BEAST
There are those who revere all life and seek a balance in the world around them. Those who find their power in the elements and the order of the wild. They make allies of animals and find solace in the natural world. Then there's the Beast. The Beast does not seek balance with the natural world, he seeks to dominate it. He strives to live at the top of the pyramid, to become the apex beast. Beasts embrace the way of beasts, natural and unnatural alike, and mimic the best by honing their skills and transforming their bodies in order to emulate the most dangerous aspects of these beasts. Beasts know little of formal training and do not care about the rules of warfare. For the Beast, there is only the hunter and prey. Even when it appears he is the one being hunted, in his mind he is not the prey. He is but biding his time until he can strike. Beasts can come from anywhere beasts and prey exist. Whether the wild backwoods, icy tundra, or the squalid streets of the urban jungle, there are beasts and the Beast is one of them.
Role: Beasts strive to find weaknesses in their enemies and strengths within themselves. They excel when they can catch their opponent by surprise and lay down deadly precision strikes. They are also deft at navigating the battlefield and positioning themselves for maximum effectiveness.
Alignment: Any
Hit Die: 1d12
Class Skills: Acrobatics (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Escape Artist (Dex), Perception (Wis), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Stealth (Dex), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str)
Skill Ranks per Level: 6 + Int modifier
BAB: Full
Saves: Fort Good
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A beast is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, bucklers, and light shields
Special
- 1st: Predatory Rapture, Track, Alertness, Animal Movement (+0)
- 2nd: Hunter's Strike (+1d6), Animal Movement (+0)
- 3rd: Natural Reflexes (+1), Animal Movement (+5)
- 4th: Predatory Rapture (magic), Uncanny Dodge, Animal Movement (+5)
- 5th: Hunter's Strike (+2d6), Animal Movement (+5)
- 6th: Predatory Rapture (Claws), Animal Movement (+10)
- 7th: Natural Toughness (+1), Bite (1d6), Animal Movement (+10)
- 8th: Improved Uncanny Dodge, Hunter's Strike (+3d6), Animal Movement (+10)
- 9th: Natural Reflexes (+2), Animal Movement (+15)
- 10th: Natural Toughness(+2), Animal Movement (+15)
- 11th:Improved Rapture, Hunter's Strike (+4d6), Animal Movement (+15)
- 12th: Claws (1d8), Rend, Animal Movement (+20)
- 13th: Natural Toughness (+3), Animal Movement (+20)
- 14th: Hunter's Strike (+5d6, Evasion, Animal Movement (+20)
- 15th: Natural Reflexes (+3), Animal Movement (+25)
- 16th: Predatory Rapture (adamantine), Natural Toughness (+4), Animal Movement (+25)
- 17th: Tireless Rapture, Hunter's Strike (+6d6), Animal Movement (+25)
- 18th: Animal Movement (+30)
- 19th: Natural Toughness (+5), Animal Movement (+30)
- 20th: Greater Rapture, Hunter's Strike (+7d6), Animal Movement (+30)
Animal Movement (Ex): A beast gains an enhancement bonus to his land speed, as shown on Table: Beast. A beast in armor or carrying a medium or heavy load loses this extra speed. Alternatively, the beast may choose to gain an additional movement type. This choice must be made by 3rd level, when the beast would first gain an increase to his movement, and cannot be changed. The beast may choose from Climb, Fly, or Swim. If the beast chooses Climb as his new movement type then he may take 10 on any climb checks (even when rushed or threatened). If he chooses Fly as his new movement type, at 3rd level he gains the ability to grow a pair of wings as a standard action. When flying, the beast has poor maneuverability until 15th level when it becomes average. If the beast chooses Swim as his new movement type then he may take 10 on any swim checks (even when rushed or threatened).
Predatory Rapture (Ex): As a free action a beast can enter a state of mind that allows him to reach a heightened level of awareness in combat and also allows him to transform his body in specific ways. Starting at 1st level a beast who is unarmored and unencumbered can enter the rapture for a number of rounds per day equal to 4 + his Constitution modifier. At each level after 1st, he can use this ability for 2 additional rounds. Temporary increases to Constitution, such as those gained from spells like bear's endurance, do not increase the total number of rounds that a beast can become the beast per day. The total number of rounds per day is renewed after resting for 8 hours, although these hours do not need to be consecutive. When he becomes the hunter, the beast gains a +4 bonus to his Strength score, a +2 dodge bonus to AC and Reflex saves. In addition, his mouth widens and he grows sharp fangs, giving the beast a bite attack. As part of a full attack action, the bite attack is made at the beast's base attack bonus -5. If the bite hits, it deals 1d4 damage (1d3 if small) plus half the beast's Strength modifier. At 7th level this damage increases to 1d6 (1d4 for small). A beast can make a bite attack as part the action to maintain or break free from a grapple. This attack is resolved before the grapple check is made. If the bite hits, any grapple checks made by the beast against the target this round are at +2. At 4th level, the beast's natural attacks count as magic for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction. At 6th level, the beast gains two claw attacks that do 1d6 points of damage (1d4 if small) each. At 12th level the beast's claw damage increases to 1d8 (1d6 if small). At 16th level the beast's natural weapons count as adamantine for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. During a predatory rapture, the beast may not perform any action that requires patience or concentration the only skills his able to use are Acrobatics, Bluff (for the purpose of the Feint combat maneuver only), Fly, Ride, and Sense Motive (for the purpose of defeating the Feint combat maneuver only). A beast can end this ability as a free action and is fatigued for a number of rounds equal to 2 times the number of rounds spent in the predatory rapture. A beast cannot use this ability while fatigued or exhausted but can otherwise use it multiple times during a single encounter or combat. If a beast falls unconscious, predatory rapture immediately ends.
Track (Ex): The beast adds half his level (minimum 1) to survival skill checks made to follow or identify prey.
Alertness (Ex): The beast gains Alertness as a bonus feat at first level.
Hunter's Strike (Ex): At second level, when the beast is under the effects of Predatory Rapture, he is able to perform a Sneak Attack. The damage bonus is +1d6 and increases by +1d6 for every three levels after 2nd. This ability is otherwise identical to the rogue's Sneak Attack ability.
Natural Reflexes (Ex): At 3rd level the Beast has developed quicker reflexes in combat. The beast gains a +1 dodge bonus to armor class. This bonus increases by +1 for every 6 levels after 3rd.
Uncanny Dodge (Ex): At 4th level the beast gains the Uncanny Dodge class ability.
Natural Toughness (Ex): At 7th level, the beast gains a +1 natural armor bonus to AC. This bonus increases by +1 for every three levels beyond 7th.
Improved Rapture: At 11th level, when a beast enters a predatory rapture, the morale bonus to Strength increases to +6 and the dodge bonus to AC and Reflex saves increases to +3. In addition, the beast may choose to make one extra attack at his highest base attack bonus but all attacks for that round (including attacks of opportunity made before his next turn) take a -2 penalty.
Rend (Ex): Starting at 12th level, if the beast hits with both claw attacks in the same round he can latch on to his opponent's flesh and tear it causing extra damage equal to one claw attack plus 1.5 x his Strength modifier.
Evasion (Ex): At 14th level, when the beast enters predatory rapture, he gains the effects of the Evasion class ability.
Tireless Rapture: Starting at 17th level, a beast no longer becomes fatigued at the end of his rapture.
Greater Rapture: At 20th level, when a beast enters predatory rapture, the morale bonus to Strength increases to +8, and the dodge bonus to Armor Class and on Reflex saves increases to +4.
The intent was to create a class that combined features of the Barbarian, Monk, Ranger, and Rogue into a cohesive character that is able to strike his target with surprise and finish it off quickly.
I am concerned that it might be a little over powered on the offense and maybe a little too weak on defense.