First of all, I want to thank Legendary Games for sending us a copy of Latin American Monsters for Pathfinder Second Edition in order to write this review.
This bestiary contains around 120 creatures, all from Central and South America. Some of them are real animals, all the others are monsters belonging to the folklore of those territories; in particular they come from Argentina, Bahamas, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico and Venezuela. What I really appreciated is the involvement of various authors and artists from those lands; a choice that guarantees authenticity and a large number of interesting details for each proposed creature.
In case you are interested in buying it, keep in mind that Latin American Monsters for PF2 is available on the Legendary Games store at a cost of $ 20 (about € 20) in the digital format, $ 27 (about € 27) in the physical version and $ 30 ( about € 30) to have both. I want you to know that the manual is also available for PF1 and D&D5e. If you use the code NDU10 at checkout, you will get a 10% discount on your order!
But now let’s not delay any further, let’s dive into the content and really start this Latin American Monsters review!
The Structure and Contents of the Manual
The bestiary is organized in a simple and functional way; everything inside is arranged in a rational and easy-to-consult manner.
First of all, the manual indicates which contents of PF2 were used to create it and which ones are suitable to be themed with what is proposed by Latin American Monsters.
I really liked the presence of a traditional index and classifications of creatures based on different criteria (origin, type and level).
The most substantial part of the manual, however, is obviously dedicated to creatures. Each of them has a detailed introduction with the lore, a complete and original statblock and a dedicated illustration. No monster gives the impression of “already seen” (perhaps except some animals, but it is inevitable); on the contrary, each of them reveals all the passion and competence of the authors, guaranteeing a final result of complete authenticity. As anticipated at the beginning of the review, the creatures proposed by Latin American Monsters are really a lot; some of the ones that have most impressed me are colorful winged snakes, fearsome two-headed llamas, electrified rainbow anteaters and colossal skeletons bringing calamities to entire regions.
Given the origins of the monsters, I find that some of them are perfect for expanding the possibilities offered by Boricubos: The Lost Isles, a very interesting Caribbean-themed manual from Legendary Games that I have reviewed too.
Latin American Monsters concludes with two appendices; the first contains two new spells, while the second explains how to pronounce the exotic names present in the book.
Latin American Monsters Aesthetic Review
The visual impact of Latin American Monsters, as can be seen from the images included in this review, is not identical to that of the official PF2 manuals but is still very pleasant. Each page has a background made with a watercolor-like style that varies between green and yellow; it isn’t invasive and makes leafing through the manual more pleasant.
There are many beautiful illustrations, one for each monster. Some are slightly more inspired than others, but all are suitable for the content. The feeling that they transmitted to me was of relevance to the relative folklore. The cover is very pleasant too; it is not rigid, but with a manual of just over 100 pages it is enough.
The layout is simple and functional; the text is divided into two columns, the font is clear and legible. Sometimes simplicity pays off.
Conclusions of the Latin American Monsters Review
To conclude this review, I can say that Latin American Monsters has a very specific goal and achieves it very well. By purchasing it you will immediately have access to many creatures of South and Central American folklore, perfect both for dedicated adventures and to be included in more classic campaigns.
If these elements tickle your imagination, I absolutely recommend this manual!
