Good, so now we see bestiary 5 next year and another small NPC codex next year as well. I really love this solution ;-)
Good, so now we see bestiary 5 next year and another small NPC codex next year as well. I really love this solution ;-)
As long as you keep in mind that, until a Bestiary 5 and another small NPC book are actually announced, this "solution" only exists in your head. For all we know, 2014 could be the Year of the NPCs. ;)
I guess I could enjoy another npc book....
** spoiler omitted **
Any Ustlavian love? I see the sleepless detective hiding down at the bottom of the cover :)
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** spoiler omitted **Any Ustlavian love? I see the sleepless detective hiding down at the bottom of the cover :)
Yep, the Anaphexia Agent to both hunt and be hunted by the Sleepless Detective. :)
Averaka got some love too!
edit-I swear the Prophets of Kalistrade look more New Wave with each illustration. :D
Huh... what about the other Inner Sea Bestiary races? Any killer plant people?
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Android's the only one of the Inner Sea Bestiary crew to show up, though I really do believe the Syrinx got a shout-out in the Devil's Perch Rebel's artwork. (male Strix witch with an white owl familiar)
The other non-core races that show up are the cool gillwoman Absalom Wave Rider, changeling Mushfens Cultist, and the Charau-ka Usaro Rebel.
And the orc Belkzen Wachief, the ....drow Drow Matron, and the....duergar Duergar slaver.
** spoiler omitted **Any Ustlavian love? I see the sleepless detective hiding down at the bottom of the cover :)Yep, the Anaphexia Agent to both hunt and be hunted by the Sleepless Detective. :)
Averaka got some love too!
edit-I swear the Prophets of Kalistrade look more New Wave with each illustration. :D
Did the Sleepless Detective get statted up, too? :D
Overall, the art in this book is amazing, I think.
edit-Man, Curse of the Crimson Throne gets spoiled like hell.
But...I'm playing in "curse"....and I ordered this from a bookstore....why I no can read my own books? ;_;
But then again...changeling! eeeee!!!
Looking forward to the day after Xmas.
Just got my PDF - this book is awesome.
Three Hellknights too! Two LN, one LE. Dat half-orc armiger.
Also, the Harrower is Gambit.
edit-Man, Curse of the Crimson Throne gets spoiled like hell.
Mikaze, what CRs are the Hellknights?
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Hellknight (CR 10, fighter 5/hellknight 6)
Hellknight armiger (CR 3, fighter 3)
Hellknight signifer (CR 7, sorcerer 6, hellknight signifer 2)
What are the Magaambyan Arcanists like?
Wizard 5/Maggambyan arcanist 6
Also, is there anything that uses the mythic rules?
Not as far as I can tell, no.
And what are the highest-CR NPCs?
Top-3:
Geb Blood Lord (CR 18)Drow matron (CR 15)
Arclord of Nex/mammoth rider (both CR 14)
Makes sense that there aren't any mythic ones. These are generic NPCs, and mythic is anything but generic.
I'm going to say this straight-up, I want more of this. I've been having a LOT of fun in the past few months building characters, using weird PrCs, but there just isnt any examples of what kind of pcs the designers expected to be built with them. I will buy this the instant it comes out in PDF. I like PrCs, they give weird flavor and I wish we had more/more interesting ones personally.
Hehe, interesting combo indeed! :)
Well, just got it, did a quick look-through. A lot of interesting background there for anybody interested in golarion.
One (slight) issue I have is that, as usual, the NPCs appear to be far weaker than a monster of equivalent CR. One things would help me (for GM stuff):
-Include the values of AC/Attack/Damage with activated abilities (or at LEAST indicate the NPCs combat strategy so we know which ones make sense to chose)
Even then, it's a bit underwhelming; for example, the "android monk" (CR 13) has an attack of +17 at most, and an AC of 24 (possible 28 with ki pool). Compare this to most CR 13 monsters, who's AC is around 28-32, and who's attack (for melee types) stands around +20 (from about 18 to 22, some corner cases). It's kinda underwhelming. (Note: I've been using CR 13 (and PC level 13) as a benchmark for comparison for a little while now). This is less important for the spellcasters, since DCs are hit-or miss anyway. I'm not totally convinced that removing PC wealth is a mere -1; at low level that might be the case, but at high items become so important that -1 hardly does it justice.
To sum it up, great fluff, unsatisfying crunch, will have to significantly empower any NPC I take from your pages.
I'm really loving the role reversal with the Red Mantis Initiate's artwork ;)
Overall, the art in this book is amazing, I think.
Agreed!
There are so many awesome nuggests of Golarion lore in here, I love it! My favorite has to be the God-callers - LOVE it! Fricking awesome lore-approach to the summoner class. Kudos!
edit-I swear the Prophets of Kalistrade look more New Wave with each illustration. :D
Hehe, yea. I love it, totally gives them a unique style within the canon.
I'm really loving the role reversal with the Red Mantis Initiate's artwork ;)
What role reversal?
I am quite impressed with the NPCs, and used the Hellknights (all three) against my party and had a good time with them!
I'm really loving the role reversal with the Red Mantis Initiate's artwork ;)What role reversal?
He's doing the no-spine T&A pose :)
He's doing the no-spine T&A pose :)I'm really loving the role reversal with the Red Mantis Initiate's artwork ;)What role reversal?
Ah, you're right. :)
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Even then, it's a bit underwhelming; for example, the "android monk" (CR 13) has an attack of +17 at most, and an AC of 24 (possible 28 with ki pool). Compare this to most CR 13 monsters, who's AC is around 28-32, and who's attack (for melee types) stands around +20 (from about 18 to 22, some corner cases). It's kinda underwhelming. (Note: I've been using CR 13 (and PC level 13) as a benchmark for comparison for a little while now). This is less important for the spellcasters, since DCs are hit-or miss anyway. I'm not totally convinced that removing PC wealth is a mere -1; at low level that might be the case, but at high items become so important that -1 hardly does it justice.
While the monk's got a painfully low number of hit points, she does at least also have a potion of cat's grace and a potion of haste. Add "Before combat, the Numerian ascetic drinks her potion of cat's grace. When she thinks combat is imminent, she also drinks her potion of haste." to her stat block, and then her attacks, AC and damage and pretty much all right where they should be.
Are there any pirates in this codex? There where a few in the other npc codex, but I'm hoping for more as I go into the Skull and Shackles AP.
Thank you
No pirates in this one.
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Just got this, after totally forgetting about it until I saw it in the store. Loving the Strix Witch, since we don't have a lot of boy witches, and he looks pretty badass.
Tons of great art in this, including some unusual choices like the Usaro Rebel (a charau-ka druid).
My favorite artwise is the Old Ones Cultist who amusingly carries around a magical book that acts as a lesser extend metamagic rod on conjuration spells to summon evil outsiders, and yet has no spells it actually works on, since her only suitable spells are summon monster IV and summon monster V. :)