The druid is a creature of many habitats, and the average druid is able to make himself at home in the mountain heights as easily as in the depths of the forest. But some druids, particularly the druids of marine races, feel the call of the primal deeps. These druids seek to understand the life patterns that ebb and flow with its currents; they embrace the power of the oceans. The ocean answers the wavekeeper’s call, with awesome and devastating results.

In order to become a wavekeeper, a character must be drawn to the sea. This is not the exclusive province of aquatic races—some land-dwellers show more love and concern for the sea than the average aquatic elf or merfolk—but this prestige class is far more common among the aquatic peoples.

Characters with animal companions benefit greatly from this class, so druids and rangers excel as wavekeepers. In the Circle Beneath the Waves, druids make up the majority of this prestige class, although some rangers who have sworn to defend the circle take levels in this class as well.

Role: Spell Utility

Characteristics: Defenders of the realms beneath, that can control currents and beckon forth elemental power.

Source: Stormwrack

Game Rule Information

The Wavekeeper has the following game statistics.

Abilities: Wisdom for divine casting power, Strength for being able to swim well in the ocean currents

Alignment: Any Neutral

Hit Die: d8

Starting Gold: N/A

Class Skills

The Wavekeeper's class skills are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (nature) (Wis), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Spellcraft (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 Wavekeeper.

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

Masterful Swimmer Ex: You augment your swimming using the minutest of currents and swimming patterns, granting you a swim speed of 20 feet or increasing your existing swim speed by 10 feet if you have a natural swim speed.

Mysteries of the Sea: You master the powers of nature that make up the oceans. Choose one of the following domains: Blackwater, Ocean, Storm, or Water. The spells of that domain are added to your divine spellcaster class list, and you can prepare them normally. You also gain the granted power associated with that domain.

Beast of the Sea Ex: Starting at 2nd level, your animal companion continues to advance. Subtract 1 from your class level and add the result to your effective druid level for determining the abilities of your animal companion.

Wave Master Su: Beginning at 2nd level, when near a body of water you can focus a rush of water at a single creature within 30 feet. This jet of water can bludgeon or push back a creature, at your option. As a bludgeoning attack, the wave of water deals 1d6 points of nonlethal damage per class level. A Reflex save reduces damage to half (DC 10 + one-half class level + Wisdom modifier). If you instead choose to push back a creature, treat the wave of water as a bull rush with a bonus on the Strength check equal to 8 + your class level.

Mastery of Breath Ex: At 3rd level, you adapt to your watery environment, becoming amphibious and able to breathe water or air interchangeably.

Water Breathing Sp: At 3rd level, you gain the ability to use a Water Breathing effect once per day, with a caster level equal to your class level and two times the normal duration.

Current Mastery Ex: At 5th level, you gain the ability to create currents that move the water in your vicinity. The current flows in a direction you specify and affects water within 30 feet of your position. Creatures, including yourself, are moved in the direction the water flows. Your current moves at 10 feet per round. At 10th level, the speed of your current increases to 20 feet per round. You can use your current mastery to increase or impede the speed of a ship, though if you attempt to impede a ship with sails that ship's speed is only reduced by 5 feet (or by 10 feet for a 10th-level wavekeeper).

Wave Form Su: At 7th level, you gain the ability to transform into a Small, Medium, or Large water elemental. This otherwise functions as the druid's wild shape ability. In addition to the normal effects of wild shape, you gain all the elemental's extraordinary, supernatural, and spell-like abilities. You also gain the elemental's feats for as long as you maintain the wild shape but retain your own creature type. Starting at 9th level, you can transform into a Huge water elemental.

Call of the Abyss Sp: Once per day at 10th level, you can call upon the very powers of the ocean's currents to serve you. An elder water elemental answers your call, a creature made up of the swirling black lightless waters of the deepest abyss, retaining this lightless quality even when called to the surface. It attacks your opponents to the best of its ability.