Animal Summoner (3.5e Class)
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Animal Summoner
Animal Summoners love to flood the field with their animals, both trained and summoned ones. As they level up, they become more and more like an animal themselves.
Making an Animal Summoner
Abilities: Spells are cast using either Charisma as a sorcerer. like Wizard, Animal Summoner can benefit from high Dexterity and Constitution score.
Races: Typically Humans and Half-Elves become Animal Summoners. In addition several fea, more beast like races, and other beings with some close connection to nature, animals, or the wields may become an animal summoner.
Alignment: Any, See Code of Animal Summoner. Most Animal Summoners are Neutral in some degree.
Starting Gold: 5d4×10 gp (On average 125 gp.)
Starting Age: As Druid.
Level | Base Attack Bonus |
Saving Throws | Special | Spells per Day | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Fort | Ref | Will | 0 | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1st | +0 | +2 | +2 | +2 | Wild Empathy, Animal Companion, Familiar, Improved Unarmed Strike, Animalistic Armor +1, Bonus Feat | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2nd | +1 | +3 | +3 | +3 | Augment Summoning, Bonus Feat | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
3rd | +1 | +3 | +3 | +3 | Eschew Materials, Animalistic Ability | 5 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
4th | +2 | +4 | +4 | +4 | Medium Wild shape (1/day), Bonus Feat | 5 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
5th | +2 | +4 | +4 | +4 | Uncanny Dodge | 5 | 5 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
6th | +3 | +5 | +5 | +5 | Track, Scent, Wild shape (2/day), Bonus Feat, Animalistic Armor +2 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
7th | +3 | +5 | +5 | +5 | Animal Tracking, Extend Spell | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
8th | +4 | +6 | +6 | +6 | Evasion, Animalistic Movement, Wild shape (Small)(3/day) | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
9th | +4 | +6 | +6 | +6 | Quicken Spell | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
10th | +5 | +7 | +7 | +7 | Animalistic Attack, Wild shape (Large)(4/day) | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
11th | +5 | +7 | +7 | +7 | Extended Summoning, Animalistic Armor +3 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
12th | +6/+1 | +8 | +8 | +8 | Improved Uncanny Dodge | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
13th | +6/+1 | +8 | +8 | +8 | Woodland Stride | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 1 | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
14th | +7/+2 | +9 | +9 | +9 | Animalistic Skill, Wild shape (5/day) | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 2 | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
15th | +7/+2 | +9 | +9 | +9 | Animalistic Sight | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 1 | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
16th | +8/+3 | +10 | +10 | +10 | Improved Evasion, Improved Animalistic Movement, Animalistic Armor +4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 2 | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
17th | +8/+3 | +10 | +10 | +10 | Wings | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
18th | +9/+4 | +11 | +11 | +11 | Cantrip Mastery, Huge Wild shape (at will) | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
19th | +9/+4 | +11 | +11 | +11 | Improved Animalistic Attack | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
20th | +10/+5 | +12 | +12 | +12 | Animal Healing | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Class Skills (4 + Int modifier per level, ×4 at 1st level) |
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Animal Summoner.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Animal Summoners have the same weapons proficiencies as a druid in their natural form. they are not with any type of armor or shield. Armor of any type interferes with an animal summoner’s movements, which can cause her spells with somatic components to fail.
Spells: He can cast any spell he knows without preparing it ahead of time (as a sorcerer). However, the list of Animal Summoner spells is limited but taken from the Druid Spell List.In addition, he receives bonus spells per day with a high score in Charisma.
To learn or cast a spell, an Animal Summoner must have a score equal to at least 10 + Charisma Modifier equal to the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against an Animal Summoner’s spell is 10 + the spell level + Charisma Modifier.
Animal Summoners may also augment their spells from the following list:
0— Calm Animals, Charm Animal, Hold Animal, Mount, Speak with Animals, Water Breathing
1st— Summon Nature's Ally I, Magic Fang
2nd— Summon Nature's Ally II, Summon Swarm (not spiders)
3rd— Summon Nature's Ally III, Animal Messenger
4th— Summon Nature's Ally IV, Dominate Animal
5th— Summon Nature's Ally V, Reduce Animal
6th— Summon Nature's Ally VI, Animal Growth
7th— Summon Nature's Ally VII, Greater Magic Fang
8th— Summon Nature's Ally VII, Animal Shapes
9th— Summon Nature's Ally IX, Polymorph (only into animals)
Wild Empathy (Ex): An Animal Summoner can improve the attitude of an animal. This ability functions just like a Diplomacy check made to improve the attitude of a person. The Animal Summoner rolls 1d20 and adds his Animal Summoner level and his 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 Animal Summoner 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.
An Animal Summoner can also use this ability to influence a magical beast with an Intelligence score of 1 or 2, but he takes a -4 penalty on the check.
If the Animal Summoner has a creature as an Animal Companion or a Familiar, or has summoned one of the creatures that the check is against, even if approximately the same kind as itself (including dire varieties): bats with bats, rats with rodents, cats with felines, hawks and owls and ravens with birds, lizards and snakes with reptiles, toads with amphibians, weasels with similar creatures (weasels, minks, polecats, ermines, skunks, wolverines, and badgers), the Animal Summoner gets a +5 on the check. Such communication is limited by the intelligence of the conversing creatures (if your summoned creature cannot speak with target creature, there is no bonus). The summoned creature must be in existence during the check for the bonus to apply. If an Animal Summoner has any combination of an Animal Companion, Familiar, or a summoned creature, the bonuses stack.
Animal Companion (Ex): An Animal Summoner 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: porpoise, Medium shark, and squid. This animal is a loyal companion that accompanies the Animal Summoner on her adventures as appropriate for its kind.
A 1st-level Animal Summoner’s companion is completely typical for its kind except as noted below. As an Animal Summoner advances in level, the animal’s power increases as a Druid's of the same level. If an Animal Summoner releases his 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.
An Animal Summoner of 4th level or higher may select from alternative lists of animals. Should he select an animal companion from one of these alternative lists, the creature gains abilities as if the character’s Animal Summoner level were lower than it actually is. Subtract the value indicated in the appropriate list header from the character’s Animal Summoner level and compare the result with the Animal Summoner level entry on the table to determine the animal companion’s powers. (If this adjustment would reduce the Animal Summoner’s effective level to 0 or lower, he can’t have that animal as a companion.)
Familiar (Ex): An Animal Summoner can obtain a familiar. Doing so takes 24 hours and uses up magical materials that cost 100 gp. A familiar is a magical beast that resembles a small animal and is unusually tough and intelligent. The creature serves as a companion and servant. Unlike a sorcerer's or wizard's familiar, an Animal Summoner's familiar is also treated as an animal.
The Animal Summoner chooses the kind of familiar he gets. As the Animal Summoner advances in level, his familiar also increases in power as would a sorcerer's of the same level.
If the familiar dies or is dismissed by the Animal Summoner, he must attempt a DC 15 Fortitude saving throw. Failure means he loses 200 experience points per Animal Summoner level; success reduces the loss to one-half that amount. However, an Animal Summoner’s experience point total can never go below 0 as the result of a familiar’s demise or dismissal. A slain or dismissed familiar cannot be replaced for a year and day. A slain familiar can be raised from the dead just as a character can be, and it does not lose a level or a Constitution point when this happy event occurs.
A character with more than one class that grants a familiar may have only one familiar at a time.
Animalistic Armor (Ex): At 1st level and every 5 levels thereafter, an Animal Summoner gains +1 natural armor bonus.
Animalistic Ability (Ex): At 3rd level, an Animal Summoner gains the ability to draw on one of the following spells for 24 hours: Bear's Endurance, Bull's Strength, Cat's Grace, Eagle's Splendor, Fox's Cunning, or Owl's Wisdom. In order to gain the benefit of the spell, an Animal Summoner must spend an hour in meditation, which cannot be done during a time when he is Fatigued or Exhausted. You cannot use this bonus to qualify for feats.
Animalistic Awareness (Ex): Due to becoming more and more animal-like in nature, an Animal Summoner instinctively gains Uncanny Dodge. Starting at 5th level, an Animal Summoner can react to danger before his senses would normally allow him to do so. He retains his Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if he is caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, he still loses his Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized.
Wild shape (Ex): At 4th level, an Animal Summoner gains the ability to turn himself into any Medium animal and back again once per day. His 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 Animal Summoner level, or until he 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 lost hit points as if you had rested for a night.
Any gear worn or carried by the Animal Summoner melds into the new form and becomes nonfunctional. When the Animal Summoner 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 Animal Summoner's feet.
The form chosen must be that of an animal the Animal Summoner is familiar with.
An Animal Summoner loses his ability to speak while in animal form because he is limited to the sounds that a normal, untrained animal can make, but he 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.) An Animal Summoner can, however, maintain an empathic or telepathic communication with an Animal Companion or a Familiar.
An Animal Summoner can use this ability more times per day at 6th, 8th, 10th, 14th. At 18th level, the Animal Summoner masters the technique and can use it any number of times per day. In addition, he gains the ability to take the shape of a Small animal at 8th level, a Large animal at 10th level, and a Huge animal at 18th level.
Animal Tracking (Ex): At 7th level, when an Animal Summoner comes across tracks, they get a +5 on their Survival check if they can identify them as tracks left by an animal(s).
Evasion (Ex): At 8th level and higher, an Animal Summoner is so quick to be aware of and avoid harm that he can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If he makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, he instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if the Animal Summoner is wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless Animal Summoner does not gain the benefit of evasion.
Animalistic Movement (Ex): At 8th level, an Animal Summoner gains the following: Burrow 10', Climb 10", and Swim 10'.
Animalistic Attack (Ex): At 10th level, an Animal Summoner gains either a Bite attack (1d6 damage) or 2 Claw attacks (1d4 damage).
Extended Summoning (Ex): At 11th level and higher, all spells from the summoning subschool that the Animal Summoner casts have their durations doubled, as if the Extend Spell feat had been applied to them. The levels of the summoning spells don’t change, however. This ability stacks with the effect of the Extend Spell feat, which does change the spell’s level.
Improved Uncanny Dodge (Ex): An Animal Summoner of 12th level or higher can no longer be flanked.
This defense denies a Rogue the ability to sneak attack the character by flanking him, unless the attacker has at least four more Rogue levels than the target has levels in classes that grant Uncanny Dodge and Improved Uncanny Dodge.
If a character already has Uncanny Dodge from a second class, the character automatically gains Improved Uncanny Dodge instead, and the levels from the classes that grant Uncanny Dodge stack to determine the minimum Rogue level required to flank the character.
Woodland Stride (Ex): Starting at 13th level, an Animal Summoner may move through any sort of undergrowth (such as natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas, and similar terrain) at his 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 him.
Animalistic Skill (Ex): At 14th level, an Animal Summoner gains another meditation. This time, the Animal Summoner focuses on one animal for an hour, after which they gain the skill points that that animal has. The bonuses from Animalistic Ability count toward increasing the skill points granted, as does the appropriate modifier for that skill, but an Animal Summoner's ranks do not stack with the skill points earned in this way. These skill points cannot be used to qualify for feats.
Animalistic Sight (Ex): At 15th level, an Animal Summoner gains Darkvision 60', Low-Light Vision 120', Blindsense 20', and Tremorsense 30'. These do not stack with the visual abilities the Animal Summoner already has.
Improved Evasion (Ex): This ability works like evasion, except that while the Animal Summoner still takes no damage on a successful Reflex saving throw against attacks, henceforth he takes only half damage on a failed save. A helpless Animal Summoner does not gain the benefit of improved evasion.
Improved Animalistic Movement (Ex): At 16th level, an Animal Summoner gets +10' added to his Burrow, Climb, and Swim speeds.
Wings (Ex): At 17th level, an Animal Summoner grows a set of animal wings (bat, eagle, hawk, or owl). He may now fly at a speed equal to his normal land speed, with average maneuverability.
Cantrip Mastery (Sp): At 18th level, an Animal Summoner can cast all 0-level spells as spell-like abilities at will (with caster levels being as normal). In the case of Water Breathing, it still uses one of his 0 level spells per day if he uses it on anyone other than himself, his Animal Companion, his Familiar, or any creatures that have been reared by the Animal Summoner
Improved Animalistic Attack (Ex): At 19th level, an Animal Summoner gains the ability to alter between having a Bite attack and having 2 Claws attacks as a free action. Also, as a standard action, both can used the next turn and any consecutive turn that a full-round attack is performed (on a turn that any other action is taken, one of them is chosen to dissipate).
Animal Healing (Sp): At 20th level, an Animal Summoner gains the ability to cast Mass, Heal a number of times per day equal to his modifier used to cast his Animal Summoner spells. However, the only subjects that can be healed are Summoned creatures, his Animal Companion, his Familiar and/or any animals that he has reared.
Ex-Animal Summoners
It is against the code of an Animal Summoner to fight in a way that his animals cannot, i.e. using weapons and armor. Therefore, if an Animal Summoner does break this code, they lose all of the megical abilities from this class. Additionally, he cannot thereafter gain levels as an Animal Summoner until he atones from druid(see the atonement spell description).
Epic Animal Summoners
Level | Special | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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21st | Animalistic Armor, Epic Animal Companion | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
22nd | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
23rd | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
24th | Improved Animalistic Movement | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
25th | Bonus Epic Feat | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
26th | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
27th | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
28th | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
29th | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
30th | Bonus Epic Feat | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
4 + Int modifier skill points per level. |
Animalistic Armor: (Ex) An Animal Summoner continues to gain an additional +1 natural armor every 10 levels.
Epic Animal Companion: At 21st level, an Animal Summoner can choose to take a Legendary Bear or a Legendary Tiger as an Animal Companion. The Animal Companion's level is the Animal Summoner's level-20.
Improved Animalistic Movement: (Ex) This ability adds an additional +10' to your Burrow, Climb, and Swim speeds. This is taken every 8 levels, but cannot ever exceed you base land speed. If you take it at any point that exceeds your base land speed, it doesn't count until you increase your base land speed, at which point any that have been suppressed by this effect that can be activated will be activated.
Bonus Feats: The epic Animal Summoner gains a bonus feat (selected from the list of epic Animal Summoner bonus feats) every 5 levels after 20th.
Epic Animal Summoner Bonus Feat List: Armor Skin, Colossal Shape, Diminutive Shape, Epic Prowess, Epic Speed, Extended Life Span, Familiar Spell, Fast Healing, Fine Shape, Gargantuan Shape, Ignore Material Components, Improved Combat Reflexes, Improved Darkvision, Improved Low-Light Vision, Improved Metamagic, Improved Spell Capacity, Intensify Spell, Keen Strike, Legendary Rider, Legendary Tracker, Legendary Wrestler, Magical Beast Companion, Magical Beast Wild Shape, Multispell, Vermin Wild Shape, and Vorpal Strike.
Human Animal Summoner Starting Package
Abilities: Str 8, Con 10, Dex 14, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 15
Weapons: Unarmed Strike.
Skill Selection: Pick a number of skills equal to 5 + Int modifier.
Skill | Ranks | Ability | Armor Check Penalty |
Final Score |
---|---|---|---|---|
Craft | 4 | Int | — | 5 |
Diplomacy | 4 | Cha | — | 6 |
Handle Animal | 4 | Cha | — | 6 |
Hide | 4 | Dex | 0 | 6 |
Knowledge (Nature) | 4 | Int | — | 5 |
Spot | 4 | Wis | — | 4 |
Survival | 4 | Wis | — | 4 |
Feat: Endurance.
Gear: Standard Adventurer's Kit, Spell Component Pouch.
Gold: 112gp.
Campaign Information
Playing an Animal Summoner
Religion: Animal Summoners worship nature spirits, generally animal spirits. In some rare cases, Animal Summoners actually worship the animals that that love so much. Sometimes they are atheistic, but generally that only happens if they are totally Neutral.
Other Classes: The Animal Summoner is generally a loner. They don't usually fight with other characters as this means that they would have to interact with "people" instead of their beloved animals. Generally, something capable of a massive amount of damage in one attack or a death effect is something that the Animal Summoner lacks, so that would be a good supplement.
Combat: Animal Summoners never subject themselves to actual combat if at all possible. One popular tactic is to continue summoning creatures continuously that surround and protect the Animal Summoner. Another common strategy is to hide and simply continue to summon animals continuously to attack. Yet another fighting style is to summon all of the necessary creatures (of the same type) and then Wild shaping into one of those creatures and attacking a foe in the crowd, where the opponent cannot tell which one is the real one.
Advancement: As long as an Animal Summoner never uses a weapon (not even a gauntlet) or wears armor, they should be able to use a class effectively. Good classes to take include Rogue, Sorcerer, and Wizard. Good prestige classes include Hierophant and Horizon Walker. Taking Druid or Thaumatgurist is simply redundant.
Animal Summoners in the World
“ | I never met an animal I didn't like. | ” |
—Avanaco Akondo, Human Animal Summoner |
“ | I never thought I would see the day when a bunch of animals could best a dragon. | ” |
—Doc, Dwarfen Fighter |
Animal Summoners are generally hermits living in the wilderness with their animals (see Organizations below).
Daily Life: Wake Up, Feed And Play With All Of Your Animals, Eat, Drink, Meditate, Pet Familiar, Continue Teaching That Trick To Your Animal Companion, Feed And Play With All Of Your Animals Again, Eat, Drink, Maybe Feed And Play With All Of Your Animals Yet Again, Go To Sleep.
The order is certainly negotiable, but as NPCs Animal Summoners tend to do all of these things.
Notables: If you see a guy out in the wilderness training animals while SURROUNDED by animals, meditating while SURROUNDED by animals, or simply SURROUNDED by animals, it's pretty safe to assume that it's an Animal Summoner.
Organizations: Animal Summoners are predominately solitary (not counting their animals), but occasionally one might find an Animal Summoner teaching an apprentice. Also uncommon, but still sometimes found, are groups of Animal Summoners living together.
NPC Reactions: Keep in mind that Animal Summoners tend to loath "civilized" society and therefore are not usually treated well by others. They have a hard time befriending non-animal lovers (characters without Handle Animal (Cha) as an in-class skill). Also, as an additional prerequisite, the Animal Companion and/or Familiar may not like you for some reason; in this case, the Animal Summoner will be either "unfriendly" or "hostile." If the Animal Companion and Familiar disagree, the Animal Summoner is "hostile" if he was originally "unfriendly" or "hostile." Otherwise, he is "unfriendly."
Animal Summoner Lore
Characters with ranks in Knowledge (nature) can research Animal Summoners to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.
DC | Result |
---|---|
10 | Animal Summoners summon animals. Profound. I know... |
15 | They primarily use their animals in combat, and LOTS of them. To take one down, take out the Animal Summoner himself. |
20 | Animal Summoners rarely travel in groups, so isolating them from people isn't the problem; the problem is getting past their animals to attack the Animal Summoner directly; needless to say, that is going to take some creativity. |
25 | Animal Summoners are not allowed to fight with weapons or wear armor. Disobeying this obligation causes them to lose all of their animal powers. |
Animal Summoners in the Game
Animal Summoners as PCs Animal Summoners as NPCs tend to be isolated, living either as hermits or guardians of their deities' property.
Adaptation: Sometimes, Animal Summoners live in large groups, but only with other Animal Summoners.
Sample Encounter: In the woods teaching an animal a new trick, practicing large-group tactics, or meditating.
ECL whatever: Avanaco Akondo was born in a monastery. He quickly came to love the animals that he read and studied about, but rarely saw. At age 16, he ran away and found that the animals had a natural affinity for him too. It was then that he decided to become an Animal Summoner.
EL 6: (I need help with this part, and then I will be finished)
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