Forest Reeve

"Most trees can't defend themselves. That's why we do it for them. " —Denon, Knight of the Green

Forest reeves are chosen by the Guardians of the Green to patrol local wilderness areas to check for dangers and humanoid activities that could be harmful to the land. The forest reeve's job is to defend the forest whenever he can, and to inform the Guardians of the Green when more force becomes necessary.

BECOMING A FOREST REEVE

Rangers and barbarians are the most likely characters to take up the mantle of the forest reeve, but members of this prestige class can come from a wide variety of backgrounds. A forest reeve is chosen more for his devotion to the wilderness than for any specific skill he possesses. The Guardians of the Green want to be certain that anyone they choose for such a post can be trusted never to shirk his duties to the forest.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

Base Attack Bonus: +5.

Skills: Knowledge (nature) 2 ranks, Listen 4 ranks, Spot 4 ranks, Survival 6 ranks.

Feats: Endurance, Track.

Special: Must be chosen as a forest reeve by the leaders of a band of Guardians of the Green, then serve a six-month apprenticeship to a Guardian of the Green who has at least three forest reeve levels. This requirement can be waived if the would-be forest reeve performs an extraordinary service for the Guardians of the Green.

TABLE 2-3: THE FOREST REEVE

Base Attack Fort Ref Will

Level Bonus Save Save Save Special

H IT DIE: D10

1st +1 +0 +2 +0 Earth's defender+1, fast movement, nature's rejuvenation 1/day 2nd +2 +0 +3 +0 Woodland stride 3rd +3 +1 +3 +1 Earth's defender+2, nature's rejuvenation 2/day, swift tracker 4th +4 +1 +4 +1 Camouflage 5th +5 +1 +4 +1 Earth's defender+3, nature's rejuvenation 3/day, whispers of the forest PLAYING A FOREST REEVE

Class Skills (6 + Int modifier per level): Balance, Climb, Craft, Handle Animal, Heal, Hide, Intimidate, Jump, Knowledge (geography), Knowledge (nature), Listen, Move Silently, Search, Spot, Survival, Swim, Use Rope.

CLASS FEATURES

As a forest reeve, you patrol the forest and defend it from harm, and the earth itself supports your efforts. You also serve as an advance scout for the Guardians of the Green and aid them in battle when necessary.

Earth's Defender (Su): Once per day as a move actio: you can channel nature's power through your body and int any one weapon you wield, making it temporarily magical for 1 minute/character level you possess. When you an 1st level, this ability grants your weapon a temporary +| bonus. The value of this bonus increases to +2 when you attain 3rd level and to +3 when you attain 5th level. This ability can be used while you wield a magic weapon, I its effects do not stack with the weapon's existing bom (if any).

Fast Movement (Ex): Your base land speed is 10 feet fasti than the norm for your race. See the barbarian class feature (PH 25). If you have fast movement from another source, til benefits stack.

Nature's Rejuvenation (Sp): Once per day, you can channel the rejuvenating power of nature to restore J invigorate yourself. If you spend 1 full minute in direct physical contact with a living plant or fertile ground, you are affected as if by your choice of any one of the following spells: bear's endurance, cure moderate wounds, or lesser restora tion (caster level equals your character level). You can us this power only on yourself. At 3rd level, you can use this ability twice per day, and at 5th level, you can use it three times per day.

Woodland Stride (Ex): Beginning at 2nd level, you can move through natural overgrown areas at normal speed without damage. See the druid class feature (PH 36). If ycu already have woodland stride, you gain a +10-foot bonus 1 your land speed.

Swift Tracker (Ex): Beginning at 3rd level, you can move at your normal speed while following tracks. See the ranger class feature (PH 48). If you have swift tracker fro! another source, the penalties are lessened by an addition; 5 feet.

Camouflage (Ex): Beginning at 4th level, you can use the Hide skill in any sort of natural terrain, even while being observed.

W h i s p e rs of t he Forest (Su): When you attain 5a level, the plants, trees, and rocks begin to speak to you bringing you news wherever you are. Once per day, these voices of the forest give you a short answer to any simp] question you pose pertaining to current events in a wilderness area on your land mass. Questions about distant lands require 1 minute per mile of distance to answer. J the DM's discretion, when the forest deems an issue paticularly important, the whispers bring you news without your request.

Like all Guardians of the Green, forest reeves vary widely i attitude. But the one ideal you all share is an undying love for the earth. More intense, even, than a parent's love for child, this passion brings out a fierce protectiveness in you In fact, you would die to defend your forest home, without question, should it become necessary.

Combat

Though skilled at all forms of combat, you are particular adept at guerrilla warfare—tracking enemies to their lair ambushing them while they sleep, or engaging in other sue surreptitious tactics. Between fast movement and woodland

stride, you can usually escape through the forest before your enemies know what hit them.

Sample Encounter

Denon is encountered with Hasayla (page 85) and Sorag (page 81) while fighting a band of gnolls, as described in the Guardians of the Green section on page 71.

DENON, KNIGHT OF THE GREEN CR 11

Male human ranger 6/forest reeve 5

N Medium humanoid

Init+8; Senses Listen +16, Spot +11

Languages Common, Elven, link with companion

AC 21, touch 14, flat-footed 17 (+4 Dex, +7 armor) hp 92 (11 HD)

Fort+10, Ref+14, Will+8 Speed 40 ft. (8 squares); woodland stride

Melee +2 scythe +17/+12/+7 (2d4+8/x4) Ranged +7 composite shortbow +17/+12/+7 (ld6+5/x3) or Ranged +7 composite shortbow +15/+10/+5 (3d6+15/x3) with

Manyshot or Ranged +7 composite shortbow +15/+15/+10/+5 (ld6+5/x3) with Rapid Shot

BaseAtk+ll; Grp+15

Atk Options Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot; earth's defender +3, favored enemy giants +2, favored enemy humanoids (goblinoid) +4; Knight of the Green (+3 bonus on one attack or damage roll while fighting in a natural area 1/day) Combat Gear potion of cure moderate wounds Ranger Spells Prepared (CL 3rd): 1st—magic fang, speak with animals Abilities Str 18, Dex 18, Con 16, Int 13, Wis 15, Cha 12 SQ animal companion, camouflage, nature's rejuvenation 3/ day, share spells with companion, swift tracker, whispers of the forest, wild empathy+9 (+5 magical beasts) Feats Endurance6 , Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Manyshot6 ,

Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot6 , Track6 , ; Weapon Focus (composite shortbow) Skills Climb +17, Handle Animal +6, Hide +17* Knowledge (geography) +15, Knowledge (nature) +17,

Listen +16, Move Silently +17*, Ride +6, Spot +11,

Survival +16* Possessions +3 chain shirt, +2 scythe, +7 composite shortbow (+4 Str bonus) with 20 arrows, cloak of resistance | +7, Quaal's feather token (tree) Camouflage (Ex) Denon can use the Hide skill in any sort of natural terrain, even while being observed. Earth's Defender (Su) Once per day as a move action,

Denon can give his weapon a +3 enhancement bonus for 11 minutes. This bonus does not stack with the weapon's existing bonus. Nature's Rejuvenation (Sp) Three times per day, Denon can spend 1 full minute in direct physical contact with a living plant or fertile ground to gain the benefit of his choice of the following spells: bear's endurance, cure moderate wounds, or lesser restoration (caster level 11th). Swift Tracker (Ex) Denon can move at his normal speed while following tracks. See the ranger class feature {PH 48). Whispers of the Forest (Su) Once per day, the voices of the forest give Denon a short answer to any simple question he poses pertaining to current events in any wilderness

area on his land mass. Questions about distant lands require 1 minute per mile of distance to answer. When the forest deems an issue particularly important, the whispers bring him news without his request. Skills *Denon has a +2 bonus on Hide, Move Silently, and

Survival checks made in natural areas.

W O L F C O M P A N I O N CR —

N Medium animal

Init +3; Senses scent; Listen +4, Spot +4

AC 17, touch 13, flat-footed 14; Dodge (+3 Dex, +4 natural) hp 26 (4 HD)

Fort+6, Ref+7, Will+2

Resist evasion

Speed 50 ft. (10 squares)

Melee bite+6 (ld6+3)

Base Atk+3; Grp +5

Atk Options trip

Abilities Str 14, Dex 16, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6

SQ 2 bonus tricks

Feats Dodge, Track6 , Weapon Focus (bite)

Skills Listen +4, Move Silently +4, Spot +4, Survival +1 (+5 tracking by scent)

Trip (Ex) If a wolf hits with a bite attack, it can attempt to trip the opponent as a free action without making a touch attack or provoking an attack of opportunity. If the attempt fails, the opponent cannot react to trip the wolf.