Raise your banner and lead the charge in your fight against the dreaded demons of the Abyss with Pathfinder Player Companion: Demon Hunter’s Handbook! Whether you’re crusading against the demons crawling from the horrific Worldwound or you’ve traveled all the way to the Abyss to fight these fiends on their own turf, this volume will give you everything you need to face off against the forces of the demonic horde.
Demon Hunter’s Handbook contains player-focused, in-depth discussions of demons, how to slay them, and the best ways to survive encounters against these despicable foes. Each Pathfinder Player Companion includes new options and tools for every Pathfinder RPG player. Inside this book, you’ll find:
Traits and advice for characters whose pasts have been soiled by the taint of demons or their cultists.
Tips and guidelines for joining Golarion’s various demon-hunting organizations, as well as advice on how to start your own.
New feats, rage powers for brawlers who seek to stand toe-to-toe with demonic foes, and archetypes like the cold iron warden—perfect for cult-busting inquisitors!
Innovative new demon-slaying tools and weapons born from the efforts of the Mendevian Crusades.
Details on the most heinous demonic foes, from the teeming rabble of the Abyss to unfathomable demon lords!
In-depth details on the Worldwound and the Abyss, as well as traits for the unfortunate characters that hail from these dark realms.
New spells, magic items, methods of demon interrogation, kits to prepare you for fights with demons, and much more!
Written by Philip Minchin, F. Wesley Schneider, and Jerome Virnich.
Cover Art by Jason Engle.
This Pathfinder Player Companion is intended for use with the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, but can easily be incorporated into any fantasy game. Each monthly 32-page Pathfinder Player Companion contains several player-focused articles exploring the volume’s theme as well as short articles with innovative new rules for all types of characters, as well as traits to better anchor the player to the campaign.
ISBN-13: 978-1-60125-554-9
Other Resources: This product is also available on the following platforms:
Originally posted at www.throatpunchgames.com, a new idea everyday!
Book- Pathfinder Player Companion: Demon Hunter's Handbook
Publisher-Paizo
Price – ~$13
TL;DR- A must have if you fight demons 90%
Basics-The title says it all. If you're going to focus on hunting demons, this is the book for you. This book focuses on the different aspects of hunting demons. Special attention and class features are given to barbarians, inquisitors, paladins, rangers, and wizards, but every class gets something a little something out this book. Besides the crunch in the book, the book has a lot of roleplaying/fluff to it focusing extensively on who you might meet when fighting demons and how to deal with demons and demon worshipers. Last part of the book focuses on the new adevneture path Wrath of the Righteous and focuses on some of the major places you will visit while in that path.
Art- This is the standard Pathfinder style, but be warned! Demons tend to be the crazier of the evil thing out there and they tend to push some peoples buttons on what passes for ok. Some of the art might not make everybody comfortable. It's a thing that you have to get used to or don play with demons. I didn't find anything offensive, but this might not be for everybody. 5/5
Mechanics or “Crunch”- I wasn't as impressed with some of the character options as I've been with other books. The barbarian gets called out as a focus of the book, but only really gets two class features that focus on critical hits. The ranger gets three and they are only traps. If you don't use traps or focus on critical hits, then the options are kind of useless. Also some of the other character options tend to be high level stuff. The spells shine as they are a good mix of levels and casting classes. I didn't hate what I saw, but I was left wanting more. 1.5/2.5
Story or “Fluff”-Here is where the book really shines. The fluff in this book is top notch. Lots of focus on the different types of demons and how to fight them. Sidebars to expand what you should know when fighting demons and how to fight them. Heck as a DM, I learned a few things to use in my next demon encounter. Only sad thing is the focus on the Wrath of the Righteous tends to lead to Pathfinder specific focus and less general demon focus. But since this is a Pathfinder book, I expect that going in. Again, this book is focused on the crazies of the Pathfinder world so keep that in mind when you read this. 2.5/2.5
Execution- I liked the set up and layout of this book, but a few things really set me off. The book references lots of other books, and as a Pathfinder fan boy I have them all. BUT, the book does not have page number for all of them. WHY? Why are some there and not others? Please put this in. It makes my life as a player and DM that much easier! Also, I'm not sure I like everything about the roles. I would like a few things in the future. 1) Give me levels for each feat they have. It helps me as a DM make characters on the fly. If you list feats with a number ahead of them, that's all I need 2) Give me some base, not racially modified, stats. Again, nothing to fancy, but just base stats I can bolt on some race stuff to. Heck, extra points if you give me a quick level guide for stats. These things would really make these that much better. 4/5
Book Quality- This is a standard, well done Pathfinder player companion book. I love this style as the ink doesn't smear and the pages don't tare easily. Good print quality does count! 5/5
Final Thoughts- I liked this book. The crunch might not be where I want it to be, but the rest was spot on. A few tweaks in the execution will really make this thing shine and going forward will really help pull it all together. If you're going to fight lots of demons, then you should buy this book. If your game doesn't have any demons at all, then this book maybe not useful to your table. 90%
The Demon Hunter’s Handbook is a very functional book. In terms of flavour, it doesn’t really add a whole lot to the gaming experience, but it does add useful mechanical options for player characters preparing to hunt demons. It’s not a captivating read by any means, but that’s not really its purpose. It does exactly what it says in its title.
You could always use the Animal Totem rage powers for it, too. But really, who doesn't love the image conjured by Devil's Advocate, of a berserk half-orc tearing a demon's heart put with their teeth?
What's up with the spells in this book? Protection from Outsiders is a weaker version (more specific) of Protection from Alignments, but a spell level higher?
Anti-Summoning Shield also lists Bards and Inquisitors (kind of see Inquisitors, but not really) but not Cleric/Oracle?
Burst of Light kind of seems really underpowered for a 4th level spell, probably along the lines of a 2nd at best?
Of all the spells, Telepathic Censure is not a Wizards spell, but is a Bard spell?
I'm not sure about Righteous Blood for Inquisitors either, doesn't really seem to fit, but definitely a very Clericy spell, and certain Oracles too (Energy Body).
What's up with the spells in this book? Protection from Outsiders is a weaker version (more specific) of Protection from Alignments, but a spell level higher?
Anti-Summoning Shield also lists Bards and Inquisitors (kind of see Inquisitors, but not really) but not Cleric/Oracle?
Burst of Light kind of seems really underpowered for a 4th level spell, probably along the lines of a 2nd at best?
Of all the spells, Telepathic Censure is not a Wizards spell, but is a Bard spell?
I'm not sure about Righteous Blood for Inquisitors either, doesn't really seem to fit, but definitely a very Clericy spell, and certain Oracles too (Energy Body).
Thoughts?
Protection from Outsiders gives double the bonus as protection from alignment. It also works against aeons and psychopomps, I guess.
Burst of light is sort of like daylight + a little damage + maybe blind. Probably could have been 3rd level, but whatever.
Which classes get which spells is a bit odd. I do agree with the Inquisitor spell access, though; all of them seem to fit.
