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Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Mystery Monsters Revisited

3.50/5 (based on 4 ratings)
Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Mystery Monsters Revisited
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Every culture tells stories of strange beasts that haunt the edges of civilization. Seldom corroborated, the accounts of those who have encountered such creatures are brushed aside, or at best turned into colorful local legends. But always lurking beneath such myths are more than a few shreds of doubt—for what if the stories were true?

Mystery Monsters Revisited presents 10 elusive creatures inspired by real-world folklore. Each monster entry investigates the types of evidence the cryptid leaves in its wake, the creature’s bizarre and secretive ecology, eyewitness accounts of the beast and its strange powers, advice on how to integrate it into your game, how the monster fits into the world of Golarion, and more.

Inside this book, you’ll find:

  • Bunyips, ravenous seal-like beasts whose hunger threatens coastal communities.
  • Death worms, acid-spitting desert dwellers whose fatal poison and beams of electricity spell the end for unwary travelers.
  • Mokele-mbembe, long-necked saurians forgotten by time.
  • Mothmen, unfathomable agents of destiny that presage catastrophic events.
  • The Sandpoint Devil, a fire-breathing equine terror that ravages the hinterlands of its namesake community.
  • Water orms, whose myriad forms have spawned countless legends near the lakes they inhabit.
  • Yetis, misunderstood natives of mountain peaks whose violent urges can be traced back to fell, otherworldly energies.
  • Other enigmatic creatures like the towering sasquatch, destructive sea serpent, and of course, the notorious, blood-sucking chupacabra!

Mystery Monsters Revisited is intended for use with the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game and Pathfinder campaign setting, but can easily be used in any fantasy game setting.

By Richard Pett, Anthony Pryor, Amber E. Scott, Ray Vallese

ISBN-13: 978-1-60125-473-3

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3.50/5 (based on 4 ratings)

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Mostly "Meh"

3/5 —

Mystery Monsters Revisited is an unusual entry in the Pathfinder Campaign Setting line. The goal of the book is to transform ten different monsters from real-world folklore and modern legend (so-called "cryptids") into creatures usable in Pathfinder and in the game's official setting, Golarion. The book is a 64-page softcover with full colour interior art that is adequate but not Paizo's best (and I think the cover needed a better inker to add definition to what looks like a coloured pencil drawing). Each of the ten monsters is covered in a six-page section that includes the following topics: Evidence (why the creature is thought to exist), Ecology, Habitat & Society, Campaign Role (how to use the creature in a game), Treasure, Golarion lore, and a full stat block and picture of a unique version of the creature. Each section also includes a brief sidebar about the creature's real-world inspiration. The ten monsters covered are:

* Bunyips (from Australian aboriginal lore), an aquatic mammal that combines features of a shark and a seal. Two new feats just for bunyips are introduced, which is a bit strange. The idea is a bit bland.

* Chupacabras (a modern Puerto Rican legend), bloodsucking creatures that walk on two legs and sneak around at night to feast on livestock and pets. The stealthy nature of the creatures and the fact that they could easily be confused by PCs with vampires or other dangers would make them a good story element for a low-level campaign set in rural areas. A magical weapon, the Chupar Pick, is introduced.

* Death Worms (the Mongolian "Olgoi-Khorkhoi"), which, as the name implies, are gargantuan subterranean worms that live in desert areas and can spit acid and electricity. Despite the added attack styles, Pathfinder has enough giant worms and I don't think much is added here. This section includes a new magic item to see creatures moving underground, Vitreous Goggles.

* Mokele-Mbembe (a Congo legend), a massive saurian that is basically a swamp dinosaur with long spines down its back. Again, a bit bland. A new magic weapon, the Mokele-Mbembe Tail Whip, is introduced.

* Mothman (a West Virginia legend), a strange, unearthly winged humanoid that appears just before terrible disasters for an inexplicable reason. This was the first entry in the book that really caught my eye as something that would be fascinating to add into a campaign. The new magic item introduced here, a Mothman Memento, is also well done.

* Sandpoint Devil (based on the Jersey Devil), a winged-horse that stands on two legs and has demonic teeth and horns. I'm running Rise of the Runelords right now which of course has Sandpoint as its setting, so I'm partial to this entry.

* Sasquatch (Bigfoot), a forest-dwelling apelike creature. A cursed item called a Sasquatch Skull is introduced here.

* Sea Serpents (from many cultures), enormous snakes large enough to sink entire ships. Could be interesting as a major storyline in an aquatic-themed campaign. A new magic weapon, the Serpentseeker Bow, is introduced.

* Water Orms (the Loch Ness Monster), lake-dwelling saurials that are enormously reclusive.

* Yeti (the Abominable Snowman), alpine beasts with sharp claws and teeth. I really liked the lore added by the book here, as they portray Yeti as the nobel guardians of portals to dangerous extra-dimensional lands like the Lovecraftian Leng. A magic item called Leng Tea is introduced.

The book does a good job emphasizing that these legendary creatures really need to be built up over a period of time in a campaign. If you just drop a random Sea Serpent attack in while the PCs are on a boat, then Sea Serpents are just another monster. But if you depict sailors and dock-workers growing increasingly frightened over the course of several sessions by the legendary Ashen Worm, then it means something when/if a fight actually takes place. In other words, these creatures aren't meant for random encounters but are instead best used as driving forces for story-lines that can include investigation, tracking, red herrings, scam artists, and more. That being said, only a couple of the creatures listed in the book really struck me as elements I'd love to bring into a campaign. Many left me feeling "meh." So in sum, I'd say that Mystery Monsters Revisited isn't a *bad* book, but it shouldn't be a high-priority for readers.

Love it, Few problems though

4/5 —

I have always loved cryptozoology, so i picked this book up the week it came out. The monsters for the most part are great, I especially love the bunyip entry and the mothman. Some monsters are completely uninspired, The Mokele-Mbembe is just a dinosaur, nothing special. The Sandpoint devil is just a horse that walks on two legs.
The quips about the real life myths make the book feel really fun.
If you love monsters, pick up the book.

Comprehensive and Useful Book

4/5 —

Read my full review on my blog.

Mystery Monsters Revisited provides an excellent insight into its ten subject creatures and how they fit into the world of Golarion. It allows gamemasters to enrich their games by including creatures that are more than just nameless things to kill, giving each creature a reason and purpose for being there. And even if some of these creatures never actually show up in a game, the book still provides a compelling read that adds just a little more awe to the game world.

A quite decent approach to Cyrptozoology.

3/5 —

Since the apparition of Classic Horrors Revisited, Paizo Publishing made clear Pathfinder wasn't just about the usual tropes concerning Sword and sorcery in pen and paper RPGs as elements from other genres belonging to fantasy like Planetary Romance and Gothic Horror appeared in the main setting. This book is the first to dare enter into a terrain which doesn't belong to literature but to oral tradition and speculation, in this case what in contemporary culture is known as urban legends as well as cryptozoology.
The readers can enjoy quite detailed entries concerning the habits and behavior of beasts which belong to pop culture collective imaginary and how introduce them into a world of high adventure and magic: the chupacabra, the yeti, the sasquatch...
A well done job, but somehow lacks of the same detail displayed in other Revisited series handbooks, perhaps because this was the first attempt into creatures which didn't had a true or solid mythological or literary background (or in some cases, decades of game tradition), depending on very speculative and not very academic sources for it's development.

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Paizo Employee Chief Technical Officer

Announced! Image is a mockup, and will change prior to publication.
1 person marked this as a favorite.

So we get a Cryptids book, yay!!!

If this goes true to form with the other "Monsters Revisited" books we'll get 10.

Chupacabra
Sasquatch
Yeti
The Sandpoint Devil
Mothman

and. . .

beginning random speculation

Mokele M'bembe (sp)
Kongamato
Hodag
Slurrk
and . . . I got nothin'. Help me out folks, those are the only remotely cryptid type critters I can even think of.
Dark Archive

Cactaur?
Scarab Sages
Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Rulebook Subscriber

Probably not a Plesiosaur. ala the Loch Ness Monster.
But A Bunyip? Definitely.

OMG YES

Sea Serpent and Water Orm HAVE to be in this
Dark Archive
1 person marked this as a favorite.
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Charter Superscriber; Pathfinder Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

We get a cryptids book before Fey? Seriously? I mean, it makes sense to have a cryptids book with as many as have been statted up for use in Pathfinder, but still... And this before a Monsters of the Dark Tapestry/Lovecraftian Nightmares book as well?

now why couldn't I remember the Bunyip? I remembered the African cryptids, why not the Australian one.
Dark Archive
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

Sounds neat.
Scarab Sages
Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories, PF Special Edition Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Charter Superscriber; Starfinder Superscriber

Sounds good, but looks like it's not in the proper spot in the auto display. I don't see a preorder date, but the subscription claims it goes out next month. Given the serial number, it should be further off.
Paizo Employee Chief Technical Officer
logic_poet wrote:
Sounds good, but looks like it's not in the proper spot in the auto display. I don't see a preorder date, but the subscription claims it goes out next month. Given the serial number, it should be further off.

Thanks for the tip. Fixed!

Cool, a book for cryptids even though I agree that I could have waited for this until after a book for fey and a one for lovecraftain besties.

Jackelopes! And the Slender Man!

Personally I have very little interest in a book of Fey, but Lovecraftian horrors for the win!
Grand Lodge
Pathfinder Lost Omens, Rulebook Subscriber

Awesome...awesome to the max.

I so want this...very very badly
Liberty's Edge

I'm greatly surprised to not see James Jacobs' name on this.

I agree with the Jackalope.
Silver Crusade
4 people marked this as a favorite.
Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

Oh no they let Richard Pett write about cryptids, I'm not leaving the bunker!

I have been waiting for a fey one since the first "revisted" book came out.

The interest in the Lovecraft stuff has more to do with actually seeing stats for these creatures for the first time when Paizo used them.

So we have:
Mothman
Chubacabra
Sasquatch
Yeti
Sandpoint Devil

We should have:
Water Orm
Sea Serpent

We might get:
Mokele M'bembe
Hodag
Slurrk
Kongamato
Peluda
Bunyip
Chickcharney
Globster
Grootslang
Lusca
Chemosit
Tatzlwyrm

Aren't slurks a fictional invention? If so they wouldn't be in a cryptid book. And the Peluda is more of a legendary monster, than something people have seriously considered as a real beast.

Does Pathfinder have an analogue to the Beast of Gevaudan? Although I suppose any large wolf-like monster would work for that, like a Worg.

I am so looking forward to this! Cryptids of Golarion for the win.

And I have to agree with MMCJawa, I'd love to see Golarion's take on the Beast of Gevaudan.
Paizo Employee CEO
4 people marked this as a favorite.
Kvantum wrote:
We get a cryptids book before Fey? Seriously? I mean, it makes sense to have a cryptids book with as many as have been statted up for use in Pathfinder, but still... And this before a Monsters of the Dark Tapestry/Lovecraftian Nightmares book as well?

Patience. Patience. All good things come to those who wait.

:)

-Lisa

The Mongolian Deathworm
The Yowie
Orang Pendek
1 person marked this as a favorite.

I don't think they have statted up Yowies or Orang Pendeks

A humanoid marsupial Yowie would be all kind of awesome
Liberty's Edge
1 person marked this as a favorite.

Sorry to say but this is something I'm not looking forward to. Just not my cup of tea. If it wasn't too much hassle I would cancel my subscription and restart it after this ships so I wouldn't get it.
Paizo Employee Creative Director
6 people marked this as a favorite.

I was very very very very very tempted to write this whole book... but I can't write them all, alas.

i for one am psyched to get this for christmas (for the last few years my wife and daughter have got me a revisited book for christmas) it sounds like a fun read. thanks
Silver Crusade
2 people marked this as a favorite.

Paizo at times reminds me of Apple.

Amazing quality products that I wasn't aware I needed yet!

Gimme some James Jacob's Cryptids, please.

Silly question time: is the title inspired at all by a very cheesy documentary movie from the 70's titled The Mysterious Monsters that was the first introduction many people had to Bigfoot, the Abominable Snowman, and Nessie?
Scarab Sages
Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Rulebook Subscriber

I wonder which one James Jacob Wrote...
Paizo Employee Creative Director
Eric Hinkle wrote:
Silly question time: is the title inspired at all by a very cheesy documentary movie from the 70's titled The Mysterious Monsters that was the first introduction many people had to Bigfoot, the Abominable Snowman, and Nessie?

Nope. Not on purpose, at least.

We came upon the title after we admitted to ourselves that "Cryptids Revisited" would confuse too many folks on the distribution side of things.
Paizo Employee Creative Director
Stratagemini wrote:
I wonder which one James Jacob Wrote...

By "I can't write them all," I meant "I can't write every book we publish."

I'm not writing ANYTHING for this book, in other words.

Neither is that James Jacob guy who spells his name funny with no "s".
Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Charter Superscriber; Starfinder Charter Superscriber

I think "Mystery Monsters Revealed" could be a better fitting title for this book, just as "Redeemed" fit the Misfits better :)
Paizo Employee Creative Director
Zaister wrote:
I think "Mystery Monsters Revealed" could be a better fitting title for this book, just as "Redeemed" fit the Misfits better :)

I kind of agree... but there's a lot to be said for using the same word ("Revisited") in as many of these books as we can.

Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Charter Superscriber; Starfinder Charter Superscriber
James Jacobs wrote:
I kind of agree... but there's a lot to be said for using the same word ("Revisited") in as many of these books as we can.

Too bad, but I understand the business strategy.

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber; Pathfinder Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber
James Jacobs wrote:
Stratagemini wrote:
I wonder which one James Jacob Wrote...

By "I can't write them all," I meant "I can't write every book we publish."

I'm not writing ANYTHING for this book, in other words.

Neither is that James Jacob guy who spells his name funny with no "s".

So then shouldn't it be named "James Jacobs presents Mystery Monsters Revisited"?

Contributor, RPG Superstar 2010 Top 4
Justin Franklin wrote:
So then shouldn't it be named "James Jacobs presents Mystery Monsters Revisited"?

Ironically I was at physical therapy yesterday morning and was explaining what I freelance and discussing the hobby in general. My therapist poked fun of R.A. Salvatore for prostituting his name for other authors just like that.

(That is, "R.A. Salvatore's Book of Whatever, by Real-Author-Whose-Name-is-in-Small-Font-Right-at-the-Bottom-of-the-Cover")

:)

Food for thought.
Scarab Sages
Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Rulebook Subscriber
James Jacobs wrote:
Stratagemini wrote:
I wonder which one James Jacob Wrote...

By "I can't write them all," I meant "I can't write every book we publish."

I'm not writing ANYTHING for this book, in other words.

Neither is that James Jacob guy who spells his name funny with no "s".

But did this James Jacob guy with no S want to write this entire book?

How about you? Did you want to write this book? Because I thought you would be eager to wade into Bigfoot Country and start writing?
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber; Pathfinder Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber
Jim Groves wrote:
Justin Franklin wrote:
So then shouldn't it be named "James Jacobs presents Mystery Monsters Revisited"?

Ironically I was at physical therapy yesterday morning and was explaining what I freelance and discussing the hobby in general. My therapist poked fun of R.A. Salvatore for prostituting his name for other authors just like that.

(That is, "R.A. Salvatore's Book of Whatever, by Real-Author-Whose-Name-is-in-Small-Font-Right-at-the-Bottom-of-the-Cover")

:)

Food for thought.

On teh other hand James Patterson does it all the time with great success, and there is always VC Andrews who has been dead for years and still putting out books. ;)

Contributor, RPG Superstar 2010 Top 4
Justin Franklin wrote:
On teh other hand James Patterson does it all the time with great success, and there is always VC Andrews who has been dead for years and still putting out books. ;)

Oh I wouldn't argue that it makes money.

I regretted posting that after I did, because I didn't want to imply anything about James or Paizo.

But let me put some context to it. What the physical therapist was really trying to get across was that he really liked R.A. Salvatore. He never really considered a role-playing game, but he enjoyed the author's novels. Then he bought a couple "R.A. Salvatore Presents.." books and he was disappointed. He felt tricked.

That's all. Make of that what you will.

I'm going to stop here, so we don't derail the thread.

If nothing else, maybe James had a hand in developing this book, and therefore it will have some measure his love of the topic in it.
Paizo Employee Creative Director
Stratagemini wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
Stratagemini wrote:
I wonder which one James Jacob Wrote...

By "I can't write them all," I meant "I can't write every book we publish."

I'm not writing ANYTHING for this book, in other words.

Neither is that James Jacob guy who spells his name funny with no "s".

But did this James Jacob guy with no S want to write this entire book?

How about you? Did you want to write this book? Because I thought you would be eager to wade into Bigfoot Country and start writing?

I would have LOVED to write the book. But since my current freelance time is already spoken for by things like the kickstarter project and convention season and a few other things... I couldn't. Just didn't have time.

Are skyfish/rods cryptid enough for you, JJ, or has their extremely thorough debunking dropped them off the list?
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber; Pathfinder Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber
Jim Groves wrote:
Justin Franklin wrote:
On teh other hand James Patterson does it all the time with great success, and there is always VC Andrews who has been dead for years and still putting out books. ;)

Oh I wouldn't argue that it makes money.

I regretted posting that after I did, because I didn't want to imply anything about James or Paizo.

But let me put some context to it. What the physical therapist was really trying to get across was that he really liked R.A. Salvatore. He never really considered a role-playing game, but he enjoyed the author's novels. Then he bought a couple "R.A. Salvatore Presents.." books and he was disappointed. He felt tricked.

That's all. Make of that what you will.

I'm going to stop here, so we don't derail the thread.

If nothing else, maybe James had a hand in developing this book, and therefore it will have some measure his love of the topic in it.

I mostly meant it as a joke idea anyway. No offense taken or given, I hope. And now back to teaming up to convince JJ to announce the Irrisen AP. ;)

Scarab Sages
Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Rulebook Subscriber
Evil Midnight Lurker wrote:
Are skyfish/rods cryptid enough for you, JJ, or has their extremely thorough debunking dropped them off the list?

Typically the Revisited Line has used Monters already in the bestiaries (whether the main 3, or from Adventure Paths, Module, companions and setting books). I can't remember Skyfish or rods in any of the bestiaries.

Stratagemini wrote:
Evil Midnight Lurker wrote:
Are skyfish/rods cryptid enough for you, JJ, or has their extremely thorough debunking dropped them off the list?
Typically the Revisited Line has used Monters already in the bestiaries (whether the main 3, or from Adventure Paths, Module, companions and setting books). I can't remember Skyfish or rods in any of the bestiaries.

Well, I'd say that's a starting place for a sequel book!

Contributor
1 person marked this as a favorite.
Gorbacz wrote:
Oh no they let Richard Pett write about cryptids, I'm not leaving the bunker!

Why they're nothing but a bunch of softies, don't wory Gorbacz:)

Liberty's Edge

Allow me to add yet another kudos to Paizo. I just thoroughly enjoy how your company takes "real world mythos" and applies them in the Pathfinder universe! Very well done.
RPG Superstar Season 9 Top 4, RPG Superstar 2015 Top 32

Well, my Christmas present is set. I run a non-Golarion campaign setting, but I'm sure I can still find room for things like the Sandpoint Devil there.

Add me to the list of folks calling for a Fey Revisited book, too.
Liberty's Edge
Charlie Brooks wrote:

Well, my Christmas present is set. I run a non-Golarion campaign setting, but I'm sure I can still find room for things like the Sandpoint Devil there.

Add me to the list of folks calling for a Fey Revisited book, too.

In case you didn't know (and if you do then please accept my most humble apology) the Sand Point Devil is based on "The Jersey Devil" which is a legend here on the East Coast.

Paizo Employee Creative Director
Evil Midnight Lurker wrote:
Are skyfish/rods cryptid enough for you, JJ, or has their extremely thorough debunking dropped them off the list?

They're more in the category of "alien" to me rather than "cryptid." If only because their powers and abilities seem so outlandish and almost magical.

Paizo Employee Creative Director
Stratagemini wrote:
Evil Midnight Lurker wrote:
Are skyfish/rods cryptid enough for you, JJ, or has their extremely thorough debunking dropped them off the list?
Typically the Revisited Line has used Monters already in the bestiaries (whether the main 3, or from Adventure Paths, Module, companions and setting books). I can't remember Skyfish or rods in any of the bestiaries.

That's true too. One of the reasons we took so long to do this book was we had to wait until we finally got Absolutely Required Cryptid #10 in print in Bestiary 3!

Liberty's Edge
Kevida wrote:
Charlie Brooks wrote:

Well, my Christmas present is set. I run a non-Golarion campaign setting, but I'm sure I can still find room for things like the Sandpoint Devil there.

Add me to the list of folks calling for a Fey Revisited book, too.

In case you didn't know (and if you do then please accept my most humble apology) the Sand Point Devil is based on "The Jersey Devil" which is a legend here on the East Coast.

Charlie Brooks, I misread your post. disregard my response.

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