Beastheart (3.5e Class)

Author: Zhenra-Khal (talk) Date Created: 9/26/2016 Status: Near Completion Editing: Discussion preferable before editing

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A feral warrior who fights like an animal, alongside an animal.

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Beastheart

Sometimes when a child gets lost in the woods, or is otherwise orphaned and separated from his family, they’ll end up raised by animals, who take them in and teach them how to survive in the wild. Eventually, they encounter civilization some way or another, and begin to learn more about the world of cities and manufacturing; But in the end, they prefer what feels like home. These are the Beasthearts; They are, at heart, just like the animals that raised them. These folk are seen as savage by some, beautiful by others, but all agree they seem as if a beast has taken the form of a man.

Making a Beastheart

Beasthearts are feral warriors who use unarmed strikes and extraordinary animalistic talents to win the day. This is mainly a melee combat class; It is good for mobility-based builds, scouts, etc., and its high HP and DR/- can make it a semi-effective meat shield.

Abilities: Strength is one of the class's more important abilities, as it affects melee, whether it be attack rolls, damage rolls, or grapple checks. Dexterity is majorly important because the class uses no armor; Wisdom is also important as it affects not only your armor class, but your saving throws as well. Constitution increases your AC as well, though more slowly than Wisdom, and extra HP are always nice. Charisma is probably the least important ability of the class.

Races: Virtually any race has potential to become a Beastheart, as long as it's not a race animals would instinctually attack on sight. Elves, due to their connection with nature, and Humans, due to their versatility (And, let's face it, tendency to get lost easily) are among the most common, as well as Halflings, Half-orcs and half-elves. In the world of Eberron, Shifters are also very commonly Beasthearts; Though in such a civilized setting, they're even worse outcasts than normal, and fear of magic in a world that runs on it has quite a bit of consequences.

Alignment: Any Nonlawful.

Starting Gold: starting gold; 3d4×10 gp (75 gp).

Starting Age: Simple.

Table: The Beastheart

Hit Die: d12

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws			Special
		Fort	Ref	Will
1st	+1	+2	+2	+0	Illiteracy, Unarmed Strike (1d6), Instinctual Dodge, Tough Skin (AC), Packmate, Wild Empathy, Fast Movement, Fear Of Magic
2nd	+2	+3	+3	+0	Rage 1/day, Low-Light Vision
3rd	+3	+3	+3	+1	Feral Hardiness, Instinctual Speed, Instinctual Grapple
4th	+4	+4	+4	+1	Instinctual Evasion, Feral Pounce, Tough Skin (DR/-), Unarmed Strike 1d8
5th	+5	+4	+4	+1	Instinctual Uncanny Dodge, Track, Rage 2/day
6th	+6/+1	+5	+5	+2
7th	+7/+2	+5	+5	+2	Scent
8th	+8/+3	+6	+6	+2	Unarmed Strike 1d10
9th	+9/+4	+6	+6	+3	Courage
10th	+10/+5	+7	+7	+3	Share Rage, Rage 3/day
11th	+11/+6/+1	+7	+7	+3	Powerful Build
12th	+12/+7/+2	+8	+8	+4	Improved Instinctual Uncanny Dodge,Unarmed Strike 2d6
13th	+13/+8/+3	+8	+8	+4	Tireless Rage
14th	+14/+9/+4	+9	+9	+4
15th	+15/+10/+5	+9	+9	+5	Improved Instinctual Evasion, Rage 4/day
16th	+16/+11/+6/+1	+10	+10	+5	Unarmed Strike 2d8
17th	+17/+12/+7/+2	+10	+10	+5	Greater Rage, Fearless
18th	+18/+13/+8/+3	+11	+11	+6
19th	+19/+14/+9/+4	+11	+11	+6
20th	+20/+15/+10/+5	+12	+12	+6	Rage 5/day, Unarmed Strike 2d10
Class Skills (6 + Int modifier per level, ×4 at 1st level) Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Control Shape (Wis), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Ride (Dex), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex).

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the Beastheart.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Beasthearts are proficient only with unarmed strikes, gauntlets, spiked gauntlets, daggers, clubs and quarterstaves. Beasthearts are proficient with no armor, nor shields.

Illiteracy (Ex): Like Barbarians, Beasthearts cannot normally read or write, and must spend two skill points in order to learn to do so. Beasthearts also typically don’t learn any additional languages based on their Intelligence bonus, at the DM’s discretion.

Unarmed Strike (Ex): Much like a Monk, Beasthearts tend to fight with what they were born with. This functions the same as the Monk class feature of the same name, at an effective Monk level equal to the Beastheart’s class level. Medium values were included on the table for easy reference.

Instinctual Dodge (Ex): Similarly to a Monk, a Beastheart learns how to avoid attacks while unarmored. As long as the Beastheart is unencumbered, unarmored and not using a shield, they add their Wisdom bonus as a Dodge bonus to AC. They also add one point of their Wisdom bonus per class level to all Reflex saving throws.

Tough Skin (Ex): A Beastheart’s time in the wild has hardened his skin. A Beastheart adds one point of his Constitution bonus per class level as a bonus to his Natural Armor, min 1. Additionally, at 4th level, a Beastheart also gains DR X/-, where X is equal to 1 per 4 class levels, with a maximum DR equal to the Beastheart’s Constitution bonus, min 1.

Packmate (Ex): At first level, the Beastheart gains the companionship of an animal, possibly one that raised him, or a brother or sister from his/her “litter”. This animal is equal in all respects to a Druid’s Animal Companion, except 1) Rather than the HD listed, the animal possesses HD equal to those of the Beastheart it’s linked to; 2) If the Packmate dies, the Beastheart loses 200 XP per level, DC 15 Will save for half; 3) The Beastheart cannot gain a new Packmate until he bonds with the creature by doing it a service, such as saving its life or defending it from great harm. After that he must spend time training the new creature, which requires 1 week of training alongside the animal per HD the Beastheart possesses; Training need not be completed all at once, but the animal will only have the 1 HD per week of training completed; and 4) As the Beastheart has no magical skill, and is in fact afraid of it, the Packmate doesn’t gain the Share Spells ability.

Wild Empathy (Ex): This functions exactly as the Druid ability of the same name, except that the Beastheart may use his Wisdom modifier in place of his Charisma modifier if it is higher. The Beastheart also gains a +4 bonus on all Wild Empathy checks made to influence any animal of the same sort as his Packmate.

Fast Movement (Ex): At first level, the Beastheart gains Fast Movement, as the Barbarian class feature of the same name.

Fear Of Magic (Ex): Being near-feral and having little experience with magic, Beasthearts are scared of magic to a degree. When a spell is cast at or near them (Within 30 feet), they must making a Will saving throw with a DC equal to the spell’s Save DC or become Shaken as long as he remains within 30 feet of it. This affects his Packmate as well. This bypasses any immunity to Fear the Beastheart may possess. Spells with no visible effects do not trigger a saving throw; And spells that heal, or have minuscule visual effects, grant the Beastheart a +4 bonus on the save. This also applies to magic items; A +1 Flaming sword would scare a Beastheart, but a mere +1 sword with no real visible effects would not (Save DC for a magic item is equal to 10 + the item's caster level, unless the ability of the magic item is a spell, power, or something similar that already has a save DC). Finally, this applies to creature as well; Anything with an unnatural aura or the like that scares animals, or creatures that require special training for an animal to attack (Aberrations, Undead, Outsiders, and the like, as listed in the Tricks portion of the Handle Animal Skill entry), also affects the Beastheart unless he makes a successful will save each round (DC 10 + creature’s CR). The save must be repeated each round; Failure means the Beastheart flees to a safe distance, just as an animal would. A Beastheart cannot take levels in any spellcasting class until he overcomes his fear (See below).

Rage (Ex): Beginning at 2nd level, a Beastheart gains the ability to fly into a rage, as the Barbarian ability of the same name. He may use this ability 1 time per day per 5 class levels. The Beastheart gains Tireless Rage at 13th level, and Greater Rage at 17th level, but never gains Might Rage or any improvements beyond that.

Low-Light Vision (Ex): Beginning at second level, a Beastheart gains Low-light Vision, enabling him to see twice as far in dim light as a human. This has no effect if the character already possesses this ability.

Feral Hardiness (Ex): At 3rd level, a Beastheart gains the Endurance feat as a bonus feat, whether he meets the requirements or not.

Instinctual Speed (Ex): At 3rd level, a Beastheart gains the benefits of the Run feat, except that it only applies as long as Instinctual Dodge does (It doesn’t function while the Beastheart is wearing armor, using a shield, or carrying more than a Light load). This otherwise counts as the Run feat, for the purposes of qualifying for feats, prestige classes and the like.

Instinctual Grapple (Ex): Beginning at 3rd level, a Beastheart gains the benefits of the Improved Grapple feat when unarmored, unencumbered and not using a shield.

Instinctual Evasion (Ex): Beginning at 4th level, the Beastheart gains Evasion, as the Rogue ability, except that it only applies as long as Instinctual Dodge does (It doesn’t function while the Beastheart is wearing armor, using a shield, or carrying more than a Light load). This counts as the Evasion class feature for the purposes of qualifying for feats and prestige classes.

Feral Pounce (Ex): Beginning at 4th level, while Instinctual Dodge is functioning and the Beastheart is wielding a club, dagger, quarterstaff, gauntlets, spiked gauntlets, or fighting unarmed, said Beastheart may make a full attack at the end of a charge.

Instinctual Uncanny Dodge (Ex): Beginning at 5th level, the Beastheart (And his Packmate) gains Uncanny Dodge, as the Rogue ability, except that it only applies as long as Instinctual Dodge does (It doesn’t function while the Beastheart is wearing armor, using a shield, or carrying more than a Light load). This counts as the Uncanny Dodge class feature for the purposes of qualifying for feats and prestige classes.

Track (Ex): At 5th level, a Beastheart gains the Track feat as a bonus feat, whether he meets the requirements or not.

Scent (Ex): Beginning at 7th level, the Beastheart gains the Scent special ability.

Courage (Ex): A Beastheart of 9th level or higher no longer has to make a saving throw against spells/magic effects that heal or have minor visual effects, and his saves against other spells/magic effects gain a +4 bonus. Furthermore, he adds his Constitution modifier to saves made to attack unnatural creatures (The Beastheart’s Packmate gains the same bonus to their Will saves in this case), and may now take levels in magical classes if he so desires, though the maximum attainable level in any caster class is equal to half the Beastheart’s class level, rounded down.

Share Rage (Ex): Beginning at 10th level, the Beastheart can share his Rage ability with his Packmate as long as his Packmate is adjacent to him when he begins his rage. The duration is the same, even if the beastheart’s Packmate has a higher Constitution modifier.

Powerful Build (Ex): Beginning at 11th level, both Beastheart and Packmate gain the ability to count as one size larger than they are when a larger size would be more beneficial; For instance, during a grapple, or wielding larger weapons.

Improved Instinctual Uncanny Dodge (Ex): Beginning at 12th level, a Beastheart can no longer be flanked, as per the Rogue ability of the same name, except that the Beastheart only gains the benefits of the ability while Instinctual Dodge is active.

Tireless Rage (Ex): Beginning at 13th level, neither Beastheart or Packmate are fatigued when their rag ends, as per the Barbarian class feature of the same name.

Improved Instinctual Evasion (Ex): Beginning at 15th level, a Beastheart gains the benefits of the Improved Evasion as long as Instinctual Dodge is functioning.

Greater Rage (Ex): Beginning at 17th level, the Beastheart’s rage grows more powerful, as per the Barbarian class feature of the same name; The Beastheart’s Packmate gains the benefits as well when under the effects of Share Rage.

Fearless (Ex): At 17th level, the Beastheart no longer needs to making saving throws to avoid becoming Shaken when he sees magical effects; Furthermore, neither Beastheart or Packmate need make saving throws against unnatural creatures (And the Packmate becomes immune to such abilities). Finally, both Beastheart and Packmate become immune to Fear spells and effects.

Ex-Beasthearts

A Beastheart who becomes lawful loses access to his Rage ability and all abilities connected to it (Share Rage, Tireless Rage, Greater Rage), and may no longer advance in the class, but loses no other class features.

Epic Beasthearts

Table: The Epic Beastheart

Hit Die: d12

Level	Special
21st	Fast Healing 1
22nd
23rd
24th	Bonus Feat
25th	Rage 6/day
26th
27th
28th	Bonus Feat, Fast Healing 2
29th
30th	Rage 7/day
6 + Int modifier skill points per level.

Rage: At every level divisible by 5, the Beastheart may use his Rage ability an additional time per day.

Packmate: The Beastheart's Packmate continues to advance just as he does, as listed in the Epic Druid entry, except for the changes noted above.

Fast Healing: At 21st level, the Beastheart gains Fast Healing 1; This increases by 1 at every level after 21st divisible by 7.

Bonus Feats: The epic Beastheart gains a bonus feat (selected from the list of epic Beastheart bonus feats) every 4 levels after 20th.

Epic Beastheart Bonus Feat List: Armor Skin, Chaotic Rage, Damage Reduction, Devastating Critical, Dire Charge, Epic Endurance, Epic Prowess, Epic Speed, Epic Toughness, Fast Healing, Improved Combat Reflexes, Incite Rage, Legendary Climber, Legendary Leaper, Legendary Rider, Legendary Tracker, Legendary Wrestler, Magical Beast Companion, Mighty Rage, Perfect Health, Ruinous Rage, Terrifying Rage, Thundering Rage.

Human Beastheart Starting Package

Weapons: Club (One-handed Simple, 1d6 20/x2 Bludgeoning, Range Inc. 10ft, Weight 3lbs).

Skill Selection: Pick a number of skills equal to 6 + Int modifier.

Skill	Ranks	Ability	Armor Check Penalty
Balance	4	Dex	—
Climb	4	Str	—
Control Shape	4	Wis	—
Handle Animal	4	Cha	—
Heal	4	Wis	—
Hide	4	Dex	—
Intimidate	4	Cha	—
Jump	4	Str	—
Listen	4	Wis	—
Move Silently	4	Dex	—
Ride	4	Dex	—
Search	4	Int	—
Sense Motive	4	Wis	—
Spot	4	Wis	—
Survival	4	Wis	—
Swim	4	Str	—
Tumble	4	Dex	—

Feat: Power Attack.

Bonus Feats: Cleave.

Gear: Backpack with waterskin, one day’s trail rations, bedroll, sack, and flint and steel.

Gold: 2d4 gp.

Campaign Information

Playing a Beastheart

Religion: Typically Beasthearts revere nature, if they revere anything divine at all. They are often cast out by society and find homes in druid circles, shamanic tribes, lycanthropic cults or eve as idols for witch covens; So it's not surprising they'd follow some of these paths.

Other Classes: Typically, the more primally-inclined classes, such as barbarian, druid, ranger, totemist and spirit shaman all view Beasthearts with a sense of kindred; And the more uppity, well-educated sorts, such as Wizards, Paladins or Samurai, tend to look down on them in a manner somewhere between pity and disdain. Beyond that, spellcasters on the whole tend to be uneasy around Beasthearts, worrying that the savage brute they just met will rip them apart if they make a wrong move due to their serious arcanophobia issues..

Combat: Beasthearts are very versatile melee fighters. They tend to flank opponents with their Packmate, taking out foes one at a time. Most of the time they'll team up with the Rogue, giving him flanking bonuses with which to use his Sneak Attack, as well as helping the group's other fighters on the front line. They can also make effective scouts, depending on what skills they choose.

Advancement: Some Beasthearts take up the mantle of Ranger or Druid once they overcome part of their fear of magic; Others latch onto their anger and become Barbarians. Those that choose to give up their savage upbringing, leaving the wild (and becoming lawful) sometimes find their natural strength works well as a Monk, and thus begin training as one. A Beastheart's skill at hunting and scouting, and their background, also makes them prime candidates for becoming Rogues later in life, perhaps moving to the city and being an outcast in society because everyone tends to view them as savage and worthless. Some of the more spiritual Beasthearts take up the mantle of Totemist after having an encounter with the spirit of the animal(s) they feel most connected to, and those individuals are powerful indeed.

Beasthearts in the World

“	Dirty... Animal? You should watch your tongue. Aren't we all just animals who have been fooled into believing we're not?	”
—Temoryn Nighthowl, Wild Elven Beastheart

Daily Life: It varies from individual to individual, but typically they spend their days hiking through the woods, lazing about, or hunting, just like an animal.

Notables: None to date, though many have been speculated throughout history and legend.

Organizations: Typically Beasthearts are loners, with the exception of a few Druidic circles and the occasional lycanthrope-worshiping cult. When they do gather, it's because something is threatening their packmates, and they join together into one large Pack to face the danger as one.

NPC Reactions: Most end up seeing the Beastheart as a savage, uncivilized heathen; Though those with primal backgrounds or connections to nature (Elves, except Wild Elves, tend to disdain their... Unrefined nature), and those who spend a lot of time with animals, tend to look past first impressions.

Beastheart Lore

Characters with ranks in Knowledge (Nature) can research Beasthearts to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.

Knowledge (Nature)

DC	Result
5	Stories are often told of people raised by animals, who gained special talents from the beasts that raised them. These days, there's often called Beasthearts.
10	Beasthearts are known for having a deep connection to animals; Few go anywhere without the companionship of a beast they know and trust. They also fight like wild things, eschewing weapons and armor in favor of tearing the opposition limb from limb by hand
15	Something many do not at first realize about Beasthearts is that they are terrified of magic - Indeed, it is the unknown to them, just as it is to their bestial companions. However, eventually they overcome this fear, and indeed fear of anything else as well.
20	Characters who get this result can know the name and location of a specific Beastheart and any item related to them.

Beasthearts in the Game

Typically Beasthearts spend their time on the front line, working in tandem with their Packmate to flank and outmaneuver opponents. However, they tend to avoid getting caught up in combat with anyone who wields anything obviously magical (After all, they're scared of magic). While their fear of magic makes them difficult to play - And play alongside, indeed - They're quite powerful once they can overcome that fear a bit, and typically earn quite a bit of respect among the more "civilized" people.

Adaptation: While this class was designed very specifically, I suppose there are many ways this could be adapted; Removing the Packmate and related abilities to create a brawler-esque fighter, or it could be refluffed as a rare breed of savage, nature-loving Monk.

Sample Encounter: Coming soon.

EL 9: Coming soon.

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