Animal Lord (Apath)

Unofficial rules compendium

This is a work in progress.

The animal lord is a champion of a type of animal. As he grows in power, the animal lord assumes more and more of the abilities of his animal type, becoming first a shapeshifting warrior and later a lord of a family of animal species; all animals of this type acknowledge the superiority of a high level animal lord, but monsters based on the same animal family do not nesecarily accept the lordiship of the animal lord.

Animal lords are rare. There is usually only one animal lord of significant level in a given subcontinent. If two animal lords meet, they are likely to cone into a territorial conflict, especially if their animal family is a solitary one.

This makes him a martial artist of the way of the body.

Class Information

This is a martial arts archetype

Class: Ranger.

Starting Money: 2d6 × 10 gp (average 70 gp)

Hit Die: d10.

Class Features

The animal lord has all the standard ranger class features, except as noted below.

Class Skills

Add Acrobatics (Dex) to the animal lord's list of class skills.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

The animal lord is proficient with all simple and martial weapons. He is not proficient in any armor or with shields.

Way of the Body Armor Bonus (Ex)

As long as he is not wearing any 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.

Skill Modifiers (Ex)

The animal lord gains the racial skill bonuses of his animal family, as outlined below. He can use these senses in humanoid and animal form.

Natural Attacks (Su)

The animal lord gains the natural attacks of his animal family in humanoid form, as outlined below. Parts of his humanoid body change shape to allow this while keeping a basic humanoid form.

Animal Senses (Ex)

The animal lord gains the senses of his animal family in both humanoid and animal form, as outlined below.

Beast Shape (Su)

At 4th level the animal lord can assume the shapes of Small and Medium animals of his family, as beast shape I. The animal forms he can assume are listed under animal families, below. 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. Some animal families do not have access to some size categories.

Special Qualities (Su)

The animal lord gains the special qualities of his animal family, as outlined below. He can use these senses in humanoid and animal form.

Animal Movement (Su)

The animal lord gains the movement abilities of his animal family in humanoid form, as outlined below. His body partially changes shape to allow this.

Special Attacks (Su)

The animal lord gains the special attacks of his animal family, as outlined below. He can use these special attacks in humanoid and animal form.

Shapeshifter (Ex)

The animal lord gains the shapeshifter subtype. If he is polymorphed, he can use his beast shape ability or resume his humanid form.

Outsider (Ex)

The animal lord's type changes to type changes to outsider (native, shapechanger).

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. Bear lords gain the following additional ability. Beast Shapes: Tiny: XXX, Small: wolverine, Medium: black bear, Large: brown bear, Huge: XXX. Senses: low-light vision, scent. Special Attacks: Grab (claws)

Animal MovementXXX

Natural Attacks: Small: 2 claws (1d3), bite (1d3) Medium: 2 claws (1d4), bite (1d4)

Skills: +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. Canine lords gain the following additional ability. Beast Shapes: Tiny: fox, Small: dog, Medium: wolf, Large: dire wolf, Huge: XXX.

Senses: low-light vision, scent.

Special Attacks: trip (bite).

Animal MovementXXX

Natural Attacks: Small: bite (1d4) Medium: bite (1d6).

Skills: +4 Survival when tracking by scent.

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 (Leopard, Lion, Tiger)

Cat lords move with a fluid agility, and have slender bodies and catlike eyes. Cat lords gain the following additional ability. Beast Shapes: Tiny: cat, Small: lynx ^TOHC, Medium: leopard, Large: tiger.

Senses: low-light vision, scent.

Special Attacks: grab, pounce, rake (2 claws).

Animal Movement Climb 20 ft.

Natural Attacks: Small: 2 claws (1d3), bite (1d4) Medium: 2 claws (1d4), bite (1d6)

Skills: +8 Acrobatics, +4 Stealth (+8 in heavy undergrowth or tall grass).

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. Crocodile lords gain the following additional ability. Beast Shapes: Tiny: XXX, 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.

Animal Movement Swim 50 ft.

Natural Attacks: Small: bite 1d4, tail slap 1d8 Medium: bite 1d6, tail slap 1d10

Skills: +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 (Deinonychus, Tyrannosaurus)

A dinosaur lord tends to have sharp teeth, scaly skin, and a booming voice. Dinosaur lords gain the following additional ability. 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)

Skills: +8 Acrobatics, +8 Perception, +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 have feathery-looking and brightly colored hair, wide searching eyes, and aquiline noses. Raptor lords gain the following additional ability. Beast Shapes: Tiny: hawk, Small: eagle, Medium: XXX Large: giant falcon ^TOHC.

Senses: XXX.

Special Attacks: XXX.

Animal Movement fly 80 ft. (average).

Natural Attacks: Small: 2 talons (1d4), bite (1d4) Medium: 2 talons (1d6), bite (1d6)

Skills: Perception +4.

Racial Modifiers +8 Perception.

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. Rat lords gain the following additional ability. Beast Shapes: Tiny: rat, Small: dire rat,

Senses: low-light vision, scent.

Special Attacks:

Animal Movement Land 40 ft., climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft.

Natural Attacks: Small: bite (1d4) Medium: bite (1d6)

Skills: Uses Dex to modify Climb and Swim

Special Qualities: Hearty (Ex) Rat lords are immune to disease and gain a +2 bonus on all Fortitude saves.

Shark Lord (Shark)

Shark lords have black eyes, pale skin, sharp teeth, and little to no body hair. They gain the following additional ability. Beast Shapes: Tiny: XXX, Small: XXX, Medium: bull shark, Large: shark, Huge: great white shark.

Senses: blindsense 30 ft., keen scent.

Special Attacks: XXX

Animal Movement: swim 60 ft.

Natural Attacks: Small: (1d4) Medium: bite (1d6).

Skills: XXX

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

Serpent Lord (Snake)

Serpent lords tend to have unusual skin colors, often with stripes or other patterns), snakelike eyes, and forked tongues. Serpent lords gain the following ability. Beast Shapes: Tiny: viper, Small: sea snake, Medium: venomous snake, Large: emperor cobra.

Senses: low-light vision, scent.

Special Attacks: XXX.

Animal Movement climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft.

Natural Attacks: Small: bite (1d4) Medium: bite (1d6).

Skills: +4 Perception, +4 Stealth.

Special Qualities: Poison Immunity (Ex) Serpent lords are immune to poison.

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