when things didn’t go so well. But his mediocre performance kept him from rising through the ranks. He was not happy. When he performed poorly, he got lectured or disciplined. When he did his job well, the Molthuni forces slaughtered the Nirmathi enemies, leaving the natural land tainted with the pain and sorrow of pointless death. Why not let people live their lives how they want? Titus somehow made it two years as a scout before deserting into Nirmathas and fleeing north across the river and into the Fangwood, where he spent several years as a recluse, disconnected from society. He avoided locals and rangers alike, living on the fringes of the forest, away from even the fey creatures that he had associated with in his youth. He no longer had the mischievous playfulness that he had had as a child and besides, the fey here were somehow different. Slowly. Eventually. Over a period of several years, Titus began to interact with some of the locals in the town of Phaendar. He was the mysterious forester who had useful news about the fangwood and who could locate rare and useful reagents. Eventually, he ventured into town and what he found there surprised him. A community almost completely ungoverned. The opposite of what he ran from so long ago. Could he find a home here? During the next few years, he established a permanent residence in town, though he didn’t use it much, and he made several friends, including Aubrin the Green, among others. Finally finding a sense of community and home, for the first time since his youth, Titus began to get comfortable. He used his knowledge and skills to support the townspeople, and he used his free time to take on a personal project, of sorts. He started documenting the ecology of the nearby Fangwood, noting the plants and creatures he interacted with and their natures. It was a perfect little world for Titus, so close to the interesting wilderness and so far away from the war he had run away from. He was truly happy, and despite the dark shadow on his past, he was playful and full of life again. Appearance and Personality:
Titus Kane is a middle-aged human of Chelaxian descent, though his initially pale skin has taken on a deep tan hue from his abundant time spent outdoors. Slight grey showing in his hair and beard, he still has some of the spry agility he had in his youth. Paired with his abundant experience with the outdoors, he’s an exceedingly useful scout and woodsman. Friendly and somewhat playful, Titus believes firmly that everyone should choose their own path and though he’ll sometimes tease people for their decisions, he will never get in their way. Not even to prevent injury, though he might try to strongly persuade them to avoid a path that could hurt them. But not always... or often. When war comes to Phaendar, Titus’ playful personality turns somewhat dark and brooding. This is his paradise and while every instinct he has tells him to run like he did before, he forces himself to stay. He will help his people survive this, whatever it takes. Though he’ll never admit it or state it openly, this might be a good enough reason to fight. But war is hell. The cost is not something most people are prepared to face. Titus knows this all too well.
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