Inspired my dragon thread (here: https://paizo.com/threads/rzs47mjo?Remaster-Dragon-AC) I decided to look at the rest of Monster Core. Haven't done the entire thing, but I targeted the most iconic monsters plus some random animals, and compared premaster and post-remaster versions.
Here are my results, below:
Aeons:
Arbiter: lost chaotic weakness, lost bonus lawful damage, remastered spells, otherwise unchanged.
Axiomite: lost chaotic weakness, lost bonus lawful damage, remastered spells, otherwise unchanged.
Akhana: new
Pleroma: chaotic weakness replaced with generic weakness to spirit, energy touch lost bonus lawful damage and has -2 to damage rolls compared to before, spell attack bonus went up by +2, generate sphere is massively clarified but has same damage and DCs
Chaotic weakness and lawful damage stripped, otherwise pretty similar. Some of the high level ones have spirit weakness instead.
Alghollthus:
Ugothol: remastered grab means restrained is easier to inflict for Drink Blood. Remaster spell names. Otherwise unchanged.
Vidileth: slime swapped to shape flesh, which inflicts a choice of conditions rather than an affliction. Remastered spell names.
No real changes.
Angels:
Cassisian: good damage removed, spell remastered, otherwise unchanged.
Choral: bonus good damage removed, slam went from base 3d6+1 to 2d6+4 (same effective damage), spells remastered, otherwise unchanged.
Balisse: good damage removed, spell remastered, otherwise unchanged.
Tabellia (astral deva): holy rune updated, attack went from 2d8+22 to 2d8+14 base damage (huge drop).
Pretty much just good damage stripped off.
Archons:
Zoaem (lantern archon): damage was changed to all fire, but didn't lose any damage in the switch. Some new abilities like "Behold!". Gained all-around vision.
Qarna (hound archon): lost 5 hp. Gained all-around vision. Strikes deal much less damage than before (1d12+6 down to 1d8+6) but now has a ranged attack. Removed additional good damage. New abilities. Remastered spell names.
Rekhep (shield archon): gained all-around vision, lost bonus good damage on attacks but holy lance is now a holy weapon which compensates for it. Now deals 2d8+11+1d4 rather than 2d6+10+1d6, which is actually a damage boost. No longer literally uses shield block, has a separate ability for that. Now has terrifying smite ability. Remastered spell names.
Giylea (wheel archon): replaced good damage with fire damage. Gained detonate magic instead of antimagic field, remastered spells. Also gained archon's protection (retributive strike).
Overall, gained all-around vision and lost bonus good damage on only qarna (hound armor) and aesra (legion archon). Not a lot of other changes.
Azatas:
Lyrakien: removed bonus good and chaotic damage otherwise unchanged.
Gancanagh: swapped mirror image for sure footing, bonus good damage removed, remaster spells.
Kanya (lillend): hit points reduced by 10, bonus chaotic damage swapped for sonic damage and bonus good damage removed. Bunch of spells changed as well as remastered (gained charm, clear mind, swapped heal to soothe, lost hallucinatory terrain, lost darkness, gained courageous anthem and an ability that makes it into +2 rather than +1.
Aeolaeka: lost bonus good damage, remastered spells, liberate the earth increased in DC from 32 to 35.
Some hp changes and ability DC swaps, going for both nerfs and buffs. Some new abilities on lillend/kanya. Chaotic and good damage got ripped off and not replaced.
Bears:
Grizzly bear: AC reduced by 2, hp increased by +14
Cave bear: unchanged
Grizzly bear lost some AC and gained some hp.
Beetles:
Flash beetle: unchanged
Giant stag beetle: unchanged
No changes. I know you were super worried.
Boars:
Boar: AC reduced by 3, hp increased by 10
Daeodon: unchanged
Boar lost some AC in exchange for hp, daeodon unchanged.
Leukodaemon: unchanged except lost evil damage, spell names remastered.
Astradaemon: jaws attack now deals d6s rather than d8s, took -1 to damage rolls on all attacks, claw now deals 2d6+8 rather than 3d6+9, lost bonus evil damage.
Lost evil damage without replacement, astradaemon got majorly nerfed.
Demons:
Pusk (dretch): hit points reduced by 9 to 36, lost bonus evil damage, gained +1 to base damage rolls on strikes. Otherwise unchanged.
Brimorak: spell names changed to remaster, lost bonus evil damage, otherwise unchanged.
Succubus: spell names changed to remaster, lost bonus evil damage, otherwise unchanged.
Omox: slime ball to hit reduced by 1, base damage reduced by 2 and lost bonus evil damage on all attacks. Stinking cloud swapped to toxic cloud, which used to be cloudkill rather than stinking cloud. Remaster spell name swap.
Seraptis: new
Shemhazian: lost bonus evil damage on attacks, remaster spell name swap. Otherwise unchanged.
Vrolikai: now level 20. Gained +1 to AC, +1 to Fort saves, +2 to Reflex saves, and +3 to Will saves. Also gained 65 hp. Gained +2 to all attack rolls, +1 to spell save DCs, +2 to strike damage rolls, lost bonus evil damage. Mindwarping DC unaffected. Lost death stealing gaze. Overall, went from moderate hp to slightly higher proportionally moderate hp, kept extreme attack bonus, armor class went from High + 1 to just High + 0.
Evil damage removed without replacement. Omox majorly nerfed, vrolikai upgraded to level 20 and it mostly seems to fit the bill with some minor proportional numbers nerfs.
Devils:
Ort (lemure): lost evil damage, otherwise unchanged
Vordine (barbazu): barbazu in terms of hp, AC, and saves. Attacks at the same bonus but dramatically lower damage, no infernal wounds, no evil damage. Lost 5th level dimension door.
Sarglagon: lost evil damage on attacks, otherwise unchanged.
Phistophilus: wish spell swapped with wish ritual and lost evil damage on attacks. Otherwise unchanged.
Gylou: lost bonus evil damage. Otherwise unchanged.
Nessari: literally pit fiends, loses the evil damage on attacks, remastered spell names. Otherwise unchanged.
No real changes except vordine wholly replaces barbazu and loses evil damage without replacement.
Dinosaurs:
Compsognathus: unchanged
Velociraptor: unchanged
Deinonychus: lost 2 points of AC, otherwise unchanged
Pachycephalosaurus: lost 2 points of AC, otherwise unchanged
Hadrosaurid: unchanged
Anklyosaurus: unchanged
Stegosaurus: unchanged
Triceratops: unchanged
Tyrannosaurus: unchanged
Brontosaurus: unchanged
Deinonychus and pachycephalosaurus lost some AC, otherwise unchanged.
River drake: lost 2 points of AC, otherwise unchanged
Flame drake: unchanged
Jungle drake: unchanged
Wyvern: damage from venom cut in half, otherwise unchanged
Frost drake: mist breath now lasts until the breath weapon recharges rather than having its own 2d4 round duration, otherwise unchanged
Desert drake: electricity resistance reduced from 16 to 10, also now has resist 10 fire. Attacks at +19 rather than +20. Fangs is now 2d12+10 rather than 2d12+8+1d6 electricity, claw is now 2d8+10 rather than 2d10+8. Sandstorm breath now deals slashing rather than electricity damage and the cloud lasts until the breath weapon recharges rather than having its own 1d4 round duration.
Some AC debuffs on river drake, wyvern lost a ton of venom damage, frost drake's zones were simplified, and desert drake lost some attack bonus and damage.
Elementals:
Air Elementals
-------------------------------------
Zephyr hawk: AC decreased by 3, otherwise unchanged
Living whirlwind: gained the forceful winds action, otherwise unchanged
Phade (invisible stalker): gained the new hush action, otherwise unchanged
Elemental hurricane: breath weapon renamed to gale breath, otherwise unchanged
Earth Elementals
-------------------------------------
Sod hound: unchanged
Living landslide: gained new sliding earth action, otherwise unchanged
Stone mauler: unchanged
Elemental avalanche: gained new grinding stones action, otherwise unchanged
Fire Elementals
-------------------------------------
Cinder rat: gained water weakness, otherwise unchanged
Living wildfire: gained water weakness and spreading flames action, otherwise unchanged
Firewyrm: gained water weakness and breath weapon changed to "breath fire". Otherwise unchanged.
Elemental inferno: gained water weakness, otherwise unchanged
Water Elementals
-------------------------------------
Brine shark: unchanged
Living waterfall: unchanged
Quatoid: unchanged
Living tsunami: unchanged
Water weakness was added to fire elementals, a few new abilities here and there to flesh them out, zephyr hawk lost some AC without gained compensatory hp.
Genies:
Jann (janni): wish ritual vs. wish spell is huge. Attacks now have "all made one" which is some bonus elemental damage at the cost of base damage, it works out to the same total damage though. Fire resistance replaced with variable elemental resistance.
Jaathoom (djinni): gained "naturally invisible" ability at the cost of 16 hp. Spell names remastered. Otherwise unchanged.
Jabali (shaitan): lost electricity resistance, spell names remastered. Otherwise unchanged.
Faydhaan (marid): -1 to damage rolls on strikes. Hydraulic torrent boosted to 5th rather than 4th level. Spell names remastered. Lost rush of water action, gained gift of hospitality instead.
Ifrit (efreeti): remastered spells, gained "wings of flame" action rather than a fly speed.
Minor marid debuff, jaathoom changed how its defenses work, ifrits get a fire aura. Mostly a wash I'd think.
Giants:
Marsh giant: spit rather than rock, which deals 5d6 rather than 2d6+14 (lower damage), hook shake is now drowning hook and doesn't require water or a check (it's just a Fort save). Twist the hook deals 2d6 rather than 3d6 persistent damage. Otherwise unchanged.
Stone giant: catch rock is now swat projectile and allows it to block any projectile, plus throw back as part of the reaction. Throw rock is now create boulder and doesn't require an existing rock. Otherwise unchanged.
Frost giant: throws icicles rather than rocks, which deal 2d8 + 3d6 rather than 2d10+9 (about the same) but are at -2 to hit compared to previously. Otherwise unchanged.
Fire giant: makes flame rather than rock attacks, which deal 4d6 plus 2d6 persistent instead of 2d8+13+1d6 (lower damage) but are at -2 to hit compared to previously.
Cloud giant: throw rock replaced with crushing cloud. It's basic a fort save rather than attack, deals slightly lower damage.
Shadow giant: shadowcloak is now just the blur spell, but pretty much the same. Lost rock attacks, instead gained shadow chain, which extends their reach to 60 ft and forces a Will save vs. being teleported near the giant.
Rune giant: lost rock attacks, gained an additional invoke rune option that increases reach to 60 feet only during giant's turn.
Rock attacks were swapped out for more flavorful options (which usually have -2 to hit compared to the previous rock attacks). Marsh giant damage mildly nerfed.
Goblins:
Goblin warrior: unchanged
Goblin commando: unchanged
Goblin pyro: spell names changed: burning hands to breathe fire, produce flame to ignition, tanglefoot to tangle vine. Otherwise unchanged
Goblin war chanter: spell names changed, otherwise unchanged.
Unchanged.
Graveknight:
Graveknight: devastating blast changed from 6d12 to 11d6 (basically the same), wording of the curse changed a little.
Pretty much unchanged.
Lich:
Lich: siphon life replaced paralyzing touch, inflicts drained and gives lich temp hp rather than paralyzing. Spell names swapped to remaster versions. Otherwise unchanged.
Paralyzing touch was replaced, that's all.
Onis:
Mountain oni (onidoshi): lost 1 point of AC, hit points increased (even accounting for the lost regeneration), tetsubo is fairly equivalent to the old falchion attack. Lost its innate spells except for invisibility.
Snow oni (ice yai): lost 1 point of AC, increased hit points even without lost regeneration. Chilling combo (double punch) no longer allows a save vs. slow. No longer slows with ice missile, which now deals 3d10+4+1d6 rather than 2d10+12 (deals 1 point more now on average). Lost its innate spells except for invisibility.
Caldera oni (fire yai): lost 1 point of AC, increased hit points accounting for lost regeneration. Katana lost 2 points of damage. New ash form and dance of burning war. Lost its innate spells except for invisibility.
Island oni (water yai): lost 1 point of AC, increased hit points. Spear lost 5 points of damage. Lost enveloping kimono. Gained swallow whole and some new abilities. Lost its innate spells except for invisibility.
Massively overhauled. All of them lost a point of AC but got some more hp (even accounting for regen), fire and water lost damage bonuses. New abilities. Spirit weakness rather than regeneration shutoffs or fire/cold weakness on ice/fire yai. Lost all of their innate spells. Snow oni double punch no longer gives a save and also no longer has a slowing ranged attack.
Proteans:
Voidworm: chaotic damage rolled into attacks, spell names remastered.
Azuretzi: hit points reduced by 10, lost chaotic damage but only gained +1 to damage rolls in exchange, constrict DC reduced by 1 and constrict damage increased by +1
Keketar: hit points reduced by 30, chaotic damage rolled into attacks (same damage), prismatic sphere swapped for unfathomable song, spell names otherwise swapped to remaster.
Keketar and azuretzi lost some hp without replacement, chaotic damage was mostly rolled into attacks so they suffered less than fiends, celestials, aeons, or psychopomps did.
Psychopomps:
Nosoi: spirit touch changed to shepherd's touch, otherwise unchanged
Cythnigot: removed chaotic damage. Lost lawful weakness. Otherwise unchanged.
Gongorinan: new
Augnagar: lost lawful weakness, chaotic damage removed, bleed damage on strikes reduced from 4d6 to 3d6. Rotting curse DC is reduced by 2 and stage 2 now only triggers when the target takes slashing or piercing damage.
Thulgant: lost lawful weakness, chaotic damage removed, quandary swapped for divine aura.
Lost their chaotic damage and lawful weaknesses, both without replacement. Few spell swaps, augnagar got a damage debuff.
All in all, it's mostly debuffs, especially to celestials/fiends/monitors, who lost damage across the board with spirit damage (except for some proteans and archons) and some individual ones (augnagar and tabellia) also took some additional debuffs to damage. There are also some AC and damage debuffs. Onis got massively overhauled, gaining more hit points, spirit weakness and losing most of their innate spells and regeneration. Most things weren't actually changed and were just scrubbed for OGL stuff.
If people have requests for specific monsters that I didn't cover here, go ahead and ask! I'll try to look at them and compare.
I think things like boars and bears losing AC but gaining HP is a good decision. They are iconic "take a licking and keep on ticking" animals, not impossible to hit animals.
I do feel bit still sad about lack of chaos/law replacement, but seeing there really isn't good/evil replacement for monsters either does make it feel better :p
What do the no-longer-golems look like in the Remaster? Were there any alterations aside from their magic immunity being swapped out for a resistance to spell damage?
What do the no-longer-golems look like in the Remaster? Were there any alterations aside from their magic immunity being swapped out for a resistance to spell damage?
So those would be the following:
Not-Golems:
Charnel Creation (flesh golem): identical other than magic immunity
Clay Effigy (clay golem): now has the option for sanctification, plus effigy's curse, cast out blast. No more curse on people it hits and the curse now fatigues rather than preventing healing. Slam attack now has spirit damage, but only +1 to overall damage on average. The numbers are basically the same though.
Iron Warden (iron golem): AC reduced by 1, Reflex save bonus increased by +2. Now has a shield block action. Otherwise identical except for magic immunity.
Noxious Needler (alchemical golem): physical resistance reduced by 2 (from 12 to 10). Generate bomb no longer generates actual alchemical items and instead deals 3d10 damage plus splash. Otherwise identical.
Paleohemoth (fossil golem): unchanged other than magic immunity.
Stone Bulwark (stone golem): Now has a Stationary Aura of rocks. Can also now throw rocks, doesn't have slowing abilities. Numbers are otherwise identical.
So they're all pretty much numerically identical. Iron warden is the only one that really changed there, with a minor AC debuff and a Reflex increase. A few special abilities changed around, likely to avoid even the appearance of OGL issues, and clay no longer inflicting unhealable wounds (a counteract level of 11 isn't fun to deal with as a level 11 PC...given you only have access to rank 6 spells...) is great.
I think this thread is less about abilities that were removed or replaced, which are pretty easy to spot, and more about creature bonuses and DCs shifting, which is much more painstaking to systematically compare.
I think this thread is less about abilities that were removed or replaced, which are pretty easy to spot, and more about creature bonuses and DCs shifting, which is much more painstaking to systematically compare.
Yeah that's why I started it!
On to more critters! I'll be covering everything from A to C here that I haven't already.
Animated Object:
Animated broom: AC reduced by 1, otherwise unchanged.
Animated armor: unchanged
Animated statue: unchanged
Giant animated statue: unchanged
Animated broom lost a point of AC, otherwise unchanged.
Ankhrav:
Ankhrav: lost 2 points of AC, otherwise unchanged.
Ankhrav hive mother: unchanged
More AC losses, without compensatory hp increases.
Ant:
Giant ant: unchanged
Army ant swarm: unchanged
Unchanged
Aolaz
Unchanged
Ape:
Gorilla: AC reduced by 1, no bonus hp, otherwise unchanged.
Megaprimatus: unchanged
Gorilla lost a point of AC, otherwise unchanged.
Arboreal:
Arboreal warden: unchanged
Awakened tree: unchanged
Arboreal regent: unchanged
No changed
Athamaru
New
Azarketi:
Azarketi crab catcher: unchanged
Azarketi tide tamer: unchanged
Unchanged
Bandersnatch
New (previously there was only the level 19 primal bandersnatch).
Banshee
Unchanged
Barghest
AC reduced by 1, damage reduction bypass is now cold iron rather than magical. Innate spells are primal rather than divine and they've changed. Lost feed ability and gained unhealing wound, change shape is a new options list.
Basilisk
Unchanged
Bat:
Vampire bat swarm: unchanged
Giant bat: unchanged
Unchanged
Bogwid
New
Bugbear:
Bugbear prowler (bugbear thug): unchanged
Bugbear tormentor: unchanged
Unchanged
Caligni:
Caligni dancer: death flare is now final dance, Will rather than Fortitude saving throw. It also doesn't scare other calignis anymore. Otherwise unchanged.
Caligni skulker (caligni creeper): death flash changed to final night, new ability. Now has no innate spells but also gained tumble behind.
Caligni hunter (caligni stalker): death flame changed to final fate, deals spirit rather than fire damage. Innate obscuring mist changed to see the unseen.
Changes to caligni death bursts and innate spells, otherwise unchanged.
Cat:
Leopard: unchanged
Lion: AC reduced by 1, otherwise unchanged.
Tiger: unchanged
Smilodon: unchanged
Lion AC reduced by 1, otherwise unchanged.
Catfolk
Catfolk pouncer lost 2 hp, otherwise unchanged.
Centaur
Centaur herbalist is totally new.
Centipede:
Giant Centipede: venom damage is roughly halved.
Centipede swarm: unchanged
Giant centipede venom nerfed.
Changeling
Changeling exile gained a sickle attack and spell names remastered but otherwise unchanged.
Chimera
Breath weapon swapped to the new remastered dragons, otherwise unchanged.
Chupacabra
AC reduced by 2 without corresponding hp increase, chupar changed to suck blood but mechanically unchanged.
Coatl
Quetz Coatl: spells remastered and lost ethereal jaunt. Otherwise unchanged.
Cockatrice
AC reduced by 2, otherwise unchanged.
Con Rit
New
Crawling hand:
Crawling hand: unchanged
Giant crawling hand: unchanged
Unchanged
Crocodile:
Crocodile: AC reduced by 1. Otherwise unchanged.
Deinosuchus: unchanged
Crocodile AC reduced by 1, nothing else changed.
Cyclops:
Cyclops: unchanged
Great cyclops: unchanged
Unchanged.
In general, no big changes here. The largest ones were to monsters in the level 1-3 range, which here and there lost a point or two AC. There were also a few flavor changes (such as to barghests and caligni) which resulted in minor ability changes, but the baseline numbers remained unchanged.
Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Rulebook, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
I'm a bit sad that creatures with elemental immunities don't all get the elemental trait they are immune against. That makes mono-element Kineticists quite sad, i.e. no fun to play against devils for a fire Kineticist.
A few creatures lost the Fiend trait, such as the Barghest and Onis. Which affected my Fiend-Smiting Champion in Fists of the Ruby Phoenix AP. (there are now no fiends in the AP) Thankfully, the Barghest gained the unholy trait and weakness to holy. But surprisingly, only the Snow Oni gained the unholy trait…
Athamaru isn't exactly new, Calliope. It's the new name for the pre-Remaster's Locathah. So I'd check and compare the Locathah Hunter with the Athamaru Hunter, just as a head's up!
I'm a bit sad that creatures with elemental immunities don't all get the elemental trait they are immune against. That makes mono-element Kineticists quite sad, i.e. no fun to play against devils for a fire Kineticist.
Fire kineticist really really benefits from the blast feats that let you change damage types. Not only because of fire immunity, but because fire and cold + all physical is a great spread of weakness triggering.
Athamaru isn't exactly new, Calliope. It's the new name for the pre-Remaster's Locathah. So I'd check and compare the Locathah Hunter with the Athamaru Hunter, just as a head's up!
Oh, of course it is! Oops! Thanks for telling me, I'll toss it back on the pile to compare.
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Captain Morgan wrote:
magnuskn wrote:
I'm a bit sad that creatures with elemental immunities don't all get the elemental trait they are immune against. That makes mono-element Kineticists quite sad, i.e. no fun to play against devils for a fire Kineticist.
Fire kineticist really really benefits from the blast feats that let you change damage types. Not only because of fire immunity, but because fire and cold + all physical is a great spread of weakness triggering.
A few creatures lost the Fiend trait, such as the Barghest and Onis. Which affected my Fiend-Smiting Champion in Fists of the Ruby Phoenix AP. (there are now no fiends in the AP) Thankfully, the Barghest gained the unholy trait and weakness to holy. But surprisingly, only the Snow Oni gained the unholy trait…
I'm all but certain that the snow oni retaining the Unholy trait is an error. I can't think of anything that makes them more prone to unholiness than the other oni.
A few creatures lost the Fiend trait, such as the Barghest and Onis. Which affected my Fiend-Smiting Champion in Fists of the Ruby Phoenix AP. (there are now no fiends in the AP) Thankfully, the Barghest gained the unholy trait and weakness to holy. But surprisingly, only the Snow Oni gained the unholy trait…
I'm all but certain that the snow oni retaining the Unholy trait is an error. I can't think of anything that makes them more prone to unholiness than the other oni.
Unless the error is not giving the Unholy trait to the others! A man can dream can’t he?… It’d be nice to have more stuff to smite for my Champion.
Ghoul stalker (formerly ghoul): AC increased by 1, hp decreased by 4. Lost ghoul paralysis and ghoul fever entirely, gained Grab on its claw attacks. Weapon die sizes increased by 1 step, from 1d6 to 1d8 and from 1d4 to 1d6. Gained grave knowledge and ghoul whispers abilities. Forbidden cravings is similar to ghoul fever but with some differences.
Ghoul soldiers: new. It's not a ghast, none of the numbers line up.
Fairly large overhaul to avoid the OGL paralyzing ghoul. The basic ghoul also had some numbers adjustments.
Gimmerling
Disarm is now a check rather than automatically succeeding, but only costs 1 action rather than 2. Otherwise unchanged.
Mitflit: AC reduced by 1. Lost vermin empathy. Otherwise unchanged.
Pugwampi: AC reduced by 2. Otherwise unchanged.
Jinkin: AC reduced by 2.
Major AC reductions here across the board. No other real changes.
Griffon
New regal shriek ability, otherwise unchanged.
Grikkitog
Still have the weird "resistances 10 (except adamantine)" which apparently includes things like fire, electricity, and spirit damage too. Otherwise unchanged.
Grim Reaper:
Grim reaper: death's grace no longer bounces things like searing light since those affect unholy things, not undead. Unchanged.
Lesser death: Again searing light does now hit it harder. Also lost its constant haste.
Minor mechanical changes from splitting off unholy from undead. Lesser deaths lost their constant haste.
Grindylow
Unchanged.
Guthallah
Immunity to magic now affects magic items of 13th level or lower rather than 14th level or lower. Eye beams no longer calls out disintegrate for clarity's sake.
Hag:
Sea hag: sea hag's bargain now spells out what it does mechanically. Otherwise unchanged.
Sweet hag (green hag): lost exhale miasma, gained poisoned candy. Innate spells changed to be more food-themed. Enfeebling humors renamed to soporific touch and got a critical fail effect. Otherwise unchanged.
Iron hag (annis hag): hp reduced by 5, damage reduction reduced by 2 and is now bypassed by adamantine rather than bludgeoning. Jaws attack changed from 2d8+6 to 2d6+6. Gained embrace of iron rather than rend.
Cuckoo hag (night hag): Fortitude reduced by 3, Reflex increased by 2. Evil damage changed to spirit (NOT removed), abyssal plague removed. Innate spells changed. Lost dream haunting and spell ambush, gained cuckoo's lair and soul covenant.
Fair number of thematic changes, iron hag hit points and resistances changed and damage reduced. Cuckoo hag had saves swapped around and major changes to innate spells.
Halfling
New
Harpy
Gained the beast and air traits. AC reduced by 1, hp increased by 7. Now has stench aura. Lost their club attacks, gained a fairly damaging bite attack that inflicts a new ability, putrid plague. Lost captivating song for a new ability, hungry winds. Generally overhauled.
Hell hound:
Hell hound: AC reduced by 2. Lost evil damage without replacement. Gained pack attack.
Greater hell hound (Nessian warhound): evil damage rolled into base damage for bite attack, which now deals 2d8+9 piercing plus 2d6 fire rather than 2d8+6 piercing plus 1d6 evil plus 2d6 fire. Gained pack attack.
Gained pack attack and lost evil damage, AC reduction on base hell hound.
Herexen
Heretic's smite is changed to affect holy creatures rather than good creatures that cast divine spells.
Hippocampus:
Hippocampus: AC reduced by 1. Otherwise unchanged.
Giant hippocampus: unchanged.
Hippocampus lost a point of AC, no other changes.
Hippogriff
Unchanged.
Hobgoblin:
Hobgoblin soldier: unchanged
Hobgoblin archer: unchanged
Hobgoblin general: unchanged
Unchanged.
Homunculus
Unchanged.
Horse:
Riding pony: unchanged
Riding horse: unchanged
War pony: unchanged
War horse: unchanged
Unchanged
Hryngar:
Hryngar sharpshooter (duergar sharpshooter): AC reduced by 2, hp reduced by 2. Innate spells changed.
Hryngar bombadier (duergar bombadier): innate spells changed, no longer uses actual alchemical bombs but simpler versions that all have the same effect. Otherwise unchanged.
Hryngar taskmaster (duergar taskmaster): maul attack swapped for a pick attack that deals 3 less damage, innate spells changed. "Take them down" still references the maul.
Sharpshooter and taskmaster took some damage debuffs, bombadier was simplified to not use PC alchemy rules. Innate spells altered, probably because of OGL.
Hydra
Unchanged.
Hyena:
Hyena: unchanged
Hyaenodon: AC reduced by 1, otherwise unchanged.
Hyaenodon received an AC reduction. Otherwise no changes.
Imp
No longer a devil. Lost immunity to fire and damage reduction. Poison resistance reduced by 2. Fiendish bargain now can only be reduced via a wish ritual, rather than wish (or manifestation) spell, meaning that it's now DM-dependent. Change shape now doesn't change the imp's statistics.
Letters J-M (J doesn't actually have anything). Linnorms are in the dragon thread, liches are above under the more iconic monsters.
Kholo:
Kholo Hunter (gnoll hunter): unchanged
Kholo Bonekeeper (gnoll cultist): unchanged
Kholo Sergeant (gnoll sergeant): unchanged
Unchanged
Kobold:
Kobold warrior: hp reduced by 1. Otherwise unchanged.
Kobold scout: AC reduced by 2. New construct trap ability.
Kobold cavern mage (kobold dragon mage): AC reduced by 1, Fort increased by +1, Reflex reduced by 1, hp reduced by 5, poison resistance removed, spells changed from arcane to primal and overhauled, illusory retreat replaced with inspiring display.
Lost hp and AC, abilities swapped around.
Kraken
Ink cloud damage increased by 1d6 for both stages. Otherwise unchanged.
Krooth
Unchanged.
Lamia:
Lamia: damage increased by +2 for all attacks. Otherwise unchanged.
Lamia matriarch: unchanged.
Base lamia has +2 to damage. Otherwise unchanged.
Leshy:
Leaf leshy: unchanged
Gourd leshy: unchanged
Fungus leshy: unchanged
Unchanged.
Lizard:
Giant gecko: unchanged
Giant monitor lizard: AC reduced by 2, hp increased by 6.
Giant frilled lizard: unchanged.
Monitor lizard swapped some AC for hp. Otherwise unchanged.
Lizardfolk:
Lizardfolk defender: unchanged
Lizardfolk scout: unchanged
Lizardfolk stargazer: unchanged
Unchaged
Manticore
Unchanged
Mantis:
Giant mantis: AC reduced by 2, lunging strike clarified.
Deadly mantis: unchanged
AC reduction on giant mantis.
Medusa
Unchanged
Merfolk:
Merfolk warrior: unchanged
Merfolk wavecaller: fortitude reduced by 1, otherwise unchanged.
Wavecaller lost a point of Fort, otherwise unchanged.
Minotaur
Unchanged.
Mukradi
Unchanged
Mummy:
Mummy guardian: hp increased by 15, additional alchemical weakness, fist now deals 2d10+7 rather than 2d6+7, mummy rot swapped for choking pain, which deals immediate damage rather than being a longer-lasting affliction. Lost despair.
Mummy pharaoh: hp increased by 10, gained water weakness. Lost great despair, attacks now deal 2d8+11+1d6 void rather than 1d10+11. Lost insidious mummy rot. New sacred wrappings and sandstorm veil abilities.
Damage and hp increased at the cost of losing despair and mummy rot plus gaining some new weaknesses.
Overall, we're still seeing minor adjustments. Mummies were one of the bigger changes, and we saw hp and AC reductions throughout.
Letters N-Q, noxious needlers, oni, paleohemoth, proteans, psychopomps, and qlippoth have already been covered above.
Naga:
Smaranava (formerly dark naga): +1 to hit, damage is now 2d10+5 rather than 2d8+5. Venom now is a Will save. Innate spells changed, gained new constrict and coils of knowledge abilities.
Vicharamuni (formerly guardian naga): bite damage increased from 2d8+8 to 3d10+8, gained a tail attack, spells remastered and altered, gained coils of knowledge and greater constrict.
Nagas are majorly buffed, both in damage and in attack bonus for dark nagas. Coils of knowledge is new and a buff.
Nightmare:
Nightmare: evil damage removed, the bite got replaced with higher base damage but the hooves didn't. Otherwise unchanged.
Greater nightmare: damage buffed on jaws and on hooves even with the loss of evil damage.
Greater nightmare received a major damage boost, normal ones didn't.
Nilith
Unchanged.
Norn
Some slashing damage instead changed to void damage, but no actual damage change. Spells remastered. Remastered wish is a ritual and not a spell, making it much harder to resurrect people killed by snip thread.
Nuckelavee
Toxic cloud is illegal for them to have as a 3rd rank spell, otherwise unchanged.
Nymph:
Naiad: AC reduced by 2. Aqueous fist deals 1d8 instead of 1d6 damage, new water orb attack. New innate spells. Water healing now heals 7 rather than 1 hp.
Dryad: AC reduced by 2, spell save DC reduced by 1. Spell remastered.
Naiad queen: fist damage increased to 2d8+6 from 2d6+6, new water orb attack, spells altered and remastered.
Dryad queen: focus beauty has a different failure effect, spells remastered, otherwise unchanged.
Low-level nymphs lost some AC and spell save DC. Naiads got damage boosts. Otherwise no changes.
Octopus
Giant octopus unchanged.
Offalth:
The offalth looks like a remastered otyugh thematically, but its math is entirely different (saves, attack bonus, damage), the only thing shared is AC 20. So I'm calling it new.
New
Ogre:
Ogre warrior: unchanged.
Ogre glutton: unchanged
Ogre boss: unchanged
Unchanged
Ooze:
Sewer ooze: unchanged
String slime (gelatinous cube): lost their resistance to electricity, paralysis, and engulf. Deals more damage now. It now has split.
Tomb jelly (ochre jelly): tomb curse is new, lost split, gained bound in death, damage reduced base but tomb curse adds to it.
Living tar (black pudding): lost split, corrosive mass replaced with adhesive mass, gained engulf, lost suction and corrosive touch.
Fairly large changes to ooze abilities, however the base numbers for AC, saves, attack, and damage were largely unchanged.
Orc:
Orc scrapper (orc brute): AC reduced by 1, hp increased by 3, Fort reduced by 1, otherwise unchanged.
Orc veteran (formerly orc warrior): unchanged.
Dromaar mountaineer: new
Orc commander (formerly orc warchief): unchanged.
Minor reductions to AC and saves on orc brute/scrapper. Otherwise unchanged.
Pegasus
AC reduced by 1, otherwise unchanged.
Phantom:
Phantom warrior: base damage type is now physical instead of force, new phantom touch ability, otherwise unchanged.
Phantom beast: base damage type is now physical instead of force, new phantom touch ability, otherwise unchanged.
Minor damage type adjustment, otherwise unchanged.
Phoenix
Gained the holy keyword, otherwise unchanged.
Pipefox
New
Planar Scion:
Duskwalker ghost hunter: new ghost dodge ability, otherwise unchanged.
Lawbringer warpriest (aasimar redeemer): gained +1 to Will, lost bonus vs. disease, no longer has a shield, hp reduced by 9, responsive recovery replaces glimpse of redemption, took -2 to hit but now wields a greatsword, has cleric spells rather than paladin.
Pathfinder Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber
Calliope5431 wrote:
Offalth: ** spoiler omitted **
New
Note that Offalth is actually not new, it was in the original bestiary book.
Changes:
Some random words were dropped, lost teh "can't speak" mention in languages, +2 ranged damages (offals), and the disease went from 2d8 bleed damage for both stage 2 and 3, to 2d4 for stage 2 and 2d6 for stage 3.
Note that Offalth is actually not new, it was in the original bestiary book.
** spoiler omitted **
Ah, thank you.
Letters R-T. Stone bulwarks are covered above, under "golems":
Rakshasa:
Raktavarna: physical resistance removed without replacement. Bonus vs. divine magic removed. Otherwise unchanged.
Raja-Krodha (raja rakshasa): extra status bonus vs. divine magic remove, -1 to Reflex, physical resistance removed without replacement. Claw damage reduced from 2d8+12 to 2d4+12, fangs reduced from 2d12+12 to 2d6+12 but gained swallow whole and Grab. Innate spells changed, cruel vision removed.
Fairly large number of changes made, including notably the removal of physical resistance (somewhat saddening given that piercing damage was certainly a way they were killed in mythology).
Rat:
Giant rat: unchanged
Rat swarm: unchanged
Unchanged
Ratfolk
Ratfolk grenadier: bombs are now standardized and can only do one thing. Otherwise unchanged.
Redcap
Gained sickle attack, otherwise unchanged.
Reefclaw
Unchanged
Revenant
Unchanged, but notably a non-unholy undead.
Rhinoceros:
Rhinoceros: unchanged
Wooly rhinoceros: unchanged
Unchanged
Roc
Unchanged
Sargassum Heap:
Sargassum heap (formerly shambler): hit points, AC, and Reflex and Will saves are all changed. Attacks are unchanged but it has new traits and features, it's basically a new creature.
Doldrums heap: new
Basically new.
Satyr
Unchanged.
Scarecrow
Unchanged.
Scorpion:
Giant scorpion: AC reduced by 1, otherwise unchanged.
Scorpion swarm: unchanged.
Giant scorpion lost some AC but otherwise unchanged.
Sea Serpent
Unchanged.
Sedacthy:
Sedacthy scout (sea devil scout): AC reduced by 1, to-hit reduced by 1, spear replaces longspear with lower damage and no reach, bite deals bleed now but roughly same damage, lost blood frenzy but gained wriggling rush and shared feast.
Sedacthy marauder (sea devil brute): AC reduced by 2, Fortitude increased by 1, Reflex reduced by 2, trident replaced by spear attack that deals basically the same damage. Claw deals more damage, jaws inflicts more damage including the bleed now. Gained shared feast and lost blood frenzy. Gained challenging shriek.
Sedacthy speaker (sea devil baron): AC reduced by 1, saves altered, spear replaces trident and deals 1 less damage, has large numbers of new animal abilities.
Very different in terms of abilities, AC reductions across the board.
Serpentfolk:
Zyss serpentfolk: new thin of blood weakness, otherwise unchanged.
Aapoph serpentfolk: unchanged.
Coil spy: unchanged
Aapoph granitescale (serpentfolk granitescale): Fortitude and Will reduced by 1, poison resistance reduced by 3, spear and fangs damage changed from 2d8+6 to 1d8+11 so basically the same thing, otherwise unchanged.
Bone prophet: thin of blood weakness is new, otherwise unchanged.
A few changes to abilities, but pretty much the same.
Some minor changes to poison damage, otherwise unchanged.
Sprite:
Sprite: hp reduced by 4, otherwise unchanged.
Draxie: unchanged.
Pixie: unchanged
Minor hp reduction on the base sprite. No other changes.
Tengu
Feather fan dustup and eat fortune are new, go for the eyes removed. Otherwise unchanged.
Terotricus
Gains the unholy keyword, meaning for the first time searing light hits it harder. Evil damage removed, chaotic damage replaced with spirit, got +2 to base damage. Otherwise unchanged.
Tooth Fairy:
Tooth fairy: pulling teeth out now imposes additional penalties. Otherwise unchanged.
Tooth fairy swarm: unchanged.
Tooth fairy got the same pull-teeth-out ability as the swarm.
Treerazer
Evil damage removed, chaotic damage incorporated into base damage. Otherwise unchanged.
Troll:
Forest troll (formerly just 'troll'): hit points increased by 10, regeneration now shut off by electricity and fire rather than acid and fire, now also has weakness to electricity. Gained new furious flailing and chase prey powers, lost attack of opportunity.
Troll warleader (formerly troll king): hit points increased by 20, AC altered (+1 base but has shed armor ability), regeneration and weaknesses now based around electricity rather than acid, new battle-axe attack, gained new shed armor and sweeping axes abilities, and lost unstoppable charge.
Changes to troll regeneration and abilities, numbers mostly unchanged.
Twigjack:
Sprigjack: new
Twigjack: gained weakness 5 to axes, otherwise unchanged.
Axe weakness added, otherwise unchanged.
So, we see some largeish changes to classic monsters like trolls, sea devils (sahuagin), rakshasa, and shambling mounds, a few nerfs to monster Fortitude, and the always-present reductions to monster AC.
Letters U-Z. Vampires are covered above under the iconic monsters.
Unicorn
Good damage reduced from 1d6 to 1d4 spirit. Otherwise unchanged.
Vescavor
New
Vilderavn
Spells remastered, otherwise unchanged.
Warg:
Warg: unchanged
Witchwarg (Winter wolf): unchanged.
Unchanged
Warsworn
Wish is now a ritual, so it's a lot harder to bring back people killed by it. Otherwise unchanged.
Wasp:
Giant wasp: AC reduced by 2, otherwise unchanged.
Wasp swarm: unchanged
AC reductions but otherwise unchanged.
Werecreature:
Wererat: curse of the wererat DC reduced by 3, otherwise unchanged
Werewolf: AC reduced by 2, curse of the werewolf DC reduced by 2.
Werebear: curse of the werebear DC reduced by 4.
Weretiger: curse of the weretiger DC increased by 3. Otherwise unchanged.
Big hit to werecreature curse DCs (except weretigers for some reason). Werewolf took an AC debuff.
Wight
HP reduced by 10, new attacks, create spawn and drain life have been rolled together into a curse.
Will-o'-wisp
Unchanged, much to my displeasure.
Wolf:
Wolf: unchanged.
Dire wolf: worry still doesn't have a damage type, but unchanged.
Wraith
Wraith touch changed from 2d8+5 to 3d8, which isn't actually a change. Now has grip of fear and void's welcome, all new abilities, as opposed to drain life.
Xulgath:
Xulgath warrior: AC reduced by 2, otherwise unchanged.
Xulgath skulker: AC reduced by 2, new mask stench ability, otherwise unchanged.
Xulgath leader: AC reduced by 2, weakening strike no longer takes an action and no longer gives a save.
AC reductions across the board, weakening strike is boosted.
Yeti
Unchanged.
Zecui
Zecui (xill): loses paralysis but gains spit mucus ability and harden chitin. Dual stab now requires the target to be immobilized or off guard.
Zombie:
Zombie shambler: unchanged.
Plague zombie: unchanged.
Zombie brute: unchanged.
Zombie hulk: lost its ranged hunk of meat attack, otherwise unchanged.
Basically unchanged.
And that's it! A few more AC reductions (as always), a few new monsters. Nothing too revolutionary, though wights and wraiths and xills were all changed around to avoid OGL issues, I imagine. The most notable thing may how much harder it is to become a werecreature now with the debuffed DC. I'll follow up with some final analysis and thoughts soon.
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber; Pathfinder Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
Amazing thread. Thanks for all the hard work, Calliope5431.
Trolls being more susceptible to electricity makes sense too. Electricity cooks and burns, much like fire. The chemical "burns" of acid are not the same thing and probably never should have effected trolls the way they did.
I was quite surprised and upset at the will'o'wisp changes (or rather the lack thereof) as well.
Amazing thread. Thanks for all the hard work, Calliope5431.
Trolls being more susceptible to electricity makes sense too. Electricity cooks and burns, much like fire. The chemical "burns" of acid are not the same thing and probably never should have effected trolls the way they did.
I was quite surprised and upset at the will'o'wisp changes (or rather the lack thereof) as well.
They seem to have pulled back a fair bit on acid as an interacting damage type in Monster Core. I noticed that the constructs formerly called golems lost all their acid immunities, and IIRC there are some other creatures that used to be weak to it that lost that weakness.
