Pathfinder Chronicles (8/?)

(This is part of a series of posts reviewing the Pathfinder Chronicles Campaign Setting.)

The prestige classes themselves are mostly interesting thematically — I have some reservations concerning the Harrower's powers' high variance of usefulness, mind, and 'augmenting existing spells' isn't much, flavorwise, for tactical cartomancy. (... and now I want to design a full-fledged tactical cartomancer class. Oh well.) The Red Mantis Assassin isn't particularly intended for PCs (although even that's plausible in certain campaigns with certain play groups), but it fills the function of a villain template well: I recommend that players intending to play in Golarion, rather than GM, not read the powers of this prestige class.

(Sadly the almost-eponymous Pathfinder Chronicler does not live up to the standards of novelty -slash-interestingness set by the other four; it reminds me of the loremaster or that one Forgotten Realms Harper prestige class.)

The non-rules-text chapters are by turns dull and droll: the aside concerning the alleged hallucinogenic properties of thileu bark was very nearly worth the price of admission all on its own, but the Darklands (for instance) are only roughly sketched, with few or none of the points of exemplifying detail that bring life to a setting.

A few appendices fill out the remaining 12 pages: a guide to the currently published Pathfinder adventures, a pronunciation guide, a collection of random encounter tables, and — both usefully and interestingly — a collection of sample characters, usable as either allies or antagonists (depending on need and context).