Feral Druid (3.5e Class)
Feral Druid[edit]
Feral druids are very much like their fellow soldier's of nature, the feral warriors, but much combat focused as the feral warriors.
Making a Feral Druid[edit]
Abilities: Strength, Dexterity and Constitution are important in combat.
Races: Feral druids are quite uncommon among the more common races.
Alignment: Any neutral.
Starting Gold: 1d6 gp.
Starting Age: Complex.
| Level | Base Attack Bonus |
Saving Throws | Special | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort | Ref | Will | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1st | +0 | +2 | +0 | +0 | Animal Companion, Bonus Language, Nature Sense, Wild Empathy, Wild Creature, Natural Warrior (Natural Armor), bonus feat | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2nd | +1 | +3 | +0 | +0 | Woodland Stride, Drift 1, | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3rd | +2 | +3 | +1 | +1 | Trackless Step, Natural Warrior (Bite) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4th | +3 | +4 | +1 | +1 | Hunter's swifness, Speak With Animals, Drift 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5th | +3 | +4 | +1 | +1 | Natural Warrior (Increased Speed), Resist nature's lure, Bonus Feat | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6th | +4 | +5 | +2 | +2 | Wild Strike, Drift 2, | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7th | +5 | +5 | +2 | +2 | Natural Warrior (Claws) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8th | +6/+1 | +6 | +2 | +2 | Endure Elements, Drift 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9th | +6/+1 | +6 | +3 | +3 | Natural Warrior (Scent) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10th | +7/+2 | +7 | +3 | +3 | Venom immunity, Drift 3, Bonus Feat | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 11th | +8/+3 | +7 | +3 | +3 | Nature's Strength | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 12th | +9/+4 | +8 | +4 | +4 | Drift 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 13th | +9/+4 | +8 | +4 | +4 | Nature's Strength | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 14th | +10/+5 | +9 | +4 | +4 | A thousand faces, Drift 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 15th | +11/+6/+1 | +9 | +5 | +5 | Nature's Strength, Bonus Feat | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 16th | +12/+7/+2 | +10 | +5 | +5 | Timeless body, Drift 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 17th | +12/+7/+2 | +10 | +5 | +5 | Nature's Strength | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 18th | +13/+8/+3 | +11 | +6 | +6 | Drift 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 19th | +14/+9/+4 | +11 | +6 | +6 | Nature's Strength | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 20th | +15/+10/+5 | +12 | +6 | +6 | Creature of Legend, Drift 5, Bonus Feat | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Class Skills (8 + Int modifier per level, ×4 at 1st level) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Class Features[edit]
All of the following are class features of the feral druid.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Feral druids are proficient with the following weapons: club, dagger, dart, quarterstaff, scimitar, sickle, shortspear, sling, spear, longbow and shortbow(and the composite versions of each) until 7th level, in which she loses all proficency with simple weapons and scimitar and gains the ability to use her bite and claw attacks only. A feral druid is not proficient with any armor or with shields.
Bonus Languages: A feral 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 his race.
Feral druids come from among the ranks of druids just like feral warriors (indeed, legend has it that the first feral warrior was a druid incapable of fully wildshaping) but they could still cast spells, and they too know the secret Druidic language if your DM allows. Feral druids learn Druidic at 1st level. Like druids, feral druids are forbidden to teach Druidic to non-druids.
Animal Companion (Ex): At 1st level, a feral druid gains an animal companion selected from the following list: badger, dire rat, dog, riding dog, eagle, hawk, horse (light or heavy), owl, 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 feral druid on her adventures as appropriate for its kind.
This ability functions like the druid ability of the same name.
Nature Sense (Ex): A feral druid gains a +2 bonus on Knowledge (nature) and Survival checks.
Wild Empathy (Ex): A feral 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 feral druid rolls 1d20 and adds his feral druid 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 feral 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 feral druid 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.
Wild Creature (Ex): A feral druid is as much an animal as he is a human. His eyes have adapted to the often dark realms of the natural world. A feral druid gains low-light vision. If a feral druid already has low-light vision, he receives no benefit from this bonus. A feral druid is treated as though he were of the animal type for any effects relying on type (such as magic fang). If the effect would be detrimental to the feral druid, he gets a +4 bonus on the save against it.
Natural Warrior (Ex): A feral druid’s body slowly develops into something more like the animals of the world he lives in than that of his natural form. He slowly gains a form much like a lycanthrope’s hybrid form, and the exact look of this form varies from feral druid to feral druid, especially once fully developed.
At 1st level, the feral druid gains natural armor as his skin thickens or the hair on his body begins to become more like a coat of fur. The natural armor bonus granted by this ability is equal to the feral druid’s Constitution bonus (minimum 1) and can never be more than 1 per every two feral druid levels.
At 3rd level, the feral druid gains a bite attack dealing 1d6 points of damage (assuming a Medium feral druid). If a feral druid already had a bite attack, the damage of the bite increases by one die type. Feral druids may ignore the normal racial prerequisites for the Rapid Strike and all feats with Rapid Strike as a prerequisite.
At 5th level, a feral druid’s base speed in all movements increases by 5 feet x his Dexterity modifier. It cannot be increased by more than 10 feet per 3 feral druid levels. A feral druid wearing armor heavier than light or carrying a heavy load does not gain the benefits of this ability.
At 7th level, the feral druid gains two claw attacks, each dealing 1d4 points of damage (assuming a Medium feral druid). A feral druid may not mix and match his natural attacks when he uses the full-attack action unless he takes the penalties as normal for using all natural weapons. His bite is considered his primary weapon and his claws are his secondary weapons. If a feral druid already had claws, the damage of the claws increases by one die type.
Upon reaching 9th level, the feral druid gains the scent ability, as described in the Monster Manual.
Woodland Stride (Ex): Starting at 2nd level, a feral druid 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.
Drift (Ex): At 2nd level and every even level, a feral druid feels the effects of drift, as can be found on pages 43-44 of Complete Divine and on pages 62-63 of Masters of the Wild. Drift occurs slightly differently for feral druid than for others. A drift that would grant the feral druid a natural weapon he already possesses uses the same dice damage that it already does (such as the lionlike claws of a Stage 3 drift), merely granting him additional uses of the same attack, along with any additional benefits. If the drift would grant no other benefits (such as the crocodile’s bite), the feral druid’s dice damage increases by one step. You must have at least two drifts from a previous stage before you can take a drift from a new stage. You do not have to take a drift from the highest stage you have access to.
Trackless Step (Ex): Starting at 3rd level, a feral druid leaves no trail in natural surroundings and cannot be tracked. He may choose to leave a trail if so desired.
Hunter's swifness (Ex): Feral druids know that instinct will often serve better than anything else in a fight. A 4th level feral druid gains a bonus to Initiative equal to his Dexterity bonus, up to +1 per every 3 feral druid levels.
Speak with Animals (Ex): A feral druid of 4th level or higher can speak with animals, as though he were under the effect of a permanent speak with animals spells. However, this is neither supernatural nor spell-like. The feral druid is simply so much like his animal companions that he can understand them as though they were his kind, and they can understand him.
Wild Strike (Ex): Feral druids attack hard and fast, attempting to disable their opponents as fast as possible. A 6th level feral druid who attacks in a surprise round gains a +2 bonus to damage on all natural attacks made in that round and the first full round of combat.
Endure Elements (Ex): The feral druid spends his time in environments far more vicious than any found in the city. His body has adjusted itself to the harsh extremes of the environment. A feral druid of 8th level or higher constantly enjoys the benefits of the endure elements spell, though this is neither supernatural nor spell-like in nature.
Venom Immunity: At 10th level, a feral druid gains immunity to all poisons.
Nature's Strength: At 11th level and every other level thereafter (13th, 15th, etc.) a feral druid may choose a special ability from the following list. An ability may only be taken once unless otherwise specified.
Camouflage (Ex): A feral druid with this ability can use the Hide skill in any sort of natural terrain, even if the terrain doesn’t grant cover or concealment.
Hide in Plain Sight (Ex): While in any sort of natural terrain, a feral druid with this ability can use the Hide skill even while being observed. A feral druid must have the camouflage ability and at least one other ability to take this.
Vicious Creature (Ex): A feral druid becomes more like the creatures he lives among and less like those of his own race. The damage dice of his natural weapons (current and future) increases by one step, as though he'd taken the Improved Natural Attack feat. In addition, he gains a +4 bonus on Wild Empathy checks, but takes a -4 penalty on all Charisma-based checks with humanoids of any type who aren't of the barbarian, druid, feral warrior, feral druid, or ranger class. This feature may be taken multiple times. The bonuses and penalties stack for each time it is taken.
Vicious Strike (Ex): A feral druid knows how to get the biggest advantage out of his attacks. The critical multiplier on his natural attacks increases by 1 (usually from x2 to x3).
Wild Threat (Ex): A feral druid knows where to look to strike. The critical range of all his natural weapons doubles. This effect stacks with effects such as Improved Critical and keen.
Additional Drift (Ex): The feral druid may choose any drift he can already take. This feature may be taken multiple times.
Bonus Feat: A feral druid may choose to forego any of the above abilities and instead take any bonus feat for which he qualifies.
A Thousand Faces: At 14th level, a feral druid gains the ability to change her appearance at will, as if using the disguise self spell. This affects the feral druid’s body but not her possessions. It is not an illusory effect, but a minor physical alteration of the feral druid’s appearance, within the limits described for the spell.
Timeless Body: After attaining 16th level, a feral 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 feral druid still dies of old age when her time is up.
Creature of Legend (Ex): A 20th level feral druid is very difficult to kill. He gains the fey type and damage reduction 5/cold iron. He is still treated as having the animal type for effects which are beneficial to him, but is now immune to any effects that target animals which would be detrimental to him. He gains the monster of legend template.
The Druid's Animal Companion
A druid’s animal companion is different from a normal animal of its kind in many ways. A druid’s animal companion is superior to a normal animal of its kind and has special powers, as described below.
| Class Level |
Bonus HD |
Natural Armor Adj. |
Str/Dex Adj. |
Bonus Tricks |
Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st–2nd | +0 | +0 | +0 | 1 | Link, Share Spells |
| 3rd–5th | +2 | +2 | +1 | 2 | Evasion |
| 6th–8th | +4 | +4 | +2 | 3 | Devotion |
| 9th–11th | +6 | +6 | +3 | 4 | Multiattack |
| 12th–14th | +8 | +8 | +4 | 5 | |
| 15th–17th | +10 | +10 | +5 | 6 | Improved Evasion |
| 18th–20th | +12 | +12 | +6 | 7 |
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.
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Ex-Feral druids[edit]
A feral druid who ceases to revere nature, changes to a prohibited alignment, or teaches the Druidic language to a nondruid loses all feral druid abilities. She cannot thereafter gain levels as a feral druid until she atones (see the atonement spell description).
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