Grod_The_Giant
2014-02-02, 11:22 AM
I've been going through a lot of my old 'brew lately. This guy (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=213031)worked out pretty well in actual play, but I think I can go one better.
Game Rule Information:
Abilities: Wisdom is the most important ability for a Beastman, as it drives his Beast Shape and Animalistic Resilience abilities. Constitution boosts his already impressive health, and Strength and Dexterity help make him an effective melee combatant.
Starting Age: As barbarian.
Starting Gold: As barbarian.
HD: d10
The Beastman’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Geography), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str)
Skill Points at 1st Level: (4 + Int modifier) ×4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier.
Level
BAB
Fort
Ref
Will
Special
1st
+0
+2
+2
+0
Track, Wild Shape
2nd
+1
+3
+3
+0
Wild Empathy, Beast Senses
3rd
+2
+3
+3
+1
Woodland stride, Beast Speech
4th
+3
+4
+4
+1
Wild Shape (Move Action), Primal Might
5th
+3
+4
+4
+1
Wild Shape (Tiny or Large)
6th
+4
+5
+5
+2
Trackless step, Wild Shape (Vermin)
7th
+5
+5
+5
+2
Swift tracker
8th
+6/+1
+6
+6
+2
Wild Shape (Swift Action)
9th
+6/+1
+6
+6
+3
Venom immunity
10th
+7/+2
+7
+7
+3
Wild Shape (Special Qualities)
11th
+8/+3
+7
+7
+3
Resistance to Transmutation
12th
+9/+4
+8
+8
+4
Wild Shape (Free Action; Magical Beasts I)
13th
+9/+4
+8
+8
+4
Thousand Faces
14th
+10/+5
+9
+9
+4
Adamantine Claws
15th
+11/+6/+1
+9
+9
+5
Wild Shape (Huge or Diminutive)
16th
+12/+7/+2
+10
+10
+5
Wild Shape (Immediate Action)
17th
+12/+7/+3
+10
+10
+5
Timeless Body
18th
+13/+8/+3
+11
+11
+6
Wild Shape (Magical Beasts II)
19th
+14/+9/+4
+11
+11
+6
Immunity to Transmutation
20th
+15/+10/+5
+12
+12
+6
Animalistic Might, Wild Shape (Colossal or Fine)
Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: Beastmen are proficient with all simple weapons, and with the natural weapons of any form he might transform into. They are also proficient with light armor.
Wild Shape (Su): A Beastman can transform himself into a wide variety of animals. This ability functions as the Alternate Form special ability, except as noted here.
As per the usual Alternate Form rules Beastman gains the physical abilities (Str, Dex, Con) of his new form. However, he also gains a bonus or penalty to that ability, based on the value of his original score:
Original Ability
Bonus or Penalty
6 or less
-4
7-9
-2
10-13
+0
14-17
+2
18+
+4
Bonuses and penalties only apply to the corresponding score. For example, when using his Wild Shape ability, a Beastman with the stats Str 8, Dex 12, Con 14 would gain a -2 penalty to his new form's Strength and a +2 bonus to its Constitution.
Any gear worn or carried by the Beastman melds into the new form and becomes nonfunctional. When he reverts to his true form, any objects previously melded into the new form reappear in the same location on his body that they previously occupied and are once again functional. Any new items worn in the assumed form fall off and land at the his feet.
A Beastman gains any racial skill bonuses or racial bonus feats his new form would provide, as well as any extraordinary (or unlabeled) sensory abilities, such as scent, low-light vision, or tremorsense.
Changing shape is a standard action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity. At 4th level, a Beastman may change shape as a Move action. At 8th level, he may change shape as a Swift action, and at 12th as a Free action. At 16th level, he may change shape as a Free or Immediate action.
A Beastman may use this ability at will, and may remain in an alternate form as long as he wishes.
A Beastman can only assume so many different forms. At each level (except for 6th and 12th, see below), he may select one creature with a number of hit die equal to or less than his Beastman level and "learns" its form. Henceforth, he can use Beast Shape to transform into it, gaining the benefits mentioned above. In addition to these learned forms, all Beastmen "know" the forms of all Animals in the "Animals" chapter of the Monster Manual 1 with hit die equal to or less than his Beastman level.
Initially, all forms must be Animals. Beginning at 6th level, he may select learn Vermin forms. At 12th, he may learn the forms of Magical Beasts with an Intelligence of 1 or 2, and at 18th he may learn the form of any Magical Beast. At each of these levels, he learns an additional two new forms, for a total of three new forms. These extra forms must be of the type he just gained access to.
At first level, a Beastman may only select Medium or Small forms. Beginning at 5th level, he may select Large and Tiny forms. At 15th level, he gains access to Huge and Diminutive forms, and at 20th level he may select Colossal and Fine forms.
Beginnnig at 10th level, when a Beastman assumes an alternate form, he gains that creature's Extraordinary (Ex) Special Qualities.
Because a Beastman's Wild Shape does not function exactly as the ability was written, compatibility problems can crop up from time to time. Here's how to resolve them:
Class levels which progress wild shape HD limits and/or daily uses also allow the Beastman to pick his new form for the level.
Abilities which add additional wild shape forms, such as the Aberration Wild Shape feat, add new forms to his list of potential forms. In addition, any such feat allows him to choose two additional new forms, which must be of the newly-accessible forms.
Abilities which require wild shape uses to be expended, such as the Eagle's Wings feat, may be taken. The Beastman is considered to have a number of daily wild shape uses to expend on these abilities equal to one-fourth his class level plus his Wisdom modifier.
Track: At first level, a beastman gains Track as a bonus feat.
Wild Empathy (Ex): Beginning at 2nd level, A Beastman can improve the attitude of an animal. This ability functions just like a Diplomacy check made to improve the attitude of a person. The Beastman rolls 1d20 and adds his Beastman level and his Wisdom modifier to determine the wild empathy check result.
The typical domestic animal has a starting attitude of indifferent, while wild animals are usually unfriendly.
To use wild empathy, the Beastman and the animal must be able to study each other, which means that they must be within 30 feet of one another under normal conditions. Generally, influencing an animal in this way takes 1 minute but, as with influencing people, it might take more or less time.
A Beastman can also use this ability to influence a magical beast with an Intelligence score of 1 or 2, but he takes a -4 penalty on the check.
Beast Senses (Ex): At 2nd level, a Beastman gains Low-Light Vision and the Scent special abilities.
Woodland Stride (Ex): Beginning at 3rd level, a Beastman may move through any sort of undergrowth (such as natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas, and similar terrain) at his normal speed and without taking damage or suffering any other impairment. He may also walk through thorns, briars, or overgrown areas that have been magically affected to impede movement (such as by an entangle spell), provided that his Beastman level is higher than the effect’s caster level.
Beast Speech (Su): Beginning at 3rd level, a Beastman may communicate with animals as though under the effects of a speak with animals spell. In addition, when using his Wild Shape ability, he maintains his ability to speak normally (including verbal components of spells) regardless of the form he takes.
Primal Power (Su): Beginning at 4th level, a Beastman's natural weapons gain an enhancement bonus equal to one-fourth his Beastman level. In additionally, he gains a bonus to natural armor equal to his Wisdom modifier.
Trackless Step (Ex): Beginning at 6th level, a Beastman leaves no trail in natural surroundings and cannot be tracked. He may choose to leave a trail if so desired.
Swift Tracker (Ex): Beginning at 7th level, a Beastman can move at his normal speed while following tracks without taking the normal -5 penalty. He takes only a -10 penalty (instead of the normal -20) when moving at up to twice normal speed while tracking.
Venom Immunity (Ex): At 9th level, a Beastman gains immunity to all natural poisons.
Resistance to Transmutation (Ex): At 11th level, a Beastman has incredible control over his own form. He gains a competence bonus to saves against any all transmutation spells equal to his Wisdom modifier.
A Thousand Faces (Su): Beginning at 13th level, a Beastman gains the ability to change his appearance at will, as if using the disguise self spell, but only while in his normal form. This affects his body but not his possessions. It is not an illusory effect, but a minor physical alteration of the his appearance, within the limits described for the spell.
Adamantine Claws (Su): Beginning at 14th level, a Beastman’s natural weapons are treated as being made of adamantine.
Timeless Body (Ex): After attaining 17th level, a Beastman no longer takes ability score penalties for aging and cannot be magically aged. Any penalties him may have already incurred, however, remain in place. Bonuses still accrue, and he still dies of old age when his time is up.
Immunity to Transmutation (Ex): at 19th level, a Beastman has such perfect control over his own form that he becomes immune to transmutation spells. Whenever a transmutation spell is cast on him, he is aware of what effect it will have on him. If he chooses, he may either allow it to work normally.
Animalistic Might (Su): Beginning at 20th level, when assuming a new form, the Beastman can choose to be one size category larger or smaller than normal, to a minimum of Fine and a maximum of Colossal. If already in a form, he may enlarge or shrink his current form by one size category as a swift action; however, these abilities do not stack. When doing so, he gains all the normal benefits and penalties of changing size categories. (See the "Improving Monsters" entry of the Monster Manual).
----------------
New Magic Item-- Beast Buckle
Price (Item Level): 2,500 gp (8th)
Body Slot: —
Caster Level: 5th
Aura: Faint; (DC 17) transmutation
Activation: —
Weight: —
A Beast Buckle may be attached to any magic item normally worn on the body. Whenever the item would meld into your form-- for example, if you use Wild Shape-- the item continues to provide its magical properties. For example, a pair of Gauntlets of Ogre Power with a Beast Buckle attached would continue to provide a +2 enhancement bonus to Strength. On the other hand, a set of +2 chainmail would only provide a +2 enhancement bonus to AC-- the armor bonus itself would be lost.
Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, wild shape.
Cost to Create: 2,000 gp, 160 XP, 4 days.
Much belated 2017 edit: just noticed that the former capstone, Colossal/Fine shapes, does virtually bupkiss-- I think it only adds two shapes, and one only if you had the Dragon Wild Shape feat. Animalistic Might shifted to 20th to compensate.
Game Rule Information:
Abilities: Wisdom is the most important ability for a Beastman, as it drives his Beast Shape and Animalistic Resilience abilities. Constitution boosts his already impressive health, and Strength and Dexterity help make him an effective melee combatant.
Starting Age: As barbarian.
Starting Gold: As barbarian.
HD: d10
The Beastman’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Geography), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str)
Skill Points at 1st Level: (4 + Int modifier) ×4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier.
Level
BAB
Fort
Ref
Will
Special
1st
+0
+2
+2
+0
Track, Wild Shape
2nd
+1
+3
+3
+0
Wild Empathy, Beast Senses
3rd
+2
+3
+3
+1
Woodland stride, Beast Speech
4th
+3
+4
+4
+1
Wild Shape (Move Action), Primal Might
5th
+3
+4
+4
+1
Wild Shape (Tiny or Large)
6th
+4
+5
+5
+2
Trackless step, Wild Shape (Vermin)
7th
+5
+5
+5
+2
Swift tracker
8th
+6/+1
+6
+6
+2
Wild Shape (Swift Action)
9th
+6/+1
+6
+6
+3
Venom immunity
10th
+7/+2
+7
+7
+3
Wild Shape (Special Qualities)
11th
+8/+3
+7
+7
+3
Resistance to Transmutation
12th
+9/+4
+8
+8
+4
Wild Shape (Free Action; Magical Beasts I)
13th
+9/+4
+8
+8
+4
Thousand Faces
14th
+10/+5
+9
+9
+4
Adamantine Claws
15th
+11/+6/+1
+9
+9
+5
Wild Shape (Huge or Diminutive)
16th
+12/+7/+2
+10
+10
+5
Wild Shape (Immediate Action)
17th
+12/+7/+3
+10
+10
+5
Timeless Body
18th
+13/+8/+3
+11
+11
+6
Wild Shape (Magical Beasts II)
19th
+14/+9/+4
+11
+11
+6
Immunity to Transmutation
20th
+15/+10/+5
+12
+12
+6
Animalistic Might, Wild Shape (Colossal or Fine)
Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: Beastmen are proficient with all simple weapons, and with the natural weapons of any form he might transform into. They are also proficient with light armor.
Wild Shape (Su): A Beastman can transform himself into a wide variety of animals. This ability functions as the Alternate Form special ability, except as noted here.
As per the usual Alternate Form rules Beastman gains the physical abilities (Str, Dex, Con) of his new form. However, he also gains a bonus or penalty to that ability, based on the value of his original score:
Original Ability
Bonus or Penalty
6 or less
-4
7-9
-2
10-13
+0
14-17
+2
18+
+4
Bonuses and penalties only apply to the corresponding score. For example, when using his Wild Shape ability, a Beastman with the stats Str 8, Dex 12, Con 14 would gain a -2 penalty to his new form's Strength and a +2 bonus to its Constitution.
Any gear worn or carried by the Beastman melds into the new form and becomes nonfunctional. When he reverts to his true form, any objects previously melded into the new form reappear in the same location on his body that they previously occupied and are once again functional. Any new items worn in the assumed form fall off and land at the his feet.
A Beastman gains any racial skill bonuses or racial bonus feats his new form would provide, as well as any extraordinary (or unlabeled) sensory abilities, such as scent, low-light vision, or tremorsense.
Changing shape is a standard action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity. At 4th level, a Beastman may change shape as a Move action. At 8th level, he may change shape as a Swift action, and at 12th as a Free action. At 16th level, he may change shape as a Free or Immediate action.
A Beastman may use this ability at will, and may remain in an alternate form as long as he wishes.
A Beastman can only assume so many different forms. At each level (except for 6th and 12th, see below), he may select one creature with a number of hit die equal to or less than his Beastman level and "learns" its form. Henceforth, he can use Beast Shape to transform into it, gaining the benefits mentioned above. In addition to these learned forms, all Beastmen "know" the forms of all Animals in the "Animals" chapter of the Monster Manual 1 with hit die equal to or less than his Beastman level.
Initially, all forms must be Animals. Beginning at 6th level, he may select learn Vermin forms. At 12th, he may learn the forms of Magical Beasts with an Intelligence of 1 or 2, and at 18th he may learn the form of any Magical Beast. At each of these levels, he learns an additional two new forms, for a total of three new forms. These extra forms must be of the type he just gained access to.
At first level, a Beastman may only select Medium or Small forms. Beginning at 5th level, he may select Large and Tiny forms. At 15th level, he gains access to Huge and Diminutive forms, and at 20th level he may select Colossal and Fine forms.
Beginnnig at 10th level, when a Beastman assumes an alternate form, he gains that creature's Extraordinary (Ex) Special Qualities.
Because a Beastman's Wild Shape does not function exactly as the ability was written, compatibility problems can crop up from time to time. Here's how to resolve them:
Class levels which progress wild shape HD limits and/or daily uses also allow the Beastman to pick his new form for the level.
Abilities which add additional wild shape forms, such as the Aberration Wild Shape feat, add new forms to his list of potential forms. In addition, any such feat allows him to choose two additional new forms, which must be of the newly-accessible forms.
Abilities which require wild shape uses to be expended, such as the Eagle's Wings feat, may be taken. The Beastman is considered to have a number of daily wild shape uses to expend on these abilities equal to one-fourth his class level plus his Wisdom modifier.
Track: At first level, a beastman gains Track as a bonus feat.
Wild Empathy (Ex): Beginning at 2nd level, A Beastman can improve the attitude of an animal. This ability functions just like a Diplomacy check made to improve the attitude of a person. The Beastman rolls 1d20 and adds his Beastman level and his Wisdom modifier to determine the wild empathy check result.
The typical domestic animal has a starting attitude of indifferent, while wild animals are usually unfriendly.
To use wild empathy, the Beastman and the animal must be able to study each other, which means that they must be within 30 feet of one another under normal conditions. Generally, influencing an animal in this way takes 1 minute but, as with influencing people, it might take more or less time.
A Beastman can also use this ability to influence a magical beast with an Intelligence score of 1 or 2, but he takes a -4 penalty on the check.
Beast Senses (Ex): At 2nd level, a Beastman gains Low-Light Vision and the Scent special abilities.
Woodland Stride (Ex): Beginning at 3rd level, a Beastman may move through any sort of undergrowth (such as natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas, and similar terrain) at his normal speed and without taking damage or suffering any other impairment. He may also walk through thorns, briars, or overgrown areas that have been magically affected to impede movement (such as by an entangle spell), provided that his Beastman level is higher than the effect’s caster level.
Beast Speech (Su): Beginning at 3rd level, a Beastman may communicate with animals as though under the effects of a speak with animals spell. In addition, when using his Wild Shape ability, he maintains his ability to speak normally (including verbal components of spells) regardless of the form he takes.
Primal Power (Su): Beginning at 4th level, a Beastman's natural weapons gain an enhancement bonus equal to one-fourth his Beastman level. In additionally, he gains a bonus to natural armor equal to his Wisdom modifier.
Trackless Step (Ex): Beginning at 6th level, a Beastman leaves no trail in natural surroundings and cannot be tracked. He may choose to leave a trail if so desired.
Swift Tracker (Ex): Beginning at 7th level, a Beastman can move at his normal speed while following tracks without taking the normal -5 penalty. He takes only a -10 penalty (instead of the normal -20) when moving at up to twice normal speed while tracking.
Venom Immunity (Ex): At 9th level, a Beastman gains immunity to all natural poisons.
Resistance to Transmutation (Ex): At 11th level, a Beastman has incredible control over his own form. He gains a competence bonus to saves against any all transmutation spells equal to his Wisdom modifier.
A Thousand Faces (Su): Beginning at 13th level, a Beastman gains the ability to change his appearance at will, as if using the disguise self spell, but only while in his normal form. This affects his body but not his possessions. It is not an illusory effect, but a minor physical alteration of the his appearance, within the limits described for the spell.
Adamantine Claws (Su): Beginning at 14th level, a Beastman’s natural weapons are treated as being made of adamantine.
Timeless Body (Ex): After attaining 17th level, a Beastman no longer takes ability score penalties for aging and cannot be magically aged. Any penalties him may have already incurred, however, remain in place. Bonuses still accrue, and he still dies of old age when his time is up.
Immunity to Transmutation (Ex): at 19th level, a Beastman has such perfect control over his own form that he becomes immune to transmutation spells. Whenever a transmutation spell is cast on him, he is aware of what effect it will have on him. If he chooses, he may either allow it to work normally.
Animalistic Might (Su): Beginning at 20th level, when assuming a new form, the Beastman can choose to be one size category larger or smaller than normal, to a minimum of Fine and a maximum of Colossal. If already in a form, he may enlarge or shrink his current form by one size category as a swift action; however, these abilities do not stack. When doing so, he gains all the normal benefits and penalties of changing size categories. (See the "Improving Monsters" entry of the Monster Manual).
----------------
New Magic Item-- Beast Buckle
Price (Item Level): 2,500 gp (8th)
Body Slot: —
Caster Level: 5th
Aura: Faint; (DC 17) transmutation
Activation: —
Weight: —
A Beast Buckle may be attached to any magic item normally worn on the body. Whenever the item would meld into your form-- for example, if you use Wild Shape-- the item continues to provide its magical properties. For example, a pair of Gauntlets of Ogre Power with a Beast Buckle attached would continue to provide a +2 enhancement bonus to Strength. On the other hand, a set of +2 chainmail would only provide a +2 enhancement bonus to AC-- the armor bonus itself would be lost.
Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, wild shape.
Cost to Create: 2,000 gp, 160 XP, 4 days.
Much belated 2017 edit: just noticed that the former capstone, Colossal/Fine shapes, does virtually bupkiss-- I think it only adds two shapes, and one only if you had the Dragon Wild Shape feat. Animalistic Might shifted to 20th to compensate.