Gestalt Beastmaster (3.5e Class)
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Beastmaster
A beastmaster feels more at home among the animals of nature than fellow sentient beings. Over time, these wanderers befriend a wide variety of animals, from mighty dire lions to tiny weasels. Eventually, a beastmaster takes on aspects of her animal companions, becoming almost as much animal as humanoid.
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GAME RULE INFORMATION
Beastmasters have the following game statistics.
Starting Gold: 4d4 × 10 (100 gp)
Starting Age: As a druid.
Abilities: Wisdom determines how powerful a spell a beastmaster can cast, how many spells she can cast per day, and how hard those spells are to resist. To cast a spell, a beastmaster must have a Wisdom score of 10 + the spell’s level. A beastmaster gets bonus spells based on Wisdom. The Difficulty Class of a saving throw against a beastmaster’s spell is 10 + the spell’s level + the beastmaster’s Wisdom modifier.
A high Dexterity score greatly improves the beastmaster’s defensive ability.
Alignment: Neutral good, lawful neutral, neutral, chaotic neutral, or neutral evil.
Hit Die: d8
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Table 1-1: The Beastmaster |
Spells per Day |
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|
Level |
Base Attack |
Fort |
Ref |
Will |
Special |
0 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
|
1st |
+0 |
+2 |
+0 |
+2 |
Animal companion, nature sense, wild empathy |
2 |
1 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
2nd |
+1 |
+3 |
+0 |
+3 |
Track, woodland stride |
3 |
1 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
3rd |
+2 |
+3 |
+1 |
+3 |
Combat style, trackless step |
3 |
1 |
1 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
4th |
+3 |
+4 |
+1 |
+4 |
Resist nature’s lure |
4 |
2 |
1 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
5th |
+3 |
+4 |
+1 |
+4 |
Endurance, speak with animals 1/day |
4 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
6th |
+4 |
+5 |
+2 |
+5 |
Improved Combat Style, low-light vision |
4 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
7th |
+5 |
+5 |
+2 |
+5 |
Extra animal companion (-3) |
5 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
8th |
+6/+1 |
+6 |
+2 |
+6 |
Swift tracker, speak with animals 2/day |
5 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
9th |
+6/+1 |
+6 |
+3 |
+6 |
Evasion, venom immunity |
5 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
10th |
+7/+2 |
+7 |
+3 |
+7 |
Extra animal companion (-6) |
5 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
11th |
+8/+3 |
+7 |
+3 |
+7 |
Combat style mastery, speak with animals 3/day |
5 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
- |
- |
- |
|
12th |
+9/+4 |
+8 |
+4 |
+8 |
Scent |
5 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
- |
- |
- |
|
13th |
+9/+4 |
+8 |
+4 |
+8 |
Extra animal companion (-9) |
5 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
- |
- |
|
14th |
+10/+5 |
+9 |
+4 |
+9 |
Camouflage |
5 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
- |
- |
|
15th |
+11/+6/+1 |
+9 |
+5 |
+9 |
|
5 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
- |
|
16th |
+12/+7/+2 |
+10 |
+5 |
+10 |
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5 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
- |
|
17th |
+12/+7/+2 |
+10 |
+5 |
+10 |
Hide in plain sight |
5 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
|
18th |
+13/+8/+3 |
+11 |
+6 |
+11 |
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5 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
|
19th |
+14/+9/+4 |
+11 |
+6 |
+11 |
|
5 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
|
20th |
+15/+10/+5 |
+12 |
+6 |
+12 |
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5 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
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Class SkillsThe beastmaster’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge (geography) (Int), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).
Skill Points at 1st Level: (6 + Int modifier) × 4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 6 + Int modifier.Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Fist of the Forest.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A beastmaster is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, and with light armor and shields (except tower shields).
Spells: A beastmaster casts divine spells (the same type of spells available to the cleric, druid, paladin, and ranger), which are drawn from the druid spell list (page 189). 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 beastmaster must choose and prepare her spells in advance (see below).
To prepare or cast a spell, the beastmaster must have a Wisdom score equal to at least 10 + the spell level (Wis 10 for 0-level spells, Wis 11 for 1st-level spells, and so forth). The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a beastmaster’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the beastmaster’s Wisdom modifier.
Like other spellcasters, a beastmaster can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. Her base daily spell allotment is given on Table 1–1: The beastmaster. In addition, she receives bonus spells per day if she has a high Wisdom score (see Table 1–1: Ability Modifiers and Bonus Spells, page 8). She does not have access to any domain spells or granted powers, as a cleric does.
A beastmaster 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 beastmaster may prepare and cast any spell on the beastmaster spell list (page 189), provided that she can cast spells of that level, but she must choose which spells to prepare during her daily meditation.
Spontaneous Casting: A beastmaster 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. For example, a beastmaster who has prepared repel vermin (a 4th-level spell) may lose repel vermin in order to cast summon nature’s ally IV (also a 4th-level spell).
Chaotic, Evil, Good, and Lawful Spells: A beastmaster can’t cast spells of an alignment opposed to her own or her deity’s (if she has one).
For example, a neutral good beastmaster cannot cast evil spells. Spells associated with particular alignments are indicated by the chaos, evil, good, and law descriptors in their spell descriptions (see Chapter 11: Spells).
Bonus Languages: A beastmaster’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 (see Race and Languages, page 12, and the Speak Language skill, page 82).
A beastmaster also knows Druidic, a secret language known only to druids (beastmasters count as druids for this purpose), which she learns upon becoming a 1st-level beastmaster. Druidic is a free language for a beastmaster; that is, she knows it in addition to her regular allotment of languages and it doesn’t take up a language slot. Beastmaster are forbidden to teach this language to nondruids. Druidic has its own alphabet.
Animal Companion (Ex): A beastmaster 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 DM’s campaign takes place wholly or partly in an aquatic environment, the DM may add the following creatures to the druid’s list of options: crocodile, porpoise, Medium shark, and squid. This animal is a loyal companion that accompanies the beastmaster on her adventures as appropriate for its kind.
A 1st-level beastmaster’s companion is completely typical for its kind except as noted in the sidebar below. As a beastmaster advances in level, the animal’s power increases as shown on the table in the sidebar.
If a beastmaster 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 beastmaster of 4th level or higher may select from alternative lists of animals (see the sidebar). Should she select an animal companion from one of these alternative lists, the creature gains abilities as if the character’s beastmaster level were lower than it actually is. Subtract the value indicated in the appropriate list header from the character’s beastmaster level and compare the result with the beastmaster level entry on the table in the sidebar 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.) For example, a 6th-level beastmaster could select a leopard as an animal companion. The leopard would have characteristics and special abilities as if the beastmaster were 3rd level (taking into account the –3 adjustment) instead of 6th level.
Nature Sense (Ex): A beastmaster gains a +2 bonus on Knowledge (nature) and Survival checks.
Wild Empathy (Ex): A beastmaster can use body language, vocalizations, and demeanor to improve the attitude of an animal (such as a bear or a monitor lizard). This ability functions just like a Diplomacy check made to improve the attitude of a person (see Chapter 4: Skills). The beastmaster rolls 1d20 and adds her beastmaster 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 beastmaster 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 beastmaster can also use this ability to influence a magical beast with an Intelligence score of 1 or 2 (such as a basilisk or a girallon), but she takes a –4 penalty on the check.
Track: A beastmaster gains Track (see page 101) as a bonus feat at 2nd level.
Woodland Stride (Ex): Starting at 2nd level, a beastmaster 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.
Combat Style (Ex): At 3rd level, a beastmaster must select one of two combat styles to pursue: archery or two-weapon combat. This choice affects the character’s class features but does not restrict his selection of feats or special abilities in any way.
If the beastmaster selects archery, she is treated as having the Rapid Shot feat, even if she does not have the normal prerequisites for that feat.
If the beastmaster selects two-weapon combat, she is treated as having the Two-Weapon Fighting feat, even if he does not have the normal prerequisites for that feat.
The benefits of the beastmaster’s chosen style apply only when she wears light or no armor. She loses all benefits of her combat style when wearing medium or heavy armor.
Trackless Step (Ex): Starting at 3rd level, a beastmaster 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 beastmaster gains a +4 bonus on saving throws against the spell-like abilities of fey (such as dryads, pixies, and sprites).
Endurance: A beastmaster gains Endurance (see page 93) as a bonus feat at 5th level.
Speak with Animals (Sp): Starting at 5th level, a beastmaster can use speak with animals once per day as the spell cast by a caster of her class level. She can use this ability twice per day at 8th level and three times per day at 11th level.
Improved Combat Style (Ex): At 6th level, a beastmaster’s aptitude in her chosen combat style (archery or two-weapon combat) improves.
If she selected archery at 3rd level, she is treated as having the Manyshot feat (page 97), even if she does not have the normal prerequisites for that feat.
If the beastmaster selected two-weapon combat at 3rd level, she is treated as having the Improved Two-Weapon Fighting feat (page 96), even if she does not have the normal prerequisites for that feat.
As before, the benefits of the beastmaster’s chosen style apply only when she wears light or no armor. She loses all benefits of her combat style when wearing medium or heavy armor.
Low-Light Vision (Ex): At 6th level, a beastmaster gains low-light vision, allowing her to see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of shadowy illumination. She retains the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.
If she already has low-light vision from another source (such as her race), her low-light vision improves, allowing her to see three times as far as a human in conditions of shadowy illumination.
Extra Animal Companion (Ex): At 7th level, a beastmaster gains a second animal companion, chosen from the list of animal companions available to a 1st-level druid. Treat the beastmaster as a druid whose level is equal to the beastmaster’s class level – 3 for the purpose of improving the animal companion’s statistics (or of selecting an alternative companion at higher levels).
At 10th level, a beastmaster gains a third animal companion, chosen from the list of animal companions available to a 1st-level druid. Treat the beastmaster as a druid whose level is equal to the beastmaster’s class level – 6 for the purpose of improving the animal companion’s statistics (or of selecting an alternative companion at higher levels).
At 13th level, a beastmaster gains a fourth animal companion, chosen from the list of animal companions available to a 1st-level druid. Treat the beastmaster as a druid whose level is equal to the beastmaster’s class level – 9 for the purpose of improving the animal companion’s statistics (or of selecting an alternative companion at higher levels).
Other class levels in classes that offer an animal companion don’t stack for the purpose of determining the power of a beastmaster’s additional animal companions, nor do they allow her to choose additional animal companions from the alternative lists.
Swift Tracker (Ex): Beginning at 8th level, a beastmaster can move at her normal speed while following tracks without taking the normal –5 penalty. She takes only a –10 penalty (instead of the normal –20) when moving at up to twice normal speed while tracking.
Evasion (Ex): At 9th level, a beastmaster can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If she makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save (such as a red dragon’s fiery breath or a fireball), she instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if the beastmaster is wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless beastmaster (such as one who is unconscious or paralysed) does not gain the benefit of evasion.
Venom Immunity (Ex): At 9th level, a beastmaster gains immunity to all poisons.
Combat Style Mastery (Ex): At 11th level, a beastmaster’s aptitude in her chosen combat style (archery or two-weapon combat) improves again.
If she selected archery at 3rd level, she is treated as having the Improved Precise Shot feat (page 96), even if she does not have the normal prerequisites for that feat.
If the beastmaster selected two-weapon combat at 3rd level, she is treated as having the Greater Two-Weapon Fighting feat (page 95), even if she does not have the normal prerequisites for that feat.
As before, the benefits of the beastmaster’s chosen style apply only when she wears light or no armor. She loses all benefits of her combat style when wearing medium or heavy armor.
Scent (Ex): At 12h level, a beastmaster gains the scent ability (see page 314 of the Monster Manual).
Camouflage (Ex): A beastmaster of 14th level or higher 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 beastmaster of 17th level or higher can use the Hide skill even while being observed.
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THE BEASTMASTER’S ANIMAL COMPANION
A beastmaster’s animal companion is different from a normal animal of its kind in many ways. The companion is treated as a magical beast, not an animal, for the purpose of all effects that depend on its type (though it retains an animal’s HD, base attack bonus, saves, skill points, and feats). It is superior to a normal animal of its kind and has special powers, as described below.
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Class Level |
Bonus |
Natural |
Str/Dex |
Bonus |
Special |
|
1st-2nd |
+2 |
+2 |
+1 |
2 |
Evasion, link, share spells |
|
3rd-5th |
+4 |
+4 |
+2 |
3 |
Devotion |
|
6th-8th |
+6 |
+6 |
+3 |
4 |
Multiattack |
|
9th-11th |
+8 |
+8 |
+4 |
5 |
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12th-14th |
+10 |
+10 |
+5 |
6 |
Improved evasion |
|
15th-17th |
+12 |
+12 |
+6 |
7 |
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18th-20th |
+14 |
+14 |
+7 |
8 |
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Animal Companion Basics: Use the base statistics for a creature of the companion’s kind, as given in the Monster Manual, but make the following changes.
Class Level: The character’s beastmaster level. The beastmaster’s class levels stack with levels of any other classes that are entitled to an animal companion (such as the ranger) such for the purpose of determining the companion’s abilities and the alternative lists available to the character. The beastmaster’s levels count as druid levels for the purposes of feats.
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 beastmaster 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 (see the Monster Manual).
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 beastmaster might choose to teach it (see the Handle Animal skill, page 74). 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 beastmaster selects these bonus tricks, and once selected, they can’t be changed.
Link (Ex): A beastmaster 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 beastmaster gains a +4 circumstance bonus on all wild empathy checks and Handle Animal checks made regarding an animal companion.
Share Spells (Ex): At the beastmaster’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 beastmaster before the duration expires. Additionally, the beastmaster may cast a spell with a target of “You” on her animal companion (as a touch range spell) instead of on herself. A beastmaster 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’s devotion to its master is so complete that it 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 (see the Monster Manual for details on this feat) 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.
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ALTERNATIVE ANIMAL COMPANIONS
As explained in the text on page 35, a beastmaster of sufficiently high level can select her animal companion from one of the following lists, applying the indicated adjustment to the beastmaster’s level (in parentheses) for purposes of determining the companion’s characteristics and special abilities.
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4th Level or Higher (Level –3) |
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Ape (animal) |
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Dire weasel |
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Bear, black (animal) |
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Leopard (animal) |
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Bison (animal) |
|
Lizard, monitor (animal) |
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Boar (animal) |
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Shark, Large1 (animal) |
|
Cheetah (animal) |
|
Snake, constrictor (animal) |
|
Crocodile (animal)* |
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Snake, Large viper (animal) |
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Dire badger |
|
Wolverine (animal) |
|
Dire bat |
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7th Level or Higher (Level –6) |
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Bear, brown (animal) |
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Dire wolverine |
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Crocodile, giant (animal) |
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Elasmosaurus* (dinosaur) |
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Deinonychus (dinosaur) |
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Lion (animal) |
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Dire ape |
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Rhinoceros (animal) |
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Dire boar |
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Snake, Huge viper (animal) |
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Dire wolf |
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Tiger (animal) |
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10th Level or Higher (Level –9) |
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Bear, polar (animal) |
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Shark, Huge* (animal) |
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Dire lion |
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Snake, giant constrictor (animal) |
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Megaraptor (dinosaur) |
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Whale, orca* (animal) |
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13th Level or Higher (Level –12) |
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Dire bear |
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Elephant (animal) |
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Octopus, giant* (animal) |
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16th Level or Higher (Level –15) |
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Dire shark* |
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Triceratops (dinosaur) |
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Dire tiger |
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Tyrannosaurus (dinosaur) |
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Squid, giant*(animal) |
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* Available only in an aquatic environment. |
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