making a 3.5 base class, would like some advice.

[Druid_lord]

Hello, it has been far too long since I last visited these boards :) I am planning to homebrew a class based somewhat of the belief in therianthropy, the idea that people's spirits are linked to certain animals, and they can turn into those animals. I was wondering if anyone had some advice on how to balance this. My idea for the class so far: Barbarian BAB, choose either bear, wolf, hawk ow tiger spirit animal, and as you level, you get upgrades to you spirit animal form. Allow transformation into spirit animal form, increasing amounts of times a day as the char levels..

[Shinizak]

I would say you should probably look at a few classes, the animal lord (in the complete adventurer) the barbarian, the ranger, the bard, and the druid. First, give it the BAb and uncanny dodge bonuses of the barbarian, then have the druid's wild shape ability based on totems (as the animal lord) the character chooses. Then combine the ranger's and bard spells/spells known list.

Or, simply play a spirit shaman from the complete divine.

[Druid_lord]

I don't have Complete divine or Complete adventurer, what are those classes like?

[Shinizak]

Animal lord is basically a Tarzan rip off.

The Spirit Shaman is a Druid/Cleric combo with an animal guide.

[Bulwer]

This might work better as a PrC: Maybe with (totem) Barbarian as a prereq, advancing BaB 3/4, but with the transformation ability that scales very well.

However you do it, it would be important to balance the totem animals carefully, so that there's not just one obvious choice to take mechanically.

[Xallace]

It's certainly a workable idea, though I think that only having a single animal form is a bit limited for a base class. Could your Therionthropes choose multiple animal forms as representative of different aspects of their soul or personality, but have a primary form that represents themselves as a whole?

That way, I'd think you could gain special benefits dependent on your primary form (including special upgrades for that form only, like you mentioned in the opening post), which would keep the flavor but you'd have a little more utility from your non-primary spirit animals.

[Druid_lord]

Hmm, maybe structure it similair to the combat paths the ranger has have them choose either Hound ( upgradeable direwolf form, some kind of hybrid form, and a specially brewed wolf form.) Beast ( upgradable direbear, bear-regular form hybrid a special brewed bear.) Bird (Upgradeable direhawk, if those exist, if not I need to make one. hybrid form, special totem hawk form.)

[Devils_Advocate]

Maybe you could tie it into Unearthed Arcana's Totem Barbarian (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#barbarianVariantTotemB arbarian) thingy. That might at least give you an idea about what animals to use.

[GreatWyrmGold]

...direhawk, if those exist...

Yeah, they exist. In 3rd edition, MM2. In 3.5, which is better for the class, Races of the Wild.

[SurlySeraph]

The Totem Ascendant (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=3121290&postcount=92) homebrew class is basically this.

[Druid_lord]

it is similar, but my idea is for a shapeshifter class, maybe i'll just use the list of totem animals they have listed there.