The Drifter

[Sophistemon]

This is a huge post, so you should grab a sandwich or something. Maybe a soda, too.

(Please note that the name of this class was changed to Drifter for the sake of coolitude.)

Drifters are people who are ready and able to survive and profit from adverse and seemingly impossible situations. Because of their Druid-like attunement with nature Drifters are able to adapt to their surroundings at will and, in an act of non-understood manipulation of flesh, permanently change their bodies.

Drifter
Alignment: Neutral good, lawful neutral, neutral, chaotic neutral or neutral evil.
Hit Die: d8.
Class Skills
The Drifter’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) 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.
Level Base Attack Bonus Fort Save Ref Save Will Save Special
1st +0 +2 +0 +2 Nature Sense/Wild/Empathy/NF/Drift 1
2nd +1 +3 +0 +3 Woodland Stride/Drift 1
3rd +2 +3 +1 +3 Trackless Step/Drift 1
4th +3 +4 +1 +4 Wild Shape 1/day
5th +3 +4 +1 +4 Bonus Feat/Drift 2
6th +4 +5 +2 +5 Wild Shape 2/day/Drift 2
7th +5 +5 +2 +5 Drift 2
8th +6/+1 +6 +2 +6 Fey
9th +6/+1 +6 +3 +6 Wild Shape 3/day/Drift 3
10th +7/+2 +7 +3 +7 Bonus Feat/Drift 3
11th +8/+3 +7 +3 +7 Drift 3
12th +9/+4 +8 +4 +8 Wild Shape 4/day
13th +9/+4 +8 +4 +8 Drift 4
14th +10/+5 +9 +4 +9 Drift 4
15th +11/+6/+1 +9 +5 +9 Bonus Feat/Wild Shape 5/day/Drift 4
16th +12/+7/+2 +10 +5 +10 NF+2
17th +12/+7/+2 +10 +5 +10 Drift 5
18th +13/+8/+3 +11 +6 +11 Wild Shape 6/day/Drift 5
19th +14/+9/+4 +11 +6 +11 Drift 5
20th +15/+10/+5 +12 +6 +12 Bonus Feat
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Drifter.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Drifters are proficient with the following weapons: club, dagger, dart, quarterstaff, scimitar, sickle, shortspear, sling, and spear. 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.
Drifters are proficient with light and medium armor, and are not prohibited from wearing metal armor. However after 9th level, due to the amount of change that their bodies have undergone, a Drifter’s armor must be specially made for her, which adds 25% to the total cost. Drifters are proficient with shields (except tower shields) and may use metal ones.
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.
A Drifter also knows Druidic, a secret language known only to Druids and Drifters (though the Druids don’t know that), which she learns upon becoming a 1st-level Drifter. Druidic is a free language for a Drifter; that is, she knows it in addition to her regular allotment of languages and it doesn’t take up a language slot. Drifters are forbidden to teach this language to nondruids and nondrifters.
Druidic has its own alphabet.
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: Because of their extreme connection to nature, Drifters are able to dramatically change the shape and function of their bodies in order to more easily survive a dangerous or unfriendly situation. At first to fourth level the Drifter has access to Drifts found in the Drift 1 list. At fifth level he gains access to the Drift 2 list, and so on. Drifts are permanent bonuses; they do not fade away with time.
Nature’s Fury: This ability functions as a permanent Greater Magic Fang spell, usable at will. At 16th level the Drifter gets a +2 bonus to this ability.

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 Feat: At level 5, 10, 15 and 20 the Drifter can take a Monstrous Feat as a bonus feat if she meets the requirements. Monster Feats can be found here: http://systemreferencedocuments.org/...ter_feats.html
Fey: Starting at eight level the Drifter gains the following Fey traits:
• Low-light vision.
• Proficient with all simple weapons and any weapons mentioned in its entry.
• Proficient with whatever type of armor (light, medium, or heavy) that it is described as wearing, as well as all lighter types. Fey not indicated as wearing armor are not proficient with armor. Fey are proficient with shields if they are proficient with any form of armor.
• Fey eat, sleep, and breathe.
Wild Shape (Su): At level five a Drifter gains access to the Wild Shape ability, but instead of taking animal form, a druid with this variant form of wild shape takes on one or more aspects of nature when she uses her wild shape ability.
At 5th level, a Drifer 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 I 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.
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 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 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 Drifter 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 bat-like, 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 + Drifters 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.


Example Drifts:
Level One Drifts:
Your skin-color changes to a color (or pattern of colors) of your choosing.
You sprout a tail, which can be either 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: Getting +1 to a skill


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: You can now climb walls like a spider.
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 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 a first-level Barbarian if you take damage, or +1 if your 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 to Strength.

[Randomman413]

wow. all i could say at first was...wow. this is EXACTLY what i was looking for!this class...pretty much is awesome. yeah. pretty awesome. i dont have any suggestions to improve it.

[Spuddly]

What's the difference between this and a geomancer?

[Saragos]

So...that's the geomancer...without spells? I'm failing to see any real differences in the two classes. Not to be rude, but perhaps you should try to differentiate this a bit more from the geomancer. I like the concept, being able to temporarily gain evolutions is neat, but I think it needs a bit more than what you have for it, especially since this seems to be a complete class, and not a prestige. It's almost like a watered down wild shape that you can't actually change(barring the temporary evolution ability). I think a few other abilities would be in order. It has potential, though.

[Sophistemon]

What's the difference between this and a geomancer?

The Geomancer is a Prestige Class from the Complete Divine, while the Evolutionist was designed to be a base class that can be taken from 1st level to 20th. But the above poster is right. Does anybody have any idea how many spells this class should receive per level? Or maybe it could be privy to some other abilities. Perhaps an Evolutionist could bestow Temporary Evolutions on other people?

[Randomman413]

hmm...not knowing what a geomancer is...i did not realize that. i suppose it might use some other abilities, but its very customizable.

[jdrich]

Damned furries! Yiffing left and right. Who's going to clean that up?

It looks to be a very, very interesting class. A suggestion? Drop the class and make it a druid variant. That's what I have done in my campaigns. Instead of being able to wild shape, a druid can obtain drifts (the coolest part of Masters of the Wild, my first non-core D&D book) at the same progression as a geomancer, give or take. At level five, and every level thereafter, the player may choose a drift, three for each level of drift until level 20.

Of course, there are many more drifts than the basic list.

So just slap this progression on to a druid, and there you have it.

The only difference is the temporary evolutions part, but I make up for that with more drifts and more choices of drifts. The temporary evolutions part should, of course, be a (Su) ability.

[Cubey]

Temporary evolutions can be very powerful if used in a correct way. That, and the fact that it's a base class, make it at least a decent class, even without spellcasting abilities.

However, one thing's missing. The hit dice.

EDIT: I suggest d8, even though the geomancer had d6. After all, the evolutionist has no spells to cast so must be tough enough to survive melee combat.

[Sophistemon]

Okay, added Armor and Weapon Proficiency (like a Druid, but no metal restriction*), Hit Dice (D-Eight), and the Share Evolution ability, as well as possibly extending the number of times a day the Evolutionist can Temporarily Evolve (plus one-half of her Wisdom Modifier).

*The Evolutionist, unlike the Druid, does not suffer any penalties for wearing metal armor. Metal comes from beneath the earth, after all.

[Spuddly]

Would armor have to specially made? You are sprouting camel humps and unicorn horns and other nonsense.

What about dealing with townfolk? Would anyone let you inside the city walls, as after a few levels you'd start to look like a monster.

[amanodel]

Cool :D It really is :D Interesting concept, just correct the geomancer in the description :)
I would give him d8 hp, no spells and 4 skills. This metamorphing abiliteis are primarly useful for a meelee character, maybe strenghtening that would do some good.

[jdrich]

Might want to allow him to take monsterous humanoid feats, as well, and perhaps even change his type along the way.

[Sophistemon]

Added the 'Monstrous' special ability. Tell me what you think.

EDIT
At the bottom of each list of Evolutions there is a note that says something like: 'These are just examples of the many possible Evolutions.' This means that the Evolutionist is welcome to talk to their DM about creating their own Evolutions, as long as they don't impact the game any more than the others on that particular list. So an additional Evolution made up by the player might well be an increase in muscle mass which would increase the damage done by melee and natural weapons.

[jdrich]

With the way that this class is moving, you might as well turn it into an all-out aberration type class. The player starts out as a normal race, and over time picks up monsterous, and then aberral abilities until he/she is one of the X-men.

That, or turn it more towards a druid/ranger class. Maybe give the evolutionists an animal companion? I still think at least minor spellcasting (say that of a ranger) would not be overly powerful for the class.

[Sophistemon]

I really don't like the idea of giving this class the ability to cast spells. I wanted it to be a very interesting, vastly customizable thing that didn't have to rely on spells to be so. I don't know. I'll think about having it turn into an aberration at level... nineteen. I think that would make sense because of all the crazy things that it’s done to its body by then. How about it could gain Polymorph Self as a spell-like ability? How often should it be able to use it and at what level should it get it?

EDIT
Can Abberations be brought back from the dead?

[jdrich]

Aberrations can be brought back from the dead, yes.

I wouldn't give it the polymorph self ability, since it'll be a monster as is.

I'd say give it a 'drift' at every level, 4 1st, 4 2nd, 4 3rd, 4 4th, and 4 5th. Get rid of the Temporary Evolution ability unless you're going to give it the shapechanger subtype.

Have it gain the augmented subtype at level one, become a Monsterous Humanoid at level 5, and an Aberration at level 13 (replacing monsterous humanoid). Have the drifts reflect these changes. The primary drifts will all be only slightly useful. The secondary ones might be a bit moreso (darkvision and other such bonuses usually reserved for monsterous humanoids.) The quaternary drifts are where it gets interesting. Look at all the aberrations. From Aboleths and Beholders to Will-O-Wisps, you have tons of different abilities that you could give these guys.

I would say rename 'drifts' too, since that's a geomancer thing. Maybe rename them to 'evolutions' like you have, or just 'deviants.'

Also, maybe rename the class to "preternatural aberrant." Only because I think the name is really, really cool.

[Sophistemon]

...Okay... No Polymorph Self, and you want me to get rid of the Temporary Evolutions? The first I can understand, but I really like the idea of the second and the fact that they can be used on other people. I don't know much about Monstrous Humanoid and Abberation Feats, so does anyone have a link that they'd like to share with me? Also, what is Augmented Subtype?

[Sophistemon]

With the way that this class is moving, you might as well turn it into an all-out aberration type class. The player starts out as a normal race, and over time picks up monsterous, and then aberral abilities until he/she is one of the X-men.

I'm very sorry if I sound rude and that this is posted a bit post-mature, but this is not really the direction that I was hoping to pursue for this class. My plan was to create a class so in-tune with nature that for them the time that it takes for evolution to occur is vastly decreased. Yes, I can understand them becoming Monstrous and thus able to access such feats, but I don't think that I want them to become Aberrations for the sole fact that Aberrations don't seem, at least to me, part of the natural order that this class holds so dear.

EDIT
Main Entry: 1ab·er·rant
Pronunciation: a-'ber-&nt, &-; 'a-b&-r&nt, -"ber-&nt
Function: adjective
Etymology: Latin aberrant-, aberrans, present participle of aberrare to go astray, from ab- + errare to wander, err
1 : straying from the right or normal way
2 : deviating from the usual or natural type : ATYPICAL

[jdrich]

What exactly is the direction, then? I'm having trouble visualizing anything more than a druid-type character who is in tune with the forest. If this is the case, a PrC is probably where you want to be going.

Also, if you are going to allow the temporary evolutions, the shapechanger subtype is necessary (for game continuity. You can find it at d20srd.org). I would say drop the aberration and monsterous humanoid ideas then, and take a look at the animal and vermin lists in the SRD. Grab a few drift ideas from each animal/vermin, and work yourself up an expanded list.

I'm not exactly sure this class, as a 20-level progression, is entirely worth it. Your average fighter, ranger, monk, or barbarian will be stronger overall. It might be wiser to just make it into a PrC. If you are heartset on keeping it a base class, then I would say beef it up a bit.

There are plenty of possibilities. Wild feats, wild shape variants (from d20srd.org), and more diverse drifts just to name a few. Once I know where you're going, I can make more accurate suggestions.

[Sophistemon]

Maybe I spoke too soon. I apologize if anything that I wrote upset you. Here I am asking for constructive criticism, and I go ahead and make a fool of myself. :grumble: Okay, instead of becoming a Monstrous Humanoid at ninth level, the Evolutionist will be granted the Shapchanger subtype. I've made the changes to the first post.

EDIT
What do you guys think of Fast Healing and Regeneration? Maybe Fast Healing 2 at fifth level and Regeneration 1 at tenth. That would make the class better in combat, and might even the score between the Evolutionist and the other combat-oriented classes.

EDIT (Again)
Wouldn't the Wild Shape variants make the Evolutions useless? Or, if not useless, less useful? I don't know if I like that. Are you sure that the Polymorph Self spell-like ability is a bad idea? It would certainly aid the Evolutionist in adapting to a situation. But I'm more than willing to hear some more advice!

[jdrich]

You haven't offended me at all, so don't worry about that one bit. I'm here to help.

Fast Healing sounds okay, regeneration doesn't. What you might want to do (because even though it doesn't seem it, the class is quite underpowered, at least from what I can see) is take the Feral Template, get rid of the natural attacks and the attribute changes, and give the attack form bonuses and faster healing interspersed at various levels.

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/cl...AspectOfNature

Wild shape variant, if you haven't seen it. It's sort of just like your temporary shifts, though I think added on to this class might make for some overly-powerful imbalances.

Really it's all about what's most important. Without any spellcasting, I'm unsure of how far to go. Too many changes can make it unreasonable, why too few would make it into a 20-level half-fey progression, you know?

[Sophistemon]

Feral Template? So-o-o, you don't think I should go with the shapechanger subtype ?

[jdrich]

The shapechanger subtype is not really a bonus. As soon as the player is able to use Temporary Evolution, she becomes a de facto shapechanger, thus earning her the shapechanger subtype.

You might want to either drop the temporary evolutions in favor of the wild shape variant (they are much stronger), to make things a bit more simple. For one, temporary evolution 1 is pretty useless. Secondly, gaining a temporary evolution like flight would only last a few rounds.

I'm unsure of what to say. You want to distance yourself from the druid, but if you started from the druid instead, and got rid of spellcasting (a non-caster druid variant would be an intriguing idead) in favor of drifts and more powers related, you could come out with a balanced, strong, and very enjoyable class. You seem pretty set in your ideas, however, so I am unsure of just how much to suggest, eh?

[Sophistemon]

How would you suggest that I go about replacing T. Evolutions with the Wild Shape varients? You have a point that T. Evolutions aren't that good. But I needed something to pump the class up. On the subject of Fast Healing, should the Evolutionist start with Fast Healing 1, and then have it increase by one every five levels? Would that be over or under powered?

EDIT
Changed some abilities, so take a look.

[jdrich]

AFAIK, the feral template starts at FH2 and maxes out at FH...5?

My suggestion:

level 1-4, no FH
level 5-8, FH 2
level 9-12, FH 3
level 13-16, FH 4
level 17-20, FH 5

I usually limit FH in other ways. In my own campaigns FH can only heal up to your base HP from HD. It does not heal damage past this amount, such as those from CON bonuses or feats. It makes it more fair for the other players who have to rely on ordinary healing.

Take the druid's wild shape progression, and tack it on to this class. Cut out Elemental Shape. Then use the wild shape variant from UA in conjunction with this progression. Not only does this offer more options to the evolvist, but it also allows them to take Wild feats. Perhaps make these bonus feats at levels 5,10,15, and 20.

After this, I wouldn't see a problem with adding the druid's other special abilities either. In fact, this is what I would do:

1. Take the druid
2. Cut out Elemental Shape, and Animal Companion (I see no reason not to keep it, but it might not fit the flavor you're looking for)
3. Each time the druid would gain access to a new level of spells, instead give them a drift of 1/2 that level, rounded up. Remove access to 0th level spells, of course.
4. Use the Wild Shape variant from UA
5. Give the evolvist bonus Wild feats at levels 5,10,15, and 20.

I think this would make for a balanced, flavorful, and exceedingly fun class. You might even want to allow the use of the standard wild-shape rules, in lue of the others. Who knows? (Not me)

[Sophistemon]

Okay, sure. Thanks. I'll try, despite the fact that I feel that I'm way out of my league.

Wait, could you explain number 3 a little better? And what is elemental shape? Where do I find Wild Feats?

[jdrich]

It's basically what you're doing now. Druids gain access to spells like so:

Level | Spell Level
1 | 1
3 | 2
5 | 3
7 | 4
9 | 5
11 | 6
13 | 7
15 | 8
17 | 9

So the drifts would go:

Level | Drift
1 | 1
3 | 1
5 | 2
7 | 2
9 | 3
11 | 3
13 | 4
15 | 4
17 | 5
19 | 5

Exactly what you have now, just justified a bit better (So no one can pick apart your variant like a crazy hate-monkey. Justification is always good.).

Elemental Shape is the ability that allows Druids to take on the form of Elementals. They get it at 16th level. Just remove it. This balances out the extra feats.

You actually can't find Wild feats in the SRD, so instead here's a list of feats you could use:

Alertness
Animal Affinity
Natural Spell (Just incase they multiclass)
Stealthy
Track
Flyby Attack*
Improved Natural Armor*
Improved Natural Weapon*
Multiattack*
Improved Multiattack*

* Monsterous Feats, here: http://www.d20srd.org/indexes/monsterFeats.htm

If you have Masters of the Wild, Races of the Wild, or Complete Divine, I think you can find all of the Wild feats there. I'm not sure where else you could look, but I thought that they were OGC. Guess not.

[bingo_bob]

I think that this should have more levels of drifts, and more useful first level ones. I mean, starting out, they don't really have a lot of useful abilities, for quite a while.Also, I think that being able to choose from a varieties of 'drift paths' that will slowly make you more and more like a certain creature would be rather interesting, kind of like the Bloodlines, though certain aspects would get rather difficult. But hey, that's just my 2 cp.

[jdrich]

Well, putting an extra drift in at every fourth level starting at level 2 wouldn't hurt:

Level | Drift
2 | 1
6 | 2
10 | 3
14 | 4
18 | 5

Does that sound acceptable, bob? I too thought it could use more, but I wasn't sure how many. This correlates well with the stat increases every 4th level.

I think the strength of the drifts is acceptable. They are not overly useful in the first levels, but gradually become quite powerful, don't you think? Not to mention, custom drifts would be excellent.

[bingo_bob]

I mean like 6th level drifts. I mean, at the moment, although you're getting some neat abilities, you're not getting much special. I mean, think about it, by the time you're 18 level, your wizard can cast wish. You can get a fly speed. See the difference? Also, the first drift with any mechanical use is at 5th level. I think that there is quite a problem there.