A few creatures possess the remarkable ability to see in all directions, usually because of unique physical features. Creatures with All-Around Vision ignore 1 point of Gang Up bonuses, add +2 to Notice rolls made to resist attacks from Stealth, and cannot be the target of a Sneak Attack.
Many humanoids have universal features common to their ancestry. These include Special Abilities, Edges, and Hindrances. Goblins have Darkvision, Size -1, and Greedy (Major), for example. Some non-humanoids and other creature types may also have a universal set of features—such as archons, demons, and devils — when there are different versions within a creature category.
Instead of listing each of these features separately, they are listed together in one bullet in the creature’s stat block, such as “Ancestry (Goblin)” or “Archons.”
The creature is native to the water. It is a natural swimmer and cannot drown. Its Pace in water is specified after the Aquatic ability.
A creature’s Armor is written in parentheses next to its total Toughness, and already added in. Thick, leathery hide generally offers 2 points of Armor. Creatures like a stegosaurus generally have 4 or more points of protection. Supernatural creatures may have much higher Armor values. A living statue, for example, might have 8 points of Armor or more.
Larger creatures often use their bodies or body parts to pummel their opponents during combat. See the creature’s statistics for any special effect
See Natural Weapons.
A creature with this ability can perceive its environment using nonvisual senses. This includes a keen sense of smell, echolocation, or sensing vibrations in the ground or even in the air. These creatures ignore invisibility, illusion, and all Illumination penalties.
Most dragons and other “fire breathers” use a Cone Template for their attacks (see Area Effect Attacks). A few specific creatures, such as blue and black dragons, use the Stream Template.
All breath attacks may be Evaded (see Evasion).
Unless the creature’s description says otherwise, breath attacks take the creature’s entire turn — they can’t perform MultiActions in the same round they make a breath attack.
From massive worms to sand-dwelling humanoids, many creatures are able to burrow beneath the earth and move within it.
Burrowers can tunnel underground and reappear elsewhere for devastating surprise attacks against their foes. The distance a creature can burrow on its turn is written immediately after its Burrow ability.
A burrowing creature may tunnel as an action, and may erupt from the ground at any point within its burrowing Pace in the same turn. It cannot be attacked while beneath the earth unless the attacker has some special means of detecting it and penetrating the intervening dirt.
Burrowing creatures erupt from beneath their opponents and may take them by surprise. If the target was unaware of the burrower’s presence, the creature makes an opposed Stealth roll versus the victim’s Notice. If the burrower wins, the target is Vulnerable to it only. With a raise, the burrower gets The Drop. Targets on Hold may attempt to interrupt the attack before it occurs.
Burrowers can’t usually surprise a foe once their presence is known, but can still burrow for protection and mobility.
When a creature has a Class Edge, the specific features of the Edge are listed in a single bullet. A goblin warchanter, for example, has the Bard Class Edge, with all its features listed in a single bullet labeled “Class Abilities (Bard).”
See Natural Weapons.
Golems and other animated objects are collectively called “constructs.” Some are sentient beings while others are mere automatons following the will of their masters.
Whatever their origin or material, constructs have several inherent advantages over creatures of flesh and blood.
Constructs add +2 when attempting to recover from being Shaken, ignore 1 point of Wound penalties, don’t breathe or eat and are immune to disease and poison, don’t Bleed Out, and Wounds are removed with Repair instead of Healing with no “Golden Hour.”
Some creatures on Golarion possess the extraordinary ability to see without a light source. Creatures with this ability ignore penalties for Illumination up to 10″ (20 yards).
Air, earth, fire, and water form the basis of the elemental realms, wherein dwell strange, unfathomable creatures.
Elementals have bodies of pure earth, water, air, or fire and are immune to damage, effects, or Trappings that match their native element. They also ignore additional damage from Called Shots, ignore 1 point of Wound penalties, don’t breathe or eat, are immune to disease and poison, and can only be healed via magic or natural healing.
With a successful touch or attack, a victim must make a resistance roll (usually with Vigor) or lose a die type in the targeted attribute.
If the attack would reduce an attribute below d4, the victim is Incapacitated until healed or he recovers a lost die type (see below). If the targeted attribute was Vigor, he must make a Vigor roll at the end of his next turn or perish.
Recovery: Unless slain, a victim recovers one die type every 24 hours, or if given respite with the Restoration modifier of relief.
The creature is resistant (but not immune) to a particular type of energy or matter such as cold, heat, electricity, cold iron, etc.
Damage from that source is reduced by 4, and the being adds +4 to resist matching hazards and powers with a similar Trapping.
The creature is susceptible to a particular type of energy or matter, such as cold, heat, electricity, cold iron, etc.
The creature takes +4 damage from that source, and subtracts 4 when resisting hazards or powers with a similar Trapping.
Ghosts, shadows, will-o’-wisps, and similar intangible creatures have no form in the physical world (or can turn it on and off at will). They can pass through physical objects, cannot be harmed by nonmagical attacks, and cannot even be seen unless they desire to be. Ethereal creatures are affected by magical items, weapons, and supernatural powers.
Unless their description says otherwise, ethereal creatures can throw objects, wield weapons, or even push terrified heroes down long, dark stairs.
Particularly frightening monsters cause Fear checks to all who see them. Some truly terrifying monsters may inflict penalties on Fear checks as well. A creature with Fear -2, for instance, causes those who see it to make their Fear checks at -2. See the Fear rules for effects.
Mindless creatures, such as some undead, constructs, and the like, don’t suffer from the weaknesses of the mortal mind. Fearless creatures are immune to Fear effects and Intimidation. They may still be Taunted, however (usually because it draws their attention rather than causing emotional distress).
The creature can fly at the listed Pace. It uses its Athletics to maneuver in chases or other situations.
If a creature’s Pace is at least 24 and it's flying, attackers subtract 1 when making attacks against it. If its Pace is 48 or higher, attackers subtract 2.
Gargantuan creatures are those that are at least Size 12 or higher. They have Heavy Armor (not to be confused with the heavy category of personal armor), can take three additional Wounds, and their attacks count as Heavy Weapons.
Stomp: A Gargantuan creature may stomp by using an area effect template (the size of the template is determined by the GM based on the monster’s “footprint”). The attack ignores Scale modifiers and is an opposed Athletics vs Agility roll (defenders roll individually). Those who can’t get out of the way are stomped for damage equal to the monster’s Strength damage.
Very tough or determined creatures do not fall from lesser injuries, no matter how many they suffer. A decisive blow is needed to put one of these tenacious creatures down.
If the beast is Shaken, another Shaken result doesn’t cause a Wound.
See Natural Weapons.
Creatures born in fire aren’t affected by heat, and a horror made of pure lightning won’t suffer from a bolt attack with an electrical Trapping. Immunities are to specific types of attacks, such as fire, cold, electricity, and so on. Such creatures don’t have Invulnerability (see below), they just ignore damage and Stun results from the specific attack types named.
A vampire’s bite, a horrid spider-like creature that injects eggs into its victim’s skin, or the scratches of certain vermin might all cause Infection.
A character Shaken or Wounded by a creature with Infection must make a Vigor roll. Modifiers to the roll are listed in the creature’s description, as are the effects of failure.
Various creatures on Golarion have Innate Powers. These are usually magical abilities with "spell-like" effects or powers.
Activating an Innate Power is an action and follows all the power's usual rules such as Range, line of sight, etc.
Automatic Powers: These powers don't require a roll to activate. Minor powers activate with success and major powers activate with a raise. This is true even if the power normally requires an attack roll.
Opposed Powers: These powers must still be resisted by the target. A minor power sets the Target Number to resist at 4 (because it's a success), a major power sets the Target Number to resist at 8 (because it's a raise).
Rolled Powers: If an ability does require a Trait roll, the skill or attribute is listed in parentheses after the power, like so: invisibility (flamer; True; Spirit). A Critical Failure still causes Fatigue.
Duration: Creatures do not need to spend Power Points to maintain Innate Powers.
Power Modifiers: Innate Powers can't use Power Modifiers unless listed with the ability.
Invulnerable creatures ignore damage as listed in their description. Unless otherwise specified, they can be Shaken or Stunned but not Wounded by other forms of damage. An ancient dark god, for example, might only be vulnerable to relics of a rival deity.
Low Light Vision ignores penalties for Dim and Dark Illumination (but not Pitch Darkness).
This creature is immune to puppet, Intimidation, Taunt, and any attempts to manipulate it with any abilities that Test its Smarts.
Creatures with natural weapons such as fangs, claws, or horns may attack with any or all of them using their Fighting skill. Damage is stated for character ancestries and beasts in their various descriptions.
Creatures with natural weapons are always considered armed. This means they aren’t Unarmed Defenders and foes fighting with Two Weapons gain no advantage against them. Here are additional notes for each type of attack:
Bite: The creature may bite a target it has grappled (most attackers can only crush their prey, see Grappling).
Claws: +2 to Athletics (climbing) rolls on any rough or soft surface (not sheer steel, glass, etc.).
Horns: Add +4 damage at the end of one Fighting action in which it runs, moves at least 5″(10 yards), and successfully hits with its horns.
Some creatures thrive in the deepest darkness. Creatures with Night Vision ignore all Illumination penalties.
This creature also applies its Gang Up bonus to damage rolls.
Paralyzing poisons are covered under Poison, below. Other creatures might paralyze their victims with magic, electricity, or other sources. Victims Shaken or Wounded by a paralyzing effect are Stunned but can't attempt to recover for d4+1 rounds (or longer if otherwise specified).
Snakes, spiders, and other creatures inject poisonous venom via bite or scratch. To do so, the thing must cause at least a Shaken result to the victim, who then makes a Vigor roll modified by the strength of the poison (listed in parentheses after the creature’s Poison ability). Effects of failure are described in more detail in the Hazards section.
Predators often pounce on their prey to best bring their mass and claws to bear. If a creature with Pounce makes a Wild Attack, it adds +4 to its damage instead of +2.
Hydras, trolls, vampires, and other legendary creatures can Regenerate their injuries.
Regeneration comes in two types: Fast and Slow.
Fast: Wounded creatures make a Vigor roll every round—even after they’ve been Incapacitated. Success heals one Wound (or removes Incapacitated status), and a raise heals an additional Wound. Wounds caused by some types of damage, listed in the creature’s description, do not regenerate but may still heal naturally. Trolls cannot regenerate Wounds caused by flame, for example.
Slow: The creature makes a natural healing roll once per day.
Some creatures have especially vicious claws or weapons. Victims Shaken or Wounded by a rending attack are bleeding and must make a Vigor roll as a free action at the beginning of their next turn.
Failure causes one Wound and the victim must make another Vigor roll next turn. Success means the victim doesn't suffer a Wound, but must make a Vigor roll again next turn. A raise stops the bleeding and no further rolls are required from that attack.
A successful Healing roll also stops the bleeding.
Some creatures, such as ogres or dire versions of common animals on Golarion, are tough to put down.
Resilient Extras can take one Wound before they’re Incapacitated; Very Resilient Extras can take two. Wild Cards can’t be Resilient or Very Resilient. The abilities exist to bring select Extras a little closer to the heroes and villains who lead them.
Size grants a bonus to Toughness (or penalty for small creatures) and is a guide to the typical Strength of creatures in that general range.
Size is generally based on mass, but exceptions exist for extremely large but weak creatures, small but strong beings, etc.
Scale modifiers are explained under Size & Scale.
Additional Wounds: Large creatures can take an additional Wound, Huge can take two, and Gargantuan three. The maximum Wound penalty is always 3. This stacks with Resilient/Very Resilient (see above).
Such creatures typically have Reach equal to the additional Wounds granted by Size.
A creature with this ability often has an electrical attack, mild toxin, mind lash, or similar trapping. When it successfully hits a character (even if it causes no damage), she must make a Vigor roll minus any listed penalties or be Stunned.
Certain massive creatures with gigantic maws can swallow their prey whole. This usually requires a successful bite attack. See the creature’s description for details and how prey might escape this dire fate!
The monster has learned to hunt or deal with smaller opponents. It ignores up to 4 points of Scale penalties when attacking creatures smaller than itself.
The creature has a number of “tentacle actions” specified in its description (usually two or four) it may use once per turn. All of a creature's tentacle actions count as one of its three potential actions for the turn, and must stem from the tentacle in some way—usually a Fighting, Shooting, or grappling attack (GM’s call). A giant octopus with four tentacle actions, for example, could make four attacks as one action and still have two actions left over.
If the creature is a Wild Card, roll its Wild Die with each tentacle action as usual.
If the being performs other actions on its turn, such as Taunting or casting a spell, these and the tentacle actions are affected by the Multi-Action penalty as usual.
Grappling rolls made with tentacles get a +2 bonus, and its crushing attack causes the creature’s Strength in damage unless otherwise listed.
Severing a tentacle is a Called Shot. If damage exceeds the creature’s Toughness, the limb is severed and the monster is Shaken. If it was already Shaken, it takes a Wound.
Elephants, rhinoceroses, and other large creatures can trample smaller victims underfoot when moving at least 5″ (10 yards) in a straight line. This usually applies only when the opponents are at least two Sizes smaller. See the creature's description for any special conditions or effects.
Anyone in the creature's path must Evade or take the listed damage. Those it tramples may make an attack on it after it passes, if possible (see Withdrawing from Melee), unless it has Extraction or a similar ability.
Zombies, skeletons, and similar physical horrors are particularly difficult to destroy. In most cases, undead creatures are Evil, but there are exceptions. Below are the benefits of being such an abomination.
Add +2 to Toughness and Spirit rolls to recover from being Shaken, ignore additional damage from Called Shots, ignore 1 point of Wound penalties, don’t breathe or eat and are immune to disease and poison, don’t Bleed Out, ignore penalties for Illumination up to 10″ (20 yards), and can only be healed with magical healing.
The creature has strong will, magical protections, or great mass. It takes a maximum of one Wound per attack no matter how many Wounds would normally be caused (after Soak rolls are made). Certain Weaknesses or magic items ignore this ability, as does an attacker acting on a Joker.
A wall walker’s movement rate when walking on walls is its standard Pace. It may run as usual when walking on walls unless the specific creature’s text says otherwise.
Some creatures can only be hurt by certain substances, are debilitated by sunlight or holy symbols, or might perish immediately if affected by some holy relic, rare object, or magical item. A Weakness not covered by Environmental Weakness is listed here along with the specific rules and conditions required to trigger it.
Rare creatures with bizarre anatomy, strange abilities, or alien characteristics.
Any living vertebrate creature with no magical abilities and no innate language or culture. Smarts is relative to the animal world, as indicated by the (A) as a reminder of “animal intelligence.”
An artificially created object or creature.
The family of legendary magical reptilian creatures, usually winged.
Supernatural creatures, usually humanoid in appearance, with connections to nature or some other fantastical realm.
Biped creatures, with a human-like head, torso and limbs. Humanoids usually possess language and form cultures.
Similar to Animals, creatures of this Type possess some kind of magical or supernatural ability.
Similar to Humanoids, these creatures have some monstrous features or characteristics, as well as magical or beastly abilities.
Mindless amorphous creatures, Oozes often consume resources and pose environmental hazards to other creature Types.
Although these creatures resemble other Types, their origin, or perhaps their composition, comes from beyond the Material Plane.
Creatures composed of vegetation, different than regular plant life, which are considered objects.
Any once-living creature reanimated by magical or supernatural force.
Living invertebrate creatures, from insects, to arachnids, and arthropods.