Ulfhander

The key to the Ulfhander power, other than their faith and worship of Wotan, is their divinely blessed cloaks. These cloaks, made from the whole skins of wolves that a prospective Ulfhander has killed in unarmed combat, grant them their powers. With their cloak on, the Ulfhander can ignore injury, fight with a ferocious rage, and even assume the form of a wolf. Without it, they are just a normal man, albeit one who has spent the better part of their life alternating between contemplation of the divine and training for war.

Much like their bearsarker cousins, the Ulfhander practice esoteric rituals and spend a great deal of time outside of combat in prayer and meditation. Whereas the bearsarkers tend towards meditation, scarification, and personal sacrifice as routes to the divine, the Ulfhander take a more active approach and seek to understand the boundaries between man and beasts, and men and gods, by regularly blurring those boundaries. Vision quests, time spent living as a wolf, and other odd behaviors are common. It is not unheard of for an Ulfhander to become entranced by the beauty of the Allfather’s creation and stand still, marveling at the mysteries in new fallen snow, sunrises, or still ponds.

Fury of the Gods (Ex)

This works the same as a barbarian’s normal rage class feature; however, the number of rounds per day an Ulfhander can rage is equal to 4 + their Wisdom modifier rather than Constitution.

They gain additional rounds at the normal rate. Also, bearsarkers gain Knowledge (religion) as a class skill.

This replaces rage.

Sacred Wolfskin (Su)

Each Ulfhander obtains a sacred wolfskin at 1st level that they have hunted barehanded. When worn, this wolfskin grants the Ulfhander DR 1/—, which increases by +1 at 3rd level and every three levels after that (at 6th, 9th, 12th, 15th, and 18th). If the Ulfhander is not wearing their sacred wolfskin, they do not have access to the fury of the gods, brother of the wolf, skin of the wolf, or rage powers class features. Ulfhanders are not proficient in any armor and may not wear armor and also wear their sacred wolfskin.

This replaces the normal barbarian armor proficiencies as well as damage reduction.

If the wolfskin is lost or destroyed, the Ulfhander must spend 3 months in uninterrupted contemplation while hunting a new wolf to replace it.

Brother of the Wolf (Ex)

At 4th level, the Ulfhander may form a bond with a wolf. This functions as a druid’s nature bond class feature, save that the effective druid level of the character is their levels in Ulfhander archetype –3. At 8th level and every four levels after that (12th, 16th, and 20th), the Ulfhander may add an additional wolf companion to their pack, up to a maximum of their Charisma modifier.

Skin of the Wolf (Su)

At 6th level, the Ulfhander may transform into a wolf as a druid’s wild shape class feature, but the Ulfhander becomes a specific individual wolf. The effect lasts a number of hours equal to the character’s levels in Ulfhander –3. The Ulfhander may use this ability once per day at 6th level, and an additional number of times per day every two levels after to a maximum of eight times a day at 18th level.

This replaces trap sense, uncanny dodge, and improved uncanny dodge.

Rage Powers: The following rage powers complement the Ulfhander: animal fury, beast totem*, greater beast totem*, lesser beast totem*, night vision, raging leaper, scent, and terrifying howl.