Pathfinder Freeport Bestiary (P)Review

Last week I had the pleasant surprise of seeing the Freeport Bestiary released in PDF format, as a $5 add-on for ordering the print version. Here, then, is a (p)review of that book.

First, the book provides a solid mix of old monsters and new. I always liked the format for the Creatures of Freeport book from back in 3rd Edition, and some of my favorites are back, updated for Pathfinder. Some highlights include the deadwood tree, fire spectre, ghost eater and multiple stat blocks for serpent people.

There are some great new creatures, too, like the bloathsome, sail dragon and werewalrus. All in all, there's a great variety of monsters that can be used to populate the ocean and islands around Freeport (or similar settings).

The mix of CRs is useful, too. Of the eighty or so monsters listed, more than half of them are CR 6 or lower. This isn't to say that there aren't any high-level foes, but I prefer to have more options for the levels at which I'm more likely to play.

This book also retains the "Lore" table for each creature, with DCs for Knowledge checks and the details that PCs can recall about them. That helps the GM generate plot ideas and integrate these monsters into adventures and campaigns.

If I must be picky, I don't love the fact that the creatures are limited to their own specific pages, as is the case in the Pathfinder Bestiaries. This can make finding information a little more challenging, but I can understand why the layout decision was made.

All in all, this book is a solid addition to any Pathfinder GM's library, but especially useful for those who are running nautical fantasy campaigns.

-Nate