Creature Classes

This page is to detail classes that exist for creatures and creature types. Rather than a class like Fighter or Wizard, creature classes are more restrictive on what type of creature can take them, or drastically alter a creature when taken.

Creature classes help define levels for a base creature, but assist with scaling a creature up. For example a creature gaining levels of vampire would incrementally gain powers rather than what would be equivalent to several levels of power all at once. This allows for better distinction of power rather than needing to add arbitrary hit dice, stats, or abilities to reflect the creature’s power.

Finally this system is to help make the monsters more compatible with character classes should GM decide to add a character class to a creature, as a goal of this system is to have more consistency overall.

= Humanoid = Hit Die: d8

Type: Creature

Skill Ranks Per Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Requirements: Must possess the humanoid or monstrous humanoid creature type. Must have an intelligence above 2.

Class Features
The following are class features of a Humanoid.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency
A humanoid is proficient with no weapons or armor. If this is the character’s first level in a class they gain proficiency in a single simple weapon (usually something similar to a tool the creature regularly works with) and a single light simple armor.

Stamina (Ex)
At 1st level, a humanoid gains access to a pool of stamina points that allow them to perform feats of strength and agility. This pool contains a number of stamina points equal to their Constitution modifier plus their levels in martial classes (minimum 1). This pool replenishes once per day after roughly 8 hours of rest.

Bonus Feat
A humanoid is generally a blank slate who has yet to truly specialize or tap into their true potential. At each level a humanoid gains an additional feat of any type; the humanoid must meet the prerequisites of these feats as normal.

Vocational Training
At 2nd level, and every 2 levels thereafter the humanoid may select a single perform or profession skill. The humanoid gains a +2 class bonus on skill checks made with the selected skill, in addition the creature gains a single skill feat related to the chosen skill or skill focus; if they already possess all skills feats related to the chosen skill, they may instead treat their ranks in the selected skill as 2 higher for the purpose of determining the effects of feats or abilities dependant upon the creature’s ranks in the skill. The humanoid can select the same skill more than once using this ability to gain an additional skill feat related to that skill, but does not allow for stacking of the class bonus for the same skill.

Untapped Potential
At 3rd level, the humanoid gains one of the following benefits:


 * The humanoid may treat their strength as 4 higher for the purposes of determining their carrying capacity.
 * The humanoid gains an additional 2 skill ranks per level of humanoid.
 * The humanoid has begun basic combat training, gaining proficiency in a single simple or martial weapon he did not already possess. In addition the humanoid may select a single weapon he has proficiency with, he may treat his base attack bonus as 2 higher (though his BAB from humanoid levels cannot exceed his humanoid level) for all attacks, feats, or abilities that utilize the selected weapon.

Generalist
At 5th level, a humanoid gains a +1 class bonus to all profession skill checks, in addition the humanoid may select one of the following benefits:


 * The humanoid doubles his gold income from a perform check as long as his perform check meets or exceeds DC 20. In addition for every degree of success beyond this DC he gains an additional gold from his perform check. This ability only affects perform skills the humanoid selected with his Vocational Training class feature.
 * When the humanoid succeeds at a profession skill check to craft he treats his profession check as 1 degree of success higher for the purposes of determining his progress at crafting the item. This ability only affects profession skills the humanoid selected with his Vocational Training class feature.
 * When the humanoid makes a profession check for the laborer profession to earn a living, he doubles his gold income. In addition, when using a laborer profession check for a specific use, he may always take a 15 on the skill check; this is similar to taking a 10 on a skill check but treating the result of the check as if he had rolled 15. This ability only affects profession skills the humanoid selected with his Vocational Training class feature.
 * The humanoid gains an additonal feat that they qualify for as a bonus feat.

= Skeleton = Hit Die: d10

Type: Creature(Undead)

Skill Ranks Per Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Requirements: Must be a living creature capable of being raised as undead.

An undead is usually a creature raised by a necromancer, but some environments or circumstances may result in a creature returning as a skeleton.

Class Features
The following are class features of a Skeleton.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency
A skeleton gains no additional weapon or armor proficiencies.

Undeath
When a living creature gains levels in an undead class they gain the undead type in addition to their previous creature type. Any features of the undead that conflict with the creature’s base type (such as being alive, requiring to eat/sleep/ect..) are overwritten by the undead type, but the creature retains their base type for the purposes of continuing to meet qualifications for their creature type (as long as those qualifications do not conflict with the undead type such as needing to be alive).

Mindless Undead
This type of undead class is a mindless undead, gaining immunity to all mind-affecting and illusion keyword spells. This creature has no intelligence modifier, gaining minimum skill ranks per level. Skill ranks gained from this class while they remain mindless must be used in physical-based skills (strength, dex, constitution), except for concentration. In addition the creature cannot take levels in other classes until the creature gains an intelligence score; the creature retains all classes, feats, and class features from its time alive. Feats the undead would no longer qualify for due to lacking an intelligence score cease to function (as well as any feats using that feat as a prerequisite) until the undead regains the prerequisite intelligence again.

A mindless undead must retrain all skill ranks they possess if this adjustment in intelligence would cause them to no longer have enough skill ranks for the skills they already possess.

Due to this the undead recall none of their past life and function through a combination of instinct and whatever force returned them as an undead. A GM may declare an undead to remain intelligent rather than requiring a different ability to later regain it.

Skeletal Body
At 1st level, the skeleton’s form grants them bonuses and resistances in addition to the normal benefits of the undead creature type. The skeleton gains DR 5/Bludgeoning, Resist 2 against Fire and Cold elemental damage. At 4th level this DR improves to DR 10/Bludgeoning, and their elemental resistances against Fire and Cold improves to Resist 3.

If the skeletal creature possessed a fly speed through wings, it loses the ability to fly due to their now skeletal form; in addition the skeleton automatically fails all swim checks and immediately begins to sink to the bottom of any body of water they enter. This does not affect fly or swim speeds granted by magical or supernatural forces.

Finally, the creature’s weight becomes 1/10th of their original weight and it is treated as one size category smaller for the purposes of determining the smallest space it can squeeze through; the skeleton still must squeeze through spaces a creature of its size normally would have to.

Skeletal Trait
At 1st level, and every 2 levels thereafter, the skeleton gains one of the following traits as they become more than a simple skeleton.


 * Reinforced Bones: The skeleton gains toughness as a bonus feat, if the skeleton already possesses this feat or later gains it, they instead gain an additional 2 hit points per level of skeleton. The skeleton may select this trait more than once.
 * Bone Spikes: The skeleton’s body forms jagged and spiky protrusions. Creatures grappling the skeleton take 1d4 points of piercing damage each time the skeleton succeeds at, or a creature grappling the skeleton succeeds at, a grapple combat maneuver to start or maintain a grapple.
 * Bone Claws: The skeleton’s hands begin to sharpen to a point granting the skeleton two claws that deal 1d4 damage each. This cannot be selected if the skeleton’s base creature already possessed claws.

Skeletal Swiftness
At 2nd level, the skeleton’s much lighter body and empowering magic grants them an enhancement bonus to their initiative equal to their charisma modifier, to a maximum of their skeleton level. At 4th level this bonus is no longer limited by the skeleton’s level.

In addition, the skeleton gains a +2 class bonus to their dexterity ability score, at 4th level this bonus improves to +4.

Undead Durability
At 2nd level, the undead creature gains a +2 bonus to their natural armor. This natural armor bonus increases by 1 every 4 levels of undead creature classes the creature possesses.

Reassembly
At 3rd level, the magic sustaining the skeleton’s structure can extend itself further to quickly reattach lost parts. The undead becomes immune to dismemberment as long as the effect would not completely destroy the affected limb. If a bone would be fractured or splintered the skeleton is fully capable of fusing the pieces back together (provided it is at least above half its maximum health), doing so does not restore HP but ensures the skeleton’s overall shape and structural integrity is not compromised. In addition, the skeleton can disassemble itself into a pile of bones as a free action, rather than retaining its original shape; doing so grants the skeleton a +20 bonus on disguise checks made to look like an unassuming pile of bones. Reassembling itself from a pile of bones requires a full-round action.

At 4th level, once per day when a skeleton would be reduced to 0 points, it may make a fortitude save to not be immediately destroyed. The DC of this fortitude save is 15 + the amount of damage beyond the amount required to bring the skeleton to 0 hit points the attack dealt. If the skeleton succeeds this fortitude save it instead retains a single hit point and immediately goes into a disassembled state, allowing for an immediate disguise check to fool nearby creatures that it has been slain.

Greater Skeleton
At 4th level the skeleton gains enough power to become intelligent again, regaining the intelligence score from before they became undead. The creature has a 50% chance of regaining the memories of their past life when this occurs; if the creature regains their memories they have a 25% chance to only regain a porton of their memories, determined by the GM. Due to this regaining of intelligence the undead may now begin to take levels in classes besides skeleton.

The magics empowering the skeleton allow the creature to also regain any fly or swim speed they may have possessed before becoming a skeleton. If the skeleton possessed a swim speed before becoming a skeleton it no longer automatically fails all swim checks and may swim as normal; skeletons without a swim speed still fail swim checks as normal.

= Zombie = Hit Die: d12

Type: Creature(Undead)

Skill Ranks Per Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Requirements: Must be a living creature capable of being raised as undead.

An undead is usually a creature raised by a necromancer, but some environments or circumstances may result in a creature returning as Zombie.

Class Features
The following are class features of a zombie.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency
A zombie gains no additional weapon or armor proficiencies.

Undeath
When a living creature gains levels in an undead class they gain the undead type in addition to their previous creature type. Any features of the undead that conflict with the creature’s base type (such as being alive, requiring to eat/sleep/ect..) are overwritten by the undead type, but the creature retains their base type for the purposes of continuing to meet qualifications for their creature type (as long as those qualifications do not conflict with the undead type such as needing to be alive).

Mindless Undead
This type of undead class is a mindless undead, gaining immunity to all mind-affecting and illusion type spells. This creature has no intelligence modifier, gaining minimum skill ranks per level. Skill ranks gained from this class while they remain mindless must be used in physical-based skills (strength, dex, constitution), except for concentration. In addition the creature cannot take levels in other classes until the creature gains an intelligence score; the creature retains all classes, feats, and class features from its time alive. Feats the undead would no longer qualify for due to lacking an intelligence score cease to function (as well as any feats using that feat as a prerequisite) until the undead regains the prerequisite intelligence again.

A mindless undead must retrain all skill ranks they possess if this adjustment in intelligence would cause them to no longer have enough skill ranks for the skills they already possess.

Due to this the undead recall none of their past life and function through a combination of instinct and whatever force returned them as an undead. A GM may declare an undead to remain intelligent rather than requiring a different ability to later regain it.

Zombified
At 1st level, the zombie’s reanimated body is mostly intact but the partially decomposed state is both beneficial and detrimental to a zombie. A zombie gains DR 5/Slashing, Resist 2 against Cold, Wind, and Nature elements, but gains Weakness to Fire. All speeds the zombie possessed while alive are reduced by half (minimum 5 feet) and they receive a permanent -2 penalty to their dexterity score. At 3rd level the zombie’s resistance improves to Resist 3, and their DR improves to DR 10/Slashing.

The zombie gains a bite natural weapon attack that deals 1d2 damage. If the zombie’s base creature already possessed a bite attack, their existing bite attack instead gains a +2 bonus to all damage rolls.

The zombie’s body stops decaying as the magic reanimating it allows it to remain preserved, but does not reverse any decay that may have occurred before the corpse was reanimated.

Zombie Trait
At 1st level, and every 2 levels thereafter, the zombie gains one of the following traits as the magic reanimating them pushes their body further.


 * Fast Zombie: The zombie’s penalty to speed is reduced by 5 feet, at 3rd level the zombie’s penalty to speed is completely negated. At 3rd level the zombie gains a +5 bonus to all speeds they possess.
 * Hardened Flesh: The zombie gains toughness as a bonus feat, if the zombie already possesses this feat or later gains it, they instead gain an additional 2 hit points per level of zombie. The zombie may select this trait more than once.
 * Infectious(Human subtype only): Other creatures of the Human subtype slain by an unarmed strike or natural weapon of the zombie raise as a zombie 2d4 minutes later. This is treated as a disease effect for the purposes of any immunities the target creature may have possessed at the time they were slain.
 * Highly Infectious(Requires Infectious): Creatures bitten by the zombie are subject to a fortitude save attack (1d20 + ½ the zombie’s Hit dice + the zombies Charisma Modifier), a successful save attack infects the creature with Zombie Rot.
 * Powerful Bite: The zombie’s bite attack’s damage dice improves by one step. This trait may be selected up to two times.

Zombie Strength
At 2nd level, without the normal limiters, such as a lack of pain, the zombie’s reanimated body is capable of greater feats of strength than when it was alive. A zombie may ignore a number of points of hardness an object possesses when performing a sunder combat maneuver equal to half their charisma modifier, to a maximum of their zombie level. At 3rd level this bonus is no longer limited by the zombie’s level.

In addition, the zombie gains a +2 class bonus to their strength ability score, at 3rd level this bonus improves to +4.

Undead Durability
At 2nd level, the undead creature gains a +2 bonus to their natural armor. This natural armor bonus increases by 1 every 4 levels of undead creature classes the creature possesses.

Zombie Mutation
At 3rd level, the zombie’s body begins to mutate due the foul magic empowering it.

Then zombie selects one of the following abilities:


 * Acid Spit: The zombie gains the ability to shoot acidic bile, dealing 3d6 + the zombie’s charisma modifier earth damage. This zombie may use this ability as a standard action to make as a ranged touch attack with a maximum range of 60 feet. The zombie must wait 1d4 rounds before using this ability again. The zombie may choose to use this ability as a 30 foot cone instead, making a reflex save attack against each creature within the area (1d20 + ½ the zombie’s hit dice + the zombie’s charisma modifier), but doing so increases the delay between uses to 1d4+1 rounds.
 * Feral Zombie: The zombie’s form becomes more bestial in appearance, granting the zombie a pair of claw attacks dealing 1d6 damage each. In addition the zombie’s legs become more powerful and capable of making great jumps allowing the zombie to add their charisma modifier to all acrobatics checks made to jump.
 * Hulking Zombie: The zombie’s muscles and upper body grow grotesque proportions. The zombie’s size increases by one step, but only natural weapons attached to the zombie’s arms, or unarmed strikes with the creature’s arms, improve their damage by one step; the zombie’s bite attack or other natural weapons do not increase in size. The zombie may wield weapons with their hands as a creature of their new size, but weapons not wielded by their hands treat the zombie as if they were one size category smaller for the purposes of wielding them. The zombie’s class bonus to strength is increased by an additional 2.