Animal Lord (Apath)
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This is a version of the animal lord monster template expressed as an archetype.
The animal lord is a champion of a family of animals. As he grows in power, the animal lord assumes more and more of the abilities of his animal family, becoming shapeshifting lord of a wild; all animals and many monsters of his family acknowledge the superiority of a high level animal lord.
Animal lords are rare. There is usually only one animal lord of significant level on a given subcontinent. If two animal lords of similar level meet, they are likely to cone into a territorial conflict, especially if their animal family is a solitary one.
This archetype is a martial artist of the way of the body.
Class Information
This is a martial arts archetype, a shapechanger that fights as an animal.
Class: Ranger.
Starting Money: 2d6 × 10 gp (average 70 gp)
Hit Die: d10.
Class Skills
The ranger's class skills are Acrobatics (Dex), Climb (Str), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (dungeoneering) (Int), Knowledge (geography) (Int), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Perception (Wis), Ride (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Stealth (Dex), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).
Skill Ranks per Level: 6 + Int modifier.
Class Features
The animal lord has all standard ranger class features, except as noted below.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
The animal lord is proficient with all simple and martial weapons and with light armor. He is not proficient with shields.
Way of the Body Armor Bonus (Ex)
As long as he is not wearing medium or heavy armor, a animal lord gains a circumstance bonus to natural armor equal to his Constitution bonus. He can use shields normally and the bonus stacks with both natural armor and with enchantment bonuses to natural armor.
Note that temporary Constitution modifiers, such as those from bear's endurance, do not increase the armor class bonus from this ability.
Animal Lord (Ex)
This is the same as the ranger ability Wild Shape, except that it only works with creatures of the animal lord's family. Animals and magical beasts of this type begin with an attitude of friendly to the animal lord, and the animal lord can communicate complex commands as long as those commands are in accordance with the animal's natural activities. This replaces wild empathy.
Animal Senses (Ex)
The animal lord gains the senses of his animal family in both humanoid and animal form, as outlined in the animal families section. This replaces the level 1 favored enemy.
Skill Modifiers (Ex)
The animal lord gains the racial skill bonuses of his animal family, as outlined in the animal families section. He can use these senses in humanoid and animal form. This replaces track.
Special Qualities (Su)
At 3rd level the animal lord gains the special qualities of his animal family, as outlined in the animal families section. He can use these senses in humanoid and animal form. This replaces endurance.
Beast Shape (Su)
At 4th level the animal lord can assume the animal forms listed in the animal families section. He can use this ability at will and it lasts until he dies or resumes his normal shape as a standard action. At level 4 he can assume the shape of Small and Medium animals of his family, as beast shape I. At 8th level, he can assume the form of a Tiny or Large member of his animal family, as best shape III. At 12th level he can assume the form of a Huge member of his animal family, as beast shape III. Note that some animal families do not have access to all size categories.
When he assumes an animal for, all his gear is absorbed into his form. Items that provide continuous bonuses continue to provide those bonuses, except armor. An animal lord can benefit from armor with the wild property. When a magic magic weapon is absorbed this way, the animal lord can apply its enchantment to one type of natural attacks. Example Benugan has a +2 frost longbow and a +2 keen dagger. He assumes the form of a lion. He chooses to apply the +2 frost enchantment to all his claws and the +2 keen enchantment to his bite.
The animal lord can also change into hybrid forms as a free action, manifesting various animal parts on a whim or to use abilities like natural attacks. All such hybrids retain the animal lord's humanoid statistics. This replaces hunter's bond.
Improved Natural Attacks
At level 5th level, and again at level 19, the animal lord gains Improved natural Attack as a bonus feat. When the animal lord has applied this feat to all the natural attacks gained from the shifter attacks class feature, he can apply this feat to an attack again, with stacking benefits. This replaces the level 5 favored enemy and improved quarry.
Animal Movement (Su)
At 7th level the animal lord gains the movement abilities of his animal family in humanoid form, as outlined in the animal families section. His body partially changes shape to allow this. This replaces woodland stride.
Shifter Attacks (Su)
At 8th level the animal lord gains the ability to instantly shift parts of his body into natural weapons without changing his overall shape. He can use the natural attacks of his animal family in humanoid form, as outlined in the animal families section. This replaces swift tracker.
Special Attacks (Su)
At 9th level the animal lord gains the special attacks of his animal family, as outlined in the animal families section. He can use these special attacks in humanoid and animal form. This replaces evasion.
Shapechanger (Ex)
At 10th level, the animal lord gains the shapeshifter subtype. He is treated as the animal for spells and effects that work differently on animals. This replaces the level 10 favored enemy.
Damage Reduction (Su)
At level 11 the animal lord gains DR 10/silver in both humanoid and animal forms. This replaces quarry.
Outsider (Ex)
At level 15 the animal lord's type changes to type changes to outsider (native, shapechanger). He is no longer a humanoid and cannot be affected by effects that specifically affect humanoids. The benefits of the shapechanger ability, above, still applies.
Animal Gift (Sp)
At 16th level the animal lord can bestow the animal gift on others. Once per day the animal lord can use animal shapes (sp). At level 20, the animal lord can use this ability at will. This replaces improved evasion and master hunter.
Foresight (Sp)
At level 20, the animal lord gains continuous foresight (sp). If this effect is dispelled, the animal lord can resume it as a swift action. This replaces the level 20 favored enemy.
Table: Animal Lord
| Class Level |
Base Attack Bonus |
Fort Save |
Ref Save |
Will Save |
Special | Spells per Day | |||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | ||||||
| 1st | +1 | +2 | +2 | +0 | Animal senses, armor bonus, skill modifiers | — | — | — | — |
| 2nd | +2 | +3 | +3 | +0 | Combat style feat | — | — | — | — |
| 3rd | +3 | +3 | +3 | +1 | 1st favored terrain, special qualities | — | — | — | — |
| 4th | +4 | +4 | +4 | +1 | Best shape I | 0 | — | — | — |
| 5th | +5 | +4 | +4 | +1 | Improved natural attacks | 1 | — | — | — |
| 6th | +6/+1 | +5 | +5 | +2 | Combat style feat | 1 | — | — | — |
| 7th | +7/+2 | +5 | +5 | +2 | Animal movement | 1 | 0 | — | — |
| 8th | +8/+3 | +6 | +6 | +2 | 2nd favored terrain, beast shape II, shifter attacks | 1 | 1 | — | — |
| 9th | +9/+4 | +6 | +6 | +3 | Special attack | 2 | 1 | — | — |
| 10th | +10/+5 | +7 | +7 | +3 | Combat style feat, shapechanger | 2 | 1 | 0 | — |
| 11th | +11/+6/+1 | +7 | +7 | +3 | Damage redyction | 2 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 12th | +12/+7/+2 | +8 | +8 | +4 | Beast shape III, camouflage | 2 | 2 | 1 | — |
| 13th | +13/+8/+3 | +8 | +8 | +4 | 3rd favored terrain | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 14th | +14/+9/+4 | +9 | +9 | +4 | Combat style feat | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 15th | +15/+10/+5 | +9 | +9 | +5 | Outsider | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| 16th | +16/+11/+6/+1 | +10 | +10 | +5 | Animal gift | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 17th | +17/+12/+7/+2 | +10 | +10 | +5 | Hide in plain sight | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 18th | +18/+13/+8/+3 | +11 | +11 | +6 | 4th favored terrain, combat style feat | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| 19th | +19/+14/+9/+4 | +11 | +11 | +6 | Improved natural attacks | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| 20th | +20/+15/+10/+5 | +12 | +12 | +6 | Animal gift (at will), foresight | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
Appendix: Animal Families
Animals are grouped in taxonomic families, and each animal lord must choose an animal family at first level and gains abilities appropriate to his chosen group.
Bear Lord
Bear lords have broad shoulders, sharp teeth, and thick fingers.
Beast Shapes: Small: wolverine, Medium: black bear, Large: brown bear.
Senses: low-light vision, scent.
Special Attacks: Grab (claws).
Speed: Land 40 ft.
Natural Attacks: Small: 2 claws (1d3), bite (1d3) Medium: 2 claws (1d4), bite (1d4).
Skill Bonuses: +4 swim.
Special Qualities: Bear Hug (Ex) A bear lord deals +1d6 extra points of damage when it makes a grapple check to damage a creature.
Canine Lord
Canine lords are hirsute, have pronounced canines, and have slightly pointed ears.
Beast Shapes: Tiny: fox, Small: dog, Medium: wolf, Large: dire wolf.
Senses: low-light vision, scent.
Special Attacks: Trip (bite).
Speed: Land 50 ft.
Natural Attacks: Small: bite (1d4) Medium: bite (1d6).
Skill Bonuses: +4 Survival.
Special Qualities: Savage (Ex) A canine lord deals +1d6 extra points of damage on its first attack in a round against a prone opponent.
Cat Lord
Cat lords move with a fluid agility, and have slender bodies and catlike eyes.
Beast Shapes: Tiny: cat, Small: lynx TOHC, Medium: leopard, Large: tiger.
Senses: low-light vision, scent.
Special Attacks: pounce, rake (2 claws).
Speed: Climb 20 ft.
Natural Attacks: Small: 2 claws (1d3), bite (1d4) Medium: 2 claws (1d4), bite (1d6).
Skill Bonuses: +4 Acrobatics, +4 Stealth.
Special Qualities: Leap (Ex) A cat lord adds half its Hit Dice to all Acrobatics checks made to jump, and is always treated as if it had a running start when jumping.
Crocodile Lord
Crocodile lords have reptilian eyes, sharp teeth, and a scaly ridge along the spine.
Beast Shapes: Small: dwarf caiman, Medium: crocodile, Large: marine crocodile.
Senses: low-light vision.
Special Attacks: grab, death roll (ex): When grappling a foe of its size or smaller, a crocodile can perform a death roll upon making a successful grapple check. As it clings to its foe, it tucks in its legs and rolls rapidly, twisting and wrenching its victim. The crocodile inflicts its bite damage and knocks the creature prone. If successful, the crocodile maintains its grapple.
Speed: Swim 50 ft.
Natural Attacks: Small: bite 1d4, tail slap 1d8 Medium: bite 1d6, tail slap 1d10.
Skill Bonuses: +8 Stealth in water.
Special Qualities: Thick Skin (Ex) A crocodile lord's base natural armor bonus improves by an additional +2 in all forms.
Dinosaur Lord
A dinosaur lord tends to have sharp teeth, scaly skin, and a booming voice.
Beast Shapes: Tiny: compsognathus, Small: velociraptor, Medium: deinonychus, Large: megaraptor, Huge: allosaurus.
Senses: low-light vision, scent.
Special Attacks: pounce, rake (2 talons).
Animal Movement: land 50 ft.
Natural Attacks: Small: 2 talons (1d6) (rake only), bite (1d4) Medium: 2 talons (1d8) (rake only), bite (1d6).
Skill Bonuses: +8 Acrobatics, -8 Bluff, -8 Diplomacy, +8 Perception, -8 Sense Motive, +8 Stealth.
Special Qualities: Primeval Mind (Ex) A dinosaur lord is immune to charm effects and gains a +2 bonus on all Will saves.
Raptor Lord
Raptor lords are lords of predatory birds and have feathery-looking and brightly colored hair, wide searching eyes, and aquiline noses.
Beast Shapes: Tiny: hawk, Small: eagle, Medium: — Large: giant falcon TOHC.
Senses: When flying and looking down, Perception range penalty is -1/100 ft.
Special Attacks: —
Speed: fly 80 ft. (average).
Natural Attacks: Small: 2 talons (1d4), bite (1d4) Medium: 2 talons (1d6), bite (1d6)-
Skill Bonuses: —
Special Qualities: Raptor's Dive (Ex) A raptor lord deals double damage with any charge that starts 10 or more feet above its target.
Serpent Lord
Serpent lords tend to have unusual skin colors, often with stripes or other patterns), snakelike eyes, and forked tongues.
Beast Shapes: Tiny: viper, Small: sea snake, Medium: venomous snake, Large: emperor cobra.
Senses: low-light vision, scent.
Special Attacks: Poison (Ex) Bite—injury; save Fort DC 10 + 1/2 the snake lord's level + the snake lord's Constitution modifier; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d3 Con; cure 1 save.
Speed: climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft.
Natural Attacks: Small: bite (1d4) Medium: bite (1d6).
Skill Bonuses: +4 Perception, +4 Stealth.
Special Qualities: Poison Immunity (Ex) Serpent lords are immune to poison.
Rat Lord
Rat lords have pointed chins and pointed ears, and move with quick, jittery motions.
Beast Shapes: Tiny: rat, Small: dire rat.
Senses: low-light vision, scent.
Special Attacks: —
Speed: Land 40 ft., climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft.
Natural Attacks: Small: bite (1d4) Medium: bite (1d6)
Skill Bonuses: +4 Stealth.
Special Qualities: Hearty (Ex) Rat lords are immune to disease and gain a +2 bonus on all Fortitude saves.
Shark Lord
Shark lords have black eyes, pale skin, sharp teeth, and little to no body hair.
Beast Shapes: Medium: bull shark, Large: shark, Huge: great white shark.
Senses: (in water only) blindsense 30 ft., keen scent.
Special Attacks: —
Animal Movement: swim 60 ft.
Natural Attacks: Small: bite (1d4) Medium: bite (1d6).
Skill Bonuses: —
Special Qualities: Brutal Jaws (Ex) A shark lord's bite attack causes bleed (1d6).
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