DnD rival Pathfinder’s newest book lets you play as pigeon-sized dragons
On April 29, a Barnes & Noble product page prematurely announced two upcoming Pathfinder books, Monster Core 2 and Lost Omens: Draconic Codex. Wargamer hit up publisher Paizo to learn more, and creative director Luis Loza says “both of these books gave us an opportunity to take monsters and make them our own”. That means more in-depth dragon lore, more high-level combat encounters, and interesting new player options. Yes, that includes playing as a dragon.
Senior Paizo developer Eleanor Ferron tells Wargamer that, admittedly, you can only play “a very small” dragon. Ferron says that Dragonets, a new ancestry addition to the list of Pathfinder races, “are dragons that range between the size of a pigeon or a housecat, though some can be up to three feet long”.
Lost Omens Draconic Codex Cover by Miguel Regodón Harkness
Dragonets previously appeared in Pathfinder’s original Monster Core, where the Fey Dragonet can be spotted. “They’re not as grand in appearance as their bigger cousins, but they’ll argue they’re still just as neat”, Ferron adds. “You’ll also have the option to play a homing drake, a tiny dragon that people love to use as pets or racing animals (though the feral ones have the less complimentary name of “pest drakes”).”
Lost Omens: Draconic Codex exists because everybody in the tabletop RPG space loves dragons. This is something competitor Dungeons and Dragons has tapped into recently, too, as the next book up on the DnD release schedule is an anthology of dragon-themed adventurers.
A homing drake from Draconic Codex by artist Gunship Revolution
Paizo also tells us that its draconic tome exists due to how jam-packed the game’s regular bestiaries are. “Golarion has a lot of dragons, but due to space constraints in the Monster Core books, we often don’t get to know much about them beyond how many adventurers they can eat in one round”, Ferron says.
“That’s very important information, but dragons are more than just monsters to fight. Dragonic Codex is a book aimed at filling in those gaps, telling you everything you’d like to know about dragons, from what they eat to their favorite type of hoard.”
The cinder archdragon from Draconic Codex by artist Luca Sotgiu
“Draconic Codex gave us an opportunity to make brand-new dragons that were distinct from the staples found in fantasy RPGs”, Luiz Loza adds. “I’m always excited to present a new batch of final bosses for adventures and campaigns.” Each type of dragon reportedly has its own archdragon in this book, which is “the most powerful dragon of its kind”. Each comes with an exclusive ability to “showcase their might” and put the fear in your players.
While Draconic Codex dives deep into one type of monster, Monster Core 2 expands on the grander list of adversaries in Pathfinder. “Monster Codex 2 gives us a chance to take classical fantasy and folklore monsters and really give them the Pathfinder twist”, Loza tells Wargamer. “For example, we’re adding the divoynik to monstrous ranks, which is our take on the classic doppelganger concept. In addition to shapeshifting, divoyniks have a way of hypnotizing their targets and even extract knowledge from their minds to aid with their deceptions.”
Monster Core 2 cover by Wayne Reynolds
Designer Joshua Birdsong says that Monster Core 2 offers GMs a heap of new storytelling potential. “Many of the creatures within this book spark stories all by themselves.” “The kadamel, or gate archon, is a powerful celestial tasked with guarding planar portals, capable of forming stone weapons and using powerful divine magic”, Birdsong adds. “Your party might have to bargain with one for passage to another plane, or fight alongside one against a fiendish incursion!”
As well as story value, these monsters also promise to pack a punch. Loza tells Wargamer to expect plenty of high-level monsters “that can lead to impressive fights”.
The gate archon from Monster Core 2 by artist Scott Purdy
“Our previous monster books would generally include a single monster that was the toughest in the book”, Loza says. “This time around, we have a three-way tie for strongest monster so GMs have more options to obliterate their players and game worlds.”
“The one I’m most excited for is Sorvuth-ka, Collector of Despair, who is a unique monster tied to Rovagug, our god of destruction”, Loza adds. “I won’t say much about what Sorvuth-ka is capable of, but I will say that I really like that we included ‘Detonate Blood’ among its abilities.”
The destiny tempest from Monster Core 2 by artist Paulo Magalhães
According to Paizo’s product pages for Lost Omens: Draconic Codex and Monster Core 2, both titles can be expected to release around November 5, 2025. For more on tabletop RPGs, here’s everything you need to know about DnD classes and DnD races. Or, if you’d like to share your Dragonet build ideas, join us in the Wargamer Discord.
