Stonespeaker Guardian

The stonespeaker guardian taps into the divine power of the earth itself to defend her fellow stonespeakers, as well as other goliaths and friendly races, from their enemies. Equally adept at spellcasting and melee combat, the stonespeaker guardian is a terror to behold for the giant, orc, or other marauder who has aroused the stonespeaker’s ire. Stonespeaker guardians typically come from the ranks of goliath druids of the stonespeakers (see page 82). Some multiclass as barbarians, rangers, or fi ghters to improve their martial abilities. NPC stonespeaker guardians act in accordance with the concord of stonespeakers, and most use spells such as animal messenger to stay in contact with their brethren. Many stonespeaker guardians attach themselves to goliath tribes for months or years, and they are accorded the respect due elders for their wisdom. Others move across the mountains by themselves or in small groups, settling disputes within or among the tribes before moving on.

Adaptation: One of the key features of the stonespeaker guardian prestige class is the ability to use the Stone Form feat in conjunction with the wild shape ability to turn into a kind of creature a druid can’t become. A similar class based in a volcanic region might take on a fi ery form or one made from magma. An “oceanspeaker guardian” could take a watery form and gain a swim speed, eventually acquiring the vortex special ability possessed by water elementals.

Hit Die: d8.

Requirements

To qualify to become a stonespeaker guardian, a character must fulfi ll all the following criteria.

Race: Feral gargun or goliath.

Skills: Knowledge (nature) 6 ranks, Survival 8 ranks.

Feats: Endurance, Stone Form*.

Special: Wild shape ability. *New feat described in Chapter 6.

Class Skills

The stonespeaker guardian’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Listen (Wis), Search (Int), Spot (Wis), and Survival (Wis).

See Chapter 4 of the Player’s Handbook for skill descriptions.

Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifi er.

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the stonespeaker guardian prestige class.

Weapon and Armor Profi ciency: Stonespeaker guardians gain no profi ciency with any weapon or armor. Spells per Day/Spells Known: At each level, a stonespeaker guardian gains new spells per day (and spells known, if applicable) as if she had also gained a level in a divine spellcasting class to which she belonged before adding the prestige class level. She does not, however, gain any other benefi t a character of that class would have gained (improved chance of turning or destroying undead, metamagic or item creation feats, and so on). If she had more than one divine spellcasting class before becoming a stonespeaker guardian, she must decide to which class to add each level for the purpose of determining spells per day and spells known.

Stony Hide (Ex): The natural armor bonus of a stonespeaker guardian under the effect of the Stone Form feat improves by 1 per class level, up to a maximum of +5 at 5th level.

Wild Shape (Su): A stonespeaker guardian’s class levels stack with levels from all other classes that grant the wild shape ability to determine the maximum Hit Dice of the forms she can assume and the amount of time she can spend in one wild shape. At 2nd level and again at 4th level, a stonespeaker guardian gains one additional use of wild shape per day. This benefi t stacks with her number of daily uses gained from other classes that grant that ability. She doesn’t gain any additional wild shape-related class features, such as the ability to wild shape into Large animals, plants, and so on.

Stoneslam Attack (Ex): The slam attacks of a stonespeaker guardian of 3rd level or higher under the effect of the Stone Form feat deal damage as if the stonespeaker guardian were one size category larger than she is. A Medium stonespeaker guardian, for example, deals 2d6 points of damage with her slam attacks instead of the normal 1d8 points of a Medium character.

Fortifi cation (Ex): When a critical hit or sneak attack is scored on a stonespeaker guardian of 4th level or higher, there is a 50% chance the critical hit or sneak attack is negated and damage is instead rolled normally.

Earth Glide (Su): A 5th-level stonespeaker guardian under the effect of the Stone Form feat can glide through the earth like an earth elemental. The stonespeaker guardian moves at half speed while gliding through the earth in this manner, but she can move through stone, dirt, or almost any other sort of earth except metal as easily as a fi sh swims through water. This burrowing leaves no tunnel or hole, nor does it create any ripple or other signs of its presence. A move earth spell cast on an area containing a stonespeaker guardian moving in this manner fl ings the guardian back 30 feet, stunning her for 1 round unless she makes a DC 15 Fortitude save.

Table 5–15: The Stonespeaker Guardian Base Attack Fort Ref Will

Level Bonus Save Save Save Special Spells per Day

1st +0 +2 +0 +2 Stony hide +1 level of existing divine spellcasting class 2nd +1 +3 +0 +3 Wild shape +1/day +1 level of existing divine spellcasting class 3rd +2 +3 +1 +3 Stoneslam attack +1 level of existing divine spellcasting class 4th +3 +4 +1 +4 Fortifi cation, wild shape +1/day +1 level of existing divine spellcasting class 5th +3 +4 +1 +4 Earth glide, Earth Master +1 level of existing divine spellcasting class

Illus. by R. Spencer

Earth Master: At 5th level, a stonespeaker guardian gains Earth Master (see Chapter 6) as a bonus feat.

SAMPLE STONESPEAKER GUARDIAN

Akamoa Trailmaster Mavoleth the Stonespeaker Guardian: Female goliath druid 5/stonespeaker guardian 2; CR 8; HD 5d8+15 plus 2d8+6; hp 56; Init +0; Spd 20 ft.; AC 17, touch 11, fl at-footed 17; Base Atk +4; Grp +12; Atk +9 melee (1d8+6, Large masterwork quarterstaff) or +9 melee (3d6+7, Large masterwork quarterstaff with shillelagh); Full Atk +9 melee (1d8+6, Large masterwork quarterstaff) or +9 melee (3d6+7, Large masterwork quarterstaff with shillelagh); SA —; SQ animal companion, elemental bond, goliath traits, link with companion, nature sense, racial substitution level (druid 1st), resist nature’s lure, share spells, stony hide, trackless step, wild empathy +5 (+1 magical beasts), wild shape 2/day, woodland stride; AL N; SV Fort +10, Ref +3, Will +10; Str 19, Dex 10, Con 16, Int 8, Wis 16, Cha 10.

Skills and Feats: Concentration +13, Handle Animal +4, Jump –5, Knowledge (nature) +9, Sense Motive +5, Survival +15 (+17 in aboveground natural environments); Endurance, Lightning Refl exes, Stone Form*. *New feat described in Chapter 6.

Animal Companion (Ex): Akamoa has a wolverine as an animal companion. This creature is a loyal companion that accompanies Akamoa on adventures as appropriate for its kind. Its abilities and characteristics are summarized below. Quickclaw: Wolverine animal companion; CR —; Medium magical beast; HD 3d8+15 plus 3; hp 31; Init +2; Spd 30 ft., burrow 10 ft., climb 10 ft.; AC 14, touch 12, fl at-footed 12; Base Atk +2; Grp +4; Atk +4 melee (1d4+2, claw); Full Atk +4 melee (1d4+2, 2 claws) and –1 melee (1d6+1, bite); SA rage; SQ bonus trick, low-light vision, scent; AL N; SV Fort +7, Ref +5, Will +2; Str 14,

Dex 15, Con 19, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 10. Skills and Feats: Climb +10, Listen +6, Spot +6; Alertness, Toughness, TrackB . Rage (Ex): If Quickclaw takes damage in combat, it fl ies into a berserk rage on its next turn, clawing and biting madly until either it or its opponent is dead. The following changes are in effect as long as it rages: hp 34;

AC 12, touch 10, fl at-footed 10; Grp +6; Atk +6 melee (1d4+4, claw); Full Atk +6 melee (1d4+4, 2 claws) and +1 melee (1d6+2, bite); SV Fort +9; Str 18, Con 23. Quickclaw can’t end its rage voluntarily. Bonus Trick: Quickclaw is capable of learning one trick in addition to any that Akamoa might choose to teach it (see the Handle Animal skill, page 74 of the

Player’s Handbook). This bonus trick doesn’t require any training time or Handle Animal checks, and it doesn’t count against the normal limit of tricks known by the creature. Akamoa selects this bonus trick, and once selected, it can’t be changed. Scent (Ex): Can detect approaching enemies, sniff out hidden foes, and track by sense of smell.

Elemental Bond (Ex): When casting a summon nature’ s ally spell to summon a creature with the earth subtype, Akamoa can treat the spell as if it were the next-highest level version of that spell. She can’t summon air, fi re, or water creatures.

Goliath Traits (Ex): Akamoa’s physical stature lets him function in many ways as if he were one size category larger, including using weapons designed for a creature one size larger. Akamoa can make standing long jumps and high jumps as if they were running long jumps and high jumps.

He can engage in accelerated climbing without taking the –5 penalty on the Climb check. Akamoa is automatically acclimated to life at high altitudes and does not take the penalties for altitude described on page 90 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide.

Link with Companion (Ex): Akamoa can Akamoa Trailmaster Mavoleth, handle her a stonespeaker guardian animal companion as a free action, or push it as a move action, with a +4 bonus on wild empathy checks made while dealing with that animal. Resist Nature’s Lure (Ex): Akamoa gains a +4 bonus on saving throws against the spelllike abilities of fey. Share Spells (Ex): Akamoa may have any spell she casts on herself also affect her animal companion if the latter is within 5 feet at the time. She may also cast a spell with a target of “You” on her animal companion. Trackless Step (Ex): Aka moa leaves no trail in natural surroundings and cannot be tracked.

Wild Shape (Su): Akamoa can change into a Small or Medium animal and back again twice per day, as with the polymorph spell. This ability lasts for 7 hours or until she changes back.

Woodland Stride (Ex): Akamoa can move through natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas, and similar terrain at her normal speed and without damage or other impairment. However, thorns, briars, and overgrown areas that are magically manipulated to impede motion still affect her.

Druid Spells Prepared (6/5/4/3/1; save DC 13 + spell level): 0—create water, cure minor wounds, detect magic, detect poison, mending, purify food and drink; 1st—cure light wounds, longstrider, magic fang, shillelagh, speak with animals; 2nd—barkskin, bear’ s endurance, lesser restoration, spider climb; 3rd—meld into stone, protection from energy, wind wall; 4th—cure serious wounds.

Possessions: +1 dragonhide breastplate, Large masterwork quarter staff, gauntlets of ogre power, ring of protection +1, 75 pp.