Animal Lord (Apath)

Unofficial rules compendium

This is a version of the animal lord monster template expressed as an archetype.

Background

The animal lord is a champion of a family of animals, like canines or felines. As he grows in power, the animal lord assumes more and more of the abilities of his animal family, becoming a shapeshifting lord of the 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 fight for dominance.

Class Information

This is a martial arts archetype of the way of the body, a shapechanger that fights like 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. Animal lords are proficient with light armor but are prohibited from wearing metal armor; thus, they may wear only padded or leather armor. They can wear hide armor, but are not proficient in it and lose their way of their body armor bonus if they wear medium armor. An animal lord may also wear wooden armor that has been altered by the ironwood spell so that it functions as though it were steel. Animal lords are not proficient with shields, and if they use them must use only wooden shields.

An animal lord who wears prohibited armor or uses a prohibited shield is unable to cast ranger spells or use any of her supernatural or spell-like class abilities while doing so and for 24 hours thereafter.

Way of the Body Armor Bonus (Ex)

As long as he is not wearing medium or heavy armor, an 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 Empathy, 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 skill bonuses in humanoid and animal form. This replaces track.

Native Terrain (Ex)

Table: Native Terrains

Cold (ice, glaciers, snow, and tundra)

Desert (sand and wastelands)

Forest (coniferous and deciduous)

Jungle

Mountain (including hills)

Plains

Planes (pick one, other than Material Plane)

Swamp

Underground (caves and dungeons)

Urban (buildings, streets, and sewers)

Water (above and below the surface)

At 3rd level, an animal lord may select a type of terrain from Table: Animal Lord Native Terrains. The animal lord gains a +2 bonus on initiative checks, attack rolls, damage rolls, and Knowledge (geography), Perception, Stealth, and Survival skill checks when he is in this terrain. An animal lord traveling through his native terrain normally leaves no trail and cannot be tracked (though he may leave a trail if he so chooses).

At 8th level and every five levels thereafter, the animal lord may select an additional native terrain. In addition, at each such interval, the skill bonus and initiative bonus in any one native terrain (including the one just selected, if so desired), increases by +2.

If a specific terrain falls into more than one category of native terrain, the animal lord's bonuses do not stack; he simply uses whichever bonus is higher. This replaces favored terrain.

Beast Shape (Su)

At 3rd 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 3 he can assume the shape of Small and Medium animals of his family, as beast shape I. At 7th level, he can assume the form of a Tiny or Large member of his animal family, as beast shape II. At 11th level he can change between animal and humanoid for as a swift action. At 15th 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. This ability counts as wild shape into an animal for the purpose of prerequisites and what other abilities it can be used with.

When he assumes an animal form, all his gear is absorbed into his assumed form. Items that provide continuous bonuses continue to provide those bonuses, except armor. An animal lord in animal form can benefit from armor with the wild property. When a 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, adding cosmetic traits from his animal forms to his original appearance. This has no game effect. This replaces hunter's bond.

Improved Natural Attacks

At level 4th 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. An animal lord with a single shifter attack can apply Improved Natural Attack up to four times to that attack. This replaces endurance and improved quarry.

Natural Attacks (Su)

At 5th 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 the level 5 favored enemy.

Special Qualities (Su)

At 7th level the animal lord gains the special qualities of his animal family, as outlined in the animal families section. He can use these special qualities in humanoid and animal form. This replaces woodland stride.

Animal Movement (Su)

At 8th 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 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 with natural 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 effects 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 lord, animal senses, armor bonus, skill modifiers	—	—	—	—
2nd	+2	+3	+3	+0	Combat style feat	—	—	—	—
3rd	+3	+3	+3	+1	1st native terrain, beast shape I	—	—	—	—
4th	+4	+4	+4	+1	Improved Natural Attack	0	—	—	—
5th	+5	+4	+4	+1	Natural attacks	1	—	—	—
6th	+6/+1	+5	+5	+2	Combat style feat	1	—	—	—
7th	+7/+2	+5	+5	+2	Beast shape II, special qualities	1	0	—	—
8th	+8/+3	+6	+6	+2	2nd native terrain, animal movement	1	1	—	—
9th	+9/+4	+6	+6	+3	Special attacks	2	1	—	—
10th	+10/+5	+7	+7	+3	Combat style feat, shapechanger	2	1	0	—
11th	+11/+6/+1	+7	+7	+3	Beast shape (swift), damage reduction	2	1	1	—
12th	+12/+7/+2	+8	+8	+4	Camouflage	2	2	1	—
13th	+13/+8/+3	+8	+8	+4	3rd native 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	Beast shape III, 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 native 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, prominent canines, 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 successful grapple check.

Boar Lord

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

Beast Shapes: Small: pit boar, Medium: common boar, Large: dire boar.

Senses: low-light vision, scent.

Special Attacks: A boar lord that makes a charge can do both a gore attack and an overrun combat maneuver against a specific target, and if the overrun is successful, the boar lord can continue moving in a straight line to the limit of his speed.

Speed: Swim 40 ft.

Natural Attacks: Small: gore 1d6 Medium: gore 1d8.

Skill Bonuses: +8 Perception against adjacent squares.

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

Canine Lord

Canine lords are hirsute, have sharp teeth, and 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.

Capra Lord

Capras include goats, ibexes, and sheep with horns. Capra lords have alert eyes and plenty head and body hair, sometimes curly. They might have a strong and peculiar body odor.

Beast Shapes: Small: goat, Medium: ram, Large: dire ram.

Senses: low-light vision, scent.

Special Attacks: powerful charge. When a ram lord makes a charge, its gore attack deals double damage, in addition to the normal benefits and hazards of a charge..

Speed: 30 ft.

Natural Attacks: Small: gore 1d4 Medium: gore 1d6.

Skill Bonuses: +4 Acrobatics when jumping, +4 Survival to find food.

Special Qualities: Gains Nimble Moves as a bonus feat.

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.

Cattle Lord

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

Beast Shapes: Medium: [xxx], Large: auroch, Huge: mountain auroch.

Senses: low-light vision, scent.

Special Attacks: powerful horns A cattle lord adds 1 1/2 times his Strength modifier on a gore attack made as a primary natural attack.

Speed: 40 ft.

Natural Attacks: Small: gore 1d6, Medium: gore 1d8.

Skill Bonuses: Intimidate +4.

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, it merely has to move over opponents in its path. Targets of a trample take an amount of damage equal to the gore damage + 1-1/2 times its 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 its movement takes it over a target creature.

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.

Deer Lord

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

Beast Shapes: Small: antelope, Medium: stag, Large: moose.

Senses: low-light vision, scent.

Special Attacks: powerful charge (ex): When a deer lord makes a charge, its attack deals double damage, in addition to the normal benefits and hazards of a charge.

Speed: 40 ft.

Natural Attacks: Small: gore 1d4, 2 hooves 1d3. Medium: gore 1d6, 2 hooves 1d4.

Skill Bonuses: +4 Intimidate.

Special Qualities: Lock Horns (Ex) A deer lord can make reposition combat maneuvers without triggering an attack of opportunity.

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.

Elephant Lord

Elephant lords have small, widely spaced eyes and pronounced ears and noses. They have little body hair and tend towards baldness. Elephants include smaller island and forest varieties as well as larger ones in jungle and savanna. Cold-climate elephants are called mammoths and are furred.

Beast Shapes: Huge: elephant.

Senses: low-light vision, scent.

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, it merely has to move over opponents in its path. Targets of a trample take an amount of damage equal to the slam damage + 1-1/2 times its 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 its movement takes it over a target creature. Speed: Swim 40 ft.

Natural Attacks: Small: gore 1d6, slam 1d6 Medium: gore 1d8, slam 1d8.

Skill Bonuses: —.

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

Horse Lord

This is a work in progress.

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.

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.

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.

Raven Lord

This is a work in progress.

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.

Seal Lord

This is a work in progress.

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.

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.

Shark Lord

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

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).

Whale Lord

This is a work in progress.

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.

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Section 15 Addendum

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary 3, © 2011, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Authors Jesse Benner, Jason Bulmahn, Adam Daigle, James Jacobs, Michael Kenway, Rob McCreary, Patrick Renie, Chris Sims, F. Wesley Schneider, James L. Sutter, and Russ Taylor, based on material by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, and Skip Williams.