Survivor (3.5e Class)

Survivor

The survivor is prepared for all conflicts, ready to step in front of a magic blast or a trap to save an ally while making no sacrifice. A Survivor receives benefits to armor, saving throws, and damage reduction while shunning man-made armor and protection.

Making a Survivor

While a Survivor is the ideal protector of the party, she has difficulties in dealing out as much damage as other classes.

Abilities: Constitution improves most Survivor class abilities. Strength and Dexterity aid combat and skill usage.

Races: This class may be taken by any race, but nature-affiliated races have a slightly higher tendency towards it.

Alignment: Any.

Starting Gold: 2d8×10 gp (90 gp).

Starting Age: Simple.

Table: The Survivor

Hit Die: d12

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws			Special
		Fort	Ref	Will
1st	+0	+2	+2	+2	Survivor’s Armor
2nd	+1	+3	+3	+3	Rapid Recovery
3rd	+2	+3	+3	+3	Survivor’s Saves, Endurance
4th	+3	+4	+4	+4	Enhanced Recovery
5th	+3	+4	+4	+4	Survivor’s Resistance
6th	+4	+5	+5	+5	Survivor’s Armor +1, Live Long +2
7th	+5	+5	+5	+5	Damage Reduction 1/-
8th	+6/1	+6	+6	+6	Improved Rapid Recovery
9th	+6/1	+6	+6	+6	Damage Reduction 2/-
10th	+7/2	+7	+7	+7	Survivor’s Armor +2
11th	+8/3	+7	+7	+7	Damage Reduction 3/-
12th	+9/4	+8	+8	+8	Live Long +4
13th	+9/4	+8	+8	+8	Improved Survivor’s Resistance
14th	+10/5	+9	+9	+9	Damage Reduction 4/-
15th	+11/6/1	+9	+9	+9	Survivor’s Armor +3
16th	+12/7/2	+10	+10	+10	Damage Reduction 5/-, Improved Enhanced Reovery
17th	+12/7/2	+10	+10	+10	Damage Reduction 6/-
18th	+13/8/3	+11	+11	+11	Live Long +6
19th	+14/9/4	+11	+11	+11	Damage Reduction 7/-
20th	+15/10/5	+12	+12	+12	Damage Reduction 8/-, Survivor's Armor +4
Class Skills (2 + Int modifier per level, ×4 at 1st level) Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Ride (Dex), Swim (Str), Survival (Wis).

Class Features

The Survivor scoffs at death and damage, finding it worthy only for the enemy. All of the following are class features of the Survivor.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: All simple and martial weapons, no armor or shields.

Survivor’s Armor (Ex): When unarmored and unencumbered, the survivor adds her constitution bonus (if any) to her AC. In addition, a survivor gains a +1 bonus to AC at 6th level, and another +1 every level after that divisible by five.
These bonuses to AC apply even against touch attacks or when the survivor is flat-footed. She loses these bonuses when she is immobilized or helpless, when she wears any armor, or when she carries a medium or heavy load.

Rapid Recovery (Ex): Starting at level 2 the Survivor gains the ability to recover from wounds at an enhanced rate. The survivor heals 5 hit points every hour. This healing is part of the survivor's natural healing process, the same as taking an extended rest, as such while the healing can delay death it does not help to stabalize a dying survivor.

Survivor’s Saves (Ex): A survivor uses her endurance to stave of magic and other harmful effects and as such gains her constitution bonus as an insight bonus to saves. The Diehard and Endurance feats together give another +1 bonus to saves of the same type that stacks with the original bonus.

Enhanced Recovery (Ex): A Survivor's body is used to recovering from terrible injuries and as such her body's hardiness accelerates natural healing. Starting at 4th level increase natural healing (such as that gained from taking an extended rest or the rapid healing ability) received by the survivor by an amount equal to half her constitution bonus. Note: This healing doesn't increase that gained by regeneration, Fast healing or healing spells and potions.

Survivor's Resistance (Ex): Whenever a save is allowed for a lesser or half effect and the survivor makes her save, the effect is negated instead.

Endurance (Ex): A Survivor gets Endurance as a bonus feat.

Improved Survivor's Resistance (Ex): The survivor's resistance improves, making effects that allow a save for a lesser or half effect when succeeded have that lesser effect when she fails her save, and the spell is negated when she makes her save.

Live Long (Ex): A Survivor gets a +2 bonus on survival checks. Every six levels, this bonus increases by two.

Improved Rapid Recovery (Ex): From 8th level The Rapid Recovery effect is now applied every minute instead of every hour.

Improved Enhanced Recovery (Ex): Starting at 16th level Enhanced Recovery now applies to magical healing effects including regeneration and fast healing.

Epic Survivor

Table: The Epic Survivor

Hit Die: d12

Level	Special
21st
22nd	Damage Reduction 10/-
23rd
24th	Damage Reduction 12/-
25th	Survivor’s Armor +5
26th	Damage Reduction 14/-
27th
28th	Damage Reduction 16/-
29th
30th	Survivor’s Armor +6, Damage Reduction 18/-
2 + Int modifier skill points per level.

Damage Reduction: Every other epic level, increase Damage Reduction by 2.

Survivor's Armor: Increases Armor bonus by one every fifth epic level.

Human Survivor Starting Package

Weapons: Heavy Flail.

Skill Selection: Pick a number of skills equal to 2 + Int modifier.

Skill	Ranks	Ability	Armor Check Penalty
Climb	4	STR	—
Survival	4	WIS	—

Feat: Weapon Focus (Heavy Flail).

Bonus Feats: Endurance.

Gold: 75g.

Campaign Information

Playing a Survivor

Religion: While survivors as a class have an arbitrary attitude towards the divine, worshippers tend to accept gods with portfolios such as Nature, Hunting, and Life.

Other Classes: While survivors view most other classes as inherently fragile, they will gladly defend them, as well as recognize their purpose to be important.

Combat: This class is best used when the target of every opponent; survivors should be prepared for any offensive against them.

Advancement: While pure survivors strive to attain all defensive options possible, some multi-class to other classes with defensive features, such as rogue, or to offensive classes to balance between damage and defense, as with fighter. To better protect the party, others take a healing class such as cleric. Few survivors take prestige classes, though some have an appeal; for example, the Duelist's defensive features, or the Shadowdancer's. Also, lawful Dwarves often move on to become Dwarven Defenders.

Survivors in the World

“	As the torturer approached my room in the tower, I let out a bellowing laugh upon seeing his feeble stature. "You could not even break my skin, cretin! Descend from this tower and find me a competent torturer." Ignoring my taunts, he proceeded to test his instruments against me. Unsurprisingly, he could not harm me; steel bent against my skin, magic glanced off me, and even their cage of Hellspawn could not bring me to the pain he desired. Disgusted, the small man proceeded down the list to other souls who would have less fortunate sessions.	”
—Andax the Odd, Dwarven Survivor

A Survivor can be found in many places throughout the world, and may ideally thrive anywhere. A city, a forest, a mountain, or even a deserted island, are all suitable survivor residences.

Daily Life: Whatever one can to get by and to thrive.

Notables: If you've ever met a man who's returned from an isolated terrain; a small, unpopulated island; or the wastelands of the hells, you've met a changed man. A Survivor.

Organizations: Survivors do not gravitate towards each other, though they can often recognize one another.

NPC Reactions: Many members of society see Survivors as thrifty, shady folk, willing to do anything for themselves. However, some recognize Survivors as a representation of one of man's primal desires: to live.

Survivor Lore

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

<-the appropriate skills->

DC	Result
5	Survivors often keep to themselves.
10	Survivors have no direct affiliation with nature.
15	They have no direct resistance to death.
20	Survivors will aid others before themselves if they would not make any lethal sacrifice.

Survivors in the Game

While Survivors tend to stay out of the way of the rest of the world, they do like to keep up on events that may threaten them and others. In these times of need, they rise up to challenge these threats.

Adaptation: Not much, but some Survivor variations may have Spell Resistance or other specific protections.

Sample Encounter: A Survivor opposing PCs may find their quest or goal disruptive of their own survival, taking it into their own hands to stop such endeavors. They may enlist the aid of other, like-minded creatures or people.

EL 14: As the small band of adventurers approaches the entrance to the Cave of the Entombed, they notice a towering figure in their way. The Half-Orc annouces, "you shall not awaken the Dragon Bringer, for his rebirth would destroy these mountains and all who reside in them. I must make a stand against you, and, if need be, all who would enter this cave. "

	Graub St'en, 14th level Survivor
Size/Type:	Medium Humanoid (Orc)
Hit Dice:	14d12+70 (163 hp)
Initiative:	+3
Speed:	30 ft.
Armor Class:	21 (+8 Survivor, +3 Dex), touch 21, flat-footed 18
Base Attack/Grapple:	+10/+13
Attack:	Greatclub +15 (1d10+4)
Full Attack:	Greatclub +15/8 (1d10+4)
Space/Reach:	5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks:	—
Special Qualities:	Survivor's Resistance, Improved Survivor's Resistance, DR 4/-, Darkvision 60 ft.
Saves:	Fort +21, Ref +19, Will +16
Abilities:	Str 16, Dex 16, Con 21, Int 6, Wis 11, Cha 10
Skills:	Survival +14
Feats:	Endurance, Diehard, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (Greatclub), Cleave
Environment:	Any
Organization:	Any
Challenge Rating:	14
Treasure:	Standard + Amulet of Health +2
Alignment:	Any
Advancement:	—
Level Adjustment:	—

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