Within the purity of the elements and the order of the wilds lingers a power beyond the marvels of civilization. Furtive yet undeniable, these primal magics are guarded over by servants of philosophical balance known as druids. Allies to beasts and manipulators of nature, these often misunderstood protectors of the wild strive to shield their lands from all who would threaten them and prove the might of the wilds to those who lock themselves behind city walls.
Rewarded for their devotion with incredible powers, druids gain unparalleled shape-shifting abilities, the companionship of mighty beasts, and the power to call upon nature’s wrath. The mightiest temper powers akin to storms, earthquakes, and volcanoes with primeval wisdom long abandoned and forgotten by civilization.
Role
Beast master druids keep to the fringe of battle, allowing companions and summoned creatures to fight while they confound foes with the powers of nature.
| Base Attack Bonus | Fort Save | Ref Save | Will Save | Special | Spellcasting | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | ||||||
| 1st | +0 | +2 | +0 | +2 | Animal companion, nature sense, wild empathy | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2nd | +1 | +3 | +0 | +3 | Track, woodland stride | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 3rd | +1 | +3 | +1 | +3 | Trackless step | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 4th | +2 | +4 | +1 | +4 | Resist nature's lure | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 5th | +2 | +4 | +1 | +4 | Augmented allies (+2) | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 6th | +3 | +5 | +2 | +5 | Extra animal companion, speak with animals | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 7th | +3 | +5 | +2 | +5 | — | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 8th | +4 | +6 | +2 | +6 | Swift tracker | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 9th | +4 | +6 | +3 | +6 | Venom immunity | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| 10th | +5 | +7 | +3 | +7 | Augmented allies (+4) | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 11th | +5 | +7 | +3 | +7 | — | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 12th | +6/+1 | +8 | +4 | +8 | Extra animal companion | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 13th | +6/+1 | +8 | +4 | +8 | — | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — |
| 14th | +7/+2 | +9 | +4 | +9 | — | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — |
| 15th | +7/+2 | +9 | +5 | +9 | Augmented allies (+6), timeless body | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — |
| 16th | +8/+3 | +10 | +5 | +10 | — | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — |
| 17th | +8/+3 | +10 | +5 | +10 | — | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 18th | +9/+4 | +11 | +6 | +11 | Extra animal companion | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| 19th | +9/+4 | +11 | +6 | +11 | — | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| 20th | +10/+5 | +12 | +6 | +12 | Augmented allies (+8), extra animal companion | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
Class Skills (4 + Int modifier per level): Persuasion, Profession, Natural Lore, Perception, Handle Animal, and Heal
Class Features
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
A Beast Master Druid is proficient with Basic weapons plus any one other weapon group of your choice.
Druids are proficient with light and medium armor but are prohibited from wearing metal armor. Druids are proficient with shields (except tower shields) but must use only wooden ones. A druid who wears prohibited armor or carries a prohibited 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.
If not using weapon groups, a Beast Master Druid is proficient with the following weapons: club, dagger, dart, quarterstaff, scimitar, sickle, shortspear, sling, and spear.
| Level | 0 | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2nd | 5 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 3rd | 5 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 4th | 6 | 5 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 5th | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 6th | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 7th | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 8th | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 9th | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 10th | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | — | — | — | — |
| 11th | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — |
| 12th | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | — | — | — |
| 13th | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | — | — |
| 14th | 10 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | — | — |
| 15th | 10 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | — |
| 16th | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | — |
| 17th | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 |
| 18th | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 |
| 19th | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 |
| 20th | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 |
Spellcasting
A druid casts divine spells, which are drawn from the druid spell list. A druid must choose and prepare her spells in advance during her daily meditation.
To prepare or cast a spell, the druid must have a Wisdom score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a druid’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the druid’s Wisdom modifier.
A druid can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. Her base daily spell allotment is given on the table. In addition, she receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Wisdom score.
A druid meditates or prays to gain his spells. He must choose a time at which he must spend 1 hour each day in quiet contemplation or supplication to regain his daily allotment of spells. Time spent resting has no effect on whether he can prepare spells.
Spell Access
A druid’s access to divine spells is limited. A druid begins play with access to six 0-level spells and four 1st-level spells of your choice. At each new druid level, he gains one or more new spells, as indicated on the table: Druid Spell Access. When preparing spells for the day, a druid may choose to prepare any spell to which she has access.
Once per week, a druid may conduct a ritual during her daily meditation to replace one of her accessed spells with a new druid spell. In effect, the druid “loses” the old spell in exchange for the new one. The new spell’s level must be the same as that of the spell being exchanged, and it must be at least one level lower than the highest-level druid spell the druid can cast. A druid may swap only a single spell in any given week and must wait a full week between rituals to change spell access.
Orisons
Druids can access a number of orisons, or 0-level spells, as noted on Table: Druid Spells Accessed. These spells are treated like any other spell, but they are always considered prepared, are not expended when cast, and may be used again.
Spontaneous Casting
A beast master druid 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.
Bonus Languages
A druid’s bonus language options include Sylvan, the language of woodland creatures. This choice is in addition to the bonus languages available to the character because of her race.
A druid also knows Druidic, a secret language known only to druids, which she learns automatically upon becoming a 1st-level druid. Druids are forbidden to teach this language to nondruids.
Druidic has its own unique alphabet.
Animal Companion
A beast master druid may begin play with an animal companion selected from the following list: badger, camel, dire rat, dog, riding dog, eagle, hawk, horse (light or heavy), owl, pony, snake (Small or Medium viper), or wolf. If the campaign takes place wholly or partly in an aquatic environment, the following creatures are also available: porpoise, Medium shark, and squid. This animal is a loyal companion that accompanies the druid on her adventures as appropriate for its kind.
A 1st-level druid’s companion is completely typical for its kind except as noted below. As a druid advances in level, the animal’s power increases as shown on the table. If a druid releases her companion from service, she may gain a new one by performing a ceremony requiring 24 uninterrupted hours of prayer. This ceremony can also replace an animal companion that has perished.
A druid of 4th level or higher may select from alternative lists of animals. Should she select an animal companion from one of these alternative lists, the creature gains abilities as if the character’s druid level were lower than it actually is. Subtract the value indicated in the appropriate list header from the character’s druid level and compare the result with the druid level entry on the table to determine the animal companion’s powers. (If this adjustment would reduce the druid’s effective level to 0 or lower, she can’t have that animal as a companion.)
A high level druid may command additional animal companions. She gains the ability to command additional companions at levels 6, 12, 18, and 20. However, each additional animal companion she commands reduces her effective druid level for determining the statistics for all of her animal companions by 2. So, if a 15th-level druid has three animal companions, her effective druid level for determining all of her companions’ statistics is equal to 11 (her level – 4).
Nature Sense
A druid gains a +2 bonus on Natural Lore checks. A beast master druid also receives a +2 bonus on wild empathy checks.
Wild Empathy
When attempting to improve the attitude of an animal, a druid can use her class level in place of her ranks in Handle Animal. The druid also does not suffer a penalty when using Handle Animal with a creature of the Beast type.
Track
A 2nd-level beast master druid gains Track as a bonus feat.
Woodland Stride
Starting at 2nd level, a druid may move through any sort of undergrowth (such as natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas, and similar terrain) at her normal speed and without taking damage or suffering any other impairment. However, thorns, briars, and overgrown areas that have been magically manipulated to impede motion still affect her.
Trackless Step
Starting at 3rd level, a druid leaves no trail in natural surroundings and cannot be tracked. She may choose to leave a trail if so desired.
Resist Nature’s Lure
Starting at 4th level, a druid gains a +4 bonus on saving throws against the spell-like abilities of fey.
Augmented Allies
Whenever a 5th-level druid casts a summon nature’s ally spell, any animal she summons gains a +2 bonus to Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution. This bonus stacks with the Augment Summoning feat.
This bonus increases to +4 at 10th level, to +6 at 15th level, and to +8 at 20th level.
Speak With Animals
At 6th-level, gains the effects of the speak with animals spell as a permanent effect. If it is suppressed or dispelled in some way, the druid may reactivate it as a free action.
Swift Tracker
Beginning at 8th level, a beast master druid can move at his normal speed while following tracks without taking the normal -5 penalty. He takes only a -10 penalty (instead of the normal -20) when moving at up to twice normal speed while tracking.
Venom Immunity
At 9th level, a druid gains immunity to all poisons.
Timeless Body
After attaining 15th level, a druid 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 druid still dies of old age when her time is up.
Ex-Druids
A druid who ceases to revere nature, changes to a prohibited alignment, or teaches the Druidic language to a nondruid loses all spells and druid abilities (including her animal companion, but not including weapon, armor, and shield proficiencies). She cannot thereafter gain levels as a druid until she atones (see the atonement spell description).
The Druid’s Animal Companion
A druid’s animal companion is different from a normal animal of its kind in many ways. A druid’s animal companion is superior to a normal animal of its kind and has special powers, as described below.
| Class Level | Bonus Hit Dice | Natural AC Adjustment | Str/Dex Adjustment | Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st-2nd | +0 | +0 | +0 | Share spells, speak with master |
| 3rd-5th | +2 | +2 | +1 | Evasion |
| 6th-8th | +4 | +4 | +2 | Devotion |
| 9th-11th | +6 | +6 | +3 | Multiattack |
| 12th-14th | +8 | +8 | +4 | — |
| 15th-17th | +10 | +10 | +5 | Improved evasion |
| 18th-20th | +12 | +12 | +6 | — |
Animal Companion Basics
Use the base statistics for a creature of the companion’s kind, but make the following changes.
Class Level
The character’s druid level. The druid’s class levels stack with levels of any other classes that are entitled to an animal companion for the purpose of determining the companion’s abilities and the alternative lists available to the character.
Bonus Hit Dice
Extra eight-sided (d8) Hit Dice, each of which gains a Constitution modifier, as normal. Remember that extra Hit Dice improve the animal companion’s base attack and base save bonuses. An animal has a medium base attack bonus. An animal companion has good Fortitude and Reflex saves. An animal companion gains additional skill points and feats for bonus HD as normal for advancing a monster’s Hit Dice.
Natural Armor Adjustment
The number noted here is an improvement to the animal companion’s existing natural armor bonus.
Strength/Dexterity Adjustment
Add this value to the animal companion’s Strength and Dexterity scores.
Link (Ex)
A druid can handle her animal companion as a free action, or push it as a move action, even if she doesn’t have any ranks in the Handle Animal skill. The druid gains a +4 circumstance bonus on all wild empathy checks and Handle Animal checks made regarding an animal companion.
Share Spells (Ex)
At the druid’s option, she may have any spell (but not any spell-like ability) she casts upon herself also affect her animal companion. The animal companion must be within 5 feet of her at the time of casting to receive the benefit. If the spell or effect has a duration other than instantaneous, it stops affecting the animal companion if the companion moves farther than 5 feet away and will not affect the animal again, even if it returns to the druid before the duration expires.
Additionally, the druid may cast a spell with a target of “You” on her animal companion (as a touch range spell) instead of on herself. A druid and her animal companion can share spells even if the spells normally do not affect creatures of the companion’s type (animal).
Speak With Master (Su)
A druid may communicate with her animal companions as though she were under the effect of a speak with animals spell. She rarely needs to use Handle Animal to direct her companion, as she can simply speak with it instead.
Evasion (Ex)
If an animal companion is subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, it takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw.
Devotion (Ex)
An animal companion gains a +4 morale bonus on Will saves against enchantment spells and effects.
Multiattack
An animal companion gains Multiattack as a bonus feat if it has three or more natural attacks and does not already have that feat. If it does not have the requisite three or more natural attacks, the animal companion instead gains a second attack with its primary natural weapon, albeit at a -5 penalty.
Improved Evasion (Ex)
When subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, an animal companion takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw and only half damage if the saving throw fails.