Animal Lord

Requirements

Base Attack Bonus: +5

Alignment: Neutral good, lawful neutral, neutral, chaotic neutral, or neutral evil

Skills: Handle Animal 4 ranks, Knowledge (nature) 2 ranks

Apelord: Climb 4, Toughness

Bearlord: Intimidate 4, Endurance

Birdlord: Spot 4, Wingover

Catlord: Move Silently 4, Weapon Finesse

Horselord: Jump 4, Run

Sharklord: Swim 4, Improved Swimming

Snakelord: Escape Artist 4, Combat Reflexes

Wolflord: Survival 4, Track

Summary

For an animal lord, a humanoid form is simply an accident of birth. In spirit, he belongs with the wild pack of wolves, the running herd of horses, or the dancing school of fish. His nearly hairless, two-legged form is a hindrance to being one with his true kind, but it is a hindrance he can overcome.

Each animal lord forms a bond with one group of animals. Apelords, bearlords, birdlords, catlords, horselords, sharklords, snakelords, and wolflords all exist. Animals in his selected group accept an animal lord as a kindred soul and a leader. They offer him their support, and he watches over them in turn.

Individual animal lords approach their calling in different ways. Some are simple defenders of their kind, content to live as part of the natural cycle of predator and prey. Others, believing that nature’s creatures are meant to guard and ultimately improve this world, use their gifts to do good. Still others lead their animal brothers and sisters down a path of selfishness or vengeance.

Barbarians, rangers, and druids are the most likely characters to adopt this class. Barbarians prefer the more physically powerful options, including apelord, bearlord, and horselord. Rangers gravitate toward the stealthier selections, such as catlord and wolflord. Most birdlords are druids with the ability to use wild shape, but druids are equally likely to select any type of animal to bond with. Some scouts, rogues, and even rare monks find this path rewarding as well. Among the races, elves and half-elves are the most common examples of animal lords due to their close bond to nature.

A character can choose this prestige class more than once but must select a different group of associated animals and start at 1st level each time. Levels of different animal lord classes do not stack when determining level-based class features.

Role: DPS

Characteristics: Leaders of certain groups of animals they preside over

Source: Complete Adventurer

Game Rule Information

The Animal Lord has the following game statistics.

Abilities: The stat you'll want to prioritize is based on the animal lord path you pick. Apelords for an example will want to prioritize strength, whereas the Wolflord may prioritize wisdom for the tracking abilities they get.

Alignment: Neutral good, lawful neutral, neutral, chaotic neutral, or neutral evil

Hit Die: d10

Starting Gold: N/A

Class Skills

The Animal Lord's class skills are Climb (Str), Escape Artist (Dex), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Search (Int), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), and Wilderness Lore (Wis).

Skill Points at 1st Level: (4 + Int modifier) × 4

Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the Animal Lord.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Animal Lord is proficient with whatever they were already proficient with prior to taking levels in this class.

Animal Bond Ex: An animal lord develops a bond with animals of his selected group (see below). He gains a +4 bonus on Handle Animal and wild empathy checks made to influence animals from his chosen group. If an animal lord has the animal companion class feature, he adds his animal lord level to his effective druid level for the purposes of determining his animal companion's bonus Hit Dice, special abilities, and so forth.

The eight groups of animals included here, along with examples taken from the Monster Manual, are as follows.

Apelord: ape, baboon, dire ape, monkey.

Bearlord: black bear, brown bear, dire bear, polar bear.

Birdlord: eagle, giant eagle, giant owl, hawk, owl, raven.

Catlord: cat, cheetah, dire lion, dire tiger, leopard, lion, tiger.

Horselord: horse (all), pony, warpony.

Sharklord: dire shark, shark (all).

Snakelord: constrictor, giant constrictor, viper (all).

Wolflord: dire wolf, wolf.

These creatures are included even though they are not of the animal type.

Detect Animals Sp: Beginning at 1st level, an animal lord can detect the presence of any animals of his selected group at will, as if using Detect Animals or plants with a caster level equal to his class level.

Wild Empathy Ex: An animal lord can improve the attitude of an animal. See the Druid class feature. If an animal lord has wild empathy from another class, his level stack for determining the bonus.

First Totem: At 2nd level, an animal lord gains a +4 bonus on checks made with a specific skill, determined by his selected group as follows. Apelord: Climb

Bearlord: Intimidate

Birdlord: Spot

Catlord: Move Silently

Horselord: Jump

Sharklord: Swim

Snakelord: Escape Artist

Wolflord: Wilderness Lore.

Low-Light Vision Ex: At 2nd level, an animal lord gains low-light vision, allowing him to see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of shadowy illumination. He retains the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions. If an animal lord already has low-light vision from another source (such as his race), his low-light vision improves, allowing him to see three times as far as a human in conditions of shadowy illumination.

Wild Aspect Su: At 3rd level and higher, an animal lord can take on an aspect of the animals of his selected group. Assuming a wild aspect is a swift action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity. Unless otherwise noted, the effect lasts for 1 minute per level. An animal lord can use this ability once per day at 3rd level, plus one additional time per day for every three levels gained after 3rd (twice per day at 6th level and three times per day at 9th level). When an animal lord reaches 7th level, his wild aspect becomes more powerful, as described below.

If an animal lord has the wild shape ability, he can spend one daily use of wild shape to assume his wild aspect instead (the duration is as normal for the wild aspect). If an animal lord already has a natural attack of the type gained by his wild aspect, use whichever damage figure is superior while the wild aspect is active. If an animal lord wields a weapon while using his wild aspect, he can use the natural attacks gained as natural secondary weapons if he uses his weapon as a primary attack, provided they are still available (an apelord couldn't use a secondary claw attack, for example, if he wields a two-handed weapon).

Apelord: An apelord gains two primary claw attacks. Each claw deals 1d4 points of damage (or 1d3 points for Small apelords). If an apelord hits an opponent with both claw attacks, he rends the foe for an additional 2d4 points of damage (or 2d3 points for Small apelords), plus 1-1/2 times his Strength bonus. At 7th level, the claw damage increases to 1d6 points (or 1d4 points for Small apelords) and the rend damage to 2d6 points (or 2d4 points for Small apelords).

Bearlord: A bearlord gains two primary claw attacks. Each claw deals 1d4 points of damage (or 1d3 points for Small bearlords). If a bearlord hits with a claw attack, he can attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking attacks of opportunity. The bearlord still follows all the other normal grappling rules. At 7th level, the claw damage increases to 1d6 points (or 1d4 points for Small bearlords).

Birdlord: A birdlord grows feathery wings, allowing him to fly at his base land speed (average maneuverability). At 7th level, the duration increases to 10 minutes per level.

Catlord: A catlord gains two primary claw attacks. Each claw deals 1d4 points of damage (or 1d3 points for Small catlords). If a catlord charges, he can attack with both claws at the end of his charge. At 7th level, the claw damage increases to 1d6 points (or 1d4 points for Small catlords).

Horselord: A horselord's speed, as well as the speed of any horse upon which he rides, improves by 10 feet for a duration of 1 hour per level. At 7th level, the speed increase improves to 20 feet.

Sharklord: A sharklord gains a devastating bite as a primary natural attack. The bite deals 1d8 points of damage (or 1d6 points for Small sharklords). A sharklord also gains the ability to breathe water while his wild aspect is active. At 7th level, the bite damage increases to 2d6 points (or 1d8 points for Small sharklords).

Snakelord: A snakelord gains a poisonous bite as a primary natural attack for 1 round per level. This bite deals 1d4 points of damage (or 1d3 points for Small snakelords). The poison's Fortitude save DC is 10 + animal lord level + Con modifier, and it deals initial and secondary damage of 1d3 points of Constitution. At 7th level, the bite damage increases to 1d6 points (or 1d4 points for Small snakelords), and the initial and secondary poison damage increases to 1d4 points of Constitution.

Wolflord: A wolflord gains the scent ability (see page 314 of the Monster Manual) for 10 minutes per level. At 7th level, the duration increases to 1 hour per level.

Speak With Animals Sp: Beginning at 4th level, an animal lord can use Speak With Animals (as the spell) once per day to converse with animals of his selected group.

Summon Animal Sp: Beginning at 5th level, an animal lord can summon one or more animals of his selected group once per day. This ability functions identically to Summon Nature's Ally V, except that an animal lord can summon creatures only from his selected group, as detailed below. The duration of the effect is 1 minute per class level.

Apelord: 1d3 dire apes or 1d4+1 apes.

Bearlord: 1 polar bear, 1d3 brown bears, or 1d4+1 black bears.

Birdlord: 1d4+1 eagles, giant eagles (non-evil only), giant owls (non-evil only), hawks, ravens, or owls.

Catlord: 1 dire lion, 1d3 tigers, or 1d4+1 lions.

Horselord: 1d4+1 heavy horses, heavy warhorses, light horses, light warhorses, ponies, or warponies.

Sharklord: 1d3 Huge sharks 2 or 1d4+1 Large sharks (Must be summoned in an aquatic environment).

Snakelord: 1 giant constrictor snake, 1d3 Huge vipers, or 1d4+1 constrictor snakes or Large vipers.

Wolflord: 1d4+1 dire wolves or wolves.

Second Totem: At 6th level, an animal lord gains a bonus feat related to his selected group, even if he doesn't meet the prerequisites. If the animal lord already has the feat, he can choose any other feat for which he meets the prerequisites.

Apelord: Brachiation

Bearlord: Improved Grapple

Birdlord: Flyby Attack

Catlord: Lightning Reflexes

Horselord: Trample

Sharklord: Improved Critical (Bite)

Snakelord: Improved Initiative

Wolflord: Improved Trip.

Animal Growth Sp: Once per day, an animal lord of 7th level or higher can use Animal Growth on a single animal from his selected group as a swift action as a spellcaster of his class level. This ability otherwise functions just like the spell.

Animal Telepathy Su: Beginning at 8th level, an animal lord can converse telepathically with any animal of his selected group that he can see within 100 feet.

Third Totem: At 10th level, an animal lord gains a permanent 2-point increase to one of his ability scores, determined by his chosen animal group as follows.

Apelord: +2 Strength

Bearlord: +2 Constitution

Birdlord: +2 Wisdom

Catlord: +2 Dexterity

Horselord: +2 Constitution

Sharklord: +2 Strength

Snakelord: +2 Charisma

Wolflord: +2 Strength

Table 1-1: Animal Lord Progression

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special
1st	+1	+2	+2	+0	Animal bond, detect animals, wild empathy
2nd	+2	+3	+3	+0	First totem, low-light vision
3rd	+3	+3	+3	+1	Wild aspect 1/day
4th	+4	+4	+4	+1	Speak with animals
5th	+5	+4	+4	+1	Summon animal
6th	+6	+5	+5	+2	Second totem, wild aspect 2/day
7th	+7	+5	+5	+2	Animal growth
8th	+8	+6	+6	+2	Animal telepathy
9th	+9	+6	+6	+3	Wild aspect 3/day
10th	+10	+7	+7	+3	Third totem