Badger Master

[Kurashu]

Badger Master
This prestige class is filled with those who love badgers. Most of the members are clerics and wizards. However, druids are not unheard of in this class.

Hit Die: d8

Requirements
To qualify to become a badger master, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.
Alignment: Any Good
Skills: Ride 10 ranks, Survival 10 ranks
Feats: Mounted Combat, Ride-By-Attack, Self-Sufficient
Special: Must be able to ride a badger as a mount, must be able to cast Summon Monster I or Summon Nature's Ally I

Class Skills
The Badger Master's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Nature) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Animal Trainer) (Wis) Ride (Dex), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex)

Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Class Features
All the following are class features of the Badger Master prestige class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Badger Master is proficient with all simple and martial weapons and light armors.

Badger Companion: At first level, a badger master's badger mount becomes his companion as well.

Master's Level	Bonus HD	Natural Armor	Str. Adjustment	Special
1-2		  -		   -			-	Empathic link, Improved evasion, share spells
3-5		  +2		  +2			+1	Improved Burrow Speed
6-8		  +4		  +4			+2	Improved Empathic Link
9-10		  +6		  +6			+3	Transformation

Masters Level: The character level of the Badger Master
Bonus HD: Extra eight-sided (d8) Hit Dice, each of which gains a Constitution modifier, as normal; extra Hit Dice improve the badger's base attack and base save bonuses, as normal.
Natural Armor Adj: This is an improvement to the badger's existing natural armor bonus.
Str Adj.: Add this figure to the badgerl's Strength score.

The abilities mentioned in the "Special" column of the accompanying table are described below.
Empathic Link (Su): The Badger Master has an empathic link with his badger out to a distance of up to 1 mile. The Badger Master cannot see through the badger's eyes, but they can communicate empathically. Because of the limited nature of the link, only general emotional content can be communicated.
Because of the empathic link between the badger and the Badger Master, the Badger Master has the same connection to a place or an item that the badger does.

Improved Evasion (Ex): If the badger is subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, it takes no damage on a successful saving throw and only half damage on a failed saving throw. Improved evasion is an extraordinary ability.

Share Spells: At the Badger Master's option, he may have any spell (but not any spell-like ability) he casts on himself also affect his badger. The badger must be within 5 feet at the time of casting to receive the benefit. If the spell has a duration other than instantaneous, it stops affecting the badger if it moves farther than 5 feet away and will not affect the badger again even if the badger returns to the Badger Master before the duration expires. Additionally, the Badger Master may cast a spell with a target of "You" on his badger (as a touch range spell) instead of on himself. A Badger Master and his badger can share spells even if the spells normally do not affect creatures of the Badger's type (magical beast).

Improved Burrow Speed: The badger's burrow speed increases to 20 feet.

Improved Empathic Link (Su): As the empathic link ability above, except that range is extended to 20 miles.

Transformation: At this point the badger companion gains the celestial template.

Badger Rage (Ex): Starting at third level, a Badger Master gains the ability to fly into a barbaric rage a certain number of times per day. While in this rage, he gains +4 Str, +4 Con, -2 AC. He can not end this rage voluntarily. This rage lasts for a number of rounds equal to his newly improved Con modifier or until the encounter is over. Other than this, this rage operates the same as a barbarian's rage. The Badger Master gains an additional rage per day at 6th level and again at 9th level.

Augment Badger Summoning: At 2nd level, whenever a Badger Master summons a badger, it gains the benefits of the Augment Summoning Feat. If the Badger Master has the Augment Summoning feat, these bonuses do not stack.

Summon Badger (Sp): At 4th level, a Badger Master may summon 1 celestial badger per day as if summoned by a Summon Monster spell. Use the Badger Master levels to figure the duration.

Speak With Burrower (Sp): A badger master can speak to burrowing animals for a number of minutes equal to 1 + his Cha modifier. The minutes do not need to be consecutive.

Mounted Burrow (Ex): At 7th level, a Badger Master can ride his badger while it is burrow without the need of a specialized saddle as long as he has a saddle.

Scent (Ex): A Badger Master gains the scent special ability.

Summon Half-Badger (Sp): At 9th level, a Badger Master may summon a celestial half-badger with a number of levels in Barbarian equal to half his Badger Master level (rounded down) as if summoned by a Summon Monster spell. Use the Badger Master levels to figure the duration.

Summon Badger Swarm (Sp): At 10th level, a Badger Master may summon 2d3+1 celestial badgers 1/day as if summoned by a Summon Monster spell. Use the Badger Master levels to figure the duration.

Level	BAB	Fort	Ref	Will	Special
1st	+1	+2	+2	+0	Badger Companion
2nd	+2	+3	+3	+0	Augment Badger Summoning
3rd	+3	+3	+3	+1	Badger Rage 1/day
4th	+4	+4	+4	+1	Summon Badger 1/day
5th	+5	+4	+4	+1	Speak With Burrower
6th	+6	+5	+5	+2	Badger Rage 2/day
7th	+7	+5	+5	+2	Mounted Burrow
8th	+8	+6	+6	+2	Scent, Summon Half-Badger
9th	+9	+6	+6	+3	Badger Rage 3/day
10th	+10	+7	+7	+3	Summon Badger Swarm

Half-badger
Hit Dice: 4d8+8 (27 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), Burrow 10ft.)
Armor Class: 13 (-1 Dex, +1 Natural Armor, +2 Leather Armor, +1 Buckler), touch 9 (-1 Dex), flat-footed 14 (+1 Natural armor, +2 Leather Armor, +1 Buckler)
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+6
Attack: Battleaxe +6 melee (1d8+2)
Full Attack: Battleaxe +7 melee (1d8+2), claw +1 melee (1d6), bite -4 melee (1d4)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: -
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +6, Ref +0, Will +0
Abilities: Str 15, Dex 9, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 9
Skills: Climb 4 ranks, Listen 8 ranks, Move Silently 6 ranks, Spot 8 ranks
Feats: Improved Initiative, Weapon Focus (Battleaxe)
Environment: Grasslands, Underground
Organization: Solitary, gang (2–4), or band (11–25 plus 4-5 dire badgers)
Challenge Rating: 3
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Usually neutral good
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +1

Combat
Half-Badgers like to ambush their prey and overwhelm them with numbers. If a hunting party is encountered, there will be one or two scounts that will inform the main party of the presense of opponents. Half-badger attacks may or may not be coordinated.

Skills: Half-Badgers gain a +4 racial bonus on Listen, Move Silently, and Spot checks.

Half-Badgers as Characters:
+2 Str, +2 Con, -2 Cha
Medium Size
A Half-badger's base land speed is 30ft. A half-badger has a burrow speed of 10ft.
Half-badgers' have darkvision out to 60ft and low light vision.
+1 Natural Armor
+4 racial bonus on listen, move silently, and spot checks
Scent special ability
Automatic languages: Common, Terran. Bonus Languages: Dwarven, Elven, Giant, Gnoll, Orc
Favored Class; Barbarian
Level Adjustment: +1

Dire Half-Badger
+4 Str, +4 Con, -2 Cha
Medium Size
A Half-badger's base land speed is 30ft. A half-badger has a burrow speed of 20ft.
Half-badgers' have darkvision out to 60ft and low light vision.
+2 Natural Armor
+4 racial bonus on listen, move silently, and spot checks
Power build trait
Scent special ability
Spell-like ability: 1/day Summon 1d3 Celestial/Fiendish Badgers
Automatic languages: Common, Terran. Bonus Languages: Dwarven, Elven, Giant, Gnoll, Orc
Favored Class; Barbarian
Level Adjustment: +3

Figured I might as well include the half-badger and dire half-badger stuff as well. So opinions?

 

[comrade raoul]

Both funny and balanced. Well done.

 

[Nifft]

I suspect most Badger Masters would have been Rangers.

It's a nice class. I just wish it also focused on the natural foes of the Badger: specifically, the Mushroom and the Snake.

-- N

 

[I'm A Banana]

Half-Badg.....howthe....what the......I.......ew?

Now make one for squirrels!

 

[Kurashu]

Nifft, not if you were in the cracked up group that gave me this idea. We had a cleric, wizard and a ring of summoning monster IV and all they did with Summon Monster is Celestial Badgers. And the occasional celestial dire badger. Our wizard even had a Rod of Python. We just needed someone throwing mushrooms. At one point, my dwarf even rode a large dire badger. Good times.

However, rangers can be in the PrC too. We ain't haters.


I also considered a half-badger template, but the race goes against my ethics enough. x_X

 

[howandwhy99]

Hilarious. I think I have a player with a dwarven druid who qualifies.

 

[Kafkonia]

Nifft, not if you were in the cracked up group that gave me this idea. We had a cleric, wizard and a ring of summoning monster IV and all they did with Summon Monster is Celestial Badgers. And the occasional celestial dire badger. Our wizard even had a Rod of Python. We just needed someone throwing mushrooms. At one point, my dwarf even rode a large dire badger. Good times.

You sould have included some Myconids! They're so cute!

 

[the Jester]

Well done.

My question is, why can't I have an evil badger master npc? What's up with the 'Good' requirement? Think of the glory of two badger masters burrowing together into a tunnel-fight!

 

[Kurashu]

Well done.

My question is, why can't I have an evil badger master npc? What's up with the 'Good' requirement? Think of the glory of two badger masters burrowing together into a tunnel-fight!

I refuse to acknowledge the possibility of an evil badger. However, if you want to make an evil one go right a head.

 

[the Jester]

I refuse to acknowledge the possibility of an evil badger. However, if you want to make an evil one go right a head.

Oh, c'mon, it's kind of like an evil unicorn.