Monster Graduations

[Brinebeast]

In one of the recent live streams there was a random comment about monsters graduating into Monster Core to help fill in some of the gaps from the removal of OGL monsters. So for fun, I decided to gather up those 3.5 Pathfinder monsters that never graduated to 1E or 2E and provide my elevator pitch as to why they are ready to graduate into Monster Core 2 or Monster Core 3, if or when those books start development.

Sometimes, updated monsters can be hard to spot. So if anyone is aware of any of these monsters appearing in 1E or 2E please let me know. Also, is there something I missed, please let me know.

Are there any monsters from 3.5 Pathfinder, 1E Pathfinder, or 2E Pathfinder that you hope to see "graduate" into a Monster Core book?

Divs, before Pathfinder had Divs (Get of Iblis, Black Jinni, Ghalshoaton)

Name: Get of Iblis - CR 13
Types: aberration, aquatic

Elevator Pitch:

So, this monster definitely needs a new name. But, WOW, this monster hunts and destroys all types of elementals. This would make a terrifying Div. Its abilities are spot on, but it needs a new appearance and new lore. Also, hide your Geniekin Characters!!!

Name: Genie, Black Jinni - CR 12
Types: elemental, chaotic, evil, extraplanar

Elevator Pitch:

This creature's lore is far more suggestive of this being a Div. And honestly, we need more Divs, so let’s pick this low hanging fruit! Also, to see the Black Jinni getting some tweaks and an update to fit better into the setting would be great.

Name: Ghalshoaton - CR 9
Types: outsider, evil, extraplanar, lawful

Elevator Pitch:

Another great addition to the Divs, and the Ghalshoaton is basically already good to go. It needs a few minor lore tweaks, but that shouldn’t hold it back!

Aberrations, be afraid of the dark (Magga, Argorth, Snowdrifter, Emkrah, Black-Blooded Creatures).

Name: Mother of Oblivion, Magga - CR 15
Types: outsider, aquatic, native
Name: Mother of Oblivion, Argorth - CR 11
Types: aberration

Elevator Pitch:

Argorth are the spawn of Maggas. Maggas are also known as Mothers of Oblivion, and the Magga known as Black Magga is particularly infamous in Varisia. When a Magga spawns, one of its tentacles becomes independent and ravenous. The Magga must chew off this tentacle to release its spawn. Surprisingly, Mothers of Oblivion or Maggas, have never been released as their own monster. Instead we have only gotten Black Magga. We have a pretty interesting life cycle for the Magga and Argorth already developed, and it would be great to see them finally updated and presented together as a creature family.

Name: Snowdrifter - CR 4
Types: aberration, air, cold

Elevator Pitch:

Snowdrifters are terrifying and should also be called the Breath of Ithaqua. Cosmic horror snow monsters please!!!

Name: Spawn of Rovagug, Emkrah - CR 9
Types: aberration

Elevator Pitch:

To battle a Spawn of Rovagug is likely out of reach for most adventurers. However, these living eggs never hatch, but are still spawned from Rovagug. This allows Emkrah to be the perfect opportunity for adventurers to fight a Spawn of Rovagug. Also, the text indicates that there are also Emkrah that hatch but never develop into the mightiest Spawn of Rovagug, leaving the door open for Spawn of Rovagug in the level 10-19 range.

Name: Black-Blooded Creature - CR Varies
Types: template, aberration

Elevator Pitch:

Okay, so these are pretty specific to Orv, so maybe not the best option for a more general monster book. But when we do get around to visiting the Darklands, this living infection that takes over mind and body would be a great monster.

Native species, animals of Golarion (Dhabba, Sand Eel, Sikari Swarm, Crag Spider, Chariot Beetle).

Name: Dhabba - CR 1
Types: animal
Name: Eel, Sand - CR 5
Types: animal

Elevator Pitch:

Getting interesting and varied animals is always a plus. Especially when they are unique to a setting.

Name: Monkey, Sikari Macaque Swarm - CR 5
Types: animal, swarm

Elevator Pitch:

Sikari Rage is a disease that can either affect swarms, affect multiple individuals causing them to swarm, or both. Sikari Rage seems more like something that would work well with the Swarm and Troops creature categories. I don't think we have seen a swarm disease/troop disease before!.

Name: Spider, Crag Spider - CR 8
Types: vermin

Elevator Pitch:

This is a species of Giant Spider, and happens to be the first species of Giant Spider that Paizo made for Pathfinder. It would be great to see this updated.

Name: Beetle, Azlanti Chariot Beetle - CR 5
Types: vermin

Elevator Pitch:

This species of Giant Beetle is way overdue for graduation into a monster book. Flying beetle mounts with an ancient legacy from Azlant. Why were we getting the OGL slicer beetle when this was an option!

Constructed nightmares, don’t trust your senses (Granule Construct Swarm, Granule Construct Host, Tongue of Rebuke, Wings of Protection).

Name: Granule Construct Swarm - CR 6
Types: construct, swarm
Name: Granule Construct Host - CR Varies
Types: template, construct

Elevator Pitch:

Microscopic constructs that were potentially created on Azlant and that have a hive mind situation going on. That is already crazy awesome, but then some people also actively encourage a Granule Construct Swarm to inhabit their body so that they and the swarm can live in a mutually beneficial symbiotic relationship!!! This isn’t just a cool monster, this is a Creature Construct Archetype similar to Creature Undead Archetypes. Do you want your humanoid character to also gain the construct trait? Just become a host to a Granule Construct Swarm.

Name: Tongue of Rebuke - CR 9
Types: construct
Name: Wings of Protection - CR 8
Types: construct

Elevator Pitch:

So, both the Tongue of Rebuke and the Wings of Protection are pretty odd in terms of what we might typically think of for constructs. However, I don't think we have ever seen much in terms of what a Fey construct might look like. Looking at these creatures as fey constructs makes them very interesting and opens all kinds of possibilities.

Dragons of the burning desert (Gandareva Azi, Sruvara Azi, Zahhhak Azi).

Name: Azi, Gandareva - CR 16
Types: dragon, aquatic
Name: Azi, Sruvara - CR 15
Types: dragon
Name: Azi, Zahhak - CR 19
Types: dragon

Elevator Pitch:

Paizo has been hinting for a while that they plan to get back to the Azi. Lets pull that trigger already!!! I am looking forward to when that finally happens.

Once upon a time in the land of the First World (Frosty Chiseler, Miengu, Roseblood Sprite, Shadowy Lurker).

Name: Frosty Chiseler - CR 4
Types: fey, cold

Elevator Pitch:

This creature needs a new name. Otherwise, a fey creature that leaves frozen sculptures of flesh and viscera in boreal forests and on frozen tundras... this is a horror story and I need to know more!!!

Name: Miengu - CR 11
Types: fey, aquatic

Elevator Pitch:

This is an awesome creature, but if we are getting back to mythology, I am not certain this is a Fey Creature. I am surprised we didn’t see Miengu show up when we were visiting the Mwangi Expanse. But hopefully they will show up when we visit central/southern Garund, if not before.

Name: Sprite, Roseblood Sprite - CR 3
Types: fey

Elevator Pitch:

The lore for these sprites could use some updating, but otherwise these are a great addition to sprites. Why don’t we have sprites that turn into rose bushes yet?!?! And they work really, really well when connected with the Eldest, The Green Mother.

Name: Shadowy Lurker - CR 8
Types: undead, incorporeal

Elevator Pitch:

Why are these Undead and not Fey? Long ago, a group of hubristic elven artists were tricked into going to the First World where they were corrupted into beings that can only appear in the Universe through fine art objects and are bound to an art object while manifested in the Universe. That's crazy awesome, and these should absolutely be fey and not undead!!!

A beast on the trail, a beast on your tail (Coeurl, Deep Crow, Buraq, Cinder Wolf, Darklands Sentinel, Ercinee, Hoary Muntjac).

Name: Coeurl - CR 8
Types: magical beast
Name: Deep Crow - CR 14
Types: magical beast

Elevator Pitch:

These are both used by permission only and cannot be updated without receiving permission.

Name: Buraq - CR 5
Types: magical beast

Elevator Pitch:

The Buraq, Shedu, and Lamassu are a ready made creature family, and with Paizo taking a closer look at mythology now is the perfect time to bring these three together.

Name: Cinder Wolf - CR 2
Types: magical beast

Elevator Pitch:

These fiery wolves add a nice twist to a standard wolf encounter. The only thing holding Cinder Wolves back is that, as far as we know, they are only found in and around the Cinderlands of the Storval Plateau.

Name: Darklands Sentinel - CR 2
Types: magical beast

Elevator Pitch:

Whose an adorable replacement for the blindheim, you're an adorable replacement for the blindheim!!! But you need a new name because Darklands Sentinel is not the best name for my cute darklands buddy.

Name: Ercinee - CR 4
Types: magical beast

Elevator Pitch:

Giant, glowing, magical, night bird. This bird is literally dripping alchemy and it's awesome! Also, its description mentions that it is also called an Alicanto, which I think was a typo, and that it meant to say the bigger, even more alchemical species is called an Alicanto.

Name: Hoary Muntjac - CR 3
Types: magical beast

Elevator Pitch:

This one is an interesting case. The Hoary Muntjac is essentially a magical arctic wolfdeer. The creature feels like it should be in a Peryton creature family. Even if the Peryton and Hoary Muntjac have different abilities, their goals and appearance are very similar. It probably should get a new name, something like Peryjac or Hoaryton would be a simple way to tie the two creatures together and to harken back to the original name of hoary muntjac.

Within the depths of the fiendish realms (Xenarth, Chatterer Swarm, Crepitus, Nightmare Bats, Son of Perdition).

Name: Xenarth - CR 10
Types: outsider, chaotic, demon, evil, native

Elevator Pitch:

The Xenarth demons have previously been overlooked, but it would be great to see them get additional consideration. While initially designed off the Bulette, they are true demons. It would be great to see them distanced from the Bulette so they stand on their own as gluttonous demons.

Name: Chatterer Swarm - CR 8
Types: outsider, chaotic, evil)

Elevator Pitch:

That the Chatterer Swarm has not yet been added to the Vescavor creature family is a missed opportunity. Whereas the weaker Vescavor Swarm attempts to devour objects, the more deadly Chatterer Swarm attempts to devour flesh. And of course both swarms are directed by a Vescavor Queen.

Name: Crepitus - CR 5
Types: outsider, evil, extraplanar, lawful

Elevator Pitch:

Similar to the Divs, this is an Asura before Pathfinder had Asuras. We don’t have an Asura that represents the first Divine spell failure, and these could easily fill that role. Spells that fail against them are turned back against the caster. These make for great low level bosses and as support for more powerful Asura.

Name: Nightmare Bats - CR 3
Types: outsider, evil, extraplanar

Elevator Pitch:

These are almost an interesting creature and could easily be made awesome. They desperately need to be renamed Hellbats. Also, they would make great hell mounts. Why don’t we have the option to ride vulture-bats from Hell!

Name: Son of Perdition - CR 13
Types: outsider, chaotic, evil, extraplanar, incorporeal

Elevator Pitch:

Demons are not usually the fiends people think of when possession is involved. However, these would make for perfect possession demons. And their lore already fits this perfectly. But, oh buddy, do they need a name update.

On distant planes they wander (Shadowgarm, Zhyen Genie, Hadhayosh, Achaekek the Mantis God).

Name: Shadowgarm - CR 2
Types: aberration, extraplanar

Elevator Pitch:

These are great low level shadow monsters from the Netherworld. Not sure they are aberrations though. Also, it is already baked into their lore that they "leak" into the Universe. This makes them really versatile, allowing them to show up almost anywhere.

Name: Genie, Zhyen - CR ½
Types: elemental, air, earth, fire, or water

Elevator Pitch:

Surprise! I think this has been updated as the Gennayn Genie. My only hesitation is that the Jocta was not mentioned, but maybe that will be explored later. Can anyone confirm if the Gennayn Genie is an updated Zhyen Genie?

Name: Hadhayosh - CR 18
Types: magical beast, fire

Elevator Pitch:

Giant fire/beast/elemental that roams the Plane of Fire... Yes Please!!! Also, add a large size version that is slightly less fiery that is a domestic breed found on Golarion. Are you thinking The Last Unicorn elemental fire bull, cause I am!

Name: Achaekek, the Mantis God - CR 30
Types: outsider, lawful, evil, extraplanar

Elevator Pitch:

Not sure this is appropriate for an update, unless as a very powerful Avatar.

Be you friend or be you foe (Wooden Protector, Unchosen Gnoll).[/b]

Name: Wooden Protector - CR 3
Types: plant

Elevator Pitch:

This would be a perfect lower level Arboreal. If you are looking for Arboreal Knights, look no further. Alternatively, if you stuck closer to their original lore, these are a very minor form of Greenman Leshy.

Name: Gnoll, Unchosen - CR 4
Types: humanoid, gnoll

Elevator Pitch:

The Unchosen brings some exciting options to the Kholo that can easily be supported by Ancestry Feats. Kholos who undergo the Ritual; Growing of the Third Eye, open their minds and bodies to experiences that are unique to Kholo. Kholo who undergo this Ritual could gain access to Ancestry Feats like: Foresighted, Deathwatch, Large Size. While followers of Lamashtu consider this ritual as a gift from their goddess and perform it on both willing and unwilling Kholo, the ritual is not unique to Lamashtu. In Katapesh an alchemical method of reproducing the effects of the ritual has been developed. However, unlike the ritual, which slowly transforms a Kholo over time, the alchemical method is instantaneous, shattering the mind of the recipient. This turns the Kholo into a vicious predator that can avoid danger and smell the life force of its prey. Not surprisingly, the servants of Lamashtu are distinctly interested in this alchemical transformation.

The dead have died, the dead will rise, the dead will come again (Bloodless Vessel, Bonestorm, Croaker, Edimmu, Fell Flotsam, Gutdragging Lurcher, Hungry Mist, Necropyre, Smoke Haunt, Sea-Sworn).

Name: Bloodless Vessel - CR 12
Types: undead

Elevator Pitch:

Bloodless are incredibly interesting and powerful undead. I am actually surprised Paizo hasn't done more with these. They do need their lore freshened up a bit, but that shouldn't hold them back. Also, they are a perfect fit for the new Spirit mechanics.

Name: Bonestorm - CR 8
Types: undead, swarm

Elevator Pitch:

On battlefields where mass casualties have occurred, the marrow and bones of the restless dead can stitch and fuse together. The lingering spirits, massing together in their shared trauma to animate the undead bone and marrow monstrosity. Often we see corpses fusing together to form collective undead, and this makes for a nice twist, focusing on the bones instead of flesh.

Name: Croaker - CR 5
Types: undead, incorporeal

Elevator Pitch:

Croakers are really interesting for undead. Croakers were pushing the boundaries of not so evil undead very early in Pathfinder. Croakers are undead that arise because in life they were individuals that were intentionally targeted by a corrupt justice system. Hung from the gallows for crimes that their persecutors knew they didn’t commit, Croakers arise to take vengeance on those who murdered them out of convenience rather than justice. Croakers are a great example of undead that should not have the Unholy Trait. And they are a perfect option for murder mysteries or crime solving adventures.

Name: Edimmu - CR 3
Types: undead, incorporeal
Name: Great Ghul - CR 5+

Elevator Pitch:

While we did get the Ghul in 2E we did not get the Great Ghul yet. While a Ghul is a basic undead genie, Great Ghuls retain more of their elemental nature. This allows the Ghul to be expanded into a creature family with each Great Ghul matching closer to the genie it spawned from.
The Edimmu gives us an incorporeal undead genie option. And we definitely need more undead genie options! The Edimmu could also easily be expanded into a creature family based on the different genie types. Because the Edimmu and Ghul are so different in form and abilities, between the two, we could easily have a robust group of undead genies.

Name: Fell Flotsam - CR 6
Types: undead

Elevator Pitch:

I kind of have a soft spot for these ooze-like undead. The Fell Flotsam is just waiting to be combined into a creature family with the Flotsam Terror, both of which are water based ooze like undead, but with very different abilities.

Name: Gutdragging Lurcher - CR 3
Types: undead

Elevator Pitch:

The name for these undead could be updated, but otherwise gut puppets! Why don't we see more gut puppet undead!!!

Name: Hungry Mist - CR 14
Types: undead, incorporeal, swarm

Elevator Pitch:

I don't know if Paizo even realizes they already have a replacement for the Caller in Darkness. Hungry mists are a perfectly terrifying medium to high level undead. And as a bonus, it already covers similar themes to the Caller in Darkness.

Name: Necropyre - CR Varies
Types: template, undead

Elevator Pitch:

Necropyre are very cool undead, but they are pretty specific in their origin and would be very rare outside of the adventure in which they appear.

Name: Smoke Haunt - CR 4
Types: undead, fire

Elevator Pitch:

Undead formed from those that died from exposure in the wilderness. These undead will hide in your campfire and pretend to warm you up while draining your life away. These undead are deceptively terrifying, and also the perfect random encounter for adventurers camping in the wilderness!

Name: Sea-Sworn - CR Varies
Types: template, undead

Elevator Pitch:

Okay, so this one is a bit specific to the Chelish Navy. But, cursed aquatic undead, created through a ritual, and bound in service to the Chelsh Navy! I need a High Seas adventure where a Chelish warship is deploying these undead with gruesome effectiveness.

[Aristophanes]

I just had to "Favorite" and reply based on the sheer volume of work and dedication this post took...plus it was a fun and informative read!
I sincerely hope at least a couple of your recommendations have made it into Monster Core.

[The Raven Black]

Awesome post and I have not even read the pitches yet.

But the mere effort to do this is extremely noteworthy. Thank you.

[Ectar]

My favorite 1e monster that never made the jump is the Gate Archon

They were, to my remembrance, the only monster with a conductive weapon and at-will spell-like abilities, including: Bestow Curse, Dismissal, and Dimensional Anchor.
Add to that: 9th level Cleric spellcasting, constant true seeing, and reasonable melee combat abilities, and the Gate Archon was a cool outsider with a suite of unique on-hit effects with its weapon attacks that wasn't a slouch in just casting, either.

[Scarablob]

The monster I await most in 2e is the Iathavos. It's the qlippoth equivalent to the other CR20 outsiders like the balor and pit fiend, except it's much cooler because it's not another variant on the "extra big and muscular humanoid", and because there can only be one at any given time, meaning that there is much more flair to facing one, as the PC know that they aren't just killing something that is innumerous in the grand scheme of things. Also because I think that the PF1e Iathavos was killed at the end of the return of the runelords AP, and as every new Iathavos come with new unique ability, it mean that the 2e Iathavos won't be a straight direct conversion, but have some ability that have changed between the editions.

Beside, having this ominous and gigantic black ball flapping it's way toward a city, dripping black ichor from which horrors spawns, until it come close enought and deathrays emerge from it's eyes, targetting not just the party but also random bystanders, completely vaporizing them instantly... this is just the perfect receipe for an incredibly memorable fight.

[Brinebeast]

Thanks for the kind words Aristophanes and Raven. And Gate Archons and Iathavos are both fantastic options for graduation.

[Bluemagetim]

Thank you Brinebeast! The sea sworn you posted gave me some inspiration to go on for an encounter.
I wanted a sea encounter on my players trip in Andoran waters.
I was thinking a ghost ship with random undead but i like the idea of a ship of Chelish design crewed by sea sworn that Cheliax lost control of, the ship derelict, and the sea sworn remaining with the ship ready to attack anyone that comes near.
It ties in the world environment more than a random ghost ship, and gives the players a sense through this example of what kind of country Cheliax is, especially when they rifle through the ships logs.

I can still use the derelict drifting ship idea.
These things can make a terrifying encounter. They can swim to the players ship coming from the derelict ship or under and around it and board theirs with grappling hooks. These would be transformed Chelish marines to show what they do to their own.
I'm going to have to convert it myself for now but they would make for an interesting encounter for my game.

[dirkdragonslayer]

Bone Golem! The art and model are so cool, I'm surprised it never made it to 2nd edition. There's a lot of golem types, but the two "undead" golems I remember, Fossil and Carrion, don't quite have the same feel.

Why no, I didn't just paint the Wizkids Pathfinder Bone Golem and get saddened when I saw it was a 1e monster... I guess if that person was me, I can use it as a Tanglebones...

[Brinebeast]

Bluemagentim - Wow, that sounds like a wicked encounter. I am happy you found the Sea-Sworn!

dirkdragonslayer - The Bone Golem is a great monster and is a wonderfully creepy golem!