Nature's Avatar (Druid/Monk)

Some druids feel that the first step to becoming one with nature is to become one with oneself, so as to properly realize how to synergize with the world around them. By utilizing a pool of ki, such a druid can merge with the animal who she holds dearest, and even take such features upon herself. (Original Concept by Lindley Court)

Primary: Druid.

Secondary: Monk.

Alignment: Any.

Hit Dice: d8.

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

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A nature’s avatar is proficient with all simple weapons plus the brass knuckles*, cestus*, kama, nunchaku, sai, short sword, shuriken, siangham, and temple sword*. She is also proficient with light armor, medium armor, and with shields (except tower shields).

Embodied Bond (Ex): This is exactly like the druid’s nature bond, except that the nature’s avatar must bond with an animal and select an animal companion from the following list: ape, bat, bear, boar, crocodile, eagle, lion, rat, shark, snake, or wolf. In addition, a nature’s avatar immediately undergoes a physical change and takes on the appearance of her chosen companion. For example, a nature’s avatar that selects a lion as her animal companion might gain cat-like eyes and a shaggy mane-like head of hair, while one who chooses a snake might gain snake-like nose and scaly skin.

Wild Empathy (Ex): This is exactly like the druid ability of the same name, except that she can use the wild empathy against any animal of her animal companion’s type as a full-action round (instead of 1 minute) with a +4 bonus to her check.

Unarmed Strike (Ex): At 2nd level, a nature’s avatar gains the monk’s unarmed strike ability and deals damage with his unarmed attacks as shown on Table: Nature’s avatar. In addition, a nature’s avatar deals her unarmed strike damage whenever she uses any natural attacks while in her hybrid or animal form if the damage is greater than its normal damage dice (see Wild Ki Pool and Totemic Transformation). This ability replaces woodland stride and resist nature’s lure.

Fast Movement (Ex): At 3rd level, a nature’s avatar gains the monk’s fast movement ability. She adds this speed increase to all movement modes when she assumes her hybrid or animal form. This ability replaces trackless step.

Wild Ki Pool (Su): At 4th level, a nature’s avatar gains the monk’s ki pool ability, but she can make a ki strike with her unarmed strike or any natural attacks made while using her hybrid or totemic transformation, as long as she has 1 ki point.

At 4th level, her unarmed strikes and any natural attacks made while in her hybrid or totemic form are treated as magic for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

At 7th level, her unarmed attacks and natural attacks are also treated as cold iron and silver for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

At 12th level, her unarmed attack and natural attacks are also treated as aligned weapons (chaotic, evil, good, or lawful) for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

At 19th level, her unarmed attacks and natural attacks are treated as adamantine weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction and bypassing hardness.

By spending 1 point from her ki pool, a nature’s avatar can do one of the following:

• Make one additional attack at her highest attack bonus when making an unarmed strike or natural attack, or

• Allow her animal companion to make one additional attack at its highest attack bonus when making a natural attack, or

• Increase her speed by 20 feet for 1 round (all modes), or

• Give herself a +4 natural armor bonus to AC for 1 round.

Each of these powers is activated as a swift action.

The wild ki pool is replenished each morning after 8 hours of rest or meditation; these hours do not need to be consecutive. This ability and totemic transformation replace wild shape.

Totemic Transformation (Su): At 6th level, a nature’s avatar can spend 1 wild ki point to may adopt an aspect of her animal companion while retaining her normal form. While using totem transformation, the nature’s avatar may speak normally and can cast speak with animals (with specific animal types only, see below) at will. Using this ability is a standard action at 6th level, a move action at 9th level, and a swift action at 12th level. The nature’s avatar can use this ability for a number of minutes per day equal to her nature’s avatar level. These minutes do not need to be consecutive, but they must be used in 1-minute increments. This is a polymorph effect and cannot be used while the nature’s avatar is using another polymorph spell or effect.

In addition, she gains one of the following aspect bonuses according to her animal companion type.

Ape: At will–speak with animals (primates only); Aspects–movement (climb speed 20 ft., +4 racial bonus on Climb checks), natural weapons (2 slams [1d6 for a Medium nature’s avatar], +2 on combat maneuver checks to grapple), senses (low-light vision, scent), or toughness (+2 natural armor bonus to AC, Endurance feat).

Bat: At will–speak with animals (mammals only); Aspects–movement (fly speed 30 ft. [average]), natural weapons (bite [1d4 for a Medium nature’s avatar]), or senses (blindsense 20 ft.).

Bear: At will–speak with animals (mammals only); Aspects–movement (+10 enhancement bonus to land speed, +4 racial bonus on Swim checks), natural weapons (bite [1d6] and 2 claws [1d4] for a Medium nature’s avatar, +2 to CMB on grapple checks), senses (low-light vision, scent), or toughness (+2 natural armor bonus to AC, Endurance feat).

Boar: At will–speak with animals (boars and related animals only); Aspects–movement (+10 enhancement bonus to land speed), natural weapons (gore [1d8 for a Medium nature’s avatar], +2 on combat maneuver checks to overrun), senses (low-light vision, scent), or toughness (+2 natural armor bonus to AC, Endurance feat).

Crocodile: At will–speak with animals (lizards only); Aspects–movement (swim speed 30 feet, can hold breath for a number of minutes equal to Constitution score), natural weapons (bite [1d6 plus grapple] for a Medium nature’s avatar, +2 bonus on CMB on grapple checks, knock prone on a successful grapple check), senses (low-light vision, +4 racial bonus to Perception), or toughness (+2 natural armor bonus to AC, Endurance feat).

Eagle: At will–speak with animals (birds only); Aspects–movement (fly speed 30 feet [average]), natural weapons (bite [1d4], 2 talons [1d4] for a Medium nature’s avatar), senses (low-light vision, +4 racial bonus to Perception).

Lion: At will–speak with animals (felines only); Aspects–movement (+20 enhancement bonus to land speed), natural weapons (bite [1d4], 2 claws [1d4] for a Medium nature’s avatar, rake, +2 CMB to grapple), senses (low-light vision, scent).

Rat: At will–speak with animals (rodents only); Aspects–movement (climb speed 20 feet, swim speed 20 feet]), natural weapons (bite [1d4] for a Medium nature’s avatar, deal 1 Dex and 1 Con), senses (low-light vision, scent).

Shark: At will–speak with animals (fish only); Aspects–movement (can breathe water, swim speed 30 feet), natural weapons (bite [1d6] for a Medium nature’s avatar), or shark skin (+2 natural armor, creatures grappling the nature’s avatar take 1 point of slashing damage per round of grapple), senses (scent 30 feet, scent 90 feet in water).

Snake: At will–speak with animals (reptiles only); Aspects–movement (climb speed 20 feet, swim speed 20 feet), natural weapons (bite [1d4], poison [ frequency 1 round (6), effect 1 Con damage, Cure 1 save, Con-based DC] for a Medium nature’s avatar, +2 CMB to grapple), scales (+2 natural armor bonus to AC), senses (low-light vision, scent).

Wolf: At will–speak with animals (canines only); Aspects–movement (+20 enhancement bonus to land speed), natural weapons (bite [1d4 plus trip] for a Medium druid, +2 CMB to trip), senses (low-light vision, scent, +4 racial bonus to Survival when tracking by scent).

Anthropomorphic Transformation (Su): At 13th level, as a full-action round, a nature’s avatar can spend 3 wild ki points to merge forms with her animal companion and take an anthropomorphic form. This transformation includes all of the nature’s avatar’s gear. While merged in this way, the nature’s avatar appears similar to hybrid form of a lycanthrope of her animal companion’s type, with one pair of limbs able to manipulate objects and weapons as well as human hands do, but possesses no lycanthropic qualities. She retains all class features, qualities, racial abilities, and gains all the bonuses of her totemic transformation, plus a +2 bonus to Str and Con. A nature’s avatar can maintain this anthropomorphic form for 1 round per nature’s avatar level, or cancel its effect as a free action. This ability replaces a thousand faces.

Table: Nature's Avatar