Master of the elements and warden of the wild, the druid occupies a crucial niche among the spellcastlng classes. Yet with such broad powers over plants, animals, elements and the natural world, the druid class presents its own niches for specialization and more focused powers. A variant druid could specialize in plants, an element, a particular class of animal, or like the four variant druids presented In this article. dedicate herself to more esoteric ideas.
All the classes presented here are derivates of the druid. They share the same alignment restrictions and spell progression as the druid class, but they differ in many other ways. If the level advancement table and class features descriptions of a class presented below lack a class feature of the druid class, such as wild shape, that class does not gain that class feature. Levels of these classes count as levels of a standard druid in terms of spellcasting ability, qualification for feats and prestige classes, and the like. A character must choose upon first becoming a druid whether to be a core druid or one of these variants. Once the choice is made, it cannot be changed or unmade, and the character may not later multiclass into the core druid class or one of these variants.
Autumn is a time for harvest. The fruits of summer fall from the vine and collect to rot, bearing the seeds and becoming the food for the next generation. This is where death interjects in the cycle of life, making killing a means of rebirth. Wild reapers acknowledge this aspect of nature and love it for the vital force it is. With a dispassionate eye, the wild reaper sees the autumn of all creatures, and when a creature’s harvest time comes, a wild reaper is ready with scythe and spell.
Wild reapers walk beside death. To them, dying is a healthy and necessary part of life. Yet wild reapers know death has its time and place in the natural cycle, like autumn has its place in the order of the seasons. Harvesting life too early prevents the birth of the next generation and diminishes the strength and wisdom the elderly pass on.
Wild reapers often unnerve people due to their preoccupation with death. They always seem to be looking for signs of illness or weakness in others, watching with predatory glee for evidence that a creature’s harvest time has come. They keep company with beasts of a similar bent: carnivores and scavengers, nature’s murderers and undertakers. Evil wild reapers earn a bad reputation for their fellows as even the smallest handicap or injury is an excuse to “purify” a species. Neutral and lawful wild reapers take the long view, waiting for time to decide what lives must ebb so that new life can flow into the world. Good wild reapers judge for themselves what will make the world a better place and help the weak become strong and the foolish wise. Chaotic wild reapers encompass all these views, acting as whim takes them.
Wild reapers tend to stay in places where the evidence of death and the changes of the seasons are obvious. They favour temperate forests, but individuals can be found anywhere from marshes to mountains, wherever life and death flourish.
Hit Die: d8.
The wild reaper’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are:
Skill Points at 1st Level: (2 + Int modifier) × 4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier.
| Level | Base Attack Bonus | Fort Save | Ref Save | Will Save | Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +0 | +2 | +0 | +2 | Animal Companion, Nature Sense |
| 2nd | +1 | +3 | +0 | +3 | Woodland Stride |
| 3rd | +2 | +3 | +1 | +3 | Spontaneous Casting |
| 4th | +3 | +4 | +1 | +4 | Resist Nature’s Lure |
| 5th | +3 | +4 | +1 | +4 | Wild Shape (1/day) |
| 6th | +4 | +5 | +2 | +5 | Wild Shape (2/day) |
| 7th | +5 | +5 | +2 | +5 | Wild Shape (3/day) |
| 8th | +6/+1 | +6 | +2 | +6 | Wild Shape (Large) |
| 9th | +6/+1 | +6 | +3 | +6 | Disease Immunity |
| 10th | +7/+2 | +7 | +3 | +7 | Wild Shape (4/day) |
| 11th | +8/+3 | +7 | +3 | +7 | Wild Shape (Tiny) |
| 12th | +9/+4 | +8 | +4 | +8 | Turn Undead |
| 13th | +9/+4 | +8 | +4 | +8 | Resist Death’s Lure |
| 14th | +10/+5 | +9 | +4 | +9 | Wild Shape (5/day) |
| 15th | +11/+6/+1 | +9 | +5 | +9 | Wild Shape (Huge) |
| 16th | +12/+7/+2 | +10 | +5 | +10 | Fast Healing 1 |
| 17th | +12/+7/+2 | +10 | +5 | +10 | Ability Damage Healing 1 |
| 18th | +13/+8/+3 | +11 | +6 | +11 | Wild Shape (6/day) |
| 19th | +14/+9/+4 | +11 | +6 | +11 | Timeless Body |
| 20th | +15/+10/+5 | +12 | +6 | +12 | Fast Healing 3, Ability Damage Healing 2 |
| Level | 0 | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2nd | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 3rd | 4 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 4th | 5 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 5th | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 6th | 5 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 7th | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 8th | 6 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 9th | 6 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| 10th | 6 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 11th | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 12th | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 13th | 6 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — |
| 14th | 6 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — |
| 15th | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — |
| 16th | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — |
| 17th | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 18th | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| 19th | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| 20th | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
All of the following are class features of the wild reaper.
Weapon and Armour Proficiency: Wild reapers are proficient with the following weapons: club, battleaxe, dagger, dart, kama, nunchaku, quarterstaff, scythe, sickle, sling and throwing axe. They are also proficient with all natural attacks (unarmed strike, claw, bite, and so forth), regardless of the forms they assume (see Wild Shape, below). Wild reapers are proficient with light and medium armour but are prohibited from wearing metal armour; thus, they may wear only padded, leather or hide armour. (A wild reaper may also wear wooden armour that has been altered by the ironwood spell so that it functions as though it were steel.) Wild reapers are proficient with shields (except tower shields) but must use only wooden ones.
A wild reaper who wears metal armour or carries a metal shield is unable to cast druid spells or use any of her supernatural or spell-like class abilities while doing so and for 24 hours thereafter.
Spells: This class feature is the same as the druid class feature of the same name described in the Player’s Handbook. A wild reaper follows the same spell progression as the druid.
Chaotic, Evil, Good and Lawful Spells: This class feature is the same as the druid class feature of the same name described in the Player’s Handbook.
Bonus Languages: This class feature is the same as the druid class feature of the same name described in the Player’s Handbook.
Animal Companion (Ex): This class feature is the same as the druid class feature of the same name described in the Player’s Handbook except that the wild reaper’s animal companion must be a carnivorous or omnivorous animal that feeds on carrion.
Nature Sense (Ex): This class feature is the same as the druid class feature of the same name described in the Player’s Handbook.
Woodland Stride (Ex): This class feature is the same as the druid class feature of the same name described in the Player’s Handbook.
Spontaneous Casting: Starting at 3rd level, a wild reaper can channel stored spell energy into summoning spells that she hasn’t prepared ahead of time. She can “lose” a prepared spell in order to cast any summon nature’s ally spell of the same level or lower. In addition, the wild reaper can substitute a prepared spell with soften earth and stone, warp wood, diminish plants, poison, blight, rusting grasp, transmute rock to mud, antilife shell or finger of death so long as the spell chosen from this list is of equal or lower level than the spell being substituted.
Resist Nature’s Lure (Ex): This class feature is the same as the druid class feature of the same name described in the Player’s Handbook.
Wild Shape (Su): At 5th level, a wild reaper gains the ability to turn herself into any Small or Medium animal and back again once per day. Her options for new forms include all carnivorous or omnivorous animals that feed on carrion. This ability functions like the polymorph spell, except as noted here. The effect lasts for 1 hour per wild reaper level, or until she changes back. Changing form (to animal or back) is a standard action and doesn’t provoke an attack of opportunity. The form chosen must be that of an animal the wild reaper is familiar with.
A wild reaper loses her ability to speak while in animal form because she is limited to the sounds that a normal, untrained animal can make, but she can communicate normally with other animals of the same general grouping as her new form.
A wild reaper can use this ability more times per day at 6th, 7th, 10th, 14th and 18th level, as noted on the wild reaper advancement table. In addition, she gains the ability to take the shape of a Large animal at 8th level, a Tiny animal at 11th level, and a Huge animal at 15th level. The new form’s Hit Dice can’t exceed the character’s wild reaper level.
Disease Immunity (Ex): At 9th level, a wild reaper gains immunity to all diseases, including supernatural infections like mummy rot and lycanthropy.
Turn Undead (Su): Wild reapers despise undead as abominations outside the natural order. When a wild reaper reaches 12th level, she gains the supernatural ability to turn undead. She may use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + her Charisma modifier. She turns undead as a cleric of two levels lower would. The wild reaper does not need a holy symbol to turn undead.
Resist Death’s Lure (Ex): Starting at 13th level, a wild reaper gains a +4 bonus on saving throws against level drain and death effects.
Fast Healing (Su): Starting at 16th level, a wild reaper resists the call of death before age should take her. She heals 1 hit point of damage per round. At 20th level this ability improves to fast healing 3.
Ability Damage Healing (Su): After attaining 17th level, a wild reaper resists weaknesses not caused by age. She heals 1 point of ability damage to all damaged ability scores each round so long as the wild reaper has at least point of Constitution. At 20th level this ability heals 2 points to all ability scores each round.
Timeless Body (Ex): After attaining 19th level, a wild reaper no longer takes ability score penalties for aging and cannot be magically aged. Any penalties she may have already incurred, however, remain in place. Bonuses still accrue, and the wild reaper still dies of old age when her time is up.
Air fills voids, flowing into hungry lungs to give life to the newly born. Air passes soft lips to breathe words, granting creatures the ability to comprehend one another. The wind walker knows he cannot hope to master these, the air’s most subtle and powerful abilities, but he can gain power over its more brutal movements.
Wind walkers favour the element of air, and they relish the tornado as much as the breeze that tousles hair. Their love and devotion to the elemental force grants them control of gales and zephyrs. With a word and a gesture, the wind walker can call upon the air to slow his fall or bowl over a giant. Wind walkers long for the freedom of the open skies. They view all flying creatures as kindred spirits and call upon such creatures to accompany them as they follow the wind wherever it leads.
Wind walkers find it hard to abide stillness, both their own and that of the air. They are uncomfortable in enclosed spaces, and many are phobic of being underwater or buried alive. Evil and chaotic wind walkers take it upon themselves to show others the power of the least recognized element. Neutral and lawful wind walkers can often be found working with a group of flying creatures to protect them and serve their needs. Good wind walkers recognize that the air is an enigmatic and unpredictable force in the natural world, and they seek to ensure more good comes of it than ill.
Wind walkers are free spirits that tend to roam, allowing the concerns of more sedentary creatures to blow over them. They only become anchored to a place where they can experience many kinds of winds or when they see a threat to a community of flying creatures. For this reason, most wind walkers can be found in mountain ranges of all dimes, but adventurous wind walkers can be found anywhere the wind blows and many places it does not.
Hit Die: d8.
The wind walker’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are:
Skill Points at 1st Level: (2 + Int modifier) × 4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier.
| Level | Base Attack Bonus | Fort Save | Ref Save | Will Save | Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +0 | +0 | +2 | +2 | Aerial Companion, Aerial Empathy, Zephyr Spellcasting |
| 2nd | +1 | +0 | +3 | +3 | Feather Fall (1/day) |
| 3rd | +2 | +1 | +3 | +3 | Whispering Wind (1/day) |
| 4th | +3 | +1 | +4 | +4 | Air Mastery |
| 5th | +3 | +1 | +4 | +4 | Feather Fall (2/day) |
| 6th | +4 | +2 | +5 | +5 | Friend of the Winds |
| 7th | +5 | +2 | +5 | +5 | Fly (1/day), Whispering Wind (2/day) |
| 8th | +6/+1 | +2 | +6 | +6 | Feather Fall (3/day) |
| 9th | +6/+1 | +3 | +6 | +6 | Air Spell Immunity |
| 10th | +7/+2 | +3 | +7 | +7 | Fly (2/day) |
| 11th | +8/+3 | +3 | +7 | +7 | Whispering Wind (3/day) |
| 12th | +9/+4 | +4 | +8 | +8 | Air Domain (granted power) |
| 13th | +9/+4 | +4 | +8 | +8 | Fly (3/day) |
| 14th | +10/+5 | +4 | +9 | +9 | Air Domain (spells) |
| 15th | +11/+6/+1 | +5 | +9 | +9 | Timeless Body |
| 16th | +12/+7/+2 | +5 | +10 | +10 | Elemental Shape (Air Elemental 1/day) |
| 17th | +12/+7/+2 | +5 | +10 | +10 | |
| 18th | +13/+8/+3 | +6 | +11 | +11 | Elemental Shape (Air Elemental 2/day) |
| 19th | +14/+9/+4 | +6 | +11 | +11 | |
| 20th | +15/+10/+5 | +6 | +12 | +12 | Elemental Shape (Air Elemental 3/day, Huge Elemental) |
| Level | 0 | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2nd | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 3rd | 4 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 4th | 5 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 5th | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 6th | 5 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 7th | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 8th | 6 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 9th | 6 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| 10th | 6 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 11th | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 12th | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 13th | 6 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — |
| 14th1 | 6 | 5+1 | 5+1 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 3+1 | 3+1 | 2+1 | — | — |
| 15th1 | 6 | 5+1 | 5+1 | 5+1 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 3+1 | 2+1 | 1+1 | — |
| 16th1 | 6 | 5+1 | 5+1 | 5+1 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 3+1 | 3+1 | 2+1 | — |
| 17th1 | 6 | 5+1 | 5+1 | 5+1 | 5+1 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 3+1 | 2+1 | 1+1 |
| 18th1 | 6 | 5+1 | 5+1 | 5+1 | 5+1 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 3+1 | 3+1 | 2+1 |
| 19th1 | 6 | 5+1 | 5+1 | 5+1 | 5+1 | 5+1 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 3+1 | 3+1 |
| 20th1 | 6 | 5+1 | 5+1 | 5+1 | 5+1 | 5+1 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 4+1 |
1 In addition to the stated number of spells per day for 1st- through 9th-level spells, a 14th-level wind walker gets an air domain spell for each spell level, starting at 1st. The “+1” in the entries on this table represents that spell. Air domain spells are in addition to any bonus spells the wind walker may receive for having a high Wisdom score.
All of the following are class features of the wind walker.
Weapon and Armour Proficiency: Wind walkers are proficient with the following weapons: club, dagger, dart, javelin, quarterstaff, scimitar, shortbow, composite shortbow, sling and spear. They are also proficient with all natural attacks (unarmed strike, slam, and so forth), regardless of the forms they assume (see Elemental Shape, below). Wind walkers are proficient with light armour but are prohibited from wearing metal armour; thus, they may wear only padded, leather or hide armour . (A wind walker may also wear wooden armour that has been altered by the ironwood spell so that it functions as though it were steel.) Wind walkers are proficient with shields (except tower shields) but must use only wooden ones.
A wind walker who wears metal armour or carries a metal shield is unable to cast druid spells or use any of his supernatural or spell-like class abilities while doing so and for 24 hours thereafter.
Spells: This class feature is the same as the druid class feature of the same name described in the Player’s Handbook. A wind walker follows the same spell progression as the druid.
Spontaneous Casting: A wind walker can channel stored spell energy into summoning or air spells that he hasn’t prepared ahead of time. He can “lose” a prepared spell in order to cast any summon nature’s ally spell or druid spell with the air descriptor, but the spell must be of the same level or lower. If used to cast a summon nature’s ally spell, the summoned ally must have the ability to fly.
Chaotic, Evil, Good and Lawful Spells: This class feature is the same as the druid class feature of the same name described in the Player’s Handbook.
Bonus Languages: A wind walker’s bonus language options include Druidic, the secret language of druids. Wind walkers are forbidden to teach this language to non-druids. Druidic has its own alphabet. This option is in addition to the bonus languages available to the character because of his race.
A wind walker also knows Auran, the language of air creatures, which he learns upon becoming a 1st-level wind walker. Auran is a free language for a wind walker; that is, he knows it in addition to his regular allotment of languages, and it doesn’t take up a language slot.
Aerial Companion (Ex): A wind walker may begin play with a flying animal companion selected from the following list: eagle, hawk or owl. This animal is a loyal companion that accompanies the wind walker on his adventures as appropriate for its species.
A 1st-level wind walker’s aerial companion is completely typical for its kind except as noted in the The Druid’s Animal Companion section. As a wind walker advances in level, the animal’s power increases as shown on the table.
If a wind walker releases his companion from service, he may gain a new one by performing a ceremony requiring 24 uninterrupted hours of prayer. This ceremony can also replace an aerial companion that has perished.
Like a druid’s ability to select an alternative animal companion, a wind walker may instead select an alternative aerial companion at higher levels. The wind walker applies the indicated adjustment to his wind walker level (in parentheses) for purposes of determining the companion’s characteristics and special abilities. A wind walker of 4th level or higher may instead select a dire bat or hippogriff (level -3). A 7th-level wind walker may choose a giant eagle, giant owl, or juvenile arrowhawk (level -6). A 10th-level wind walker may choose a griffon or adult arrowhawk (level -9). At 13th level, the wind walker may choose a dragonne (level -12). A 16th-level wind walker may choose an elder arrowhawk (level -15).
Aerial Empathy (Ex): A wind walker can use body language, vocalizations, and demeanor to improve the attitude of a magical beast or animal with the air subtype or ability to fly. This ability functions just like a Diplomacy check made to improve the attitude of a person. The wind walker rolls 1d20 and adds his wind walker level and Charisma modifier to the roll to determine the aerial empathy check result. The typical domestic animal has a starting attitude of indifferent, while wild animals and magical beasts are usually unfriendly.
To use aerial empathy, the wind walker and target creature must be able to study each other, which means that they must be within 30 feet of one another under normal conditions. Generally, influencing a creature in this way takes 1 minute but, as with influencing people, it might take more or less time.
Zephyr Spellcasting (Ex): A wind walker casts druid spells with the air descriptor as though his caster level were 1 level higher. In addition, a wind walker adds +1 to the DCs of all such spells he casts.
Air Mastery (Ex): Airborne creatures take a -1 penalty to attack and damage rolls against a wind walker of 4th level or higher.
Feather Fall (Sp): After attaining 2nd level, the wind walker can cast feather fall as a caster of a level equal to his wind walker level. The wind walker gains additional uses of this ability as shown in the wind walker level advancement table.
Whispering Wind (Sp): After attaining 3rd level, the wind walker can cast whispering wind as a caster of a level equal to his wind walker level. The wind walker gains additional uses of this ability as shown in the wind walker level advancement table.
Friend of the Winds (Su): At 6th-level, a wind walker counts as two size categories larger when determining the effects severe wind have on him. See Table: Wind Effects.
Fly (Sp): After attaining 7th level, the wind walker can cast fly as a caster of a level equal to his wind walker level. The wind walker gains additional uses of this ability as shown in the wind walker level advancement table.
Air Spell Immunity (Su): At 9th level, a wind walker is immune to spells with the air descriptor, as though the spell failed to penetrate spell resistance. The wind walker may suppress this immunity for a specific effect he wishes to benefit from, such as the wind walk spell, using a standard action. Reactivating the ability is also a standard action.
Air Domain: A 12th-level wind walker receives the granted powers of the Air domain. At 14th-level, the wind walker gains access to the domain spells of the Air domain just like a cleric; he may prepare and cast the domain spell listed for each level once a day so long as he is of a level high enough to cast spells of that level. A wind walker cannot use the spontaneous spellcasting ability with these spells.
Timeless Body (Ex): After attaining 15th level, a wind walker no longer takes ability score penalties for aging (see Table: Aging Effects) and cannot be magically aged. Any penalties he may have already incurred, however, remain in place. Bonuses still accrue, and the wind walker still dies of old age when his time is up.
Elemental Shape (Su): At 16th level, a wind walker can take the form of a Small, Medium, or Large air elemental once per day. This ability functions like the polymorph spell, except as noted here. The effect lasts for 1 hour per wind walker level, or until he changes back. Changing form (to elemental or back) is a standard action and doesn’t provoke an attack of opportunity. The new form’s Hit Dice can’t exceed the character’s wind walker level. The wind walker gains all the elemental’s extraordinary, supernatural, and spell-like abilities. He also gains the elemental’s feats for as long as he maintains the elemental shape, but he retains his own creature type (humanoid, in most cases).
At 18th level, a wind walker becomes able to assume elemental form twice per day, and at 20th level he can do so three times per day. At 20th level, a druid may use this elemental shape ability to change into a Huge elemental.
If stone forms the bones of the world, then assuredly metal makes for the land’s marrow. It colours cave walls and forms ingots in shallow streams, but it otherwise lacks the presence and power of the more obvious elements of nature. Yet when harvested and shaped for a purpose, few materials have strength enough to resist it. This quality of metal forms the core of the metal master’s philosophy.
Metal masters are anomalous among druids. They forsake their connection to animals and the elements to focus on an aspect of the natural world that druids must deny themselves. They respect the potential of raw ore to become something greater, and devote themselves to mastering that process in themselves. Metal masters believe all creatures of the world have a like ability, both to be formed and form themselves, and in a world filled with so many potential tools and weapons, metal masters would be the forgers.
Metal masters see the world as a great foundry. Creatures are either smiths themselves or pig iron to be formed and used by others. This outlook causes many metal masters to be manipulative and dismissive with those who do not shown drive or impress with their actions. Evil metal masters exemplify this outlook, while lawful metal masters tend to be less dismissive but more controlling. Neutral metal masters care little for how other creatures forge their destinies and focus wholly on their own. Chaotic metal masters gleefully shape those around them without thought to the consequences. Good metal masters try to teach others about their own potential to change themselves into a force for good in the world.
Metal masters stay close to sources of metal, and many can be found wandering caves or living on the banks of gold-filled streams. Metal masters love mines, so long as the detritus of such operations are cared for properly. Metal masters also journey into civilized areas more often than any other kind of druid. They prefer to use urban smithies, saving the natural world from the smoke and wastes of the process, and they also use these visits to mold others in their vision or preach their philosophy of self-actualization.
Hit Die: d10.
The metal master’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are:
Skill Points at 1st Level: (2 + Int modifier) × 4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier.
| Level | Base Attack Bonus | Fort Save | Ref Save | Will Save | Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +0 | +2 | +0 | +0 | Mine Sense |
| 2nd | +1 | +3 | +0 | +0 | |
| 3rd | +2 | +3 | +1 | +1 | Metal Sense |
| 4th | +3 | +4 | +1 | +1 | |
| 5th | +3 | +4 | +1 | +1 | |
| 6th | +4 | +5 | +2 | +2 | Damage Reduction 1/bludgeoning |
| 7th | +5 | +5 | +2 | +2 | |
| 8th | +6/+1 | +6 | +2 | +2 | Damage Reduction 2/bludgeoning |
| 9th | +6/+1 | +6 | +3 | +3 | |
| 10th | +7/+2 | +7 | +3 | +3 | Damage Reduction 3/bludgeoning |
| 11th | +8/+3 | +7 | +3 | +3 | Major Creation 1/day |
| 12th | +9/+4 | +8 | +4 | +4 | Damage Reduction 4/bludgeoning |
| 13th | +9/+4 | +8 | +4 | +4 | |
| 14th | +10/+5 | +9 | +4 | +4 | Damage Reduction 5/bludgeoning |
| 15th | +11/+6/+1 | +9 | +5 | +5 | Timeless Body |
| 16th | +12/+7/+2 | +10 | +5 | +5 | Damage Reduction 5/cold iron, silver or adamantine |
| 17th | +12/+7/+2 | +10 | +5 | +5 | |
| 18th | +13/+8/+3 | +11 | +6 | +6 | Damage Reduction 5/silver or adamantine |
| 19th | +14/+9/+4 | +11 | +6 | +6 | Iron Body 1/day |
| 20th | +15/+10/+5 | +12 | +6 | +6 | Damage Reduction 5/adamantine |
| Level | 0 | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2nd | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 3rd | 4 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 4th | 5 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 5th | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 6th | 5 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 7th | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 8th | 6 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 9th | 6 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| 10th | 6 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 11th | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 12th | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 13th | 6 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — |
| 14th | 6 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — |
| 15th | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — |
| 16th | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — |
| 17th | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 18th | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| 19th | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| 20th | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
All of the following are class features of the metal master.
Weapon and Armour Proficiency: Metal masters are proficient with all simple and martial melee weapons made primarily of metal. Metal masters are proficient with all armours and with shields (including tower shields).
Spells: This class feature is the same as the druid class feature of the same name described in the Player’s Handbook. A metal master follows the same spell progression as the druid.
Spontaneous Casting: A metal master can channel stored spell energy into druid spells that she hasn’t prepared ahead of time. She can “lose” a prepared spell in order to cast one of these spells so long as it is of the same level or lower: chill metal, heat metal, rusting grasp, ironwood, transmute metal to wood, repel metal or stone.
Chaotic, Evil, Good and Lawful Spells: This class feature is the same as the druid class feature of the same name described in the Player’s Handbook.
Bonus Languages: A metal master’s bonus language options include Druidic, the secret language of druids. Metal masters are forbidden to teach this language to non-druids. Druidic has its own alphabet. This option is in addition to the bonus languages available to the character because of her race.
A metal master also knows Terran, the language of earth creatures, which she learns upon becoming a 1st-level metal master. Terran is a free language for a metal master; that is, she knows it in addition to her regular allotment of languages, and it doesn’t lake up a language slot.
Mine Sense (Ex): At 1st level, the metal master gains a +2 bonus on Knowledge (Dungeoneering) and Knowledge (Architecture and Engineering) checks.
Metal Sense (Ex): At 3rd level, the metal master gains a +2 bonus on Craft (Armoursmithing), Craft (Blacksmithing) and Craft (Weaponsmithing) checks.
Damage Reduction (Su): As a metal master forges a destiny and grows in power, her body makes a supernatural connection to the qualities of the metals in the earth. At 6th level, the metal master gains damage reduction 1/bludgeoning, her body becoming inured to all strikes but the blows that fall like hammers on anvils. This damage reduction improves as shown in the metal master advancement chart until at 16th level, the metal master loses her bludgeoning damage reduction and gains damage reduction 5/cold iron, silver, or adamantine. At this point, the metal master suffers less damage from all blows except those made from the metals that are the true blood and bones of the earth. At 18th level, this damage reduction improves as shown in the metal master advancement chart, until at 20th level, the metal master has damage reduction 5/adamantine, reducing the damage of attacks from all but the hardest metal.
Major Creation (Sp): At 11th level, the metal master can cast major creation as a caster of a level equal to her metal master level once per day. The metal master can only create objects made of metal with this spell.
Timeless Body (Ex): After attaining 15th level, a metal master no longer takes ability score penalties for aging (see Table: Aging Effects) and cannot be magically aged. Any penalties she may have already incurred, however, remain in place. Bonuses still accrue, and the metal master still dies of old age when her time is up.
Iron Body (Sp): At 19th level, the metal master can cast iron body as a caster of a level equal to her metal master level once per day.
In winter, the world sleeps. Blanketed with white and rimed to glistening, the land knows a peace like a kind and quiet death. Nature holds its breath through the season, anticipating the riotous and messy birth of spring with glacial patience. This is the winter warden’s time.
Like druids, winter wardens devote themselves to nurturing nature, but their affinity for the natural world takes peculiar form. Winter wardens champion frost, ice and snow. They love the world most when cold winds float flurries through barren treetops, across dormant fields, and over white-capped waves. They view winter as a great testing time for every creature, a period of winnowing that culls the old, weak, ill and foolish to make room for the young, strong and wise. Winter makes the world a better place in this way, and winter wardens follow the season’s example.
Winter wardens tend to be quiet and watchful. They remain distant and aloof, even with long-time acquaintances. Neutral and lawful winter wardens can take this outlook to extremes, becoming inured to the suffering of others and uncaring about their plights. Chaotic or evil winter wardens often view themselves as blizzards, great tests that winter sends to ensure only the most hale or well prepared survive. Good winter wardens often seek to help other creatures ready themselves for hardships ahead, ensuring that the good as well as the healthy and the wise survive troubled times.
Winter wardens can be found in any cold locale, and many follow the winter season in its dance north and south of the equator. Particularly sedentary winter wardens live like many members of the standard druid class, choosing a particular natural area to call home and living there year round. Adventuresome winter wardens can be found anywhere, even places that never feel the delicious chill of their favourite season.
Hit Die: d8.
The winter warden’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are;
Skill Points at 1st Level: (4 + Int modifier) × 4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier.
| Level | Base Attack Bonus | Fort Save | Ref Save | Will Save | Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +0 | +2 | +0 | +2 | Animal Companion, Cold Casting, Nature Sense, Wild Empathy |
| 2nd | +1 | +3 | +0 | +3 | Ray of Frost |
| 3rd | +2 | +3 | +1 | +3 | Drift Stride |
| 4th | +3 | +4 | +1 | +4 | Trackless Step |
| 5th | +3 | +4 | +1 | +4 | Ice Stride |
| 6th | +4 | +5 | +2 | +5 | Wild Shape (1/day) |
| 7th | +5 | +5 | +2 | +5 | Wild Shape (2/day) |
| 8th | +6/+1 | +6 | +2 | +6 | Wild Shape (3/day) |
| 9th | +6/+1 | +6 | +3 | +6 | Resistance to Cold 5 |
| 10th | +7/+2 | +7 | +3 | +7 | Wild Shape (Large) |
| 11th | +8/+3 | +7 | +3 | +7 | Wild Shape (4/day) |
| 12th | +9/+4 | +8 | +4 | +8 | Resistance to Cold 10 |
| 13th | +9/+4 | +8 | +4 | +8 | Wall of Ice (1/day) |
| 14th | +10/+5 | +9 | +4 | +9 | Wild Shape (5/day) |
| 15th | +11/+6/+1 | +9 | +5 | +9 | Resistance to Cold 20 |
| 16th | +12/+7/+2 | +10 | +5 | +10 | Wild Shape (Huge) |
| 17th | +12/+7/+2 | +10 | +5 | +10 | Otiluke’s Freezing Sphere (1/day) |
| 18th | +13/+8/+3 | +11 | +6 | +11 | Immunity to Cold |
| 19th | +14/+9/+4 | +11 | +6 | +11 | Wild Shape (6/day) |
| 20th | +15/+10/+5 | +12 | +6 | +12 | Polar Ray (1/day) |
| Level | 0 | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2nd | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 3rd | 4 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 4th | 5 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 5th | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 6th | 5 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 7th | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 8th | 6 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 9th | 6 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| 10th | 6 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 11th | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 12th | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 13th | 6 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — |
| 14th | 6 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — |
| 15th | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — |
| 16th | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — |
| 17th | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 18th | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| 19th | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| 20th | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
All of the following are class features of the winter warden.
Weapon and Armour Proficiency: The winter warden has the same proficiencies and restrictions as the druid as described in the Player’s Handbook.
Spells: This class feature is the same as the druid class feature of the same name described in the Player’s Handbook. A winter warden follows the same spell progression as the druid.
Chaotic, Evil, Good and Lawful Spells: This class feature is the same as the druid class feature of the same name described in the Player’s Handbook.
Bonus Languages: This class feature is the same as the druid class feature of the same name described in the Player’s Handbook.
Animal Companion (Ex): This class feature is the same as the druid class feature of the same name described in the Player’s Handbook.
Cold Casting (Ex): A winter warden casts all spells (including spell-like abilities) with the cold descriptor as though his caster level were 1 level higher. In addition, a winter warden adds +1 to the DCs of all such spells he casts.
Nature Sense (Ex): This class feature is the same as the druid class feature of the same name described in the Player’s Handbook.
Wild Empathy (Ex): This class feature is the same as the druid class feature of the same name described in the Player’s Handbook except that the winter warden does not suffer the usual penalty when using this ability on a magical beast of the cold subtype.
Ray of Frost (Sp): At 2nd level, ray of frost is added to the winter warden’s spell list as a 0-level spell. He can prepare and cast the spell as part of his normal allotment of druid spells.
Drift Stride (Su): Starting at 3rd level, a winter warden can move across the top of snow and not step into it or be impeded in his progress over a snowy area, similar to the effects of a water walk spell. Snow enchanted or magically manipulated to impede movement still affects the winter warden.
Trackless Step (Ex): This class feature is the same as the druid class feature of the same name described in the Player’s Handbook.
Ice Stride (Su): Starting at 5th level, a winter warden can move across ice and not step onto it or be impeded in his progress over an icy area, similar to the effects of a water walk spell. He does not take two squares of movement to enter an icy area, and Balance, Tumble or Climb DCs in the area are not increased for him. This ability does not protect the winter warden from the cold of the ice or the negative effects due to long contact. Ice enchanted or magically manipulated to impede movement still affects the winter warden.
Wild Shape (Su): At 6th level, a winter warden gains the ability to turn himself into any Small or Medium animal and back again once per day. His options for new forms include any creature of the animal type. This ability functions like the polymorph spell, except as noted here. The effect lasts for 1 hour per winter warden level, or until he changes back. Changing form (to animal or back) is a standard action and doesn’t provoke an attack of opportunity. The form chosen must be that of an animal the winter warden is familiar with, usually a creature that exists in arctic climes.
A winter warden loses his ability to speak while in animal form because he is limited to the sounds that an untrained animal can make, but he can communicate normally with other animals of the same general grouping as his new form.
A winter warden can use this ability more times per day as noted on the winter warden advancement table. In addition, he gains the ability to take the shape of a Large animal at 10th level and a Huge animal at 16th level. The new form’s Hit Dice can’t exceed the character’s winter warden level.
Resistance to Cold (Ex): Starting at 9th level, a winter warden gains resistance to cold 5. This resistance increases as the winter warden gains levels, as shown on the winter warden advancement chart.
Wall of Ice (Sp): After 13th level, the winter warden can cast wall of ice as a caster of a level equal to his winter warden level once per day.
Otiluke’s Freezing Sphere (Sp): After 17th level, the winter warden can cast Otiluke’s freezing sphere as a caster of a level equal to his winter warden level once per day.
Immunity to Cold (Ex): Starting at 18th level, a winter warden is immune to cold damage.
Polar Ray (Sp): At 20th level, the winter warden can cast polar ray as a caster of a level equal to his winter warden level once per day.
Source: Dragon Magazine #311 (Page 55)