Monsters/opponents that really have to be outthought rather than outfought.
Seelie and Unseelie Sidhe
The Wild Hunt
The Sluagh
And some credible way to do a version of Knights of the Blackened Denaari (Denarii? Spellcheck anyone?)
This is my 1,000th post
Puny. :P
Can I toot my own horn and request super-proteans, like my paenums? Well, I did.
Generally, I love how you explore many lines of different fiends - like the divs.
Why not have different celestials? Searphim maybe?
And more azatas, certainly, including more powerful ones - seriously: There are balors and pit fiends, but the celestials have to hide behind angels? Same goes for archons and agathions, of course.
All in all people the planes! Chaotic anarchons and so on.
And then fey! Far too few of them. Especially unseelie, wicked ones. Sylphs, changelings, the fairy godmother, the Klabautermann, Leanansidhe, the Nac Mac Feegle (from T. Pratchett - they submit to that belief that you go to a Valhalla-like place when you die. And they belief that they already died and are in warrior heaven.)
More mythology/folklore monsters. I love them so!
More fey, oozes and plant creatures - they are far outweighed by the other creature types.
More non-outsider/dragon/undead high-level critter beasties for the PCs to face. The world loses its mystery when you've fought your tenth planar creature in a row.
Owner - Johnny Scott Comics and Games
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Lycanthropes. I love these creatures, but I don't think they've ever been used to their potential in D&D. The 3.5 template was confusing and difficult to use, and there was very little (no) support for the creatures. Included with the details/template for Lycanthropes, I'd also like to see feats and skills that could enable a PC/NPC to begin to control their curse.
I'd also like to see:
* Kelpies
* Triffids
* Bunyips
* Selkies
* Wendigo
* Manitou
* Sasquatch
* Undead Templates (zombie, skeleton, shadow, ghoul, mummy, etc. Treatment would be similar to the Lycanthrope suggestion above)
* A creature similar to the Man-Thing/Swamp Thing
* The vines from the movie "Ruins"
* The pods from "Invasion of the Body Snatchers"
If you want mind flayers in your game, pick up a "Monster Manual" that has them and convert them.
Very true, but quite unnecessary to say. If people want to ask for a substitute, that is their right.
I agree with Toyrobots, Set, and many others. Intellect Devourers are cool, but they're not mind-flayer substitutes. I'd like to see a new original race that is humanoid, alien, and aberrant.
I support Lord Gadigan's idea:
My top request is more high level monsters. I believe James said at one point that one problem with designing high level modules and sets of adventures was the lack of non-dragon monsters for high level characters to face. I would greatly like to see this problem rectified to make high level adventures more possible.
High level monster examples-
Massive monsters for land, sea, and air- Behemoth, Leviathan, Ziz
Kaiju (This ties in with my Oriental monster request later)
Cthonic horrors
Extremely powerful outsiders
Colossi
I'd also like to see more Fey. I especially love Rich Pett's descriptions in Pathfinder #2, in the Book of the Eldest.
How about a proper poltergeist? A spirit with solid telekinesis, sound effects and fear effects, hot and cold effects, and insubstansial.
I was intriqued by the suggestion of more diverse planar creatures, but I also advocate balancing the number of them with prime material plane creatures.
I'd like to see a new original race that is humanoid, alien, and aberrant.
How about an aberration that functions something like a mohrg...
A little telepathic wormlike creature that burrows inside a creatures body until it reaches the creatures, brain, draining intelligence and dominating/charming it.
When the subject reaches 0 Int, the worm devours its brain and grows into its adult form, emerging as a slimy green lamprey-tongue from the creature's mouth. It breeds other wormy creatures, each emerging from the host's mouth like a vile, lamprey-like tentacle. The child worms exist in a hivemind with the original worm until they slither from its maw and latch onto adventurers to burrow in...
The poor host could remain alive as the tormented, insane thrall of the worms, sweating a slimy ichor. Or they fuse into a tentacled horror. Or, as in "Slither"...
Not terribly original, but it could be really creepy.
I started the threadjack, quite inadvertently.
Or as watcher puts it:
I'd like to see a new original race that is humanoid, alien, and aberrant.
Katapesh Spoiler:
Actually, I think the Pactmasters of Katapesh could be the first hints of a race that was something like this. A humanoid, scheming, domineering, aberrant race.
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Nuckelavee:The most horrible of all the Scottish elves. He lives mainly in the sea, but was also held responsible for ruined crops, epidemics, and drought. His breath could wilt the crops and sicken the livestock.[2]
I agree, I want the Nuckelavee, please make it more like this :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZO1DIXglpA
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Since reading the latest Dresden novel, I am really enamored with skinwalkers, the Navajo shapeshifting witch/werewolf. The folklore is vivid. Their abilities are plentiful, and as diverse as the personal accounts.
They are definitely more interesting than plain ol' werewooves.
As a desert rat from Arizona I would LOVE to see a well done version of the Skinwalker. Werewolves are cool, but Skinwalkers would be the bees knees. :)
cof cof
just to push the idea of the Valkyria, i offer you Brynhildr
Too skinny for a Valkyrie.
I started the threadjack, quite inadvertently.
Or as watcher puts it:
I'd like to see a new original race that is humanoid, alien, and aberrant.Katapesh Spoiler:
** spoiler omitted **
They're already statted out.
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Too skinny for a Valkyrie.cof cof
just to push the idea of the Valkyria, i offer you Brynhildr
She can be my Valkyrie.
She can be my Valkyrie.Too skinny for a Valkyrie.cof cof
just to push the idea of the Valkyria, i offer you Brynhildr
I... I...
I am compelled agree. With Darkwolf that is.
I'd like to see a new original race that is humanoid, alien, and aberrant.How about an aberration that functions something like a mohrg...
A little telepathic wormlike creature that burrows inside a creatures body until it reaches the creatures, brain, draining intelligence and dominating/charming it.
When the subject reaches 0 Int, the worm devours its brain and grows into its adult form, emerging as a slimy green lamprey-tongue from the creature's mouth. It breeds other wormy creatures, each emerging from the host's mouth like a vile, lamprey-like tentacle. The child worms exist in a hivemind with the original worm until they slither from its maw and latch onto adventurers to burrow in...
The poor host could remain alive as the tormented, insane thrall of the worms, sweating a slimy ichor. Or they fuse into a tentacled horror. Or, as in "Slither"...
Not terribly original, but it could be really creepy.
Triple curse on the MessageBoard Bug.. this my third attempt to reply!
First off, I think that's a fine monster idea. I don't want to dismiss it out of hand.
Having said that, I'll only refer to the "role" that I would like to see filled.
What was lost were genuine alien 'architects of evil'. A race that enslaved other races, when they weren't eating them. They were sophisticated builders and makers. Manipulators and puppet masters. Without question they screwed over good races, but they also screwed over rival evil races too.
The problem with your mohrg, or intellect devourers, is that they're mostly gross predators. They vomit worms and claw their ways out of skulls. Great monsters! But they're not filling the "role". They don't create civilizations, they don't have societies or make questionable deals with other evil entities.. and they don't undermine other people's civilizations. Instead, they jump out at you and make you gross while they eat you.
The mastermind is the niche or the "role" that some of us are seeking to fill.
You see, we don't need psionic brain eaters per se.. we need 'architects of evil.' I think Paizo gets confused on that, because of the way they push the Intellect Devourer. It's not the brain eating that is missed so passionately, that was just window dressing.
I may be wrong though, I am speaking for myself (or should be).
Now.. Paizo does have the aboleths, and they fill all those requirements and they're not even humanoid. Unfortunately, if I followed recent Paizo chats correctly, aboleths are being held in reserve until the campaign setting matures. So that when they're introduced as a primary enemy, it can be to maximum effect. That's an intelligent publishing strategy...
...except...
...we're still getting requests to fill a "role" that has been lost.
Butterfrogs!!!
I'd like to see a new original race that is humanoid, alien, and aberrant.
Like the Denizens of Leng?
An adaptation of the tibbit to Golarion ^^
Watcher, really, I know exactly what you mean. That role is missing. It needs to be filled.
Which is why I was glad to stumble on the seugathi in the Pathfinder Wiki, and definitely plan to pick up "Into the Darkness"; about the right CR and theme. If it doesn't do what I want, I can beat it into shape.
The witchwyrd is another suggestion, altho we need to see more of it. It doesn't so strongly reek of nightmarish malevolence.
But... who's to say those brainworms aren't fiendishly intelligent psionicists, puppetmasters, and slaveholders, breeding human hosts like cattle? ;)
EDIT
Mind flayers are pretty gross predators, after all.
I'd like to see a new original race that is humanoid, alien, and aberrant.Like the Denizens of Leng?
They could work, but they'd have to start using them more often.
In fact, I'd welcome that. But a special appearance in one AP doesn't make a mastermind villain race.
But I grant you that could be a place to start.
********
Goblin Witchlord... I had forgotten about the seugathi, that is a nice catch. Maybe. I dunno.
But I'm going to back off so the thread can enjoy suggestions from other folks now.
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This is my 1,000th post on the boards. Now, that's about 1/9 James's number, but what's the point of competing with a computer? So, in light of the additional digit and numerous zeros, I figured this should be significant post. So I'm opening it up. What monsters do you want to see in Pathfinder? Either in Pathfinder's Bestiary, or in a pseudo-hypothetical Bestiary II book? I tend to lean towards creatures in mythology and folklore, but if you have a neat concept, throw it out there; something the new rules could really highlight, lets hear about it; or a pet folkloric favorite you've always wanted to see in an RPG, drop me a link where I can read more. Load me up and I'll see what I can work in!
I'd like to keep this going for a while, so keep 'em coming! And always keep an eye on what we have coming up, as that tends to color our interests. For example, Kingmaker is coming down the line - lots of wilderness and rivers - so that's something to keep in mind.
Thanks a ton all!
Shoggoths
NightgauntsMi-Go
Elder Things
Tsathoggua
More daemons
Paris Hilton
. . . scratch the last one. Some horrors truly are too cosmic for mere words.
It sounds like the need for "Tome of Horrors Pathfinder Edition" is truly great.
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What was lost were genuine alien 'architects of evil'. A race that enslaved other races, when they weren't eating them. They were sophisticated builders and makers. Manipulators and puppet masters. Without question they screwed over good races, but they also screwed over rival evil races too.
...
The mastermind is the niche or the "role" that some of us are seeking...
And the aboleth fail to fit this role how, exactly? Alien? Three-eyed psionic amphibian/fish things from outer space not alien enough for you? Enslaves other races, when not eating them? I'll give you the not eating them part, aboleth aren't the most directly predatory of alien beings, but they sure like to twist and mutate humans and the other races into their deviant minions like the skum. Sophisticated builders and makers? You ever seen the 2e box set mega-adventure Night Below? They have huge, cyclopean, non-Euclidian buildings erected with such askew and obtuse angles as to drive the senses of mortal men to madness... mwahahahahaha!
Sorry, went a bit too far into the Lovecraftian realm for a bit. Manipulators and puppet masters? They get to enslave people 3 times per day, just right out of the box. Unless your big deal is a semi-humanoid alien, enslaving, flesh-devouring, odd-building-constructing, screwing-over-good-and-evil-alike race, how don't the aboleth meet your goals?
An adaptation of the tibbit to Golarion ^^
Tribble?
I'd also like triffids. And the mushroom men from that Japanese movie I always forget the name of.
And the aboleth fail to fit this role how, exactly?
how don't the aboleth meet your goals?
I actually addressed this in my post, and I acknowledged that they fit the criteria just fine. They're perfect in that respect. You're preaching to the choir..
(And I don't want to "joust" with you, as Heathansson would say, but it does slightly cheese me off that you act as if I didn't mention the aboleth myself as you ask me "how" repeatedly.)
So where are they? I realize they'll be in the Bestiary, as a stat block. But for having such an important role.. where are they?
Well I'll answer that for you. The aboleth are being held in reserve for a future date. And I got no problem with that. Good lord I wouldn't want an editor to appear and yell at me along with you. ;)
You make a good a point, but not the one that you intend. I suppose I'd like something to fill the role that wasn't being held in reserve by editorial mandate. Of course, one could argue that I could just go ahead and use the aboleth however I wish in my own campaign.
("Do it yourself" is always a conversation killer, because there is no way to respond to it)
Now bear in mind.. as I said to Goblin Witchlord, I'm trying to back off now. I said my peace. Some people see this topic as talked out to death, and I'm trying to respect that.
If Wes says to himself, "We need no such race to fill any such role, because we have the Aboleth", well I'll be fine with that too.
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What about digging into the mythology of the game itself? Well, perhaps history is a better word. There are several historic monsters which haven't see the light of day in a few editions which would be great itself.
Living Statues from the boxed sets. Great low level construct style opponents.
Some of the power undead from the Companion books: Druj, Poltergeist, etc. Something that would make a vampire wet their pants if they had the misfortune of encountering.
One word: Earthshaker. (OK, some more words.) Imagine that versus some monstrous spawn of Rovagug, with Player Character's in the middle. Or aiding one side.
Inspiration abounds in the old sets!
Ahem...two APs. That's a place to start +1. ;-)
Well cool, what was the second one Greg?
I'm running Runelords a second time, so I haven't read all the other APs.. just the support articles.
EDIT: And if the Denizens are going to be used that in role.. I think that's great. Somebody just had to tell me.
Heh. Vaughan says that likes he takes it personally.
Shoggoths
Nightgaunts
Mi-Go
Elder Things
Tsathoggua
More daemons
Indeed, all of Lovecraft is public domain now, so it only makes sense to adapt as much of it as possible.
Aside from that, wasn't there a big discussion on the boards a while back about wanting a graveknight or somesuch?
So, my insidious ploy of adding an unneeded "s" to a random word produced nothing. Pity, that. Well, time to go through GV's contributions and see if I am missing something. And Vaughan, watch the "do." I just got that done. {:-\
Jeebus. I look away for one bloody minute and all this happens... Okay, let's see here.
I love creatures from folklore and legend, there's a bunch of monsters over the years that I wanted to see a D&D version so to save time I'm going to grab the Wikipedia descriptions...
Some very cool ideas in there. One of which is already on the list.
EVIL. FEY.
Oh, expect plenty of those coming in 2010.
Those critters from Second Darkness (Akasta?) are suitable Displacer Beast replacements...
Check out the Coeurl in PF#22 too. Those guys are licensed beasties, so don't expect to see them reprinted anyone else sadly.
...but Intellect Devourers (and Seguathi or whatever) come *nowhere* near replacing the Mind Flayers, IMO.
Yeah, still working on the world-menacing evil race. Expect a few more attempts in Council of Thieves.
How 'bout the good old Brain Collector.
I really like these guys, and they are - outrageously - in the SRD, so I wouldn't be surprised to see them skitter on down the line eventually.
Drop bears...
Dude. Really?
Hanivers...
See Pathfinder #25 :P
Seelie and Unseelie Sidhe
The Wild Hunt
Oooof, while there will totally be room for these in our world, I wouldn't expect to see any of these phrases in our products. It's probably a little too "mim" for our take on the fey.
The Sluagh
Got a link on this? I was just looking this up from my notes yesterday and totally failed.
Rich Pett's descriptions in Pathfinder #2, in the Book of the Eldest.
Granted. Coming 2010.
I agree, I want the Nuckelavee...
On the list.
What was lost were genuine alien 'architects of evil'. A race that enslaved other races, when they weren't eating them. They were sophisticated builders and makers. Manipulators and puppet masters. Without question they screwed over good races, but they also screwed over rival evil races too.The mastermind is the niche or the "role" that some of us are seeking...
Remember this when you check out a certain list in the intro to PF #25's Bestiary. Who's on the ball? Oh, that'd be me. :P
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YES,bring back an updated FLUMPH that can scale to meet varying challenge levels much like dragons (size and power).
Perhaps a half Flumph template?
Their evil twins that have octopi tentacles and eat brains?
(can dominate humanoids and implant eggs that breed more
evil fumphs).
More seriously, I have always wanted to see the fey organized and defined along the lines devils and demons were. What I mean is by strength and area of interest/influence. As it stands now they are a
bunch of creatures that share a type without any basis for the implied relationship. Who is subserviant to whom? Why does each exist (its nich or what role it plays). What is their (if any) hierarchy.
And why are some placed or travel to the material plane? Are some exiles, spys, servants bound by ancient pacts? What was their relationship to the elementals? Were they stewards serving ancient gods that predate the current crop of powers? Or some primordial spirits connected to nature that just appeared.
Is there a connection between the fey and the outer realms(ie the Cthulu type beings)?
What about the fey lords? Are they like demon lords/arch devils/ elemental princes? How far does their influence reach on the material and in the fey realms. What is the source of their power - the elemntals are, well, elemental, the building blocks of the material realms. The powers of the outer planes draw their power from worship or the use/abuse of mortals souls. Are the fey waning in power in the world or growing in influence?
Just some thoughts on what direction the fey could take.
And Flumphs are cool!
Shoggoths
Nightgaunts
Mi-Go
Elder Things
Tsathoggua
Things like these, coming eventually.
More daemons
Coming sooner.
Paris Hilton
Not coming.
I'd also like triffids.
The Moonflower in PF #14 largely meant to be like half triffid, half Invasion of the Body Snatchers.