Savage

Hailing from simple tribes and appearing in every climate and environment, savages are fierce combatants who harry their foes with a barrage of blows, relying on swift brutal strikes and an approach to combat that is awesome to behold.

The savage is a hybrid class of barbarian/monk and as such is not intended to be selectable in conjunction with the barbarian or monk base classes. Given the very specific cultural milieu of savage tribes (be they farflung outliers on the periphery of other, more technologically savvy cultures; or living among the remnants of ancient civilisations as scavengers and survivors) it is intended that more cultured class-concepts not multiclass at their inception with Savages. Where another class concept has a wild side, or where the Savage is the character’s first class this caveat may be removed — perhaps having been whisked away from their tribe and instructed by another, or trained in-tribe by a foreign teacher.

Alignment: Any.

Hit Dice: d12.

Starting Wealth: 3d6 x 10 gp. (avg. 105 gp)

Class Skills

The savage’s class skills are Acrobatics (Dex), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Escape Artist (Dex), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Stealth (Dex), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).

Skill Ranks per Level: 6 + Int modifier.

Table: Savage
Level Base Attack
Bonus
Fort Save Ref Save Will Save Special Furious Blows AC Bonus Fast Movement
1st +1 +2 +2 +0 Furious blows, primal state, rampage, tribal lore –1/–1 +0 +0 ft.
2nd +2 +3 +3 +0 Savage power, uncanny dodge +0/+0 +0 +0 ft.
3rd +3 +3 +3 +1 Danger sense +1; fast movement, wild resilience +1/+1 +0 +10 ft.
4th +4 +4 +4 +1 Feral pool (magic), savage power, staunch recovery +2/+2 +1 +10 ft.
5th +5 +4 +4 +1 Improved uncanny dodge +3/+3 +1 +10 ft.
6th +6/+1 +5 +5 +2 Danger sense +2; savage power +4/+4/–1 +1 +20 ft.
7th +7/+2 +5 +5 +2 Feral vigor, wild fortitude +2 +5/+5/+0 +1 +20 ft.
8th +8/+3 +6 +6 +2 Savage power +6/+6/+1/+1 +2 +20 ft.
9th +9/+4 +6 +6 +3 Danger sense +3; Feral pool (cold iron/silver) +7/+7/+2/+2 +2 +30 ft.
10th +10/+5 +7 +7 +3 Savage power, wild fortitude +4 +8/+8/+3/+3 +2 +30 ft.
11th +11/+6/+1 +7 +7 +3 Ferocity +9/+9/+4/+4/–1 +2 +30 ft.
12th +12/+7/+2 +8 +8 +4 Danger sense +4; savage power +10/+10/+5/+5/+0 +3 +40 ft.
13th +13/+8/+3 +8 +8 +4 Wild fortitude +6 +11/+11/+6/+6/+1 +3 +40 ft.
14th +14/+9/+4 +9 +9 +4 Indomitable mind, savage power +12/+12/+7/+7/+2 +3 +40 ft.
15th +15/+10/+5 +9 +9 +5 Danger sense +5 +13/+13/+8/+8/+3/+3 +3 +50 ft.
16th +16/+11/+6/+1 +10 +10 +5 Savage power, wild immunity +14/+14/+9/+9/+4/+4/–1 +4 +50 ft.
17th +17/+12/+7/+2 +10 +10 +5 Blood rage +15/+15/+10/+10/+5/+5/+0 +4 +50 ft.
18th +18/+13/+8/+3 +11 +11 +6 Danger sense +6; savage power +16/+16/+11/+11/+6/+6/+1 +4 +60 ft.
19th +19/+14/+9/+4 +11 +11 +6 +17/+17/+12/+12/+7/+7/+2 +4 +60 ft.
20th +20/+15/+10/+5 +12 +12 +6 Savage power, supreme ferocity +18/+18/+13/+13/+8/+8/+3 +5 +60 ft.

Class Features

The following are class features of the savage.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

A savage is proficient with all simple weapons plus the battle axe, great axe, handaxe, throwing axe, brutal bola, longbow, shortbow, greatclub, gunstock club*, riding club*, harpoon, macuahuitl*, great macuahuitl*, light pick, heavy pick, tepoztopilli*, tomahawk* and trident. (At the GM’s discretion, she also gains proficiency with all stone age weapons). These are denoted “savage weapons”. A savage is proficient with the armored kilt, leather armor, studded leather armor, hide shirt, hide armor, padded armor, quilted cloth, wooden armor and bucklers. These are denoted “savage armor”. When wearing any other light armor, medium armor or any heavy armor, using any shield other than a buckler, or carrying a medium or heavy load, a savage loses her AC bonus, as well as her fast movement and furious blows abilities. (* New weapons)

AC Bonus (Ex)

When wearing savage armor and unencumbered, the savage adds her Wisdom bonus (if any) to her AC and her CMD. In addition, a savage gains a +1 bonus to AC and CMD at 4th level. This bonus increases by 1 for every four savage levels thereafter, up to a maximum of +5 at 20th level. These bonuses to AC apply even against touch attacks or when the savage is flat-footed. She loses these bonuses when she is immobilized or helpless, when she carries a shield other than a buckler, or when she carries a medium or heavy load. The savage also loses these bonuses during any round in which she has used furious blows.

Furious Blows (Ex)

Starting at 1st level, when wielding a savage weapon, a savage can make a series of wild blows as a full-attack action. When doing so, she may make one additional attack, taking a –2 penalty on all of her attack rolls – as if using the Two-Weapon Fighting feat — simulating the wild abandon of her assault. These attacks can be any combination of melee attacks with a savage weapon (she does not need to use two weapons to utilize this ability).

At 8th level, the savage can make two additional attacks when she uses furious blows, as if using Improved Two-Weapon Fighting (even if the savage does not meet the prerequisites for the feat).

At 15th level, the savage can make three additional attacks using furious blows, as if using Greater Two-Weapon Fighting (even if the savage does not meet the prerequisites for the feat).

A savage applies her full Strength bonus to her damage rolls for all successful attacks made with furious blows, whether the attacks are made with an off-hand or with a weapon wielded in both hands.

A savage may substitute disarm, sunder, and trip combat maneuvers for melee attacks as part of furious blows.

A savage cannot use any weapon other than a savage weapon as part of furious blows. A savage with natural weapons cannot use such weapons as part of furious blows, nor can she make natural attacks in addition to her furious blows attacks.

When wielding a greataxe, greatclub or great macuahuitl as part of furious blows the savage suffers a further -1 to each attack as these weapons are too heavy to effectively swing quickly.

Primal State (Ex)

At 1st level, a savage can conduct a personal ritual to enter a primal state, such as applying warpaint or donning a totemic mask. The ritual is a full-round action that provokes attacks of opportunity. The primal state can be held for up to 24 hours, or when a rest is taken. While the primal state has been attained, the savage gains the benefits of the Improved Unarmed Strike combat feat and a +2 morale bonus to Intimidate, Handle Animal and Sense Motive skill checks.

While rampaging (see below), a savage can also expend her primal state to gain the benefit of certain savage powers. She may still attain her primal state even if she has depleted all of her feral pool points (see below).

Expending the primal state to power a feat, class feature, or any other ability only powers a single effect. A savage cannot gain the benefits of multiple abilities that require expending the primal state by expending the primal state once; each effect requires its own instance of expending the primal state.

Rampage (Ex)

A savage can call upon her wild wrath to subjugate her foes. Starting at 1st level, a savage can enter a rampage for a number of rounds per day equal to 4 + her Constitution modifier. At each level after 1st, a rampage lasts for 2 additional rounds. Temporary increases to Constitution, such as those gained from spells like bear’s endurance do not increase the total number of rounds that a savage can enter a rampage per day.

A savage can enter rampage as a free action. The total number of rounds of rampage per day is renewed after resting for 8 hours, although these hours do not need to be consecutive.

While rampaging, a savage gains a +2 morale bonus to Will saves and Acrobatics, Climb and Swim checks, and can call upon savage powers to aid her in combat.

Additionally, for or every foe that the savage defeats during a rampage, she gains a number of temporary hit points equal to the foe’s HD. Defeating a foe can be in the form of reducing it to less than 0 hit points, rendering it unconscious through nonlethal damage, or rendering it unconscious in some other way.

These temporary hit points can surpass the savage’s current maximum hit points, last for a number of rounds equal to the savage’s Constitution modifier and do not stack with themselves in the event of more than one defeat. A savage can end her rampage as a free action. Feats that affect rage, such as Extra Rage, apply to Rampage, where possible.

Note It is not intended for the savage to use rampage’s defeat mechanic in conjunction with spell-like abilities or spells — though it is up to the GM whether or not to allow multiclassed savages in the first place or allow spell-like ability/spellcasting multiclass savages to “defeat” opponents with their more spells or spell-like abilities and thus gain these temporary hit points.

Tribal Lore

The savage may add any two additional skills to become class skills — these represent the particular focus of the clan the savage is from or a specialised knowledge imparted to the savage.

Savage Power

Note that Primal State confers upon the savage the Improved Unarmed Strike feat — this allows the savage to select any monk bonus feat that has that feat as a prerequisite, though some of those bonus feats are not usable while the savage is not in her primal state.

Starting at 2nd level, a savage may select either a barbarian’s rage power or a monk’s bonus feat as a savage power — however barbarian rage powers can only be used while rampaging. At 4th level, and every even level after that she gains a new savage power. Alternatively, at 2nd level the savage can instead elect to gain the monk’s evasion ability, and at level 10, if she has already selected evasion, she may elect to gain the monk’s improved evasion ability.

A savage gains the benefits of some rage powers only by expending her primal state (though she does not need to be in her primal state to use others), and some of these powers require the savage to take an action first. Unless otherwise noted, a savage cannot select an individual power more than once.

A savage may select from all monk bonus feats and the following rage powers — using those rage powers marked (*) expends the savage’s primal state:

A savage may select from the following rage powers:

Using rage powers marked (*) expends the savage’s primal state.

Any savage who meets a monk’s bonus feats’ or barbarian’s rage powers’ prerequisites can select and use that feat or rage power.

Totem rage powers grant powers related to a theme. A savage cannot select from more than one group of totem rage powers; for example, a savage who selects a beast totem rage power cannot later choose to gain the chaos totem rage power.

Uncanny Dodge (Ex)

At 2nd level, a savage gains the ability to react to danger before her senses would normally allow her to do so. She cannot be caught flat-footed, nor does she lose her Dexterity bonus to AC if the attacker is invisible. She still loses her Dexterity bonus to Armor Class if immobilized. A savage with this ability can still lose her Dexterity bonus to Armor Class if an opponent successfully uses the feint action against her.

If a savage already has uncanny dodge from a different class, she automatically gains improved uncanny dodge (see below) instead.

Danger Sense (Ex)

At 3rd level, a savage gains a +1 insight bonus to initiative rolls. This bonus increases by +1 every three savage levels thereafter (6th, 9th, 12th, 15th, and 18th level). In addition, if an opponent acts against the savage with a ranged attack in a surprise round, she gains a +1 circumstance bonus to AC until the end of her next turn. This bonus increases by +1 every three levels (up to +6 at 15th level).

Fast Movement (Ex)

At 3rd level, a savage gains an enhancement bonus to her land speed, as shown on Table: Savage. A savage in medium or heavy armor or carrying a medium or heavy load loses this extra speed.

Wild Resilience (Ex)

In a psionics conversant campaign, regardless of whether psionic/magic transparency exists, the Savage can choose a psionic discipline as her chosen school.

At 3rd level, the savage chooses a school of magic that she is exceptionally resistant to. A savage gains a +2 bonus on saving throws against spells and effects of her chosen school.

Feral Pool (Ex)

At 4th level, a savage gains a pool of feral points, powerful primal energy she can use to accomplish amazing feats of strength and ferocity. The number of points in a savage’s feral pool is equal to ½ her savage level + her Constitution modifier.

As long as the savage has at least 1 point in her feral pool, and is currently in her primal state she can make a brutal strike.

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  • At 4th level, brutal strike allows her weapon attacks to be treated as magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
  • At 9th level, her weapon attacks are also treated as cold iron and silver for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
As long as the savage is in her primal state, by spending 1 point from her feral pool as a swift action, a savage can do one of the following:

The feral pool is replenished each morning after 8 hours of rest; these hours do not need to be consecutive.

Staunch Recovery (Ex)

At 4th level, a savage can draw upon her own internal fortitude to heal her own bruises and strains as a move action. By expending 1 point from her feral pool, she can heal a number of non-lethal hit point damage equal to her savage level, or remove a number of rounds of the shaken, fatigued or sickened conditions equal to her Constitution modifier.

Improved Uncanny Dodge (Ex)

At 5th level, a savage can no longer be flanked. This defense denies a rogue the ability to sneak attack the savage by flanking her unless the attacker has at least four more rogue levels than the target has savage levels. If a character already has uncanny dodge (see above) from another class, the levels from the classes that grant uncanny dodge stack to determine the minimum rogue level required to flank the character.

Wild Fortitude (Ex)

At 7th level, a savage gains a +2 bonus on all saving throws against disease and poison. This bonus increases to +4 at 10th level, and then again to +6 at 13th level. At 16th level, a savage becomes completely immune to diseases and poison.

Feral Vigor (Ex)

At 7th level, a savage can heal a number of hit points per day equal to the standard healing rate + double her Constitution bonus. She heals even if she does not rest. This healing replaces her normal natural healing. If the savage is tended successfully by someone with the Heal skill, she instead regains double the normal amount of hit points + double her Constitution bonus.

At 9th level, by expending 2 points from her feral pool as a standard action, the savage can remove a number of rounds of the exhausted, frightened or nauseated conditions equal to her Constitution modifier.

Additionally, by spending 2 points from her feral pool as a free action she can increase the duration of her rampage by one round.

Ferocity (Ex)

At 11th level, a savage remains conscious and can continue fighting even if her hit point total is below 0. The savage is still staggered and loses 1 hit point each round. The savage still dies when her hit point total reaches a negative amount equal to her Constitution score.

In addition, during a rampage and as long as the savage has attained her primal state, she gains a +2 circumstance bonus on all rolls made to confirm a critical hit.

Indomitable Mind (Ex)

At 14th level, while in primal state, a savage’s bonus on saving throws against spells and effects of her chosen school increases to +4.

Blood Rage (Su)

At 17th level, gains the ability to enter a blood rage for 1 minute as though using the spell blood rage. The savage becomes angrier as she fights, the pain of her wounds fueling her strength. She gains a cumulative +2 morale bonus to Strength and a cumulative –1 penalty to AC for every 5 points of damage she takes (maximum +10 Strength, –5 AC) for the duration of the effect. These bonuses last until the time expires or the savage falls unconscious. This ability only affects the savage and cannot be used to make other creatures enter a blood rage. Using this ability is a move action that consumes 3 points from her feral pool.

Supreme Ferocity (Ex)

At 20th level, when a savage’s hit point total is below 0, she immediately stabilizes and no longer gains the staggered condition. Also, whenever a creature rolls to confirm a critical hit against the savage, it must roll twice and take the lowest result. In addition, the savage gains a +4 morale bonus to all rolls made to confirm a critical hit.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

The Savage ©2014 Forest Guardian Press. Authors: Morgan Boehringer, Jim Wettstein, Keil Hubert and Christos Gurd.

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