Animal Families (Apath)

Unofficial rules compendium

Animals are grouped in families, and each animal lord must choose an animal family at first level and gains abilities appropriate to his chosen group. Note that these groupings are not scientific, they go by appearance, role, and myth. Unless noted, all abilities gained are from the universal monster rules. † indicates a new animal described in this book.

Option: Extrapolating Size At the GMs discretion, animal lords can assume sizes of animals that do not have a stat block. All animal families have been provided with natural attack damage for sizes from Tiny to Huge. As most remaining values are set by beast shape, this makes it easy to set values for assumed forms of a size outside of the examples given. Merely assume relevant values are the same as that of the closest available size.

Bear Lord

Bear lords have broad shoulders, prominent canines, and short stubby fingers.

Animal Shapes: Small wolverine; Medium black bear; Large brown bear.

Senses: Low-light vision, scent.

Natural Attacks: Tiny 2 claws (1d2), bite (1d2); Small 2 claws (1d3), bite (1d3); Medium 2 claws (1d4), bite (1d4); Large 2 claws (1d6), bite (1d6); Huge 2 claws (1d8), bite (1d8).

Skill Bonuses: +4 Survival.

Animal Special Attacks: Grab (2 claws) If a bear lord attack hits with two claw attacks against the same opponent in the same round, he deals normal damage and can attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. Grab can only be used against targets of a size equal to or smaller than the bear lord. A bear lord receive a +4 bonus on combat maneuver checks made to start and maintain a grapple.

Animal Speed: Land 40 ft.

Animal Special Qualities: Bear Hug (Ex) A bear lord can crush a opponent in a fearsome hug when he makes a successful grapple check (in addition to any other effects caused by a successful check), inflicting bludgeoning damage equal to twice the bear lord's claw damage.

Boar Lord

Boar lords have small eyes set close together, tusk-like incisors, and a flat, up-turned nose.

Animal Shapes: Small pit boar; Medium common boar; Large dire boar.

Senses: Low-light vision, scent.

Natural Attacks: Tiny gore 1d4; Small gore 1d6; Medium gore 1d8; Large gore 2d6; Huge gore 2d8.

Animal Special Attacks: Charge Through (Ex) During a charge, a boar lord can attempt any number of overrun combat maneuvers. These trigger attacks of opportunity normally. If he successfully overruns the target of his gore attack, the boar lord can continue moving in a straight line to the limit of his speed, potentially making additional overruns.

Skill Bonuses: +8 Perception against adjacent squares.

Animal Speed: Land 40 ft.

Animal Special Qualities: Ferocity (Ex) A boar lord remains conscious and can continue fighting even if his hit point total is below 0. He is still staggered and loses 1 hit point each round. He still dies when his hit point total reaches a negative amount equal to his Constitution score.

Canine Lord

Canine lords are hirsute, with sharp teeth and slightly pointed ears.

Animal Shapes: Tiny fox; Small dog; Medium wolf; Large dire wolf.

Senses: Low-light vision, scent.

Natural Attacks: Tiny bite (1d3); Small bite (1d4); Medium bite (1d6); Large bite (1d8); Huge bite (2d6).

Skill Bonuses: +8 on Survival checks to track.

Animal Special Attacks: Trip (bite) When a canine lord hits with a bite attack, he can attempt to trip his opponent as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If the attempt fails, the canine lord is not tripped in return.

Animal Speed: Land 50 ft.

Animal Special Qualities: Savage (Ex) A canine lord deals extra damage on bite attacks against a prone opponent. Roll the bite’s damage dice for the attack twice and add the results together before adding bonuses.

Capra Lord

Capras are horned herbivores, including goats, ibexes, and sheep. Capra lords have alert eyes and plentiful head and body hair, often curly. They may have a strong and peculiar body odor.

Animal Shapes: Small goat; Medium ram; Large dire ram.

Senses: Low-light vision, scent.

Natural Attacks: Tiny gore 1d3; Small gore 1d4; Medium gore 1d6; Large gore 1d8; Huge gore 2d6.

Skill Bonuses: +4 Acrobatics.

Animal Special Attacks: Powerful Charge (Ex) When a capra lord makes a charge, his gore attack deals double damage.

Animal Speed: 30 ft.

Animal Special Qualities: Gains Nimble Moves as a bonus feat, ignoring prerequisites.

Cat Lord

Cat lords move with fluid agility, and have slender bodies and catlike eyes.

Animal Shapes: Tiny cat; Small bobcat†, Medium leopard,; Large tiger; Huge warcat.

Senses: Low-light vision, scent.

Natural Attacks: Tiny bite (1d3); Small bite (1d4), 2 claws (1d3); Medium bite (1d6), 2 claws (1d4); Large bite (1d8), 2 claws (1d6); Huge bite (2d6), 2 claws (1d8);

Skill Bonuses: +4 Stealth.

Animal Special Attacks: Pounce, Rake (2 claws).

Animal Speed: 40 ft., Climb 20 ft.

Animal Special Qualities: Leap (Ex) A cat lord adds half his Hit Dice to all Acrobatics checks made to jump, and is always treated as if he had a running start when jumping.

Cattle Lord

Cattle are powerful creatures with a strong territorial instinct. They are powerfully built, with a mighty upper body and a high brow.

Animal Shapes: Medium dwarf cattle†, Large auroch, Huge mountain auroch.

Senses: Low-light vision, scent.

Natural Attacks: Tiny gore 1d4; Small gore 1d6; Medium gore 1d8; Large gore 2d6; Huge gore 3d6.

Skill Bonuses: +4 Intimidate.

Animal Special Attacks: Horn Toss (Ex) A cattle lord that makes a charge and hits with a gore attack can do a bull rush or reposition combat maneuver against the target of the gore attack as a free action without triggering an attack of opportunity.

Animal Speed: Land 40 ft.

Animal Special Qualities: Trample (Ex) As a full-round action, a cattle lord can attempt to overrun any creature that is at least one size category smaller than itself. This works just like the overrun combat maneuver, but the trampling creature does not need to make a check, he merely has to move over opponents in his path. Targets of a trample take an amount of damage equal to the gore damage + 1-1/2 times his Str modifier. Targets of a trample can make an attack of opportunity, but at a –4 penalty. If targets forgo an attack of opportunity, they can attempt to avoid the trampling creature and receive a Reflex save to take half damage. The save DC against a creature’s trample attack is 10 + 1/2 the cattle lord’s HD + the cattle lord’s Str modifier. A cattle lord can only deal trampling damage to each target once per round, no matter how many times his movement takes him over a target creature.

Constrictor Lord

Well muscled and with no body hair, constrictor lords rule the various constrictor snakes.

Natural Attacks: Tiny bite (1d3); Small bite (1d4); Medium bite (1d6); Large bite (1d8); Huge bite (2d6).

Skill Bonuses: +4 Sense Motive.

Animal Shapes: Medium constrictor snake, Large anaconda.

Senses: Low-light vision, scent.

Skill Bonuses: Stealth +4.

Animal Special Attacks: Grab (Ex) (bite) If a constrictor lord hits with a bite attack, he deals normal damage and can attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. Grab can only be used against targets of a size equal to or smaller than the constrictor lord. A constrictor lord receive a +4 bonus on combat maneuver checks made to start and maintain a grapple.

Animal Speed: 20 ft., climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft. A constrictor lord can move through an area as small as half his space without squeezing or one-quarter his space when squeezing.

Animal Special Qualities: Constrict (Ex) A constrictor lord can crush an opponent when he makes a successful grapple check (in addition to any other effects caused by a successful check, including bite damage). The amount of damage is the same as the bite attack, but this is bludgeoning damage.

Crocodile Lord

Crocodile lords have a prominent jaw full of sharp teeth, a long torso and short limbs.

Animal Shapes: Small dwarf caiman; Medium crocodile; Large marine crocodile, Huge kaprosuchus (megafauna).

Senses: Low-light vision.

Natural Attacks: Tiny bite 1d3, tail slap 1d6; Small bite 1d4, tail slap 1d8; Medium bite 1d6, tail slap 1d10; Large bite 1d8, tail slap 1d12; Huge bite 2d6, tail slap 1d20.

Skill Bonuses: +8 Stealth in water.

Animal Special Attacks: Grab (bite) If a crocodile lord hits with a bite attack, he deals normal damage can attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. Grab can only be used against targets of a size equal to or smaller than the crocodile lord. A crocodile lord receive a +4 bonus on combat maneuver checks made to start and maintain a grapple.

Animal Speed: Swim 50 ft. Crocodile lords gain the amphibian and aquatic subtypes, but cannot breathe water. A crocodile lord can hold his breath for a number of rounds equal to 4 times his Constitution score before he risks drowning.

Animal Special Qualities: Death Roll (Ex) When grappling a foe of his size or smaller, a crocodile can perform a death roll upon making a successful grapple check. As he clings to his foe, he tucks in his legs and rolls rapidly, twisting and wrenching his victim. If successful, the crocodile inflicts his bite damage, knocks the creature prone, and maintains the grapple.

Deer Lord

Deer lords have large, alert eyes, long faces, thin limbs, and are jittery.

Animal Shapes: Small antelope; Medium stag; Large moose.

Senses: Low-light vision, scent.

Natural Attacks: Tiny gore 1d4; Small gore 1d6; Medium gore 1d6, 2 hooves 1d4; Large gore 1d8, 2 hooves 1d6; Huge gore 2d6, 2 hooves 1d8.

Skill Bonuses: +4 Intimidate.

Animal Special Attacks: Powerful Charge (Ex) When a deer lord makes a charge, his gore attack deals double damage, in addition to the normal benefits and hazards of a charge.

Animal Speed: 40 ft.

Animal Special Qualities: Lock Horns (Ex) When a deer lord hits with a gore attack, he can make a reposition or trip combat maneuver as a free action without triggering an attack of opportunity.

Dinosaur Lord

A dinosaur lord has sharp teeth and a rumbling voice.

Animal Shapes: Tiny compsognathus; Small velociraptor; Medium deinonychus; Large megaraptor; Huge allosaurus.

Senses: Low-light vision, scent.

Natural Attacks: Tiny bite (1d3); Small bite (1d4); Medium bite (1d6); Large bite (1d8); Huge bite (2d6).

Skill Bonuses: +4 Acrobatics.

Animal Special Attacks: Pounce When a dinosaur lord makes a charge, he can make a full attack. All attacks must be against the same creature.

Animal Movement: Land 50 ft.

Animal Special Qualities: Rake (Ex) A dinosaur lord gains two free talon attacks when using pounce. Damage depends on size, Tiny (1d4); Small (1d6), Medium (1d8), Large (2d6), Huge (3d6). Talon attacks do slashing damage.

Dolphin Lord

Dolphin lords are hairless and may have contrasting dark and light patterns on their skin. They are notable for their melodious voices.

Animal Shapes: Small popoto (dolphin); Medium dolphin; Large narwhale, Huge orca.

Senses: Blindsense 60 ft. (sonar), low-light vision.

Natural Attacks: Tiny slam 1d2; Small slam 1d3; Medium slam 1d4; Large slam 1d6; Huge slam 1d8.

Skill Bonuses: Perform (sing) +6.

Animal Special Attacks: Ram (Ex) When a dolphin lord makes a charge, his slam attack deals double damage.

Animal Speed: Swim 60 ft. Dolphin lords gain the amphibian and aquatic subtypes, but cannot breathe water. A dolphin lord can hold his breath for a number of minutes equal to 6 times his Constitution score before he risks drowning.

Animal Special Qualities: Sonar (Ex) The dolphin lord gains blindsight (30 ft., sonar).

Elephant Lord

Elephants include smaller island and forest varieties as well as huge ones in jungle and savanna. Mammoths are similar to elephants but furred and live in in cold climates. Elephant lords are heavyset, with small, widely spaced eyes and pronounced ears and noses. Elephant lords proper have little body hair and tend towards baldness, while mammoth lords have long, stringy hair.

Animal Shapes: Medium dwarf elephant†; Large forest elephant†; Huge elephant.

Senses: Low-light vision, scent.

Natural Attacks: Tiny gore 1d6; Small gore 1d8; Medium gore 1d8, slam 1d6; Large gore 2d6, slam 1d8; Huge gore 2d8, slam 2d6.

Skill Bonuses: +4 Survival.

Animal Special Attacks: Trample (Ex) As a full-round action, a elephant lord can attempt to overrun any creature that is at least one size category smaller than itself. This works just like the overrun combat maneuver, but the trampling creature does not need to make a check, he merely has to move over opponents in his path. Targets of a trample take an amount of damage equal to the slam damage + 1-1/2 times his Str modifier. Targets of a trample can make an attack of opportunity, but at a –4 penalty. If targets forgo an attack of opportunity, they can attempt to avoid the trampling creature and receive a Reflex save to take half damage. The save DC against a creature’s trample attack is 10 + 1/2 the elephant lord’s HD + the elephant lord’s Str modifier. A elephant lord can only deal trampling damage to each target once per round, no matter how many times his movement takes he over a target creature.

Animal Speed: Land 40 ft.

Animal Special Qualities: Thick Skin (Ex) An elephant lord's natural armor bonus improves by an additional +2 in all forms.

Fowl Lord

Fowl lords rule a wide variety of grazing birds, including ravens, poultry, and swans. A fowl lord is a proud creature with a pronounced neck, pale skin, and a large mop of hair, often of an unusual color.

Animal Shapes: Diminutive thrush; Tiny raven; Small trumpeter swan; Medium giant raven.

Senses: Low-light vision.

Natural Attacks: Diminutive bite (1d3); Tiny bite (1d4); Small bite (1d4), 2 wings (1d3); Medium bite (1d6), 2 wings (1d4); Large bite (1d8), 2 wings (1d6); Huge bite (1d12), 2 wings (1d8).

Skill Bonuses: +4 Diplomacy.

Animal Special Attacks: Eye Peck (Ex) When a bird lord scores a critical hit with a bite attack, the target loses eyesight in one eye. The target suffers a –2 penalty on Perception checks and all creatures have concealment from him. If the creature only has one functional eye prior to the eye peck, he is blinded instead. This lasts until the creature is restored to full hit points or remove blindness/deafness is applied.

Animal Speed: fly 40 ft. (poor).

Animal Special Qualities: Crow (Ex) At the start of a surprise round, when a fowl lord is not surprised, he can let out a loud screech that makes allies within 30 ft. not be surprised either. This round remains a surprise round even if all creatures in the combat can act.

Frog Lord

Frog lords are bent, often slouching, and speak with croaking voices. They seem older and wiser than they are.

Animal Shapes: Diminutive toad; Tiny poisonous frog; Small killer frog; Medium giant frog; Large goliath frog; Huge frog father.

Senses: Low-light vision, scent.

Natural Attacks: Diminutive bite 1d2; Tiny bite 1d3; Small bite 1d4; Medium bite 1d6; Large bite 1d8; Huge bite 3d6;

Skill Bonuses: +8 Acrobatics checks to jump.

Animal Special Attacks: Tongue (Ex) A frog lord's tongue is a primary attack with reach depending on the frog lord's current size: (Diminutive 0ft., Tiny 5ft., Small 10 ft., Medium 15 ft., Large 20 ft., Huge 30 ft.). A frog lord's tongue deals no damage on a hit, but has the grab special attack. A frog lord does not gain the grappled condition while using his tongue to grapple.

Animal Speed: swim 30 ft.

Animal Special Qualities: Slimy Skin (Ex) A frog lord gains a +4 bonus on Escape Artist checks and on CMD against grapple attacks.

Horse Lord

Horse lords have long limbs, long faces, and a great tuft of hair on the back of their head.

Animal Shapes: Medium pony; Large horse.

Senses: Low-light vision, scent.

Natural Attacks: Tiny bite 1, 2 hooves 1d2; Small bite 1d2, 2 hooves 1d3; Medium: bite 1d3, 2 hooves 1d4; Large: bite 1d4, 2 hooves 1d6; Huge: bite 1d6, 2 hooves 1d8.

Skill Bonuses: +4 Acrobatics, -4 Climb, +4 Perception.

Animal Special Attacks: Rear Kick (Ex) When outflanked, a horse lord gains two additional hoof attacks.

Animal Speed: 50 ft.

Animal Special Qualities: Gain Combat Reflexes and Mobility as a bonus feats.

Ostrich Lord

Ostrich lords are thin with long legs and neck.

Animal Shapes: Tiny roadrunner†; Small rhea†; Medium ostrich; Large axe beak.

Senses: Low-light vision.

Natural Attacks: Tiny bite (1d3); Small bite (1d4); Medium bite (1d6); Large bite (1d8); Huge bite (1d12).

Skill Bonuses: +4 Perception.

Animal Special Attacks: Sudden Charge (Ex) When making a charge attack, a ostrich lord makes a single bite attack. If successful, he may also attempt to trip an opponent of his own size category or smaller as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If the attempt fails, the ostrich lord cannot be tripped in return.

Animal Speed: 60 ft.

Animal Special Qualities: The ostrich lord gains Improved Initiative and Run as bonus feats.

Raptor Lord

Raptor lords are lords of predatory birds and have wide searching eyes and aquiline noses.

Animal Shapes: Tiny hawk; Small eagle; Medium great eagle; Large giant falcon.

Senses: Telescopic Vision (Ex) The range penalty for a raptor lord's visual Perception checks is -1 pet 100 ft. instead of -1/10 ft.

Natural Attacks: Tiny bite (1d3), 2 talons (1d2); Small bite (1d4), 2 talons (1d3); Medium bite (1d6), 2 talons (1d4); Large bite (1d8), 2 talons (1d6); Huge bite (2d6), 2 talons (1d8).

Skill Bonuses: +4 Perception.

Animal Special Attacks: Grab (talons) If a raptor lord hits with both talon attacks, he deals normal damage can attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. Grab can only be used against targets of a size category smaller than the raptor lord. A raptor lord receive a +4 bonus on combat maneuver checks made to start and maintain a grapple.

Animal Speed: Fly 80 ft. (average).

Animal Special Qualities: Raptor Dive (Ex) A raptor lord that charges a target 20 ft or more below himself can make a natural slam attack by crushing the target with their breastbone. The damage depends on size category. Tiny (1d6); Small (1d8); Medium (2d6); Large (3d6). A add 1 1/2 times the raptor lord's Strength modifier to raptor dive attacks.

Rat Lord

Rat lords have pointed chins and ears, and move with quick, jittery motions.

Animal Shapes: Diminutive jerboa; Tiny rat; Small dire rat; Medium giant rat†.

Senses: Low-light vision, scent.

Natural Attacks: Diminutive bite (1d2); Tiny bite (1d3); Small bite (1d4); Medium bite (1d6); Large bite (1d8); Huge bite (2d6).

Skill Bonuses: +4 Stealth.

Animal Special Attacks: Disease (Ex) (bite) Filth fever: Bite—injury; save Fort DC 10 + 1/2 the rat lord's level + the rat lord's Constitution modifier; onset 1d3 days; frequency 1/day; effect 1d3 Dex damage and 1d3 Con damage; cure 1 save.

Animal Speed: Land 40 ft., climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft.

Animal Special Qualities: Hearty (Ex) The rat lord is immune to disease and gains a +2 bonus on all Fortitude saves.

Seal Lord

Seal lords are compact and fat, with short powerful arms and legs. They have small noses and dark eyes.

Animal Shapes: Small seal; Medium sea lion†, Large walrus.

Senses: Low-light vision.

Natural Attacks: Tiny bite (1d3); Small bite (1d4); Medium bite (1d6); Large bite (1d8); Huge bite (2d6).

Skill Bonuses: +4 Acrobatics in water, +4 Perception in water.

Animal Special Attacks: Trip (bite) When a seal lord hits with a bite attack, he can attempt to trip his opponent as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If the attempt fails, the seal lord is not tripped in return.

Animal Speed: Swim 50 ft. Seal lords gain the amphibian and aquatic subtypes, but cannot breathe water. A seal lord can hold his breath for a number of minutes equal to 6 times his Constitution score before he risks drowning.

Animal Special Qualities: Shake (Ex) On a successful critical with its bite attack, a seal lord automatically violently shakes a target up to one size category smaller than itself. The target is dazed for 1 round.

Shark Lord

Shark lords have black eyes, pale skin, sharp teeth, and little or no hair on either head or body.

Animal Shapes: Medium bull shark; Large shark, Huge great white shark.

Senses: Blindsense 30 ft. (electroreception), keen scent. The blindsense of a shark lord detects nerve impulses in living creatures; they cannot use blindsense to perceive constructs or undead.

Natural Attacks: Tiny bite (1d3); Small bite (1d4); Medium bite (1d6); Large bite (1d8); Huge bite (2d6);

Skill Bonuses: +6 Intimidate.

Animal Special Attacks: Swim-by Attack (Ex) Gains Spring Attack as a bonus feat, ignoring prerequisites. When using Spring Attack while swimming, the shark lord can move up to his speed both before and after the attack.

Animal Movement: swim 60 ft. Shark lords can breathe both water and air and gain the aquatic and amphibian subtypes.

Animal Special Qualities: Brutal Jaws (Ex) A shark lord's bite attack causes bleed (1d6).

Viper Lord

Viper lords have unusual skin colors with stripes or patterns, staring eyes, and forked tongues.

Animal Shapes: Tiny viper; Small sea snake; Medium venomous snake; Large emperor cobra.

Senses: Low-light vision, scent.

Natural Attacks: Tiny bite (1d3); Small bite (1d4); Medium bite (1d6); Large bite (1d8); Large bite (1d12).

Skill Bonuses: +4 Stealth.

Animal Special Attacks: Poison (Ex) Bite—injury; save Fort DC 10 + 1/2 the viper lord's level + the viper lord's Constitution modifier; frequency 1/round for 1 round; effect 1 Con damage.

Animal Speed: climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft. A viper lord can move through an area as small as half his space without squeezing or one-quarter his space when squeezing.

Animal Special Qualities: The virulence of the viper lord's poison increases to this: Poison (Ex) Bite—injury; save Fort DC 10 + 1/2 the viper lord's level + the viper lord's Constitution modifier; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d3 Con damage; cure 1 save.

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