RUST MONSTER HERDER “Most children have a bug period, and I never grew out of mine.” While most Goblin children enjoy frolicking on the plains or getting into trouble, you often went off to explore the local caves, fascinated by the unusual flora and fauna there along with the various mineral formations. Eventually you met the little larval bug who would change your life and put a new perspective on the world for you. He would become your truest friend over the years, and eventually you would champion his kind, even over your own peoples wishes. Nobody comes between you and lil' Goober.
BECOMING A RUST MONSTER HERDER Generally you must have befriended a Rust Monster and have it become your companion. And survive your attempts to feed it at what will likely be the parties expense.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS Race: Any Goblinoid
Feats: Aberrant Companion (See below), Aberrant Magic (see below), Aberration Trainer (see Arms and Equipment Guide page 73), Companion Spellbond, Epic Companion (see below)
Skills: Handle Animal 20 ranks, Knowledge (Dungeoneering, Nature) 12 ranks, Survival 12 ranks
Class Abilities: Animal Companion, Wild Empathy
Class Skills The Rust Monster Herder's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Dungeoneering, Geography, Nature)(Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Ride (Dex), Search (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).
Skills Points at Each Level : 6 + int
Hit Dice: d8
[b] Abilities[/b]
1. Rust Monsters Are Mah Fwiends
2. Smite the Enemy
3. Summon the Horde
4. Rust Monsters Are Mah Fwiends
5. Smite the Enemy
6. Summon the Horde
7. Rust Monsters Are Mah Fwiends
8. Smite the Enemy
9. Summon the Horde
10. Master of Monsters
Weapon Proficiencies: Rust Monster Herders gain no new weapon or armor proficiencies.
Rust Monsters Are Mah Fwiends (Ex): At 1st level you may automatically Take 20 when making a Ride or Handle Animal Check against a Rust Monster or Annihilator. All Rust Monsters/Annihilators initially treat you as friendly (even if you have metal, which they will not eat so long as you treat them well). You may also ride a Rust Monster into battle if you have trained it. Also your Rust Monster Herder levels stack with your Ranger or Druid class levels for determining the level of your Animal Companions abilities.
At 4th level all spells you cast on a Rust Monster/Annihilator that would be beneficial are cast as though they were cast with the Empower Spell Feat (this does not increase the level of the spell, and is a Supernatural ability).
At 7th level all spells you cast on a Rust Monster/Annihilator that would be beneficial are cast as though they were cast with the Quicken Spell Feat (this does not increase the level of the spell, and is a Supernatural ability).
Smite the Enemy (Su): Beginning at 2nd level you may Smite anyone who attacks or threatens one of your Rust Monsters. Declare you are making a Smite before rolling for the attack. You gain an untyped Bonus on the Attack and Damage rolls equal to your Rust Monster Tender Level.
At 5th level if you are successful with your Smite Attack all Aberration Allies present at the encounter gain the same Bonus to Attack and Damage rolls against that same opponent for the duration of the encounter.
At 8th level if you are successful with your Smite Attack and any Aberration Allies happen to be flanking your opponent they get a free Attack of Opportunity.
Summon the Horde (Su): At levels 3, 6, and 9 you gain an additional Rust Monster as a Companion (or Annihilator if you wish to take the penalty, these are equal in power to your current Rust Monster Companion). You also gain the ability to Summon up small hordes of Rust Monsters/Annihilators while underground.
At level 3 you can Summon 2d4+1 Rust Monsters three times per day. They stay for the duration of the encounter and are equivalent in power to the Herders Aberrant Companion.
At level 6 you may instead summon 3d6+3 Rust Monsters, or 1d4 Annihilators.
At level 9 you may summon 4d8+4 Rust Monsters, 2d4 Annihilators, or 1 Dire Rust Monster.
Master of Monsters (Su): At 10th level, once per day, you may sacrifice one use of your Summon the Horde ability to enhance your Rust Monster Companions abilities for 10 rounds. For those 10 rounds, you get your full level when determining your Animal Companions abilities. For example: Crazy Bob (Goblin Ranger 20/Epic Ranger 3/Rust Monster Herder 2) has Goober, a Rust Monster Companion. He is effectively Level 6 (Level 12 minus 6 because of taking a higher level companion). For the duration of this ability he is Level 25.
PLAYING A RUST MONSTER HERDER You like bugs. The weirder the better. Some people say that makes you crazy, but they're the crazy ones. The bugs will hide and protect you if need be. And you will do your best to look out for them in turn. Occasionally your people will ask you for help against their enemies, and if they can provide sufficient metal (or their enemies can) you will consider it. After all it may make them rethink their view on buggy life forms.
Combat: Combat is for fighter types. You'd prefer to live in peace with your surroundings. It's better for your friends that way. But if need be, your carapaced friends can reduce the average team of adventurers to nudity in seconds. Well near nudity anyways...
Advancement: Rust Monster Herders have their aberrant friends in mind first and foremost, and will do what is necessary to protect them and see to it that they thrive. This above all is present in their minds when they consider what paths to take in life.
Resources: Bug Monster Herders are usually social outcasts, so they only have their critters and a few like minded individuals to call upon for help. Granted being an Epic level character means not many people are gonna go out of their way to provide you with trouble...
RUST MONSTER HERDERS IN THE WORLD "You ever just know on meeting someone that there's something wrong with him?" You aren't well liked, and your rarely understood. Nobody really 'gets' you, except your friends the Rust Monsters. And that's fine by you. You've always considered everyone else a pain in the behind anyway.
Daily Life: Your daily life is spent tending to the needs of your friends and providing for their community. Sometimes you also spend it educating like-minded youths in the hopes that others will follow the path you have chosen. After all you won't live forever, and who will protect Goober and his family when you are gone if you don't raise responsible guardians?
Notables: Crazy Bob (N Male Goblin Ranger 20/Epic Ranger 3/Rust Monster Herder 2) is a nutty hermit who lives in the nearby caverns. The other goblins are scared spitless of him, but in times of need he can be a friend if they supply him with iron for his 'friends'.
Organizations: Rust Monster Herders are hermits of a sort, and most belong to no organizations of any kind. They stick to protecting their 'flock' for lack of a better term.
NPC Reaction Most people hate Rust Monsters. They aren't fond of Goblins either. Goblins devoted to raising and protecting Rust Monsters are in a class of loathing all to their own. Which is a nice way of saying your friends among the talking people are few.
RUST MONSTER HERDERS IN THE GAME This class means you will be lugging around a lot of Rust Monsters. Meaning your party will be one step shy of lynching you on most occasions. Be careful.
Adaptation: This is probably better for a silly campaign, but it could do well in a serious one too. You could even spin it off into a horror story if done right.
Encounters: Rust Monster Herders are usually found underground with their 'family', unless they've been convinced to take part in a battle or go on an adventure to help out their critters.
Sample Encounter EL 25:
Crazy BobN Male Goblin Ranger 20/Epic Ranger 3/Rust Monster Herder 2
Init +5,
Senses: Listen +11, Spot +11, Dark Vision 60'
Languages Common, Goblin
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AC , touch , flat-footed (+5 Dex, )
hp 137 (25 HD)
Fort +15,
Ref +19,
Will +11
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Speed 30 ft. (6 squares)
Melee Base Atk +23,
Grp +21
Atk Options Favored Enemy (Aberration +4, Magical Beast +4, Plant +4, Ooze +4, Undead +4), Smite the Enemy (+2)
Combat GearSpells Per Day 1st: 4 (DC 14)
2nd: 4 (DC 15)
3rd: 4 (DC 16)
4th: 3 (DC 17)
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Abilities Str 6, Dex 20, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 11
SQ Wild Empathy, Woodland Stride, Swift Tracker, Camouflage, Hide in Plain Sight, Rust Monsters are Mah Fwiends
Feats Aberrant Companion, Aberrant Magic, Aberration Trainer, Companion Spellbond, 3, Endurance (B), Improved Precise Shot (B), Manyshot (B), Rapidshot (B), Track (B)
Skills Climb +6, Concentration +16, Handle Animal +28, Hide +17, Jump +6, Knowledge (Dungeoneering, Geography, Nature) +16, Listen +11, Move Silently +17, Ride +17, Search +9, Spot +11, Survival +15
PossessionsAberrant CompanionYou have exchanged your Animal Companion for something of a more dubious nature.
Prerequisites: Animal Companion, Aberration Trainer, Favored Enemy (Aberration)
Benefits: You may trade your Animal Companion for an Aberration from the following list (remember if playing a Ranger your level is halved for determining the power level of your Animal Companion as well as what alternates you can choose). Your Wild Empathy now also works on Aberrations with an Int of 4 or less:
1st: Faux Spider, Landsquid, Omnicidal Furry, Squig
4th: Ant Gawd, Choker, Howler Wasp, Squid Bee (Level -3)
7th: Grick, Harpoon Spider, Lurker, Rust Monster (Level -6)
10th: Catoblepas, Carrion Crawler, Gibbering Mouther, Wyste (Level -9)
13th: Embrac, Man-Snail, Seryulin, Slasrath (Level -12)
16th: Chwidencha, Dread Harpoon Spider, Lodestone Marauder, Prismatic Roper (Level -15)
If you have Epic Companion you may also get more powerful Aberrations at Epic Levels:
22nd: Arachnoid 12 Headed Hydra, Faux Beholder (Level -21)
25th: Annihilator, Arachnoid Spinosaurus (Level -24)
28th: Arachnoid Nightmare Beast, Dire Rust Monster (Level -27)
The new critters can be found on the list here:
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4084055&postcount=26Aberrant MagicYour Ranger or Druid spells now affect more than just animals...
Prerequisites: Must be able to cast spells from the Druid or Ranger List, Knowledge (Dungeoneering) 6 ranks
Benefits: Any spells you may cast that specifically target Animal(s) may now target Aberrations as well. For example Animal Growth can now be cast on Aberrations.
Epic Companion (Epic)You have a truly legendary companion.
Prerequisites: Animal Companion, Handle Animal 12 ranks, Level 21+
Benefits: Your Animal Companion continues to gain benefits with Epic Levels:
Companion Abilities[table=head]Level|Bonus HD|Natural Armor Adj.|Str/Dex Adj.|Bonus Tricks|Special
21-22|+14|+14|+7|8|Improved Link
23-24|+16|+16|+8|9|Improved Share Spells 10'
25-26|+18|+18|+9|10|Improved Devotion
27-28|+20|+20|+10|11|Improved Multiattack
29-30|+22|+22|+11|12|Improved Share Spells 20'
31-32|+24|+24|+12|13|Improved Share Spells 40'
33-34|+26|+26|+13|14|Improved Share Spells 80'
35-36|+28|+28|+14|15|Improved Share Spells 160'
37-38|+30|+30|+15|16|Improved Share Spells (any range)
39-40|+32|+32|+16|17|Improved Intelligence
Improved Link: The Druid or Ranger can Take 20 on Handle Animal Checks made against their Animal Companion.
Improved Share Spells: The Range of the Share Spells ability doubles at level 23. It doubles again at level 29 and every 2 levels thereafter, until it works at infinite range at level 37.
Improved Devotion: The Animal Companion becomes Immune to Mind-Affecting Effects.
Improved Multiattack: The Animal Companion gets the Improved Multiattack Feat.
Improved Intelligence: The Animal Companion gets +4 Int, but still qualifies for as an Animal for purposes of Feats/Spells/etc (in other words if you have this Feat and Aberrant Companion you still have your Aberrant Companion despite the increased intelligence).