Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Advanced Race Guide (OGL)

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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

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Last Updated - 7/29/2015

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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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Golden-Esque wrote:
If there are racial-based Archetypes in the book, I'd like to see rules and suggestions for making your own racial Archetypes, Racial Prestige Classes, and alternate racial traits. That'd be pretty awesome.

Agreed


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.

Erik, can you settle a question for me? Is the dhampyr going to have abilities that it does not already have as a result of the previously printed material? I'm holding up a decision based on this for our next campaign. Thanks.

Terry

Contributor

Terry Van Dyke wrote:
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.

Erik, can you settle a question for me? Is the dhampyr going to have abilities that it does not already have as a result of the previously printed material? I'm holding up a decision based on this for our next campaign. Thanks.

Every race in the book includes new material. It's not just the stats you already have from the monster book presented in Core Rulebook format.

Dark Archive

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber
Sean K Reynolds wrote:
Terry Van D!@+ wrote:
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.

Erik, can you settle a question for me? Is the dhampyr going to have abilities that it does not already have as a result of the previously printed material? I'm holding up a decision based on this for our next campaign. Thanks.
Every race in the book includes new material. It's not just the stats you already have from the monster book presented in Core Rulebook format.

Is it April yet?


Pathfinder Adventure, Adventure Path, Lost Omens Subscriber
Sean K Reynolds wrote:
Terry Van D!&$ wrote:
Erik, can you settle a question for me? Is the dhampyr going to have abilities that it does not already have as a result of the previously printed material? I'm holding up a decision based on this for our next campaign. Thanks.
Every race in the book includes new material. It's not just the stats you already have from the monster book presented in Core Rulebook format.

There is a difference between new available options (feats, alternate race traits, etc) and changing the base stats. Although as a GM, my advice is make whatever your decision is now, based on how you want it to be. No reason to hold up playing for rules in a book that will come 6 months from now.


Dark_Mistress wrote:
Sean K Reynolds wrote:
Terry Van D!@+ wrote:
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.

Erik, can you settle a question for me? Is the dhampyr going to have abilities that it does not already have as a result of the previously printed material? I'm holding up a decision based on this for our next campaign. Thanks.
Every race in the book includes new material. It's not just the stats you already have from the monster book presented in Core Rulebook format.
Is it April yet?

Impatient are we, well I also hate waiting. But if the product is to be done right, it needs time bake into the best possible ARG

Dark Archive

1 person marked this as a favorite.
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber
Azure_Zero wrote:
Dark_Mistress wrote:
Sean K Reynolds wrote:
Terry Van D!@+ wrote:
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.

Erik, can you settle a question for me? Is the dhampyr going to have abilities that it does not already have as a result of the previously printed material? I'm holding up a decision based on this for our next campaign. Thanks.
Every race in the book includes new material. It's not just the stats you already have from the monster book presented in Core Rulebook format.
Is it April yet?
Impatient are we, well I also hate waiting. But if the product is to be done right, it needs time bake into the best possible ARG

It's my prerogative as a female... so is it April now? :)


No it is not, and You have to wait like the rest of US, Dark Mistress.
After all it is just another 8 Months.

And I think you will want the finished Cake, rather than just the cake batter.

Dark Archive

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber
Azure_Zero wrote:

No it is not, and You have to wait like the rest of US, Dark Mistress.

After all it is just another 8 Months.

And I think you will want the finished Cake, rather than just the cake batter.

Well cake batter is good, ask any kid.


Dark_Mistress wrote:
Azure_Zero wrote:

No it is not, and You have to wait like the rest of US, Dark Mistress.

After all it is just another 8 Months.

And I think you will want the finished Cake, rather than just the cake batter.

Well cake batter is good, ask any kid.

While I tend to agree with the Mistress, I think at this point in time, it's a little soon to called the book "cake batter." It's eggs, flour, sugar, and milk :).

Coincidentally, this may be the first Hardcover that wasn't setting specific that doesn't use the 3.5 brand of cake mix, which is very exciting!


Golden-Esque wrote:
Dark_Mistress wrote:
Azure_Zero wrote:

No it is not, and You have to wait like the rest of US, Dark Mistress.

After all it is just another 8 Months.

And I think you will want the finished Cake, rather than just the cake batter.

Well cake batter is good, ask any kid.

While I tend to agree with the Mistress, I think at this point in time, it's a little soon to called the book "cake batter." It's eggs, flour, sugar, and milk :).

Coincidentally, this may be the first Hardcover that wasn't setting specific that doesn't use the 3.5 brand of cake mix, which is very exciting!

I think you are more correct than me on the cake idea, Golden-Esque.

Great now I want either German Suicide Cake (Super Extreme Chocolate cake), Boterkoek (Dutch Butter Cake) or just a plain cake.

I should have done a manufactured (non-editable) item instead of the cake.


Golden-Esque wrote:


...
Coincidentally, this may be the first Hardcover that wasn't setting specific that doesn't use the 3.5 brand of cake mix, which is very exciting!

Most of the Hard Cover books are non-setting specific, (except the inner sea book)


Azure_Zero wrote:
Golden-Esque wrote:


...
Coincidentally, this may be the first Hardcover that wasn't setting specific that doesn't use the 3.5 brand of cake mix, which is very exciting!
Most of the Hard Cover books are non-setting specific, (except the inner sea book)

Exactly, and aside from that book, there is obviously a lot of 3.5 flavors in the entire hardcover range, from the Core Rulebook all the way up to Ultimate Combat. For example, the Magus is highly reminiscent of the Daggerspell Mage prestige class and the Barbarian gets a Frenzied Berserker-esque archetyoe, among other things. The Advanced Race Guide has the potential to be the first book without 3.5 influences.

Dark Archive

Years ago Dragon Magazine had an issue where you could play Dragons as PC's. Leveling would increase your HD, powers, spell-casting, etc...By the end of the 20 level progression the player was a young adult dragon, I believe. I loved it a lot and even got to use it a couple of times. Does Paizo have any intentions to possibly include this idea in the ARG or perhaps in a Campaign Setting book??? (Dragons of Golarion???)


the Haunted Jester wrote:
Years ago Dragon Magazine had an issue where you could play Dragons as PC's. Leveling would increase your HD, powers, spell-casting, etc...By the end of the 20 level progression the player was a young adult dragon, I believe. I loved it a lot and even got to use it a couple of times. Does Paizo have any intentions to possibly include this idea in the ARG or perhaps in a Campaign Setting book??? (Dragons of Golarion???)

I believe the 3.5 Draconomicon had a similar system for playing true dragons.


Kung-Fu Joe wrote:
the Haunted Jester wrote:
Years ago Dragon Magazine had an issue where you could play Dragons as PC's. Leveling would increase your HD, powers, spell-casting, etc...By the end of the 20 level progression the player was a young adult dragon, I believe. I loved it a lot and even got to use it a couple of times. Does Paizo have any intentions to possibly include this idea in the ARG or perhaps in a Campaign Setting book??? (Dragons of Golarion???)
I believe the 3.5 Draconomicon had a similar system for playing true dragons.

That is correct

and I would like to see,

Playable Yuki-onna or half-yuki-onna.

*Wikipedia has a few stories of Yuki-onna becoming wives and having children.

Contributor

2 people marked this as a favorite.
the Haunted Jester wrote:
Years ago Dragon Magazine had an issue where you could play Dragons as PC's. Leveling would increase your HD, powers, spell-casting, etc...By the end of the 20 level progression the player was a young adult dragon, I believe. I loved it a lot and even got to use it a couple of times. Does Paizo have any intentions to possibly include this idea in the ARG

The focus of the book is races that are basically humanoid in shape (biped, two arms, two legs, one head) and 0 racial HD. There are no plans to include details on more "monstrous" creature types in this book.

Though there may be rules for creating your own scaly, winged, clawed, bitey 0HD race that you could describe as semi-quadrupedal, and call a dragon or dragonkin or whatever you wanted to call it.

Silver Crusade

Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber
Sean K Reynolds wrote:
the Haunted Jester wrote:
Years ago Dragon Magazine had an issue where you could play Dragons as PC's. Leveling would increase your HD, powers, spell-casting, etc...By the end of the 20 level progression the player was a young adult dragon, I believe. I loved it a lot and even got to use it a couple of times. Does Paizo have any intentions to possibly include this idea in the ARG

The focus of the book is races that are basically humanoid in shape (biped, two arms, two legs, one head) and 0 racial HD. There are no plans to include details on more "monstrous" creature types in this book.

Though there may be rules for creating your own scaly, winged, clawed, bitey 0HD race that you could describe as semi-quadrupedal, and call a dragon or dragonkin or whatever you wanted to call it.

This post has calmed many of my fears about ARG, as I was slightly afraid that it will be Savage Species 2.

Whew, that was close.


I'm quite excited for the race-building guidelines in here.

Hopefully they'll help me tidy up my already extensive number of homebrew Pathfinder races to at least give me a sense of security that nothing I've done is too weak/broken.

April is so very far away.


Finally I will be able to easily create my dream race: Foxfolk!

I'm gonna be really embarrassed if that's already in a Bestiary I haven't bought yet...

RPG Superstar 2013 Top 8

Cerealman wrote:

Finally I will be able to easily create my dream race: Foxfolk!

I'm gonna be really embarrassed if that's already in a Bestiary I haven't bought yet...

No, but they're forthcoming: Kitsune are going to be in the Dragon Empires Gazetteer.


Demiurge 1138 wrote:
Cerealman wrote:

Finally I will be able to easily create my dream race: Foxfolk!

I'm gonna be really embarrassed if that's already in a Bestiary I haven't bought yet...

No, but they're forthcoming: Kitsune are going to be in the Dragon Empires Gazetteer.

What he said

And I think we only have a few more months to get our wishes down in the Wish list thread. After that few months you can wish it, but it might not get considered.

RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32

One request a THOROUGH PROOFREADING.

Please do not rush this book to the printer like the Ultimate Magic Book.

If Paizo wants our money, please do the little things that go unnoticed like proofreading and indexing.

RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32

Deity and cosmology material for some of the more apt to be played races. Who do they worship and revere in their society?

Possibly material about running a world without humans, or a nonhuman centric world.

Origin and racial history for each race. As a GM I like to know how and where a race came into being as well as a brief history. Also tell me what is the motivator behind the race and their place in the current world. Are they a dying race? Are they a growing developing race? Are they a race in transition from nomads or warriors to a settle society? Who are their enemies and who are their allies?

Day-to-day society material for some of the more apt to be played races. Is the society active during the day, or is it nocturnal? Is it taboo to worship or trade during certain times of the day? What are some of the holidays and festivals of other races? Who rules and governs the society?

Dying races. How about a race or two that is nearing extinction and how they are handling that fact.

Some good maps of various cities, towns, villages, and camps of the more apt to be played races. Not every society thinks and builds like humans. How about a race that lives on the back of a giant animal. A race that lives on a flotilla of interconnected barges and rafts. A nomadic seafaring race of traders that detests the confines of land and nations. A race of avian or ethereal beings that live in floating city in the clouds or a mountain spire. A race that lives in the wreckage or their crashed spaceship or planar ship.

Modes of transportation. Some unusual mounts and vehicles would be nice. Not everyone rides a horse or uses an ox cart.

Some half-race options and templates for players.

Contributor

Sean K Reynolds wrote:


The focus of the book is races that are basically humanoid in shape (biped, two arms, two legs, one head) and 0 racial HD. There are no plans to include details on more "monstrous" creature types in this book.

You guys only exist to destroy my hopes and dreams of playing a half-faerie dragon in Pathfinder. Clearly. You guys are dead to me. >:(

;)

I figure I whine about this enough, eventually you'll cave. Maybe. It works here at home with the girlfriend, maybe for publishers too?

Silver Crusade

Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber
Todd Stewart wrote:
Sean K Reynolds wrote:


The focus of the book is races that are basically humanoid in shape (biped, two arms, two legs, one head) and 0 racial HD. There are no plans to include details on more "monstrous" creature types in this book.

You guys only exist to destroy my hopes and dreams of playing a half-faerie dragon in Pathfinder. Clearly. You guys are dead to me. >:(

;)

I figure I whine about this enough, eventually you'll cave. Maybe. It works here at home with the girlfriend, maybe for publishers too?

Wait you mean your girlfriend and you and half-faerie dragons oh my I don't even want to know.

Dark Archive

Sean K Reynolds wrote:
the Haunted Jester wrote:
Years ago Dragon Magazine had an issue where you could play Dragons as PC's. Leveling would increase your HD, powers, spell-casting, etc...By the end of the 20 level progression the player was a young adult dragon, I believe. I loved it a lot and even got to use it a couple of times. Does Paizo have any intentions to possibly include this idea in the ARG

The focus of the book is races that are basically humanoid in shape (biped, two arms, two legs, one head) and 0 racial HD. There are no plans to include details on more "monstrous" creature types in this book.

Though there may be rules for creating your own scaly, winged, clawed, bitey 0HD race that you could describe as semi-quadrupedal, and call a dragon or dragonkin or whatever you wanted to call it.

Sweet!! I must say that although I am not a fan of the cat-like race being mentioned here, I know I am in the minority and appreciate paizo listening to their audience who do want to see such a race in the ARG.

I cannot wait to make some custom races!!!

Liberty's Edge

Catfolk!

Liberty's Edge

I just remembered after making that last post that I have a cat person as an avatar... heh

Liberty's Edge

Finally getting some love for the kobolds, even if they have to share the book with smelly bigfeet. Merk!

Liberty's Edge

Xuttah wrote:
Finally getting some love for the kobolds, even if they have to share the book with smelly bigfeet. Merk!

I am also looking forward to the Kobold racial traits and such.

Sovereign Court

I would love to see a race that is half-cyclops. Perhaps this race use to be slaves to a cycloptian race on a different plane, and have just recently gained freedom through some calamitous revolt. Or catpeople of some sort works too! Regardless I'm looking forward to this book as well. It's nice that Paizo listens to it's player base and tries to implement these wishes as best as possible.

Lantern Lodge

Sean K Reynolds wrote:
the Haunted Jester wrote:
Years ago Dragon Magazine had an issue where you could play Dragons as PC's. Leveling would increase your HD, powers, spell-casting, etc...By the end of the 20 level progression the player was a young adult dragon, I believe. I loved it a lot and even got to use it a couple of times. Does Paizo have any intentions to possibly include this idea in the ARG

The focus of the book is races that are basically humanoid in shape (biped, two arms, two legs, one head) and 0 racial HD. There are no plans to include details on more "monstrous" creature types in this book.

Though there may be rules for creating your own scaly, winged, clawed, bitey 0HD race that you could describe as semi-quadrupedal, and call a dragon or dragonkin or whatever you wanted to call it.

so no rules of any kind for building a playable race above 0HD ???

wow.. Big frown on that action.

Shadow Lodge

Dragon78 wrote:

Much better name than "Ultimate races".

I can't wait for this and the Beastairy III

Ultimate races will be about in game sporting events!


1 person marked this as a favorite.

I for one am relieved that we won't be seeing a Savage Species style monstrous classes treatment included. My wife loves playing that kind of bizarre crap and it just doesn't work out in practical terms.

For instance, the ghaele eladrin monster class from Savage Species. At 7th level that thing can become an incorporeal globe of color. Incorporeal! At 7th level! But...around that time a serious HD deficit starts to set in too. At 20th level the ghaele eladrin monster class character only has 10 HD. Say goodbye the first time a 20th level caster uses 3.5 blasphemy.

No thank you to that crap. And thanks to Paizo for getting rid of it.

Owner - House of Books and Games LLC

Gururamalamaswami wrote:

I for one am relieved that we won't be seeing a Savage Species style monstrous classes treatment included. My wife loves playing that kind of bizarre crap and it just doesn't work out in practical terms.

For instance, the ghaele eladrin monster class from Savage Species. At 7th level that thing can become an incorporeal globe of color. Incorporeal! At 7th level! But...around that time a serious HD deficit starts to set in too. At 20th level the ghaele eladrin monster class character only has 10 HD. Say goodbye the first time a 20th level caster uses 3.5 blasphemy.

No thank you to that crap. And thanks to Paizo for getting rid of it.

I never used the monster classes from Savage Species, but I would still like to see something like Savage Species be released - kind of like an APG for monsters.

Silver Crusade

Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber
Gururamalamaswami wrote:

I for one am relieved that we won't be seeing a Savage Species style monstrous classes treatment included. My wife loves playing that kind of bizarre crap and it just doesn't work out in practical terms.

For instance, the ghaele eladrin monster class from Savage Species. At 7th level that thing can become an incorporeal globe of color. Incorporeal! At 7th level! But...around that time a serious HD deficit starts to set in too. At 20th level the ghaele eladrin monster class character only has 10 HD. Say goodbye the first time a 20th level caster uses 3.5 blasphemy.

No thank you to that crap. And thanks to Paizo for getting rid of it.

+1, me too, what Guru said.

The only good thing about Savage Species was (and I'm not sure I will sleep well after writing this) monster templates by SKR.

Silver Crusade

If orcs, goblins, etc. are getting six pages of focus unbound by Golarion flavor, might we see some options and new flavor that step outside the alignment stereotypes they're bound to in Golarion? Even something as simple as "some orcs are something other than evil"?

Silver Crusade

Ouch, just reread the focus on the race creation rules.

Please have some options for weirder anatomy so we can have our thri-kreens, four-armed, no-arms-but-tentacles, and no-legs-but-snake-tail races. To focus the creation rules so tightly on the standard bipedal humanoid form kind of takes the wind out of the sails of getting excited over having race creation rules.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Mikaze wrote:

Ouch, just reread the focus on the race creation rules.

Please have some options for weirder anatomy so we can have our thri-kreens, four-armed, no-arms-but-tentacles, and no-legs-but-snake-tail races. To focus the creation rules so tightly on the standard bipedal humanoid form kind of takes the wind out of the sails of getting excited over having race creation rules.

While we'll certainly see what we can do...

...Pathfinder is INTENDED to be for player characters who are human-shaped. Everything in the rules assumes this, from the type of magic items that we build to the way combat works to the shape of things like beds and chairs in adventures.

Throwing that assumption out the window very quickly transforms it into a fundamentally different game.

There may be a way for us to present guidelines on how to build starfish pandabears or seven-legged thistleheart boarclops characters, but if we can't do that while keeping the bulk of the book something that supports Pathfinder (and by extension Golarion)... we'll abandon it.


3 people marked this as a favorite.
Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber
Knight_Druid wrote:
I would love to see a race that is half-cyclops.

Did anyone else spend a moment trying to work out whether a half-cyclops has 0.5 eyes or 1.5 eyes, or is that just me?

Silver Crusade

Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber
cynarion wrote:
Knight_Druid wrote:
I would love to see a race that is half-cyclops.
Did anyone else spend a moment trying to work out whether a half-cyclops has 0.5 eyes or 1.5 eyes, or is that just me?

I've spent one hour on that....

Silver Crusade

James Jacobs wrote:
Mikaze wrote:

Ouch, just reread the focus on the race creation rules.

Please have some options for weirder anatomy so we can have our thri-kreens, four-armed, no-arms-but-tentacles, and no-legs-but-snake-tail races. To focus the creation rules so tightly on the standard bipedal humanoid form kind of takes the wind out of the sails of getting excited over having race creation rules.

While we'll certainly see what we can do...

...Pathfinder is INTENDED to be for player characters who are human-shaped. Everything in the rules assumes this, from the type of magic items that we build to the way combat works to the shape of things like beds and chairs in adventures.

Throwing that assumption out the window very quickly transforms it into a fundamentally different game.

There may be a way for us to present guidelines on how to build starfish pandabears or seven-legged thistleheart boarclops characters, but if we can't do that while keeping the bulk of the book something that supports Pathfinder (and by extension Golarion)... we'll abandon it.

crosses fingers

I'm hoping ways to emulate harpies, half-snake people, and such are within reason. (like restricting flight to gliding until a minimum HD is reached)

RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32

Dark_Mistress wrote:
Azure_Zero wrote:
Dark_Mistress wrote:
Sean K Reynolds wrote:
Terry Van D!@+ wrote:
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.

Erik, can you settle a question for me? Is the dhampyr going to have abilities that it does not already have as a result of the previously printed material? I'm holding up a decision based on this for our next campaign. Thanks.
Every race in the book includes new material. It's not just the stats you already have from the monster book presented in Core Rulebook format.
Is it April yet?
Impatient are we, well I also hate waiting. But if the product is to be done right, it needs time bake into the best possible ARG
It's my prerogative as a female... so is it April now? :)

Nope. Still not April.

Darn!

Silver Crusade

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Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

Dear Paizo,

Please give us an adventure about a band of Lawful Good Orcs who try to right wrongs, mend wounds, repair bridges and generally help the world change perception of orcish race, only to perish sorrowfully in the final encounter where a generic band of plane-hopping mostly Chaotic Neutral level 15 adventurers incinerates them with a couple of well-aimed quickened fireballs, for no other reason than being short 600 XP of next level.

That ought to keep Mikaze happy :*

Owner - House of Books and Games LLC

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Gorbacz wrote:
cynarion wrote:
Knight_Druid wrote:
I would love to see a race that is half-cyclops.
Did anyone else spend a moment trying to work out whether a half-cyclops has 0.5 eyes or 1.5 eyes, or is that just me?
I've spent one hour on that....

I spent a half hour on it. Or maybe it was an hour and a half. I'm not quite sure.

Contributor

WhiteTiger wrote:

so no rules of any kind for building a playable race above 0HD ???

wow.. Big frown on that action.

Every creature is a playable "race," regardless of how many Hit Dice it has. What you're asking for are rules for "balancing" a racial-HD race against the standard races in the Core Rulebook, and that is a pipe dream. Take a look at what I said over in this post in another thread last month.

Paizo Employee Chief Technical Officer

Nodnarb wrote:
I just remembered after making that last post that I have a cat person as an avatar... heh

Your avatar image originally illustrated a fairly ordinary cat, not a cat person... but feel free to imagine otherwise!

Paizo Employee Senior Software Developer

That's no ordinary cat!

Paizo Employee Chief Technical Officer

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Gary Teter wrote:
That's no ordinary cat!

I did say fairly ordinary... you know, relative to, say, walking upright and having thumbs and what-not.

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