Paizo will introduce six new Pathfinder races in an upcoming 2e sourcebook, Wargamer can reveal. Howl of the Wild, a bestiary-style book that boasts a range of new creatures as well as player options, was first announced on May 12. Of the six ancestries, we currently know the details of two: the Centaur and the Minotaur. “Both are from classical mythology, and both are things people have been asking for for a long time”, senior designer and Howl of the Wild project lead James Case tells Wargamer.
Howl of the Wild is a Pathfinder 2e book that explores the weird and wondrous creatures that live in Golarion. Case describes it as “a nature documentary slash adventure novel” framed around the explorations of an elderly naturalist and his eccentric crew. Along with new ancestries, the book will introduce new monsters, spells, feats, and archetypes to second edition.
While Centaurs aren’t new to the Pathfinder setting overall, they’re a new character option for 2e players. “They’re from the continent of Casmaron”, Case explains, “but they’re nomadic (as you might expect from people that are part horse)”. “This means they’ve spread across much of Golarion.”
“This is a cool ancestry that lifts a lot from classical mythology while adding its own spin”, he adds. Centaurs are naturally swift and speedy, and Case says they tend to be experts at herbalism. They also have connections to primal and divine magic.
Similarly, the Pathfinder Minotaur tries to add a fresh twist to the classic mythological beast. “Minotaurs are big and strong, but they’re also used to living in mazes, so they have an appreciation for architecture and stone work”, Case tells Wargamer. “They’re from Iblydos, which is an archipelago that’s inspired by Greek mythology (among other things).”
“They have this mythical past where they didn’t have the best interactions with some of the old hero gods”, he adds. “This may or may not be true, but it’s part of their lore.”
While Minotaurs are commonly associated with size and strength, there’s an intellectual and artistic side to the ancestry that can inspire more creative character builds. “Minotaurs are big and strong, but they’re also used to living in mazes, so they have an appreciation for architecture and stone work”, Case says. “I think there’s a little bit of fun text [in the book] that mentions their settlements have more buildings than they necessarily need, because they see making the buildings as an art as part of their architecture.” For those who prefer a spellcasting build, Minotaurs are also in touch with divine magic.
Minotaurs also had a presence in Pathfinder previously – something Case says the team behind Howl of the Wild leaned into at times. “They had a fair bit of lore from first edition, and one of the bits we found ourselves going back to is that some Minotaurs construct physical labyrinths, while others construct mental labyrinths”, he tells Wargamer. “This means secrets, political intrigue, and that kind of thing.”
While we don’t know exactly when Howl of the Wild will release, we can expect to see the book drop sometime in 2024. Before then, Paizo says it’ll have more to share on the book at Paizo Con Online 2023. You can also learn more about its contents in our full Howl of the Wild preview and in Paizo’s announcement post. And for more Pathfinder content, here’s all you need to know about Pathfinder classes.