This is either an all out base class, or a hybrid monk/hunter(or druid) class, perhaps. Either way, it's a concept I don't see touched upon overly well by classes that -should- touch upon it. Such as the Ranger, Hunter and Druid. Maybe there should have been at least a monk archetype to make this thing work.
I'm looking for a better name for this, because the one I'm using is mostly makeshift and done to save time.
This is a kind of a first draft, of sorts? I'm not entirely sure about the ability array and not entirely sure if I've properly depicted the flavor or invested too much in mechanics. I'm also wondering if some of the abilities are given at the correct levels and so on.
Anyhow!
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Many men seek enlightenment in a variety of forms. Be it following a god of good or evil, seeking personal perfection, tapping into the divine essence within oneself or studious examination of the universe and its law - all those engaged in these practices seek to find an inner balance, while understanding that which surrounds them to their utmost.
Some, however, resist the standard monastic doctrines of self-perfection. These rare few instead isolate themselves from society and seek to find the order of all things through plummeting themselves in the merciless chaos of their primal essence. They are called the [Insert very clever name] Ferals.
They seek to find their Inner Beast, to look upon the very roots of their species' existence and to find that which they had lost over the course of countless years.
Level Base Attack Bonus Fort Save Ref Save Will Save Special
1st +0 +2 +2 +0 Feral Aspect I, Hunting Instinct, Animosity
2nd +1 +3 +3 +0 Feral Training
3rd +1 +3 +3 +1 Uncanny Dodge
4th +2 +4 +4 +1 Evasion, Woodland Stride
5th +2 +4 +4 +1 Feral Aspect II
6th +3 +5 +5 +2 Animal Spirit I
7th +3 +5 +5 +2 Glimpse of Consciousness
8th +4 +6 +6 +2 Feral Training
9th +4 +6 +6 +3 Feral Aspect III
10th +5 +7 +7 +3 Improved Uncanny Dodge, Feral Sagacity
11th +5 +7 +7 +3 Improved Evasion
12th +6/+1 +8 +8 +4 Animal Spirit II
13th +6/+1 +8 +8 +4 Feral Aspect IV
14th +7/+2 +9 +9 +4 Feral Training
15th +7/+2 +9 +9 +5 Wild Healing
16th +8/+3 +10 +10 +5 Tongue of the Sun and Moon
17th +8/+3 +10 +10 +5 Feral Aspect V
18th +9/+4 +11 +11 +6 Animal Spirit III
19th +9/+4 +11 +11 +6 Calm within the Chaos
20th +10/+5 +12 +12 +6 Feral Training, Wild Enlightenment
D8
2 + Int
No proficiencies.
Class skills: Survival (Wis), Perception (Wis), Climb (STR), Acrobatics (DEX), Swim (STR), Knowledge (Nature), Stealth (DEX), Disguise (DEX). Handle Animal (CHA), Fly (Dex), Intimidate (Cha).
Alignment: Must be Chaotic.
[/b]Feral Aspect (Su)
At 1st level the Feral gains Aspect of the Beast as a feat. However, he can choose a number of benefits granted by this ability equal to the combined modifiers of his mental ability scores. (Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 12 = 3.)
At 5th level and every 4 levels thereafter, the Feral may select an additional Aspect.
In addition, add the following aspects to the list of benefits provided by the feat.
List:
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Fangs (Ex): Gain a 1d8 bite natural attack.
Bloodthirst (Ex): Whenever a Feral attack’s with a natural attack, the target must make a DC 10+ ½ Feral’s level + STR fortitude save or take bleed damage equal to half the Feral’s level for 1d4 turns. This does not stack.
Tough Hide (Ex): Gain a natural AC bonus equal to your level divided by 4.
Improved Bloodthirst (Ex): Whenever a target is bleeding the Feral may do an additional natural attack of any type in his repertoire. Prereq: Bloodthirst
Thirst of the Wild (Su): When making a bite attack against a bleeding target, the Feral heals himself for an amount equal to his level.
Ferociousness (Ex): Gain a 1d4 slam attack.
Improved Ferociousness (Ex): Gain another 1d4 slam attack.
Fierceness of the Wilds (Ex): Whenever making a slam attack, you may make an intimidate check against its target. If the target fails this check, your next attack threatens a critical strike. You must still confirm this critical strike.
Talons (Ex): You gain an additional two 1d4 claw attacks made with your feet, however to attack with them you must succeed a DC 20 Acrobatics check every time. Prereq: Claws of the Beast
Tusks (Ex): Gain a 1d8 gore attack.
Boars Charge (Ex): Your gore attacks are always a critical strike when used after charging.
Boar’s Trample (Ex): When making a gore attack right after charging, the target of this attack must make a reflex save of 10 + half Feral’s level + his STR mod or fall prone.
Raging Beast (Ex): Gain a +2 STR bonus.
Improved Raging Beast (Ex): Gain a +4 STR bonus. Prereq: Raging Beast.
Frenzy of the Wilds (Su): Gain a +6 STR bonus (As you may have guessed, these stat bonuses do not and never will stack with each other.). Select an amount of Rage Powers equal to the combined modifiers of your mental ability scores with a level penalty of -4. You may select them as soon as you gain a level, and it does not have to be the same time you gain this ability. (Your level counts as 4 lower for the purpose of selecting rage powers.) You may use these rage powers an amount of times per day equal to the combined modifiers of your mental ability scores.
Henceforth, the Feral takes a -6 penalty on performing any skill and ability score checks that require him to make use of his intellect, charisma or wisdom.
Beastly Endurance (Ex): Gain a +2 CON bonus.
Improved Beastly Endurance (Ex): Gain a +4 CON bonus. (Replaces previous.) Prereq: Beastly Endurance
Perseverance of the Wilds (Su): Gain fast healing equal to your CON mod. Prereq: Improved Beastly Endurance.
Scent (Ex): Gain a scent ability. If you already have one, the range doubles.
Hearing (Ex): Gain half your level to all hearing related perception checks.
Feral Speed (Ex): Gain a barbarian’s fast movement ability.
Improved Feral Speed (Ex): Replace it with a monk’s fast movement ability. Prereq: Feral Speed
Swiftness of the Wilds (Su): When running, the Feral takes twice as long to tire. He may also take 2 5ft. steps per round. You may move upon any difficult terrain and any surface is able to support your weight. However, you still trigger traps and are unable to walk over liquids such as lava. Nor can you walk on air. Prereq: Improved Feral Speed
Wild Jump (Ex): You gain half your level on acrobatics checks made to jump.
Improved Wild Jump (Ex): You gain a +10 bonus to acrobatics checks made to jump.
Leap of the Wilds (Su): You may cast the Jump spell at will and never need a running start to leap. You may use your Feral level as the caster level for this spell.
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Illiteracy (Ex)
At 1st level, the character forgets all tongues. This signifies his time spent as a hermit in the wilds.
Hunting Instinct (Ex)
The Feral adds half his level to Survival checks made to track things and half his level to all Perception checks.
Animosity (Ex)
A Feral makes all natural attacks and combat maneuvers as if his base attack bonus is equal to his levels in the Feral class. If wearing any kind of armor, all natural attacks and abilities gained from the Feral class cease to function.
A Feral treats all natural attacks gained from the Feral class abilities as primary. There is no such thing as a secondary natural attack unless it is gained from sources outside of the Feral class abilities, in which case it is indeed treated as such.
A Feral is also unable to speak, perform any charisma based actions (except for intimidate) and make any intelligence based skill checks or perform any checks that would require him to display any sort of civilization-related prowess, such as wield a light weapon with Finesse and so on.
He also gains the animal sub-type.
Feral Training (Ex)
The Feral may choose any natural-attack related monster feats as long as he qualifies for them. He may treat his level as his BBA for the purpose of qualifying for these feats.
At 2nd, 8th, 14th, 20th levels he gains bonus feats which he can use only for such feats.
Animal Spirit (Su)
At 6th level, the Feral’s bond with the Beast Within is so strong that he is able to attract the favor of animal spirits, granting himself a makeshift wild form ability, except instead of taking that animal’s form, he instead becomes a hybrid of himself and that animal, retaining all previous natural attacks gained and gaining the abilities granted by his new form in addition, along with things such as fur covering his skin, changing eye color, alteration of tongue length and/or animal-like ear transformation.
At 6th level, the Feral selects one animal spirit which his Inner Beast is closest to. He may gain the aspect of that beast as a non-action (Much like the Rage mechanic.) and spend a number of rounds per day in it equal to 4 + His combined mental ability score modifier + Feral Level.
Aspects:
Aspect of the Wolf (Su)
Gain a scent ability, a +2 enhancement on trip attacks, and can make a trip combat maneuver as a swift action. This trip attack does not provoke any attacks of opportunity. In addition, you gain a +4 bonus to Strength and Dexterity. (This does not stack with any ability score bonuses granted from Feral Aspects. The greater bonus is instead applied.)
Aspect of the Stag (Su)
You gain a +2 dodge bonus to AC against attacks of opportunity, your base speed increases by 20 ft., you can move through any undergrowth (including magically manipulated undergrowth) at your normal speed, and can even make a 5-foot step within such terrain.
Furthermore, when you are hit with an attack of opportunity, you can make a single attack with your antlers against the opponent that hit you as an immediate action. This attack uses your highest base attack bonus plus your Strength or Dexterity bonus (your choice) and deals 1d8 points of piercing damage (if you are Medium; 1d6 points of damage if Small) plus your Strength modifier on a successful hit. The antlers have a critical multiplier of 19-20/x2.
Aspect of the Bear (Su)
You gain a +2 enhancement bonus to natural armor and a +2 enhancement bonus on CMB rolls. You can also perform bull rush, grapple, and overrun combat maneuvers without provoking attacks of opportunity. In addition, you gain a +4 Constitution and Strength bonus. Your size is treated as one size larger for the purpose of combat maneuvers.
Aspect of the Falcon (Su)
You gain a +4 competence bonus on perception checks and the critical threat range of all your natural weapons becomes 18-20/x2. You gain a +4 bonus to the critical confirmation roll. In addition, whenever successfully hitting a target with a natural weapon, you may reroll the attack without altering the initial result. If this roll is within the Feral’s natural weapon critical threat range, his attack is a critical strike. You must still confirm it, however.
At 12th and 18th level, the Feral may choose another aspect to morph into and may once per day take on all the Aspects in his repertoire. However, doing so will waste a total of 6 rounds.
After leaving his aspect state, the Feral takes a -6 penalty to all mental ability score related checks (Stacks with any other penalties) for the same amount of rounds spent in this state. The Feral is unable to call upon an Animal Spirit until this penalty is cleared.
Glimpse of Consciousness (Ex)
At 7th level, the Feral’s bond with his Inner Beast grows closer, beginning to merge his other self with it, allowing for the Feral to lift the restrictions to the variety of skill checks of Animosity for a number of minutes equal to the combined mental ability score modifiers x 10 per day. The Feral may not do this during battle.
Feral Sagacity (Su)
At 10th level the Feral attains partial enlightenment by merging with his Inner Beast. The effects of his Illiteracy are lifted and he gains the ability converse with any animal as if they were capable of speech. Any non-animal is unable to understand their conversation. However, Animosity’s penalties are not removed by this. (Animal sub-type, basically.)
The Feral gains the effects of Wild Empathy as a ranger of his level, in addition.
Wild Healing (Su)
At 15th level, as a standard action, the Feral can heal a number of hit points equal to his Feral.
Tongue of the Sun and Moon (Ex)
A Feral of level 16 or higher can speak with any living creature.
In addition, he may use his Feral level instead of any ranks invested into Diplomacy and Sense Motive.
Calm within the Chaos (Ex)
A level 19 Feral can henceforth be of any alignment.
Wild Enlightenment (Ex)[b]
The Feral becomes immune to any ability score damage, compulsion effects and non-situational/non-difficulty penalties to any checks.
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Criticism, suggestions and reviews are welcome!