Savage Avenger (Druid/Inquisitor)

It seems that nature is always retreating from the encroachment of agriculture and civilization. Now that it has been pushed back to the most remote of places, nature has had enough. She doesn’t need an arbiter to learn how to live with other races; she was here first, long before even the elves and dragons and demons and gods. She has her own way and those who follow her call are terrifying in their vengeance. (Original Concept by Apraham Lincoln)

Primary: Druid.

Secondary: Inquisitor.

Alignment: Any neutral.

Hit Dice: d8.

Bonus Skills and Ranks: The savage avenger may select three inquisitor skills to add to her class skills in addition to the normal druid class skills. The savage avenger gains a number of ranks at each level equal to 4 + Int modifier.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The savage avenger is proficient with the club, dagger, dart, quarterstaff, scimitar, scythe, sickle, shortspear, sling, and spear. She is also proficient with all natural attacks (claw, bite, and so forth) of any form they assume with wild judgment (see below). The savage avenger is proficient with light and medium armor but is prohibited from wearing metal armor; thus, she may wear only padded, leather, or hide armor. The savage avenger may also wear wooden armor that has been altered by the ironwood spell so that it functions as though it were steel. See the ironwood spell description. The savage avenger is proficient with shields (except tower shields) but must use only wooden ones.

Diminished Spellcasting: The savage avenger casts divine spells drawn from the druid and inquisitor spell list, and gains one fewer spell of each spell level per day. If this reduces the number to 0, she may cast spells of that level only if they are domain spells or if her Wisdom allows bonus spells of that level. If a spell appears on both the druid and inquisitor spell lists, use the druid’s spell level. She otherwise learns, prepares, and casts spells as a druid of equal level.

Nature Bond (Ex): This is exactly like the druid ability of the same name, except for the following changes.

If the savage avenger chooses to bond with an animal companion, she gains the following ability.

Share Judgment (Su): At 4th level, while the savage avenger activates her judgment ability, her animal companion gains the same bonuses until the end of combat. The animal companion must participate in the combat to gain these bonuses as normal. If it is frightened, panicked, paralyzed, stunned, unconscious, or otherwise prevented from participating in the combat, the ability does not end, but the bonuses do not resume until she can participate in the combat again. When the savage avenger uses this ability, the animal companion gains one type of judgment, and is changed whenever the savage avenger changes her judgment to another type. An animal companion cannot gain the benefits of more than one judgment. When the savage avenger gains her second and third judgment abilities, she must choose a single judgment for her animal companion use. This judgment can be changed as a swift action whenever the savage avenger changes her judgments.

If the savage avenger chooses to bond with the natural world, she gains the following ability instead.

Spontaneous Domain Casting: A savage avenger can channel stored spell energy into domain spells that she hasn't prepared ahead of time. She can “lose” a prepared spell in order to cast any domain spell spell of the same level or lower.

These abilities replace the druid’s spontaneous casting.

Stern Gaze (Ex): At 1st level, a savage avenger gains the inquisitor’s stern gaze ability. This ability replaces wild empathy.

Track (Ex): At 2nd level, a savage avenger gains the inquisitor’s track ability. This ability replaces nature sense.

Cunning Initiative (Ex): At 3rd level, a savage avenger gains the inquisitor’s cunning initiative ability. This ability replaces resist nature’s lure.

Wild Judgment (Su): This is exactly like the druid’s wild shape, except that the savage avenger cannot take the form of any elemental or plant creature. Also, at 10th level, a savage avenger can use wild shape to change into a Small magical beast. At 12th level, a savage avenger can use wild shape to change into a Medium magical beast. When taking the form of a magical beast, the savage avenger's wild shape continues to function as beast shape III. A savage avenger can use this ability once per day at 4th level, plus an additional time per day at 6th, 10th, 12th, 16th, and 18th level.

Additionally, once per wild shape, a savage avenger can pronounce judgment upon her foes as a swift action. Starting when the judgment is made, the savage avenger receives a bonus or special ability based on the type of judgment made.

Once activated, the judgment lasts until the combat ends, at which point all of the judgment bonuses and her wild shape immediately end. The savage avenger must participate in the combat to gain these bonuses. If she is frightened, panicked, paralyzed, stunned, unconscious, or otherwise prevented from participating in the combat, the ability does not end, but the bonuses do not resume until she can participate in the combat again.

When the savage avenger uses this ability, she must select one type of judgment to make. As a swift action, she can change this judgment to another type. If the savage avenger is evil, she receives profane bonuses instead of sacred, as appropriate. Neutral savage avengers must select profane or sacred bonuses. Once made, this choice cannot be changed. The savage avenger may only select from the destruction, justice, protection, purity, and smiting judgments or the new stalking judgment described hereafter. This effect otherwise function like the inquisitor’s judgment ability.

Stalking: The savage avenger gains the demeanor and skill of a stalking predator, gaining a +1 sacred bonus to Perception and Stealth checks, and to Survival skill checks made to follow or identify tracks. This bonus increases by +1 for every five savage avenger levels she possesses. At 10th level the savage avenger also gains the scent ability, no matter what her wild shape form is. The foes tracks must be present to activate this ability, though the foe does not. While this judgment is active, if the savage avenger is actively tracking, engaged in combat with, or using Stealth to pursue her foe, her wild shape does not expire when combat ends.

Wild judgment counts as the inquisitor’s judgment and the druid’s wild shape abilities for the purpose of qualifying for feats. This ability replaces wild shape and spells lost due to diminishedspellcasting.

Bane (Su): At 7th level, a savage avenger gains the inquisitor’s bane ability. This ability replaces venom immunity.

Second Judgment (Su): At 9th level, a savage avenger gains the inquisitor’s second judgment ability. This ability replaces wild shape 3/day.

Stalwart (Ex): At 13th level, a savage avenger gains the inquisitor’s stalwart ability. This ability replaces a thousand faces.

Greater Bane (Su): At 14th level, a savage avenger gains the inquisitor’s greater bane ability. This ability replaces timeless body.

Third Judgment (Su): At 17th level, a savage avenger gains the inquisitor’s third judgment ability. This ability replaces wild shape 7/day.

Vengeful Slayer (Ex): At 20th level, a savage avenger learns to focus her judgment. Whenever a savage avenger uses judgment while in wild shape, she must select one type of judgment. She is treated as if she were 5 levels higher for the purposes of determining the bonus granted by this judgment. Unlike other types of judgment, the one enhanced by this ability cannot be changed for the remainder of the judgment. This ability replaces wild shape (at will).

Table: Savage Avenger