Serker (Apath)

Unofficial rules compendium

This is a work in progress.

The serker is a barbarian of the way of the body that can assume the form of an animal.

Introduction

A serker gains a mystical identification with a family of animals, gaining animal form, strength, hardiness, natural attacks, and senses. Serker means one who wears clothes, and a serker must be clothed in the skins of the beast whose abilities she seeks. In a spiritual sense, the serker dons the form of her animal, much like normal folk wear the garb of their social identity.

Serkers have a bestial nature and some find living among other folk hard, choosing to live in the wild or live with druids or gangs of serkers. They are highly sought after in armies and most serkers can stand barbarian armies better than civilian life. Depending on the animal family the serker bonds with, he might be known as a baerserk (bear), bukkrserk (deer), fillserk (mammoth), haukserk (raptor birds), hestserk (horse), hrafnserk (fowl, as in raven and jackdaw), hvalserk (dolphin), lindormserk (constrictor snake), ormserk (viper snake), svinserk (boar), tjorserk (cattle), ulfserk (wolf), vedrserk (capra), or vognserk (seal). Other animal families can be chosen, but are less well known and honored.

Class Information

This is a martial arts archetype, a barbarian of the way of the body.

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

Hit Die: d12.

Class Abilities

The serker has all the class abilities of the barbarian, except as noted below.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

A serker is proficient with all simple and martial melee weapons but not with any ranged weapons, armor, or shields.

Way of the Body Armor Bonus (Ex)

As long as she is not wearing any armor or uses a shield, a serker gains a circumstance bonus to natural armor equal to her Constitution bonus. The bonus stacks with both natural armor and with enchantment bonuses to natural armor. In addition, this bonus increases by +1 at 4th level. This bonus increases by every four animal lord levels after level 4 (+2 at 8th, +3 at 12th, and so on).

Note that temporary Constitution modifiers, such as those from the classic barbarian's rage or bear's endurance, do not increase the armor class bonus of this ability.

Animal Family (Ex)

At first level a serker must choose a totem animal among those listed in the animal families section. In order to use any supernatural class features, the serker must be wearing the pelt of an animal from this animal family. When transforming wholly or partially, the serker's body merges with the garb into a mix of animal and her original form. A serker cannot use any supernatural abilities from the class unless she is wearing an appropriate pelt.

Animal Natural Attacks (Su)

Gained at level 2, this is the same as the animal lord ability of the same name. This replaces the level 2 rage power.

Animal Shape (Su)

Gained at level 4, this is the same as the animal lord ability of the same name except as noted. When raging, the serker can assume animal form as a free action. When not raging it is a standard action to assume animal form and each hour (or part thereof) the serker is in animal form consumes one round of the serker's daily rounds of rage. At 4th level, she can assume the shape of a Small and Medium animal of her family, as beast shape I. At 10th level, she can assume the form of a Tiny or Large member of her animal family, as beast shape II. At 16th level she can assume the form of a Huge member of her animal family, as beast shape III. This replaces the level 4, 10, and 16 rage powers.

Animal Senses (Ex)

Gained at level 6, this is the same as the animal lord ability of the same name. This replaces the level 6 rage power.

Shapeshifter (Su)

At 7th level, the serker gains the shapeshifter subtype. This also makes her natural attacks count as magical for the purpose of penetrating damage reduction. The serker gains damage reduction 2/magic or cold iron. At 10th level, and every 3 levels thereafter, this damage reduction increases by 2 points. Damage Reduction can reduce damage to 0, but not below 0. This is a modification of the damage reduction ability.

Animal Special Attacks (Su)

Gained at level 8, this is the same as the animal lord ability of the same name. This replaces the level 8 rage power.

Natural Attack Boost (Ex)

Gained at level 12 and improving again at level 18, this is the same as the animal lord ability of the same name. This replaces the level 12 and 18 rage powers.

Animal Special Qualities (Su)

Gained at level 14, this is the same as the animal lord ability of the same name. This replaces the level 14 rage power.

Outsider (Ex)

Gained at level 20, this is the same as the animal lord ability of the same name. This replaces the level 20 rage power.

Summary of Lost Class Abilities

These abilities of the original class are lost or modified in this archetype:

• Armor Proficiency
• Rage Powers (all)
• Damage Reduction

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