Protector of the Wilds
There are individuals meant to bring about peace, balance and prosperity, and more to bring about the power of the Wilds, but few ever aim to succeed at both; these few Protectors of the Wilds support every creature in its attempts to thrive, including animals. While they hold utmost compassion for beasts, they do not necessarily hold contempt for brighter creatures, though those whose very composition threatens the balance of nature especially earn their ire. The Protectors of the Wilds are a select group of elite Druids, shifters, and other creatures that can attain the shape of an animal that wish to spread not only balance, but also respect and aid for all natural inhabitants of the world.
Requirements: 21st Level, Wild Shape 3/day or ability to Shift or Alternate Form into an animal, any non-evil.
{table=head]Level|Special
21st|Manipulation Mastery, Sense Distress
24th|Nature's Aegis
27th|Wild Inspiration
30th|Protector of the Pack[/table]
Manipulation Mastery (Su)
You are a master of your own shape and form, and can alter the intended result of a shapechange to produce a more favorable result. When you assume a Wild Shape, Shift or Alternate Form, you can change the size category of the creature whose shape you assume by one size category, either up or down; if you alter Wild Shape in this fashion, you must be able to assume the form of Gargantuan, Colossal, Fine and Diminutive creatures in order to alter your Wild Shape's creature size to be one of those size categories. When you assume a form of a size category either larger or smaller than the normal creature, you gain all effects of changing size category.
In addition, when you change into an alternate form, you may choose which three stats you adapt from the creature; for example, you can choose to adapt the Strength, Constitution and Intelligence of a creature instead of its Strength, Dexterity and Constitution. If your alternate form is from Wild Shape, you may also assume the forms of creatures up to your HD +2.
Sense Distress (Ex)
You can automatically sense any form of distress in any animal within 100 miles of your location. You instantly understand the cause of the distress and can choose to respond to it. Once an animal's distress has been identified, you may Greater Teleport as the spell to the animal's location if it is within 100 miles of your location. Doing so is a full-round action, and characters near you make a choice to either follow or stay behind. You cannot suppress Sense Distress, but the senses are not invasive and do not cloud thought or interfere with any skill check or any other sense and do not impede concentration, sleep or meditation. In addition, you gain a +20 insight bonus to your Wild Empathy and Handle Animal checks.
Nature's Aegis (Su)
As a swift action you may create a barrier around yourself or a single ally. The barrier itself is invisible but manifests as slight physical changes; when you create the barrier, choose one effect:
- Incredible Perception – Your barrier manifests as supernatural speed and intuition, granting an insight bonus to AC equal to 1/2 your HD. Any character granted Incredible Perception constantly looks about their surroundings and may jump at the slightest provocation.
- Eternium Hide – Your barrier manifests as incredibly thickened and hardened skin, carapace, hide etc., granting Damage Reduction 1/- for every character level you have. Any character granted Eternium Hide has a lightly golden tone to their skin, hide, or carapace. This damage reduction supercedes any other form of Damage Reduction the receiver has.
- Bastion against Spells – Your barrier manifests as a ward against spells, granting Spell Resistance equal to twice your character level. Any character granted Bastion against Spells glows a faint blue that can be suppressed for purposes of sneaking or hiding. This Spell Resistance supercedes any other form of Spell Resistance the receiver has.
- Energy Ward – Your barrier manifests as a protective sheen against the forces of the elements, granting Fire, Cold and Electricity Immunity. Any character granted Energy Ward emanates a pale white fog that does not impede sight.
Nature's Aegis lasts indefinitely and can only be applied to a single creature at a time. You can choose to end Nature's Aegis at any time as an immediate action. If multiple Nature's Aegis affect the same creature, the Aegis belonging to the character(s) of lower Caster Level is dispelled; if all have the same Caster Level, all forms of the Aegis are dispelled.
Wild Inspiration (Su)
When you transform into an alternate form, your exultation and natural power cause you and all friendly animals within 100 feet gain a morale bonus to Attack, Damage and Grapple checks equal to 1/3 of your character levels for 10 rounds. An animal affected by Wild Inspiration receives a bonus up to twice its HD if its HD is below 1/3 of your character levels; for example, a Dire Weasel with 3 HD that is affected by Wild Inspiration of a 27th level character does not gain a + morale bonus; it instead is granted +6. Likewise, a Dire Wolf affected by the same character gains the full +9 bonus, because its 6 HD double to 12, which is greater than 9. In addition, any creature granted a bonus of +5 or more by your Wild Inspiration also gains the benefits of a Mind Blank spell.
Protector of the Pack (Su)
You are a protector of others, both in combat and out; as such, you take it personally when others attack those you are sworn to protect, and you lash out at them, showing them the error of attacking your charges. Enemies that attack your allies in melee, at range or by casting a spell provoke an Attack of Opportunity from you if you are able to reach them and as long as you are in an alternate or shifted form. This does not count against your maximum number of Attacks of Opportunity per round. If you have Sneak Attack, precision or Skirmish damage, you may apply the greatest of that damage to any Attacks of Opportunity made with Protector of the Pack. You may apply Ambush feats as normal for an Attack of Opportunity with sneak attack damage made with this ability.
In addition, you may form a spiritual link between you and up to 4 allies. Any time an ally with this link is within 100 feet of you and takes damage, you take damage instead; however, damage transferred in this way is added to a delayed damage pool, which empties at the end of the round after your next round. Damage taken in this way can't be reduced or prevented, unless one of your linked allies has an Energy Immunity, Energy Resistance or Damage Reduction, in which case you take only the damage that is actually inflicted upon them, not the total damage before reductions. You are never at threat of dying from massive damage, and are immune to magical death effects and death spells as long as you are linked with at least one ally and within 100 feet of that ally. Forming a spiritual link is a move action; you may dismiss a link as a swift action.
Blessing of the Beastlands
The Gods recognize your endeavors to bring about balance in the world, and are in awe of a mortal's ability to dedicate themselves to a cause. In recognition of your efforts, the Gods grant you the blessing of Immortality, the quality to never again be affected by time. In addition to this blessing, if you ever perish, your spirit immediately manifests on the Wilderness of the Beastlands, and where your body lies, a forest 100 miles diametrically wide sprouts; after only a day, a forest as varied as the Beastlands themselves grows. At the center is a Gargantuan marble monument to you, detailing your every achievement; in addition, the entire Forest is permanently Hallowed, and all creatures of good or neutral alignment are affected by the Hallowed spell's Endure Elements ability. Creatures that enter the forest hear your name on the wind, have their destructive urges pacified, and experience joy and satisfaction in greater amounts while there. Inside, the climate seems perfect for any creature and special plants bear fruits that can sustain nearly any life-form that does not subsist entirely on flesh; in addition, one's senses are blessed by the harmony of the place: colors are more vivid, sounds are more melodious and soft, and others encountered within the forest seem more positive and friendly. Vegetation in your forest cannot be harmed in any way, except by consumption from creatures.
Furthermore, after your death and your grand forest grows, you may return to the world of the living as a flesh-and-blood creature again; doing so requires you to meditate at the center of the three layers of the Beastlands for a day each: Krigala, Brux and Karasuthra. Once you have meditated, a new body identical to your normal one is created at your monument. All items instantly transfer from your old body to your new one.
CHANGE LOG
Spoiler
Reduced Requirements to enter the Destiny.
Original:
Spoiler
Requirements: 21st Level, Wild Shape 6/day or ability to Shift or Alternate Form into an animal, Wild Empathy or Handle Animal 24 ranks, any non-evil.
Increased bonuses from "Manipulation Mastery" class ability and clarified size category change ability.
Original:
Spoiler
Manipulation Mastery (Su)
You are a master of your own shape and form, and can alter the intended result of a shapechange to produce a more favorable result. When you assume a Wild Shape, Shift or Alternate Form, you can change the size category of the creature whose shape you assume by one size category, either up or down; if you alter Wild Shape in this fashion, you must be able to assume the form of Gargantuan, Colossal, Fine and Diminutive creatures in order to alter your Wild Shape's creature size to be one of those size categories.
Added ability to Greater Teleport as the spell to the location of an animal whose distress you identify; also increased the range of detection to 100 miles instead of 5. Increased bonus to handle animal to +20 and let the ability encompass both handle animal and wild empathy.
Original:
Spoiler
Sense Distress (Ex)
You can automatically sense any form of distress in any animal within 5 miles of your location. You instantly understand the cause of the distress and can choose to respond to it. You cannot suppress this ability, but the senses are not invasive and do not cloud thought or interfere with any skill check or any other sense and do not impede concentration, sleep or meditation. In addition, you gain a +20 insight bonus to your Wild Empathy or +10 to your Handle Animal checks; upon gaining Sense Distress, you choose which bonus you gain.
Upgraded all abilities regarding Nature's Aegis, either in duration or in effect*.
*NOTE: AC bonus has been changed to 1/2 HD, from full Class level.
Original:
Spoiler
Nature's Aegis (Su)
As a standard action you may create a barrier around yourself or a single ally. The barrier itself is invisible but manifests as slight physical changes; when you create the barrier, choose one effect:
- Incredible Perception – Your barrier manifests as supernatural speed and intuition, granting an insight bonus to AC equal to ½ your character level, rounded down. Any character granted Incredible Perception constantly looks about their surroundings and may jump at the slightest provocation.
- Eternium Hide – Your barrier manifests as incredibly thickened and hardened skin, carapace, hide etc., granting Damage Reduction 1/- for every 3 levels you have. Any character granted Eternium Hide has a lightly golden tone to their skin, hide, or carapace. This damage reduction supercedes any other form of Damage Reduction the receiver has.
- Bastion against Spells – Your barrier manifests as a ward against spells, granting Spell Resistance equal to 10 + your character level. Any character granted Bastion against Spells glows a faint blue that can be suppressed for purposes of sneaking or hiding. This Spell Resistance supercedes any other form of Spell Resistance the receiver has.
- Energy Ward – Your barrier manifests as a protective sheen against the forces of the elements, granting Fire, Cold and Electricity Resistance 30. Any character granted Energy Ward emanates a pale white fog that does not impede sight.
Nature's Aegis lasts for a number of rounds equal to ½ your character level and can only be applied to a single creature at a time. You can only create a new Nature's Aegis once at least 3 rounds have passed since your previous Nature's Aegis wore off. If multiple Nature's Aegis affect the same creature, the Aegis belonging to the character(s) of lower Caster Level is dispelled; if all have the same Caster Level, all forms of the Aegis are dispelled.
Wild Inspiration now also casts Mind Blank at your Caster Level on each creature it affects, including you.
Original:
Spoiler
Wild Inspiration (Su)
When you transform into an alternate form, your exultation and natural power cause you and all friendly animals within 100 feet gain a morale bonus to Attack and Grapple checks equal to 1/3 of your character levels for 10 rounds. An animal affected by Wild Inspiration receives a bonus up to twice its HD if its HD is below 1/3 of your character levels; for example, a Dire Weasel with 3 HD that is affected by Wild Inspiration of a 27th level character does not gain a +9 morale bonus; it instead is granted +6. Likewise, a Dire Wolf affected by the same character gains the full +9 bonus, because its 6 HD double to 12, which is greater than 9.
Added new ability to Protector of the Pack.
Original:
Spoiler
Protector of the Pack (Su)
You are a protector of others, both in combat and out; as such, you take it personally when others attack those you are sworn to protect, and you lash out at them, showing them the error of attacking your charges. Enemies that attack your allies in melee, at range or by casting a spell provoke an Attack of Opportunity from you if you are able to reach them and as long as you are in an alternate or shifted form. This does not count against your maximum number of Attacks of Opportunity per round. If you have Sneak Attack, precision or Skirmish damage, you may apply the greatest of that damage to any Attacks of Opportunity made with Protector of the Pack. You may apply Ambush feats as normal for an Attack of Opportunity with sneak attack damage made with this ability.
Made the Epic Destiny finisher fluffier.
Original:
Spoiler
Blessing of Immortality
The Gods recognize your endeavors to bring about balance in the world, and are in awe of a mortal's ability to dedicate themselves to a cause. In recognition of your efforts, the Gods grant you the blessing of Immortality, the quality to never again be affected by time.
