Character Classes

DRUID

The fury of a storm, the gentle strength of the morning sun, the cunning of the fox, the power of the bear - all these and more are at the druid's command. The druid however, claims no mastery over nature. That claim, she says, is the empty boast of a city dweller. The druid gains her power not by ruling nature but by being at one with it. To trespassers in a druid's sacred grove, and to those who feel her wrath, the distinction is overly fine. Druids adventure to gain knowledge (especially about animals and plants unfamiliar to them) and power. Sometimes, their superiors call on their services. Druids may also bring their power to bear against those who threaten what they love, which more often includes ancient stands of trees or trackless mountains than people. While druids accept that which is horrific or cruel in nature, they hate that which is unnatural, including aberrations (such as beholders and carrion crawlers) and undead (such as zombies and vampires). Druids sometimes lead raids against such creatures, especially when they encroach on the druids' territory. Druids cast divine spells much the same way clerics do, though most get their spells from the power of nature rather than from deities. Their spells are oriented toward nature and animals. In addition to spells, druids gain an increasing array of magical powers, including the ability to take the shapes of animals, as they advance in level. The armor of a druid are restricted by traditional oaths to the items noted in Weapon and Armor proficiency (below),All other armor is prohibited. Though a druid could learn to wear full plate, putting it on would violate her oath and suppress her druidic powers. Druids avoid carrying much worked metal with them because it interferes with the pure and primal nature that they attempt to embody. Druids, in keeping with nature's ultimate indifference, must maintain at least some measure of dispassion. As such, they must be neutral on at least one alignment axis (chaotic-lawful or good-evil), if not both. Just as nature encompasses such dichotomies as life and death, beauty and horror, and peace and violence, so two druids can manifest different or even opposite alignments (neutral good and neutral evil, for instance) and still be part of the druidic tradition. A druid reveres nature above all. She gains her magical power either from the force of nature itself or from a nature deity. The typical druid pursues a mystic spirituality of transcendent union with nature rather than devoting herself to a divine entity. Still, some druids revere or at least respect either Obad-Hai (god of nature) or Ehlonna (goddess of the woodlands). Though their organization is invisible to most outsiders, who consider druids to be loners, druids are actually part of a society that spans the land, ignoring political borders. A prospective druid is inducted into this society through secret rituals, including tests that not all survive. Only after achieving some level of competence is the druid allowed to strike out on her own. All druids are nominally members of this druidic society, though some individuals are so isolated that they have never seen any highranking members of the society or participated in druidic gatherings. All druids recognize each other as brothers and sisters. Like true creatures of the wilderness, however, druids sometimes compete with or even prey on each other. A druid may be expected to perform services for higher-ranking druids, though proper payment is tendered for such assignments. Likewise, a lower-ranking druid may appeal for aid from her higher-ranking comrades in exchange for a fair price in coin or service. Druids may live in small towns, but they always spend a good portion of their time in wild areas. Even large cities surrounded by cultivated land as far as the eye can see often have druid groves nearby - small, wild refuges where druids live and which they protect fiercely. Near coastal cities, such refuges may be nearby islands, where the druids can find the isolation they need. Elves and gnomes have an affinity for natural lands and often become druids. Humans and halfelves also frequently adopt this path, and druids are particularly common among savage humans. Dwarves, halflings, and half-orcs are rarely druids. Few from among the brutal humanoids are inducted into druidic society, though gnolls have a fair contingent of evil druids among them. Gnoll druids are accepted, though perhaps not welcomed, by druids of other races. The druid shares with rangers and many barbarians a reverence for nature and a familiarity with natural lands. She doesn't much understand the urban mannerism typical of a rogue, and she finds arcane magic disruptive and slightly distasteful. The typical druid also dislikes the paladin's devotion to abstract ideals instead of "the real world." Druids, however, are nothing if not accepting of diversity, and they take little offense at other characters, even those very different from them. The druid enjoys extraordinary versatility. Though she lacks the sheer healing power of the cleric, she makes up for it with additional offensive power, thanks to her spell selection and wild shape ability. A druid back up by another secondary healer (such as a paladin) can prove extremely valuable to a group of adventurers. Her animal companion also provides valuable melee combat support.

Alignment: Neutral good, lawful neutral, neutral, chaotic neutral, or neutral evil.

Hit Die: d8.

Class Skills

The druid's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).

Skill Points at 1st Level: (4 + Int modifier) x 4.

Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Table: The Druid

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the druid.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Druids are proficient with the following weapons: club, dagger, dart, quarterstaff, scimitar, sickle, shortspear, sling, and spear. They are also proficient with all natural attacks (claw, bite, and so forth) of any form they assume with wild shape (see below).

Druids are proficient with light and medium armor but are prohibited from wearing metal armor; thus, they may wear only padded, leather, or hide armor. (A druid may also wear wooden armor that has been altered by the ironwood spell so that it functions as though it were steel. See the ironwood spell description.) Druids are proficient with shields (except tower shields) but must use only wooden ones.

A druid who wears prohibited armor or carries a prohibited shield is unable to cast druid spells or use any of her supernatural or spell-like class abilities while doing so and for 24 hours thereafter.

Spells: A druid casts divine spells, which are drawn from the druid spell list. Her alignment may restrict her from casting certain spells opposed to her moral or ethical beliefs; see Chaotic, Evil, Good, and Lawful Spells, below. A druid must choose and prepare her spells in advance (see below).

To prepare or cast a spell, the druid must have a Wisdom score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a druid's spell is 10 + the spell level + the druid's Wisdom modifier.

Like other spellcasters, a druid can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. Her base daily spell allotment is given on Table: The Druid. In addition, she receives bonus spells per day if she has a high Wisdom score. She does not have access to any domain spells or granted powers, as a cleric does.

A druid prepares and casts spells the way a cleric does, though she cannot lose a prepared spell to cast a cure spell in its place (but see Spontaneous Casting, below). A druid may prepare and cast any spell on the druid spell list, provided that she can cast spells of that level, but she must choose which spells to prepare during her daily meditation.

Spontaneous Casting: A druid can channel stored spell energy into summoning spells that she hasn't prepared ahead of time. She can "lose" a prepared spell in order to cast any summon nature's ally spell of the same level or lower.

Chaotic, Evil, Good, and Lawful Spells: A druid can't cast spells of an alignment opposed to her own or her deity's (if she has one). Spells associated with particular alignments are indicated by the chaos, evil, good, and law descriptors in their spell descriptions.

Bonus Languages: A druid's bonus language options include Sylvan, the language of woodland creatures. This choice is in addition to the bonus languages available to the character because of her race.

A druid also knows Druidic, a secret language known only to druids, which she learns upon becoming a 1st-level druid. Druidic is a free language for a druid; that is, she knows it in addition to her regular allotment of languages and it doesn't take up a language slot. Druids are forbidden to teach this language to nondruids. Druidic has its own alphabet.

Animal Companion (Ex): A druid may begin play with an animal companion selected from the following list: badger, camel, dire rat, dog, riding dog, eagle, hawk, horse (light or heavy), owl, pony, snake (Small or Medium viper), or wolf. If the campaign takes place wholly or partly in an aquatic environment, the following creatures are also available: crocodile, porpoise, Medium shark, and squid. This animal is a loyal companion that accompanies the druid on her adventures as appropriate for its kind.

A 1st-level druid's companion is completely typical for its kind except as noted below. As a druid advances in level, the animal's power increases as shown on the table. If a druid releases her companion from service, she may gain a new one by performing a ceremony requiring 24 uninterrupted hours of prayer. This ceremony can also replace an animal companion that has perished.

A druid of 4th level or higher may select from alternative lists of animals (see below). Should she select an animal companion from one of these alternative lists, the creature gains abilities as if the character's druid level were lower than it actually is. Subtract the value indicated in the appropriate list header from the character's druid level and compare the result with the druid level entry on the table to determine the animal companion's powers. (If this adjustment would reduce the druid's effective level to 0 or lower, she can't have that animal as a companion.)

Nature Sense (Ex): A druid gains a +2 bonus on Knowledge (nature) and Survival checks.

Wild Empathy (Ex): A druid can improve the attitude of an animal. This ability functions just like a Diplomacy check made to improve the attitude of a person. The druid rolls 1d20 and adds her druid level and her Charisma modifier to determine the wild empathy check result. The typical domestic animal has a starting attitude of indifferent, while wild animals are usually unfriendly.

To use wild empathy, the druid and the animal must be able to study each other, which means that they must be within 30 feet of one another under normal conditions. Generally, influencing an animal in this way takes 1 minute but, as with influencing people, it might take more or less time.

A druid can also use this ability to influence a magical beast with an Intelligence score of 1 or 2, but she takes a -4 penalty on the check.

Woodland Stride (Ex): Starting at 2nd level, a druid may move through any sort of undergrowth (such as natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas, and similar terrain) at her normal speed and without taking damage or suffering any other impairment. However, thorns, briars, and overgrown areas that have been magically manipulated to impede motion still affect her.

Trackless Step (Ex): Starting at 3rd level, a druid leaves no trail in natural surroundings and cannot be tracked. She may choose to leave a trail if so desired.

Resist Nature's Lure (Ex): Starting at 4th level, a druid gains a +4 bonus on saving throws against the spell-like abilities of fey.

Wild Shape (Su): At 5th level, a druid gains the ability to turn herself into any Small or Medium animal and back again once per day. Her options for new forms include all creatures with the animal type. This ability functions like the alternate form special ability, except as noted here. The effect lasts for 1 hour per druid level, or until she changes back. Changing form (to animal or back) is a standard action and doesn't provoke an attack of opportunity. Each time you use wild shape, you regain hit points as if you had rested for a night.

Any gear worn or carried by the druid melds into the new form and becomes nonfunctional. When the druid reverts to her true form, any objects previously melded into the new form reappear in the same location on her body that they previously occupied and are once again functional. Any new items worn in the assumed form fall off and land at the druid's feet.

The form chosen must be that of an animal the druid is familiar with.

A druid loses her ability to speak while in animal form because she is limited to the sounds that a normal, untrained animal can make, but she can communicate normally with other animals of the same general grouping as her new form. (The normal sound a wild parrot makes is a squawk, so changing to this form does not permit speech.)

A druid can use this ability more times per day at 6th, 7th, 10th, 14th, and 18th level, as noted on Table: The Druid. In addition, she gains the ability to take the shape of a Large animal at 8th level, a Tiny animal at 11th level, and a Huge animal at 15th level. The new form's Hit Dice can't exceed the character's druid level.

At 12th level, a druid becomes able to use wild shape to change into a plant creature with the same size restrictions as for animal forms. (A druid can't use this ability to take the form of a plant that isn't a creature.)

At 16th level, a druid becomes able to use wild shape to change into a Small, Medium, or Large elemental (air, earth, fire, or water) once per day. These elemental forms are in addition to her normal wild shape usage. In addition to the normal effects of wild shape, the druid gains all the elemental's extraordinary, supernatural, and spell-like abilities. She also gains the elemental's feats for as long as she maintains the wild shape, but she retains her own creature type.

At 18th level, a druid becomes able to assume elemental form twice per day, and at 20th level she can do so three times per day. At 20th level, a druid may use this wild shape ability to change into a Huge elemental.

Venom Immunity (Ex): At 9th level, a druid gains immunity to all poisons.

A Thousand Faces (Su): At 13th level, a druid gains the ability to change her appearance at will, as if using the disguise self spell, but only while in her normal form. This affects the druid's body but not her possessions. It is not an illusory effect, but a minor physical alteration of the druid's appearance, within the limits described for the spell.

Timeless Body (Ex): After attaining 15th level, a druid no longer takes ability score penalties for aging and cannot be magically aged. Any penalties she may have already incurred, however, remain in place. Bonuses still accrue, and the druid still dies of old age when her time is up.

Ex-Druids

A druid who ceases to revere nature, changes to a prohibited alignment, or teaches the Druidic language to a nondruid loses all spells and druid abilities (including her animal companion, but not including weapon, armor, and shield proficiencies). She cannot thereafter gain levels as a druid until she atones (see the atonement spell description).

THE DRUID'S ANIMAL COMPANION

A druid's animal companion is superior to a normal animal of its kind and has special powers, as described below.

Animal Companion Basics: Use the base statistics for a creature of the companion's kind, but make the following changes.

Class Level: The character's druid level. The druid's class levels stack with levels of any other classes that are entitled to an animal companion for the purpose of determining the companion's abilities and the alternative lists available to the character.

Bonus HD: Extra eight-sided (d8) Hit Dice, each of which gains a Constitution modifier, as normal. Remember that extra Hit Dice improve the animal companion's base attack and base save bonuses. An animal companion's base attack bonus is the same as that of a druid of a level equal to the animal's HD. An animal companion has good Fortitude and Reflex saves (treat it as a character whose level equals the animal's HD). An animal companion gains additional skill points and feats for bonus HD as normal for advancing a monster's Hit Dice.

Natural Armor Adj.: The number noted here is an improvement to the animal companion's existing natural armor bonus.

Str/Dex Adj.: Add this value to the animal companion's Strength and Dexterity scores.

Bonus Tricks: The value given in this column is the total number of "bonus" tricks that the animal knows in addition to any that the druid might choose to teach it (see the Handle Animal skill). These bonus tricks don't require any training time or Handle Animal checks, and they don't count against the normal limit of tricks known by the animal. The druid selects these bonus tricks, and once selected, they can't be changed.

Link (Ex): A druid can handle her animal companion as a free action, or push it as a move action, even if she doesn't have any ranks in the Handle Animal skill. The druid gains a +4 circumstance bonus on all wild empathy checks and Handle Animal checks made regarding an animal companion.

Share Spells (Ex): At the druid's option, she may have any spell (but not any spell-like ability) she casts upon herself also affect her animal companion. The animal companion must be within 5 feet of her at the time of casting to receive the benefit. If the spell or effect has a duration other than instantaneous, it stops affecting the animal companion if the companion moves farther than 5 feet away and will not affect the animal again, even if it returns to the druid before the duration expires. Additionally, the druid may cast a spell with a target of "You" on her animal companion (as a touch range spell) instead of on herself. A druid and her animal companion can share spells even if the spells normally do not affect creatures of the companion's type (animal).

Evasion (Ex): If an animal companion is subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, it takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw.

Devotion (Ex): An animal companion gains a +4 morale bonus on Will saves against enchantment spells and effects.

Multiattack: An animal companion gains Multiattack as a bonus feat if it has three or more natural attacks and does not already have that feat. If it does not have the requisite three or more natural attacks, the animal companion instead gains a second attack with its primary natural weapon, albeit at a -5 penalty.

Improved Evasion (Ex): When subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, an animal companion takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw and only half damage if the saving throw fails.

ALTERNATIVE ANIMAL COMPANIONS

A druid of sufficiently high level can select her animal companion from one of the following lists, applying the indicated adjustment to the druid's level (in parentheses) for purposes of determining the companion's characteristics and special abilities.

1 Available only in an aquatic environment.

DRUID VARIANTS

Animal Companions

The list below is a compilation of all animals eligible to be chosen as animal companions, organized by minimum druid level required. Apply the parenthetical adjustment to the druid's level for purposes of determining the companion's characteristics and special abilities.

1 Available only in an aquatic environment.

2 Available only in a subterranean environment.

3 Halfling druids only.

4 Nonhalfling druids only.

5 Raptoran druids only.

6 Nonraptoran druids only.

Druids can begin play with animal companions, which are something like cohorts, and rangers can gain them during their careers. Use the following rules of thumb to adjudicate situations that may arise when characters have animal companions.

While the class descriptions list the animals available as companions, those lists assume the character spends most of her time in the animals' home territory and treats them well. If she spends most of her time at sea, in cities, or otherwise in places that the animals don't like, her animals are likely to desert. Remember, these creatures are loyal friends but not pets or servants. They won't remain loyal if being the character's friend becomes too onerous.

The animal is still an animal. It's not a magical beast, as a familiar or a paladin's mount is. While it may have learned some tricks, it's still no more intelligent than any other animal of its kind, and it retains all its bestial instincts. Unlike intelligent followers or cohorts, animals can't follow complex instructions, such as "Attack the gnoll with the wand." A character can give a simple verbal command, such as "Attack" or "Come," as a free action, provided such a command is among the tricks the animal has learned. A more complex instruction, such as telling an animal to attack and pointing out a specific target, is a standard action. Animals are ill-equipped to handle unusual situations, such as combats with invisible opponents, and they typically hesitate to attack weird and unnatural creatures, such as beholders and oozes.

Left to its own judgment, an animal follows a character and attacks creatures that attack her (or that attack the animal itself). To do more than that, it needs to learn tricks as described under the Handle Animal skill.

Aquatic Druid

Druids of the waters are not as common as those inhabiting forests and wild lands. Much of the ocean's expanse is beyond the reach of humanoids, other than the aquatic varieties, so there is a less pressing need to protect it. However, druids do tend sacred pools and streams and work with the fey that inhabit them. Among fishing peoples, druids tend the harvest and work to ensure that waters are clean and fish plentiful.

Peaceful aquatic peoples such as tritons, merfolk, and sea elves have a larger proportion of druids in their midst than air-breathing humanoids. These worshipers of nature tend coral reefs, kelp forests, and deep places of mystery, and they guard against wanton hunting other or depredations. Druids of ferocious aquatic tribes might lead sacred underwater hunts or battles against air-breathing intruders in their territory.

Woodland Stride (Ex): A druid who has a racial swim speed can choose to apply this ability to difficult aquatic terrain (shallow coral, kelp beds, ice-choked waters, sargasso, and similar obstacles), rather than woodland terrain. This choice is made when the class feature is gained.

Aspect of Nature

At 5th level, a druid may take on one aspect from those described below. At 8th level, the druid can take on up to two aspects simultaneously. At 11th level, she can take up on to three aspects simultaneously, and at 15th level the limit increases to its maximum of four simultaneous aspects. (Some aspects can only be combined with certain other aspects, as indicated in their descriptions.) Each aspect taken on counts as one daily use of the druid's wild shape ability. Multiple versions of the same aspect don't stack. Taking on one or more aspects is a standard action (which does not provoke attacks of opportunity), and the effect lasts for 1 minute per druid level.

Some aspects, as noted in their descriptions, have a minimum druid level as a prerequisite.

A druid may take on one aspect per day for every daily use of wild shape she is entitled to. For instance, a 5th-level druid could normally use wild shape once per day, so she could assume an aspect once per day. A 10th-level druid could take on four aspects per day and can choose to take on two aspects simultaneously (which would use up two of the druid's daily uses).

Unless otherwise noted in an aspect's description, a druid who assumes an aspect of nature retains her own type and subtype(s), keeps her extraordinary, supernatural, or spell-like abilities, and retains her ability to communicate and cast spells. She is considered proficient with any natural attacks granted by the aspect.

Agility: The druid gains a +8 bonus to Dexterity but takes a -4 penalty to Strength. Prerequisite: Druid level 8th.

Aquatic: The druid grows gills, enabling her to breathe underwater (while retaining her ability to breathe air). Webbing between her fingers and her toes grants her a swim speed of 40 feet (or 30 feet if wearing medium or heavy armor or carrying a medium or heavy load) and a +8 bonus on her Swim checks.

Elemental Air: The druids body becomes gaseous (as the gaseous form spell, except that she can fly at a speed of 100 feet with perfect maneuverability and doesn't lose her supernatural abilities while in this form). While in this form, the druid has immunity to poison, sleep, paralysis, and stunning, as well as any other immunities provided by the gaseous form spell. The druid cannot cast spells while this aspect is in effect. She can't combine this aspect with any other aspect except for agility and endurance. Prerequisite: Druid level 16th.

Elemental Earth: The druid's body becomes stony and rocklike. While in this form, the druid has immunity to?poison, sleep, paralysis, and stunning. She gains a slam attack that deals bludgeoning damage equal to a morningstar of the druid's size (1d8 for Medium druids, 1d6 for Small druids). Her natural armor bonus becomes +8 (replacing any other natural armor bonus the druid has, though enhancement bonuses to natural armor still apply normally). She also gains damage reduction 10/magic. The druid cannot cast spells while this aspect is in effect. She can't combine this aspect with any other aspect except for endurance and vigor. Prerequisite: Druid level 16th.

Elemental Fire: The druid's body bursts into flame. While in this form, the druid has immunity to fire,?poison, sleep, paralysis, and stunning. In addition, any creature struck by the druid in melee (whether with a weapon, unarmed attack, or natural weapon) takes an extra 1d6 points of fire damage and must succeed on a Reflex save or catch fire for 1d4 rounds. The save DC is 10 + 1/2 druid level + druid's Con modifier. Creatures hitting the druid with natural weapons or unarmed attacks while this aspect is in effect take 1d6 points of fire damage and also catch fire unless they succeed on the Reflex save noted above. The druid also gains damage reduction 10/magic. The druid cannot cast spells while this aspect is in effect. She can't combine this aspect with any other aspect except for agility and endurance. Prerequisite: Druid level 16th.

Elemental Water: The druid's body becomes semifluid. While in this form, the druid gains a +10 bonus on Escape Artist checks, resistance to fire 10, and immunity to?poison, sleep, paralysis, and stunning. She gains a swim speed of 90 feet and a +8 bonus on her Swim checks. Her touch puts out torches, campfires, exposed lanterns, and other open flames of nonmagical origin if these are Large or smaller. The druid can dispel magical fire she touches as if she had cast greater dispel magic on it. She also gains damage reduction 10/magic. The druid cannot cast spells while this aspect is in effect. She can't combine this aspect with any other aspect except for endurance and vigor. Prerequisite: Druid level 16th.

Endurance: The druid gains a +4 bonus to Constitution. Prerequisite: Druid level 8th.

Flight: The druid grows wings feathery or batlike, at her option) that enable her to fly at a speed of 40 feet with average maneuverability (or 30 feet if wearing medium or heavy armor or carrying a medium or heavy load).

Plant: The druid's body becomes plantlike. While in this form, the druid gains a +10 bonus on Hide checks made in areas of forest, overgrowth, or similar terrain. She gains immunity to?poison, sleep, paralysis, and stunning. She gains a slam attack that deals bludgeoning damage equal to a light mace of the druid's size (1d6 for Medium druids, 1d4 for Small druids). Her natural armor bonus becomes 4 (replacing any other natural armor bonus the druid has, though enhancement bonuses to natural armor still apply normally). She can't combine this aspect with any other aspect except for vigor. Prerequisite: Druid level 12th.

Poison: The druid gains a bite attack that deals bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage equal to a dagger of the druid's size (1d4 for a Medium druid, or 1d3 for a Small druid). In addition, the bite delivers a toxic venom (Fortitude save DC 10 + 1/2 druid's level + druid's Con modifier; initial and secondary damage 1d6 Con).

Scent: The druid gains the scent ability.

Speed: The druid gains a +30-foot enhancement bonus to her base land speed.

Tooth and Claw: The druid gains a primary bite attack (at her full base attack bonus) and two secondary claw attacks (at her base attack bonus -5 and adding only half her Strength bonus on damage rolls). The bite attack deals bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage equal to a short sword of the druid's size (1d6 for a Medium druid, or 1d4 for a Small druid), while the claws deal piercing and slashing damage equal to a dagger of the druid's size (1d4 for a Medium druid, or 1d3 for a Small druid).

Vigor: The druid gains a +8 bonus to Strength but takes a -4 penalty to Dexterity. Prerequisite: Druid level 8th.

Aspect of the Dragon

Most druids revere animals as emblems of the natural world, but a few consider dragons even more deserving of their attention. Those who feel this way show their respect by mimicking physical or mental aspects of dragonkind instead of taking the forms of lesser creatures.

Class: Druid.

Level: 5th.

Replaces: If you select this class feature, you do not gain wild shape (or any later improvements to that class feature, except for the ability to wild shape into an elemental).

Benefit: You can take on aspects of dragonkind. Taking on one or more aspects is a swift action, and the effect lasts for 1 hour or until you dismiss it (a free action). The various aspects are described below.

At 5th level, you can have only one aspect in effect at a time. At 8th level, you can take on up to two aspects simultaneously. At 11th level, you can take on up to three aspects simultaneously. At 15th level, the limit increases to its maximum of four simultaneous aspects. Each aspect taken on counts as one daily use of the ability (see below). Multiple versions of the same aspect don't stack.

At 5th level, you can use this ability once per day. You gain additional uses per day at the same rate that you would normally gain uses of wild shape (from two per day at 6th level up to six per day at 18th level).

You are considered proficient with any natural attacks granted by the aspect, and you retain all your special abilities (unless the aspect specifically replaces them, such as the claws of the dragon aspect replacing your own claw attack, if you have one).

Breath of the Dragon: You can breathe a 30-foot cone of fire as a standard action. The cone deals 1d6 points of damage per two druid levels; a successful Reflex save (DC 10 + 1/2 your druid level + your Con modifier) halves this damage. Each time you breathe, you must wait 1d4 rounds before you can use this breath weapon again.

Claws of the Dragon: You gain a +4 bonus to Strength, and your hands grow claws that can be used as primary natural attacks. Each claw deals a certain amount of damage (1d6 points if you are Medium, 1d4 if you are Small, and 1d8 if you are Large) plus your Strength modifier. These claws are treated as magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Heart of the Dragon: You gain a +4 bonus to Constitution and immunity to paralysis.

Mind of the Dragon: You gain a +4 bonus to Wisdom, darkvision out to 60 feet, low-light vision, and immunity to sleep effects.

Wings of the Dragon: You grow draconic wings that allow you to fly at your land speed with good maneuverability. You can't fly if you are wearing heavy armor or carrying a heavy load.

City-Shape

The ability to transform into an animal is the hallmark of the druid, so much so that even many urban druids choose to retain it. Some, however, prefer the ability to blend and maneuver within the streets of the city, sacrificing size for a wider range of forms.

Class: Druid.

Level: 5th.

Replaces: If you select this class feature, you do not gain all the aspects of standard wild shape (except for the ability to wild shape into an elemental at high levels, which remains unchanged).

Benefit: At 5th level, the druid gains the ability to transform into an animal, as per the standard wild shape ability. She can do this once a day to start with, but the frequency of her wild shapes increases as per the standard druid advancement chart.

At 8th level, the druid does not gain the ability to transform into Large animals. Instead, she may transform into Small and Medium vermin, as well as animals.

At 11th level, the druid gains the ability to transform into Tiny animals and vermin.

At 12th level, the druid does not gain the ability to transform into plant creatures. Instead, she may transform into an animal- or vermin-based swarm, so long as it fits within her standard wild shaping Hit Die limits.

At 15th level, the druid does not gain the ability to transform into Huge animals. Instead, she gains the ability to transform into Large animals and vermin.

Special: The Natural Spell feat functions with city-shape just as it does standard wild shape.

City Soul

The most powerful druids can transform themselves into elementals, representatives of the building blocks of reality itself. A few urban druids, truly taken with the nature and order of the city, prefer more mundane forms.

Class: Druid.

Level: 16th.

Replaces: If you select this class feature, you do not gain the wild shape (elemental) ability, or later improvements to that class feature.

Benefit: At 16th level, the druid can use her wild shape (or city-shape) ability to become a Small, Medium, or Large animated object (MM 13) once per day. These forms are in addition to her normal wild shape uses. In addition to the normal effects of wild shape, she gains all the animated object's extraordinary abilities, as well as many traits of the construct type (low-light vision, darkvision to 60 feet, and immunity to critical hits, poison, disease, paralysis, and stunning).

The precise form must be an object common to the city environment, such as a wagon, a statue, or the like. (Talk to your DM in advance to determine what sorts of forms are available and what are off-limits.)

The druid can assume the form of an animated object twice per day at 18th level, and three times per day at 20th level. At 20th level, she can use this ability to turn into a Huge animated object.

Special: The Natural Spell feat functions with city soul just as it does standard wild shape.

Crowd-Walker

Certain individuals are comfortable among the throngs of citizens in even the most densely packed city. They know how to maneuver deftly through such environs without impediment.

Class: Druid or ranger.

Level: 2nd (druid) or 7th (ranger).

Replaces: If you select this class feature, you do not gain woodland stride.

Benefit: When moving through a crowd, the crowd-walker moves at her normal rate, rather than requiring two squares of movement for every square as is normal. In addition, light debris does not impede her movement, and she treats heavy debris as light debris. Any other sort of rough terrain impedes her normally, however.

Dead Levels

The druid is the second-place offender of dead levels. For a class to have special abilities for eighteen out of twenty levels, one wonders how two more abilities would have made a difference, especially at such high levels (17th and 19th level). The two dead level abilities presented here adequately fill those gaps without derailing the original class design.

Woodland Sprint (Ex): At 17th level, a druid may move at her normal speed through thorns, briars, and overgrown areas that have been magically manipulated. She does not take damage or suffer any other impairment, since she becomes immune to such magical effects.

Repel Nature's Lure (Ex): At 19th level, a druid gains spell resistance against the spell-like abilities of fey (such as dryads, pixies, and sprites) equal to her current druid level + 10. To affect the druid with a spell-like ability, a fey spellcaster must get a result on a caster level check (1d20 + caster level; see Spell Resistance) that equals or exceeds the druid's spell resistance.

Domain Druid

Druids who select the Animal domain or the Plant domain gain Skill Focus (Knowledge [nature]), since Knowledge (nature) is already a class skill for druids.

A druid who chooses the Sun domain gains the ability to turn undead 1/day as a cleric of her level, and cannot perform a greater turning.

Druidic Avenger

The druidic avenger channels her inner fury to wreak vengeance upon those who injure the natural world. This comes at a price, however, since the avenger must give up some of her own sensitivity to nature.

Class Skills

Class Features

The druidic avenger has all the standard druid class features, except as noted below.

Animal Companion: An avenger does not gain the service of an animal companion.

Fast Movement (Ex): A druidic avenger's base land speed is faster than the norm for her race by 10 feet. This ability is identical to the barbarian ability of the same name.

Rage (Ex): An avenger can enter a furious rage, identical to that of a barbarian. An avenger can use this ability once per day at 1st level, and one additional time per day for every five levels above 1st.

An avenger does not gain the greater rage, indomitable will, or mighty rage abilities.

Spontaneous Casting: An avenger cannot channel stored spell energy into summoning spells.

Tireless Rage (Ex): At 17th level and higher, an avenger no longer becomes fatigued at the end of her rage.

Wild Empathy: A druidic avenger takes a -4 penalty on wild empathy checks.

Drow Druid

Druids are rare among drow communities. Most drow spellcasters pursue either the faith of Lolth or one of a variety of arcane paths. However, a rare few exist who seek a different, more natural connection between themselves and their subterranean environment.

Drow druids forgo the ability to assume animal forms, preferring the shape of their revered totem: the spider.

Spider Shape

After extensive indoctrination by drow priestesses, you use wild shape to assume the form of vermin.

Level: 5th.

Replaces: If you select this class feature, you do not gain the ability to wild shape into an animal at 5th level.

Benefit: Beginning at 5th level, you can turn yourself into any Small or Medium monstrous spider. You are not mindless, and thus do not gain immunity to mind-affecting spells and abilities.

You can take the shape of a Large monstrous spider at 8th level, a Tiny monstrous spider at 11th level, and a Huge monstrous spider at 15th level.

This class feature otherwise functions as the normal wild shape ability.

It doesn't affect your ability to wild shape into plant creatures or elementals (gained at 12th and 16th level, as normal).

Special: Because they have a stronger connection to scorpions than to spiders, drow in the EBERRON campaign setting who select this alternative class feature instead gain the ability to wild shape into monstrous scorpions.

Elemental Companion

Every druid reveres nature, but some pay more respect to the fundamental building blocks of the natural world than to its flora and fauna. By forgoing her bond with the animal kingdom, a druid can instead take on an elemental creature as her companion.

Class: Druid.

Level: 1st.

Special Requirement: Knowledge (the planes) 1 rank, Speak Language (Auran, Terran, Ignan, or Aquan).

Replaces: You do not gain an animal companion, nor do you gain wild empathy.

Benefit: You gain the companionship of a Small elemental (air, earth, fire, or water; your choice). You must speak the language of your chosen elemental companion (Auran, Terran, Ignan, or Aquan, respectively).

Your elemental companion has the normal statistics of an elemental of its kind. It does not gain any extra HD, natural armor adjustment, Strength or Dexterity adjustment, or extra tricks (it is intelligent enough to follow your spoken commands and thus needs no tricks). It gains all other special abilities normally granted to an animal companion, with the exception of Multiattack.

At 4th level, your elemental grows into a Medium elemental of the same kind. Its statistics change appropriately.

At 10th level, you can choose for your elemental companion to grow to a Large elemental of the same kind, with the appropriate changes to its statistics. If you choose for your elemental to remain Medium, it instead gains 2 HD, +2 Strength, +2 Constitution, and damage reduction 5/-.

At 16th level, you can choose for your elemental companion to grow to a Huge elemental of the same kind, with the appropriate changes to its statistics. If you choose for your elemental to remain at its current size, it instead gains an additional +4 HD, +4 Strength, +4 Constitution, and damage reduction 5/-. All these benefits stack with existing statistics except for the damage reduction.

Fangshields Druid

Druids of the Fangshields are the healers and nurturers of the group, acting on behalf of their more monstrous allies who cannot interact with "civilized" humanoids without causing fear and panic.

Hit Die: d8.

Requirements

To take a Fangshields druid substitution level, a character must be a nonhumanoid creature, be a member of the Fangshields, have 1 rank in Knowledge (religion), and be about to take her 4th, 5th, or 7th level of druid.

Class Skills

Fangshields druid substitution levels have the class skills of the standard druid class.

Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Table: Fangshields Druid Substitution Levels

Class Features

All of the following are features of the Fangshields druid substitution levels.

Spontaneous Curing (Su): At 4th level, a Fangshields druid can spontaneously convert prepared druid spells of 1st level or higher into cure light wounds spells, just as a cleric can. Unlike a cleric, she cannot convert her prepared spells into any cure spell, just cure light wounds, nor can she apply metamagic feats to these spontaneously cast spells.

This benefit replaces the resist nature's lure class ability gained by a standard druid at 4th level.

Wild Shape (Hands) (Su): At 5th level, a Fangshields druid can use her wild shape ability to create simple dexterous hands if she doesn't have them already. For example, a giant eagle, lammasu, or unicorn could use wild shape to change her feet, paws, or hooves into hands that work as well as human hands. These hands lose any natural attacks they previously possessed, but otherwise still function like their original shape (a unicorn could walk or run at normal speed on her hoof-hands, for example). She can make this change whenever she uses her wild shape, even when she assumes another form. For example, a unicorn druid could take the form of a wolf with functional paw-hands.

This benefit is in addition to the standard druid's wild shape ability.

Wild Shape (Humanoid) (Su): At 7th level, a Fangshields druid can use her wild shape ability to assume a Medium humanoid form. The humanoid form can resemble a human, dwarf, elf, or other Medium humanoid as the druid desires and has the appropriate racial traits for that race (according to the polymorph spell). This ability is typically used by a druid to interact with humanoid settlements without drawing too much attention to herself. However, the humanoid form retains some of a Fangshields druid's original monstrous appearance, much like how a lycanthrope in hybrid form has humanoid and animal features, resulting in a -4 penalty on Disguise checks made to pass as a humanoid. The hybrid form can speak as well as a true humanoid, though the change of form does not give the druid knowledge of that form's language (a druid in the form of an elf wouldn't automatically know how to speak Elven, but could use her elf-mouth to speak any languages she did know).

For example, a giant eagle could wild shape into a humanlike humanoid, but she would resemble an eagle-human hybrid (much like an avoral guardinal); a treant taking the form of an elf hybrid would look like a tall elf with barklike skin and leaves in her hair (much like a dryad).

This benefit replaces the third use of wild shape per day gained by a standard druid at 8th level. From this point forward, a Fangshields druid has one less daily use of wild shape than normal.

Focused Animal

Those allied with nature are perhaps the hardest to distemper, but even druids can lose their faith. When a druid no longer reveres the entirety of nature, he sometimes learns to communicate with his closest ally: his animal companion.

Level: 1st.

Replaces: If you select this class feature, you do not gain trackless step, wild shape, or woodland stride.

Benefit: You gain the effects of a continuous speak with animals spell, but you may only use it to speak with your animal companion. In addition, for the purpose of determining your animal companion's bonus Hit Dice, natural armor adjustment, Strength and Dexterity adjustment, bonus tricks, and special abilities, you are treated as a druid two levels higher than you actually are. This does not allow you to gain a more powerful alternative animal companion at an earlier level.

Go to Ground

Just as most druids and scouts have an almost supernatural ability to avoid being tracked in the wild, so too have others learned to blend in so fully with the urban throng that nobody remembers their passage.

Class: Druid or scout.

Level: 3rd.

Replaces: If you select this class feature, you do not gain trackless step.

Benefit: When you choose to "lay low," you become all but impossible to find without magical means. All attempts to find you with Urban Tracking simply fail outright.

Golarion Druid

Due to the constant spread of civilization during the Age of Enthronement, many druids took to the mountains for solace. These druids adapted to the rocky terrain and have gained the above ability. This ability replaces woodland stride.

Mountain Stride (Ex): A druid with this ability can move through rocky terrain at her normal speed and without taking damage or suffering any other impairment. Magically manipulated terrain, such as spike stones, affects her normally.

Goliath Druid

The goliath race venerates nature in its various forms, and druids are the most prominent spellcasters, divine or otherwise, among goliath tribes. Goliath druids forge particularly strong bonds with the earth and stone of their environment, granting them and their animal companions unusual powers related to elemental earth.

Hit Die: d8.

Requirements

To take a goliath druid substitution level, a character must be a goliath about to take her 1st, 6th, or 12th level of druid.

Class Skills

Goliath druid substitution levels have the class skills of the standard druid class.

Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier (or four times this quantity as a beginning character).

Table: Goliath Druid Racial Substitution Levels

Class Features

All the following are features of the goliath druid's racial substitution levels.

Elemental Bond (Ex): A goliath druid who takes the 1st-level racial substitution level forges a bond with the Elemental Plane of Earth, allowing her to summon more or more powerful earth creatures than normal.

When casting a summon nature's ally spell to summon a creature with the earth subtype, the goliath druid may treat the spell as if it were the next higher-level version of that spell. This benefit allows her to summon a single more powerful creature than she might otherwise be able to summon, or more of the same type of creature that she could normally summon.

For example, a goliath druid who casts summon nature's ally I could summon a single Small earth elemental (as if she had cast summon nature's ally II). When casting summon nature's ally V, the druid could summon one Huge earth elemental, one average xorn, 1d3 Large earth elementals, or 1d4+1 Medium earth elementals or minor xorns (as if she had cast summon monster VI). A goliath druid with this ability who casts summon nature's ally IX can summon two elder earth elementals (instead of one).

A goliath druid who selects this substitution level permanently gives up her ability to summon creatures that have the air, fire, or water subtype.

Earth Companion (Ex): A goliath druid who takes the 6th-level racial substitution level can imbue her animal companion with the power of elemental earth. The animal companion's Strength increases by 2, and its Dexterity is reduced by 2. Its natural armor bonus increases by 3. It gains a burrow speed of 10 feet (or, if it has a burrow speed, that speed increases by 10 feet). The companion gains the earth mastery extraordinary ability (+1 bonus on attack rolls and damage rolls if both it and its foe touch the ground; if an opponent is airborne or waterborne, the earth companion takes a -4 penalty on attack rolls and damage rolls). It also gains damage reduction 5/magic as an extraordinary ability.

The companion's type doesn't change, but it gains the earth subtype.

If a goliath druid replaces her animal companion with a new one, she can apply this effect to the new companion, but only if the reduction in her effective druid level reduction would not make the new companion unavailable to her. The previous companion loses the special abilities when it leaves the druid.

For the purpose of determining her animal companion's bonus Hit Dice, special abilities, and so on, the effective level of the goliath druid who selects this substitution level is reduced by three, per the Alternative Animal Companions table.

Wild Shape (Earth) (Su): A goliath druid who takes the 12th-level racial substitution level can use her wild shape ability to change into an earth elemental with the same size restriction as for animal forms. The druid's maximum HD limit when taking earth elemental form (either with this ability or with her wild shape [elemental] ability gained at 16th level) is equal to her druid level +1.

This benefit replaces the standard druid's 12th-level wild shape (plant) ability.

Half-Orc Druid

While most orcs revere their primary deity, Gruumsh, others are drawn to the primal brutality of nature. Half-orc druids are noted for their brute strength and force of will, summoning animals that are more powerful than normal and fighting with impressive physical prowess.

Hit Die: d10.

Requirements

To take a half-orc druid substitution level, a character must be a half-orc about to take her 1st, 4th, or 6th level of druid.

Class Skills

Half-orc druid substitution levels have the class skills of the standard druid class, plus Intimidate.

Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Table: Half-Orc Druid Racial Substitution Levels

Class Features

All the following are features of the half-orc druid racial substitution levels.

Tough Animal Companion (Ex): The half-orc druid tends to attract physically powerful specimens. Her animal companion gains Toughness as a bonus feat.

Bully Animal (Ex): Beginning at 4th level, when the half-orc druid uses her wild empathy ability, she adds her Strength modifier to the check instead of her Charisma modifier.

This benefit replaces the standard druid's resist nature's lure ability.

Augmented Nature's Allies (Su): Starting at 6th level, any animal summoned by a half-orc druid with a summon nature's ally spell gains a +4 bonus to Strength and Constitution. These bonuses don't stack with those granted by the Augment Summoning feat.

This benefit replaces the standard druid's ability to use wild shape one additional time per day. From this point on, the half-orc druid's number of daily wild shapes is reduced by one (2/day at 7th level, 3/day at 10th level, and so on).

Halfling Druid

The halfling druid often follows a more pragmatic approach in exploring his link to the natural world. He gives up some of his innate ability to summon allies, while strengthening his bond with his animal companion (which is commonly used as a mount by the otherwise slow-moving halfling). His expanded skill selection allows him to serve as a capable scout.

Hit Die: d8.

Requirements

To take a halfling druid substitution level, a character must be a halfling about to take his 1st, 5th, or 13th level of druid.

Class Skills.

Halfling druid substitution levels grant the same class skills as the standard druid class, plus Climb, Hide, Jump, and Move Silently.

Skill Points at Each Level: 6 + Int modifier (or four times this number as a beginning character).

Table: Halfling Druid Racial Substitution Levels

Class Features

All the following are features of the halfling druid's racial substitution levels.

Spontaneous Casting: Halfling druids often use their animal companions as mounts, and they have developed a method of enhancing their animal companions' mobility and defenses by channeling their own spell energy.

A halfling druid can channel stored spell energy into specific spells that he hasn't prepared ahead of time. He can "lose" a prepared spell to cast any spell from the following list of the same level or lower, but he may only target himself or his animal companion with the spell (if it has a target). For example, a halfling druid who has prepared call lightning (a 3rd-level spell) may lose call lightning to cast protection from energy, spider climb, or jump, but may only target himself or his animal companion with the spell. (A halfling druid's ability to share spells with his animal companion works normally with these spells.)

1st: jump

2nd: spider climb

3rd: protection from energy

4th: freedom of movement

5th: tree stride

6th: summon nature's ally VI

7th: summon nature's ally VII

8th: summon nature's ally VIII

9th: summon nature's ally IX

This substitution feature replaces the standard druid's ability of spontaneous casting.

Enhanced Link (Ex): In addition to the normal benefits gained by the druid's link to his animal companion, a halfling druid gains a +4 circumstance bonus on all Ride checks made in conjunction with his animal companion. He takes no penalty for riding his animal companion without a saddle.

In addition, as long as the halfling druid rides his animal companion, his animal companion shares the druid's woodland stride and trackless step class features (assuming the druid has these class features).

This substitution feature augments, but does not replace, the standard druid's link class feature.

Undersized Wild Shape (Su): A halfling druid's Small size limits his wild shape ability (including his elemental wild shape and any other wild shape options he gains from feats or other special abilities), reducing them by one size category. However, he can use his wild shape ability one additional time per day (2/day at 5th level, 3/day at 6th, 4/day at 7th, and so forth).

At 5th level, a halfling druid gains the ability to turn himself into any Tiny or Small animal. He gains wild shape (Medium) at 8th level, wild shape (Diminutive) at 11th level, and wild shape (Large) at 15th level.

At 16th level, he gains the ability to use wild shape to transform into a Tiny, Small, or Medium elemental; he can transform into a Large elemental at 20th level.

This class feature is otherwise identical to the standard druid's wild shape ability.

This substitution feature replaces the standard druid's wild shape ability.

Camouflage (Ex): A halfling druid of 13th level or higher can use the Hide skill in any sort of natural terrain, even if the terrain doesn't grant cover or concealment.

This substitution feature replaces the standard druid's a thousand faces class feature.

Huntsman

The druid might choose to give up her wild shape ability in exchange for becoming a swift and deadly hunter.

This variant simply swaps one or more of a class's features for one or more class features of another class. A class feature gained works just as it did for its original class, including the level at which it is gained and any other effects, except as noted below.

Lose: Armor and shield proficiency, wild shape (all versions).

Gain: Bonus to Armor Class when unarmored (as monk, including Wisdom bonus to AC), fast movement (as monk), favored enemy (as ranger), swift tracker (as ranger), Track feat (as ranger).

Iron Constitution

Natives to the worst and filthiest areas of the city have to contend with stenches and illnesses of a sort rarely found in the wild, yet some have become so inured that they are all but immune.

Class: Druid.

Level: 4th.

Replaces: If you select this class feature, you do not gain resist nature's lure.

Benefit: The druid gains Strong Stomach (Cityscape 64) as a bonus feat, even if she does not meet the prerequisites. If she already has this feat, she may instead choose any feat for which she does meet the prerequisites.

In addition, the druid gains a +2 bonus on saves against disease.

Metal Master

If stone forms the bones of the world, then assuredly metal makes for the land's marrow. It colors cave walls and forms ingots in shallow streams, but it otherwise lacks the presence and power of the more obvious elements of nature. Yet when harvested and shaped for a purpose, few materials have strength enough to resist it. This quality of metal forms the core of the metal master's philosophy.

Metal masters are anomalous among druids. They forsake their connection to animals and the elements to focus on an aspect of the natural world that druids must deny themselves. They respect the potential of raw ore to become something greater, and devote themselves to mastering that process in themselves. Metal masters believe all creatures of the world have a like ability, both to be formed and form themselves, and in a world filled with so many potential tools and weapons, metal masters would be the forgers.

Metal masters see the world as a great foundry. Creatures are either smiths themselves or pig iron to be formed and used by others. This outlook causes many metal masters to be manipulative and dismissive with those who do not shown drive or impress with their actions. Evil metal masters exemplify this outlook, while lawful metal masters tend to be less dismissive but more controlling. Neutral metal masters care little for how other creatures forge their destinies and focus wholly on their own. Chaotic metal masters gleefully shape those around them without thought to the consequences. Good metal masters try to teach others about their own potential to change themselves into a force for good in the world.

Metal masters stay close to sources of metal, and many can be found wandering caves or living on the banks of gold-filled streams. Metal masters love mines, so long as the detritus of such operations are cared for properly. Metal masters also journey into civilized areas more often than any other kind of druid. They prefer to use urban smithies, saving the natural world from the smoke and wastes of the process, and they also use these visits to mold others in their vision or preach their philosophy of self-actualization.

Hit Die: d10.

Class Skills

The metal master's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (architecture and engineering) (Int), Knowledge (dungeoneering) (Int), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).

Skill Points at 1st Level: (2 + Int modifier) x 4.

Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Table: The Metal Master

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the metal master.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Metal masters are proficient with all simple and martial melee weapons made primarily of metal. Metal masters are proficient with all armors and with shields (including tower shields).

Spells: This class feature is the same as the druid class feature of the same name described in the Player's Handbook. A metal master follows the same spell progression as the druid.

Spontaneous Casting: A metal master can channel stored spell energy into druid spells that she hasn't prepared ahead of time. She can "lose" a prepared spell in order to cast one of these spells so long as it is of the same level or lower: chill metal, heat metal, rusting grasp, ironwood, transmute metal to wood, repel metal or stone.

Chaotic, Evil, Good, and Lawful Spells: This class feature is the same as the druid class feature of the same name described in the Player's Handbook.

Bonus Languages: A metal master's bonus language options include Druidic, the secret language of druids. Metal masters are forbidden to teach this language to nondruids. Druidic has its own alphabet. This option is in addition to the bonus languages available to the character because of her race.

A metal master also knows Terran, the language of earth creatures, which she learns upon becoming a 1st-level metal master. Terran is a free language for a metal master; that is, she knows it in addition to her regular allotment of languages, and it doesn't lake up a language slot.

Mine Sense (Ex): At 1st level, the metal master gains a +2 bonus on Knowledge (dungeoneering) and Knowledge (architecture and engineering) checks.

Metal Sense (Ex): At 3rd level, the metal master gains a +2 bonus on Craft (armorsmithing), Craft (blacksmithing), and Craft (weaponsmithing) checks.

Damage Reduction (Su): As a metal master forges a destiny and grows in power, her body makes a supernatural connection to the qualities of the metals in the earth. At 6th level, the metal master gains damage reduction 1/bludgeoning, her body becoming inured to all strikes but the blows that fall like hammers on anvils. This damage reduction improves as shown in the metal master advancement chart until at 16th level, the metal master loses her bludgeoning damage reduction and gains damage reduction 5/cold iron, silver, or adamantine. At this point, the metal master suffers less damage from all blows except those made from the metals that are the true blood and bones of the earth. At 18th level, this damage reduction improves as shown in the metal master advancement chart, until at 20th level, the metal master has damage reduction 5/adamantine, reducing the damage of attacks from all but the hardest metal.

Major Creation (Sp): At 11th level, the metal master can cast major creation as a caster of a level equal to her metal master level once per day. The metal master can only create objects made of metal with this spell.

Timeless Body (Ex): After attaining 15th level, a metal master no longer takes ability score penalties for aging (see Table: Aging Effects) and cannot be magically aged. Any penalties she may have already incurred, however, remain in place. Bonuses still accrue, and the metal master still dies of old age when her time is up.

Iron Body (Sp): At 19th level, the metal master can cast iron body as a caster of a level equal to her metal master level once per day.

Phynxkin Companion

A druid or ranger who adventures in regions rich with draconic influence can gain an alternative animal companion, a phynxkin, that serves him as loyally as any other animal companion would.

Class: Druid or ranger.

Level: 1st (druid) or 4th (ranger).

Replaces: If you select this class feature, you give up your standard choice of animal companion, and your animal companion does not gain all benefits normally accorded to it (see below).

Benefit: You gain a phynxkin as an animal companion. Treat it as an animal for the purpose of determining the effects of your skills, feats, spells, and other abilities.

When your phynxkin would normally gain the devotion special quality, both you and the phynxkin instead gain immunity to fear effects, but only while you are within 30 feet of each other.

When your effective druid level for determining your animal companion's abilities reaches 7th, you can replace your animal companion with a dire phynxkin animal companion. Doing this reduces your effective druid level for determining its abilities by six.

Planar Druid

The forces of nature, both subtle and grand, are manifestations of a deeper reality, where cosmic spheres revolve about each other in an awesome celestial dance. That dance generates the energy behind the fury of a storm, the brilliant sun, and even the vitality of life. The druid who understands the ecological connections between the seen and unseen is more capable, more knowledgeable, and more tuned into the events that move in all realms of existence.

Hit Die: d8.

Requirements

To take a druid planar substitution level, a character must be about to take his 4th, 9th, or 13th level of druid.

The character must also fulfill any one of the following criteria:

* Have 1 rank in Knowledge (the planes).

* Have a heritage feat.

* Have the extraplanar subtype when on the Material Plane.

* Have visited a plane other than the Material Plane.

Class Skills

Druid planar substitution levels have the class skills of the standard druid class plus Knowledge (the planes) (Int).

Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Table: Druid Planar Substitution Levels

Class Features

All of the following are features of the druid's planar substitution levels.

Resist Extraplanar Might (Ex): A 4th-level druid who selects this planar substitution benefit gains a +2 bonus on saving throws against the spell-like abilities of outsiders.

This benefit replaces the resist nature's lure class feature gained by a standard druid at 4th level.

Planar Tolerance (Ex): A planar druid of 9th level or higher becomes attuned to the nature of the planes she visits and gains immunity to their natural planar effects. Any effect that would be negated by the planar tolerance spell is negated by this druid ability. Unlike the spell, this ability affects only the druid herself.

This benefit replaces the immunity to venom class feature gained by a standard druid at 9th level.

Counter Summoning (Su): Some druids who walk the planes come to believe that excessive summoning of extraplanar creatures constitutes an abuse of the planes themselves, and they learn to deal with this problem at the source. A planar druid of 13th level or higher can ready a standard action to counter a summon monster spell or any spell-like ability that summons an extraplanar creature. This ability functions exactly as a counterspell using dispel magic, except that the druid need not cast a spell to make the attempt. The druid must make a caster level check against a DC of 11 + the opponent's caster level (if the opponent does not have a caster level for its summoning ability, use its Hit Dice instead). Success indicates that the spell or spell-like ability is countered.

This benefit replaces the a thousand faces class feature gained by a standard druid at 13th level.

Plant Companion

Druids and rangers both attune themselves to the rhythms of the natural world, connecting to the vast web of life and calling upon special assistants. While usually drawn from the ranks of the animal kingdom, a few connect more with plants instead. Pouring a tiny portion of their life force into saplings or brambles, they rouse those that sleep, giving plants mobility and a measure of free will.

A plant companion improves in much the same manner as an animal companion, using the Table: The Druid's Animal Companion when determing such things as bonus Hit Dice and natural Armor Class adjustment. All plant companions begin play using the following statistics. When using Handle Animal to get a plant companion to perform a trick, its master does not suffer the normal -5 penalty incurred when dealing with creatures of types other than animal.

NATURAL SELECTION

As you gain levels in druid or ranger, you can call upon more powerful animal companions whose abilities advance more slowly. Instead of a more powerful plant companion, though, you gain the ability to evolve the one you have, endowing it with new abilities. This requires a ritual that lasts 24 hours. Each new ability has a delay in levels between when you select it and when your plant companion gains it. You may select a new ability for your plant companion at any druid or ranger level in which a previously selected ability does not manifest. Your plant companion can only evolve one new ability at a time. For example, if at last level you choose to give your plant companion the bioluminescent ability, it gains that ability when you attain 2nd level. The most common plant companion special abilities follow.

Abilities marked with an asterisk may be taken more than once. Their bonuses or increases stack.

Alacrity (Ex): Your plant companion may, as part of a full attack action, make a bonus melee attack using its highest attack bonus. Your plant companion gains this ability after 2 levels.

Bioluminescent (Ex): Your plant companion glows in the dark, creating a non-magical illumination equal to a torch. It may suppress or reactivate this light as a standard action. Your plarit companion gains this ability after 1 level.

Blindsight (Ex): Your plant companion gains blindsight with a range of 30 feet. Your plant companion gains this ability after 2 levels.

Blunting Mold (Ex): Your plant companion develops a thick, cloying fungus along its length that automatically coats any slashing or piercing weapon that damages it. This mold causes the weapon to deal half damage on all aftacks until its wielder spends 1 standard action wiping it off. Your plant companion gains this ability after 3 levels.

Bonus Feat (Ex): Your plant companion gains a bonus feat. It must meet all of the feat's prerequisites. Your plant companion gains this ability after 1 level.

Cactus Spurs (Ex): Your plant companion grows numerous wickedly sharp barbs along its length. Any creature that grapples it or attacks it with an unarmed strike or natural weapon takes 1d3 points of piercing damage. Your plant companion gains this ability after 1 level.

Darkvision (Ex): Your plant companion gains darkvision with a range of 60 feet. Your plant companion gains this ability after 1 level.

Distracting Pollen (Ex): Your plant companion may, as a standard action, emit a cloud of red dust in a 10-foot radius centered on itself. All creatures within the red dust have partial concealment granting a 20% miss chance. This dust disperses after 1d4 rounds. Your plant companion can use this ability at will, but it must wait 5 rounds between each use. Your plant companion gains this ability after 2 levels.

Eldritch Fibers (Ex): Attacks your plant companion makes with its natural weapons are treated as magic for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. Your plant companion gains this ability after 1 level.

Growth Spurt (Ex): Your plant cOmpanion increases to Large size. You must select Powerful at least twice prior to taking Growth Spurt. Your plant companion gains this ability after 3 levels.

Ironbark* (Ex): Your plant companion's natural armor increases by +3. Yon must select Powerful at least once prior to taking Ironbark. Your plant companion gains this ability after 2 levels.

Mirrored Bark* (Ex): Your plant companion develops a highly refractive surface, granting it a +2 bonus to Armor Class versus rays and a +2 bonus on Reflex saving throws made to resist spells or spell-like effects. Your plant companion gains this ability after 2 levels.

Oakenbough* (Ex): Your plant companion's Strength score and Constitution score increase by +2. Your plant companion gains this ability after 2 levels.

Poisonous (Ex): All attacks by your plant companion deliver a mild poison (injury; DC 10 + half the plant's HD + the plant's Constitution modifier; Initial and secondary damage 1d3 Dex). Your plant companion gains this ability after 3 levels.

Powerful* (Ex): Your plant companion gains +1 Hit Die. Your plant companion gains this ability after 1 level.

Roots (Ex): Your plant companion gains fast healing 1. Your plant companion gains this ability after 3 levels.

Scent (Ex): Your plant companion gains the scent ability. Your plant companion gains this ability after 1 level.

Spines (Ex): Your plant companion can make ranged attacks (it can make as many ranged attacks in a round as it can normally make melee attacks) by firing tiny spines. It can either make melee attacks in a round or fire its spines; it cannot mix its attack types in a round. These spine attacks deal 1d3 points of piercing damage + half its Strength modifier, with a range increment 30 feet. Any additional effects that affect your plant companion's melee attacks (such as delivering poison) also affect its ranged attacks. Your plant companion gains this ability after 1 level.

Sticky Sap (Ex): Your plant oozes a strong adhesive that might trap any melee weapon that damages it. When such an attack hits, the wielder must immediately make an opposed Strength check against your plant companion (your plant companion gains a +4 racial bonus on this check). If your plant companion succeeds, the weapon becomes stuck. You can pull the weapon free as a move action, but any other creature (including the weapon's owner) must use a standard action (that provokes attacks of opportunity) and succeed at an opposed Strength check. If the attacker succeeds he can pull his weapon free. Your plant companion gains this ability after 5 levels.

Swift* (Ex): Your plant companion's speed increases by 10 feet. Your plant companion gains this ability after 2 levels.

Tendrils (Ex): Your plant companion's reach doubles. Your plant companion gains this ability after 2 levels.

Thorns* (Ex): Your plant companion deals +1 point of damage with each attack and now deals only piercing damage. Your plant companion gains this ability after 1 level.

Tremorsense (Ex): Your plant companion gains tremorsense with a range of of 60 feet. Your plant companion gains this ability after 1 level.

* You may endow your plant companion with this ability multiple times. Its effects stack.

Root Walker

You are a child of the underworld. While other druids dwell in lush forests and rolling fields, you tend to the mushroom tangles and lichen beds that lie beneath their feet.

Level: 1st.

Replaces: If you select this alternative class feature, you do not gain any of the following abilities: wild empathy at 1st level, woodland stride at 2nd level, and resist nature's lure at 4th level.

Benefit: At 1st level, you gain vermin empathy. This ability functions just like wild empathy (PH 35) except that you can improve the attitude of vermin instead of animals, even though vermin are usually nonintelligent.

At 2nd level, you gain the ability to move over stone, rock, and earthen debris at your full speed without taking damage or suffering any other impairment. This ability functions only with natural surfaces. Magically altered surfaces, such as those created by soften earth and stone or spike stones, affect you normally.

At 4th level, you gain resistance to the powers of creatures most abhorrent to nature. You gain a +4 bonus on saving throws against the spell-like abilities of aberrations.

Shapeshift

Taking the shapeshift alternative class feature means you can focus on your actions in combat (rather than worrying about your animal companion) while still unleashing nature's fury upon your foes.

Level: 1st.

Replaces: If you select this class feature, you do not gain an animal companion at 1st level, nor do you gain the wild shape class feature at 5th level (or any variation of that class feature at later levels, such as the ability to wild shape into an elemental at 16th level).

Benefit: You can shapeshift at will into powerful animal or nature-oriented forms. Each time you use this ability, you can choose the exact look that your shapeshifted form takes. Druids pick animals from the terrain and climate they're most familiar with. For example, a druid from a jungle might adopt the form of a black panther when in predator form, while one from the taiga might shapeshift into a white wolf. The two forms look different, but functionally they're identical. This is a supernatural ability.

It requires only a swift action to shapeshift. If you are capable of taking more than one form, you can shapeshift directly between two forms without returning to your normal form. There's no limit to the number of times per day you can change forms, nor to the amount of time you can spend in a shapeshifted form.

You retain your normal Hit Dice, hit points, base attack bonus, base saving throw bonuses, and skill ranks regardless of your form. You also retain your normal ability scores, though each form grants a bonus to your Strength score.

You keep all extraordinary, supernatural, and spell-like special attacks and qualities of your normal form, except for those requiring a body part your new form does not have.

All your held, carried, or worn gear melds into your new form and becomes nonfunctional until you return to your normal form. You cannot speak in shapeshifted form, and your limbs lack the precision required to wield a weapon or perform tasks requiring fine manipulation. You can't cast spells or activate magic items while in shapeshifted form, even if you have the Natural Spell feat or other ability that would allow you to cast spells while wild shaped.

Unless otherwise noted in the descriptions below, you retain your size and space when you adopt a new form. You always retain your type and subtypes, regardless of the nature of the form assumed. You don't gain any special attacks or qualities while shapeshifted except as described below.

When you shapeshift into a form other than your own, you gain natural weapons (and reach with those weapons) as described below. These natural weapons gain an enhancement bonus on attack rolls and damage rolls equal to 1/4 your druid level, and at 4th level and higher they are treated as magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. The damage dice given are for Medium druids; smaller or larger druids should adjust those values according to the Table: Increased Damage By Size.

If knocked unconscious or slain in shapeshifted form, you revert to your original form.

Predator Form: This form, traditionally that of a wolf, panther, or other predatory mammal, is the first one a shapeshifting druid learns.

While in predator form, you gain a primary bite attack that deals 1d6 points of damage. You have the reach of a long creature of your size (5 feet for Small or Medium). You gain a +4 enhancement bonus to Strength, and your natural armor bonus improves by 4. Your base land speed becomes 50 feet.

At 4th level, you gain Mobility as a bonus feat whenever you are in predator form (even if you don't meet the prerequisites).

Aerial Form: At 5th level, you can shapeshift into a flying creature. Traditionally resembling an eagle, vulture, or bat, the aerial form enables fast travel and the ability to soar out of harm's way.

While in aerial form, you gain a primary talon attack that deals 1d6 points of damage. You have the reach of a long creature of your size (5 feet for Small or Medium). You gain a +2 enhancement bonus to Strength and a +2 enhancement bonus on Reflex saves, and your natural armor bonus improves by 2. You gain a fly speed of 40 feet (good maneuverability).

At 7th level, you gain Flyby Attack as a bonus feat whenever you are in aerial form.

Ferocious Slayer Form: At 8th level, you can shapeshift into a large and fierce predatory form, such as a tiger, brown bear, or dire wolf.

While in ferocious slayer form, you gain a primary bite attack that deals 1d8 points of damage and two secondary claw attacks that each deal 1d6 points of damage. Your size increases by one category (to a maximum of Colossal), and you have the reach of a long creature of your size (5 feet for Medium or Large). You gain a +8 enhancement bonus to Strength and a +4 enhancement bonus on Fortitude saves, and your natural armor bonus improves by 8. Your base land speed changes to 40 feet.

At 10th level, you gain Improved Critical (bite) and Improved Critical (claw) as bonus feats whenever you are in ferocious slayer form.

Forest Avenger Form: At 12th level, you can take the form of a massive plantlike creature, similar to a shambling mound or a treant. (Druids not native to forest terrains typically rename this form to fit their environment.)

While in forest avenger form, you gain a pair of primary slam attacks that deal 1d8 points of damage each. Your size increases by one category (to a maximum of Colossal) and you have the reach of a tall creature of your size (5 feet for Medium, 10 feet for Large). You gain a +12 enhancement bonus to Strength and a +4 enhancement bonus on Fortitude and Will saves, and your natural armor bonus improves by 12. Your base land speed becomes 20 feet.

You gain damage reduction 5/slashing while in forest avenger form.

At 14th level, you gain Improved Overrun as a bonus feat while in forest avenger form (even if you don't meet the normal prerequisites).

Elemental Fury Form: At 16th level, you can shapeshift into a giant form of air, earth, fire, or water (your choice each time you shapeshift).

While in elemental fury form, you gain a pair of primary slam attacks that deal 2d6 points of damage each. Your size increases by two categories (to a maximum of Colossal), and you have the reach of a tall creature of your size (10 feet for Large, 15 feet for Huge). You gain a +16 enhancement bonus to Strength and a +4 enhancement bonus on Fortitude, Reflex, and Will saves, and your natural armor bonus improves by 16. You do not gain any new modes of movement in elemental fury form, nor does your base land speed change.

You gain immunity to extra damage from critical hits while in elemental form. You also gain immunity to an energy type related to the element chosen (air = electricity, earth = acid, fire = fire, water = cold). You don't need to breathe while in elemental fury form.

At 18th level, you gain Great Cleave as a bonus feat while in elemental fury form (even if you don't meet the normal prerequisites).

Shifter Druid

Beyond instinct, beyond even their empathic connection with nature, shifter druids hold a bestial spirit within their mutable forms. Their understanding of the natural world binds them closer to their lycanthrope heritage than other shifters, and from this bond is born a powerful relationship with an intangible spirit of raw and feral might. Shifter druids often cultivate a bond with these inner spirits rather than with an animal companion, greatly augmenting their spellcasting and shifting abilities.

Hit Die: d8.

Requirements

To take a shifter druid substitution level, a character must be a shifter about to take his 1st, 4th, or 5th level of druid.

Class Skills

Shifter druid substitution levels have the class skills of the standard druid class, plus Balance, Climb, and Jump.

Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier (or four times this number as a beginning character).

Class Features

All the following are features of the shifter druid's racial substitution levels.

Beast Spirit (Su): Shifter druids share a bond with a powerful internal spirit - an intangible manifestation of raw bestial strength and instinct. This spirit grows in power as a shifter druid advances in level, granting increased physical abilities, powerful augmentations to the shifter druid's summoning, and additional spellcasting power. The beast spirit within a shifter druid is at once a separate entity and an extension of the shifter druid's own lycanthrope heritage.

This substitution feature replaces the standard druid's animal companion class feature. If the shifter gains an animal companion from another class (such as ranger), his druid levels don't stack with levels of that other class to determine the animal companion's abilities.

Reckless Nature (Ex): A shifter druid learns to rely on his animal instincts rather than his civilized qualities.

Beginning at 4th level, he gains a +2 insight bonus on initiative checks and Reflex saves, but takes a -2 penalty on Will saves.

This substitution feature replaces the standard druid's resist nature's lure ability.

Wild Shifting (Ex): A shifter druid learns to exercise extraordinary control over his own form, and beginning at 5th level, he can use his racial shifting ability one additional time per day. As well, he can use his Wisdom modifier (instead of his Constitution modifier) to determine the duration of his shifting.

A shifter druid who selects this substitution level also gains additional benefits at later levels. Beginning at 8th level, any natural weapons gained from shifting deal damage as if the druid were one size category larger than he is. At 15th level and higher, they deal damage as if he were two size categories larger (see Table: Increased Damage By Size).

This substitution feature replaces the standard druid's wild shape ability, and at each level that a shifter druid would normally gain an additional daily use of wild shape, he instead gains one additional daily use of his shifting ability. The druid gains no abilities in place of wild shape (Tiny) or wild shape (plant), but gains the ability to wild shape into an elemental as normal from 16th level on (including additional uses at 18th and 20th level, and Huge size at 20th level).

Table: Shifter Druid Racial Substitution Levels

THE SHIFTER DRUID'S BEAST SPIRIT

A shifter druid's beast spirit is not a creature in the traditional sense, but neither is it subject to effects that affect some spirits (it can't be cast out from the druid as a possessing ghost can, for example). Its presence grants the shifter druid the following abilities.

Class Level: The character's druid level.

Ability Bonus: The druid gains a bonus to his Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution score, choosing which ability score is affected at the time he prepares spells each day. He can change the affected ability score at any point in the day, but doing so requires a full minute of concentration and provokes attacks of opportunity. If this concentration disrupted in any way, the bonus is lost until the druid successfully attempts the process again.

Alertness (Su): A shifter druid's spirit beast grants him Alertness as a bonus feat.

Extend Shifting (Su): Born of wild instinct and natural power, a shifter druid's spirit beast strengthens the druid's racial shifting ability, adding 2 rounds to its duration.

Feral Empathy (Su): Filled with the raw power of his beast spirit, a shifter druid bonds with wild animals instinctively, gaining a +4 bonus on wild empathy checks and Handle Animal checks.

Will of the Spirit (Su): A shifter druid's beast spirit helps him maintain control of his mind. Starting at 3rd level, if he fails his normal saving throw against an enchantment spell or effect, the shifter druid can attempt an additional save 1 round later at the same DC.

Transfer Spirit (Su): Starting at 6th level, a shifter druid can temporarily transfer his beast spirit to any animal within 30 feet that he has summoned with a summon nature's ally spell. Transfer spirit is a move action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity.

While the spirit is transferred, all benefits it normally grants the druid are temporarily suppressed. In exchange, the summoned creature gains a bonus to its Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution score (whichever of the druid's abilities was enhanced at the time of transfer) equal to twice the bonus gained by the druid. This ability also enables the druid to communicate with the summoned animal as if they shared a common language.

A shifter druid cannot recall his beast spirit until the summoned creature dies, is dismissed, or the summoning spell ends. Once transferred, the animal can move more than 30 feet away from the druid without losing the beast spirit benefits.

Prepare Spell (Su): The presence of his beast spirit allows a shifter druid to prepare one extra druid spell of 3rd level or lower to be cast on himself ( which must have a range of touch or personal). The spell is prepared normally and treated as if cast by the druid for all purposes (caster level, save DC, and so forth), but is cast by the beast spirit with a moment's thought on the part of the shifter druid (a swift action). A beast spirit cannot cast this spell while it is transferred to another creature. The druid cannot lose a spell prepared in this manner in order to use his spontaneous casting ability.

Starting at 15th level, the druid can prepare and cast a spell of up to 6th level using this ability.

Rapid Summons (Su): The presence of his beast spirit enhances the druid's connection to the otherworldly animals and natural creatures that he can summon using the summon nature's ally spell. From 12th level on, as long as the beast spirit is present within the druid, he casts any summon nature's ally spell as a standard action instead of a full-round action.

Manifested Spirit (Su): With his lycanthrope heritage strengthened by the presence of the beast spirit, a shifter druid manifests more powerful abilities when he shifts. At 18th level, the shifter druid gains Extra Shifter Trait as a bonus feat. If he already has the Extra Shifter Trait feat, he gains its benefit a second time and can choose a third shifter trait (an exception to the normal rule that you cannot gain the benefit of this feat twice).

Sidhe Scholar

Civilized nations have often long forgotten the ancient druidic traditions. These "civilized" people might have even intentionally done away with the tradition and its strange, oft-misunderstood, pagan rites. Those who later pursue this lost knowledge rely more upon crumbling written accounts rather than the wild's natural calling. Scholars of these ancient ways who show enough promise become embraced and "adopted" by trickster fey, learning the old ways anew. Capricious and cruel as only the fey can be, these new druids might eventually discover why the druids of old were put to the sword. The sidhe (pronounced "shee") scholar is an erudite hero who has lost touch with the more mundane tasks of a traditional druid (such as normal care of flora and fauna) in exchange for sylvan power that might prove itself best left to the immortals that refined it. The fey who usually take these druids under their wings are not your average "fairies." They are not dryads or nixies, grigs or brownies. Instead, the fey who train sidhe scholars are the refined, aristocratic faeries of the Seelie and Unseelie courts. As sleek and dangerous as hunting cats, these fey are incomprehensible beings to whom a human's life holds as much significance as a mayfly's. The faeries of the courts regard humans who wish to learn from and worship them with amusement, approving of their reverent attitudes as appropriate behavior from such inferior beings. As such, they do aid their supplicants readily, but expect much praise and appreciation for their pains.

The sidhe scholar is a more educated character than the archetypical druid. She actually has more in common with wizards than any other character class. A sidhe scholar is not a wizard, though. Despite erudite tendencies, the sidhe scholar is still a divine supplicant: she gains her magical powers through hard work and study, but she cannot cast her spells or perform her other magical abilities based upon her own inner arcane spark like a wizard or even a sorcerer. Instead, like other druids, she must draw upon the powers of nature and the wild lands. In settings with themes of urbanization and turning away from the natural world, the traditions of the original druidic ways are likely lost and must be rediscovered. Hence, the sidhe scholar calls not upon the deities of nature or the raw energy of the wilds themselves, but upon the only beings who remember the old ways well enough to instruct her - the fey.

Like the druid, the sidhe scholar values Wisdom as her most important ability score; bonus spells, spell DCs, and Will save are all extremely important to this magic-oriented variant. Intelligence and Charisma share secondary importance. Ranks in different Knowledge skills and Diplomacy serve her well. Pursuing the forgotten rites of the old druids might be viewed as foolish at best and dangerous at worst, making it important to assuage the fears and superstitions of concerned locals. Dealings with the fey themselves also tend to go much smoother with a high Charisma.

The sidhe scholar is a variant druid. Unless otherwise noted, a sidhe scholar advances in the same manner as a druid (same base attack bonus, saving throw bonuses, skill points, and so on). When a character elects to take a level of druid or sidhe scholar, she may not later take levels in the other class. This prevents the character from gaining the benefits of a 1st-level druid twice.

Hit Die: d6.

Class Skills

In addition to the class skills of the standard druid, the sidhe scholar also has Knowledge (arcana) as a class skill.

Table: The Sidhe Scholar

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the sidhe scholar.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The sidhe scholar is only proficient with simple weapons, light armor, and shields (except tower shields), regardless of material composition. The sidhe scholar embraces more of the civilized world than the typical druid, but as a whole spends less time in martial pursuits.

Intelligentsia (Ex): At 1st level, the sidhe scholar gains Skill Focus (Knowledge [nature]) as a bonus feat. The sidhe scholar spends a lot of time in research, and so has a larger knowledge base than most druids.

Wild One (Ex): The sidhe scholar's animal companion is a little more powerful than a standard druid's companion. Thanks to the favor of the fey, the sidhe scholar's animal companion has a bit of sylvan blood in it. The companion is exceptionally fit, sleek, and graceful. The animal companion begins with +1 hit point per Hit Die, +2 Dexterity, and +2 Charisma. Unfortunately, this wild blood makes the animal especially suspicious of humanoids. The animal always has an initial attitude of "unfriendly" around humanoids who aren't its master (to whom it is as loyal as any other animal companion), but other druids or rangers can increase the animal companion's attitude to "neutral" using the wild empathy ability. In addition, the animal refuses to enter a humanoid settlement larger than a thorp. The animal does not leave the druid completely, however, and lurks on the outskirts of the settlement until the druid rejoins it in the wilds.

Blessing of the Fey (Su): At 2nd level, the fey first bestow their gifts upon their willing supplicant, granting a +2 bonus on Knowledge (arcana) and Survival checks.

Sylvan Gifts (Su): Beginning at 4th level, the fey visit the sidhe scholar every night in her dreams, imparting her with magical secrets. The sidhe scholar gains bonus spells as if her Wisdom score were 2 higher than it really is. This does not affect the DCs of her spells.

Otherworldly Shifting (Su): The sidhe scholar's wild shape forms vary greatly in appearance. In her wild shape form (whatever it might be), the sidhe scholar appears alien and strangely beautiful. Her form's pelt or plumage is brightly and unusually colored, with angular features, sharply pointed ears, and almond-shaped faintly glowing eyes adding to the form's alien appearance. Even though she has a set number of forms she can take, her forms never appear the same way twice. Every time she uses her wild shape ability, her form has some new random element, although it always tends toward being slightly smaller and leaner than a typical example of the animal's kind. In short, the sidhe scholar who has wild shaped rarely blends in with her form's natural kin.

Dark Moon's Secret (Su): Few fey are inherently evil, but even the most good-aligned sylvan creature possesses a wicked sense of humor, to say nothing of an inhuman mind and set of abilities. The sidhe scholar can only muster a pale imitation of a fey's true abilities, and most fey find dark humor in watching the "foolish mortal" metaphorically stumble about in an attempt to mimic their innate magical powers. Some are so amused that they decide to add more kindling to the fire, bestowing alien powers upon the druid perhaps best left unknown. At 6th level, the sidhe scholar adds the Evil domain spell list to her druid spell list.

Sylvan Craft (Su): If a promising pupil, the sidhe scholar learns from her faerie tutors the arts of item creation. At 12th level, the sidhe scholar gains Craft Staff as a bonus feat. The staffs she creates are abstractly beautiful, asymmetrical, ornate, and utterly alien in appearance. In the heat of creation the sidhe scholar ignores all else, snatching only enough scraps of food and sleep to stay alive. This allows her to create a staff in half the normal amount of time.

Skilled City-Dweller

The various wilderness-oriented skills are valuable indeed, but make less sense - and may prove less useful - for an urban character.

Class: Any class that has one or more of the "skills replaced," as listed below, on its list of class skills.

Level: 1st.

Replaces: If you select this class feature, you do not gain the "skills replaced" as listed below.

Benefit: The skilled city-dweller gains one or more skills as class skills, at the expense of other skills. If she does not have the proper skill to lose, she cannot gain the skill it grants as an urban benefit.

Note that she need not swap out all these skills. A skilled city-dweller may pick and choose, but she cannot later change her mind.

Spontaneous Affliction

Druids who give up their rapport with most wild creatures can call upon the assistance of nature's smallest beings. Such characters punish those who would despoil the wilderness by infecting them with a mild illness.

Class: Druid.

Level: 1st.

Replaces: If you select this class feature, you do not gain the ability to spontaneously convert prepared spells into summon nature's ally spells.

Benefit: You can transform the stored energy of a spell you have prepared and use it to weaken your enemies.

To use spontaneous affliction, you must spend a standard action and sacrifice a prepared spell. All humanoids within 30 feet of you must succeed on a Fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 your class level + your Cha modifier) or become sickened for a number of rounds equal to the level of the spell sacrificed.

Spontaneous Rejuvenation

By selecting the spontaneous rejuvenation alternative class feature, you can provide the party with plenty of healing without trampling on the cleric's role.

Level: 1st.

Replaces: If you select this class feature, you do not gain the ability to spontaneously convert prepared spells into summon nature's ally spells.

Benefit: You can transform the stored energy of a spell you have prepared to invigorate you and your allies.

To use spontaneous rejuvenation, you must spend a standard action and sacrifice a prepared spell. All allies within 30 feet of you (including yourself) gain fast healing for 3 rounds. The fast healing amount is equal to the spell's level. For example, if you sacrifice remove disease, a 3rdlevel spell, each ally gains fast healing 3 for 3 rounds.

The fast healing granted by this class feature doesn't stack with itself or with fast healing from other sources.

Storm Druid

Although druids usually share a common goal, one radical group of druids is unlike any other. While the majority of druids attract and befriend animals, these protectors of nature actually repel living creatures. Forming an exclusive and somewhat unpopular branch of the druid class, these druids adopt the unpredictable temperament of powerful storms.

The storm druid is a variant druid. Unless otherwise noted, a storm druid advances in the same manner as a regular druid (same Hit Die, base attack bonus, saving throw bonuses, skill points, and so on). When a character elects to take a level of druid or storm druid, she may not later take levels in the other class. This prevents the character from gaining the benefits of a 1st-level druid twice.

Storm druids are almost universally chaotic neutral.

Table: The Storm Druid

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the storm druid. A storm druid retains the druid's spellcasting ability as well as nature sense (1st level), resist nature's lure (4th level), venom immunity (9th level), a thousand faces (13th level), and timeless body (14th level). She loses all other druid class abilities, including wild shape and acquiring an animal companion.

Spontaneous Casting: Unlike typical druids, the storm druid does not channel stored spell energy into summon nature's ally spells. Instead, she can "lose" a prepared spell (of equal or higher level) to cast a spell from the following list, provided she can cast spells of the appropriate level:

1st - obscuring mist;

2nd - gust of wind;

3rd - call lightning;

4th - air walk;

5th - call lightning storm;

6th - chain lightning;

7th - control weather;

8th - whirlwind;

9th - storm of vengeance.

Deafness Immunity (Su): At 1st level, the storm druid becomes totally immune to deafness, magical or otherwise.

Frightful Presence (Ex): A storm druid of 2nd level or higher can unsettle animals with her mere presence. The ability takes effect whenever the druid attacks or charges. Animals within a radius of 30 feet are subject to the effect if they have fewer HD than the druid.

A potentially affected animal that succeeds on a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 druid level + druid's Charisma modifier) remains immune to that druid's frightful presence for 24 hours. On a failed save, the animal becomes shaken for 4d6 rounds. Animal companions and familiars of the storm druid's allies ignore his frightful presence.

At 8th level, the storm druid's frightful presence also affects magical beasts, fey, and vermin.

At 16th level, the storm druid's frightful presence affects creatures of all types.

Thunder Strike (Su): Once per day, a storm druid of 2nd level or higher can discharge a powerful electrical jolt that also creates a thunderclap with a successful melee attack. The storm druid must declare her intent to use this ability before she makes her attack. If successful, she deals an additional 1d6 points of electricity damage and forces her opponent to make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 storm druid level + Constitution modifier) or become deafened for 3d6 rounds. A failed attack still consumes one use of this ability. The storm druid can use this ability once per day at 2nd level, and one additional time per day at 6th, 11th, 15th, and 20th level. This ability cannot be used more than once per round.

At 11th level, the electrical damage increases to 2d6.

At 15th level, the deafness caused by this ability is permanent.

At 20th level, the electrical damage increases to 4d6.

Wind Sense (Ex): As she gains experience, the storm druid learns to read air currents and instinctively reacts to slight shifts in the wind, such as those created by a moving object or spell effect. At 3rd level, she gains a +1 insight bonus on all Reflex saving throws. This bonus increases to +2 at 9th level and +3 at 15th level.

Electricity Resistance (Su): At 5th level, the storm druid gains resistance to electricity 5. This resistance increases by 5 for every 5 additional storm druid levels (resistance 10 at 10th level, 15 at 15th, and 20 at 20th).

Improved Initiative: At 12th level, the storm druid gains the Improved Initiative feat.

Totem Druid

Some druids come from tribes with strong ties to a single animal spirit, referred to as the tribe's totem. The animal's spirit guards the tribe and advises its elders and chieftains, and the tribesmen tend to have characteristics attributed to the animal. Druids that come from a totemic tradition are closely linked to their tribe's totem animal.

The totem druid is a variant druid. Unless otherwise noted, a totem druid advances in the same manner as a druid (same Hit Die, base attack bonus, saving throw bonuses, skill points, and so on). When a character elects to take a level of druid or totem druid, she may not later take levels in the other class. This prevents the character from gaining the benefits of a 1st-level druid twice.

Table: The Totem Druid

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the storm druid.

Totem Animal: At 1st level, a totem druid must choose one of the following animals to bind his spirit to: ape, bear, eagle, horse, shark, snake, tiger, or wolf.

Totem Animal Companion (Ex): The totem druid can only choose her totem animal (or its dire form) as her animal companion. Her animal companion gains special abilities as if the totem druid was two levels higher. The totem druid counts as two levels higher for purposes of determining whether or not she can choose a dire animal as her alternative animal companion.

Totem Shape (Su): Totem shape uses the same rules as wild shape, although a druid can only take the form of her totem animal. She gains the ability to change into this shape once per day at 1st level.

Starting at 6th level, the totem druid can choose to take the dire form of her totem animal once per day. The dire form is in addition to her normal usage.

Beginning at 10th level, the totem druid can choose to change into a celestial or fiendish form of her totem animal. Good druids using the planar totem shape form gain the celestial template and evil druids gain the fiendish template. Neutral druids must choose which template to apply upon reaching 8th level and cannot change their choice after that.

At 16th level, the totem druid gains the ability to apply her planar template to her dire form.

Natural Spell: At 2nd level the totem druid gains Natural Spell as a bonus feat.

Totem Speech (Ex): Starting at 8th level, the totem druid can speak any language she knows while in animal form and she can speak with her totem animals as with the speak with animals spell.

Urban Companion

The fearsome animal companions who accompany some casters in the wild are indeed a boon in combat, but a hulking wolf or creeping tiger is out of place in an urban environment. Some characters believe that small and subtle is of greater value than massive and mighty.

Class: Druid or ranger.

Level: 1st (druid) or 4th (ranger).

Replaces: If you select this class feature, you do not gain an animal companion.

Benefit: The character gains the companionship of a smaller but far more intelligent creature than she otherwise would have. This is identical to the sorcerer's ability to summon a familiar (PH 52), including all benefits granted and gained by the familiar, except as noted below. Her functional level for determining the abilities of the companion is equal to her druid level or one-half her ranger level.

She does not lose experience points if her urban companion is slain, and she requires only 24 hours to replace one who is lost.

Her urban companion has total hit points equal to 3/4 her own hit points, rather than half as per a familiar.

The urban companion gains the ability to speak with other animals of its kind when she has an effective master level of 1st, rather than 7th.

When she reaches an effective master level of 7th, she can speak with animals of her companion's kind, as per speak with animals. This is a supernatural ability that functions constantly, and it requires only a free action to reactivate if somehow dispelled.

Urban Sense

Druids native to the sprawling city master a widely differing range of skills than their wilderness-based counterparts.

Class: Druid.

Level: 1st.

Replaces: If you select this class feature, you do not gain nature sense.

Benefit: She gains a +2 bonus on Knowledge (local) checks and Sense Motive checks.

Voice of the City

For some, the ability to make oneself understood in the midst of any culture is of far greater value than the ability to influence the beasts of the wild.

Class: Druid, ranger, or spirit shaman.

Level: 1st.

Replaces: If you select this class feature, you do not gain wild empathy.

Benefit: Through a combination of body language, tone, and expression, the voice of the city can make herself understood by those who do not speak her language, and she can interpret their meaning the same way. Simple concepts that can be conveyed in a few words (such as "Help!" or "Drop your weapon!") can be conveyed automatically. More complex concepts require her to make a roll: d20 + her class level + either her Wisdom modifier (if trying to understand someone else) or Charisma modifier (if trying to make someone else understand her). Roll each only once per conversation. If she fails, she cannot try to communicate with that specific individual via this ability until she has gained a level. (Thus, it is possible, if she succeeds in one roll but fails in the other, to hold a conversation where she can understand the other speaker but he cannot understand you, or vice-versa.)

The DC of the roll depends on creature type and how closely the individual's language is related to any of her own. The ability works most effectively with other humanoids. In this case, if the individual's language uses the same alphabet as any language she knows, the DC is 20. If it does not, the DC is 30. (See Speak Language, PH 82, for this information.)

The above DCs increase by 5 if the speaker is a fey, giant, or monstrous humanoid; they increase by 10 if the speaker is an elemental. If the other individual is of any other creature type, she cannot communicate via this ability.

If the speaker is deliberately trying to make himself understood, the voice of the city gains a +2 circumstance bonus on this roll. If she is attempting to interpret his speech from outside normal conversational distance (such as eavesdropping), she takes a -4 penalty on this roll.

In addition, she gains Speak Language as a class skill.

Wasteland Druid

Druids are common in the waste, experts at living in harmony with that harsh environment. Some druids seek to help their people survive and prosper through careful use of the waste's resources, while others specialize in turning the already inhospitable climate against intruders. Wasteland druids select their animal companions from among those mentioned in the Wasteland Animal Companions sidebar. This variant druid gains all the class features of the standard druid, except as noted below.

Sandskimmer: At 2nd level, a wasteland druid gains Sand skimmer as a bonus feat. This benefit replaces the standard druid's woodland stride class feature.

Heat Endurance: At 4th level, a wasteland druid gains Heat Endurance as a bonus feat. If she already has Heat Endurance, the druid gains Improved Heat Endurance instead and need not meet the prerequisites for that feat. This benefit replaces the standard druid's resist nature's lure class feature.

Wild Shape (Waste Vermin) (Su): Beginning at 10th level, a wasteland druid can use her wild shape ability to assume the form of a Small to Large vermin found in the waste environment, such as a brine swimmer, giant ant lion, giant termite, monstrous scorpion, or monstrous spider. This ability otherwise follows all the rules for wild shape, and the druid can assume additional larger sizes of vermin as her level increases.

This benefit replaces the standard druid's increase fourth daily use of the wild shape ability gained at 10th level. From this point forward, the waste druid can use wild shape one less time per day than indicated on Table: The Druid.

Weapon Proficiencies

Traditionally, druids are thought of as forest-dwelling folk, an assumption reflected by their weapon proficiencies. However, what if your druid comes from a vast desert or from near a metropolitan area? The following lists provide alternative weapon proficiencies designed with such campaigns in mind. A character using an alternative weapon list is proficient with all weapons on the list instead of those in which druids commonly have proficiency.

AQUATIC/COASTAL

Druids from coastland or aquatic areas are more adept at using piercing weapons such as spears and tridents, as locals often use those tools for spearing fish and find them easier to wield underwater. Druids from coastland or aquatic areas are proficient with the club (often fashioned from driftwood), dagger, dart, longspear, net, quarterstaff, sling, spear, shortspear, and trident.

ARCTIC/TUNDRA

The frozen lands are brutal and unforgiving, and all but druids and most hearty of souls find themselves at odds with this environment's harsh nature. Druids hailing from this region learn to use weapons that mimic the land's deadly and unforgiving nature or those easily found or crafted in an environment miserlike with its raw materials. Arctic druids are proficient with the club, dagger, handaxe, light pick (those living in the arctic rely on ice picks when climbing hills or mountains), morningstar, quarterstaff, scythe, sickle, sling, spear, and throwing axe.

DESERT/WASTELAND

Wood, a scarce commodity in deserts and wastelands, rarely finds use in weapons used by druids hailing from such regions. As such, the desert druid lacks proficiency in many of the mainstays of druid weaponry (such as the club and quarterstaff). Because people living in the desert must adapt to severe conditions, desert druids learn to use several relatively exotic weapons. Desert druids are proficient in the falchion, javelin, kukri, scimitar, shortspear, sling, spear, and whip.

GRASSLAND/SAVANNAH

Grasslands and savannahs are vast, open spaces, harboring few places to hide when danger rears its head. Thus, druids who live in such areas learn to use more ranged weapons than traditional druids, allowing them to strike out at great distance. Druids of the grassland and savannah know how to use bolas, the javelin, longspear, scythe (long used as an implement for cutting grass and hay), shortbow, shortspear, sickle, sling, and spear.

MOUNTAIN

Druids from mountainous regions have a reputation for being more warlike and barbaric than their other brethren and thus are proficient with a more deadly array of weaponry. Some of their weapons double as tools used for mining. Many, if not most, dwarven druids can make use of this weapon proficiency list. Mountain druids have proficiency with the battleaxe, club, dagger, handaxe, heavy pick, light pick, quarterstaff, sling, and warhammer.

SUBTERRANEAN/UNDERDARK

Few subterranean inhabitants choose the druidic path, but those who do recognize nature's splendor even in the deepest depths below the surface. Their weapon proficiencies reflect the often tight and confining quarters of subterranean regions. Subterranean druids have proficiency in the club, dagger, heavy pick, light pick (also useful for digging through earth and stone), shortspear, shortsword, sling, and whip.

Wild Reaper

Autumn is a time for harvest. The fruits of summer fall from the vine and collect to rot, bearing the seeds and becoming the food for the next generation. This is where death interjects in the cycle of life, making killing a means of rebirth. Wild reapers acknowledge this aspect of nature and love it for the vital force it is. With a dispassionate eye, the wild reaper sees the autumn of all creatures, and when a creature's harvest time comes, a wild reaper is ready with scythe and spell.

Wild reapers walk beside death. To them, dying is a healthy and necessary part of life. Yet wild reapers know death has its time and place in the natural cycle, like autumn has its place in the order of the seasons. Harvesting life too early prevents the birth of the next generation and diminishes the strength and wisdom the elderly pass on.

Wild reapers often unnerve people due to their preoccupation with death. They always seem to be looking for signs of illness or weakness in others, watching with predatory glee for evidence that a creature's harvest time has come. They keep company with beasts of a similar bent: carnivores and scavengers, nature's murderers and undertakers. Evil wild reapers earn a bad reputation for their fellows as even the smallest handicap or injury is an excuse to "purify" a species. Neutral and lawful wild reapers take the long view, waiting for time to decide what lives must ebb so that new life can flow into the world. Good wild reapers judge for themselves what will make the world a better place and help the weak become strong and the foolish wise. Chaotic wild reapers encompass all these views, acting as whim takes them.

Wild reapers tend to stay in places where the evidence of death and the changes of the seasons are obvious. They favor temperate forests, but individuals can be found anywhere from marshes to mountains, wherever life and death flourish.

Hit Die: d8.

Class Skills

The wild reaper's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).

Skill Points at 1st Level: (2 + Int modifier) x 4.

Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Table: The Wild Reaper

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the wild reaper.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Wild reapers are proficient with the following weapons: club, battleaxe, dagger, dart, kama, nunchaku, quarterstaff, scythe, sickle, sling, and throwing axe. They are also proficient with all natural attacks (unarmed strike, claw, bite, and so forth), regardless of the forms they assume (see Wild Shape, below). Wild reapers are proficient with light and medium armor but are prohibited from wearing metal armor; thus, they may wear only padded, leather, or hide armor. (A wild reaper may also wear wooden armor that has been altered by the ironwood spell so that it functions as though it were steel. See the ironwood spell description.) Wild reapers are proficient with shields (except tower shields) but must use only wooden ones.

A wild reaper who wears metal armor or carries a metal shield is unable to cast druid spells or use any of her supernatural or spell-like class abilities while doing so and for 24 hours thereafter.

Spells: This class feature is the same as the druid class feature of the same name described in the Player's Handbook. A wild reaper follows the same spell progression as the druid.

Chaotic, Evil, Good, and Lawful Spells: This class feature is the same as the druid class feature of the same name described in the Player's Handbook.

Bonus Languages: This class feature is the same as the druid class feature of the same name described in the Player's Handbook.

Animal Companion (Ex): This class feature is the same as the druid class feature of the same name described in the Player's Handbook except that the wild reaper's animal companion must be a carnivorous or omnivorous animal that feeds on carrion.

Nature Sense (Ex): This class feature is the same as the druid class feature of the same name described in the Player's Handbook.

Woodland Stride (Ex): This class feature is the same as the druid class feature of the same name described in the Player's Handbook.

Spontaneous Casting: Starting at 3rd level, a wild reaper can channel stored spell energy into summoning spells that she hasn't prepared ahead of time. She can "lose" a prepared spell in order to cast any summon nature's ally spell of the same level or lower. In addition, the wild reaper can substitute a prepared spell with soften earth and stone, warp wood, diminish plants, poison, blight, rusting grasp, transmute rock to mud, antilife shell, or finger of death so long as the spell chosen from this list is of equal or lower level than the spell being substituted.

Resist Nature's Lure (Ex): This class feature is the same as the druid class feature of the same name described in the Player's Handbook.

Wild Shape (Su): At 5th level, a wild reaper gains the ability to turn herself into any Small or Medium animal and back again once per day. Her options for new forms include all carnivorous or omnivorous animals that feed on carrion. This ability functions like the polymorph spell, except as noted here. The effect lasts for 1 hour per wild reaper level, or until she changes back. Changing form (to animal or back) is a standard action and doesn't provoke an attack of opportunity. The form chosen must be that of an animal the wild reaper is familiar with.

A wild reaper loses her ability to speak while in animal form because she is limited to the sounds that a normal, untrained animal can make, but she can communicate normally with other animals of the same general grouping as her new form.

A wild reaper can use this ability more times per day at 6th, 7th, 10th, 14th, and 18th level, as noted on the wild reaper advancement table. In addition, she gains the ability to take the shape of a Large animal at 8th level, a Tiny animal at 11th level, and a Huge animal at 15th level. The new form's Hit Dice can't exceed the character's wild reaper level.

Disease Immunity (Ex): At 9th level, a wild reaper gains immunity to all diseases, including supernatural infections like mummy rot and lycanthropy.

Turn Undead (Su): Wild reapers despise undead as abominations outside the natural order. When a wild reaper reaches 12th level, she gains the supernatural ability to turn undead. She may use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + her Charisma modifier. She turns undead as a cleric of two levels lower would. The wild reaper does not need a holy symbol to turn undead.

Resist Death's Lure (Ex): Starting at 13th level, a wild reaper gains a +4 bonus on saving throws against level drain and death effects.

Fast Healing (Su): Starting at 16th level, a wild reaper resists the call of death before age should take her. She heals 1 hit point of damage per round. At 20th level this ability improves to fast healing 3.

Ability Damage Healing (Su): After attaining 17th level, a wild reaper resists weaknesses not caused by age. She heals 1 point of ability damage to all damaged ability scores each round so long as the wild reaper has at least point of Constitution. At 20th level this ability heals 2 points to all ability scores each round.

Timeless Body (Ex): After attaining 19th level, a wild reaper no longer takes ability score penalties for aging and cannot be magically aged. Any penalties she may have already incurred, however, remain in place. Bonuses still accrue, and the wild reaper still dies of old age when her time is up.

Wind Walker

Air fills voids, flowing into hungry lungs to give life to the newly born. Air passes soft lips to breathe words, granting creatures the ability to comprehend one another. The wind walker knows he cannot hope to master these, the air's most subtle and powerful abilities, but he can gain power over its more brutal movements.

Wind walkers favor the element of air, and they relish the tornado as much as the breeze that tousles hair. Their love and devotion to the elemental force grants them control of gales and zephyrs. With a word and a gesture, the wind walker can call upon the air to slow his fall or bowl over a giant. Wind walkers long for the freedom of the open skies. They view all flying creatures as kindred spirits and call upon such creatures to accompany them as they follow the wind wherever it leads.

Wind walkers find it hard to abide stillness, both their own and that of the air. They are uncomfortable in enclosed spaces, and many are phobic of being underwater or buried alive. Evil and chaotic wind walkers take it upon themselves to show others the power of the least recognized element. Neutral and lawful wind walkers can often be found working with a group of flying creatures to protect them and serve their needs. Good wind walkers recognize that the air is an enigmatic and unpredictable force in the natural world, and they seek to ensure more good comes of it than ill.

Wind walkers are free spirits that tend to roam, allowing the concerns of more sedentary creatures to blow over them. They only become anchored to a place where they can experience many kinds of winds or when they see a threat to a community of flying creatures. For this reason, most wind walkers can be found in mountain ranges of all dimes, but adventurous wind walkers can be found anywhere the wind blows and many places it does not.

Hit Die: d8.

Class Skills

The wind walker's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).

Skill Points at 1st Level: (2 + Int modifier) x 4.

Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Table: The Wind Walker

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the wind walker.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Wind walkers are proficient with the following weapons: club, dagger, dart, javelin, quarterstaff, scimitar, shortbow, composite shortbow, sling, and spear. They are also proficient with all natural attacks (unarmed strike, slam, and so forth), regardless of the forms they assume (see Elemental Shape, below). Wind walkers are proficient with light armor but are prohibited from wearing metal armor; thus, they may wear only padded, leather, or hide armor. (A wind walker may also wear wooden armor that has been altered by the ironwood spell so that it functions as though it were steel.) Wind walkers are proficient with shields (except tower shields) but must use only wooden ones.

A wind walker who wears metal armor or carries a metal shield is unable to cast druid spells or use any of his supernatural or spell-like class abilities while doing so and for 24 hours thereafter.

Spells: This class feature is the same as the druid class feature of the same name described in the Player's Handbook. A wind walker follows the same spell progression as the druid.

Spontaneous Casting: A wind walker can channel stored spell energy into summoning or air spells that he hasn't prepared ahead of time. He can "lose" a prepared spell in order to cast any summon nature's ally spell or druid spell with the air descriptor, but the spell must be of the same level or lower. If used to cast a summon nature's ally spell, the summoned ally must have the ability to fly.

Chaotic, Evil, Good, and Lawful Spells: This class feature is the same as the druid class feature of the same name described in the Player's Handbook.

Bonus Languages: A wind walker's bonus language options include Druidic, the secret language of druids. Wind walkers are forbidden to teach this language to nondruids. Druidic has its own alphabet. This option is in addition to the bonus languages available to the character because of his race.

A wind walker also knows Auran, the language of air creatures, which he learns upon becoming a 1st-level wind walker. Auran is a free language for a wind walker; that is, he knows it in addition to his regular allotment of languages, and it doesn't take up a language slot.

Aerial Companion (Ex): A wind walker may begin play with a flying animal companion selected from the following list: eagle, hawk, or owl. This animal is a loyal companion that accompanies the wind walker on his adventures as appropriate for its species.

A 1st-level wind walker's aerial companion is completely typical for its kind except as noted in the The Druid's Animal Companion section. As a wind walker advances in level, the animal's power increases as shown on the table.

If a wind walker releases his companion from service, he may gain a new one by performing a ceremony requiring 24 uninterrupted hours of prayer. This ceremony can also replace an aerial companion that has perished.

Like a druid's ability to select an alternative animal companion, a wind walker may instead select an alternative aerial companion at higher levels. The wind walker applies the indicated adjustment to his wind walker level (in parentheses) for purposes of determining the companion's characteristics and special abilities. A wind walker of 4th level or higher may instead select a dire bat or hippogriff (level -3). A 7th-level wind walker may choose a giant eagle, giant owl, or juvenile arrowhawk (level -6). A 10th-level wind walker may choose a griffon or adult arrowhawk (level -9). At 13th level, the wind walker may choose a dragonne (level -12). A 16th-level wind walker may choose an elder arrowhawk (level -15).

Aerial Empathy (Ex): A wind walker can use body language, vocalizations, and demeanor to improve the attitude of a magical beast or animal with the air subtype or ability to fly. This ability functions just like a Diplomacy check made to improve the attitude of a person. The wind walker rolls 1d20 and adds his wind walker level and Charisma modifier to the roll to determine the aerial empathy check result. The typical domestic animal has a starting attitude of indifferent, while wild animals and magical beasts are usually unfriendly.

To use aerial empathy, the wind walker and target creature must be able to study each other, which means that they must be within 30 feet of one another under normal conditions. Generally, influencing a creature in this way takes 1 minute but, as with influencing people, it might take more or less time.

Zephyr Spellcasting (Ex): A wind walker casts druid spells with the air descriptor as though his caster level were 1 level higher. In addition, a wind walker adds +1 to the DCs of all such spells he casts.

Air Mastery (Ex): Airborne creatures take a -1 penalty to attack and damage rolls against a wind walker of 4th level or higher.

Feather Fall (Sp): After attaining 2nd level, the wind walker can cast feather fall as a caster of a level equal to his wind walker level. The wind walker gains additional uses of this ability as shown in the wind walker level advancement table.

Whispering Wind (Sp): After attaining 3rd level, the wind walker can cast whispering wind as a caster of a level equal to his wind walker level. The wind walker gains additional uses of this ability as shown in the wind walker level advancement table.

Friend of the Winds (Su): At 6th-level, a wind walker counts as two size categories larger when determining the effects severe wind have on him. See Table: Wind Effects.

Fly (Sp): After attaining 7th level, the wind walker can cast fly as a caster of a level equal to his wind walker level. The wind walker gains additional uses of this ability as shown in the wind walker level advancement table.

Air Spell Immunity (Su): At 9th level, a wind walker is immune to spells with the air descriptor, as though the spell failed to penetrate spell resistance. The wind walker may suppress this immunity for a specific effect he wishes to benefit from, such as the wind walk spell, using a standard action. Reactivating the ability is also a standard action.

Air Domain: A 12th-level wind walker receives the granted powers of the Air domain. At 14th-level, the wind walker gains access to the domain spells of the Air domain just like a cleric; he may prepare and cast the domain spell listed for each level once a day so long as he is of a level high enough to cast spells of that level. A wind walker cannot use the spontaneous spellcasting ability with these spells.

Timeless Body (Ex): After attaining 15th level, a wind walker no longer takes ability score penalties for aging (see Table: Aging Effects) and cannot be magically aged. Any penalties he may have already incurred, however, remain in place. Bonuses still accrue, and the wind walker still dies of old age when his time is up.

Elemental Shape (Su): At 16th level, a wind walker can take the form of a Small, Medium, or Large air elemental once per day. This ability functions like the polymorph spell, except as noted here. The effect lasts for 1 hour per wind walker level, or until he changes back. Changing form (to elemental or back) is a standard action and doesn't provoke an attack of opportunity. The new form's Hit Dice can't exceed the character's wind walker level. The wind walker gains all the elemental's extraordinary, supernatural, and spell-like abilities. He also gains the elemental's feats for as long as he maintains the elemental shape, but he retains his own creature type (humanoid, in most cases).

At 18th level, a wind walker becomes able to assume elemental form twice per day, and at 20th level he can do so three times per day. At 20th level, a druid may use this elemental shape ability to change into a Huge elemental.

Winter Warden

In winter, the world sleeps. Blanketed with white and rimed to glistening, the land knows a peace like a kind and quiet death. Nature holds its breath through the season, anticipating the riotous and messy birth of spring with glacial patience. This is the winter warden's time.

Like druids, winter wardens devote themselves to nurturing nature, but their affinity for the natural world takes peculiar form. Winter wardens champion frost, ice, and snow. They love the world most when cold winds float flurries through barren treetops, across dormant fields, and over white-capped waves. They view winter as a great testing time for every creature, a period of winnowing that culls the old, weak, ill, and foolish to make room for the young, strong, and wise. Winter makes the world a better place in this way, and winter wardens follow the season's example.

Winter wardens tend to be quiet and watchful. They remain distant and aloof, even with long-time acquaintances. Neutral and lawful winter wardens can take this outlook to extremes, becoming inured to the suffering of others and uncaring about their plights. Chaotic or evil winter wardens often view themselves as blizzards, great tests that winter sends to ensure only the most hale or well prepared survive. Good winter wardens often seek to help other creatures ready themselves for hardships ahead, ensuring that the good as well as the healthy and the wise survive troubled times.

Winter wardens can be found in any cold locale, and many follow the winter season in its dance north and south of the equator. Particularly sedentary winter wardens live like many members of the standard druid class, choosing a particular natural area to call home and living there year round. Adventuresome winter wardens can be found anywhere, even places that never feel the delicious chill of their favorite season.

Hit Die: d8.

Class Skills

The winter warden's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (geography) (Int), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).

Skill Points at 1st Level: (4 + Int modifier) x 4.

Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Table: The Winter Warden

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the winter warden.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The winter warden has the same proficiencies and restrictions as the druid as described in the Player's Handbook.

Spells: This class feature is the same as the druid class feature of the same name described in the Player's Handbook. A winter warden follows the same spell progression as the druid.

Chaotic, Evil, Good, and Lawful Spells: This class feature is the same as the druid class feature of the same name described in the Player's Handbook.

Bonus Languages: This class feature is the same as the druid class feature of the same name described in the Player's Handbook.

Animal Companion (Ex): This class feature is the same as the druid class feature of the same name described in the Player's Handbook.

Cold Casting (Ex): A winter warden casts all spells (including spell-like abilities) with the cold descriptor as though his caster level were 1 level higher. In addition, a winter warden adds +1 to the DCs of all such spells he casts.

Nature Sense (Ex): This class feature is the same as the druid class feature of the same name described in the Player's Handbook.

Wild Empathy (Ex): This class feature is the same as the druid class feature of the same name described in the Player's Handbook except that the winter warden does not suffer the usual penalty when using this ability on a magical beast of the cold subtype.

Ray of Frost (Sp): At 2nd level, ray of frost is added to the winter warden's spell list as a 0-level spell. He can prepare and cast the spell as part of his normal allotment of druid spells.

Drift Stride (Su): Starting at 3rd level, a winter warden can move across the top of snow and not step into it or be impeded in his progress over a snowy area, similar to the effects of a water walk spell. Snow enchanted or magically manipulated to impede movement still affects the winter warden.

Trackless Step (Ex): This class feature is the same as the druid class feature of the same name described in the Player's Handbook.

Ice Stride (Su): Starting at 5th level, a winter warden can move across ice and not step onto it or be impeded in his progress over an icy area, similar to the effects of a water walk spell. He does not take two squares of movement to enter an icy area, and Balance. Tumble, or Climb DCs in the area are not increased for him. This ability does not protect the winter warden from the cold of the ice or the negative effects due to long contact. Ice enchanted or magically manipulated to impede movement still affects the winter warden.

Wild Shape (Su): At 6th level, a winter warden gains the ability to turn himself into any Small or Medium animal and back again once per day. His options for new forms include any creature of the animal type. This ability functions like the polymorph spell, except as noted here. The effect lasts for 1 hour per winter warden level, or until he changes back. Changing form (to animal or back) is a standard action and doesn't provoke an attack of opportunity. The form chosen must be that of an animal the winter warden is familiar with, usually a creature that exists in arctic climes.

A winter warden loses his ability to speak while in animal form because he is limited to the sounds that an untrained animal can make, but he can communicate normally with other animals of the same general grouping as his new form.

A winter warden can use this ability more times per day as noted on the winter warden advancement table. In addition, he gains the ability to take the shape of a Large animal at 10th level and a Huge animal at 16th level. The new form's Hit Dice can't exceed the character's winter warden level.

Resistance to Cold (Ex): Starting at 9th level, a winter warden gains resistance to cold 5. This resistance increases as the winter warden gains levels, as shown on the winter warden advancement chart.

Wall of Ice (Sp): After 13th level, the winter warden can cast wall of ice as a caster of a level equal to his winter warden level once per day.

Otiluke's Freezing Sphere (Sp): After 17th level, the winter warden can cast Otiluke's freezing sphere as a caster of a level equal to his winter warden level once per day.

Immunity to Cold (Ex): Starting at 18th level, a winter warden is immune to cold damage.

Polar Ray (Sp): At 20th level, the winter warden can cast polar ray as a caster of a level equal to his winter warden level once per day.