I have to say this would probably be my one complaint about the Inner Sea World Guide. It gives just the barest of explanations of monster ecology, and in some cases not at all. I'd rather not have to beg, borrow, or buy all the "Guide[s] to..." books just to get a detailed ecology for all the different areas. I realize the the Bestiaries give Ecology per monster, and that the setting is supposed to be very open to GM input, but as a GM I do much better with a solid description of frequently encountered monsters and NPC's.
Thoughts?
Creative Director
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I have to say this would probably be my one complaint about the Inner Sea World Guide. It gives just the barest of explanations of monster ecology, and in some cases not at all. I'd rather not have to beg, borrow, or buy all the "Guide[s] to..." books just to get a detailed ecology for all the different areas. I realize the the Bestiaries give Ecology per monster, and that the setting is supposed to be very open to GM input, but as a GM I do much better with a solid description of frequently encountered monsters and NPC's.
Thoughts?
We do two revisited books a year, each of which has ten six-page articles about monsters. We also generally do 2 to 4 "ecology" style articles about monsters in the support sections of the Adventure Paths as well.
The "Inner Sea World Guide" is not the right place to detail hundreds of monster ecologies, in any case—there's just no room when the focus of the book has to be on guiding you through the Inner Sea region.
I have to say this would probably be my one complaint about the Inner Sea World Guide. It gives just the barest of explanations of monster ecology, and in some cases not at all. I'd rather not have to beg, borrow, or buy all the "Guide[s] to..." books just to get a detailed ecology for all the different areas. I realize the the Bestiaries give Ecology per monster, and that the setting is supposed to be very open to GM input, but as a GM I do much better with a solid description of frequently encountered monsters and NPC's.
Thoughts?
We do two revisited books a year, each of which has ten six-page articles about monsters. We also generally do 2 to 4 "ecology" style articles about monsters in the support sections of the Adventure Paths as well.
The "Inner Sea World Guide" is not the right place to detail hundreds of monster ecologies, in any case—there's just no room when the focus of the book has to be on guiding you through the Inner Sea region.
Totally understood. I think "complaint" may have been too harsh a word there James. It's not a complaint really. I absolutely adore ISWG. I read it for personal pleasure more than just about anything else I have sitting around my house. I guess when I bought it I thought it would be much like it is, but with at least a section for each country on normal flora and fauna.
I guess what I'm looking for might be a whole new book. Sort of a "Bestiary/Biology by Location" sort of a book. Maybe breaking each country down into further smaller sections by climate and terrain, and including some random encounter tables for each of those areas.
I've gotten a look at some of the "Guide[s] to," over the years, and what I really like are the Dangerous Denizens, and Civilization sections, as they really help completely flesh out those nitty-gritty parts of a locale.
I've never been an AP guy, but I'll definitely keep my eyes peeled for those "revisited" books. For those I assume you're talking about books like this: Dragon's Revisited?
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Creative Director
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I've never been an AP guy, but I'll definitely keep my eyes peeled for those "revisited" books. For those I assume you're talking about books like this: Dragon's Revisited?
Correct. Other books in the line would include Classic Monsters Revisited, Dungeon Denizens Revisited, Classic Horrors, Misfit Monsters Redeemed, and the latest—Undead Revisited.
In the Adventure Paths, we've also covered a diverse range of ecologies, ranging from rakshasas, stone giants, boggards, lycanthropes, serpentfolk, Varisians, Shoanti, drow, tieflings, genies, spawn of Rovagug, and more.
There are also 'monsters by terrain' lists in the back of either bestiary, climate included, if that helps. Just figure out the CR you're looking for, what the area you're working on is like, and there you are.
There are also 'monsters by terrain' lists in the back of either bestiary, climate included, if that helps. Just figure out the CR you're looking for, what the area you're working on is like, and there you are.
I feel like an idiot. I did not see that section of the book, until you pointed it out. Thank you!
There are also 'monsters by terrain' lists in the back of either bestiary, climate included, if that helps. Just figure out the CR you're looking for, what the area you're working on is like, and there you are.I feel like an idiot. I did not see that section of the book, until you pointed it out. Thank you!
No worries, and no problem:)