Drider Driders are self-proclaimed "Guardians of Gaia." They use their powers to hunt, torture, kill, or turn any who would do something to hurt nature. Driders are so secretive and rarely seen that even some of the most knowledgable Bards have not heard of them. Driders have saved forests from war by destroying the armies before they got to the forest. Traps within the wooded areas killed any who had made it in. Nature would never attack a Drider unless it failed to protect it. Because of the close assosiation with nature, Driders share pain of plants and animals within their area, and Driders have an uncanny fear of fire because it is the natural destroyer of what Drider's hold sacred. Animals, also akin with nature and plants, often want to associate Driders because they are viewed as protectors and friends. Because of this view, a Drider does not have to try to make friends, but must develop a reputation before animals will seek them out. Adventures: Adventuring is what Driders do while searching for ways to protect nature. By travelling in between "missions" the Drider remains rare and elusive while still holding to the mission. Also, this increases the coverage of the protection of nature. Characteristics: Most Driders look like Druids or Rangers that live in forests constantly. They are generally armed enough to defend themselves. They are rather seperate from society, since it does hurt nature. Driders may enter villages and taverns to remain inconspicuous, but they remain quiet. They speak when necessary and have open distaste for those who ignorantly disturb or hurt nature. Alignment: Lawful Good, Lawful Neutral, Neutral Good, True Neutral Religion: Worships gods of nature or nature itself Background: The Driders were originally an elite group of Druids that selflessly defended nature in their reach at any cost. When they found they recieved gifts from nature for these action, they decided to start teaching others willing to defend nature. Other Classes: Driders are very close to Druids and Clerics who worship Nature. Sorcerers and Wizards are generally not their best friends, but as long as the arcane spell casters are not destroying nature, the Drider tolerates them. Driders rarely get along with Barbarians. All others are on their own for befriending the Drider and must prove worthy before being trusted. This is assuming they even find a Drider. Requirements Race: Elf, Halfelf, Gnome, Dwarf, Human Alignment: Lawful Good, Lawful Neutral, Neutral Good, True Neutral Religion: Worships only gods of nature or nature itself Base Attack: 5 Ride: 5 (any animal) Handle Animals: 10 Animal Empathy: 10 Knowledge (Nature): 10 Wilderness Lore: 5 Spells: Must have 3rd Level Divine Spells Special: Must have committed an act to save nature in some form to gain recognition by something, either plant or animal, to make it known to nature that this person might be capable of becoming a Drider. Also, to gain ANY level as a Drider, the person in question MUST have defended nature in some way since the last level. Each level, the act of defending nature must be greater than the previous. Note to DMs: This can be as simple as saving a cat from a tree or as complex as saving a forest from rampaging armies without shedding blood. It is up to you to decide if the person has served Nature. Level Base Att. Fort. Ref. Will Skills Special 1 +1 +2 +2 +2 Familiar Companion I +1 Bonus Feat Plant/Animal Talk 2 +2 +3 +3 +3 Nature's Traps I +1 Bonus Feat Natural Restoration Lv. 1 Nature Domain 3 +3 +4 +4 +4 Familiar Companion II Lv. 2 Nature Domain Nature's Reputation 4 +4/+1 +5 +5 +5 Nature's Traps II +1 Bonus Feat Nature's Call Lv. 3 Nature Domain 5 +5/+2 +6 +6 +6 Familiar Companion III Lv. 4 Nature Domain Nature's Carress 6 +6/+3 +7 +7 +7 Nature's Traps III +1 Bonus Feat Read Fire Lv. 5 Nature Domain 7 +7/+4/+1 +8 +8 +8 Familiar Companion IV Lv. 6 Nature Domain Nature's Protection 8 +8/+5/+2 +9 +9 +9 Nature's Traps IV +1 Bonus Feat Nature's Blessing Lv. 7 Nature Domain 9 +9/+6/+3 +10 +10 +10 Familiar Companion V Lv. 8 Nature Domain Channel 10 +10/+7/+4/+1 +11 +11 +11 Nature's Traps V +1 Bonus Feat Nature's Chosen Lv. 9 Nature Domain Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: Driders are proficient with all non-exotic weapons, light armor, and shields. (Note: These proficiencies, given that they are used in serving Nature, do NOT count against Druids or other classes that may have disadvantages for use of those weapons or armor). Note that armor check penalties for armor heavier than leather apply to the skills balance, climb, escape artist, hide, jump, move silently, pick pocket and tumble. Also, swim checks suffer a -1 penalty for every five pounds of armor and equipment carried. Familiar Companion: This ability allows the Drider to treat animal companions as familiars in many ways. The only differences are that a dead/released animal companion can be replaced immediately and the Drider does not lose experience or constitution. However, if an animal companion is killed or harmed, no matter the distance from the Drider, the Drider takes one-half of the damage inflicted against the companion. The Drider will never have to roll a Shock-check for this damage and can never be dropped below 1 hp. Each level of Familiar Companion allows the Drider to Familiarize another companion. Each Familiarized cannot have more than half the Drider's HP and immediately recieves +2 HD and Int equal to the Drider's Intelligence. Nature's Traps: These are traps that are made in defense of nature and generally made in nature. Use of these traps inside a city or where materials are not abundant may be more difficult to rig (+10 DC in city, impossible without materials). Each level of Nature's Traps allows the Drider to create the traps faster and create deadlier traps. Level Trap Time Materials Damage/Save 1 Snare 2 minutes Rope/Vines, Stake 0, Ref DC 15 2 Pitfall 15 Minutes Digging Utensil (Shovel), sticks 1 per 5 ft., Ref DC 20 leaves, grass 3 Spike Pit 30 Minutes Same as Pitfall plus X sharpened 1d4+(# of Stakes), stakes, must be at least 15 ft deep Ref DC 20 4 Swinging Log 45 Minutes Rope/Vines, log of at least 50 pounds 5d4, Ref DC 20 5 Spiked Death 1 hour Same as Swinging log plus sharpening 5d4+(2x# of Stakes), utensils for spiking log and digging Ref DC 20 holes for stake, plus X sharpened stakes Times are reduced by 5% by each level above. Plant/Animal Talk: The Drider is given the gift to speak with animals and plants at any time, and animals understand most simple instructions. Natural Restoration: By sacrificing their Highest Domain Spell for the day, a Drider can restore the ecosystem within their empathetic aura, restoring wildlife, plants, purifying water, and ridding that area of damage. The Drider, also feeling the effects of the restoration begins regenerating at a rate of 1 hp per hour. Nature's Reputation: Animals are aware of who the Drider is and wish to be a part of this Drider's missions. Animals and plants from this point on will not attack a Drider without magical interferance. These animals consider the Drider a friend, and if the Drider decides to take the animal as an animal companion, there is no roll. The animal is overjoyed to parttake. Nature's Call: When the Drider is in danger, they can call on nature to send help. The help is generally either the nearby wildlife or plants work in a way to help the Drider. A sudden flurry of birds may dive at enemies to the Drider. This ability can be used once a day. Nature's Carress: The Drider becomes immune to poison and diseases of a non-magical nature. They also gain the ability to cure these qualities in people, as long as the Drider trusts that they will not harm nature in the near future. Read Fire: Driders immediately recognize ALL fire spells. If a fire spell is being cast, the Drider may take an instant attack of opportunity against the fire caster. This attack of opportunity is allowed even if the Drider has used all attacks of opportunity available before this spell. However, if an attack of opportunity is taken in this way, the next action that the Drider takes MUST target that same spell caster or another that has started a fire spell. This extra attack of opportunity can only be used on ONE fire caster per round. Nature's Protection: Nature blesses a worthy Drider with toughened skin and telepathic warnings of danger while in a place with natural influence. The toughened skin results in a +3 AC to the Drider's Natural Armor. The telepathic link results in Uncanny Dodge (can't be flanked) and a Reflex check against the danger in question to see who can strike first. This strike can only be once per round and only if an element of nature (tree, plant, other animal) is present to "witness" the danger and send the message. Nature's Blessing: This allows the Drider to imbue their weapons and armor with a +2 enchantment at the cost of 500 experience. Must be done in a living forest. Channel: A Drider can channel Nature's energy into a person, animal, or plant to cure it. This cure is 3d8+(Drider level). It costs the Drider half that amount in HP. Nature's Chosen: Against a definate enemy of nature, the Drider deals double damage. The Drider also gains the ability to call on Nature's Power once a day to recieve damage resistance of 20/+1 for one hour to dispatch an enemy of nature. This also results in a +5 attack against only that enemy. Fire Fear: Fire Fear is a measure of the Drider's innate fear of fire. It is not really fear of the fire, but rather the severity of the damage the fire will inflict. Each level, the Drider takes +1 more damage from fire than it would do. Ie, a Fireball that would have dealt 5 damage to a level 5 Drider now deals 10 damage. Empathetic Aura: This aura is the area in which the Drider feels the pain of animals and plants within it. This area increases by 5 feet for every level of the Drider. Damage to plants caused by the Drider in defense of nature does NOT inflict damage. (Note, grass does not deal damage).