This may require moving to a different section of the site, but I gather I'm (remotely) close to where this should be.
Here's the general gist of what in the hell this comes from;
This class concept is currently labeled the "Beast Shaman", a feline, canine and ursine themed melee combatant with a variant of Wild Shape (noted as Beast Shape as it has a few differences from classic Wild Shape, such as a limit to the type of animals available), and access to maneuvers. It fights completely unarmed and unarmored, similar to a Monk (special unarmed progression, Wis to AC) when not Beast Shaped. Most maneuvers work in either Beast Shape or natural form, some are specific to one or the other. It completely lacks spells, but has a few maneuvers (all much higher level) which are Supernatural and function similarly to some spells.
This is the capstone maneuver for the class, a 9th level maneuver that effectively permanently and irreversibly transforms a humanoid or monstrous humanoid target into an animal of your choosing (provided its feline, canine or ursine) who now will aid you for the combat.
Its meant to be flavorful and relatively applicable for the class, but my goal is not to make it absurdly game breaking, hence why I need opinions. Also, I need some suggestions or references to how it may or may not explicitly break established rules or just general readability issues.
Unleash the Animal Soul
Path of the Primeval (Strike)
Level: Beast Shaman 9
Prerequisite: Three Path of the Primeval maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 full-round action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature
Saving Throw: Will partial
Special: Usable in Beast Shape
''With but your touch, your foe recoils as fur, fangs, claws and snarls erupt from his form, his body twisting and contorting as he takes on a new shape much unalike his last. No more your enemy, and forever transformed, his animal spirit unleashed now in body and brought to forefront of soul, he becomes your savage ally.''
To use this maneuver you must be adjacent to your intended target. As part of this maneuver make a Knowledge (Nature) check with a DC equal to your opponent's AC. If the check succeeds, you can then make a single melee attack as a touch attack against your foe as part of this maneuver. The target is considered flat-footed against this attack. If your attack deals damage, your target must attempt a Will save (DC 20 + your Str modifier). If this save fails, your target instantly begins its permanent transform into a beast of your choosing (provided it is feline, canine, or ursine in nature) over the next 1d4 turns. While transforming the creature can take no actions beyond the following specified, and is no longer hostile to you or your allies, and instead becomes friendly to you and hostile to your foes, and considers them sworn enemies.
The animal the subject must transform into may not have more hit dice than the the subject currently has. If the animal the Beast Shaman selected has less hit dice than the subject does currently, the beast gains the appropriate advancements in hit dice equal to its previous hit dice, advancing as an animal of its kind would. For example, an 18th level human Fighter afflicted by Unleash the Animal Soul and transformed into a dire tiger gains all the benefits of a dire tiger (16 hit dice), and advances by 2 more animal hit dice so that it is equal in hit dice to its previous humanoid form. If the individual subject to the transformation of Unleash the Animal Soul has sufficient hit dice beyond the selected animal's usual hit dice so that it gains new feats and or features, the Beast Shaman may select those new feats and or features for it.
Any equipment the transforming creature is wearing falls from its person and lands on the ground beside them without damage.
The creature's Intelligence score, whatever it was previously, becomes 2, and its Charisma and Wisdom scores become those of the animal it is changing into. If the base creature's original Charisma or Wisdom scores are above 10, the transformed creature retains that previous (superior) ability score in the appropriate ability rather than gaining the animal's. The base creature takes on the physical attributes of the animal selected for them to transform into by the Beast Shaman.
Upon initiating the transformation, the subject of this attack immediately regains hit points equal to 5 + its total hit dice at the start of each of its turns until it completes its transformation. While transforming, it takes no actions except for taking the total defense action each round it transforms, and gaining a +4 circumstance bonus to all saves during that period. Any negative effects which were ailing it are immediately dispelled as if it had successfully saved against them or had been cleansed of them with no further ill effects, and ignoring any triggering effects which would usually follow their removal, if any.
The transformed creature loses all of its previous memories of itself and its allies, feats, skills, racial qualities, etc, and instead gains all the qualities of the animal the Beast Shaman transformed it into. Once fully transformed, the subject considers the Beast Shaman and her allies friends, and immediately comes to their aid, acting as appropriate for an animal of its type. It will willingly fight to the death against its former allies (who it considers sworn enemies) and, provided it can, follow the Beast Shaman's direction to the best of its ability so long as those directions are not self destructive in nature. Once having vanquished its enemies, it behaves as normal for its kind, but still considers the Beast Shaman and her allies friends.
Unleash the Animal Soul only affects humanoids and monstrous humanoids. Utilizing this maneuver against invalid targets still expends the maneuver but provides no effect beyond your regular melee damage. Creatures with the Shapechanger Subtype are immune to the transformation caused by Unleash the Animal Soul, however they take the additional damage caused as if they had succeeded in a save against this effect.
If the creature's save is successful, you deal an extra 1d6 points of damage equal to 1/2 your Beast Shaman level as unerring force damage to the target in addition to your normal damage.
If your Knowledge (Nature) check fails, you can make a single attack normally. The maneuver is still considered expended.
This maneuver is a supernatural ability.
Notes
- This is the capstone of Beast Shaman maneuvers, its meant to be brutal and thematically appropriate, but shouldn't be game breaking. If in some way it really breaks something, please offer a suggestion and or alternative.
- I know there's a way to make this read or flow better - a suggestion of this sort is most welcome.
- Any further ideas or concepts to make this more interesting.
Suggestions?
