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Beastheart
The call of the wild pulls at your soul. This usually means an ancestor was a druid or shapeshifter, but perhaps you were exposed to some other form of wilderness magic. As a result, you are well able to survive in the wilderness and you relate to animals easily.
Class Skill: Survival
Bonus Spells: Aspect of the Falcon (3rd), Aspect of the Bear (5th), Animal Aspect, Greater (3rd level spell) (7th), Aspect of the Stag (4th level spell) (9th), Aspect of the Wolf (5th level spell) (11th), Beast Shape IV (animals only) (13th), Animal Shapes (7th level spell) (15th), Atavism, Mass (17th), Shapechange (19th).
Bonus Feats: Athletic, Self Sufficient, Animal Affinity, Vermin Heart, Shapeshifter Foil, Greater Wild Empathy, Fast Empathy, Skill Focus (Survival).
Bloodline Arcana: Whenever you cast a spell on an animal, increase the spell's DC by +2 if it is harmful or its duration by 25% if it is beneficial.
Bloodline Powers: You have always felt comfortable around animals, and your magic reflects this.
Wildkin (Sp): At 1st level, you gain Wild Empathy. You may learn any spell on the Druid spell list with "Animal" or "Summon Nature's Ally" in the title in place of a Sorcerer spell of the same level. You may use Speak With Animals as a spell like ability 3 times per day, using your Sorcerer level as your caster level.
Animal Senses (Ex): At 3rd level you gain low light vision and the Scent ability, as well as a +2 bonus to perception checks.
Animal Companion: At 9th level you gain an animal companion as a Druid of your Sorcerer level -5.
Animal Mobility: At 15th level, you gain Climb and Swim speeds of 40 feet.
Animal Form: At 20th level you may wild shape as a Druid of your Sorcerer level, but into animal forms only.
Is it balanced? Would you ever use it?
Does it need a better name?
Well for 20th level.. its a bit week. Not that it should be super duper amazing, but I'd say it needs something.. Perhaps the ability to speak with animals becomes at will.
1st level, shouldn't most of that be in bloodline arcana. (remember other classes can have that first level ability.)
Id say you can speak with animals 3+cha mod, and while under the effects of this, you can act as though you have wild empathy. The other stuff moves to arcana..
Aside from those recommendations, does it seem balanced?
Well..I'm a pretty big animalistic fan, I play lots of characters who are hybrid animal/human or can shape-shift into animal forms. And frankly.. This one doesn't quite fill it. It might be because it tries to be way too much all at once and just doesn't have the flair I'd be looking for.
But for balance.. I'd have to say its a bit on the weak side. You can use spells to easily transform.
Your third level ability is pretty much redundant via the spells someone choosing this would most likely cast.
The 9th level ability, not quite the Sylvan bloodlines version of animal companion.. but you do keep your arcana..
15th, also redundant with your spells.
I see. Do you have any ideas for more powerful, less redundant bloodline abilities?
Not really sure. I know that most bloodlines, the bloodline powers tend to get more powerful as you level.
Taking your orignal Animals Senses..
Shifting I - You become slightly more animalistic. Choose one of the following..
Wolf - You gain sent as an Ex ability. In addition you gain a bite attack based on yoursize. At level 6 whenever you successfully hit with your bite attack you may make a free attempt to trip that does not provoke AoO. At level 10, whenever you preform a trip attempt this way, treat it as though it was affected by improved trip.
Deer - Your base movement speed goes up by 5 feet. In addition you grow antlers that gives you a gore attack. at level 6, your speed increases by another 5 feet, and you gain a +1 dodge bonus to AC. At level 10, your gore attack increases by one die size.
Of course that is a very basic example. I'm sure you can come up with something better. (It is based a little bit off the geomancer from 3.5)
RPG Superstar 2014 Top 16
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I think it's a great concept, and taking the suggestions that have already been posted into account you could try something like this:
Beastheart
The call of the wild pulls at your soul. This usually means an ancestor was a druid or shapeshifter, but perhaps you were exposed to some other form of wilderness magic. As a result, you are well able to survive in the wilderness and you relate to animals easily.
Class Skill: Survival
Bonus Spells: Aspect of the Falcon (3rd), Aspect of the Bear (5th), Animal Aspect, Greater (3rd level spell) (7th), Aspect of the Stag (4th level spell) (9th), Aspect of the Wolf (5th level spell) (11th), Beast Shape IV (animals only) (13th), Animal Shapes (7th level spell) (15th), Atavism, Mass (17th), Shapechange (19th).
Bonus Feats: Athletic, Self Sufficient, Animal Affinity, Vermin Heart, Shapeshifter Foil, Greater Wild Empathy, Fast Empathy, Skill Focus (Survival).
Bloodline Arcana: Whenever you cast a spell on an animal, increase the spell's DC by +2 if it is harmful or its duration by 25% if it is beneficial. In addition, you may learn any spell from the Druid spell list with "Animal" or "Summon Nature's Ally" in the title in place of a Sorcerer spell of the same level.
Bloodline Powers: You have always felt comfortable around animals, and your magic reflects this.
Wildkin (Sp): At 1st level, you gain Wild Empathy. You may use Speak With Animals as a spell like ability 3 times per day, using your Sorcerer level as your caster level. At 3rd level, when using Speak With Animals in this way, you may choose to affect any animals which can hear your voice with Animal trance as the spell, but with no limit on the number of hit dice affected, once per day. This ability does not affect magical beasts.
Animal Senses (Ex): At 3rd level you gain low light vision and the Scent ability, as well as a +2 bonus to perception checks. At 9th level, you gain a bonus to Reflex saves equal to 1/2 your Charisma bonus, if any. At 15th level, your bonus to perception checks rises to +6 and your bonus to Reflex saves equals your Charisma bonus, if any.
Animal Companion: At 9th level you gain an animal companion as a Druid of your Sorcerer level -4. (<- this makes it match up with the ranger animal companion ability)
Animal Mobility: At 15th level, you gain Climb and Swim speeds of 40 feet. In addition, and you may grow wings for a number of minutes per day up to your character level, giving you a fly speed of 40 ft(average). The wings may be activated using a move action, and the time does not need to be consecutive, though it is spent in 1 minute increments. At 20th level, all three of these movement speeds increase to 60 feet.
Animal Form: At 20th level you may wild shape as a Druid of your Sorcerer level, but into animal forms only, and only a number of times per day equal to your Charisma bonus (minimum 1). <- This is because it's probably not fair to give the Druid's capstone ability to a sorcerer, even if it only includes animals.
Is it balanced? Would you ever use it?
I'd disagree a bit there cartmanbeck.
with the serpentine bloodline.. Scaled Soul (Su): At 20th level, you gain the shapechanger subtype, and you can assume the form of a reptilian humanoid (as alter self ) or snake of Diminutive to Huge size (as beast shape III) at will. You retain the power of speech and the ability to use somatic spell components when transformed. You also become immune to poison and paralysis. You may use serpent’s fang as often as desired, and you may choose to inflict damage to any ability score.
Just need to come up with a bit more limitations on the number of forms one could achieve with "wildshape" which is really just beast shape III.
Just a thought on the bonus feats. Typically with most bloodlines there is a single metamagic feat among the bonus feats presented. Its not a major concern, but I thought I would point it out.
I like Cartmanbeck's ideas, perhaps with a bit of modification:
Beastheart
The call of the wild pulls at your soul. This usually means an ancestor was a druid or shapeshifter, but perhaps you were exposed to some other form of wilderness magic. As a result, you are well able to survive in the wilderness and you relate to animals easily.
Class Skill: Survival
Bonus Spells: Aspect of the Falcon (3rd), Aspect of the Bear (5th), Animal Aspect, Greater (3rd level spell) (7th), Aspect of the Stag (4th level spell) (9th), Aspect of the Wolf (5th level spell) (11th), Beast Shape IV (animals only) (13th), Animal Shapes (7th level spell) (15th), Atavism, Mass (17th), Shapechange (19th).
Bonus Feats: Athletic, Self Sufficient, Animal Affinity, Vermin Heart, Shapeshifter Foil, Greater Wild Empathy, Fast Empathy, Skill Focus (Survival).
Bloodline Arcana: Whenever you cast a spell on an animal, increase the spell's DC by +2 if it is harmful or its duration by 25% if it is beneficial. In addition, you may learn any spell from the Druid spell list with "Animal" or "Summon Nature's Ally" in the title in place of a Sorcerer spell of the same level.
Bloodline Powers: You have always felt comfortable around animals, and your magic reflects this.
Wildkin (Sp): At 1st level, you gain Wild Empathy. You may use Speak With Animals as a spell like ability 3 times per day, using your Sorcerer level as your caster level. At 3rd level, when using Speak With Animals in this way, you may choose to affect any animals which can hear your voice with Animal trance as the spell, but with no limit on the number of hit dice affected, once per day. This ability does not affect magical beasts.
Animal Senses (Ex): At 3rd level you gain low light vision and the Scent ability, as well as a +2 bonus to perception checks. At 9th level, you gain a bonus to Reflex saves equal to 1/2 your Charisma bonus, if any. At 15th level, your bonus to perception checks rises to +6 and your bonus to Reflex saves equals your Charisma bonus, if any.
Animal Companion: At 9th level you gain an animal companion as a Druid of your Sorcerer level -3.
Animal Mobility: At 15th level, you gain Climb and Swim speeds of 40 feet. In addition, and you may grow wings for a number of minutes per day up to your character level, giving you a fly speed of 40 ft(average). The wings may be activated using a move action, and the time does not need to be consecutive, though it is spent in 1 minute increments. At 20th level, all three of these movement speeds increase to 60 feet.
Animal Form: At 20th level you may wild shape as a Druid of your Sorcerer level, but into animal forms only.
Is it balanced? Would you ever use it?
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RPG Superstar 2014 Top 16
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I like Cartmanbeck's ideas, perhaps with a bit of modification:
Beastheart
The call of the wild pulls at your soul. This usually means an ancestor was a druid or shapeshifter, but perhaps you were exposed to some other form of wilderness magic. As a result, you are well able to survive in the wilderness and you relate to animals easily.
Class Skill: Survival
Bonus Spells: Aspect of the Falcon (3rd), Aspect of the Bear (5th), Animal Aspect, Greater (3rd level spell) (7th), Aspect of the Stag (4th level spell) (9th), Aspect of the Wolf (5th level spell) (11th), Beast Shape IV (animals only) (13th), Animal Shapes (7th level spell) (15th), Atavism, Mass (17th), Shapechange (19th).
Bonus Feats: Athletic, Self Sufficient, Animal Affinity, Vermin Heart, Shapeshifter Foil, Greater Wild Empathy, Fast Empathy, Skill Focus (Survival).
Bloodline Arcana: Whenever you cast a spell on an animal, increase the spell's DC by +2 if it is harmful or its duration by 25% if it is beneficial. In addition, you may learn any spell from the Druid spell list with "Animal" or "Summon Nature's Ally" in the title in place of a Sorcerer spell of the same level.
Bloodline Powers: You have always felt comfortable around animals, and your magic reflects this.
Wildkin (Sp): At 1st level, you gain Wild Empathy. You may use Speak With Animals as a spell like ability 3 times per day, using your Sorcerer level as your caster level. At 3rd level, when using Speak With Animals in this way, you may choose to affect any animals which can hear your voice with Animal trance as the spell, but with no limit on the number of hit dice affected, once per day. This ability does not affect magical beasts.
Animal Senses (Ex): At 3rd level you gain low light vision and the Scent ability, as well as a +2 bonus to perception checks. At 9th level, you gain a bonus to Reflex saves equal to 1/2 your Charisma bonus, if any. At 15th level, your bonus to perception checks rises to +6 and your bonus to Reflex...
I think it's pretty balanced, and would be an interesting option to try out. One thing I think you should expand on a little bit is under animal mobility, you should say that they can be leathery wings like a bat or feathery wings like an eagle (just to be more specific with what's allowed).
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Very cool, I think this appears to be one of the best balanced homebrew things I have seen. I highly approve. :)