23 Favored Critical [General] You know how to hit your favored enemies where it hurts. Prerequisites: Base attack bonus  +5,  at least one fa- vored enemy. Benefit: Select one of your favored enemies that is normally subject to critical hits. Whenever you attack this  type  of  creature,  the  threat  range  of  whatever weapon you are using is doubled. For example, a long- sword usually threatens a critical hit on a die roll of 19 or 20 (two numbers). In the hands of a character with Fa- vored Critical using it against a favored enemy, its threat range becomes 17 through 20 (four numbers). If it is also a keen longsword, its threat range becomes 15 through 20 (six  numbers:  2  for  being  a  longsword,  2  for  being doubled as a keen weapon, and 2 for being doubled again by Favored Critical). Special: You can take this feat multiple times. Each lime you do, it  applies to a new favored enemy. The effects ot this feat do not stack with those of Improved Critical. Flyby Attack [General] You attack while on the wing. Prerequisites:  Ability  to  fly,  either  naturally  or through shapechanging. Benefit: When flying, you take a move action (includ- ing a dive) plus another partial action at any point during that move. You cannot take a second move action during a round in which you make a flyby attack. You can use this feat only while you are in a form that allows natural flight; it cannot be used in conjunction with magical flight (such as a fly spell). Normal:  Without  this feat, you can take a partial action either before or after your move. *Giant’s Toughness [General] You are amazingly tough. Prerequisite: Base Fort save bonus +8. Benefit: You gain +9 hit points. Special: You can gain this feat multiple times. Greater Resiliency [General] Your extraordinary resilience to damage increases. Prerequisite: Damage reduction as a class feature or innate ability. Benefit: Your damage reduction increases by +1/–. If it would normally rise thereafter with level, it does so at its previous rate. For example, a 15th-level barbarian has damage reduction 2/–. By taking this feat, he raises it to 3/–. Thereafter, it continues to rise by +1/– at the desig- nated intervals: to 4/– at 17th level, and to 5/– at 20th level. You may not take this feat more than once. *Greater Two-Weapon Fighting [General] You are a master at fighting two-handed. Prerequisites: Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Two- Weapon Fighting, Ambidexterity, base attack bonus +15. Benefit: You get a third attack with your off-hand weapon, albeit at a –10 penalty. Improved Flight [General] You gain greater maneuverability when flying than you would normally have. Prerequisite: Ability to fly (naturally, magically, or through shapechanging). Benefit: Your maneuverability while flying improves by one grade. For example, if your normal maneuverabil- ity is poor, it becomes average. Improved Swimming [General] You swim faster than you normally could. Prerequisite: Swim 6 ranks. Benefit: You swim at one-half of your land speed as a move-equivalent action or at three-quarters of your land speed as a full-round action. Normal: You swim at one-quarter of your land speed as a move-equivalent action or at one-half of your land speed as a full-round action. Instantaneous Rage [General] You activate your rage instantly. Prerequisite: Ability to rage. Benefit: Your rage begins at any time you wish, even when it’s not your turn or when you’re surprised. You can activate your rage in response to another’s action after learning the result but before it takes effect. Thus, you can gain the benefits of rage in time to prevent or ame- liorate an undesirable event. For example, you can gain the additional hit points that rage grants just before a blow that would otherwise cause you to tall unconscious, Hit Points Recovered per Character Level per Day With F aster Healing Normal and Long-Term Care and Long-Term Care With Faster Healing from a Successful Heal Check Normal from a Successful Heal Check Strenuous Activity 1 2 0 0 Light Activity 1.5 3 1 2 Complete Bed Rest 2 4 1.5 3 Ability Score Points Recovered per Day With F aster Healing Normal and Long-Term Care and Long-Term Care With Faster Healing from a Successful Heal Check Normal from a Successful Heal Check Strenuous Activity 2 3 0 0 Light Activity 2 3 1 2 Complete Bed Rest 2 3 2 4 CHAPTER 2: SKILLS AND FEATS
24 or better your chances of making a successful saving throw against an incoming spell. Normal: You enter a rage only during your turn. Intimidating Rage [General] Your rage engenders fear in your opponents. Prerequisites: Ability to rage. Benefit: While you are raging, you designate a single foe within 30 feet of you who must make a Will save (DC = 10 + one-half your character level + your Charisma modifier) or become shaken for as long as you continue to rage and the target can see you. (A shaken creature suf- fers a —2 morale penalty on attack rolls, saves, and checks.) A target who makes the save remains immune to the intimidating effect of your rage for one day. Crea- tures immune to fear and those with no visual senses are immune to this effect. Multiattack [General] You are adept at using all your natural weapons at once. Prerequisite: Access to a form that has three or more natural   weapons,   either   naturally   or   through shapechanging. Benefit: Your secondary attacks with natural weapons suffer only a –2 penalty. Normal: Without this feat, your secondary natural at- tacks suffer a –5 penalty. *Multidexterity [General] You are skilled at utilizing all your hands in combat. Prerequisites: Dex 15, access to a form with three or more arms. Benefit: You ignore all penalties for using your off hands. (A creature has one primary hand, and all the others are off hands; for example, a four-armed creature has one primary hand and three off hands.) Normal: Without this feat, a creature suffers a –4 penalty on attack rolls, ability checks, and skill checks made with an offhand. Special: This feat is the same as the Ambidexterity feat for creatures with three or more arms. Natural Spell [Wild] You cast spells while in a wild shape. Prerequisite: Ability to use wild shape, Wis 13. Benefit: You complete the verbal and somatic com- ponents of spells while in a wild shape. For example, while  in  the  form  of  a  hawk,  you  could  substitute screeches and gestures with your talons for the normal verbal and somatic components of a spell. You can use any material components or focuses that you can hold with  an  appendage  of  your  current  form,  but  you cannot make use of any such items that are  melded within that form. This feat does not permit the use of magic items while in a form that could not ordinarily use them, and you do not gain the ability to speak while in a wild shape. *Off-Hand Parry [General] You use your off-hand weapon to defend against melee attacks. Prerequisites: Ambidexterity, Dex 13, Two-Weapon Fighting, base attack bonus +3, proficiency with weapon Benefit: When fighting with two weapons and using the full attack option, you can on your action decide to attack normally or to sacrifice all your off-hand attacks for that round in exchange for a +2 dodge bonus to your AC. If you take this option, you also suffer penalties on your attacks as if you were fighting with two weapons. If you are also using a buckler, its AC bonus stacks with the dodge bonus. You can use only bladed or hafted weapons of a size category smaller than your own with this fear. Plant Control [General] You channel the power of nature to gain mastery ovei plant creatures. Prerequisites:  Plant Defiance, ability to cast speak with plants. Benefit: You rebuke or command plants as an evil cleric rebukes undead. To command a plant, you must be able to speak with it via a speak with plants effect, though you may issue your commands mentally if desired. The number of times per day that you can use this ability is equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier. Your highest divine caster level is the level at which you rebuke plants. Plant Defiance [General] You channel the power of nature to drive off plant crea- tures. Prerequisite: Ability to cast detect animals or plants. Benefit: You turn (but not destroy) plants as a good cleric turns undead. Treat immobile plant creatures as creatures unable to flee. The number of times per day that you can use this ability is equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier. Your highest divine caster level is the level at which you turn plants. *Power Critical [General] Choose one weapon, such as a longsword or a greataxe. With that weapon, you know how to hit where it hurts. Prerequisites: Improved Critical with weapon, base attack bonus +12, proficiency with weapon. Benefit: Once per day, you can declare a single melee attack with your chosen kind of weapon to be an auto- matic threat before you make the attack roll. If the attack is successful, you roll to confirm the critical, regardless of whether the actual attack roll was a threat. Special: You can take this feat multiple times. Each time you do, it applies to a new kind of weapon. You may use this ability only once per day per kind of weapon to which it applies. ProportionateWild Shape  [Wild] You use wild shape  to become animals of your own size, even if your wild shape  ability would normally exclude that size category. Prerequisites: Ability to use wild shape, natural form neither Small or Medium-size. Benefit:  You use your wild shape  ability to take the form of an animal whose normal size category matches your own. For example, a cloud giant druid (size Huge) with this feat could use wild shape to become a Huge shark or a giant squid. CHAPTER 2: SKILLS AND FEATS
25 Normal: The size of the animal form you can assume through  wild shape is limited by the parameters of the ability, regardless of your original size. Remain Conscious [General] You have a tenacity of will that supports you even when things look bleak. Prerequisites: Base attack bonus +2, Endurance, Iron Will, Toughness. Benefit: After your hit points are reduced to 0 or below, you may take one partial action on your turn every round until you reach –10 hit points. Resist Disease [General] You have developed a natural resistance to diseases. Benefit: You  gain  a  +4  bonus  on  Fortitude  saves against disease. Resist Poison [General] You have built up an immunity to the effects of poisons by exposing yourself to controlled doses of them. Benefit: You  gain  a  +4  bonus  on  Fortitude  saves against poison. Resistance to Energy [General] You channel the power of nature to resist a particular energy type (fire, cold, electricity, acid, or sonic). Prerequisites: Base Fort save bonus +8. Benefit: Choose an energy form. You gain resistance 5 against that type of energy. For example, if you choose fire, you ignore the first 5 points of fire damage you take each round, regardless of whether that damage stems from a mundane or a magical source. Special: You can take this feat multiple times. If you choose the same energy form two or more times, the effects stack. This resistance does not stack with that pro- vided by any spell or magic item. Scent [Wild] Your olfactory senses are as sharp as the wolf’s. Prerequisites: Ability to use wild shape to become a wolf. Wis 11. Benefit: You gain the scent extraordinary ability (air- breather’s type, as described in Chapter 3 of the DUNGEON MASTERS  Guide), which operates regardless of your form. Shadow [General] You have a better chance than most to trail someone un- noticed. Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus on Hide and Spot checks. Snatch [General] You can grapple more easily with your claws or bite. Prerequisite: Access to a form with either claws or bite as natural weapons. Benefit: if you hit with a claw or bite attack, you au- tomatically attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If you get a hold with a claw on a creature four or more size cate- gories smaller than yourself, you squeeze each round for automatic claw damage. If you get a hold with your bite on a creature three or more size categories smaller than yourself,  you  automatically  deal  bite  damage  each round, or if you do not move and take no other action in combat, you deal double bite damage to the snatched creature. As a free action, you can drop a creature you have snatched, or you can use a standard action to fling it aside. A flung creature travels 10 feet (and takes 1d6 points of damage) for each size category greater than Small that you are. If you fling a creature while you are flying,  it  suffers cither  flinging  or  falling  damage, whichever is greater. SpeakingWild Shape  [Wild] While in wild shape, you can communicate with animals or elementals of the same kind as your current form. Prerequisites: Ability to use wild shape, Int 13. Benefit: While in a wild shape, you operate as if you were under a continuous speak with animals effect with respect to animals of the same kind. For example, if you use wild shape  to take the form of a wolf, you can com- municate with wolves as long as you are in that form. You  speak  in  growls, squawks,  chitters,  or  whatever other sounds such an animal would typically use to communicate with others of its kind, if you are able to use wild shape to become an elemental, you can also com- municate with elementals of the same kind as yourself, using their language. This feat does not enable mental communication. Supernatural Blow [General] Choose one favored enemy that is immune to critical hits. You know how to place blows against this opponent for best effect. Prerequisites: Base attack bonus +7, favored enemy immune to critical hits. Benefit:  Whenever your attack roll against this fa- vored enemy would otherwise be a critical hit, you inflict +1d6 points of extra damage per damage die that your weapon would do on a critical hit. In addition, your fa- vored enemy damage bonus applies to this creature type normally. Normal: Creatures that are immune to critical hits are also immune to the favored enemy damage bonus. Wingover [General] You change direction quickly once per round while air- borne. Prerequisite: Ability to fly. Benefit: This feat allows you to turn at an angle of up to 180 degrees in addition to any other turns you are nor- mally allowed, regardless of your maneuverability. You cannot gain altitude during the round you execute a wingover, but you can dive. For more information, see Tactical Aerial Movement in Chapter 3 of the DUNGEON MASTERGuide. CHAPTER 2: SKILLS AND FEATS
26 CHAPTER 3: TOOLS OF THE TRADE “Good tools make your work easier, whether your chosen occu- pation is war or peace. Choose your tools carefully” Soveliss Every adventurer depends on equipment. Without arms, armor, and other equipment, both magical and mundane, a hero can’t defeat enemies, mount a proper defense, or overcome the obstacles presented by the dungeon and the outside world. This chapter presents new exotic weap- ons and new magic items, most of which are designed for use in the outdoor world. The last section of the chapter describes a new type of magic item, the infusion. EXOTIC WEAPONS “He hit me. With a tree!” A dazed Krusk The weapons presented below can be useful to characters in the outdoors. Exotic weapons such as these may be in common use in distant corners of the campaign world, and they present interesting options for characters who learn to use them. Weapon Descriptions Ankus: The ankus is a hooked device used to steer ele- phants. It deals only subdual damage, but because of its hook, you can also use it to make trip attacks. You can drop the ankus to avoid being tripped during your own trip attempt. The ankus has 10-foot reach. Blowgun: The blowgun is a long tube through which you blow air to fire needles. A needle does 1 point of damage, and it can deliver an injury or contact type poison. Blowgun, Greater:  The greater blowgun fires blow- gun darts, which are slightly smaller than thrown darts. These dans do 1d4 points of damage in addition to deliv- ering poisons. Caber: A caber is a heavy pole that you can throw at one or more targets grouped closely together. To throw a caber, you must target a 10-toot-square area and hit AC 15. Success means that everyone in the target area must make a Reflex save (DC = your attack roll) or move 5 feet back- ward. If a creature or object in the target area is incapable of movement, it takes 2d6 points of damage. The caber is normally used for breaking up military formations. Crossbow, Winch: The winch crossbow fires a rope and pulley attached to a special crossbow bolt. The bolt is split down the head and center of the shaft, with the split head bending away from the shaft  like a two-headed snake. A thin rope secured to each tip slows the bolt in flight (hence the reduced range increment). On a success- ful hit, the bolt snaps apart like a wishbone, taking the at- tached ropes past the target to wrap around and entangle it. If the target is a movable object ot your size category or smaller, you can use the ropes to pull it toward you. An entangled creature suffers a –2 penalty on attack rolls and a –4 penalty to Dexterity. It can move only at half speed and cannot charge or run. If you control the Table 3–1: New Exotic Weapons Exotic Weapons—Melee Range Weapon Cost Damage Critical Increment  Weight Type Hardness Hit Points Large Ankus† 15 gp 2d4§ ×2 15 lb. Bludgeoning   5 10 Exotic Weapons—Ranged Range Weapon Cost Damage Critical Increment  Weight Type Medium-size Blowgun* 1 gp 1 ×2 10 ft. 2 lb. Piercing 5 3 Needles, blowgun (20) 1 gp * 2 1 Crossbow, winch** 75 gp 1d8§ 19–20/×2 50 ft. 10 lb. Piercing 10 10 Bolts, winch crossbow (10) 5 gp 1/2 lb. 10 1 Nagaika** 25 gp 1d6 ×3 4 lb. Slashing 7 5 Nagaika, mighty** +1 Str bonus 225 gp 1d6 ×3 5 lb. Slashing 7 8 +2 Str bonus 325 gp 1d6 ×3 6 lb. Slashing 7 8 +3 Str bonus 425 gp 1d6 ×3 7 lb. Slashing 7 8 +4 Str bonus 525 gp 1d6 ×3 8 lb. Slashing 7 8 Large Blowgun, greater** 10 gp 1d4 ×2 10 ft. 4 lb. Piercing 5 4 Darts, blowgun (10) 1 gp 1 lb. 2 1 Caber** 10 gp ×2 10 ft. 100 lb. Bludgeoning   5 120 *No weight worth noting. **See the description of this weapon for special rules. †Reach weapon. §The weapon deals subdual damage rather than normal damage. CHAPTER 3: TOOLS OF THE TRADE
27 trailing rope  by  succeeding  at  an  opposed  Strength check while holding it, the entangled creature can move only within the limits that the rope allows. Casting a spell while entangled requires a successful Concentra- tion check (DC 15). The entangled creature can escape the ropes with an Escape Artist check (DC 20), which is a full-round action. The rope has 5 hit points and can be burst (see Chapter 8 of the  Player’s Handbook) with a Strength check (DC 25, also a full-round action). A winch crossbow’s entangling effect is useful only against creatures between Tiny and Large size, inclusive. The subdual damage can affect any creature. A winch crossbow requires two hands for effective use,  regardless  of  the  user’s  size.  Loading  a  winch crossbow is a full-round action that provokes attacks of opportunity. A Medium-size or larger creature can shoot, but not load, a winch crossbow with one hand at a –4 penalty. A Medium-size or larger creature can shoot a winch crossbow with each hand at a –6 penalty, plus the usual –4  penalty  for  the  off-hand  attack  (–6  primary hand/–10  off  hand). The Two-Weapon  Fighting  feat does not reduce these penalties because it represents skill with melee weapons, not ranged ones. The Am- bidexterity feat lets you avoid the –4 off-hand penalty, bringing the penalties to –6 for both the primary hand and the offhand. Nagaika: The nagaika is a leather lash studded with glass. Unlike the whip, it deals normal damage and can damage armored foes. Although you keep it in your hand, treat it as a projectile weapon with a maximum range of 15 feet and no range penalties. Because the nagaika can wrap around an enemy’s leg or other limb, you can make trip attacks with it. You can drop it to avoid being tripped during your own trip at- tempt. You also gain a –2 bonus on your opposed attack rolls when using the nagaika to disarm an opponent (in- cluding the roll to keep from being disarmed if your attempt tails). Nagaika,  Mighty:  A  character  who  takes  Exotic Weapon Proficiency  (nagaika) is also proficient with the mighty nagaika. This weapon is made of exception- ally strong leather, which allows the user to apply his or her  Strength  bonus  on  damage  rolls  (within  the weapon’s limit). NEW MAGIC ITEMS “The Wolf represents overconfidence. He is inclined to let his prey have a head start, only to bound farther and faster than the prey. But the Wolf ignores the long run. Someday, something will be faster than the Wolf and will not give him a head start.” The Deck of Ages This section describes several new magic items of vari- ous types. Many of these items are especially useful to characters who spend most of their time outdoors and to those who deal with animals. Several of these devices are designed tor use by ani- mals. An animal can wear only one collar, saddle, bridle, or other such item at a time. CHAPTER 3: TOOLS OF THE TRADE
28 enchanted with water breathing. Caster Level: 7th;  Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, freedom of movement, water breathing; Market Price: +2 bonus, or +3 bonus with water breathing. Ease: A suit of armor with this enchantment allows its wearer to rest comfortably overnight without removing it, regardless of how heavy it is. The wearer can don ease armor in only 5 rounds, or remove it in a single round. Caster Level: 5th;  Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, soften earth and stone; Market Price: +1 bonus. Wild:  The armor and enhancement bonuses of this item remain in effect even while the wearer is in wild shape. Such items meld into the wearer’s wild shape and thus cannot be seen in that form. Caster Level: 9th;  Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, meld into stone; Market Price: +3 bonus. Specific Armors The following specific suits of armor are usually precon- structed with exactly the qualities described here. Gray Ironwood Suit: When first found, this +2 full plate often appears to be made of steel. In actuality, it is composed of wood that has been permanently rendered intoironwood. Caster Level: 11th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, ironwood; Market Price: 137,650 gp. Equerry’s Armor:  This armor appears to be finely crafted  +2 full  plale specifically cut for someone who fights from atop a mount. Its wearer gains a +1 compe- tence bonus on Ride checks. In addition, equerry’s armor grants the wearer’s mount a +2 enhancement bonus to Dexterity and increases its speed by +10 feet. Caster Level: 6th;  Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor; Market Price: 10,670 gp. Magic Weapon Special Abilities A magic weapon with a special ability must have at least a +1 enhancement bonus. Exhausting:  A weapon with this ability deals +1d6 points of damage with each successful hit. However, all the damage it deals (the normal amount for a weapon of its kind plus all applicable bonuses) is subdual rather than normal damage. Bows, crossbows, and slings so en- chanted bestow the exhausting effect upon their ammu- nition. Caster Level: 8th;  Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, soften earth and stone; Market Price: +1 bonus. Hunting:  When used by a ranger against a favored enemy, a hunting weapon doubles the wielder’s favored enemy bonus on weapon damage rolls. Caster Level:  6th; Prerequisites:  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, greater magic fang; Market Price: +1 bonus. Opposable:  Even a creature that lacks the proper hands for weapon use can wield an opposable weapon. This enchantment creates one or more thumblike pro- jections on the weapon. These artificial “thumbs” fold around the appropriate  limb of the wielder to allow proper use. To wield an opposable weapon, a creature must be corporeal, have limbs, have proficiency with the weapon, and be able to stand without the limb(s) that wield the opposable weapon. Caster Level: 6th;  Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, greater magic fang; Market Price: +1 bonus. TABLE 3–2: NEW  MAGIC  ITEMS Armor and Shield Special Ability Market Price Aquatic +2 bonus Aquatic (with water breathing) +3 bonus Ease +1 bonus Wild +3 bonus Specific Armor Market Price Cray ironwood suit 137,650 gp Equerry’s armor 10,670 gp Magic Weapon Special Ability Type Market Price Exhausting Melee, ranged +1 bonus Hunting Melee, ranged +1 bonus Opposable Melee, ranged +1 bonus Specific Weapon Market Price Arrow of cure light wounds 107 gp Arrow of cure moderate wounds 607 gp Arrow of cure serious wounds 1,507 gp Arrow of cure critical wounds 2,807 gp Berserker blade (+1) 6,335 gp Berserker blade (+2) 15,335 gp Potion Market Price Animal logic 150 gp Natural clarity 150 gp Unerring direction 150 gp Wondrous Item Market Price Boots of endurance 16,000 gp Collar of cleverness (1 trick.) 700 gp Collar of cleverness (2 tricks) 1,400 gp Collar of cleverness (3 tricks) 2,100 gp Collar of resistance (+1) 490 gp Collar of resistance (+2) 1,960 gp Collar of resistance (+3) 4,410 gp Collar of resistance (+4) 7,840 gp Collar of resistance (+5) 12,250 gp Coggles of following 2,000 gp Helm of bonding 7,200 gp Necklace of favored enemy detection 34,000 gp Standing stone   (0-level) 10,676 gp Standing stone   (1st-level) 10,850 gp Standing stone   (2nd-level) 12,600 gp Standing stone   (3rd-level) 15,750 gp Standing stone   (4th-level) 20,300 gp Standing stone   (5th-level) 26,250 gp Standing stone   (6th-level) 33,600 gp Standing stone   (7th-level) 42,350 gp Standing stone   (8th-level) 49,700 gp Standing stone   (9th-level) 57,750 gp Tore of animal speech 12,000 gp Wilding clasp 4,000 gp Armor and Shield Special Abilities Armor or a shield with a special ability must have at least a +1 enhancement bonus. Aquatic: Armor and shields with this enchantment appear streamlined and possess a greenish glint. A suit ot armor or shield with this enchantment enables its wearer to move freely through water without the need tor Swim checks. Drowning rules still apply unless the item is also CHAPTER 3: TOOLS OF THE TRADE
29 Specific Weapons The  following  specific  weapons  are  usually  precon- structed with exactly the qualities described here. Arrow of Cure Light Wounds: When this other- wise  normal  +1  arrow  strikes  a  target,  it  does  no damage. Instead, the target is affected as if by a  cure light wounds spell, which cures 1d8+1 points of damage. If such an arrow strikes an undead target, the creature is entitled to spell resistance and a Will save (DC 11) for half damage. An arrow of cure moderate wounds cures 2d8+3 points of damage and has a save DC of 12. An arrow of cure serious wounds cures 3d8+5 points of damage and has a save DC of 13. An arrow of cure critical wounds cures 4d8+7 points of damage and has a save DC of 14. Caster Level: 1st (light), 3rd (moderate), 5th (serious), 7th (critical); Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, cure light wounds (light), cure moderate wounds (moderate), cure se- rious  wounds (serious),  or  cure  critical  wounds  (critical); Market Price: 107 gp (light), 607 gp (moderate), 1,507 gp (se- rious), or 2,807 gp (critical);  Cost to Create: 57 gp + 4 XP (light), 307 gp + 24 XP (moderate), 757 gp + 60 XP (serious), or 1.407 gp + 112 XP (critical). Berserker Blade: The enhancement bonus of this +1 or +2 bastard sword increases by +1 when the wielder flies into a barbarian rage. Caster Level: 7th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, emotion (rage); Market Price: 6,335 gp (+1 weapon) or 15,335 gp (+2 weapon); Cost to Create: 3,335 gp + 240 XP (+1 weapon) or 7,835 gp + 600 XP (+2 weapon). Potion Descriptions The following are nonstandard potions of interest to bar- barians, druids, and rangers. Animal Logic: A character drinking this potion gains an intuitive empathy with animals (in the form of a +10 circumstance bonus on Handle Animal checks) for 1 hour. An imbiber with ranks in Animal Empathy also gains a +10 circumstance bonus on Animal Empathy checks. Caster Level: 2nd; Prerequisites: Brew Potion, spellcaster level 6th; Market Price: 150 gp. Natural Clarity: A character drinking this potion gains a  +10 circumstance bonus on Wilderness Lore checks for 1 hour. Caster Level: 2nd; Prerequisites: Brew Potion, spellcaster level 6th; Market Price: 150 gp. Unerring  Direction:  A  character  drinking  this potion gains a +10 circumstance bonus on Intuit Direc- tion checks for 1 hour. Caster Level: 2nd; Prerequisites: Brew Potion, spellcaster level 6th; Market Price: 150 gp. Wondrous Item Descriptions The following wondrous items are designed primarily for use by barbarians, druids, and rangers. Boots of Endurance: These boots grant the wearer a +4 circumstance bonus on checks for performing any physical action that extends over a period of time, such as running, swimming, or breath-holding. The wearer also gains a +4 circumstance bonus on Fortitude saves to avoid subdual damage caused by exposure to heat or cold, and a +4 circumstance bonus on Constitution checks made to prevent subdual damage from thirst or starvation. Caster Level: 3rd; Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, en- durance; Market Price: 16,000 gp; Weight: 1 lb. Collar of Cleverness: This animal collar expands to fit its wearer. While wearing this item, an animal can per- form one or more additional tricks over and above those it knows. The creator of the collar must designate the spe- cific trick or tricks it can grant. An animal can wear only one collar at a time. Caster Level:  5th; Prerequisites:  Craft Wondrous Item, animal trick (see Chapter 6); Market Price: 700 gp (1 trick), 1,400 gp (2 tricks), or 2,100 gp (3 tricks); Weight: 1 lb. Collar of Resistance: This animal collar expands to fit its wearer. While wearing this item, an animal gains a +1 to +5 resistance bonus on all saving throws (Fortitude, Reflex, and Will). An animal can wear only one collar at a time. Caster Level: 5th; Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, re- sistance; Market Price: 490 gp (+1), 1,960 gp (+2), 4,410 gp (+3), 7,840 (+4). or 12,250 gp (+5); Weight: 1 Ib. Goggles of Following: The lenses of these goggles are tinted with shades of green and yellow. They grant the wearer a +10 competence bonus on Wilderness Lore checks made for tracking. Caster Level: 3rd; Prerequisites:  Craft Wondrous Item, Wilderness Lore 5 ranks; Market Price: 2,000 gp; Weight: —. Helm of Bonding: This helm of animal hide looks to be of poor quality. Once per day, the wearer can bond telepathically with a single animal within  his or her sight. For the next hour, the wearer can communicate mentally with that animal, both sending and receiving messages. The helm also bestows a speak  with  animals CHAPTER 3: TOOLS OF THE TRADE
30 effect for the same period to ensure optimum communi- cation. If the distance between the animal and the helm’s wearer ever exceeds one mile, the connection is sus- pended until either the duration expires or the animal is once again within range. The user can select a different animal for each use. Caster Level:  3rd; Prerequisites:  Craft Wondrous Item, speak with animals; Market Price: 7,200 gp; Weight: 2 lb. Necklace of Favored Enemy Detection: This star- shaped necklace is made of pure silver. When one of the wearer’s favored enemies is within one mile, the neck- lace emits a low hum. By concentrating, the wearer can detect the direction of the nearest favored enemy within that range. Caster Level: 11th;  Prerequisites:  Craft Wondrous Item. detect favored enemy; Market Price: 34,000 gp; Weight: —. Standing Stone: This massive stone obelisk increases a druid’s ability to cast a single spell when in contact with it. The creator chooses a druid spell for the stone to affect and a specific sacrifice (such as a cow or a pile of gems) that activates it. Thereafter, any druid can use the meld into stone spell to merge with the standing stone and dis- cover  those two pieces of information. Once she has done so, she can activate the standing  stone  for herself only by making the designated sacrifice. From that point forward, whenever the druid is in con- tact with the activated stone, she casts that spell as if it were affected by the feats Empower Spell, Enlarge Spell, and Extend Spell. Because each standing stone affects only one spell, these items are typically arranged in circles with no more than 30 feet between any adjacent pair, so that a druid may move to a new stone to cast a new spell each round. The caster level and market price (not in- cluding transportation) are determined by the level of the spell the stone affects, as follows. Spell Level Caster Level Market Price Cost to Create 0 3rd 10,676 gp 5,338 gp + 427 XP 1st 3rd 10,850 gp 5,425 gp + 434 XP 2nd 3rd 12,600 gp 6,300 gp + 504 XP 3rd 5th 15,750 gp 7,875 gp + 630 XP 4th 7th 20,300 gp        10,150 gp + 812 XP 5th 9th 26,250 gp 13,125 gp + 1,050 XP 6th 11th 33,600 gp 16,800 gp + 1,344 XP 7th 13th 42,350 gp 21,175 gp + 1,694 XP 8th 14th 49,700 gp 24,850 gp + 1,988 XP 9th 15th 57,750 gp 28,875 gp + 2,310 XP Caster Level:  5th  (or high enough to cast the chosen spell); Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item,  meld into stone. ability to cast the chosen spell; Weight: 8,000 lb. Tore of Animal Speech: This beaten steel necklace is unadorned by pendant or ornament. Its wearer can use a speak with animals effect at will. Caster  Level:  6th;  Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, speak with animals: Market Price: 12,000 gp; Weight: 1 lb. Wilding Clasp:  Appearing  as  a  3-inch-long  gold chain, this item works only when attached to an amulet, vest, or similar item. The clasp prevents both itself and the attached item from melding into the wearer’s new form when transforming magic (such as polymorph self or wild shape)  is used. The item is still worn in the same manner it previously was and remains available for use in the new form. For example, a druid with a wilding clasp at- CHAPTER 3: TOOLS OF THE TRADE
31 tached to her  periapt of Wisdom could use wild shape to become a wolf, but the periapt and the  wilding  clasp would remain in their normal forms, fully functional. Some forms may be harmful to certain items; for in- stance, it would be unwise to take the form of a fire ele- mental while retaining a functional necklace of fireballs. Casler Level: 5th; Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, poly- morph self or wild shape ability; Market Price: 4,000 gp; Weight:—. INFUSIONS “This forest is our home. We derive strength from its roots. You do not, unless we say so.” —Vadania Since sentient beings first walked upon the land, they have been quick to take advantage of the bounty of life before them. When human and elven foragers discovered that earing the leaves of a certain vine could stave off infection, the science of herbalism was born. Experimentation over the years, across the continents and oceans, proved that nature held secret cures for many of the diseases and weak- nesses that the world knew. This section presents another use for herbs in the creation of infusions—magic items that can be imbued with the power of spells. What Is an Infusion? An infusion is a  divine spell stored within a specially treated herb. It works like a scroll, except that it is use-ac- livated—to activate the spell, the user must consume the herb. This makes infusions ideal for the druid; she can hide several of them for later consumption, thus gaining access to spell effects while she is in wild shape and has no voice or hands to cast spells or use standard items. Physical Description Infusions vary widely in appearance, from red berries to din-covered roots. In general, they are very small and es- sentially weightless items—a bag of ten weighs only a single pound. An infusion is quite delicate, with an AC of 9, 1 hit point, a hardness of 0, and a break DC of 6. Activation In addition to consumption of the herb, several other steps and conditions come into play when activating an infusion. Analyze the Chemistry: To determine what spell an in- tusion contains, a character must analyze its chemistry. This requires a read magic spell or a successful Spellcraft check (DC 15 + spell level). Analyzing an infusion does not activate it unless it is a specially designed cursed infusion. Of course, it is possible to activate an infusion without first analyzing its chemistry. In that case, the user simply doesn’t know what spell he or she is about to use. Activate the Infusion: To attempt to activate an in- fusion, the user simply eats it. This is a standard action requiring no material components or focus. (The cre- ator of the infusion provided those.) Some spells (such as ironwood) are effective only when cast on an item. In that case, the user must provide the item at the time of activation or the spell is wasted. An infusion cannot be administered to an unconscious creature. Like drinking a potion, eating an infusion provokes at- tacks of opportunity. A successful attack against the user forces a Concentration check (DC = 10 + damage dealt). Fail- ure means the character cannot eat the infusion in that round. If desired, an attacker may direct the attack of op- portunity against the infusion rather than the character, de- stroying the item on a successful hit (see Attack an Object in Chapter 8 of the Player’s Handbook). To successfully activate an infusion, the user must meet the following requirements: •   Have the spell it contains on his or her class list (see Chapter 11 of the Player’s Handbook  for spells available to various classes). •   Have the requisite ability score to cast the spell (for example, Wisdom 15 for a druid casting a 5th-level spell). •   Have a caster level at least equal to that of the infusion. If the user meets  all the above  require- ments, the spell stored in the infusion takes effect  immediately after  consumption. Otherwise, the infusion acts as an ingestive poison. The user must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + one-half of the infusion’s caster  level)  or  become  nauseated.  A second saving throw at the same DC and with the  same  consequence  for  failure must be made 1 minute later. Determine the Effect: A spell success- fully activated from an infusion works like a spell prepared  and  cast in the normal way. The infusion’s caster level is always the minimum re- quired for that spell, unless the caster is of a different class or specifically desires otherwise. For example, a 12th- level druid might want to create a flame strike infusion at caster level 12 rather  than the minimum for the spell (caster level 7) to get the extra level-dependent benefits. Since infusions are consumed during activation, they cannot be reused. Random Generation You can randomly generate infusions  just as you can divine scrolls. See Chapter 8 of the DUNGEON  MASTER S Guide for details. Creating Infusions The process for creating infusions is similar to that for creating scrolls. The creator needs a supply of prepared herbs, the cost of which is subsumed in the cost for cre- ating the infusion—25 gp per spell level times the caster level. The creator must pay the full cost for creating the infusion regardless of how many times he or she has pre- viously created the same one. The creator must have prepared the spell to be infused and must provide any material components or focuses re- quired. If casting the spell would reduce the caster’s XP total, the creator pays that cost upon beginning the infu- sion in addition to the XP cost for making the infusion itself. Likewise, any material components are consumed Optional Rule: Druids as Alchemists Druids  tend  to  make  poor  al- chemists,  since  Alchemy  is  a cross-class  skill  for  them.  But while  it’s  logical  that  most druids  wouldn’t  be  experts  at creating  alchemist’s  fire,  their exposure  to  the  natural  world and  its  dangers  might  give them  some  talent  for  crafting antitoxins and other substances useful in the wild. Under  this  optional  rule, druids    can    use    the    Craft (herbalism)  skill  instead  of  the Alchemy  skill  to  create  smoke- sticks,  tindertwigs,  antitoxins, and  tanglefoot  bags.  Use  the DCs  given  in  the  Alchemy  skill description  and  the  rules  for making items given in the Craft skill description (see Chapter 3 of  thePlayer’s  Handbook)    for crafting these items. CHAPTER 3: TOOLS OF THE TRADE
32 when the process begins, but focuses are not. (A focus used in creating an infusion can be reused.) The act of in- fusing triggers the prepared spell, making it unavailable for casting until the character has rested and regained spells. (That is, the spell slot is expended from the cre- ator’s currently prepared spells, just as if it had been cast.) Creating an infusion requires one day per 1,000 gp value of the completed infusion. Item Creation Feat Required: Create Infusion. Table 3–3: Infusion Base Prices and Costs Spell Level Base Price Base Cost to Create 0 25 gp 12 gp 5 sp  + 1 XP 1 50 gp 25 gp + 2 XP 2 300 gp 150 gp  + 12 XP 3 750 gp 375 gp + 30 XP 4 1,400 gp 700 gp + 46 XP 5 2,250 gp 1,125 gp  + 90 XP 6 3,300 gp 1,650 gp + 132 XP 7 4,550 gp 2,275 gp  + 182 XP 8 6,000 gp 3,000 gp  +   240 XP 9 7,650 gp 3,825 gp  + 306 XP These costs assume that the creator makes the infusion at the minimum caster level. Variant: Doing It Yourself A character who’s at home in the outdoors and has a good working knowledge of plants may be able to collect and prepare the components for an infusion personally rather than paying the local herbalist for them. With a little time and energy, a character with ranks in Profession (herbal- ist) and Wilderness Lore can remove the merchant from the equation and save some money in the process. Collecting Different infusions require different herbs. Not surpris- ingly, the higher the spell level, the more rare and prized is the herb required for an infusion of it. Thus, not only is the herb for a heal infusion different from the one for a cure light wounds infusion, it is also harder to find. Herbs for the highest-level spells may grow only in the re- motest locales, so collection may require long journeys. A character can use Wilderness Lore to forage for an herb while moving at one-half his or her normal over- land movement rate through a forested or other natural area. Make a Wilderness Lore check (DC = 10 + twice the level of the spell to be infused) at the end ot each day spent foraging. Success indicates that the character has found a sufficient quantity of the herb for a single infu- sion of the desired spell; failure means none was found. Casting detect animals or plants grants the character a +2 circumstance bonus on that day’s check. While foraging in this fashion, a character can also forage for sustenance, as detailed in the Wilderness Lore skill description in Chapter 4 of the Player’s Handbook. Gardening Though growing herbs for infusions seems like a good idea, seldom does an adventuring character actually do so. Maintaining an herb garden requires hours of work each day in a single locale, and most adventurers cannot abide this degree of attachment to one place. Still, any CHAPTER 3: TOOLS OF THE TRADE
33 character wishing to undertake the challenge of garden- ing may attempt it according to the following rules. Once the character has acquired a sample of the de- sired herb (see Collecting, above), he or she can attempt to cultivate it. A single character can care for a number of herbs equal to twice the number of ranks he or she has acquired in Wilderness Lore. With proper care, an herb garden produces a harvest twice a year. To produce an herb crop, the character must make a Wilderness Lore or Profession (farmer) check for each week of cultivation, plus an additional Wilderness Lore check at harvest time. The DC for the weekly cultivation check is one-half the DC required to find the herb (see Collecting, above). If this check fails by 5 or more, the herb withers and dies. Each time it fails by less than 5, a cumulative –1 penalty is imposed on the final Wilder- ness Lore check for harvesting the crop, if that last check is successful, the herbs harvested are sufficient for a number of infusions equal to one-half the check result. Failure indicates that no usable herbs are produced. Hiring a gardener to perform this task may be a rea- sonable option. A skilled gardener earns 1 gp per day, or about 180 gp per season. (This does not include the cost of acquiring the herb for planting, nor the cost of the land for the garden.) The average gardener can cultivate two herbs per season, each of which produces enough herbs for 1d4 infusions. Preparing Before an herb can be used in an infusion, it must be properly prepared. Some herbs must be treated or dried; others must be baked, steamed, or doused with a solution of oil or seawater. Again, the higher the level of the spell to be infused, the more difficult and complex the prepa- ration becomes. Preparing an herb for infusion requires a Profession (herbalist) check. To determine how long the preparation takes, first find the base cost to create the infusion on Table 3—3 and con- vert the price to silver pieces (1 gp = 10 sp). Then make a Profession (herbalist) check (DC = 10 + twice the level of the spell to be infused) representing one week’s worth of work, if the check succeeds, multiply the check result by the DC. A total equal to or greater than the base cost for creation means that the herb is ready to be infused with the desired spell. A total below that price represents the progress made that week. Make another check the sub- sequent week and, if it is successful, add that check result times the DC to the previous week’s result. As soon as the sum of these weekly totals equals or exceeds the price of the item in silver pieces, the preparation is complete. Failure at any point indicates that the character makes no progress that week. Failure by 5 or more means the character ruins the raw materials and must begin again with a fresh supply of the herb. Optional Rule: Benefits of Hard Work Taking the time and trouble to collect or grow each herb, prepare it, and infuse it with a spell is hard work. By so doing, however, characters attune themselves to nature and her bounty. Making an infusion “from scratch” raises its caster level by +1. This increase alters neither the cost of creating the infusion nor the difficulty of using it. Optional Rule: Tailored Infusions The fantasy world of the  DUNGEONS  & DRAGONS  game teems with distinctive and individual animals, beasts, and plants. Rather than assuming that a certain infusion uses some nameless herb, reference the spell’s level and school on Table 3–4 to find the name of the herb needed. Table 3–4: Tailored Infusions Spell Level   Abjuration Conjuration Divination Enchantment Evocation Illusion Necromancy Transmutation    Universal 0 mayflower oregano marigold asparagus root  thyme rose castor chives mistletoe 1 rosemary colewort ginseng juniper berry mace ash bark hazelwort garlic 2 marjoram red cockscomb   benne adrue benzoin parsnip dandelion waybread 3 fe.onwort plantain chamomile muira-puama lucerne chaulmoogra oil  senna comfrey root 4 white horehound  lily of the valley  quince asafetida nuxvomica sweet balm agaric bethroot 5 jewel weed hyssop angelica pomegranate fenugreek thoughtwort stickwort mandragora 6 knight’s spur spikenard fennel scopolis foxglove berberis hellebore hartstongue 7 mudar bark felwort cardamom wolfsbane black horehound   butterbur fenugreek throatwort 8 unicorn root blackbane cyclopstongue  belladonna dragonhart madwort corpsetoe leapleaf 9 turtlewort shamblerstalk seerglove feybread firecomb madweed assassin seed   ironmoss CHAPTER 3: TOOLS OF THE TRADE
34 CHAPTER 4: ANIMALS “The Brine Lord’s coral castle is surrounded by hungry sharks. He calls the toothy creatures to his home, then lets them roam free. He  doesn’t bother controlling them; something always comes by to make the sharks want to stay.” Soveliss Animals are among nature’s most potent resources. They offer sustenance with their milk, their eggs, and their very flesh. Their skins and hides provide clothing and shelter from the elements. Some can also serve as trans- portation for characters and goods, or even guard against predators. This chapter begins with an expanded discussion of how to choose, acquire, and care for an animal compan- ion, as well as what a character can expect from that rela- tionship. Following this are statistics for several new dire animals. Finally, a new subtype of animal is presented— the legendary animal—along with statistics for several creatures of that subtype. ANIMAL COMPANIONS Druids and rangers have deeper and more complex rela- tionships with animals than other characters do, but even  so,  the  basics  are  unchanged. These  special guardians of nature are just as likely as any other charac- ter to consume the bounty of nature in the form of hunted animals—that’s pan of the cycle of life. Hide armor is popular among druids, and rangers frequently use horses or other  creatures  as  mounts  or  beasts  of burden. The difference is that both the druid and the ranger have a fundamental respect for the natural world they live in. Not only are they committed to studying the outdoors through  the  Knowledge  (nature)  and Wilderness Lore skills, but they also main- tain special relationships with animal com- panions. Animal companions are an important part of a druid’s (and to a lesser extent, a ranger’s) power. The druid lacks some of the cleric’s spellcasting versatility and casts fewer spells per day, but her powerful animal compan- ions go a long way toward compensating. An animal  companion  can  serve  as  a  protector,  tracker, scout, mount, and warrior—sometimes all at once. It can even be a friend capable of offering advice, thanks to the magic of awaken. Moreover, the Hit Dice of an adventur- ing  druid’s  animal  companion  can  equal  her  own, whereas followers and cohorts almost always have fewer Hit Dice than their leaders. The typical druid chooses a wolf as her first animal companion. The wolf attacks as well as a fighter of com- parable Hit Dice, plus it can track. Five levels later, the druid could have a brown bear, which averages a whop- ping 51 hit points and has three attacks with the poten- tial to do more than 20 points of damage per round. Later, the dire tiger offers 120 hit points on average, plus even more damage potential through its claw, bite, pounce, grab, and rake attacks. Thus, regardless of their limita- tions, animal companions are incredibly valuable. Shopping for an Animal The 1st-level druid starts out with an animal companion, but throughout the rest of her adventuring career, she must do a bit of work to acquire new ones—as must the ranger. The first step is to choose the desired kind of animal from the options described in the Monster Manual and in Chapter 1 of this book. Since having animal companions is a core ability of the druid and the ranger, the DM shouldn’t make it par- ticularly difficult or challenging to find one. The sim- plest option is to allow the character a couple of days between adventures to find the desired companion. As long as he or she searches in a terrain that is home to that species, it takes only a day or two to find an appropriate creature. (Of course, it’s impossible to find a lion in polar regions or a shark on land.) To play this out a bit more, have the druid or ranger make a Wilderness Lore check (DC 10 for most animals) to discover the creature’s regular territory, then use the Track feat to locate one specimen. The detect animals or plants spell allows the character to focus the search on a single species within range. Power sight, a new spell de- scribed in Chapter 6, can reveal the exact Hit Dice of a target animal and thus whether or not the character can befriend it. Assume that with the use of Wilderness Lore and a detect animals or plants spell, the character has a 30% chance to locate an animal for each day spent searching in an appropriate terrain and climate. If the DM wants to center a campaign around individ- ual heroes and their quests, the parry could have a good rime seeking out the lair of the evil sorcerer who has im- prisoned animals for diabolical purposes, or rescuing a bear from a frost giant’s kitchen before it lands on the supper table. A few such quests could be interesting and give the animal companion a special place in the party, but it may not be appropriate to reserve game time for this sort of activity if the character is changing animal companions frequently. Better than Average Animals It’s simplest to assume that the druid and the ranger always  find  animal  companions  that  are  average  for their species, with the ability scorcs and average hit points given in the Monster Manual. But some creatures deviate from this norm, with hit points above or below the average, or even unusual ability scorcs. Wolves with 18 hit points instead of 13 exist, and so do lions with Strength 25 instead of 21. While it may be simplest to assume that all animal companions are average, it’s in a character’s  best  interest  to  seek  out  creatures  that exceed the norm. The obvious way to do this is to generate an animal’s hit points and ability scorcs randomly whenever the character encounters one. Rolling for hit points is easy, and generating ability scorcs isn’t tough (see Ability Scores  for  Monsters  in  Chapter  2  of  the DUNGEON Previous Sources The   core   rulebooks   of   the DUNGEONS &   DRAGONS game offer  plenty  of  material  about animal  companions.  The  de- scription  of  the  druid  in  the Player’s  Handbook    lays  out  the basic   concepts.   The animal friendship   spell, in Chapter 11 of the  same  book,  gives  still  more information.  Finally,  the  side- bar   on   Animal   Companions in  Chapter  2  of  theDUNGEON MASTERS   Guide   continues  the discussion  and  introduces  the concept  of  training  and  teach- ing tricks. CHAPTER 4: ANIMALS
35 MASTER Guide). The disadvantage of this method is that it involves a lot of dice-rolling and could result in day after day of searching for the picky character. The best solution is not to reveal an animal’s ability scorcs or hit points. After all, while it may be easy to identify a sick animal, it’s tough to differentiate between two animals whose Strength scorcs differ by 2 points. And no animal is likely to tolerate a barrage of tests de- signed to determine whether it’s a worthy companion before the character has magically befriended it. Intend- ing to perform such tests after casting animal friendship is a violation of the spell’s parameters, since it functions only for a caster who has a true heart and actually wishes to be the animal’s friend. Only after the character has ad- ventured with the animal for weeks or months (assume 2d4 weeks as an average) should the DM consider re- vealing its ability scorcs and hit points. At that point, the character can abandon the animal and begin anew, if de- sired. However, doing this too often may call the charac- ter’s “true heart” into question. Two ability scorcs actually have limitations. First, an animal’s Intelligence score never exceeds 2 without the assistance of magic. Most mammals, lizards, and birds have Intelligence 2, while snakes, fish, and lower-order animals have Intelligence 1. Second, only one normal animal (the wolverine) has a Charisma score greater than 7, and no dire animal has a Charisma greater than 11. The Bond The bond created by an  animal friendship spell is not a magical one. It cannot be dispelled, though  dominate animal or some other magical compulsion could cause the animal to act against the character’s  wishes. The animal acknowledges the character as its friend—some- thing like a special denmate or a member of the pack. The animal may realize that the character isn’t really one of its own, but true conscious thought along those lines is beyond most animals’ ability. As the Animal Companions sidebar in Chapter 2 of the DUNGEON MASTERS  Guide states, a companion is still only an animal. It cannot understand human speech. Other than following its friend and performing the tricks it has been taught, it cannot respond to directions. An em- pathic link exists between the wizard and her familiar and between the paladin and her mount, but not be- tween a druid (or a ranger) and an animal companion. Thus, an animal companion makes a poor scout, since it has no way to communicate what it sees—and even if it did, its low Intelligence prevents it from knowing what to look for or how to analyze what it finds. The animal expects its friend to either provide it with sustenance or give it adequate time to find food and water on its own. In addition, though the animal natu- rally defends its friend, and may even attack his or her enemies, it doesn’t enjoy combat. While the druid and the ranger can accept that some pain is necessary in the service of good or the defense of the land, these concepts are lost on the lion, hawk, or lizard that is being struck, mauled, or energy drained. The animal expects its friend to try to keep it safe, so painful fight after painful fight may cause it to grow weary of the punishment. Animal Mood and Attitude The player whose character has befriended an animal usually controls it. As long as that character continues to fulfill the obligations and duties of friendship, this is a fine way to run things. Should anything complicate or challenge that relationship, however, the DM may want to step in and control the animal’s reactions. When a character befriends an animal through animal friendship, its attitude toward its new friend automatically becomes helpful (see Chapter 5 of the DUNGEON  MASTER S Guide.) Should the character ever abuse the animal phys- ically or expose it to adverse situations that strain its loy- alty,  the  DM  can  adjust  its  attitude appropriately—to friendly, indifferent, or worse as the situation requires. A friendly animal may or may not aid its friend, and an  indifferent  one  certainly  won’t.  An animal that has become unfriendly or hos- tile looks for the first chance to depart or lash out at the “friend” who has clearly abused its trust. However, through role- playing and judicious use of the Animal Empathy skill, a character may be able to repair such a breach of trust. Use Table 5–4:  Influencing  NPC  Attitude  in  the DUNGEON  MASTER S  Guide to determine the DC for the check. The  animal  has  no  special  tie  to  its friend’s fellow adventurers, so its initial at- titude toward them is indifferent. It does- n’t  protect  them  unless  ordered,  but neither does it attack them unless pro- voked. Roleplaying and the use of Animal Empathy can adjust the animal’s attitude about other party members in the same manner as described above. Limitations and Problems The presence of animal companions in an adventuring party can present a variety of problems. Wild animals are generally not accepted inside a city or within the lord’s keep. To most peasants, a wild animal is something to be feared, driven off, or put down, just like a troll or a griffon would be. Only the most famous druid or ranger heroes can expect an urban population to accept wild creatures walking along the streets—even in the company of humanoids. Most characters solve this problem by simply asking their companions to stay in the wilderness outside town. An animal companion can accept such a parting of the ways as long as it remains short (less than a week), or the character’s visits are frequent. Of course, leaving a wild animal outside town can present another problem—the creature may think that the domesticated cows, chick- ens, or horses on the nearby farms are meant for its con- sumption. Another tough situation is the dungeon. Most animals (other than bats, lizards, rats, snakes, toads, and the dire versions thereof) are unaccustomed to dwelling under- ground. Bears, even though they live in caves, are not truly native to subterranean habitats. Surface-dwelling The Best Animal Companion? What’s  the  best  animal  to  be- friend? You should try to main- tain your maximum allowed Hit Dice of companions, and when- ever  possible,  invest  all  those Hit  Dice  in  a  single  animal. Unless  you  want  an  animal companion  just  to  serve  as  a distraction, it needs the best hit points  and  attack  bonus  pos- sible. Most magical beasts and underground  denizens  can overpower  an  animal  of  equal Hit Dice, so you have to work hard  to  keep  animal  compan- ions competitive. That said, some animals tend to  make  better  companions than  others.  A  horse  makes some  sense,  perhaps,  though it’s  just  as  easy  to  purchase one.  In  general,  you  can’t  go wrong   choosing   the   most combat-effective  animal  you can get. Depending on the Hit Dice,  that  means  a  wolf,  lion, bear, or tiger—or a dire version thereof. CHAPTER 4: ANIMALS
36 animals are reluctant to proceed into confined spaces and tight, sunless corridors. Even if they can be con- vinced to enter the dungeon, most animals have great difficulty  dealing  with  pits,  steep  inclines,  narrow crevices, and similar dungeon challenges. Without magical levitation or the ability to fly, a creature such as a dire tiger could easily get stuck somewhere in the Underdark. Be- cause  of  this,  some  characters  choose  to leave their animal companions outside the dungeon. Alternatively, the calm trick (see Chapter 2) can enhance a creature’s ability to deal with dungeon environments. Food and Care A character with an animal companion must see to its care and feeding during adventures. The obvious option, of course, is to carry food for it. The biggest problem with doing this is typically the weight, not the cost. For an herbivore, a day’s worth of feed costs a mere 5 cp and weighs 10 pounds; for a carni- vore, it costs 5 sp and weighs 10 pounds. Each day, a Medium-size herbivore or carni- vore drinks at least a gallon of water, which weighs about 8 pounds (plus the weight of the container), and a Large animal drinks at least 3 gallons a day. Given the typical horses carrying capacity, it can be a real challenge to carry more than two weeks of food for an animal companion. On extended trips, a druid can rely upon create water and goodberry. One goodberry can provide sustenance for one Medium-size herbivore or carnivore; a Large animal requires two per day, and a Huge  creature  requires  four.  As  a  final option, a character may be able to convince a hungry carnivore to eat the flesh of a slain monster—particularly a beast, dragon, giant, humanoid, magical beast, or monstrous hu- manoid. Another option is to allow the animal to graze or hunt for itself. It must eat at least once every third day, just like a human, or begin to suffer the effects of starvation (see Chapter 3 of the DUNGEON MASTERS  Guide). Grazing animals need only grassland or a hayfield; no skill check is required. To forage for water or to hunt, the animal must make a Wilderness Lore check (DC 10). Success indicates that it has acquired a day’s worth of food and water; failure means no suitable sustenance was found. If the animal is foraging in its native terrain and climate, it suffers no penalties  on  the  check;  otherwise,  a  circumstance penalty of at least –4 and as much as –8 applies. If the animal moves at one-half its overland movement rate or slower, it can hunt while traveling; otherwise, it requires 4 hours per day to hunt. Finally, animals aren’t prepared for climates other than their own. Those adapted for the cold, such as bears, per- form poorly in warm deserts, and cold-blooded animals such as snakes and lizards suffer in cold regions. When outside its native environment, an animal must make Fortitude saving throws at regular intervals to avoid taking subdual damage. The rules for this are the same as those given for characters in the Heat Dangers and Cold Dangers sections in Chapter 3 of the DUNGEON MASTER S Guide, except that the animal’s Wilderness Lore skill pro- vides no bonuses on these saves. A character, however, may provide bonuses to an animal companion with a suc- cessful Wilderness Lore check, as noted in the Wilder- ness  Lore  skill  description  in  the Player’s  Handbook. Eventually, though, the character must make a choice: Take the animal out of the foreign environment, cast a protection spell such as endure elements, or watch the creature perish. Breaking the Limits Often, the best way to improve the abilities of animal companions and overcome some of their limitations is the use of spells and magic items. Enhancing Magic: Magic fang and  nature’s favor en- hance an animal companion’s combat ability. Might of the oak, persistence of the waves, and speed of the wind each en- hance one of an animal’s ability scorcs at the expense of another. Animal growth improves an animal’s combat ef- fectiveness through increased Hit Dice, Strength, Con- stitution, damage, and hit points. Finally, nature’s avatar increases an animal’s hit points and grants it the benefits of haste, thus transforming it into a fearsome destructive machine. The lower-level spells, especially nature’s favor. are excellent for use in wands. See Chapter 6 for spell de- scriptions. Barding:  Horses, ponies, riding lizards, and riding dogs typically accept armor in the form of barding, but wild creatures simply refuse the burden. With the armor trick (see Chapter 2), a character can adapt any animal to the use of armor. Barding is available in all armor types (including masterwork and magical  versions), but it always costs more than comparable human armor. See Chapter 7 of the Player’s Handbook for additional rules on barding. Communication: Adopting an animal form through wild shape or polymorph self  doesn’t impart the ability to communicate with that species (at least, not without the Speaking Wild Shape feat described in Chapter 2). The speak with animals spell is the one of the best ways to con- verse with animal companions, but a helm of bonding or a torc of animal speech (see Chapter 3 for magic item de- scriptions) also allows communication. Direct conversa- tion lets the creature understand instructions beyond the tricks it has learned, but even so, the animal’s intelli- gence places an obvious limit on the interaction. Loyalty: Most animals have poor Will saving throws. As friendly and loyal as an animal companion is to its druid or ranger friend, an enemy can all too easily use magic to control or dominate it. A druid with forcsight can either  carry  spells  (such as  dispel  magic  or  calm animal) to neutralize this threat or equip her companions with collars of resistance. More Animals: The obvious way to acquire additional animal companions is to gain class levels in druid or ranger, but magic items provide a second option. One ring of animal friendship adds 12 Hit Dice to the character’s Raising a Companion The realistic way to get a better than average animal is to raise it from infancy. An animal that never  goes  hungry  and  gets ample exercise is likely to grow up   stronger,   tougher,   and slightly  more  intelligent  than the average creature of its kind. To  reflect  this,  the  DM  may allow  an  animal  companion that a character has raised and trained  from  birth  to  have  2 bonus hit points per Hit Die, an extra  3  points  for  its  ability scorcs (distributed as the player sees fit), and the ability to learn one additional trick per point of Intelligence. Rearing  a  wild  animal  takes one  year  and  requires  one Handle Animal check (DC 15 + HD of animal). No skill check is required  if  the  creature  has already become an animal com- panion to a druid or ranger, but most adventurers choose to be- friend  animals  only  after  they are  old  enough  to  be  helpful. Paying  someone  to  raise  an animal may be a more feasible option  for  adventuring  charac- ters.  A  professional  trainer charges 250 gold pieces per Hit Die of the animal to rear it. This  method  of  acquiring animal  companions  requires more planning than just search- ing  for  one  does,  but  it’s  also useful   for   nonadventuring druids who aren’t likely to gain levels  (and  thus  require  new animal  companions)  very  fre- quently. CHAPTER 4: ANIMALS
37 limit, a second raises that to 24, and a hand of glory allows the use of a third such ring for a total of 36 additional Hit Dice of animal companions. At a price of only 9,500 gp per ring and 7,200 gp for the hand of glory, these items are cheap for their benefits. Regardless of the total Hit Dice of animal companions an adventuring character can have, none of them can exceed his or her own Hit Dice.* That is, an 8th-level druid wearing with a  ring of animal friendship  can be- friend two dire lions (8HD creatures), but not a dire tiger (16HD creature), or any creature with more than 8 Hit Dice. On the other hand, two dire lions can pack quite a punch. *This information supersedes that presented in the animal friendship spell in the Player’s Handbook. Abandoning a Companion Characters want to replace their animal companions from time to time, and there is no penalty for doing so. Reasons for making a change abound—for example, a druid may not wish to expose comparatively weak ani- mals to dangers they cannot handle, or she may need to travel to a region where her existing companions could not survive. The real issue is the conditions under which a charac- ter abandons an animal companion. Leaving it in a for- eign land, or worse, in the depths of some dungeon, is an evil act. Even neutral and evil druids should be loath to betray their companions in this way. Improving a Companion Some characters, abhorring the prospect of abandoning a trusted friend every level or two, seek a way out of this situation. Long ago, druids developed a magical ritual to deal with this problem. During this ritual, which takes a full day to perform at a holy site or natural glade, the druid’s touch imbues one animal companion with addi- tional strength. The druid loses 200 XP, as if she had cast a spell with that XP cost. Only animals with a listing for “advancement” in their statistics can improve through this ritual. At the end of the ritual, the animal’s Hit Dice increase by +1. As a result, it gains additional hit points and a bonus on attack rolls, if the new Hit Dice total warrants that. The  additional  Hit  Die  may  also  increase  the animal’s size (see the rules for advancement in the intro- duction of the Monster Manual). Since it is an animal, the companion gains neither feats nor skills as it advances. Awakened   Animals Awaken is a 5th-level spell available to druids. Because it grants  humanlike  sentience  and  intelligence  to  an animal, the creature’s type changes to magical beast. This spell greatly changes the relationship between druid and animal companion. Armed with intelligence and the ability to speak at least one language, the animal no longer needs training to understand the druid’s wishes. Thus, the druid gains a source of advice and ready con- versation in addition to a guard and a servant. Of course, as a fully sentient creature, an awakened animal develops its own desires and ambitions. While normally a creature with such a high intelligence isn’t subject to animal friendship, an animal awakened by a druid remains her companion as long as she treats it with respect, as discussed above. The animal continues to count against the druid’s Hit Dice limit for animal com- panions. For a time, the awakened animal can even exceed the druid’s level. (For example, an awakened dire bear sud- denly has 14 HD, but it remains with a 12th-level druid). Until the druid once  again exceeds the animal in Hit Dice, however, she cannot gain new animal companions. As a general rule, an  awakened animal continues to assist the druid, at least as long as she continues to in- clude it among her companions. When she elects to leave that animal behind (by befriending a new one), it soon departs. The animal remains friendly with the druid and may assist her from time to time, but it no longer ac- companies her on adventures. DIRE ANIMALS Dire Toad Dire Hawk Dire Snake Small Animal Medium-Size Animal Large Animal Hit Dice: 4d8+8(26hp) 5d8+10(32hp) 7d8+21 (52 hp) Initiative: +2 (Dex) +6 (Dex) +5 (Dex) Speed: 20 ft. 10 ft., fly 80 ft. (average) 20 ft., climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft. AC: 15 (+1 size, +2 Dex, +2 natural) 19 (+6 Dex, +3 natural) 18 (–1 size, +5 Dex, +4 natural) Attacks: Tongue +6 ranged 2 claws +9 melee and bite +4 melee Bite +10 melee Damage: Tongue poison Claw 1d4+1; bite 1d6 Bite 1d6 +9 and poison Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft. 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft. 5 ft. by 10 ft. (coiled)/10 ft. Special Attacks: Poison Improved grab, constrict 1d6+9, poison Special Qualities:   Scent Saves: Fort+6, Ref+6, Will+3 Fort +6, Ref+10, Will +3 Fort+8, Ref+10, Will+3 Abilities: Str 6, Dex 14, Con 14, Str 12, Dex 22, Con 14, Str 22, Dex 20, Con 16, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 7 Int 2, Wis 14,Cha 10 Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 10 Skills: Hide+16, Jump+9, Listen+ 7, Listen +8, Move Silently +8, Balance+14, Climb+14, Hide+6, Spot+11 Spot +8* Listen+9, Spot+9 Feats: Weapon Finesse (claws, bite) CHAPTER 4: ANIMALS
38 Dire Toad These small amphibians are generally nonaggressive insect hunters. In large groups, however, they can make good use of their poison attacks. Combat Poison (Ex): Bite, Fort save (DC 14); initial and sec- ondary damage 1d6 temporary Con. Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, the dire toad must hit with a tongue attack. If it gets a hold, it can at- tempt to swallow the foe. Swallow Whole (Ex): A dire toad can try to swallow a grabbed opponent of Tiny or smaller size by making a successful grapple check. Once inside the dire toad, the opponent takes 1d6 points of crushing damage  +1d4 points of acid damage per round from  the creature’s stomach. A swallowed creature  can climb out of the stomach with a successful grapple check. This returns it to the dire toad’s mouth, where another successful grap- ple check is needed to get free. A swallowed creature can also cut its way out by  dealing 10 or more points  of damage to the stomach (AC 13) with claws or a Tiny slashing weapon. Once that swallowed creature exits, muscular action closes the hole; another swallowed op- ponent must cut its own way out. The dire toad’s  interior holds up to two Tiny, four Diminutive, or eight Fine opponents. Skills: A dire toad receives a +4 racial bonus on Hide, Listen, and Spot checks, and a +8 racial bonus on Jump checks. Dire Hawk A bird of prey capable of taking down pigs, sheep, and even the occasional small horse, the dire hawk prefers high, remote nesting spots. A typical dire hawk is 5 feet long and has a wingspan of 11 feet. Skills: A dire hawk receives a +8 racial bonus on Spot checks in daylight. Climate/Terrain:  Temperate and warm land, Any forest, hill, plains, Temperate and warm land, aquatic, and underground and mountains aquatic, and underground Organization: Solitary or swarm (10–100) Solitary or pair Solitary Challenge Rating: 2 2 4 Treasure: None None None Alignment: Always neutral Always neutral Always neutral Advancement: 5–6 HD (Small); 5–8 HD (Medium-size); 8–12 HD (Large); 7–10 HD (Medium-size) 9–12 HD (Large) 13–16 HD (Huge) Dire Horse Dire Elk Dire Elephant Large Animal Huge Animal Gargantuan Animal Hit Dice: 8d8+48 (84 hp) 12d8+60 (114hp) 20d8+200 (290 hp) Initiative: +1 (Dex) +0 +0 Speed: 60 ft. 50 ft. 30 ft., climb 10 ft. AC: 16 (–1 size, +1 Dex, +6 natural)  15 (–2 size, +7 natural) 10 (–4 size, +4 natural) Attacks: 2 hooves +11 melee and Slam +14 melee and 2 hooves Slam +26 melee and 2 stamps bite +6 melee +9 melee; or gore +14 melee +21 melee; or gore +26 melee Damage: Hoof 1d6+6; bite 1d4+3 Slam 2d6+7, hoof 2d4+3; Slam 2d8+15, stamp 2d8+7, gore 2d8+10 gore 4d6+22 Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 10 ft./5 ft. 10 ft. by 20 ft./10 ft. 20 ft. by 40 ft./10 ft. Special Attacks:     Trample 2d8+10 Trample 4d6+22 Special Qualities:  Scent Scent Scent Saves: Fort+12, Ref +7, Will +4 Fort +13, Ref +8, Will +4 Fort +22, Ref+12, Will +8 Abilities: Str 22, Dex 13, Con 22, Str 24, Dex 11, Con 20, Str 40, Dex 10, Con 30, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 10 Int 2, Wis 11, Cha 6 Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 8 Skills: Hide –3, Listen +8, Spot +8 Hide –4, Listen +6, Spot +6 Climb +23, Hide –12, Listen +8, Spot+8 Feats: Climate/Terrain:  Any land Temperate and cold forest, hill   Warm forest and plains and mountains Organization: Solitary or herd (6–30) Solitary or herd (6–30) Solitary or herd (6–30) Challenge Rating: 4 7 10 Treasure: None None None Alignment: Always neutral Always neutral Always neutral Advancement: 9–16 HD (Large); 13–16 HD (Huge); 21–30 HD (Gargantuan); 17–24 HD (Huge) 17–36 HD (Gargantuan) 31–45 HD (Colossal) Dire animals are larger, tougher, and meaner versions of normal animals. They tend to have a feral, prehistoric look. CHAPTER 4: ANIMALS
39 Dire Snake The dire snake combines all the strength and power of the constrictor with the venomous bite of a viper. It can constrict an opponent of up to Large size. Combat Poison (Ex): Bite, Fort save (DC 16), initial and sec- ondary damage 1d6 temporary Con. Improved Grab (Ex):  To use this ability,  the dire snake must hit with its bite attack. If it gets a hold, it can constrict. Constrict (Ex): A dire snake deals 1d6+9 points of damage with a successful grapple check against a Large or smaller creature. Skills: The dire snake receives a +4 racial bonus on Hide, Listen, and Spot checks, and a +8 racial bonus on Balance checks. A dire snake with higher Dexterity than Strength  can  use  its  Dexterity  modifier  on  Climb checks. Dire Horse Aggressive, wild equines that roam the wilderness, dire horses resist domestication as much as any wild animal does. A dire horse can fight while carrying a rider, but the rider cannot also attack unless he or she succeeds at a Ride check (DC 10). Carrying Capacity: A light load for a dire horse is up to 519 pounds, a medium load is 520–1,038 pounds, and a heavy load is 1,039–1,557 pounds. A dire horse can drag 7,785 pounds. Dire Elk A  bull  dire  elk  is  an  imposing  and  aggressive  beast during the mating season. His enormous antlers can span up to 12 feet, and he can weigh up to 3 tons. If this creature believes himself challenged, he tries to drive off the  interloper  by  bellowing  loudly  and  pawing  the ground, if that doesn’t work, the dire elk charges with his head lowered to deliver a vicious gore with his oversized antlers, then follows up with stamping and trampling at- tacks. Females are not antlered (no gore attack) and are less aggressive than males, but cow dire elks are still for- midable when their calves are threatened. In the spring, the bull sheds his antlers, after which his gore attack is not  available  until  he  regrows  them  the  following autumn. Combat Trample (Ex): A dire elk can trample Medium-size or smaller creatures for automatic gore damage. Opponents who do not make attacks of opportunity against the dire elk  can  attempt  a  Reflex  save  (DC  23)  to  halve  the damage. Skills: A dire elk receives a +4 racial bonus on Hide checks. Dire Elephant These titanic herbivorcs are somewhat unpredictable and  likely  to  attack.  Giants  sometimes  use  them  as mounts or beasts of burden. Combat Trample (Ex): A dire elephant can trample Large or smaller creatures for automatic gore damage. Opponents who do not make attacks of opportunity against it can at- tempt a Reflex save (DC 35) to halve the damage. CHAPTER 4: ANIMALS
40 LEGENDARY ANIMALS Legendary Eagle Legendary Ape Legendary Wolf Small Animal Medium-Size Animal Medium-Size Animal Hit Dice: 12d8+36 (90 hp) 13d8+39 (97 hp) 14d8+70(133hp) Initiative: +10 (Dex) +3 (Dex) +9 (Dex) Speed: 10 ft., fly 100 ft. (average) 40 ft., climb 20 ft. 60 ft. AC: 25 (+1 size, +10 Dex, +4 natural) 19 (+3 Dex, +6 natural) 24 (+9 Dex, +5 natural) Attacks: 2 claws +20 melee and bite +15 melee   2 claws +19 melee and bite +14 melee Bite +19 melee Damage: Claw 1d6+2; bite 1d8+1 Claw 1d8+10; bite 2d6+5 Bite 2d6+10 Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft. 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft. 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Rend 2d8+15 Trip Special Qualities:   Scent Scent Saves: Fort +11, Ref +18, Will +7 Fort +11, Ref +11, Will +7 Fort +14, Ref +18, Will +6 Abilities: Str 14, Dex 30, Con 16, Sir 30, Dex 16, Con 16, Str 24, Dex 28, Con 20, Int 2, Wis 16, Cha 12 Int2, Wis 16, Cha 10 Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 10 Skills: Hide +14, Listen +10, Spot +10* Climb +19, Move Silently +11, Spot +9   Hide +13, Listen +10, Move Silently +12, Spot +10, Wilderness Lore +4* Feats: Weapon Finesse (claws, bite) Weapon Finesse (bite) Climate/Terrain:   Any forest, hill, plains, Warm forest and mountains, Any forest, hill, mountain, and mountains and underground plain, and underground Organization: Solitary or pair Solitary or company (2–5) Solitary or herd (5–8) Challenge Raring: 6 7 7 Treasure: None None None Alignment: Always neutral Always neutral Always neutral Advancement: 12–24 HD (Small) 14–26 HD (Medium-size) 15–30 HD (Medium-size) Legendary Snake Legendary Horse Legendary Bear Large Animal Large Animal Large Animal Hit Dice: 16d8+112 (184hp) 18d8+144 (225 hp) 20d8+140 (230 hp) Initiative: +7 (Dex) +2 (Dex) +2 (Dex) Speed: 30 ft., climb 30 ft., swim 30 ft. 80 ft. 50 ft. AC: 22 (–1 size, +7 Dex, +6 natural) 19 (–1 size, +2 Dex, +8 natural) 21 (–1 size, +2 Dex, +10 natural) Attacks: Bite +19 melee 2 hooves +21 melee and bite +16 2 claws +27 melee and bite +22 melee melee Damage: Bite 1d8+12 and poison Hoof 2d6+9, bite 1d6+4 Claw 2d6+13, bite 4d6+6 Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 10 ft. (coiled)/10 ft. 5 ft. by 10 ft./5 ft. 5 ft. by 10 ft/5 ft. Special Attacks: Improved grab, consirict 1d8+12, Improved grab poison Special Qualities:  Scent Scent Scent Saves: Fort +17, Ref +17, Will +7 Fort +19, Ref +13, Will +8 Fort +19, Ref +14, Will +9 Abilities: Str 26, Dex 24, Con 24, Str 28, Dex 14, Con 26, Str 36, Dex 14, Con 24, Int 1, Wis 14, Cha 7 Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 10 Int 2, Wis 16, Cha 12 Skills: Balance +24, Climb +18, Hide +14, Hide –2, Listen +8, Spot +8 Hide –2, Listen +8, Spot +8, Listen +12, Spot +12 Swim +18 Feats: Climate/Terrain:   Temperate and warm land, Any land Any forest, hill, mountains, aquatic, and underground plains, or underground Organization: Solitary Solitary or herd (6–30) Solitary or pair Challenge Rating: 8 8 9 Treasure: None None None Alignment: Always neutral Always neutral Always neutral Advancement: 17–32 HD (Large) 19–36 HD (Large) 21–40 HD (Large) Legendary Tiger Legendary Shark Large Animal Huge Animal Hit Dice: 26d8+182 (299 hp) 30d8+210(345 hp) Initiative: +4 (Dex) +4 (Dex) CHAPTER 4: ANIMALS
41 Legendary animals are animals of incredible strength, speed, and power. According to some theories, they have been imbued with power beyond all other animals to serve as nature’s defenders. Whatever their origin, leg- endary animals are extraordinarily rare. Legendary  animals  represent  another  step  in  the animal power curve. Although the same size as their normal counterparts, they are significantly more power- ful than even dire versions of their kind. Thus, they make appropriate animal companions for high-level druids. Making  this  option  available  ensures  that  a  druid’s animal companions remain valuable to her as she con- tinues to advance. As the druid gains levels, her spellcasting ability and overall power improve measurably, but her trusted ser- vants begin to pale in comparison. Given the limitation that the total Hit Dice of an adventuring druid’s animal companions cannot exceed her own level (except at 1st level, when she can have 2 HD worth of animal com- panions),  she  eventually  outdistances  her  animal friends in terms of power. This is easy to see by consid- ering the challenge ratings of the available creatures. For example, a 1st-level adventuring druid can have a 2- HD wolf companion (a CR 1 creature), which improves her combat ability (and thus her overall survivability) dramatically.  At  6th  level, she can maintain  a  6-HD animal companion, such as a brown bear, which still adds significantly to her prowess, though it is only a CR 4 creature. But when she  reaches 16th level and ac- quires a 16-HD dire tiger as an animal companion, she has gained only a CR 8 creature. In terms of encounter levels, the addition of a CR 8 creature to a 16th-level character results in a negligible improvement. The dire tiger is by no means an unworthy companion, but the druid just isn’t getting the “bang for her buck” that she did earlier. Sadly, she also loses versatility, since the toughest animal companions are also Large, or even Huge. Fitting these oversized creatures into cramped dungeon corridors is a challenge. Legendary animals rarely appear except in the com- pany of druids or other high-level characters. In fact, they are never even created until they are needed. They are created from normal animals of their kind through the power of nature (or a deity) whenever a character of appropriate level needs such a companion. Thus, when a high-level druid goes out to search for a new animal com- panion, nature mystically makes one available. Legendary  animals  are  treated  as  dire  animals  for the purpose of determining how  spells  affect  them. For instance, a legendary animal is allowed a saving throw  to  resist  the calm  animals  spell, just  as  a  dire animal would be. Legendary Eagle With its feathers of white and yellow, the legendary eagle has a reputation for being an omen of good weather and good times to come. Like all birds of prey, the leg- endary eagle is a carnivore that hunts other birds and small reptiles, snakes, and mammals. Skills: *A legendary eagle receives a +12 racial bonus on Spot checks in daylight. Legendary Ape This ape appears no different from the common ape in color and markings, but even the casual observer can tell that it is stronger, faster, and tougher than others of its kind. Combat Legendary apes are aggressive and territorial. Rend (Ex): A legendary ape that hits with both claw attacks latches onto the opponent’s body and tears the flesh. This automatically deals an additional 2d8+15 points of damage. Speed: 50 ft. Swim 100 ft. AC: 23 (–1 size, +4 Dex, +10 natural) 22 (–2 size, +4 Dex, +10 natural) Attacks: 2 claws +29 melee and bite +24 melee Bite +29 melee Damage: Claw 2d6+11; bite 2d8+5 Bite 2d8+13 Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 10 ft./5 ft. 10 ft. by 20 ft./10 ft. Special Attacks: Improved grab, pounce, rake 2d6+5 Improved grab, swallow whole Special Qualities:  Scent Keen scent Saves: Fort +22, Ref +19, Will +10 Fort +24, Ref +21, Will +12 Abilities: Str 32, Dex 18, Con 24, Str 28, Dex 18, Con 24 Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 10 Int 1, Wis 14, Cha 6 Skills: Hide +7*, Jump +15, Listen +5, Listen +9, Spot +9 Move Silently +13, Spot +7, Swim +14 Feats: Climate/Terrain:   Any forest, hill, mountains, Any aquatic plains, and underground Organization: Solitary or pair Solitary or school (2–5) Challenge Rating: 10 10 Treasure: None None Alignment: Always neutral Always neutral Advancement: 27–48 HD (Large) 31–60 HD (Huge) CHAPTER 4: ANIMALS
42 Legendary Wolf A fierce-looking wolf with black, white, or gray fur, this animal is generally not aggressive toward humanoids, though hunger may make it attack. Combat Legendary wolves encountered singly may fight, or they may retreat to call together the pack. Whenever possible, legendary wolves hunt in groups. Trip (Ex): A legendary wolf that hits with a bite attack can attempt to trip the opponent as a free action (see Trip in Chapter 8 of the Player’s Handbook) without making a touch attack or provoking an attack of opportunity. If the attempt fails, the opponent cannot react to trip the leg- endary wolf. Skills: A legendary wolf receives a +2 racial bonus on Listen, Move Silently, and Spot checks, and a +4 racial bonus on Hide checks. *It also receives a +8 racial bonus on Wilderness Lore checks when tracking by scent. Legendary Snake A strong constrictor with a potent venomous bite, the legendary snake is frequently found in lakes, rivers, and streams. It attacks only when threatened. Combat Poison (Ex): Bite, Fort save (DC 25), initial and sec- ondary damage ids temporary Con. Improved Crab (Ex):  To use this ability,  the dire snake must hit with its bite attack. If it gets a hold, it can constrict. Constrict (Ex): A legendary snake deals 1d8+12 points of damage with a successful grapple check against Large or smaller creatures. Skills: A legendary snake receives a +8 racial bonus on Hide, Listen, and Spot checks, and a +16 racial bonus on Balance checks. A legendary snake with higher Dexterity than Strength can use its Dexterity modifier on Climb checks. Legendary Horse Legendary horses can never be domesticated, only be- friended. Ancient stories tell of heroes riding these crea- tures,  but  even  the  tales  have  become  very  rare.  A legendary horse can fight while carrying a rider, but the rider cannot also attack unless he or she succeeds at a Ride check (DC 10). Carrying Capacity: A light load for a legendary horse is up to 1,200 pounds, a medium load is 1,201–2,400 pounds, and a heavy load is 2,401–3,600 pounds. A leg- endary horse can drag 18,000 pounds. Legendary Bear The legendary bear doesn’t usually attack humans de- spite its great strength. Its diet consists primarily of plants and fish. Combat Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, the legendary bear must hit with a claw attack. Legendary Tiger The legendary tiger is the fiercest and most dangerous land predator in the animal kingdom. It measures 8–10 feet long and weighs up to 600 pounds. CHAPTER 4: ANIMALS
43 Combat Pounce (Ex):  If a legendary tiger leaps upon a foe during the first round of combat, it can make a full attack even if it has already taken a move action. Improved Crab (Ex): To use this ability, the legendary tiger must first hit with a bite attack. If it succeeds, it has grabbed its prey and can then rake. Rake (Ex): A legendary tiger can make two attacks (+29 melee) against a held creature with its hind legs for 2d6+5 points of damage each. If  the legendary tiger pounces on an opponent, it can also rake. Skills: A legendary tiger receives a +8 racial bonus on both Hide and Move Silently checks. *In areas of tall grasses or heavy undergrowth, the Hide bonus improves to +16. Legendary Shark The legendary shark hunts anything it finds in the sea. Combat Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, the legendary shark must hit with a bite attack. If it gets a hold, it can try to swallow the foe. Swallow Whole (Ex): A legendary shark can try to swallow a grabbed opponent of Large or smaller size by making a successful grapple check. Once inside the leg- endary  shark,  the  opponent  takes  2d8+13  points  of crushing damage plus 1d8+4 points of acid damage per round from the creature’s digestive juices. A swallowed creature can climb out of the stomach with a successful grapple check. This returns it to the legendary shark’s mouth,  where  another  successful  grapple  check  is needed to get free. A swallowed creature can also cut its way out by dealing 50 or more points of damage to the stomach (AC 18) with claws or a Tiny slashing weapon. Once that swallowed creature exits, muscular action closes the hole; another swallowed opponent must cut its own way out. The  shark’s  gullet  holds  up  to  two  Large,  three Medium-size, four Small, eight Tiny, sixteen Diminutive, or thirty-two Fine or smaller opponents. Keen Scent (Ex): A legendary shark notices creatures by scent in a 180-foot radius and detects blood in the water at ranges of up to a mile. CHAPTER 5: PRESTIGE CLASSES “Yes, yes, I am the famous slayer of the demon-wyrm Korthos. Be awed and move on.” The dragon hunter Jalyn Introduced  in  the DUNGEON  MASTER S   Guide,  prestige classes are character classes with prerequisites. Unless noted otherwise, you must follow all standard rules for multiclassing when adding prestige classes to your PCs. ANIMAL LORD For the animal lord, a humanoid form is simply an ac- cident  of  birth. In  spirit,  she  belongs  with  the  wild pack  of  wolves,  the  running  herd  of  horses,  or  the dancing school of fish. Her nearly hairless, two-legged form  is  just  a  hindrance  to  being  one with her true kind, but it is a hindrance she can overcome. Each animal lord forms a bond with one  group  of  animals.  Apelords,  bear- lords,  birdlords,  catlords,  equinelords, marinelords, snakelords, and wolflords all exist. Animals in her selected group accept the animal lord as a sister and a leader. They offer her their support, and she in turn watches over them. Individual animal lords may approach their calling in very different ways. Some are simple defenders of their kind, con- tent to live as part of the natural cycle of predator and prey. Others, believing that nature’s creatures are meant to guard and ultimately improve this world, use their gifts to do good. Still others lead their animal brothers and sisters down the path of selfishness or vengeance. Because they are  so  close  to  nature, elves and half-elves are the most likely races to lay aside Special Prestige Classes Three  of  the  prestige  classes presented  here—the  animal lord,  the  foe  hunter,  and  the king/queen of the wild—have a special rule. They each require a specialization  that  defines  the character’s focus. For example, a character who becomes a foe hunter  must  select  a  hated enemy. This choice defines her class—a   hater   of   goblins becomes a goblin hunter, for ex- ample. Similarly, an animal lord with a bond to cats is a catlord. A queen of the wild who has fo- cused on deserts is a queen of the desert. T able 5–1: T he Animal Lord Class Base Fort Ref Will       Spells per Day Level Attack Bonus Save Save Save Special 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 1st +0 +2 +2 +0 Animal bond, animal sense 0 2nd +1 +3 +3 +0 Animal speech, first totem 1 3rd +2 +3 +3 +1 Lesser wild shape 1 0 4th +3 +4 +4 +1 Animal farspeech, 1 1 summon animal   (1/day) 5th +3 +4 +4 +1 Second totem, 1 1 0 share lesser form 6th +4 +5 +5 +2 Animal perception, 1 1 1 summon animal   (2/day) 7th +5 +5 +5 +2 Lesser wild shape (dire) 2 1 1 0 8th +6 +6 +6 +2 Third totem, 2 1 1 1 summon animal   (dire,2/day) 9th +6 +6 +6 +3 Share greater form 2 2 1 1 10th +7 +7 +7 +3 Lesser wild shape   (legendary) 2 2 2 1 CHAPTER 5: PRESTIGE CLASSES
44 the  burdens  of  the  humanoid  form.  Halflings  and gnomes rarely become animal lords because of  their strong community ties, and half-orcs are even less likely to do so because of their typically rapacious attitudes. Though rangers, druids, and barbarians are the most likely characters to adopt this class, some arcane spell- casters (especially bards) choose to become animal lords late in their adventuring careers. A character can choose this prestige class more than once but must select a different group of associated ani- mals and start at 1st level each time. Levels of different animal lord classes do not stack when determining level- based class features. Eight animal lords are presented here (the DM is free to create others). The various kinds of animals from the Monster Manual they are associated with are as follows. Apelord: ape, baboon, monkey. Bearlord: black bear, brown bear, polar bear. Birdlord: eagle, hawk, owl, raven. Catlord: cat, cheetah, leopard, lion, tiger. Equinelord: donkey, heavy horse, heavy warhorse. light horse, light warhorse, mule, pony, warpony. Marinelord: crocodile, giant crocodile, octopus, giant oc- topus, porpoise, shark (all), squid, giant squid, whale (all). Snakelord: constrictor, giant constrictor, viper (all). Wolflord: dog, riding dog, wolf. Hit Die: d8. Requirements To become an animal lord, a character must fulfill the fol- lowing criteria. Alignment: Neutral good, lawful  neutral, neutral, chaotic neutral, or neutral evil. Skills:  Animal Empathy 6 ranks, Wilderness Lore 8 ranks, plus 2 ranks in the appropriate skill from the fol- lowing list: Apelord—Climb; Bearlord—Intimidate; Birdlord—Intuit Direction; Catlord—Move  Silently: Equinelord—Jump; Marinelord,—Swim; Snakelord— Escape Artist; Wolflord—Hide. Feats: Animal Control and the appropriate feat from the following list: Apelord, Skill Focus (Climb); Bearlord, Power  Attack;  Birdlord,  Improved  Flight;  Catlord. Weapon Finesse  (any); Equinelord, Run;  Marinelord. Skill Focus (Swim); Snakelord, Resist Poison; Wolflord. Expertise. Class Skills The animal lord’s class skills (and the key ability tor each skill) are Animal Empathy (Cha, exclusive skill), Climb (Str), Handle Animal  (Cha), Heal  (Wis), Hide  (Dex), Intuit Direction (Wis), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), and Wilderness Lore (Wis). See Chapter 4 of the Player’s Handbook for skill descriptions. Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier. Class Features The following are class features of the animal lord pres- tige class. Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Animal lords gain no weapon or armor proficiencies. Spells:  An animal lord can cast a  small number of divine spells. Her spells are based on Wisdom, so casting any given spell requires a Wisdom score of at least 10 - the spells level. The DC tor saving throws against these CHAPTER 5: PRESTIGE CLASSES
45 spells is 10 + spell level + the animal lord’s Wisdom mod- ifier. When the table indicates that the animal lord is en- titled to 0 spells of a given level (such as 0 1st-level spells at 1st level), she gets only those bonus spells that her Wisdom score allows. An animal lord prepares and casts spells just like a druid does, but she must choose them from the spell list below. Animal Bond: Beginning at 1st level, the animal lord develops a bond with animals of her selected group (see above). For instance, the bearlord bonds with brown bears, black bears, and polar bears, and the apelord with monkeys, baboons, and apes. The marinelord’s bond ex- tends to porpoises, whales, and other aquatic mammals as well as fish. Because of this bond, all animals of the ap- propriate kinds automatically have a friendly attitude toward the animal lord. Animal bond also allows the animal lord to have one or more animal companions chosen from among her se- lected group. This aspect of animal bond is a spell-like ability that functions like the druid’s animal friendship spell, except that the animal lord can acquire compan- ions only from among her selected group, and her maxi- mum Hit Dice of animal companions (whether or not she adventures) equals twice her animal lord level. The character can train these animal companions just as the druid does (see Chapter 4 for details). Animal Sense (Su): At 1st level, an animal lord can sense any animals of her selected group within a radius of miles equal to her animal lord level squared. For ex- ample, a 6th-level bearlord can sense brown bears, black bears, and polar bears within thirty-six miles. This ability does not allow the character to communicate with the animals she senses. Animal Speech (Ex): At 2nd level, an animal lord can converse at will with any animals of her selected group as though a speak with animals spell were in effect. The crea- tures’ responses, of course, are limited by their intelli- gence and perceptions. First Totem: At 2nd level, the animal lord gains a ben- efit related to her selected group from the list below. Lesser W ild Shape (Sp): At 3rd level, an animal lord can use wild shape  to take the form of any kind of natural animal in her selected group. This ability otherwise func- tions like the druid’s wild shape, except that the animal lord can use it as often as desired. At 7th level, an animal lord can use  this ability to adopt the dire form of an animal in her selected group, and at 10th level, she can use it to adopt the legendary form of an animal in her se- lected group. Animal Farspeech (Sp): At 4th level, an animal lord can use her animal speech ability to converse telepathically with any animal of her selected group that she can sense (see animal sense, above). Summon Animal (Sp): Also at 4th level, an animal lord can summon 1d3 animals of her selected group once per day. This ability functions like the appropriate summon nature’s ally spell, except that the duration is 1 round per animal lord level. At 6th level, the animal lord can use this ability twice per day, and at 8th level, she can use it to summon 1d3 dire animals of her selected group. Share  Laser  Form  (Sp):  Beginning at  5th level, an animal lord can share whichever animal form she is cur- rently using with a number of willing individuals equal to her animal lord level. This effect is identical to that of the polymorph other spell, except that its duration is 1 hour per animal lord level. Second Totem:  At 5th level, an animal lord gains a benefit related to her selected group from the list below. A nimal Per ception (Sp): At 6th level, an animal lord can share the sensory input of any animal of her selected group that is within range of her animal sense. Third Totem: At 8th level, an animal lord gains a ben- efit related to her selected group from the list below. Share Greater For m (Sp): At 9th level, an animal lord can share her dire form with her allies. This ability is other- wise identical to share lesser form, above. Animal Lord Spell List Animal lords choose their spells from the following list. 1st levelalarm, animal trick*, culm animals,  camou- flage*, cure lighl wounds, defect animals or plants, pass without trace, purify food and drink, speak with animals. 2nd leveladrenaline surge*,  animal  reduction*, cure moderate  wounds,  animal  trance,  endure  elements,  hold animal, invisibility to animals, natures favor*. 3rd levelcure serious wounds, embrace the wild*, lesser restoration, neutralize poison, protection from elements, remove disease. 4th levelawaken (animals in selected group only), animal growth (animals in selected group only), commune with nature, cure critical wounds, freedom of movement. *New spell described in Chapter 6 of this book. Totems Each animal lord gains special abilities according to her selected animal type as she rises in level. Apelord FirstTotem: The apelord gains Brachiation as a bonus feat. Second Totem: The apelord gains a +2 inherent bonus to Intelligence. Third Totem: The apelord gains the spell-like ability to scare by howling, hooting, and beating her chest. The Will save DC against this ability is 10 + the apelord’s class level + her Charisma modifier. In all other ways, this effect is identical to the scare spell. Bearlord First Totem: The bearlord gains a +2 inherent bonus to Strength. Second Totem: The bearlord gains Great Fortitude as a bonus feat. Third Totem:  The bearlord gains damage reduction 2/–. It she already has damage reduction, this does not stack with it. Birdlord First Totem: The birdlord gains a +2 inherent bonus to Dexterity. Second Totem:  The birdlord gains a +8 conditional bonus on Spot checks made in daylight. Third Totem: The birdlord gains Improved Critical (claw) as a bonus feat. CHAPTER 5: PRESTIGE CLASSES