Pathfinder Lost Omens: Impossible Lands

Another thing I forgot to mention is that many of the new races follow a pattern of one fixed and one free ability score bonus, with no penalty. I am wondering whether the next edition of Pathfinder (presumably still many years off) will go with that as the standard system of ability score adjustments by ancestry?

I would guess no. Having a flaw is too flavorful of an option for most ancestries, and creates a narrative about the possible culture that is otherwise absent in simply giving everyone a boost. As does the lack of a flaw on the ancestries where it makes sense.

Plus, frankly, there's not as many options if you're just using a boost + free.

All that said, I wouldn't be surprised if most of the common ancestries wound up with the 2 boost set up, and the 3 boost + flaw was for uncommon and rare ancestry options.

Lessee: Dwarf Con, Elves Dex, Humans 2 free, Halflings Wis, Gnomes Int, Goblins Cha. Could play around with those; like Dwarves get Str and Gnomes Con. Whichever option is left will suggest who gets promoted to common; Orcs make sense to me, but so do Gnolls or Kobolds (if Int is freed up).

I think there are errors in some of the Kashrishi racial feats. Those related to climinb give the xyloshi as a requirement, but the xyloshi are the horn fighters. Should this be trogloshi?

Matravashi seems awesome! I’d love to see a fuller brief on her faith once we get to Vudra proper.

The kasesh from this book are possibly my favorite pf2e design ever, and I really hope they will become a PC ancestry one day.

Art question: Who or what is the rakshasa talking to on page 182?

Art question: Who or what is the rakshasa talking to on page 182?

I would assume they're like most of the other animal-headed folk in this book, and are thus from Bhopan; there's not a crocodilian Ancestry in the setting that I know.

NECR0G1ANT wrote:

Art question: Who or what is the rakshasa talking to on page 182?

I would assume they're like most of the other animal-headed folk in this book, and are thus from Bhopan; there's not a crocodilian Ancestry in the setting that I know.

I think the crocodile-headed one IS the Rakshasa. Look at the reversed hands/claws. The tail is confusing, though. The other being is clearly not human and I don't think he looks like a Rakshasa, either; especially since his hands/claws are not reversed when compared to the appearance of human hands.

Sorry, the crocodile-headed gentleman is definitely a rakshasa (see the backward palms). I was asking about the one on the right.

Ninja'd by Ashanderai, of Wheel of Time fame.

Sorry, the crocodile-headed gentleman is definitely a rakshasa (see the backward palms). I was asking about the one on the right.

Ninja'd by Ashanderai, of Wheel of Time fame.

Oh, I'm a fool!

I swear, the design on the right has been used previously for... some kind of fiend, but I can't seem to find it while scouring AoN.

Well I want to help with this conversation but I don't have the book so can't :'D I have pretty good memory of all fiend art

Since we seem to be playing "Who's that Bestiary entry" -- what's the creature on the cover?

Since we seem to be playing "Who's that Bestiary entry" -- what's the creature on the cover?

A Sphinx and several Maftets

What about the colossal mult-armed creature on p. 226, in the Mana Wastes section?

From what I've seen of the new Fleshwarp heritages, I'm pretty disappointed.

I feel like in general, Fleshwarps don't really have super impactful heritage choices, and I was hoping that the ones here would be a bit more exciting.

Instead, as I see it, it's :

"Nonscaling armor proficiency and an infamously useless skill feat"

"Improved saves vs a very narrow range of effects that a player may never even see"

"Training in one skill and a narrow skill feat"

I know not every heritage can be as good as "Get a multiclass dedication feat", but I can dream for something at least a little better!

Leon Aquilla wrote:

Since we seem to be playing "Who's that Bestiary entry" -- what's the creature on the cover?

A Sphinx and several Maftets

If those are Maftets, they have definitely reimagined them from the way they looked in PF1.

VerBeeker wrote:

Leon Aquilla wrote:

Since we seem to be playing "Who's that Bestiary entry" -- what's the creature on the cover?

A Sphinx and several Maftets

If those are Maftets, they have definitely reimagined them from the way they looked in PF1.

The only Maftets in the book don't fit the scene on the cover; this is in Quantium (you can tell by the floating spires!), while the only Maftets mentioned are Mana Wastes guides and scouts who don't look like this.

Leon Aquilla wrote:

Since we seem to be playing "Who's that Bestiary entry" -- what's the creature on the cover?

A Sphinx and several Maftets

Maftets are not mentioned in official twitter's description while a large winged one was.

Sorry, the crocodile-headed gentleman is definitely a rakshasa (see the backward palms). I was asking about the one on the right.

Ninja'd by Ashanderai, of Wheel of Time fame.

I uh... Can't tell? It could be Geb from new picture of the book I guess? :'D But yeah I don't obviously recognize it to be a fiend so it could be just local Jalmarey half elf for all I know

For anyone picking this up and finding themself suddenly in need of Ghoran character portraits, the Sylvari from Guild Wars 2 are remarkably close visually; you'll find mountains of screenshots, concept art, and fanart of them online :>

(They're plant people, but with a wildly different niche - they're brand new to the world and share a sort of psychic dream realm before they're "born." Neat stuff!)

Some minor lore change I like: Asura and Rakshasa were previously written to be kinda completely disinterested in gods(despite having demigods of their own), here its mentioned for both of them that they are fascinated by concept of one of their kind becoming a true god (for asura because its step towards unmaking reality, for rakshasa because it'd be greatest Rakshasa of their kind so enclave that rakshasa that surpasses Ravana the first and last would come from would be extra prestigious)

For anyone picking this up and finding themself suddenly in need of Ghoran character portraits, the Sylvari from Guild Wars 2 are remarkably close visually; you'll find mountains of screenshots, concept art, and fanart of them online :>

(They're plant people, but with a wildly different niche - they're brand new to the world and share a sort of psychic dream realm before they're "born." Neat stuff!)

Interestingly, I'd say they're not so widly different at all, with the "silent consensus" of the Ghoran filling the role of The Dream as a shared experience and understanding amongst them

And also

"His mane of fire, a defining feature of fire giants, was snuffed out when Nirkas died and never reappeared. Now he covers his bald head with a horned helmet to pay homage to his god Zursvaater and to hide his shame."

*looks at art with glowing beard and sideburns*

??? I'm confused of whether this is art error or not since he IS bald x'D

(also oh hey aether element mentioned)

I think I spotted Yamasoth being mispelled as Yasamoth on page 297 but I'm not sure

Man I prefer old quantium golem art x'D New one isn't bad, but old one is so cool, doesn't help that its by one of my favorite artists not seen in pathfinder art for years x'D

Is there cool Gebby stuff one might be able to add to Blood Lords, or more just flavoring for those who have it?

Thanks

Tom

Still waiting for my sub to be fulilled.

Is there cool Gebby stuff one might be able to add to Blood Lords, or more just flavoring for those who have it?

Thanks

Tom

Well pretty much all major cities featured in blood lords get their own gazetteers and thus fleshed out as well so :'D

Art question: Who or what is the rakshasa talking to on page 182?

Look genie-kin to me, possibly shaitan.

Leon Aquilla wrote:

Since we seem to be playing "Who's that Bestiary entry" -- what's the creature on the cover?

A Sphinx and several Maftets

My wife said it was a Gynosphinx as well. I think because of the mask and the way the skin and fur color blend I didn't recognize it.

Is there cool Gebby stuff one might be able to add to Blood Lords, or more just flavoring for those who have it?

It has maps of Mechitar and Yled which become relevant starting at the end of book 2. I basically put the AP on hold for a few weeks until this book came in.

ALKENSTAR CITY SETTLEMENT 14
LN METROPOLIS
Population 53,600 (93% dwarves, 4% humans, 3% other)

I get feeling this is typo because vast majority of Alkenstar art shows human characters and most of outlaw of alkenstar characters so far seem to be human :D

ALKENSTAR CITY SETTLEMENT 14

LN METROPOLIS
Population 53,600 (93% dwarves, 4% humans, 3% other)

I get feeling this is typo because vast majority of Alkenstar art shows human characters and most of outlaw of alkenstar characters so far seem to be human :D

Interesting. According to PathfinderWiki, in PF1 it was Neutral and had a population breakdown of 85% humans, 7% dwarves, 3% halflings, and 5% other.

CorvusMask wrote:

ALKENSTAR CITY SETTLEMENT 14

LN METROPOLIS
Population 53,600 (93% dwarves, 4% humans, 3% other)

I get feeling this is typo because vast majority of Alkenstar art shows human characters and most of outlaw of alkenstar characters so far seem to be human :D

Interesting. According to PathfinderWiki, in PF1 it was Neutral and had a population breakdown of 85% humans, 7% dwarves, 3% halflings, and 5% other.

In Lost Omens Highhelm, we'll learn how the dwarves of Highhelm invaded Alkenstar. Adding more law and alot more dwarves to its statblock.

ALKENSTAR CITY SETTLEMENT 14

LN METROPOLIS
Population 53,600 (93% dwarves, 4% humans, 3% other)

I get feeling this is typo because vast majority of Alkenstar art shows human characters and most of outlaw of alkenstar characters so far seem to be human :D

I had this exact reaction the second time I looked back and saw the ancestry breakdown. I was like... there sure are a lot of humans in Outlaws of Alkenstar and not many dwarves, huh?

ALKENSTAR CITY SETTLEMENT 14

LN METROPOLIS
Population 53,600 (93% dwarves, 4% humans, 3% other)

I get feeling this is typo because vast majority of Alkenstar art shows human characters and most of outlaw of alkenstar characters so far seem to be human :D

Miscommunications happen and retcons happen. I for one think this is awesome.

Retcons happen, but they're usually appended with a remark by a developer of "by the way, that's not a typo" and there's no evidence of that here.

CorvusMask wrote:

ALKENSTAR CITY SETTLEMENT 14

LN METROPOLIS
Population 53,600 (93% dwarves, 4% humans, 3% other)

I get feeling this is typo because vast majority of Alkenstar art shows human characters and most of outlaw of alkenstar characters so far seem to be human :D

Miscommunications happen and retcons happen. I for one think this is awesome.

Its pretty clearly not retcon though because nothing in lore text implies alkenstar is dorf city instead of human city with diplomatic relations with dorf citadel of 4000 dwarves(was dongun hold always that tiny?)

Neither the text nor the artwork support the idea of a dwarven majority - it's mostly Garundi (or painfully Avistani) humans, with dwarves seemingly as a distant second, "visiting from nearby Dongun Hold" as the book puts it.

Do we know what the funny little dolls all over the Nex chapter are? They almost feel like alebrije. Was the archmage especially fond of Poppets?

Do we know what the funny little dolls all over the Nex chapter are? They almost feel like alebrije. Was the archmage especially fond of Poppets?

Everyone is especially fond of Poppets. ♥

Sidenote, speaking of dorfs, I find it amusing we now have third(and maybe final?) take on what Dongun Hold's aesthetic is.

I mean, in all three sources with Dongun Hold pictures, the ruler and surface building has same design, but now they don't have just persian aesthetic they also have korean aesthetic :'D So now they are combination of persian and korean motifs and first asian looking dorfs so far while still having middle eastern and african aesthetics.

Another piece of art I like is the tower in Yled that looks like a hand. Like Horok Castle from Neverending Story.

Having a beast of a time getting my ADHD to focus on the real meat of this one, but last night I got through Prada Hanam’s writeup, and I have to say I love the place. Definitely somewhere in the Inner Sea that seems like a joy to visit.

Any word on sanctioning?

Also, I see we have yet another heritage that can have integrated plate armor but gets zero training in it. Could someone please explain to me what is the purpose of those heritages besides more questions from players "how can I not be trained in my own skin?"

Any word on sanctioning?

Also, I see we have yet another heritage that can have integrated plate armor but gets zero training in it. Could someone please explain to me what is the purpose of those heritages besides more questions from players "how can I not be trained in my own skin?"

It's already been sanctioned and is up on the character options section of pfs

Any word on sanctioning?

It's been sanctioned since release day!

Sweeeeet! :)

I will say, I wish the Humans section was a little more meaty, especially when held up to how lovely the Mwangi Expanse book was in that regard; not having a clear overview of the Vudrani as a people, what traditional castes actually look like (so much is made of rebelling against or moving beyond them, but I don't know what they are!), is a shame. After the Vudra backmatter article set up the three Vudrani sub-ethnicities in the Banjeray, Dhavala, and Parbatkay, it felt strange not having them here - or some more overt explaining of what identities the mixed Jalmeray have instead.

It's also a little frustrating to see as much talk of the Sunghari as a people who are victims of colonial violence, now come to reclaim their native soil and traditional culture...... without actually being given the tools to play them as heroes with agency. For all that's said about not forgetting their traditions, the only concrete thing I can say about the Sunghari is that some of them own fisheries. Who are their gods? What do they look like? Where are any named Sunghari characters?

I love wide swathes of this book, but it's definitely got some hiccups like this, or the aforementioned centering of deities who don't actually get a place between the covers. There's definitely places where I feel like I've got a ton of awesome, evocative lore, but am missing some fundamentals I'd really need to feel comfortable at the table.

I have some questions about Way of the Triggerbrand from Impossible Lands that might need errata to answer.

Can a Triggerbrand using a combination weapon use Wind Them Up, Break Them Down, and Triggerbrand Salvo while the weapon is either in Ranged or Melee Mode?

Triggerbrand Salvo being exactly like Stab and Blast would make how you'd rule Stab and Blast apply to Salvo as well... but that's unclear. As it is, if they have to be in melee mode, it's a case of specific beating general for making the ranged strike, since the weapon would be in melee mode. But then why wouldn't the melee strike also be a case of specific beating general while being in ranged mode?

Wind Them Up specifying it flatfoots to ranged attacks makes me think it can be used while the weapon is in ranged mode, despite it making no ranged attacks. Otherwise one would need to be hasted to make use of the flatfooted debuff, or have Triggerbrand Salvo. Also, what are you meant to steal midcombat that would be useful? You can't steal bombs, consumables, wands, material component pouches, or a significant amount of ammo because all of things are Light bulk, and Steal says usually only negligible things are allowed.

Break Them Down specifies you don't need to change modes to make Strikes with the melee and then ranged, but it doesn't specify if you need to start in melee mode, similar to Stab and Blast/Triggerbrand Salvo, which makes me think how you'd rule those two would apply to here as well.

Additionally, does the two MAP apply to Triggerbrand Salvo if the melee strike misses? The wording is unclear, similar to Stab and Blast

I will say, I wish the Humans section was a little more meaty, especially when held up to how lovely the Mwangi Expanse book was in that regard; not having a clear overview of the Vudrani as a people, what traditional castes actually look like (so much is made of rebelling against or moving beyond them, but I don't know what they are!), is a shame. After the Vudra backmatter article set up the three Vudrani sub-ethnicities in the Banjeray, Dhavala, and Parbatkay, it felt strange not having them here - or some more overt explaining of what identities the mixed Jalmeray have instead...

Seconding the call for more Sunghari lore! They sound really cool. Nice, fertile storytelling soil they be when an adventure path graces Niswan's corner of the world! Or maybe Pathfinder Society? An Impossible Kingdoms book may be the most likely, considering these people have mostly lived in Vudra for the past while, only recently having returned in force to Jalmeray itself. Any which way, hope we haven't heard the last from these folk.

Happily, I think there's a lot of material exploring Vudran castes in 1e's Inner Sea Races. I remember there being four of them: warrior, expert, scholar, and religious. You might already be aware of it, but it’s a really fun book to read through, just in case!

Been reading Interstellar Species and Impossible Lands obsessively since I received them, and holy mackerel, Paizo, you done it again. Really enchanted with Jalmeray's writeup – the kite-flying season in Niswan and beautiful architectural and environmental renderings send my mind places my most special bottle of absinthe could only dream to. Thank you for this masterpiece of fantasy – Golarion becomes ever more real, beautiful, and expansive with each passing year.

VerBeeker wrote:

Leon Aquilla wrote:

Since we seem to be playing "Who's that Bestiary entry" -- what's the creature on the cover?

A Sphinx and several Maftets

If those are Maftets, they have definitely reimagined them from the way they looked in PF1.

Aren't Maftet's smaller more humanoid Sphinx?

David knott 242 wrote:

VerBeeker wrote:

Leon Aquilla wrote:

Since we seem to be playing "Who's that Bestiary entry" -- what's the creature on the cover?

A Sphinx and several Maftets

If those are Maftets, they have definitely reimagined them from the way they looked in PF1.

Aren't Maftet's smaller more humanoid Sphinx?

Pretty much.

Maftets are hawk-winged humanoids with leonine lower bodies that dwell in ancient ruins and cities thought lost, typically in desert or mountain regions.

I can see that the one on the far right has paws instead of feet.

In PF1, though, the description suggests to me that their lower bodies were more furry and feline than shown here.

Broad hawk wings support this creature with the torso of a bronze-skinned human and the lower body of a tawny, bipedal lion.

...
A typical maftet is 7 feet tall and weighs 270 pounds. The fur on their leonine bodies ranges in coloration from a light buff to goldenrod or rust red. In some climates, maftets have the spotted lower bodies of leopards, and in rare circumstances they may possess white fur and pale skin or black fur and grayish-purple skin. Such individuals frequently rise to positions of power among their kind.

Maftets have shown up twice in 2e art, both in Bestiary 3 and for the Wings of Alkam in this book; both have the paw feet.