Maransreth's RPG Pages

Outdoorsman

Hit Die: d10.

Class Skills

The outdoorsman’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Jump (Str), Knowledge (geography) (Int), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Listen (Wis), Ride (Dex), Search (Int), Sneak (Dex), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), and Use Rope (Dex).
Skill Points at 1st Level: (6 + Int modifier) × 4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 6 + Int modifier.

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the outdoorsman.
Weapon and Armour Proficiency: An outdoorsman is proficient in simple and martial weapons, light and medium armour, but not with shields.

Animal Companion: An outdoorsman may begin play with an animal companion selected from the following list: badger, camel, dire rat, dog, riding dog, eagle, hawk, horse (light or heavy), owl, pony, snake (Small or Medium viper), or wolf. If the DM’s campaign takes place wholly or partly in an aquatic environment, the DM may add the following creatures to the druid’s list of options: crocodile, porpoise, Medium shark, and squid. This animal is a loyal companion that accompanies the druid on her adventures as appropriate for its kind.
A 1st level outdoorsman’s companion is completely typical for its kind except as noted in the sidebar in the druid description. As an outdoorsman advances in level, the animal’s power increases as shown on the table in the sidebar.
If an outdoorsman releases her companion from service, she may gain a new one by performing a ceremony requiring 24 uninterrupted hours of prayer. This ceremony can also replace an animal companion that has perished.
An outdoorsman of 4th level or higher may select from alternative lists of animals (see the druid description). Should she select an animal companion from one of these alternative lists, the creature gains abilities as if the character’s outdoorsman level were lower than it actually is. Subtract the value indicated in the appropriate list header from the character’s class level and compare the result with the outdoorsman level entry on the table in the sidebar to determine the animal companion’s powers. (If this adjustment would reduce the outdoorsman’s effective level to 0 or lower, she can’t have that animal as a companion.) For example, a 6th level outdoorsman could select a leopard as an animal companion. The leopard would have characteristics and special abilities as if the outdoorsman were 3rd level (taking into account the –3 adjustment) instead of 6th level.
For further information about this ability, please refer to the druid description and the sidebar located in the druid description.

Track: An outdoorsman gains Track as a bonus feat.

Terrain Familiarity: The outdoorsman chooses a single natural environment (artic, aquatic, forest, hills, mountains, plains, swamp, etc.). In this environment the outdoorsman gets a +2 familiarity bonus to skill checks using the Listen, Sneak, Spot and Survival. He gains a +2 familiarity bonus to Handle Animal* checks involving animals native to that terrain and a +2 familiarity bonus to Knowledge (geography and nature)* checks about this terrain. At 5th level and every five levels thereafter, the outdoorsman may choose another terrain to benefit from this bonus or he may choose to increase the bonus for an existing terrain type by +2.
*In circumstances when he receives the bonus, the outdoorsman may use these skills even if he is untrained.

Combat Style: Like a ranger an outdoorsman may select a combat style to gain bonus feats. Unlike the ranger, the outdoorsman can select any combat style of their choice. Please read the entry for Ranger Combat Styles in the Feats section. The benefits of the outdoorsman’s chosen style apply only when he wears light or no armour. He loses all benefits of his combat style when wearing medium or heavy armour.
The feats gained by the outdoorsman’s combat style improve as they increase in levels. The outdoorsman gains access to the feats for the combat style chosen at 6th and 11th levels even if he does not have all the prerequisites required to gain that feat.

Faint Step: Starting at 3rd level, an outdoorsman leaves little trace in natural surroundings. Any attempt to track him becomes an opposed Wilderness Survival check. Add all the DC modifiers listed under the Track feat to the outdoorsman's roll. In addition, he receives the following bonuses/penalties based on the surface:

Surface         Bonus/Penalty
Very soft       -5
Soft               0
Firm               +5
Hard              +10

He may choose to leave a trail if so desired (treat Tracking attempts as normal).

Wild Empathy: An outdoorsman can use body language, vocalizations, and demeanour to improve the attitude of an animal (such as a bear or a monitor lizard). This ability functions just like a Diplomacy check to improve the attitude of a person. The outdoorsman rolls 1d20 and adds his outdoorsman level and his Charisma bonus to determine the wild empathy check result. The typical domestic animal has a starting attitude of indifferent, while wild animals are usually unfriendly.
To use wild empathy, the outdoorsman and the animal must be able to study each other, which means that they must be within 30 feet of one another under normal visibility conditions. Generally, influencing an animal in this way takes 1 minute, but, as with influencing people, it might take more or less time. The outdoorsman can also use this ability to influence a magical beast with an Intelligence score of 1 or 2 (such as a basilisk or a girallon), but he takes a –4 penalty on the check.

Favoured Enemy: At 3rd level, an outdoorsman may select a type of creature from among those given on the table in the ranger description under Favoured Enemy. Due to his extensive study on his chosen type of foe and training in the proper techniques for combating such creatures, the outdoorsman gains a +2 bonus on Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, and Survival checks when using these skills against creatures of this type. Likewise, he gets a +2 bonus on weapon damage rolls against such creatures.
At 9th and 16th level, the outdoorsman may select an additional favoured enemy from those given on the table and gain the +2 bonus as stated above OR increase the bonus by +2 each time the favoured enemy ability is taken.
Eg. At 10th level, an outdoorsman could have a +4 bonus to one creature, a +2 bonus to two creatures.

Trapfinding (natural): At 3rd level the outdoorsman has enough experience to use their Search skill to look for traps just like a rogue. However the outdoorsman can only ever find traps in a natural setting. Man-made or natural traps does not matter, but only in natural settings. If looking in a terrain he has familiarity in, he gains a +2 bonus to his Search skill.
Evasion: At 4th level, an outdoorsman can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If he makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save (such as a red dragon’s fiery breath or a fireball), he instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if the outdoorsman is wearing light armour or no armour. A helpless outdoorsman (such as one who is unconscious or paralysed) does not gain the benefit of evasion.

Swift Tracker: Beginning at 7th level, an outdoorsman can move at his normal speed while following tracks without taking the normal –5 penalty. He takes only a –10 penalty (instead of the normal –20) when moving at up to twice normal speed while tracking.

2nd Combat Style: At 8th level the outdoorsman gains the benefits of a second combat style of their choice. All the normal rules still apply, eg. armour and prerequisites.

Woodland Stride: Starting at 10th level, an outdoorsman may move through any sort of undergrowth (such as natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas, and similar terrain) at his normal speed and without taking damage or suffering any other impairment. However, thorns, briars, and overgrown areas that are enchanted or magically manipulated to impede motion still affect him.

Camouflage: An outdoorsman of 13th level or higher can use the Sneak skill in any sort of natural terrain, even if the terrain doesn’t grant cover or concealment.

Improved Evasion: This ability works like evasion, except that while the outdoorsman still takes no damage on a successful Reflex saving throw against attacks such as a dragon’s breath weapon or a fireball, henceforth she henceforth takes only half damage on a failed save. A helpless outdoorsman (such as one who is unconscious or paralysed) does not gain the benefit of improved evasion.

Hide in Plain Sight (Ex): While in any sort of natural terrain, an outdoorsman of 16th level or higher can use the Sneak skill even while being observed.

Master Tracker: At 18th level, an outdoorsman can track creatures who do not normally leave a trail (due to the Trackless Step ability, a magical effect, or otherwise), though he suffers a -10 penalty to his Survival check. When tracking creatures with the Faint Step ability, he gains a +10 bonus to his check.

Combat Styles

Beastmaster Combat Style
2nd – Animal Affinity
6th – Animal Companion gains ability from ranger level instead of half ranger level.
11th – Augment Summoning.

Defensive Two Weapon Combat Style
2nd – Two-Weapon Defence
6th – Improved Two-Weapon Defence
11th – Greater Two-Weapon Defence

Dirty Combat Style
2nd – Improved Feint
6th – Power Critical
11th – Improved Critical

Cavalry Combat Style
2nd – Spirited Charge
6th – Swift Charge
11th – Catastrophic Charge

Spear Combat Style
2nd – Combat Reflexes
6th – Hold the Line
11th – Reflex Set

Specialist Combat Style
2nd – Weapon Focus
6th – Weapon Specialisation
11th – Greater Weapon Focus