Ruatharian Beastmaster (3.5e Prestige Class)

Ruatharian Beastmaster

“	We are Ruathar; We do not yield to any force, from the lowest vermin, to the mightiest of kings, when they dare hunt in our territory. The Forces of Nature we harness from the depths bones to the blood of our own souls, we shall avenge thee.	”
—Rangrockt Cep Ri, Half Dragon Ruatharian Beastmaster, Book of Green Will-o's

Becoming a Ruatharian Beastmaster

Some say you can become inspired by the strangest of things, in fact while a bard was writing a song about death, life, and inbetween, Nature herself inspired him. He then became the first Ruatharian Beastmaster.

Entry Requirements

BAB:	+6, OR
Skills:	Handle Animal: 9 Ranks, OR Survival: 8 Ranks. AND
Feats:	Skill Focus(Handle Animal), OR
Spells:	Ability to cast 3rd Level Spells
Special:	In addition to meeting two of the four requirements given above, you must have performed a great service to an elven community, such as participating in the defeat of a monster of at least CR 10, recovered a valuable elven magic item, or saved an important elf's life.

Table: Ruatharian Beastmaster

Hit Die: d8

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws			Special	Spellcasting
		Fort	Ref	Will
1st	+1	+1	+2	+1	Word of Friendship, Gift of the elvenkind , Animal Companion, Wild Empathy	+1 Level of Existing Spellcasting Class
2nd	+2	+1	+3	+1	Alertness, Low-light vision, Evasion	+1 Level of Existing Spellcasting Class
3rd	+3	+2	+3	+2	Elfwise	+1 Level of Existing Spellcasting Class
4th	+4	+2	+4	+2	Speak with animals 1/day, Star blessing	+1 Level of Existing Spellcasting Class
5th	+5	+3	+4	+3	Extra Animal Companion, Arvandor's Grace	+1 Level of Existing Spellcasting Class
Class Skills (4 + Int modifier per level) Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Balance (Dex), Diplomacy (Cha), Ride (Dex), Knowledge (ALL, taken individually) (Int), Search (Int), Profession (Wis), Listen (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Survival (Wis), Spot (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Perform (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Climb (Str), Jump (Str), Swim (Str).

Class Features

All of the following are class features of a Ruatharian Beastmaster.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency:A Ruatharian Beastmaster gains Martial Weapon Proficiency as a bonus feat for one elven weapon. You can choose the longsword, rapier, longbow (including composite longbow), or shortbow (including composite shortbow). Other than that, you gain no additional proficiency with any type of weapon, armor, or shield.

Spellcasting: At each level, you gain new spells per day and an increase in caster level (and spells known, if applicable) as if you had also gained a level in a spellcasting class to which you belonged before adding the prestige class level. You do not, however, gain any other class feature a character of that class would have gained. If you had more than one spellcasting class before becoming a ruatharian beastmaster, you must decide to which class to add each level for the purpose of determining spells per day, caster level, and spells known.

Word of Friendship (Sp): You learn a short magical phrase that identifies you as a ruathar. While anyone can learn to mouth the words of the phrase, only ruathars are taught the magical key that makes the phrase more than just a few words in Elven. This is a sonic, language-dependent effect and is equivalent to a 1st-level spell. The word of friendship does not influence the hearer's mind in any way, but all elves know that only ruathars are taught it. Elves addressed in such a fashion generally begin with an attitude of friendly or helpful toward you, unless you are obviously engaged in an evil act.

Wild Empathy (Ex): A ruatharian beastmaster can improve the attitude of an animal. See the druid class feature, page 35 of the Player's Handbook. If a beastmaster has wild empathy from another class, her levels stack for determining the bonus.

Gift of the Elvenkind: During the ruathar ceremony, you are traditionally presented with a gift of elven magic to aid you in your travels. This gift takes the form of any one of the following items: boots of elvenkind, cloak of elvenkind, elven chain, a +1 rapier, a +1 longsword, or a +1 composite longbow (Strength bonus up to +4, as appropriate for you). The elves provide whatever gift they deem most useful to you. If the gift is lost or destroyed, you do not receive another one. While you are free to give away or sell the gift, good manners dictate that the gift of the elves should be kept and treasured.

Animal Companion (Ex): A ruatharian beastmaster gains the service of a loyal animal companion. See the druid class feature, pages 35—36 of the Player's Handbook. Treat this beastmaster as a druid whose level is equal to the ruatharian beastmaster's class level + 3. A ruatharian beastmaster can select one of the animals available to a 1st-level druid and then apply the modifications as appropriate for a 4th-level druid's animal companion, or she can select a typical version of one of the animals available to a 4th-level druid. As a ruatharian beastmaster gains class levels, her animal companion gains Hit Dice and other special abilities just as a druid's animal companion does. Use the ruatharian beastmaster's class level + 3 to determine the animal companion's special abilities. If a ruatharian beastmaster already has an animal companion from another class, her ruatharian beastmaster class levels stack with class levels from all other classes that grant an animal companion. For example, a 5th-level druid/2nd-level ruatharian beastmaster would be treated as a 10th-level druid for the purpose of improving the statistics of her animal companion (and which alternative animal companions she could select).

Alertness: A ruatharian beastmaster's senses grow keen as they learn some of the tricks of the animal kingdom. Accordingly, one gains Alertness as a bonus feat at 2nd level.

Low-Light Vision (Ex): Also at 2th level, a ruatharian beastmaster gains low-light vision, allowing one to see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of shadowy illumination. One retains the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions. If one already has low-light vision from another source (such as their race), one's low-light vision does not improve.

Evasion (Ex): At 2nd level and higher, a ruatharian beastmaster can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with their great agility. If one makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, one instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if the ruatharian beastmaster is wearing light armor or no armor. Being helpless does not gain the benefit of evasion.

Elfwise): You gain the uncanny visual acuity and senses of the elves. You gain a +2 bonus on Search, Spot, and Listen checks. (These bonuses do not stack with an elf's racial bonuses.)

Speak with Animals (Sp): Starting at 4th level, a ruatharian beastmaster can use speak with animals once per day as the spell cast by a caster of their effective character level.

Star Blessing (Su): And at 4th level, you gain a +1 sacred bonus on attack rolls and saving throws while under the night sky (above ground and outside during nighttime only).

Arvandor's Grace (Ex): When you reach 5th level, the love of the elven folk actually changes you, instilling in you a glimmer of elven agelessness. Your racial life span and the lower limit of each of your age categories increase by 50%. If this change places you in a younger age category than you formerly occupied, you retain any ability score bonuses and penalties you previously gained for aging—your aging effectively stalls until you cross a threshold into an age category that's new to you. For example, a human normally reaches middle age at 35, old age at 53, and venerable age at 70, and his maximum age is 2d20 years beyond that. A 3rd-level human ruathar reaches middle age at 52, old age at 79, venerable age at 105, and has a maximum age of 3d20 years beyond that. If a 40-year-old human became a 3rd-level ruathar, his age category would revert to adult. He would retain the —1 penalty to Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution he took when he previously entered middle age at age 35, as well as the +1 bonus to Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma he previously received. He wouldn't age further until age 79, when he would receive the bonuses and penalties for old age. Even elf ruathars can receive Arvandor's grace; such characters are astonishingly long-lived.

Extra Animal Companion (Ex): Also at 5th level, a ruatharian beastmaster gains a second animal companion, chosen from the list of animal companions available to a 1st-level druid. Treat the ruatharian beastmaster as a druid whose level is equal to the ruatharian beastmaster's class level — 3 for the purpose of improving the animal companion's statistics (or of selecting an alternative companion at higher levels).

Ex-Ruatharian Beastmaster

A Ruatharian Beastmaster who is caught ceasing to revere nature by any elven folk aware of his ruatharian status, loses speak with animals & all ruathar abilities (including one's extra animal companion, but not including weapon, armor, and shield proficiencies). They cannot thereafter gain levels as a ruatharian beastmaster. However, a ruatharian beastmaster can regain lost ruatharian beastmaster levels by atoning (see the atonement spell description) as cast by a druid of the elven race.

Campaign Information

Playing a Ruatharian Beastmaster

Combat: Spellcaster in some cases Gish in others Warrior of Nature, tougher and more physically capable than an ordinary Sorcerer or Wizard and with more offense than a Druid or Ranger, the character that chooses this PrC can fill almost any niche the party might require; be it resolution with either magic or by your versatility, strength.

Advancement: Arcane Warrior, Sublime Chord, Champion of Nature, Arcane Hierophant, Feral Druid, Fochlucan Lyrist,

Resources: As with any druid ranger prestige class, Ruatharian Beastmaster is a versatile character. One could can serve as a medic, a impromptu fighter, or an intimidator with ease. one's companions can also provide valuable melee combat support to attack while buffing on same round.

Ruatharian Beastmasters in the World

“	You called me 'a simple ranger', you may want to have a second thought about that? Allow me to show you just how very wrong you are.	”
—Mitatron Iofiel , Aasimar Ruatharian Beastmaster /Champion of Nature

They spend time in the wildest corners of the world, defending forest lands from expanding kingdoms, no they are not tree huggers, they are urban destroyers. A Ruatharian Beastmaster tends to be extrospective and is more comfortable in the presence of unspoiled nature than in the depths of a major metropolitan village. Still, they are not immune to the grasp of adventure, and most share the wanderlust.

NPC Reactions: People tend to think Ruatharian Beastmasters are a little over zealous about the world the live in so they tend to contrive not to meet them.

Ruatharian Beastmaster Lore

Characters with ranks in Knowledge(Nature) or Knowledge Arcana or Knowledge History or the Bardic Knowledge ability can research Ruatharian Beastmaster to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.

Knowledge (History)

DC	Result
11	This might be a beastmaster.
16	Here we have a prime example of a Ruathar...
21	This could be a fabled Ruatharian Beastmaster who earned the title by helping a race of elves who reside in nature.
26	Believe it or not, Ruatharian Beastmasters can be duel casters but since they are typically loners, relying on their animal companions for friendship on their travels most have only seen them use rogue ranger-like powers.

Ruatharian Beastmasters in the Game

Druids and rangers are the most common ruatharian beastmasters, thanks to those characters’ natural link with the animal world. Some barbarians, fighters, or scouts also become ruatharian beastmasters, particularly those with a strong affinity for nature (such as elves or halflings). Characters of other classes rarely pursue this path in hopes for worst.

Adaptation: Ruatharian Beastmasters are mild casters who have balanced a love of nature and combat. While commonly dabbling with other forms of power, they can occur basically near rivers, forests, and great plains.

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