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Hello! I’m playing an Animal Instinct Barbarian Beastkin in a game that uses the Free Archetype house rule. So far, I’ve taken the Wrestler archetype for the first seven levels, and it’s been awesome! However, I want to dive deeper into my character’s Bear Beastkin background since it's a central part of his identity, especially with all the werecreatures in our campaign.
I know there’s a Werecreature Archetype, but I don’t want my character to actually be one. Instead, I thought it would be cool for Beastkin characters to embrace their animal nature more.
Below is my attempt at expanding on this idea. I’d love your feedback—I see this as a starting point, not a finished product. All the abilities I’ve included are inspired and directly copied from the Werecreature, Claw Dancer, Wild Mimic, and Martial Artist archetypes, with similar levels and mechanics. The flavor and names for some of them were changed. Not sure if it’s cool to post that published material here.
Unlike the weak werecreatures, shackled by an ancient curse to shift under the full moon’s gaze, or the lesser beastkin born from accidents, fleeting gifts, or the fickle magic of gods and fey, you are something greater. You are the true child of the wild. Your beastkin blood runs deep, and instead of resisting its primal call, you revel in the raw power coursing through your veins.
While many werecreatures struggle for control, helpless against the animal within, you are no diseased werecreature. You are something rare and untamed—a Beastkin Ascendant, the apex of your beastkin lineage. Unlike the cursed werecreatures, whose very essence teeters on the brink of disease, only the strongest of their kind can even dream of what you are—a true master of both beast and self. You are what they aspire to be and what society fears most: the wilderness, embodied in humanoid form, with full dominion over your transformations.
This level of mastery is rare. Many like you are hunted down in cities as if they were common werecreatures, while others fall to the were-curse, desperate for a place to belong. Long ago, Beastkin Ascendants roamed the earth when mankind was still new and the wilds ruled supreme, before people spoke of the beastkin as they do today. But now, those capable of achieving such power are either too enamored with civilization or too terrified of the beast within, fearing—out of ignorance of the old ways—that they are no different from the cursed werecreatures.
Only the bold, those who refuse to be confined by the werecreature community or the trappings of society, possess the heart to ascend. You are one of the few—a master of your wild nature, untamed, unrelenting, and unbreakable.
Beastkin Ascendant Dedication - Feat 2
Rare Archetype Dedication
Prerequisites: Beastkin ancestry; Dexterity or Strength 4; trained in intimidation
You have ascended to the pinnacle of your kind, surpassing the natural limits of ordinary beastkin. You gain a 1st-level Beastkin ancestry feat of your choice. Your hybrid form's bite attack improves to 1d8, and you gain a claw attack (1d6 slashing, agile). Additionally, you become trained in Nature or Survival (your choice), or Occultism if you're already trained in both.
Beastial Pounce - [Two Actions] Feat 4
Archetype Flourish
Prerequisites: Beastkin Ascendant Dedication
Requirements: You are in hybrid form and have two free claws.
Channeling your primal instincts, you surge forward with blinding speed, ready to strike with lethal precision. You Leap, and if you end your movement next to an enemy, you deliver two ferocious unarmed claw strikes. These strikes follow normal multiple attack penalty rules. However, if both strikes miss, your momentum carries you off balance, causing you to fall prone at the end of your Leap.
Apex Speed - Feat 4
Archetype
Prerequisites: Beastkin Ascendant Dedication
You’re adept at using your hybrid shape’s natural means of locomotion. While you’re in hybrid form, your speed increases by 10 feet. This is a status bonus.
Apex Senses - Feat 4
Archetype
Prerequisites: Beastkin Ascendant Dedication
The eyes and noses of Beastkin Ascendant are naturally sharper than most humanoids. While in your hybrid shape, you gain low‑light vision and imprecise scent with a range of 30 feet.
Cornered Animal [Two Actions] - Feat 8
Archetype Flourish
Prerequisites: Beastkin Ascendant Dedication
Requirements: You are in hybrid form and are flanked.
You become more dangerous when surrounded by enemies. You make unarmed Strikes against two different creatures flanking you. The attacks take a –2 penalty if the unarmed weapon is not agile. Both attacks count toward your multiple attack penalty, but the penalty doesn’t increase until after you’ve made both of them.
You Don't Smell Right - Feat 8
Archetype
Prerequisites: Beastkin Ascendant Dedication
You have an unparalleled connection to your primal senses, allowing you to detect other shapeshifters and impersonators alike. You gain scent as an imprecise sense with a 30-foot range, or extend your existing scent range by 30 feet. When a creature that has transformed or is impersonating a specific creature passes within your scent range, the GM makes a secret Perception check for you to detect the deception, even without taking the Seek action. If you actively Seek within your scent range, you gain a +2 circumstance bonus to Perception checks to identify disguised or transformed creatures.
Savage Takedown [Two Actions] - Feat 10
Archetype
Prerequisites: Beastkin Ascendant Dedication
Requirements: You are in hybrid form and using natural attacks.
Tapping into your primal instincts, you pounce on your prey, aiming to drag them to the ground. Make a bite unarmed Strike. For this Strike, your attack gains the fatal d12 trait. If the attack hits, you also knock the target prone, overpowering them with raw beastly force.
Apex Form - Feat 10
Archetype Primal
Prerequisites: Beastkin Ascendant Dedication
Your hybrid shape is a hulking beast. While in your hybrid shape, you gain the effects of enlarge. At 18th level the effect acts as enlarge heightened to 4th rank.
Relentless Attack [Reaction] - Feat 10
Archetype Flourish
Prerequisites: Beastkin Ascendant Dedication
Trigger: A creature within your reach uses a move action or leaves a square during a move action.
With the instincts of a natural predator, you quickly strike to keep your prey from escaping. Make a claw or bite unarmed Strike against the triggering creature. If you score a critical hit and the trigger was a move action, you disrupt that action. If you hit and the creature leaves a square adjacent to you, you may Step into that square, keeping your prey close at hand.
Ascendant Roar [Two Actions] - Feat 12
Archetype Primal Sonic
Prerequisites: Beastlord Ascendant
Frequency: Once per 10 minutes
You unleash a roar that reverberates with the raw power of the apex predator. All creatures within a 15-foot emanation take 8d6 sonic damage and must attempt a Fortitude save against your class DC. The damage increases by 2d6 at 14th level and every 2 levels thereafter.
Critical Success: The creature is unaffected.
Success: The creature takes half damage.
Failure: The creature takes full damage and is stunned 1. If adjacent to you, the creature is
also frightened 1 for 1 round.
Critical Failure: The creature takes double damage, is stunned 2, and if adjacent to you, is
frightened 1 for 1 minute.
Your roar embodies the strength and authority of the wild, marking you as the undisputed master of beastkin.
Predator's Charge [Three Actions] - Feat 14
Archetype Flourish
Prerequisites: Beastkin Ascendant Dedication
Frequency: Once per minute
Drawing upon the raw power of your beastial heritage, you unleash a feral burst of speed and strength, tearing through your enemies with savage precision. You Stride, and this movement does not trigger reactions. During your movement, you may make up to three claw or bite unarmed Strikes, each against a different enemy. Each Strike counts toward your multiple attack penalty, but the penalty does not increase until you have made all your attacks.