Does Anyone Have The Monster Codex?

[Palanan]

Apparently the new Monster Codex (http://www.amazon.com/Pathfinder-Roleplaying-Game-Monster-Codex/dp/1601256868/) was released a couple days ago. Anyone had a chance to look through it yet?

[Illogictree]

I sort of glanced through it last week. It's about the same size and price as a regular hardcover release. I think they have a chapter for each of the more common humanoid enemies; off the top of my head, orcs, goblins, kobolds, gnolls, fire giants, ice giants, trolls, ogres, vampires, ghouls... Probably more that I'm forgetting. Each chapter opens with some info on their ecology and culture, then with most statblocks gives a bit of fluff that describes the place of each in their society.

There are also alternate racial abilities for some species, and even a new archetype or two. The one that stands out in my mind is the one that gives goblin alchemists access to a vulture mount.

I didn't have time to read carefully so I can't speak to optimization levels or anything. I guess if you're too pressed for time to stat up these things on your own, it might be worth it?

[Kurald Galain]

Are there any items or feats in there that are useful for non-monster races if they're so inclined?

[Jigawatts]

Honestly, I was hoping the book would be fluffier. That it would go into the societies and ecologies of these monsters, ala the 2E Monster Manual, but expanded even beyond that. As it stands most of them only get a single page of fluff text, followed by 10+ pages of crunch and statblocks. Color me somewhat disappointed.

[Serafina]

Yes there are.
By the way, you can search through the PFSRD by source if you do it like this (http://www.google.com/cse?cx=006680642033474972217%3A6zo0hx_wle8&q=%22monster+codex%22#gsc.tab=0&gsc.q=%22monster%20codex%22&gsc.page=1)

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by Jigawatts
Honestly, I was hoping the book would be fluffier.

I looked through it in the bookstore on the way home this evening, and I have to agree. It's disappointing to me on two fronts: first, they tended to rehash standard monster races rather than developing new ones; and second, they spent much more time on funky variants and sample NPCs than presenting interesting new perspectives on the creatures. The first page or so on drow seemed to be a bland retelling of the history of the drow in Golarion (or wherever it was) without adding anything remotely new or compelling about them.

Many of the races--duergar, gnolls, kobolds, sahaguin--are so well-worn that a fresh treatment was desperately needed, but sadly not much stood out as innovative here. I suppose it's practical for a DM who wants to round out a campaign that uses some of these races, or who wants to throw a niche variant at savvy players; just not too involving otherwise.

Also, Wayne Reynolds cover art is starting to be a turnoff rather than a selling point. Just once I'd like some cover art that shows a "monster" race in a completely new light--something nuanced and complex, rather than slightly madcap villainy.


Originally Posted by Kurald Galain
Are there any items or feats in there that are useful for non-monster races if they're so inclined?

This was the one bright spot. I didn't linger over the feats, and don't know if any could be applied to standard humanoids, but there seemed to be a lot of interesting gear and alchemical items. The hobgoblin bombchucker is apparently their answer to jai alai, just with grenades.

:smalltongue:

[Yondu]

The Bugbear Feats are very interresting for an Intimidate Build, one is particulary strong with Conrnugon Smash, Hurtful
Hurtful (Combat)
You know how to add injury to insult.
Prerequisites: Str 13, Power Attack.
Benefit: When you successfully demoralize an opponent
within your melee reach with an Intimidate check, you can make a single melee attack against that creature as a swift action. If your attack fails to damage the target, its shaken condition from being demoralized immediately ends.
That means, you can attack once more if you demoralize your opponent with Intimidate...
One Feat also use Intimidate in replacement of Bluff for feinting, I see a lot of possibilities for Deadly Stroke...
But not all the feats are so interresting...

[Psyren]

Yeah I bought the PDF, anything in particular you wanted to know?

There's additional fluff for some of my favorite races in there (e.g. hobgoblins and ratfolk) as well as new fluff for races that haven't been fleshed out as much, like ghouls and vampires.