Gourmand

Scholars debate the origin of the gourmand arts, though there are a few tales that are generally accepted among them. The first being that they are people who nearly starved to death and were brought back by a deity of hunger to gorge to their heart’s content. While another suggests they are vorpal knights who consumed the soul of some large mouthed creature and underwent rituals to gain the ability to swallow their foes whole. One thing that is agreed upon though, is that a gourmand’s hunger is matched by no other.

Role: A gourmand excels at close quarters combat, relying on grappling with and ultimately devouring their opponents. “You are what you eat,” is something very literal for them, because each meal grants them a wide variety of options they can use in combat to defeat their foes

Alignment: Any neutral.

Hit Die: d12

Starting Wealth: 2d6 × 10 gp (average 70 gp.) In addition, each character begins play with an outfit worth 10 gp or less.

Class Skills

The gourmand’s class skills are Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (dungeoneering) (Int), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).

Skill Ranks per Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Table: Gourmand

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	Bite Damage	Stomach Acid Damage
1st	+0	+2	+0	+0	Bonus feat, gourmand’s maw, digestion, regurgitate, indulgence	1d6	1d4
2nd	+1	+3	+0	+0	Indulgence taste	1d6	1d4
3rd	+2	+3	+1	+1	Indulgence	1d6	2d4
4th	+3	+4	+1	+1	Bonus feat, indulgence	1d8	2d4
5th	+3	+4	+1	+1	Indulgence	1d8	3d4
6th	+4	+5	+2	+2	Indulgence	1d8	4d4
7th	+5	+5	+2	+2	Bonus feat, indulgence	1d6	1d4
8th	+6/+1	+6	+2	+2	Indulgence	1d10	4d4
9th	+6/+1	+6	+3	+3	Indulgence	1d10	5d4
10th	+7/+2	+7	+3	+3	Bonus feat, empowered digestion 1, indulgence	1d10	5d6
11th	+8/+3	+7	+3	+3	Indulgence	1d10	6d6
12th	+9/+4	+8	+4	+4	Indulgence	2d6	6d6
13th	+9/+4	+8	+4	+4	Bonus feat, indulgence	2d6	7d6
14th	+10/+5	+9	+4	+4	Indulgence	2d6	7d6
15th	+11/+6/+1	+9	+5	+5	Empowered digestion 2, indulgence	2d6	8d6
16th	+12/+7/+2	+10	+5	+5	Bonus feat,  indulgence	2d8	8d6
17th	+12/+7/+2	+10	+5	+5	Indulgence	2d8	9d6
18th	+13/+8/+3	+11	+6	+6	Indulgence	2d8	9d6
19th	+14/+9/+4	+11	+6	+6	Bonus feat, indulgence	2d8	10d6
20th	+15/+10/+5	+12	+6	+6	The world’s a feast, indulgence	2d10	10d6

Class Features

The following are class features of the gourmand.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

A gourmand is proficient with all simple and martial weapons and with all armor (heavy, light, and medium) and shields (including tower shields).

Bonus Feat

At 1st-level and every three levels thereafter, a gourmand may select a bonus feat in addition to those gained from normal advancement.

These bonus feats must be selected from those listed as combat feats, or any feat pertaining to the Gourmand class. Gourmand class feats include; Belly Bulwark, Bound Bag, Extra Stomach, Food Chain, Gastric Prison, Great Appetite, Greater Appetite, Hungry Vortex, Precise Vortex, Voracious Vortex. (all of these feats are described in the product “Racial Profiles Expanded: Hungry Souls” (this source of this content).

Gourmand’s Maw (Ex)

At first level, a gourmand gains a bite attack. This is treated as a natural weapon with damage scaling as a monk’s unarmed attacks, one size category larger than the gourmand. Additionally, the gourmand may make use of the grab ability after a successful bite attack, and may attempt to swallow the target on following rounds, as per the rules for swallow whole.

A gourmand may attempt to swallow any target of Medium size or smaller. This size limitation increases to Large at 5th level, Huge at 10th level, Gargantuan at level 15, and Colossal at level 20. A successfully swallowed target is placed in a stomach dimension and suffers bludgeoning damage equal to the gourmand’s bite attack every round as well as 1d4 acid damage. This acid damage increases by 1d4 at every odd level.

The gourmand’s stomach’s AC is 10 + any natural armor bonus possessed by the gourmand. Each stomach has HP equal to 1/10 the gourmand’s HP + the gourmand’s level. A target that cuts their way free from the gourmand does not leave a hole, but is instead regurgitated by the gourmand into an adjacent square. A stomach that has been reduced to 0 HP cannot be used for 1d4 hours.

Eating a target at least one size category larger than the gourmand immediately causes the gourmand to become encumbered. This status can only be removed if the target is fully digested, escapes, or is used for the regurgitate class ability.

Table: Small and Large Bite Damage

Level	Damage (Small)	Damage (Large)
1st-3rd	1d4	1d8
4th-7th	1d6	2d6
8th-11th	1d8	2d8
12th-15th	1d10	3d6
16th-19th	2d6	3d8
20th	2d8	4d8

Digestion (Ex)

At first level, a gourmand who has defeated an opponent with their gourmand’s maw ability may choose to digest them. Digestion requires 8 hours of rest, at the end of which the target’s body is absorbed by the gourmand, and he may choose one ability from them. A gourmand must have at least one indulgence to use digestion. Upon gaining a level, a gourmand may choose to change the abilities granted by any of their meals. The gourmand may also choose to fully digest a meal, freeing up an indulgence, but losing any benefits it may have previously granted. A gourmand cannot digest any foe with hit die exceeding their gourmand level by four or more and regurgiates the target into a square adjacent to the them on the following round after being swallowed. Any magical items on a meal digested by a gourmand are automatically expelled once digestion is complete. Mundane items are destroyed.

Regurgitate (Ex)

A gourmand who begins their turn with a swallowed creature may choose to take a standard action to spit it at a nearby target, dealing bludgeoning damage. This is a ranged attack with a range increment of 20 feet that does not provoke attacks of opportunity. The attack deals 1d6 damage, increasing by 1d6 for each size category above Medium the regurgitated creature is. The regurgitated creature suffers this damage as well, but may make a Reflex save (DC of 10 + 1/2 gourmand’s level + Constitution modifier). Success results in half damage, while failure results in the regurgitated creature landing prone.

Additionally, the gourmand may make a special regurgitate attack as a 10 ft. cone breath weapon, that deals acid damage. This does not require the gourmand to have a swallowed target, and instead deals damage equal to the acid component of their swallow whole damage (1d4 at 1st level), plus their Constitution modifier.

The gourmand may make a standard regurgitate attack any time they have a creature held in one of their stomachs, however they may only use their acid breath a number of times per day equal to 1 + their Constitution modifier (if any).

Indulgence

The gourmand begins with a single Indulgence at 1st level and gains a new one every level thereafter. An indulgence is used to store the essence of a meal, which the gourmand may use to gain certain feats, racial traits, special attacks, or spell-like abilities from a digested creature. An indulgence can store one essence from a single meal. Certain essence, may require the gourmand to possess other essence to function. Each type of essence is explained in further detail later.

Empowered Digestion 1

Starting At level 10 the gourmand receives several benefits.

First, the dice used for both their swallow whole acid damage as well as their regurgitate bonus damage are increased from D4s to D6s.

Second, the time needed to digest a meal is reduced to one hour of rest and the time needed for a stomach to recover from being brought to 0 HP is reduced to 1D4 minutes

Additionally, a gourmand may choose to expel any mundane items from a meal that is completely digested.

Finally, the gourmand may choose to enhance their regurgitate ability with one benefit from the following list:

Forceful (Ex): The gourmand expels their meal with tremendous force, dealing additional bludgeoning damage equal to their bite to the target and regurgitated meal.

Lingering (Ex): Any target that suffers acid damage from the gourmand’s regurgitate ability suffers additional acid damage equal to the gourmand’s constitution score on the following round.

Lobbed (Ex): The gourmand can regurgitate over much longer distances, tripling the range increment for this ability

Splashing (Ex): The constitution based damage from the gourmand’s regurgitate ability is dealt as a splash to all targets within 5ft of the primary target

Empowered Digestion 2

At 15th level, the gourmand receives another set of improvements.

First, gourmands receive a second stomach, capable of holding an additional target of their swallow whole ability. This second stomach functions identically to the first. Swallowed targets in either stomach cannot interact with each other, a target escaping from either stomach is immediately ejected as normal, and a swallowed target larger than the gourmand in either stomach causes the gourmand to suffer the encumbered status. Stomachs reduced to 0 hit points now recover in 1d4 rounds.

Finally, the gourmand may select a second ability from the regurgitate benefit list. This ability stacks with the first selected ability, but the same benefit may not be selected twice.

The World’s a Feast (Ex)

At 20th level the gourmand’s powers reach their pinnacle. They receive two additional stomachs, and no longer suffer from encumbrance penalties when swallowing larger targets. Additionally, any target that ends its turn in a gourmand’s stomach is subjected to 1d4 points of temporary Constitution damage as the gourmand absorbs some of their essence.

Meal Essence

A digested meal has several traits that make up their essence. A gourmand can draw upon these to increase his strength, defense, and even grant him special abilities. Certain types of essence may only be equipped when the gourmand is strong enough to control it. In the same way, some essence may only offer a partial bonus until requirements are met. For a full list, refer to Table 2-2: Essence Restrictions..

Table: Aspect Restrictions

Level	Maximum Aspect Types*	Max Natural Armor Bonus	Max Damage Reduction	Allowed Immunities	Usable Attacks & Special Abilities	Usable Movement & Speed
1st	1	+1	+1	Sleep effects	Natural attacks	30 ft.
2nd	1	+1	+1	Deafness	Phylocrux (Sp)	30 ft.
3rd	1	+2	+3	Blindness, hunger	Special attacks Extraordinary (Ex)	40 ft. Swim
4th	2	+2	+3	Nauseated		40 ft.
5th	2	+3	+3	Fear, shaken, bleed, charm	Special attacks Supernatural (Su)	40 ft. Climb
6th	2	+3	+5	staggered, dazed		50 ft.
7th	3	+4	+5	Paralysis, drowning		50 ft. Fly (average)
8th	3	+4	+5	Mind-affecting		50 ft.
9th	3	+5	+5	Poison, disease		60 ft.
10th	3	+5	+10	Fire, cold, acid, electricity		60 ft. Burrow
11th	4	+6	+10	Petrification, gaze attacks		60 ft.
12th	4	+6	+10	Stun		70 ft.
13th	4	+7	+10	Sonic, channel energy		70 ft.
14th	4	+7	+10	Level drain, ability drain		70 ft.
15th	4	+8	+15	Precision damage, critical hits		80 ft. Any
16th	5	+8	+15	Force, psionics		80 ft.
17th	5	+9	+15	Spells, magic		80 ft.
18th	5	+9	+15	Death effects		90 ft.
19th	5	+10	+15	Weapon damage		90 ft.
20th	5	+10	+20	Any		100 ft.

*The gourmand may only have so many of a single type of aspect. Types include; damage reduction, feats, immunity, languages, natural armor, natural attacks, phylocrux, resistances, senses, skills, special attacks, speed, and spell resistance.

Damage Reduction (DR): A gourmand may choose one form of damage reduction if it is available. For example, if the creature has DR 10 vs cold iron or evil, she would have to choose between having DR 10 vs cold iron, or DR 10 vs evil.

Feats: A gourmand may choose to take any one feat possessed by the slain creature. They are still required to meet the feats prerequisites.

Immunity: A gourmand may choose one aspect of immunity if it is available from the slain creature. For example if the creature is immune to both electricity and petrification, the vorpal knight may choose to become immune to either electricity or petrification.

Languages: A gourmand gains every language possessed by the slain creature. This includes additional communication methods like telepathy.

Natural Armor: A gourmand may choose to equip a slain creature’s natural armor. This bonus does not stack with natural armor granted by spells or spell-like abilities. In such a case, the vorpal knight uses the higher armor bonus.

Natural Attacks: A gourmand may choose to take the aspect of any natural attack possessed by the slain creature. The damage dealt by this attack is always the same as the creature’s. For example, a barghest has a x2 claw attack that deals 1d4+4 damage, so the damage dealt would be 1d4 with any additional effects, such as grab. After acquiring a natural melee attack, it may manifest physically on the gourmand’s body. In the case of the barghest’s claws,the gourmand would gain a wicked set of sharp digits.

Phylocrux (Sp): Beginning at 2nd level a gourmand may gain a spell-like ability called a phylocrux when they digest a creature. The spell-like ability gained depends on the creature’s type and total combined HD, and/or class levels.

A gourmand may only use spell-like abilites acquired this way a number of times per day, similar to how a sorcerer or oracle casts their spells. See Table: Phylocrux Uses Per Day.

Table: Phylocrux Uses Per Day

Level	Tier 1 1st-5th	Tier 2 6th-10th	Tier 3 11th-15th	Tier 4 16th-20th
1st	3	—	—	—
2nd	3	—	—	—
3rd	3	—	—	—
4th	3	—	—	—
5th	3	—	—	—
6th	5	3	—	—
7th	5	3	—	—
8th	5	3	—	—
9th	5	3	—	—
10th	5	3	—	—
11th	7	5	3	—
12th	7	5	3	—
13th	7	5	3	—
14th	7	5	3	—
15th	7	5	3	—
16th	9	7	5	3
17th	9	7	5	3
18th	9	7	5	3
19th	9	7	5	3
20th	9	7	5	3

Type	Spell-Like Abilities by Hit Dice
	1-5	6-10	11-15	16-20
Aberration	Long arm	Cure serious wounds	Nightmare	Walk through space
Animal	Speak with animals	Animal aspect, greater	Strong jaw	Summon nature’s ally VIII
Construct	Stone fist	Burrow	Stoneskin	Iron body
Dragon	Burning hands	Draconic Indulgence	Dragon’s breath	Form of the dragon III
Fey	Disguise self	Fey form I	Breath of life	Euphoric tranquility
Humanoid	True strike	Haste	Truespeak	Shout, greater
Magical Beast	Cure light wounds	Fly	Hold monster	Protection from spells
Monstrous Humanoid	Enlarge person	Monstrous physique I	Animate dead VI	Giant form II
Ooze	Corrosive touch	Vomit twin	Ooze form I	Ooze form III
Outsider	Reduce person	Protection from energy	Elemental body II	Summon monster VIII
Plant	Entangle	Cure serious wounds	Plant shape I	Cure critical wounds, mass
Undead	Grasping corpse	Vampiric touch	Undead anatomy II	Inflict critical wounds, mass
Vermin	Ant haul	Vermin shape I	Insect plague	Verminous transformation

In the event an unlisted creature type is slain, ask your GM what spells might be appropriate substitutes, using the following as a general guideline, based upon the creature’s Hit Dice:

Hit Dice: 1-5—1st level spell or lower, 6-10—3rd level spell or lower, 11-15—5th level spell or lower, 16-20—8th level spell or lower.

Resistances: A gourmand may choose one type of energy resistance if it is available. For example if the slain creature has cold and fire resistance 10, he may choose a resistance of 10 to cold or fire.

Senses: A gourmand can choose any of the following senses if the slain creature possessed them: all-around vision, blindsight, darkvision, lifesense, low-light vision, and scent.

Skills: The gourmand may select any skill mentioned in the monster’s entry, or that a character had ranks in. She gains a bonus equal to one half her vorpal knight level on all checks with that skill. Additionally, the vorpal knight is treated as if they were trained in that skill.

Special Attacks: At 3rd level, a gourmand may choose to take a creature’s extraordinary special attacks. Starting at 5th level they may take supernatural special attacks. For instance, a behir has a breath weapon (20-foot line), that deals 7d6 electricity damage, with a reflex (DC 20) save for half, which can be used every 1d4 rounds. It also has a rake with 6 claws that deal 1d4+6 damage each. The vorpal knight may choose to equip the aspect of any one of these special attacks.

Speed: A gourmand may choose one type of movement or speed the slain creature possessed. For example, if the creature had a movement speed of 40 feet and a fly speed of 100 feet; the vorpal knight could choose to overwrite her old base speed with the new one. Or she could choose to gain a fly speed of 100 feet. Additionally, no matter how good the slain creature’s fly maneuverability (poor, average, good, perfect), the vorpal knight may only ever have a fly maneuverability of average or lower.

Spell Resistance (SR): A gourmand may choose to take a creature’s spell resistance as her own if it is available. If she takes another soul with spell resistance, they do not stack, she uses the greater of the two.