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Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Advanced Race Guide (OGL)

4.20/5 (based on 30 ratings)
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Advanced Race Guide (OGL)
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Get the most out of your heritage with the Pathfinder RPG Advanced Race Guide! Embrace your inner monster by playing one of 30 iconic races from mythology and gaming history, or build an entirely new race of your own. If classic races are more your style, go beyond the stereotypes for elves, dwarves, and the other core races with new options and equipment to help you stand out from the crowd.

The Pathfinder RPG Advanced Race Guide is a bold new companion to the Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook. This imaginative tabletop game builds on more than 10 years of system development and an Open Playtest featuring more than 50,000 gamers to create a cutting-edge RPG experience that brings the all-time best-selling set of fantasy rules into the new millennium.

The 256-page Pathfinder RPG Advanced Race Guide includes:

  • New rules and options to help you customize all seven of the classic core races, including new racial traits, racial subtypes, and racial archetypes.
  • 30 exotic races, from mischievous goblins and reptilian kobolds to crow-headed tengus and deadly drow, each with complete rules for use as player characters, plus archetypes, alternate racial traits, and other options for maximum customization.
  • A complete and balanced system for creating an unlimited number of new races, mixing and matching powers and abilities to form characters and cultures specific to your campaign.
  • Tons of new race-specific equipment, feats, spells, and magic items for each of the races detailed!
  • ... and much, much more!

ISBN-13: 978-1-60125-390-3

Errata
Last Updated - 7/29/2015

Other Resources: This product is also available on the following platforms:

Hero Lab Online
Fantasy Grounds Virtual Tabletop
Archives of Nethys

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Probably one of my favorites...

5/5 —

All the new races and traits and feats and racial magic items really helped me flesh out my campaign world. The addition of being able to make your own race made me sing soprano. Excellent, excellent book for those who want to play a race that's completely outta the ordinary. Part of the reason I got this book is because in the core rulebook it says something like this: "only for more experienced GMs, having players play odd races can be rewarding and fun, but you have to be careful" etc. but doesn't give you a glimpse of the races or explain how they might effect a campaign world a certain way. Using this book, you can experience what it would be like to play a rare (and really cool) race. Being an Oread is awesome and probably one of the most exciting and fun experiences in my gaming career.

Awesome product, Paizo!

Too campaign-specific

2/5 —

The book is focused heavily around the PFRPG "host" campaign, with no clear instructions on how to extrapolate for other campaigns (we use the 3.0 Forgotten Realms setting). So in the end, most of this book is filler and not really very useful. Even the second printing tied the book more closely with the "home team" setting.

What little can be gleaned from the book is helpful, but it's not worth the hardcover price if your campaign is something other than the generic one sponsored by Pathfinder. I wonder why it is, that almost every "host" campaign seems like a patchwork quilt of several others, with most of the interesting stuff left out?

The ARG is how the ACG should of been

5/5 —

The Race Guide is how the Advanced Class Guide should have been set up- with clear rules and customization options to create your own class. Great book for players and GM's ready to venture out into some custom races.

Hit the sweet spot

5/5 —

I don't quite know what it is but this is one of my favorite Paizo products to date. Maybe it's the way the book is organized with each race with its own section. Maybe it's the swappable racial traits akin to class archetypes. Maybe it's the artwork, showing two to three examples of each race to demonstrate the variety within each species. Maybe it's the archetypes, favored class bonus options, notes on society and appearance, spells, feats. It just felt like icing on the cake to include a race builder at the end.

Exactly What my Campaign Needed

5/5 —

please excuse any typos.

so you're supposed to start off easy, right? go by the book, go by the campaign setting they give you. just stick to the six core races, and don't go overboard trying to invent stuff, right? well, I didn't exactly do that. I created a whole world from scratch, messed with the core qualities of numerous races, core races or otherwise, and on top of that, invented a pantheon and mythos which is completely incompatible with Golarion's. this is the first game I will ever GM. to be frank, I'm in trouble.

with that context, this book is a godsend, and I'm glad to have the freedom and ease of use this guide gives me. having a game world populated with multiple monstrous races (most of them completely reimagined), I needed to have a way to make sure the stats reflected the people. it breaks immersion to have a race with traits that quite clearly do not make sense for them. something that always bothered me with the core material is how race was treated: I found it restricted, stereotypical. clearly, the Pathfinder race system needs a little diversity, especially if your campaign isn't actually set in Golarion.

one clear example of the usefulness of this guide for worldbuilding and racial diversity is the Gnome trait "hatred". see, the rules state that the Gnomes have a deep-seated hatred of goblinoid and reptilian races, but in my campaign, Gnomes and Goblins hail from different corners of the universe, and logically, shouldn't even be aware of the other's existence. it simply wouldn't make sense for me to have a gnome character that's trained against a race they've never seen before in their life. thank god this guide has other plausible gnome traits that I can replace that problematic one with one with. not even to mention how the Ifrits, Oreads, Sylphs, and Undines had filled a gaping hole in my mythos. (though I was dissappointed to find that the Kobolds were still utter weaklings)

in another spur of greatness, I can already tell that my players, by now fairly intoxicated on the freedom I've given them, are going to love these new options. I can already see one of them deciding they want to go with one of the very comprehensive and imaginative archetypes, or choosing catfolk or kitsune instead of elf or goblin. the best part is, this book is so easy to figure out, so I am perfectly able to give them this freedom without puzzling over the rules for a month (like I embarrassingly did with the core rulebook).

trust me. if you're the kind of Game Master that doesn't like playing by the rules, and likes to do your own thing lore wise (like create a complete departure from the default setting), then this book is almost a necessity for you. for anyone else who likes the idea of monstrous PCs, you'll love this one.

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Paizo Employee Chief Technical Officer
1 person marked this as a favorite.

Announced! The cover is a mockup, and will change prior to publication.
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

I asked for this!! WOO hoo! I hope there is more races then the 7 core!!! Woo hoo.
Paizo Employee Chief Creative Officer, Publisher

You should read the description. Every playable race in the entire game will be in this book.

Plus new ones you can make from scratch.
1 person marked this as a favorite.

I refuse to buy this book at this point in time.

ask me again next year.

...but I like that cover!
Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

This seems very interesting. Dhampir options alone are enough to peek my curiosity, but options for everybody is great! I realize that this is really preemptive, but is there a chance that we'll see favored class options for non-core races within this book?

Must.....have.....now.......

Faster Merisiel! Stab! Stab!
Dark Archive
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

Very cool but I don't want to wait that long.
Shadow Lodge
Pathfinder Lost Omens, Rulebook, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

WANT!
Paizo Employee Director of Game Development
1 person marked this as a favorite.
Erik Mona wrote:

...Plus new ones you can make from scratch.

That sounds very interesting. Nice touch.

A wish list is being made here at this thread

So put down your Ideas, but please read it in it's entirety and discuss the various ideas.
Shadow Lodge
Pathfinder Lost Omens, Rulebook, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
Adam Daigle wrote:
Erik Mona wrote:

...Plus new ones you can make from scratch.

That sounds very interesting. Nice touch.

I do believe that this could be fun.

I want this book

Lizardfolk.

Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk

Lizardfolk.

Much better name than "Ultimate races".

I can't wait for this and the Beastairy III
Dark_Mistress wrote:
Very cool but I don't want to wait that long.

ditto

Phoebus the JustFortunateEnough wrote:

Lizardfolk.

Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk

Lizardfolk.

Well put it in the wish list at

"Advanced Race Guide" Wish List
Vic Wertz wrote:
Announced! The cover is a mockup, and will change prior to publication.

Vic. There is no way you're going to be able to get race in the name of this thing without setting somebody off. If these are the advanced races does that make all the others inferior and suitable for genocide/enslavement?

How about calling this thing the advanced species guide instead?
Paizo Employee Chief Creative Officer, Publisher
30 people marked this as a favorite.

They're called races in the game, so the word "race" is going to be in the title of the book.

In fact, the title of the book is going to be "Advanced Race Guide".

Given that EVERY SINGLE PC-appropriate race will be included in this book, they all get to be "advanced" races together.

Does that mean that a black dragon or an aboleth or something might get offended because it is not "advanced"?

Probably.

So be it. I am not afraid of them, because they are imaginary.
2 people marked this as a favorite.

More important, I think, is the clever use of the singular "Race" in the title of a guide to multiple races. You'd have to work pretty hard to ignore the obvious conclusion that it's an advanced guide to the game element called "race", not to a guide to an advanced race (since it contains multiple) or to advanced races (since the title is singular). So, the rest of us can all safely ignore anyone who makes such a strenuous effort to be offended.
Contributor
2 people marked this as a favorite.

PC Faerie Dragon

PC Quasit

PC Half-Faerie Dragon

I demand all of these! Please? Please please please?
Grand Lodge

Gillmen?
Owner - House of Books and Games LLC
Todd Stewart wrote:

PC Faerie Dragon

PC Quasit

PC Half-Faerie Dragon

I demand all of these! Please? Please please please?

Advanced Race Guide wrote:
Lastly, the Advanced Race Guide includes an extensive section that allows players and GMs to build their own custom races, either to emulate more powerful creatures that already exist in the game or to create wholly original characters unique to their campaign.

So ... sure, no problem.

Paizo Employee Chief Creative Officer, Publisher
Scribbling Rambler wrote:
Gillmen?

Yep.

Grand Lodge

Cool.
I know that they are basically just human with an aquatic template, but I think the descendants of Azlant deserve a bit more love than the occasional paragraph they have received in other products.
Silver Crusade
Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber
Todd Stewart wrote:

PC Faerie Dragon

PC Quasit

PC Half-Faerie Dragon

I demand all of these! Please? Please please please?

Todd, your "Little Dragon" fetish is scary.

I don't prefer any races beside humans, hope their part of the book will be the largest.

Only one thing. Mordan Spire Elf extended!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32

Cat Girls?
Liberty's Edge

So this has 64 pages less the the just announced Beastary 3. But both retail for $39.99.

Should'nt it be less?
Phoebus the JustFortunateEnough wrote:

Lizardfolk.

Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk

Lizardfolk.

Word, brother.

Dark Archive
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber
CapeCodRPGer wrote:

So this has 64 pages less the the just announced Beastary 3. But both retail for $39.99.

Should'nt it be less?

Who said it was 64 pages? Since it is a hardback book I imagine it will be at least 200 pages.

Liberty's Edge
Dark_Mistress wrote:
CapeCodRPGer wrote:

So this has 64 pages less the the just announced Beastary 3. But both retail for $39.99.

Should'nt it be less?

Who said it was 64 pages? Since it is a hardback book I imagine it will be at least 200 pages.

The Beastary 3 is 320 pages, the Advanced Race Guide 256 pages. 64 pages LESS then the Beastary 3. But both retail for the same price.

Silver Crusade
Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

All Paizo hardcovers cost 40 USD. While APG/UM/UC/ARG have fever pages, they have more text, due to bestiaries being art heavy. So it kinda evens out.

I also say yes to catgirls with no cha penalty to there stats.
1 person marked this as a favorite.

My GM is going to 'love' this book. He always likes to play races besides the core 7. I know he will especially like the section on making your own custom race.

Looking forward to this book as well, but just wish the date wasn't so far out!
Grand Lodge

Would like a playable mongrelfolk, playable monsters, and simple templates to turn that good old elf into a reptilian, insectectiod, twoheaded, winged monstrosity that i want them to be, especiallly after so many years of gaming with the same old races
Dark Archive

OK, it had to happen.

Not interested. Also, would be a sad panda if supporting cast NPCs of exotic races would become suddenly more frequent than the current rare/thematically appropriate (eg. tieflings in CoT) as a consequence.
golem101 wrote:

OK, it had to happen.

Not interested. Also, would be a sad panda if supporting cast NPCs of exotic races would become suddenly more frequent than the current rare/thematically appropriate (eg. tieflings in CoT) as a consequence.

I don't know about that, adventurers are the oddball of the game world.

CapeCodRPGer wrote:

So this has 64 pages less the the just announced Beastary 3. But both retail for $39.99.

Should'nt it be less?

I asked something similar when Ultimate Magic came out (at 256 pages for $39.99).

I'd guess that as we get further from core, sales are fewer, so prices need to be higher to maintain margins. I would further guess that Bestiaries are always more popular and have greater sales.

As always, though, the question will come down to what it's worth to you personally. Is a 256-full color book on races worth $39.99 to you (or $25-27 on amazon) or not?

For me, being a subscriber (thus the free pdf) and owning an iPad2, it very much *is* worth the price.

Besides, it's Paizo, so you know the quality will be there.

Cool

Any plans for a Golarion specific follow-up?

Well put your ideas in the wish list at

"Advanced Race Guide" Wish List

And please read the entries.
2 people marked this as a favorite.
Phoebus the JustFortunateEnough wrote:

Lizardfolk.

Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk Lizardfolk

Lizardfolk.

VEGEPYGMY VEGEPYGMY

Erik Mona wrote:

They're called races in the game, so the word "race" is going to be in the title of the book.

Did you know that the German version doesn't use "Rasse" (=race). It uses "Volk" (=people). I don't know how long that is, it was that way in 3e.

We're never using Volk, but that's the way it is.

Maybe it is because of the racism angle, but then again, the German translations have a long tradition of being bad and using exactly the wrong words.

April 2012. Thats like a year away. 8(

wish they hadn't announced so far in advance! can't wait!!

I just gotta say I appreciate the response on the title change. I was gonna buy this book anyway, but now I can buy it and like the title!
That 70s Bloke wrote:

April 2012. Thats like a year away. 8(

wish they hadn't announced so far in advance! can't wait!!

I know, but hey, life does give you lemons, and it is about 10 months away

I'll still buy it.

The only Up side to early announcement is that we can compile a wishlist for the book for the staff to know what we need, want and any useful ideas that we come up with.

I wonder . . . will some of the playable (non-core) races detailed in this book be augmented for general PC 'balance', as tieflings were in CoT?

I'm looking forward to this. Maybe I'll get it for my birthday next year! :)
Rhys Grey wrote:

I wonder . . . will some of the playable (non-core) races detailed in this book be augmented for general PC 'balance', as tieflings were in CoT?

I'm looking forward to this. Maybe I'll get it for my birthday next year! :)

I already put that on the wish list in the first post.

Azure_Zero wrote:
Rhys Grey wrote:

I wonder . . . will some of the playable (non-core) races detailed in this book be augmented for general PC 'balance', as tieflings were in CoT?

I'm looking forward to this. Maybe I'll get it for my birthday next year! :)

I already put that on the wish list in the first post.

Cool, thanks for the link! :)

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