Sophistemon
2008-08-30, 12:52 PM
This is a re-write of a base class that I wrote in 2005, back when I didn't know as much as I do know about homebrewing (which is, admittedly, still not very much). I'm posting this here because I'm hoping that those in possession of more related knowledge than myself would be willing to take a look and help me finalize it.
>>Side Note: I see that Draken has recently posted a base class with a similar premise, that being a slow transformation into something more bestial. I hope that my posting the drifter does not cause any confusion between the two.
The Drifter
http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff266/Regisrex/TheDrifter.jpg
Level Progression
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special
1st|
+1|
+2|
+0|
+2|Nature Sense; Wild Empathy; Nature’s Fury; Level One Drift
2nd|
+2|
+3|
+0|
+3|Woodland Stride; Level One Drift
3rd|
+3|
+3|
+1|
+3|Trackless Step; Level One Drift
4th|
+4|
+4|
+1|
+3|Wild Shape 1/day
5th|
+5|
+4|
+1|
+4|Bonus Feat; Level 2 Drift
6th|
+6/+1|
+5|
+2|
+5|Wild Shape 2/day; Level 2 Drift
7th|
+7/+2|
+5|
+2|
+5|Level 2 Drift
8th|
+8/+3|
+6|
+2|
+6|Gift of the Wild
9th|
+9/+4|
+6|
+3|
+6|Wild Shape 3/day; Level Three Drift
10th|
+10/+5|
+7|
+3|
+7|Bonus Feat; Level Three Drift
11th|
+11/+6/+1|
+7|
+3|
+7|Level Three Drift
12th|
+12/+7/+2|
+8|
+4|
+8|Wild Shape 4/day
13th|
+13/+8/+3|
+8|
+4|
+8|Level Four Drift
14th|
+14/+9/4|
+9|
+4|
+9|Level Four Drift
15th|
+15+10/+5|
+9|
+5|
+9|Bonus Feat; Wild Shape 5/day; Level Four Drift
16th|
+16/+11/+6/+1|
+10|
+5|
+10|Greater Nature’s Fury
17th|
+17/+12/+7/+2|
+10|
+5|
+10|Level Five Drift
18th|
+18/+13+8/+3|
+11|
+6|
+11|Wild Shape 6/day; Level Five Drift
19th|
+19/+14/+9/+4|
+11|
+6|
+11|Level Five Drift
20th|
+20/+15/+10/+5|
+12|
+6|
+12|Bonus Feat[/table]
Alignment
Any neutral.
Hit die
1d12.
Class Skills
The drifter’s class skills (and the key ability for each) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).
Skill Points at 1st Level
(4 + Int modifier) x 4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level
4 + Int modifier.
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the drifter.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
Drifters are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, light armor, medium armor, and shields. They are also proficient with all natural attacks (claw, bite, and so forth) of any form they assume with wild shape (see below), and that they possess naturally. After 9th level and due to the amount of change that their bodies have undergone, a drifter’s armor must be specially made for her, adding 25% to the total cost.
Bonus Languages
A drifter’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.
Nature Sense (Ex)
A drifter gains a +2 bonus on Knowledge (nature) and Survival checks.
Wild Empathy (Ex)
A drifter can improve the attitude of an animal. This ability functions just like a Diplomacy check made to improve the attitude of a person. The drifter rolls 1d20 and adds her drifter level and her Charisma modifier to determine the wild empathy check result.
The typical domestic animal has a starting attitude of indifferent, while wild animals are usually unfriendly.
To use wild empathy, the drifter and the animal must be able to study each other, which means that they must be within 30 feet of one another under normal conditions. Generally, influencing an animal in this way takes 1 minute but, as with influencing people, it might take more or less time.
A drifter can also use this ability to influence a magical beast with an Intelligence score of 1 or 2, but she takes a -4 penalty on the check.
Drift
The Wild rewards those that serve it, and because of their extreme devotion to the forces of nature drifters are able to dramatically change the shape and function of their bodies in order to adapt to and survive dangerous, sometimes deadly environments. At first to fourth level the drifter has access to the Drifts found in the Level One Drifts list. At fifth level she gains access to the Drifts in the Level Two Drifts list, and so on. Drifts are permanent bonuses; they do not fade away with time. Examples of possible Drifts include:
Level One Drifts
Your skin-color changes to a color (or pattern of colors) of your choosing.
You sprout a tail, which can be furred, scaled, or hairless like a rat’s.
Your hair becomes green, and the hair on your head becomes a tangle of vines.
Light, downy fur (of any color) covers your skin.
Your skin becomes scaled.
Your touch causes flowers and other small plants to wilt, but not die.
Your touch causes flowers and other small plants to grow, but not live again if dead.
Your voice changes pitch; it can become either higher or lower.
An example of a player-made Drift would be: any minor physical alteration.
Level Two Drifts
A small hump grows on your back; you can go without water for up to five days.
You grow a coat of thick fur; you can survive more easily in cold environments.
The pads of your feet become sticky like those of a lizard. You gain a +4 bonus on Climb checks.
Your land speed increases by 5 feet.
You become more comely, and gain a +4 bonus on Diplomacy checks.
You become more balanced, and gain a +4 bonus to Balance checks.
You sprout leaves and become photosynthetic. You can subsist on 1 hour/day of sunlight in place of food, though you still require the same amount of water to survive.
Your eyes grow as sharp as a rat’s, and you gain low-light vision.
An example of a player-made Drift would be: one that gives a +4 bonus to Jump checks.
Level Three Drifts
Deer antlers grow from your forehead, and you get a gore attack for 1d6 points of damage.
Thorns sprout from your body. Your unarmed attacks do piercing damage and those who strike you with natural weapons take 1d3 damage with every successful hit.
You grow the gills of a fish, allowing you to breathe in water.
You can spin a web like a spider, which allows you to snare prey like a Monstrous Spider (look in the Monster Manual).
Your eyes become sharper in the daylight. You gain a +4 bonus on Spot checks in daylight.
Your eyes become sharper in the darkness. You gain a +4 bonus on Spot checks in dusk and darkness.
Your fingers grow hawk-like talons. You gain the Weapon Finesse Feat and can make two claw attacks per round for 1d3 damage.
Your mouth extends, and you gain a bite attack for 1d6 damage
An example of a player-made Drift would be: your body can exude an oily liquid, giving you a +2 bonus to avoid being grappled.
Level Four Drifts
You grow an acid stinger like that of an ant. You can sting for 1d4 points of piercing damage + 1d4 point of acid damage.
You can trip like a wolf. If you hit with a natural attack you can attempt to trip your target as a free action.
You rage as first-level Barbarian if you take damage, or +1 if you are already a Barbarian.
You can continue to function even with negative hit-points. This does not prevent death.
You gain the Scent ability out to 30 feet.
You can squirt ink as does a squid, which blinds those it hits for 1d4 rounds. Treat as a ranged touch attack.
You gain the Improved Grab ability as described on page 310 of the Monster Manual.
Your hands become stronger, which gives you a +2 bonus to Strength checks to break objects.
An example of a player-made Drift would be: you smell friendly, giving you a +6 to Handle Animal checks.
Level Five Drifts
You grown a unicorn horn, which gives you a +4 bonus on Fortitude saves against poison and a gore attack for 1d8 damage. This damage stacks with other gore attacks that you might have.
You grow wings, either feathered or scaled, of any color. You gain a fly speed of 60 feet and an average maneuverability.
You gain tremorsense out to 30 feet.
Your teeth exude poison. Bite attacks deal 1d4 points of poison damage.
You gain blindsense out to 30 feet.
Your blood is acidic. Anything that makes a successful melee attack against you takes 1d6 points of acid damage.
Your skin becomes thicker, which grants you a +1 bonus to natural armor.
You become more graceful, which grants you a +2 bonus on Reflex saves.
An example of a player-made Drift would be: Your muscle mass increases, giving you a +1 bonus to Strength.
Nature’s Fury (Sp)
The Wild has granted you the power to enhance the ferocity of your natural attacks, giving you the spell-like ability to use Magic Fang (as the spell, cast at your character level) a number of times per day equal to ¼ of the drifter’s class level. At 16th level Nature’s Fury becomes Greater Nature’s Fury and begins to function as the Greater Magic Fang spell.
Woodland Stride (Ex)
Starting at 2nd level, a drifter 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 (Ex)
Starting at 3rd level, a drifter leaves no trail in natural surroundings and cannot be tracked. She may choose to leave a trail if so desired.
Bonus Feats
At 5th level, a drifter gets a bonus feat in addition to the bonus feat granted to a human character. The drifter gains an additional bonus feat at 10th level and every five drifter levels thereafter (15th and 20th). These bonus feats must be drawn from the feats noted as either fighter bonus feats or monster feats. A drifter must still meet all prerequisites for a bonus feat, including ability score and base attack bonus minimums.
These bonus feats are in addition to the feat that a character of any class gets from advancing levels. A drifter is not limited to the list of fighter bonus feats and monster feats when choosing these feats.
Gift of the Wild
A drifter’s service to the Wild does not go unnoticed, and at 8th level the forces of nature grant the drifter the following boons:
• Darkvision out to 60 feet and low-light vision.
• Immunity to poison, sleep effects and paralysis.
• The drifter gains Endurance as a bonus feat at 8th level even if she does not qualify for the feat.
Wild Shape (Su)
At 4th level a drifter gains access to the Wild Shape ability, but instead of taking animal form, a drifter with this variant form of wild shape takes on one or more aspects of nature when she uses her wild shape ability.
At 4th level, a drifter may take on one aspect from those described below. At 8th level, the drifter can take on up to two aspects simultaneously. At 11th level, she can take up on to three aspects simultaneously, and at 15th level the limit increases to its maximum of four simultaneous aspects. (Some aspects can only be combined with certain other aspects, as indicated in their descriptions.) Each aspect taken on counts as one daily use of the Drifter's wild shape ability. Multiple versions of the same aspect don't stack. Taking on one or more aspects is a standard action (which does not provoke attacks of opportunity), and the effect lasts for 1 minute per drifter level.
A drifter may take on one aspect per day for every daily use of wild shape she is entitled to. For instance, a 5th-level drifter could normally use wild shape once per day, so she could assume an aspect once per day. A 10th-level drifter could take on four aspects per day and can choose to take on two aspects simultaneously (which would use up two of the drifter's daily uses).
Unless otherwise noted in an aspect's description, a drifter who assumes an aspect of nature retains her own type and subtype(s), keeps her extraordinary, supernatural, or spell-like abilities, and retains her ability to communicate and cast spells. She is considered proficient with any natural attacks granted by the aspect. Aspects include:
Agility
The drifter gains a +8 bonus to Dexterity but takes a -4 penalty to Strength. Prerequisite: drifter level 8th.
Aquatic
The drifter grows gills, enabling her to breathe underwater (while retaining her ability to breathe air). Webbing between her fingers and her toes grants her a swim speed of 40 feet (or 30 feet if wearing medium or heavy armor or carrying a medium or heavy load) and a +8 bonus on her Swim checks.
Elemental Air
The drifter’s body becomes gaseous (as the Gaseous Form spell, except that she can fly at a speed of 100 feet with perfect maneuverability and doesn't lose her supernatural abilities while in this form). While in this form, the drifter has immunity to poison, sleep, paralysis, and stunning, as well as any other immunities provided by the Gaseous Form spell. The druid cannot cast spells while this aspect is in effect. She can't combine this aspect with any other aspect except for agility and endurance. Prerequisite: drifter level 16th.
Elemental Earth
The drifter’s body becomes stony and rocklike. While in this form, the drifter has immunity to poison, sleep, paralysis, and stunning. She gains a slam attack that deals bludgeoning damage equal to a morningstar of the drifter's size (1d8 for Medium drifters, 1d6 for Small drifters). Her natural armor bonus becomes +8 (replacing any other natural armor bonus the druid has, though enhancement bonuses to natural armor still apply normally). She also gains damage reduction 10/magic. The drifter cannot cast spells while this aspect is in effect. She can't combine this aspect with any other aspect except for endurance and vigor. Prerequisite: drifter level 16th.
Elemental Fire
The drifter's body bursts into flame. While in this form, the drifter has immunity to fire, poison, sleep, paralysis, and stunning. In addition, any creature struck by the drifter in melee (whether with a weapon, unarmed attack, or natural weapon) takes an extra 1d6 points of fire damage and must succeed on a Reflex save or catch fire for 1d4 rounds. The save DC is 10 + 1/2 drifter level + drifter's Con modifier. Creatures hitting the drifter with natural weapons or unarmed attacks while this aspect is in effect take 1d6 points of fire damage and also catch fire unless they succeed on the Reflex save noted above. The drifter also gains damage reduction 10/magic. The drifter cannot cast spells while this aspect is in effect. She can't combine this aspect with any other aspect except for agility and endurance. Prerequisite: drifter level 16th.
Elemental Water
The drifter's body becomes semifluid. While in this form, the drifter gains a +10 bonus on Escape Artist checks, resistance to fire 10, and immunity to poison, steep, paralysis, and stunning. She gains a swim speed of 90 feet and a +8 bonus on her Swim checks. Her touch puts out torches, campfires, exposed lanterns, and other open flames of nonmagical origin if these are Large or smaller. The drifter can dispel magical fire she touches as if she had cast greater dispel magic on it. She also gains damage reduction 10/magic. The drifter cannot cast spells while this aspect is in effect. She can't combine this aspect with any other aspect except for endurance and vigor. Prerequisite: drifter level 16th.
Endurance
The drifter gains a +4 bonus to Constitution. Prerequisite: drifter level 8th.
Flight
The drifter grows wings (feathery or batlike, at her option) that enable her to fly at a speed of 40 feet with average maneuverability (or 30 feet if wearing medium or heavy armor or carrying a medium or heavy load).
Plant
The drifter's body becomes plantlike. While in this form, the drifter gains a +10 bonus on Hide checks made in areas of forest, overgrowth, or similar terrain. She gains immunity to poison, sleep, paralysis, and stunning. She gains a slam attack that deals bludgeoning damage equal to a light mace of the drifter's size (1d6 for Medium drifters, 1d4 for Small drifters). Her natural armor bonus becomes 4 (replacing any other natural armor bonus the drifter has, though enhancement bonuses to natural armor still apply normally). She can't combine this aspect with any other aspect except for vigor. Prerequisite: drifter level 12th.
Poison
The drifter gains a bite attack that deals bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage equal to a dagger of the drifter's size (1d4 for a Medium drifter, or 1d3 for a Small drifter). In addition, the bite delivers a toxic venom (Fortitude save DC 10 + 1/2 drifter’s level + drifter’s Con modifier; initial and secondary damage 1d6 Con).
Scent
The drifter gains the scent ability.
Speed
The drifter gains a +30-foot enhancement bonus to her base land speed.
Tooth and Claw
The drifter gains a primary bite attack (at her full base attack bonus) and two secondary claw attacks (at her base attack bonus -5 and adding only half her Strength bonus on damage rolls). The bite attack deals bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage equal to a short sword of the drifter's size (1d6 for a Medium drifter, or 1d4 for a Small drifter), while the claws deal piercing and slashing damage equal to a dagger of the drifter's size (1d4 for a Medium drifter, or 1d3 for a Small drifter).
Vigor
The drifter gains a +8 bonus to Strength but takes a -4 penalty to Dexterity. Prerequisite: drifter level 8th.
>>Side Note: I see that Draken has recently posted a base class with a similar premise, that being a slow transformation into something more bestial. I hope that my posting the drifter does not cause any confusion between the two.
The Drifter
http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff266/Regisrex/TheDrifter.jpg
Level Progression
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special
1st|
+1|
+2|
+0|
+2|Nature Sense; Wild Empathy; Nature’s Fury; Level One Drift
2nd|
+2|
+3|
+0|
+3|Woodland Stride; Level One Drift
3rd|
+3|
+3|
+1|
+3|Trackless Step; Level One Drift
4th|
+4|
+4|
+1|
+3|Wild Shape 1/day
5th|
+5|
+4|
+1|
+4|Bonus Feat; Level 2 Drift
6th|
+6/+1|
+5|
+2|
+5|Wild Shape 2/day; Level 2 Drift
7th|
+7/+2|
+5|
+2|
+5|Level 2 Drift
8th|
+8/+3|
+6|
+2|
+6|Gift of the Wild
9th|
+9/+4|
+6|
+3|
+6|Wild Shape 3/day; Level Three Drift
10th|
+10/+5|
+7|
+3|
+7|Bonus Feat; Level Three Drift
11th|
+11/+6/+1|
+7|
+3|
+7|Level Three Drift
12th|
+12/+7/+2|
+8|
+4|
+8|Wild Shape 4/day
13th|
+13/+8/+3|
+8|
+4|
+8|Level Four Drift
14th|
+14/+9/4|
+9|
+4|
+9|Level Four Drift
15th|
+15+10/+5|
+9|
+5|
+9|Bonus Feat; Wild Shape 5/day; Level Four Drift
16th|
+16/+11/+6/+1|
+10|
+5|
+10|Greater Nature’s Fury
17th|
+17/+12/+7/+2|
+10|
+5|
+10|Level Five Drift
18th|
+18/+13+8/+3|
+11|
+6|
+11|Wild Shape 6/day; Level Five Drift
19th|
+19/+14/+9/+4|
+11|
+6|
+11|Level Five Drift
20th|
+20/+15/+10/+5|
+12|
+6|
+12|Bonus Feat[/table]
Alignment
Any neutral.
Hit die
1d12.
Class Skills
The drifter’s class skills (and the key ability for each) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).
Skill Points at 1st Level
(4 + Int modifier) x 4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level
4 + Int modifier.
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the drifter.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
Drifters are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, light armor, medium armor, and shields. They are also proficient with all natural attacks (claw, bite, and so forth) of any form they assume with wild shape (see below), and that they possess naturally. After 9th level and due to the amount of change that their bodies have undergone, a drifter’s armor must be specially made for her, adding 25% to the total cost.
Bonus Languages
A drifter’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.
Nature Sense (Ex)
A drifter gains a +2 bonus on Knowledge (nature) and Survival checks.
Wild Empathy (Ex)
A drifter can improve the attitude of an animal. This ability functions just like a Diplomacy check made to improve the attitude of a person. The drifter rolls 1d20 and adds her drifter level and her Charisma modifier to determine the wild empathy check result.
The typical domestic animal has a starting attitude of indifferent, while wild animals are usually unfriendly.
To use wild empathy, the drifter and the animal must be able to study each other, which means that they must be within 30 feet of one another under normal conditions. Generally, influencing an animal in this way takes 1 minute but, as with influencing people, it might take more or less time.
A drifter can also use this ability to influence a magical beast with an Intelligence score of 1 or 2, but she takes a -4 penalty on the check.
Drift
The Wild rewards those that serve it, and because of their extreme devotion to the forces of nature drifters are able to dramatically change the shape and function of their bodies in order to adapt to and survive dangerous, sometimes deadly environments. At first to fourth level the drifter has access to the Drifts found in the Level One Drifts list. At fifth level she gains access to the Drifts in the Level Two Drifts list, and so on. Drifts are permanent bonuses; they do not fade away with time. Examples of possible Drifts include:
Level One Drifts
Your skin-color changes to a color (or pattern of colors) of your choosing.
You sprout a tail, which can be furred, scaled, or hairless like a rat’s.
Your hair becomes green, and the hair on your head becomes a tangle of vines.
Light, downy fur (of any color) covers your skin.
Your skin becomes scaled.
Your touch causes flowers and other small plants to wilt, but not die.
Your touch causes flowers and other small plants to grow, but not live again if dead.
Your voice changes pitch; it can become either higher or lower.
An example of a player-made Drift would be: any minor physical alteration.
Level Two Drifts
A small hump grows on your back; you can go without water for up to five days.
You grow a coat of thick fur; you can survive more easily in cold environments.
The pads of your feet become sticky like those of a lizard. You gain a +4 bonus on Climb checks.
Your land speed increases by 5 feet.
You become more comely, and gain a +4 bonus on Diplomacy checks.
You become more balanced, and gain a +4 bonus to Balance checks.
You sprout leaves and become photosynthetic. You can subsist on 1 hour/day of sunlight in place of food, though you still require the same amount of water to survive.
Your eyes grow as sharp as a rat’s, and you gain low-light vision.
An example of a player-made Drift would be: one that gives a +4 bonus to Jump checks.
Level Three Drifts
Deer antlers grow from your forehead, and you get a gore attack for 1d6 points of damage.
Thorns sprout from your body. Your unarmed attacks do piercing damage and those who strike you with natural weapons take 1d3 damage with every successful hit.
You grow the gills of a fish, allowing you to breathe in water.
You can spin a web like a spider, which allows you to snare prey like a Monstrous Spider (look in the Monster Manual).
Your eyes become sharper in the daylight. You gain a +4 bonus on Spot checks in daylight.
Your eyes become sharper in the darkness. You gain a +4 bonus on Spot checks in dusk and darkness.
Your fingers grow hawk-like talons. You gain the Weapon Finesse Feat and can make two claw attacks per round for 1d3 damage.
Your mouth extends, and you gain a bite attack for 1d6 damage
An example of a player-made Drift would be: your body can exude an oily liquid, giving you a +2 bonus to avoid being grappled.
Level Four Drifts
You grow an acid stinger like that of an ant. You can sting for 1d4 points of piercing damage + 1d4 point of acid damage.
You can trip like a wolf. If you hit with a natural attack you can attempt to trip your target as a free action.
You rage as first-level Barbarian if you take damage, or +1 if you are already a Barbarian.
You can continue to function even with negative hit-points. This does not prevent death.
You gain the Scent ability out to 30 feet.
You can squirt ink as does a squid, which blinds those it hits for 1d4 rounds. Treat as a ranged touch attack.
You gain the Improved Grab ability as described on page 310 of the Monster Manual.
Your hands become stronger, which gives you a +2 bonus to Strength checks to break objects.
An example of a player-made Drift would be: you smell friendly, giving you a +6 to Handle Animal checks.
Level Five Drifts
You grown a unicorn horn, which gives you a +4 bonus on Fortitude saves against poison and a gore attack for 1d8 damage. This damage stacks with other gore attacks that you might have.
You grow wings, either feathered or scaled, of any color. You gain a fly speed of 60 feet and an average maneuverability.
You gain tremorsense out to 30 feet.
Your teeth exude poison. Bite attacks deal 1d4 points of poison damage.
You gain blindsense out to 30 feet.
Your blood is acidic. Anything that makes a successful melee attack against you takes 1d6 points of acid damage.
Your skin becomes thicker, which grants you a +1 bonus to natural armor.
You become more graceful, which grants you a +2 bonus on Reflex saves.
An example of a player-made Drift would be: Your muscle mass increases, giving you a +1 bonus to Strength.
Nature’s Fury (Sp)
The Wild has granted you the power to enhance the ferocity of your natural attacks, giving you the spell-like ability to use Magic Fang (as the spell, cast at your character level) a number of times per day equal to ¼ of the drifter’s class level. At 16th level Nature’s Fury becomes Greater Nature’s Fury and begins to function as the Greater Magic Fang spell.
Woodland Stride (Ex)
Starting at 2nd level, a drifter 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 (Ex)
Starting at 3rd level, a drifter leaves no trail in natural surroundings and cannot be tracked. She may choose to leave a trail if so desired.
Bonus Feats
At 5th level, a drifter gets a bonus feat in addition to the bonus feat granted to a human character. The drifter gains an additional bonus feat at 10th level and every five drifter levels thereafter (15th and 20th). These bonus feats must be drawn from the feats noted as either fighter bonus feats or monster feats. A drifter must still meet all prerequisites for a bonus feat, including ability score and base attack bonus minimums.
These bonus feats are in addition to the feat that a character of any class gets from advancing levels. A drifter is not limited to the list of fighter bonus feats and monster feats when choosing these feats.
Gift of the Wild
A drifter’s service to the Wild does not go unnoticed, and at 8th level the forces of nature grant the drifter the following boons:
• Darkvision out to 60 feet and low-light vision.
• Immunity to poison, sleep effects and paralysis.
• The drifter gains Endurance as a bonus feat at 8th level even if she does not qualify for the feat.
Wild Shape (Su)
At 4th level a drifter gains access to the Wild Shape ability, but instead of taking animal form, a drifter with this variant form of wild shape takes on one or more aspects of nature when she uses her wild shape ability.
At 4th level, a drifter may take on one aspect from those described below. At 8th level, the drifter can take on up to two aspects simultaneously. At 11th level, she can take up on to three aspects simultaneously, and at 15th level the limit increases to its maximum of four simultaneous aspects. (Some aspects can only be combined with certain other aspects, as indicated in their descriptions.) Each aspect taken on counts as one daily use of the Drifter's wild shape ability. Multiple versions of the same aspect don't stack. Taking on one or more aspects is a standard action (which does not provoke attacks of opportunity), and the effect lasts for 1 minute per drifter level.
A drifter may take on one aspect per day for every daily use of wild shape she is entitled to. For instance, a 5th-level drifter could normally use wild shape once per day, so she could assume an aspect once per day. A 10th-level drifter could take on four aspects per day and can choose to take on two aspects simultaneously (which would use up two of the drifter's daily uses).
Unless otherwise noted in an aspect's description, a drifter who assumes an aspect of nature retains her own type and subtype(s), keeps her extraordinary, supernatural, or spell-like abilities, and retains her ability to communicate and cast spells. She is considered proficient with any natural attacks granted by the aspect. Aspects include:
Agility
The drifter gains a +8 bonus to Dexterity but takes a -4 penalty to Strength. Prerequisite: drifter level 8th.
Aquatic
The drifter grows gills, enabling her to breathe underwater (while retaining her ability to breathe air). Webbing between her fingers and her toes grants her a swim speed of 40 feet (or 30 feet if wearing medium or heavy armor or carrying a medium or heavy load) and a +8 bonus on her Swim checks.
Elemental Air
The drifter’s body becomes gaseous (as the Gaseous Form spell, except that she can fly at a speed of 100 feet with perfect maneuverability and doesn't lose her supernatural abilities while in this form). While in this form, the drifter has immunity to poison, sleep, paralysis, and stunning, as well as any other immunities provided by the Gaseous Form spell. The druid cannot cast spells while this aspect is in effect. She can't combine this aspect with any other aspect except for agility and endurance. Prerequisite: drifter level 16th.
Elemental Earth
The drifter’s body becomes stony and rocklike. While in this form, the drifter has immunity to poison, sleep, paralysis, and stunning. She gains a slam attack that deals bludgeoning damage equal to a morningstar of the drifter's size (1d8 for Medium drifters, 1d6 for Small drifters). Her natural armor bonus becomes +8 (replacing any other natural armor bonus the druid has, though enhancement bonuses to natural armor still apply normally). She also gains damage reduction 10/magic. The drifter cannot cast spells while this aspect is in effect. She can't combine this aspect with any other aspect except for endurance and vigor. Prerequisite: drifter level 16th.
Elemental Fire
The drifter's body bursts into flame. While in this form, the drifter has immunity to fire, poison, sleep, paralysis, and stunning. In addition, any creature struck by the drifter in melee (whether with a weapon, unarmed attack, or natural weapon) takes an extra 1d6 points of fire damage and must succeed on a Reflex save or catch fire for 1d4 rounds. The save DC is 10 + 1/2 drifter level + drifter's Con modifier. Creatures hitting the drifter with natural weapons or unarmed attacks while this aspect is in effect take 1d6 points of fire damage and also catch fire unless they succeed on the Reflex save noted above. The drifter also gains damage reduction 10/magic. The drifter cannot cast spells while this aspect is in effect. She can't combine this aspect with any other aspect except for agility and endurance. Prerequisite: drifter level 16th.
Elemental Water
The drifter's body becomes semifluid. While in this form, the drifter gains a +10 bonus on Escape Artist checks, resistance to fire 10, and immunity to poison, steep, paralysis, and stunning. She gains a swim speed of 90 feet and a +8 bonus on her Swim checks. Her touch puts out torches, campfires, exposed lanterns, and other open flames of nonmagical origin if these are Large or smaller. The drifter can dispel magical fire she touches as if she had cast greater dispel magic on it. She also gains damage reduction 10/magic. The drifter cannot cast spells while this aspect is in effect. She can't combine this aspect with any other aspect except for endurance and vigor. Prerequisite: drifter level 16th.
Endurance
The drifter gains a +4 bonus to Constitution. Prerequisite: drifter level 8th.
Flight
The drifter grows wings (feathery or batlike, at her option) that enable her to fly at a speed of 40 feet with average maneuverability (or 30 feet if wearing medium or heavy armor or carrying a medium or heavy load).
Plant
The drifter's body becomes plantlike. While in this form, the drifter gains a +10 bonus on Hide checks made in areas of forest, overgrowth, or similar terrain. She gains immunity to poison, sleep, paralysis, and stunning. She gains a slam attack that deals bludgeoning damage equal to a light mace of the drifter's size (1d6 for Medium drifters, 1d4 for Small drifters). Her natural armor bonus becomes 4 (replacing any other natural armor bonus the drifter has, though enhancement bonuses to natural armor still apply normally). She can't combine this aspect with any other aspect except for vigor. Prerequisite: drifter level 12th.
Poison
The drifter gains a bite attack that deals bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage equal to a dagger of the drifter's size (1d4 for a Medium drifter, or 1d3 for a Small drifter). In addition, the bite delivers a toxic venom (Fortitude save DC 10 + 1/2 drifter’s level + drifter’s Con modifier; initial and secondary damage 1d6 Con).
Scent
The drifter gains the scent ability.
Speed
The drifter gains a +30-foot enhancement bonus to her base land speed.
Tooth and Claw
The drifter gains a primary bite attack (at her full base attack bonus) and two secondary claw attacks (at her base attack bonus -5 and adding only half her Strength bonus on damage rolls). The bite attack deals bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage equal to a short sword of the drifter's size (1d6 for a Medium drifter, or 1d4 for a Small drifter), while the claws deal piercing and slashing damage equal to a dagger of the drifter's size (1d4 for a Medium drifter, or 1d3 for a Small drifter).
Vigor
The drifter gains a +8 bonus to Strength but takes a -4 penalty to Dexterity. Prerequisite: drifter level 8th.