General Prestige Class : Wildrunner
"The land nourishes my soul. It gives my feet wings and makes my spirit soar. Thanks to the land lam the watcher unseen, the runner unheard, and the tracker unerring. To the enemies of the land I am death unseen and unrelenting." -Finleia Luthiamne, Pack Leader of the Keepers of the High Vale
Wildrunners give themselves almost wholly to nature, seeking to return to their untamed roots and eventually become fey creatures. Though seemingly barbaric, wildrunners retain their civilized learning and judgment while tapping into the primal forces within themselves and within the land. Some wildrunners choose to live after the fashion of untamed animals, unfettered and beholden to nothing but their own desires and their fundamental needs. Most, however, become guardians of the land and of the communities that gave them birth.
Becoming A Wildrunner
The ranger class is the easiest path to becoming a wildrunner; all the required skills are class skills for rangers, and the wildrunner's abilities will make you a better ranger. Barbarian, druid, and rogue also are good entry paths, although you'll have to buy some skills as cross-class. Charisma (for your primal scream ability), Dexterity (for stealth abilities and ranged combat), and Strength (for melee combat) are key abilities for you.
Requirements
To qualify to become a Wildrunner, a character must fulfill all the following criteria:
- Race: Elf or half-elf
- Alignment: Any good or chaotic.
- Skills: Hide 5 ranks, Knowledge (nature) 5 ranks, Move Silently 5 ranks, Survival 8 ranks.
- Feats: Endurance,
Class Skills
The wildrunner's class skills are Balance, Climb, Handle Animal, Hide, Intimidate, Jump, Knowledge (nature), Listen, Move Silently, Spot, Survival, and Swim.
Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.
Class Features
As you advance in level, you gain abilities that aid you in mastering the environment and making you self-sufficient in the wild.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: You gain no proficiency with any weapons or armor. If you wear heavy armor, you do not benefit from your fast movement ability.
Fast Movement (Ex): Your land speed is faster than the norm for your race by 10 feet while wearing light, medium, or no armor. This increase stacks with similar increases, such as that from the barbarian class. See the barbarian class feature.
Trackless Step (Ex): You cannot be tracked in natural surroundings. See the druid class feature.
Primal Scream (Su): At 2nd level, you become able to bring forth the power inherent within and release it in a blood-chilling scream. Releasing a primal scream is a free action that does nor provoke attacks of opportunity. A primal scream induces a state of feral frenzy that lasts for a number of rounds equal to 3 + your Con modifier (minimum 1). You can use your primal scream ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Cha modifier (minimum 1). Using a primal scream always requires you to shout, so you cannot use a primal scream if you cannot speak.
In this frenzy, you gain a +2 bonus to Strength and a +6 bonus to Dexterity. In addition, your jaw elongates and your teeth become razor-sharp; you gain a bite attack that deals 1d6 points of damage (1d4 if you are Small, or 1d8 if you are large). You can wield a weapon in one or both hands at your normal attack bonus and make a secondary bite attack, but in that case the bite attack takes a -5 attack penalty (or -2 with the Multiattack feat).
In addition to these effects, a primal scream confers additional benefits as you gain levels, as described below. All effects are cumulative.
Enemies Shaken: Starting at 4th level, your primal scream makes enemies within 30 feet shaken when you activate the ability. This is a sonic, mind-affecting fear effect. Creatures in the area must make Will saves (DC 10 + your class level + your Cha modifier). On a failed save, a creature is shaken for a number of rounds equal to your class level. Creatures with more Hit Dice than you are immune to this effect.
Pounce: At 6th level, you gain the ability to pounce on an opponent in the round in which you activate your primal scream. If you charge a foe in the same round that you scream, you may make a full attack, instead of the normal single attack allowed after a charge.
Enemies Cower: Beginning at 8th level, your primal scream can immobilize enemies with fear when you activate the ability. This is a sonic, mind-affecting fear effect. It functions like the enemies shaken ability described above, except that any enemy with less than half your Hit Dice that fails its Will save is cowering instead of shaken.
Fast Healing: At 10th level, when you activate your primal scream you gain fast healing 5 for the duration of your feral frenzy, as long as you have at least 1 hit point.
If you also have the rage class feature, you can rage and use your primal scream at the same time, gaining the benefits of both abilities.
Scent (Ex): At 2nd level, you learn to rely on senses that most other people never even suspect. You gain the scent special ability. You can detect opponents within 30 feet by sense of smell. If the opponent is upwind, the range increases to 60 feet; if the opponent is downwind, it drops to 15 feet. You do not detect the exact location of the source - only its presence somewhere within range. You can take a move action to note the direction of the scent. Whenever you come within 5 feet of the source, you pinpoint the source's location.
Endure Elements (Sp): Starting at 3rd level, you can use endure elements on yourself at will. Your caster level is equal to your wildrunner class level.
Hide in Plain Sight (Ex): Beginning at 5th level, you can use the Hide skill in natural terrain even while being observed. See the ranger class feature.
Unfettered Stride (Ex): At 7th level, you gain the ability to move through or across a variety of terrain features without it affecting your movement or skill checks. This ability applies to bogs, rubble, undergrowth, ice sheets, and natural stone floors. See effect of terrain on movement and skill checks.
Feyheart: At 9th level, your mystic bond with nature changes your very being. Your type becomes fey (augmented humanoid), and you gain damage reduction 2/cold iron.
| Wildrunner | Hit Die: d10 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CL | BAB | Fort | Ref | Will | Special |
| 1st | +1 | +2 | +2 | +0 | Fast movement, trackless step |
| 2nd | +2 | +3 | +3 | +0 | Primal scream, scent |
| 3rd | +3 | +3 | +3 | +1 | Endure elements |
| 4th | +4 | +4 | +4 | +1 | Primal scream (enemies shaken) |
| 5th | +5 | +4 | +4 | +1 | Hide in plain sight |
| 6th | +6 | +5 | +5 | +2 | Primal scream (pounce) |
| 7th | +7 | +5 | +5 | +2 | Unfettered stride |
| 8th | +8 | +6 | +6 | +2 | Primal scream (enemies cower) |
| 9th | +9 | +6 | +6 | +3 | Feyheart |
| 10th | +10 | +7 | +7 | +3 | Primal scream (fast healing) |
Source: Races of the Wild