A Review of the Role Playing Game Supplement Monster Menagerie: Ravagers of Time

Monster Menagerie: Ravagers of Time by Sam Hing is a role playing game supplement published by Rogue Genius Games for use with the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game. As such, it is covered by the Open Game License and some parts are considered to be Open Game Content as a result. This is part of the Monster Menagerie series that introduces new monsters following a theme, in this case, time.

This is available from DriveThruRPG as a 19-page PDF for $3.99 but was purchased at a greatly reduced price as part of a special bundle. One page is the front cover and one the Open Game License and Credits.

The single page Foreword explains that the supplement uses concepts from The Genius Guide to the Time Thief and The Genius Guide to the Time Warden, two character classes that manipulate time. Those books are not required, but they can be combined to make a time-focussed campaign.

The Rules of Time introduces time manipulation concepts; these are carried over from the characters books. It also introduces the timestream, which can be treated as a plane of existence. The motives of temporal creatures can be, and usually are, impossible to understand; only their actions can be followed. A random table with three d10 columns can be used to generate chronal concerns, such as “Dreamcasting from the Last Tomorrow.”

The Chronal Dragon has a host of temporal skills, including a breath weapon that blasts characters forward in time so they can be dealt with at leisure.

The Horological Golem is a construct that can cause random temporal affects in its vicinity.

Leap Insects are small pests that jump in time just before they are going to be injured.

The Nasr is an Eldritch Abomination that causes creatures to rot, a rot it then feeds on.

The Temporal Wraith is a type of undead formed when creatures are killed in the timestream, or by powerful chronal magics.

The Timestream Assassins are temporal mercenaries and slavers.

Finally, the Wampus Cat uses time as its den.

Time Magic has a new item that creates a cube of chronal energy and there are two new spells, for anchoring in time and blocking time travel.

Monster Menagerie: Ravagers of Time in Review

Technically, the PDF has bookmarks, but the only page linked is the Foreword. Navigation is poor. The text maintains a two-column format and appeared to be free of errors. Each monster has a black and white illustration, which is nice. Presentation is good.

This supplement has a wide range of new temporal creatures to add interest, and danger. Many are quite high power, but even the lower ones are perhaps more dangerous than their CR would suggest. The ability of every creature to affect time in some way makes them extremely dangerous. The two character books may not be needed, but will definitely be an advantage when facing temporal monsters. Without such, characters may end up out of their depth – or time. Monster Menagerie: Ravagers of Time is a good collection of new monsters, and the magic is a nice extra, for building a temporal campaign, and it can be found by clicking here.