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Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Bestiary 5 (OGL)

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Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Bestiary 5 (OGL)
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Beyond the veil!

Creatures strange beyond imagining and more terrifying than any nightmare lurk in the dark corners of the world and the weird realms beyond. Within this book, you'll find hundreds of monsters for use in the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game. Face off against devils and dragons, deep ones and brain moles, robots and gremlins, and myriad other menaces! Yet not every creature needs to be an enemy, as whimsical liminal sprites, helpful moon dogs, and regal seilenoi all stand ready to aid you on your quests—if you prove yourself worthy.

Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 5 is the fifth indispensable volume of monsters for use with the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game and serves as a companion to the Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook and Pathfinder RPG Bestiary. This imaginative tabletop game builds upon 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 a new era.

Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 5 includes:

  • More than 300 different monsters.
  • New player-friendly races like caligni dark folk, deep one hybrids, plant-bodied ghorans, and simian orang-pendaks.
  • Psychic creatures both benevolent and terrifying, from the enigmatic anunnaki and faceless astomoi to the howling caller in darkness and insidious, alien grays.
  • New familiars, animal companions, and other allies, such as clockwork familiars, red pandas, and many-legged wollipeds.
  • New templates to help you get more life out of classic monsters.
  • Appendices to help you find the right monster, including lists by Challenge Rating, monster type, and habitat.
  • Expanded universal monster rules to simplify combat.
  • Challenges for every adventure and every level of play.
  • ... and much, much more!

ISBN-13: 978-1-60125-792-5

Other Resources: This product is also available on the following platforms:

Hero Lab Online
Fantasy Grounds Virtual Tabletop
Archives of Nethys

Note: This product is part of the Pathfinder Rulebook Subscription.

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Average product rating:

4.20/5 (based on 14 ratings)

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My Favourite So Far

5/5 —

Don't have really anymore to add beyond that, love all the eldritch and occult flavor being pumped in ^w^

The weakest of the bunch

2/5 —

On the one hand, there are a good couple of gems and some very inspired entries throughout this book and, in truth, two stars is somewhat unfair, especially for the PDF. But, personally, I feel they're warranted, as this book seems to signal a shift in Pathfinder's direction, and one that I'm not happy about in the least.

First off, while Occult Adventures is readily available for consultation online in the SRD, I did not like to see a sizable number of monsters using rules from that book. It's one thing to have spells or feats from, say, Advanced Player's Guide or Mythic Adventures, as those are books that complement the game as a whole and present options for all classes, whereas Occult Adventures is a very specific niche that not all players will want to incorporate in their campaigns.

Secondly, I did not like the muddled product identity Paizo is showcasing here, with monsters such as the Android, Gray (Roswell), Reptoid (Reptilian) and Robot. Even the Annunaki seems more at home as the antagonist of, say, a Legion of Super-Heroes comic book. It's one thing to want to provide the tools for varied and diverse fantasy campaigns - in which constructs, space aberrations and even clockwork creatures can easily work without sticking out like sore thumbs - but quite another one to insert borderline hard-SF or contemporary conspiracy theorist creatures on a lark. Expedition to the Barrier Peaks this is not, and let's endeavor to keep it that way, please.

Thirdly, snake-bodied weasels with boar tusks? Serpentine bulls? Shark-headed sea serpents? Wolf-headed sea serpents? A chinchilla with a bat wing on the tip of its tail? An octopus with three shark heads? Really? Unless you have an absolutely amazing hook or a compelling campaign seed, why bother putting out this silly, uninspired dross? You can do much better than this, Paizo.

Monsters Galore

4/5 —

Read my full review on Of Dice and Pen.

I like Bestiary 5 a great deal. On an initial look-through before reading it more thoroughly, there were numerous monsters that drew my attention, that made me want to know more about them, and screamed to be included in one of my games sometime down the road. There's a wide variety of monsters present, with every type represented and the spread between them being fairly even. Ooze is a monster type that is often under-represented, but there are quite a few new oozes in this book. Along with that there are lots of magical beasts, constructs, undead, vermin, fey, and so on. In addition, there are several mythic monsters, and Bestiary 5 is the first hardcover book to contain monsters using the occult rules from Occult Adventures. The monsters cover a wide variety of challenge ratings as well, from 1/6 to 24. The bulk of the creatures are in the low- to mid-CR range, but there are also a sizeable number of high-CR monsters as well.

Grim Reapers, Deep Ones, and Greys Oh My!

5/5 —

I have always loved Bestiaries and Paizo has yet to disappoint in department. Now with a 5th hardcover bestiary they continue with quality and variety. I will list the good and the bad of this fine product.
The Good
-Dragons, 5 great new true dragons, along with a variety of "lesser" dragons such as jungle drake, rope dragon, vishap, and awesome shen.
-Fey, a variety of ranging from low to high CR such as the house spirits and the glaistag.
-Giants, we finally get the Firbolg, been waiting to see this one for a long time.
-New 0HD races like the Astomi, Caligni, and Reptoid.
-Aliens such as greys and the Anunnaki.
-Elementals such as aether, the wysps and the awesome anemos.
-Interesting oozes such as animate hair, apallie, and living mirage.
-New clestials and aeons.
-Robots!
-Creatures from mythology.
-Old school monster such as moon dogs, muckdwellers, brain moles, and thought eaters.
-Some interesting undead like bone ship and death coach.

The Bad
-Some minor design issues.
-Some art issues.
-The Sahkil, another evil outsider group, could have used this space for Oni, Azura, or Rakshasa.
-Continued use of the mythic rules that to me should be a completely optional rule.

3 STARS?????

5/5 —

I can't agree with the below rating of 3 stars. (Read Below) This is on-par with any other bestiary piazo has produced. Although i cant speak of quality due to just buying a pdf, this bestiary has the best range of monster selection in my opinion. It adds some technology driven ideas, unique story driven monsters and my favorite: A BoneShip, literally the pcs can fight an undead ship!!!! The complaint of no new monster over CR25 is a lazy lie, using templates the Esoteric Dragons can be over CR25 with other CR20+ monsters utilizing templates provided can increase above CR25. This book contains ideas for familiars, companions, and constructs for many classes and pairs amazingly well with content from the Occult Adventures. I Love this book, and pathfinder in general due to the wealth of information it has for both a PC and a DM. Cant wait for more!!!

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2 people marked this as a favorite.
Eildath wrote:
Oh hey, Hobkins are the Hopskinville Goblin, aren't they? If so, Kentucky monsters represent!

WHOA! I love that there are so many cryptids and aliens! Now we need a Flatwoods...

So does the book give any info as to how two such strange variants managed to form from the Cyclops?
1 person marked this as a favorite.
J-Spee Lovecraft wrote:
Eildath wrote:
Oh hey, Hobkins are the Hopskinville Goblin, aren't they? If so, Kentucky monsters represent!
WHOA! I love that there are so many cryptids and aliens! Now we need a Flatwoods...

There is a Flatswoods Monster (with a different name) in one of the first Shattered Star AP Bestiaries.

Paizo Employee Developer
5 people marked this as a favorite.

Correct! It's the Melfesh monster and it's in Pathfinder #61.
Pathfinder Starfinder Society Subscriber
Wannabe Demon Lord wrote:
So does the book give any info as to how two such strange variants managed to form from the Cyclops?

The Kabandhas are stated to have made a pact with some unknown entity for greater longevity, but it is not clear whether that pact or something else altered their appearance.

No other creature in the book has an explicit reference to the Cyclops.

What is the difference between the Pickled Punk and the Tiyanak?

I really hope the Tiyanak is stronger than CR 1!

And did the Delgeth get new artwork? Which AP monsters gained new artwork in this?

How's the Caligni art ? and how are they described as looking ?
Silver Crusade Contributor
nighttree wrote:
How's the Caligni art ? and how are they described as looking ?

Caligni:
The art is pretty drow-ish, frankly. It's probably a function of the lighting, though. (The pointy ears don't help.)

Their description says bleached skin, darkening in the extremities.

How is the Reptoid art and how are they described? Are they evil?
Silver Crusade Contributor
1 person marked this as a favorite.
Lord-of-Boggards wrote:
How is the Reptoid art and how are they described? Are they evil?

Reptoid:
Dressed in rags. Humanish, but scaly and spiky. Looks sort of like a malnourished nagaji.

The sample one is lawful evil. It doesn't say about the race as a whole, but given the source material, I would certainly assume so. ^_^
Dark Archive
2 people marked this as a favorite.
Myth Lord wrote:
From that list I think you like science fiction stuff right? So the other stuff isn't in danger of being less cool? Hundun is also science-fiction looking?

I do like sci-fi/science fantasy, yes. My preferred genres right now are probably planar adventure, science-fantasy, and horror/dark-fantasy.

The Hundun looks like a figure in dark reddish-black robes (made of its own skin) with an unseen face, reddish skin, and a staff of organs and viscera. They're made of negative energy but not undead. They are the incarnate will of primordial god-horrors that existed before the multiverse came into being that now dwell in unreality beyond its borders, manifested into reality to reduce existence to fluctuating energy or voidlike heat-death, with the principles upholding the planes collapsed and destroyed. They seek an end to all order and are basically entropy incarnate. I'll note that while they and the Kytons both come from outside the multiverse, they're notable opponents of each other. Having said all this, a Hundun's staff functions as a Strange Attractor. I'll let you call on whether that makes it too sci-fi for your tastes or not.

There's plenty of other good stuff in there, though, that isn't sci-fi dependent. I think we just have different general tastes in monsters.
1 person marked this as a favorite.
Kalindlara wrote:
nighttree wrote:
How's the Caligni art ? and how are they described as looking ?
** spoiler omitted **

Pointed ears ? really ? that seems odd....

Silver Crusade Contributor
1 person marked this as a favorite.

Technically, kytons came from Hell, and later departed for the Plane of Shadow.

I suspect Zon-Kuthon's origin has confused you - not surprising, given his deep ties with kytons.
Dark Archive

Did it get confirmed that Kytons originally came from Hell? They were certainly in Hell and later went to the Plane of Shadows, but I was under the impression that there were hints that they first came from the same place Dou-Bral got turned into Zon-Kuthon.
Dark Archive

Looking at stuff, Bestiary 3 has them first forming from the thoughts of depraved mortals and then being chained in Hell in response by the gods. That's not necessarily canon in Golarion, though.
Silver Crusade Contributor

Unfortunately, we've gotten very little information on kytons specifically - especially in Golarion. However...

Book of the Damned 1: Princes of Darkness wrote:
Kytons of varying breeds flourish throughout the Pit, where evidence suggests they originated eons ago, before the majority emigrated to the Plane of Shadow.

That's about the best we have. If you know of something else, though, please let me know - I'm always eager for new kyton lore. ^_^

Silver Crusade Contributor
1 person marked this as a favorite.

The closest thing to Zon-Kuthon's origin are devourers. Check out Undead Revisited to learn more.
4 people marked this as a favorite.

I think it's high time Wes is lured to his desk and shackled to it until he knocks out a Kytons Unmade book.

And yes he can have that title, it's a freebie. :-)

Also, I'm from Indiana and I'm glad to see that Puckwudgies made it to Pathfinder awhile back (although I don't think they're exclusive to my state, I know that they're allegedly native to Mounds State Park in Anderson).
Dark Archive
1 person marked this as a favorite.

Having poked around some more, it looks like you're right. They're from Hell. Some asked James Jacobs, he went and asked Wes, and the answer was posted here

I fully support this proposed Kyton book, whether's it is Book of the Damned: Kytons, Kytons Unmade, or, preferably, both.
1 person marked this as a favorite.

Would anyone mind posting any of the new playable races in more detail?
1 person marked this as a favorite.

I'm kind of hoping they hold off on the kyton book for a little while...

...at least until I become a contributor.
Adam Daigle wrote:
Correct! It's the Melfesh monster and it's in Pathfinder #61.

Wait. Why is it a plant?

Mark Seifter wrote:
Eildath wrote:
Oh hey, Hobkins are the Hopskinville Goblin, aren't they? If so, Kentucky monsters represent!
And it's not just the look either. I wrote these little buggers, and if you compare the special abilities to the account of the Hopskinville Goblins, you can see how that would have played out to match if the real world used Pathfinder rules.

I think you are just my favorite person ever. Just sayin'. :D

2 people marked this as a favorite.

All I know is I need more Kytons, more Devils, more Daemons, more Demons, and now more Sakils.

Also, what are the oran-pendak's racial traits?
Dark Archive
1 person marked this as a favorite.

Orang-Pendak is

Spoiler:
Small, gets +2 STR / +2 WIS / -2 INT, has Low-Light Vision, gets +4 Climb and Stealth in forests/jungles, gets -2 to most rolls while riding a creature or vehicle, gets +4 to Handle Animal against apes and monkies, and gets +2 to break/burst objects or unarmed-sunder. They start speaking Sasquatch.
Lord Gadigan wrote:
Orang-Pendak is ** spoiler omitted **

AWESOME! THNX!

MINI-SQUATCH!
How is their art?

Also, what is the taxidermy template like? Can PC's make taxidermied creatures of their own?
J-Spee Lovecraft wrote:
Also, what is the taxidermy template like? Can PC's make taxidermied creatures of their own?

Seconded, also the tsukumogami.

Last one. Can someone post the stats and give a little info on the Astomoi?

Astomoi and the Reptoids were a surprise for me that I really like
1 person marked this as a favorite.
Pathfinder Starfinder Society Subscriber
Myth Lord wrote:
I really hope the Tiyanak is stronger than CR 1!

Try CR 6.

1 person marked this as a favorite.
Eildath wrote:
Oh hey, Hobkins are the Hopskinville Goblin, aren't they? If so, Kentucky monsters represent!

And topping the list of "Monsters I never thought I'd see adapted for an RPG..." Yay, Paizo!

Lord Gadigan wrote:
Orang-Pendak is ** spoiler omitted **

Great! They could almost be the Little Red Men of the Delta with those stats.

137ben wrote:

How many 26+ CR creatures are there?

137ben wrote:
137ben wrote:

How many 26+ CR creatures are there?

Zero. Below that, the highest CR is 24, fir the danava and shen.

1 person marked this as a favorite.
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber
Lord-of-Boggards wrote:

Last one. Can someone post the stats and give a little info on the Astomoi?

Astomoi and the Reptoids were a surprise for me that I really like

Spoiler:

-Con, +Wis, +Int
Medium and normal speed
Scent/Telepathic senses (darkvision/total 'vision' range 60 feet)
- to disease and inhaled poisons
Don't eat or drink and abosrb food. Immune to ingested poisons.

It's a really cool race. Already stat'd up one for the Giantslayer game I'm playing in!

Dark Archive

So what are new aeons like?

What is the Shen?

And what is the difference between the Peuchen and Amphiptere? Are they both winged serpents? Or not?
Myth Lord wrote:
And what is the difference between the Peuchen and Amphiptere? Are they both winged serpents? Or not?

Well you'd hope that the Peuchen is a shapechanger that drinks blood.

I know, but i'm just curious what they did with the Amphiptere, it appears different everywhere I see it.

Also, is the Wizard's Shackle a pathfinder version or the ultimate boring Hazard from D&D?
2 people marked this as a favorite.

The Shen is a mythic neutral golden Asian style dragon that grants rain and good crops but is also easily insulted and vengeful.

Aeon, Lipika

spoiler:

Large size CR18
looks like a featureless humanoid with multiple arms and an eye in each hand. Deals with those fated to be reincarnated and a lot of karma related powers.

Aeon, Othaos

spoiler:

Medium size CR4
Looks like a swirling vortex of light and darkness, has four limbs, 2 black and the other two white. Deals with the balance of light and darkness.

What are your favorite and least favorite creatures in the book Dragon78?
Pathfinder Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

Any of you kinda folks care to give a brief description of our aquatic humanoids, monstrous humanoids, or otherwise "civilized" aquatic critters? (Namely the ichthyocentaur and the deep one elder, but NOT the deep merfolk, I don't want to spoil the competition)
Lord Gadigan wrote:
Orang-Pendak is ** spoiler omitted **

...nice dodge on making them optimal cavaliers.

Can anyone share the size, CR, type, and alignment of the Gegenees, and if they have any especially interesting abilities?
Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Rulebook Subscriber; Starfinder Charter Superscriber
Acolyte of Mushu wrote:
Any of you kinda folks care to give a brief description of our aquatic humanoids, monstrous humanoids, or otherwise "civilized" aquatic critters? (Namely the ichthyocentaur and the deep one elder, but NOT the deep merfolk, I don't want to spoil the competition)

Ok:

Ichthyocentaurs, hybrids of hippocampi and more common merfolk

deep one elder (cr 14) deep ones who have lived a long time become them. They can grant spells
Azouth wrote:
Acolyte of Mushu wrote:
Any of you kinda folks care to give a brief description of our aquatic humanoids, monstrous humanoids, or otherwise "civilized" aquatic critters? (Namely the ichthyocentaur and the deep one elder, but NOT the deep merfolk, I don't want to spoil the competition)
** spoiler omitted **

spoiler:
How high of a level spells can they grant?
Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Rulebook Subscriber; Starfinder Charter Superscriber
The Golux wrote:
Can anyone share the size, CR, type, and alignment of the Gegenees, and if they have any especially interesting abilities?

Gegenees:

size Huge
cr 16
type monstrous humanoid(giant)
alignment CN
Clobber (Ex)When a gegenees damages a creature with three or more successful melee attacks in the same round, the gegenees can perform an awesome blow combat maneuver against the creature as a free action.
If the awesome blow succeeds, the target must succeed at a DC 30 Fortitude save or be dazed for 1d4 rounds, in addition to the normal effects of the awesome blow.
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