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I went through all the first edition Races, Sub-Races, Humanoids, and Monstrous Humanoids with the idea of looking at potential 2E Ancestries. I capped the Monstrous Humanoids off at CR 5 and attempted to remove those Monstrous Humanoids that felt thematically to be reserved as monsters, so for example Hags were excluded from consideration. The one exception to the CR 5 cap is the Girtablilu (Scorpion folk). Because of their similarities to Centaurs in shape I included them. Below the ancestries are divided thematically by geography and continent.
Darklands
The Darklands are interesting in that many of the ancestries are connected to surface ancestries. Many of these ancestries could potentially be heritages of their surface dwelling relatives, or Paizo will go a different route and make these distinct Ancestries.
Caligni/Dark Folk
-Dark Caller
-Dark Champion
-Dark Creeper
-Dark Dancer
-Dark Empath
-Dark Stalker
-Dark Slayer
Derro (Possibly Reserved as Monster)
Dire Corby (Darklands Tengu?)
-Dread Corby
-Ghost Corby
-Ghoul Corby
-Winged Corby
Drow
-Drow, Noble
Duergar
Mongrelman
Morlock
Munavri
Serpentfolk (Possibly Reserved as Monster)
Skulk
Svirfneblin
Trox
Ulat-Kini/Skum (Possibly Reserved as Monster)
Xulgath/Troglodyte (Possibly Reserved as Monster)
-Slaugrak
-Thoughtmaw
What’s missing? I am a little surprised there hasn’t been a bat theme Darklands ancestry which would be a great option. Also, a mushroom/fungus Darklands ancestry would be a great option. There are few preexisting fungus/mushroom people from 1E that could be developed to fill the niche.
Aquatic/Ocean
The Aquatic Ancestries have a tendency to be a little more powerful, but this can easily be addressed with Heritages and Ancestry Feats. There is a good spread here with good, neutral and evil trending Ancestries. Even shark lovers have a potential themed Ancestry in the form of Adaro.
Adaro
Aquatic Elf
Ceratioidi
Cecaelia
Deep One (Possibly Reserved as Monster)
-Elder Deep One
Gillman/Azarketi
Grindylow
Ichthyocentaur
Locathah
Merfolk
-Merfolk, Deep
Murajau
Ningyo (Possibly Reserved as Monster)
Sahuagin (Possibly Reserved as Monster)
-Malenti
-Four-Armed
-Prehistoric/Adacthys
-Shark-Blooded
-Sightless
-Spined
Selkie (Kitsune of the Sea?)
Triton
What’s missing? There isn’t a crustacean themed ancestry, however, the Triton could be given a different look to fill this role. There also isn’t any aquatic plant people which seems odd.
Stars/Space
The Star Ancestries have a good mix of sci-fi ancestries that maintain a fantasy feel to them. Of the Star Ancestries the Android probably has the hardest sci-fi feel but they still feel like they belong because of Numeria.
Android
Contemplative
-Enlightened
Formian, Worker
-Queen
-Taskmaster
-Warrior
-Myrmarch
Gray (Possibly Reserved as Monster)
Green Martian
Grioth
Kasatha
Lashunta
Reptoid (Possibly Reserved as Monster)
Shobhad (Possibly Reserved as Monster)
Triaxian
-Winterborn
-Summerborn
-Transitional
-Dragon-Blooded
Yaddithian
What’s missing? It’s hard to say since the possibilities here are pretty far ranging.
Giants
Giant Ancestries are a tough one. There aren’t very many CR 5 and below Giants and the few that are in that zone are strongly themed as monsters. There are a few that might work. Perhaps the best option is the Cyclops simply because of the rich history they have on Golarion.
Cyclops
-Great Cyclops
-Savage Great Cyclops
-Ngogas
-Oracular
-Kabandha
Firbolg
Ogrekin
What’s missing? Hard to say since there aren’t really options to play as any of the Giant Ancestries.
Universal
Some of the 1E Races will turn into Universal Heritages. I think I have identified all of the Races that will turn into Universal Heritages. However, some of them like the Changeling it is not yet clear if it will be a Human Heritage or Universal.
Aasimar
-Idyllkin
-Angelkin
-Lawbringer
-Musetouched
-Plumekith
-Emberkin
Aphorite
Changeling (Universal Heritage or Human Heritage?)
-Slag May
-Hearth May
-Veil May
-Waker May
-Callow May
-Sorrow May
-Moon May
-Brine May
-Virga May
-Snow May
Deep One, Deep One Hybrid
Dhampir
-Ru-Shi
-Svetocher
-Ancient-Born
-Ajibachana
Duskwalker
Ganzi
-Expanded Oddities
Ifrit
-Lavasoul
-Sunsoul
Oread
-Gemsoul
-Ironsoul
Skinwalker
-Bloodmarked
-Coldborn
-Ragebred
-Scaleheart
-Aerieborn
-Nightskulk
-Seascarred
-Fanglord
-Witchwolf
Suli
Sylph
-Smokesoul
-Stormsoul
Tiefling
-Faultspawn
-Grimspawn
-Foulspawn
-Pitborn
-Hellspawn
-Spitespawn
-Shackleborn
-Hungerseed
-Motherless
-Beastbrood
Undine
-Mistsoul
-Rimesoul
What’s missing? Options for Fey, Shadow, Aberration, and Dragon are all obvious choices here as well.
Surface-Aquatics
Ancestries that live almost exclusively in rivers, lakes, streams, marshes, bogs, and swamps, but have the versatility to be adventurers can be tough to pull off. Paizo has a few though that could fill this niche. I am not including Iruxi/Lizardfolk and Grippli here as they also inhabit jungles and forests.
Naiad
Vodyanoi
Boggard (Possibly Reserved as Monster)
Bog Strider/Ses’h (Possibly Reserved as Monster)
What’s missing? Not much, there is not a ton of room in these environments and these fill the niche nicely, assuming the Vodyanoi are developed into the salamander/newt playable Ancestry.
Surface Areas
What follows is a breakdown of the remaining 1E Races, Humanoids, and Monstrous Humanoids (again capped at CR 5) by Continent. The Continent an Ancestry is placed on is based on references in Pathfinder books indicating where the largest population centers are found. When no reference is provided I went with my best guess based on theme. First up is Arcadia.
Rougarou
Sasquatch
Strix
Syrinx (Possibly Reserved as Monster)
Wyrwood
Avistan is a little odd in that many of its Ancestries are found on multiple Continents thus I included et al.
Bugbear (Possibly Reserved as Monster)
-Kardan
-Wikkawak
-Murd
-Slate-Stalker
-Koblak
Dwarf
-Deep
-Desert
-Elder
-Exiled
-Mountain
-Mwangi
-Ouat
-Pahmet
-Paraheen
-Sky Citadel
Elf
-Aquatic
-Artic
-Dusk
-Ekujae
-Forlorn
-Jininese
-Savage
-Snowcaster
-Spiresworn
-Tower
Kayal/Fetchling
Gathlain
Gnome
-Bleachling
-Dread
-First World
-Gear
-Lava
-Segada
-Traveler
Goblin
-Mutant
-Monkey
-Kijimuna
-Oversized
-Snow
Halfling
-Avenging
-Nomadic
-Segadan
-Slave Born
-Song’o
Hobgoblin
Human
-Cosmopolitan
-Country Folk
-Gutter Rat
-Imperious
-Trailblazer
-Versatile
-Half-Elf
-Shoreborn
-Wildborn
-Elf-Raised
-Darkborn
-Human-Raised
-Spireborn
-Snowborn
-Half-Orc
-Arena-Bred
-Gloomkin
-Deep Kin
-Sandkin
-Feral
-Rainkin
-Mountain Clan
-Cragkin
-Mystic
-Forstkin
Kobold
Leshy, Vine
-Seaweed
-Cactus
-Sunflower
-Flytrap
-Fungus
-Gourd
-Leaf
-Lichen
-Lotus
-Snapdragon
Orc
Wyvaran
Garund has a pretty good variety of Ancestries and most of them are pretty interesting.
Catfolk/Amurruns
Charau-ka (Possibly Reserved as Monster)
-Pygmy
Derhii (Possibly Reserved as Monster)
Ghoran
Gnoll (Possibly Reserved as Monster)
-Flind
-Unchosen
Grippli
Kuru (Possibly Reserved as Monster)
Lizardfolk/Iruxi
-Scion
Shabti
Umasi
Spriggan
Casmaron has some slightly more powerful Ancestries. This is largely a result of half human-half animal Ancestries like Centaurs, Girtablilu, and Thriae. On a personal note I would love to see the Panotti fully developed into an Ancestry.
Astomoi
Centaur (Possibly Reserved as Monster)
-Azorva
-Rashalka
-Tsolniva
-Exalted Wood
Girtablilu (Possibly Reserved as Monster)
Panotti
Thriae, Soldier (Possibly Reserved as Monster)
-Dancer
-Consturctor
-Queen
-Seer
Vishkanya
Orang-pendak
Vanara
The Crown of the World is interesting in that the only potentially unique Ancestry so far is the the Adlet, a rare non-giant CR 10 Humanoid.
Adlet (Possibly Reserved as Monster)
Tian Xia has some fun Ancestries to look forward too.
Kitsune
Nagaji
Samsaran
-Reborn Samsaran
Tengu
-Jinx Eater
Wayang
Ysoki/Ratfolk
The last potential Ancestry to mention is Mortics. At first I thought Mortics were going to be the corporeal undead Ancestry. Whereas a Dhampir is very uniquely tied to Vampires, I had hoped that Mortics would be more general. I hoped they would fill the niche for those rare occasions when corporeal undead and living people did things unspeakable. This would then open the possibility of Heritages for all kinds of undead, rare though they may be. That isn’t what Mortics turned out to be, and I am still kind of grumpy about it, so they aren’t on any of the lists above.
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Wow...78 Ancestries from Golarion, a dozen aliens, and a dozen more universal heritages. Though I do recall James Jacobs recently saying that he didn't want to make Serpentfolk playable.
That is a lot of cool hard work. Nice! Thanks!
