Totem Warrior

Totem warriors are for those who want to be spoiled for choice when playing their bashy smashy martial as there are 6 base animal powers given and suite of special subpowers, and the book gives you info for how to make more so the potentially is nigh limitless. Pretty much everything is determined based on what animal powers they get, additional class skills, hit die, what they can do beyond base powers, all that good stuff.

Role: DPS Tank

Characteristics: Warriors who use a variety of animal powers to assist in combat

Source: Arcana Evolved

Game Rule Information

The Totem Warrior has the following game statistics.

Abilities: Strength or Dexterity for combat (Depends on the totem), Constitution for staying alive, Wisdom for

Alignment: Any

Hit Die: Variable (See below)

Starting Gold: 4d4x10

Class Skills

The Totem Warrior's class skills are The shared class skills are Climb (Str), Craft (any) (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Jump (Str), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Listen (Wis), Ride (Dex), Search (Int), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), and Wilderness Lore (Wis). They gain additional skills based on their specific animal totem.

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 Totem Warrior.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Totem Warrior is proficient with Variable (See below)

Totem Powers: At 1st level, totem warriors gain a special ability based on their chosen totem. The totem warrior gains an additional power at 4th level, and at every four levels thereafter (8th, 12th, 16th, 20th, and 24th).

Bonus Feat: At 2nd level, the totem warrior gets a bonus feat. The totem warrior gains an additional bonus feat at 6th level, plus 10th, 14th, 18th, 21st, 22nd, and 23rd level. These are in addition to the feats a character gets every level.

Draw these bonus feats from the following list: Bloody Strike, Combat Reflexes, Defensive Move (Mobility), Exotic Armor Proficiency, Exotic Weapon Proficiency*, Expertise (Defensive Move, Defensive Stance, Improved Disarm, Improved Trip, Whirlwind Attack), Improved Critical*, Improved Initiative, Point Blank Shot (Far Shot, Precise Shot, Shot on the Run), Power Attack (Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, Sunder), Quick Draw, Stunning Blow, Sturdy, Tough Hide, Track, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus*, Weapon Specialization*.

Some of these feats are ceremonial feats. The character need not go through the ceremony (or pay for it) to get a bonus ceremonial feat; even Unbound characters can gain ceremonial bonus feats in this way. The totem warrior cannot acquire some of these bonus feats until she has gained one or more prerequisite feats; these feats are listed parenthetically after the prerequisite feat. A totem warrior can select feats marked with an asterisk (*) more than once, but it must be for a different weapon each time. The character still must meet all prerequisites for a bonus feat, including ability score and base attack bonus minimums (but not truenames).

Totem Animal Companion: At 3rd level, the totem warrior gains a special animal companion imbued with the direct manifestation of the totem she reveres. The animal appears first in a dream, and then—if the totem warrior is in or near its natural habitat—she finds it waiting for her when she wakes up.

If the character does not treat the animal well—as a companion, not a slave—the animal leaves. The animal’s loyalty is natural (not magical) and lasting.

The character can teach the totem animal three specific and even fairly complex tricks or tasks for each point of Intelligence it possesses. Examples include fetching an item or carrying a message.

From 3rd level on, the animal gains a Hit Die with each class level the character advances, along with all the subsequent benefits that entails—better saves, attack bonus, and so on. Further, for every four levels it advances, the animal may raise one ability score by 1 point (like a character) and increase its Intelligence score by 1.

If the animal dies, a new animal will come to the totem warrior in 1d10 + 10 days, if the warrior spends that time in the animal’s natural environment. The new animal has the stats of the animal that died, and it continues gaining Hit Dice as the character gains levels.

Totem Animal Bond Su: The 7th-level and higher totem warrior enjoys an empathic bond with her totem animal companion as long as they are within one mile of each other. The warrior knows the animal’s general condition and well-being and can understand basic, emotional messages from it: “danger,” “safety,” “food,” or “water.” The totem warrior can send similar mental messages or information to the animal as well. Further, the totem warrior gains an empathic rapport with all animals of the creature’s general type See Table 1-2: Animal Rapport.

This rapport allows the warrior to stop an animal of the appropriate type from attacking her by making a Handle Animal check (DC 10 + the animal’s HD + animal’s Charisma modifier). If the animal is not hostile, she can make a similar check to try to gain some very general information from it about the surroundings: “safe,” “full of danger,” “sparsely populated,” “crowded,” and so on.

Totem Spirit Companion Su: The 9th-level totem warrior and beyond can speak directly with the spirit of her totem once per day, asking a yes or no question. The totem spirit is not omniscient. It knows all observable facts about the present, and thus can always answer questions like, “Is there a hostile creature on the other side of this wall?” or “Is Veruth the giant in his castle right now?” It has a 75 percent chance, plus 1 percent per level of the totem warrior, to know the answer to a question about the past, such as, “Was this forest destroyed by goblins?” It never knows the answer to a question pertaining to the future or to the thoughts of another, such as, “Can I climb Mount Realmor?” or “Does Veruth know where the king’s jewels are?”

Totem Animal Speech Su: Beginning at 11th level, the totem warrior can speak to and understand (as if it could speak) her totem animal companion and all animals of its general type (see previous table).

Totem Body Su: At 25th level, the totem warrior becomes so closely bonded with her totem and with the natural world (and the spirits within it) that if she is slain she automatically and instantly is reborn on the spot as a newly created animal appropriate to her totem (advanced as an animal companion appropriate for her level), but with all her memories and intellect still intact, as if she had used her totem power ability to change into the shape of her totem animal. The totem warrior’s original body remains undisturbed. In animal form, the totem warrior can take whatever actions she wishes, perhaps avenging her death and remaining in the animal form forever or attempting to restore her real body back to life (at which point her animal body disappears). No magic, other than that which will restore the dead to life, can transform the animal form of the warrior back to her original form. If the totem warrior’s new animal form dies, she is simply dead (as normal).

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special
1st	+1	+2	+0	+0	Totem power
2nd	+2	+3	+0	+0	Bonus feat
3rd	+3	+3	+1	+1	Totem animal companion
4th	+4	+4	+1	+1	Totem power
5th	+5	+4	+1	+1	—
6th	+6/+1	+5	+2	+2	Bonus feat
7th	+7/+2	+5	+2	+2	Totem animal bond
8th	+8/+3	+6	+2	+2	Totem power
9th	+9/+4	+6	+3	+3	Totem spirit companion
10th	+10/+5	+7	+3	+3	Bonus feat
11th	+11/+6/+1	+7	+3	+3	Totem animal speech
12th	+12/+7/+2	+8	+4	+4	Totem power
13th	+13/+8/+3	+8	+4	+4	—
14th	+14/+9/+4	+9	+4	+4	Bonus feat
15th	+15/+10/+5	+9	+5	+5	—
16th	+16/+11/+6/+1	+10	+5	+5	Totem power
17th	+17/+12/+7/+2	+10	+5	+5	—
18th	+18/+13/+8/+3	+11	+6	+6	Bonus feat
19th	+19/+14/+9/+4	+11	+6	+6	—
20th	+20/+15/+10/+5	+12	+6	+6	Totem power
21st	+21/+16/+11/+6/+1	+12	+7	+7	Bonus feat
22nd	+22/+17/+12/+7/+2	+13	+7	+7	Bonus feat
23rd	+23/+18/+13/+8/+3	+13	+7	+7	Bonus feat
24th	+24/+19/+14/+9/+4	+14	+8	+8	Totem power
25th	+25/+20/+15/+10/+5	+14	+8	+8	Totem Body

Table 1-2: Animal Rapport

Totem Animal	Rapport with...
Bear	All bears
Hawk	All birds
Shark	All fish
Snake	All reptiles
Wolf	All canines
Wolverine	All small mammals

Bear Totem

Hit Dice

d12

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

The bear totem warrior is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, as well as medium and light armor, and shields.

Animal Companion

Black bear. The bear itself does not have to be a black bear, but use the stats for a black bear. At 6 HD, the bear becomes size Large.

Totem Powers

The bear totem warrior earns these powers as he gains levels:

• 1st Level—Hide of the Bear (Ex): The bear totem warrior gains a +1 natural armor bonus to Armor Class until 8th level, whereupon the bonus becomes +2. It increases by +1 every four class levels thereafter.

• 4th Level—Strength of the Bear (Ex): The bear totem warrior can call upon his totem spirit to imbue him with great physical power. He gains a +2 enhancement bonus to Strength for 10 minutes per totem warrior level. This ability, usable once per day, is a free action to activate.

• 8th Level—Reach of the Bear (Ex): Due to his skills at lunging and making long, wide attacks, the bear totem warrior gains +5-foot reach when making one attack in a given round. Because such sweeping attacks leave him somewhat open, though, he suffers a –2 circumstance penalty to Armor Class until his next turn any time he uses this ability. The ability does not change the bear warrior’s size and is usable only by characters of at least size Small. The ability does not change the bear warrior’s threatened area, nor does it apply to off-hand attacks.

• 12th Level—Shape of the Bear (Su): The bear totem warrior can take on the form and stats of a bear totem animal companion appropriate to his level: in other words, a black bear’s stats with +1 HD for every level he has above 3rd. He can take this form once per day for up to 10 minutes per class level.

• 16th Level—Claws of the Bear (Su): At will, as a free action, the bear totem warrior can produce claws that inflict 1d12 points of damage. The warrior is proficient with the claws but does not gain any special skill in using them both in the same round (he does not get Ambidexterity or Two-Weapon Fighting for free). Because these claws are treated as weapons, the bear warrior is always considered armed. If he is size Tiny or smaller, the claws inflict only 1d10 points of damage.

• 20th Level—Ferocity of the Bear (Ex): Once per day, the bear totem warrior can take on a bear’s ferocity, gaining a +8 enhancement bonus to Strength and Constitution for 1 round per class level. Activating this ability is a free action.

• 24th Level—Size of the Bear (Ex): The bear totem warrior increases one size category permanently. Adjust attack bonuses and Armor Class accordingly, as well as reach, grapple check modifiers, and certain skill modifiers (such as Sneak and Tumble).

Hawk Totem

Hit Dice

d8

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

The hawk totem warrior is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, and light and medium armors as well as shields.

Additional Class Skills

Balance (Dex) and Knowledge (geography) (Int).

Special

All hawk totem warriors gain a +1 dodge bonus to Armor Class.

Animal Companion

A 2 HD hawk with these stat modifications: HD 2d8 (8 hp); Attacks claws +6 melee (1d4–1 damage); Fortitude save bonus +3, Reflex save bonus +6; Strength 8. At 4 HD, it becomes size Small, at 8 HD it becomes size Medium, and at 12 HD it becomes size Large.

Totem Powers

The hawk totem warrior earns these powers as she gains levels:

• 1st Level—Accuracy of the Hawk (Ex): The hawk totem warrior gains the Point Blank Shot feat for free.

• 4th Level—Shape of the Hawk (Su): The hawk totem warrior can take on the form and stats of a hawk totem animal companion appropriate to her level: in other words, the special 2 HD hawk (see above) with +1 HD for every level she has above 3rd. She can take this form once per day for up to 10 minutes per class level.

• 8th Level—Eyes of the Hawk (Ex): The hawk totem warrior gains a +4 competence bonus to Search and Spot and the Far Shot feat for free.

• 12th Level—Flight (Su): Once per day, as a standard action, the hawk totem warrior grows wings that last for 10 minutes per class level. These wings allow her to fly at double her normal speed with average maneuverability.

• 16th level—Speed of the Hawk (Su): Up to 1 round per four class levels per day, the hawk totem warrior can take an additional standard action during a round.

• 20th Level—Swooping Strike (Ex): While flying, a hawk totem warrior can make a charge attack that inflicts damage as if the weapon inflicted a critical hit—even if striking a foe normally immune to critical hits. If the swooping strike attack inflicts an actual critical hit, increase the critical’s multiplier by +1; thus, a longsword inflicts a × 3 critical hit, while a greataxe inflicts a × 4 critical hit. If the swooping strike attack misses, the ability is still considered used for that day. A swooping strike does not trigger special effects that occur only when critical hits occur, such as the decapitating power of a vorpal weapon. The hawk totem warrior can use this ability only once per day for every point of her Dexterity bonus (minimum once per day).

• 24th Level—Grace of the Hawk (Ex): The hawk totem warrior gains a permanent, inherent +4 bonus to Dexterity. Further, her wings (as described under the 12th-level hawk totem power, flight) become a permanent, natural part of her at all times.

Shark Totem

Hit Dice

d10

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

The shark totem warrior is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, and light and medium armors as well as shields.

Additional Class Skills

Knowledge (sailing and navigation) (Int).

Special

All shark totem warriors gain a +2 inherent bonus to Swim check.

Animal Companion

Medium shark. At 7 HD the shark becomes size Large. At 10 HD it becomes size Huge.

Totem Powers

1st Level—Skin of the Shark (Ex): The shark totem warrior gains a +1 natural armor bonus to Armor Class until 8th level, whereupon the bonus becomes +2. It increases by +1 every four class levels thereafter.

• 4th Level—Breathe Water (Su): The shark totem warrior can breathe water as easily as air.

• 8th Level—Shape of the Shark (Su): The shark totem warrior can take on the form and stats of a shark totem animal companion appropriate to his level: in other words, a Medium shark’s stats with +1 HD for every level he has above 3rd. He can take this form once per day for up to 10 minutes per class level.

• 12th Level—Senses of the Shark (Ex): The shark totem warrior gains the Scent ability.

• 16th Level—Savagery of the Shark (Ex): The shark totem warrior learns to inflict savage, bloody wounds. On the first attack the totem warrior makes in a round, the foe (if struck) bleeds at the rate of 1 hit point per round until the wound is bound or he receives magical healing.

• 20th Level—Blood Frenzy (Ex): If blood is present within 10 feet of the shark totem warrior, he can go into a frenzied state, gaining a +4 circumstance bonus to Strength and Constitution for up to 1 round per class level. He can use this ability once per day.

• 24th Level—Bite of the Shark (Ex): The shark totem warrior’s head and mouth widen, the mouth filling with rows of daggerlike teeth akin to those of a shark. The shark totem warrior gains a bite attack that he can make at his highest attack bonus in addition to other attacks made during a full attack action (with no penalty to the other attacks). The bite attack inflicts 1d8 points of damage (plus Strength modifiers). In addition, the shark totem warrior gains the Weapon Focus, Weapon Specialization, and Improved Critical feats for this natural weapon attack (giving the attack a +1 bonus, the damage a +2 bonus, and making the threat range of the attack 19–20).

Small shark totem warriors inflict 1d6 points of damage with their bite, and Tiny warriors inflict 1d4 points. Large shark totem warriors inflict 2d6 points of damage.

Snake Totem

Hit Dice

d8

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

The snake totem warrior is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, as well as agile exotic weapons, medium and light armors, and shields.

Special

All snake totem warriors gain a +1 inherent bonus to Reflex saving throws and a +1 dodge bonus to Armor Class.

Animal Companion

Small viper. At 2 HD, the viper becomes size Medium. At 6 HD, the viper becomes size Large.

Totem Powers

A snake totem warrior earns these powers as she gains levels:

• 1st Level—Quickness of the Snake (Ex): The snake totem warrior gains a +2 competence bonus to Initiative checks.

• 4th Level—Shape of the Snake (Su): The snake totem warrior can take on the form and stats of a snake totem animal companion appropriate to her level: in other words, a Small viper’s stats with +1 HD for every level she has above 3rd. She can take this form once per day for up to 10 minutes per class level.

• 8th Level—Scales of the Serpent (Ex): The snake totem warrior gains a +3 natural armor bonus to Armor Class, which increases by +1 every four class levels thereafter. Small, multihued scales visibly cover the snake warrior’s skin.

• 12th Level—Hypnotism (Sp): The snake totem warrior’s mesmerizing stare causes one or two creatures within 30 feet to stop and stare blankly at her, hypnotized, for 2d4 rounds unless they make a Will saving throw (DC 10 + half the totem warrior’s class levels + totem warrior’s Charisma bonus). The snake warrior can use their rapt attention to make her suggestions and requests seem more plausible. Only creatures that can see the snake warrior are affected. They do not need to understand her language to be hypnotized.

If the warrior uses this ability in combat, the targets gain a +2 bonus to their saving throws. If the hypnosis affects only a single creature not in combat at the time, the saving throw has a penalty of –2. While hypnotized, a creature suffers a –4 penalty to Spot and Listen checks. Any potential threat allows the creature a second saving throw. Any obvious threat automatically breaks the hypnotism, as does shaking or slapping the creature. A hypnotized creature’s ally may shake it free of the hypnosis as a standard action.

While the subject is hypnotized, the snake totem warrior can make a suggestion or request (provided she can communicate with it), which the subject will carry out to the best of his ability. The suggestion must be brief and reasonable—a subject will not harm himself or his friends. The suggested course of activity can continue for up to one hour. If the subject can complete the suggested activity in a shorter time, the effect ends when he finishes what the snake warrior asked him to do. The warrior can instead specify conditions that will trigger a special activity during the duration. If the condition does not occur before the duration expires, the hypnotized creature does not perform the activity.

A very reasonable suggestion causes the hypnotized creature to attempt the save with a penalty (such as –1, –2, etc.), at the DM’s discretion. Even once the hypnosis ends, the affected creature reacts to the snake warrior as though she were two steps more friendly than her actual attitude. A creature that fails its saving throw does not remember that the snake warrior hypnotized it.

The snake warrior can use this ability once per day.

• 16th Level—Poison Immunity (Ex): The snake totem warrior is immune to the effects of all poisons.

• 20th Level—Reflexes of the Snake (Ex): The snake totem warrior gains a +2 competence bonus to Armor Class and to Reflex saving throws. Further, she never loses her Dexterity bonus to Armor Class when caught flat footed.

• 24th Level—Bite of the Shark (Ex): The shark totem warrior’s head and mouth widen, the mouth filling with rows of daggerlike teeth akin to those of a shark. The shark totem warrior gains a bite attack that he can make at his highest attack bonus in addition to other attacks made during a full attack action (with no penalty to the other attacks). The bite attack inflicts 1d8 points of damage (plus Strength modifiers). In addition, the shark totem warrior gains the Weapon Focus, Weapon Specialization, and Improved Critical feats for this natural weapon attack (giving the attack a +1 bonus, the damage a +2 bonus, and making the threat range of the attack 19–20).

Small shark totem warriors inflict 1d6 points of damage with their bite, and Tiny warriors inflict 1d4 points. Large shark totem warriors inflict 2d6 points of damage.

Wolf Totem

Hit Dice

d10

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

The wolf totem warrior is proficient with all simple and martial weapons and heavy, medium, and light armor, and shields.

Additional Class Skills

Knowledge (geography) (Int) and Move Silently (Dex).

Special

All wolf totem warriors gain a +1 inherent bonus to Will saving throws.

Animal Companion

Wolf. At 8 HD, it becomes size Large.

Totem Powers

The wolf totem warrior earns these powers as he gains levels:

• 1st Level—Speed of the Wolf (Ex): The wolf totem warrior gains +10 feet to his ground speed.

• 4th Level—Cunning of the Wolf (Ex): The wolf totem warrior enjoys a +2 enhancement bonus to Wisdom.

• 8th Level—Shape of the Wolf (Su): The wolf totem warrior can take on the form and stats of a wolf totem animal companion appropriate to his level: in other words, a wolf’s stats with +1 HD for every level he has above 3rd. He can take this form once per day for up to 10 minutes per class level.

• 12th Level—Senses of the Wolf (Ex): The wolf totem warrior gains the scent ability (see scent tracker spell) and a +4 competence bonus to Listen, Search, and Spot checks.

• 16th Level—Moon Affinity (Su): The wolf totem warrior enjoys low-light vision and the ability to ask his totem spirit companion an additional yes or no question once each night under the light of the moon.

• 20th Level—Wolfpack (Sp): With a baying howl, the wolf totem warrior summons a pack of wolves. At his summons, 10 + 1d6 dire wolves appear and do as he commands. They disappear after 1 round per class level. The wolf totem warrior can use this ability once per day.

• 24th Level—Howl of Terror (Su): Three times per day, the wolf totem warrior can loose a howl that causes foes to freeze in fear. Those within 50 feet of the warrior who can hear the howl must make a Will saving throw (DC 10 + half the totem warrior’s class levels + his Charisma modifier) or be paralyzed for 1d4 rounds and shaken for the next 10 rounds after that.