A Review of the Role Playing Game Supplement Monster Menagerie: Rise of the Goblinoids

Monster Menagerie: Rise of the Goblinoids 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; this is focussed on new types of goblinoids.

The supplement is available from DriveThruRPG 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 Credits and Open Game License.

The Foreword states that as characters advance, goblinoids, even in large numbers, cease to be a threat and therefore stop being used, which is a problem for any character classes specialising in defeating them. This supplement provides a range of different threats to alleviate this. The goblinoids follow at one per page.

Átahsaia are oni that take the form of a giant hobgoblin and are the most dangerous monster in the supplement.

Erlkings are goblins that live in swamps affected by sources of power.

Majnun are descended from bugbears kidnapped by the efreet and trained as slave soldiers.

Ophidiyarr are snake-like degenerate descendants of goblins that worshipped a snake god.

Ponaturi are semi-aquatic bugbear-like island raiders.

Pucks are small goblins, also called tunnel tappers, that are note evil and may be helpful with their skills, but are also easy to offend and enjoy taking vengeance for slights.

Tree Grims are a crossbreed of hobgoblins and bugbears that live in trees.

Vinayaka are erratic goblinoids believed to have demon blood in them.

Monster Menagerie: Rise of the Goblinoids in Review

The PDF lacks bookmarks and, although not essential given its length, these would have been appreciated. Navigation is poor. The text maintains a two-column format and appeared to be free of errors. Each goblinoid has its own, black and white, illustration, which is nice. Presentation is good.

There is a good threat range of new goblinoids to encounter, although it would have nice to have one that was, for whatever reason, good-aligned, just to throw characters off. The closest is the Puck – although that race, like the Erlking, has a misleading name, as they aren’t truly like the creatures of folklore bearing that name (admittedly, that is true of a lot of monsters). Monster Menagerie: Rise of the Goblinoids is a decent collection of new goblinoids and it can be found by clicking here.