The Garundi Wilds
Garund is a massive continent with many biomes. Its environs run the gamut from deserts to rain forests to magic-twisted badlands. Characters of classes at home in the wild draw inspiration from the beasts of these lands to develop new forms and techniques.
GARUNDI ANIMAL ASPECTS
Most shifters take aspects suited to the environments in which they find themselves. Deinonychus and monkey aspects are common in the Mwangi Expanse. Shifters in the Sodden Lands take frog and snake forms, while in the deserts of Osirion and Thuvia, they roam the wilds as bulls and falcons. Heroes from the deserts of northern Garund might choose the horse or lion aspects, while those in the southern jungles take the shapes of giant wasps or snapping turtles. Each of the following aspects has an entry for shifters using the alternate natural attacks rules found on page 8 of Pathfinder Player Companion: Wilderness Origins.
Elephant
The elephant is a symbol of both power and wisdom in Garund and Vudra. Shifters who take this aspect learn the value of applying their strength with precision. An elephant’s alternate attacks are gore (P) and slam (
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Minor Form: You gain a +4 enhancement bonus on bull rush and overrun combat maneuver checks. At 8th level, this bonus increases to +6, and at 15th level it increases to +8.
Major Form: Your shape changes to that of a Large adolescent elephant (as an elephant, but with a space of 10 feet). While in this form, you gain low-light vision, scent, a gore attack (1d6 damage), and a slam attack (1d8 damage) with a 5-foot reach. You also gain a +2 racial bonus to Strength and to natural armor. While in this form, you can carry a Medium bipedal creature on your back, allowing you to act as the creature’s mount. At 8th level, you gain trample, as the universal monster rule, dealing your shifter claw damage. At 15th level, you gain Improved Bull Rush as a bonus feat, and your racial bonus to Strength and natural armor increases to +4.
Horse
The aspect of the horse grants speed and maneuverability. A horse’s alternate attack is hoof (
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Minor Form: You gain the Endurance feat as well as an enhancement bonus of +5 feet to your base speed. At 8th level, you gain the Run feat. If you already have the Run feat, you instead can run at 6 times your base speed when using the Run feat. At 15th level, your enhancement bonus to your base speed increases to +15.
Major Form: Your shape changes to that of a horse (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 177). While in this form, you gain a base speed of 50 feet, low-light vision, scent (30 feet), and the ability to move before and after an attack, as if you had the Ride-By Attack feat. At 8th level, you can move through threatened squares without provoking attacks of opportunity, and you gain trample, as the universal monster rule, dealing your shifter claw damage. At 15th level, you gain Improved Overrun as a bonus feat, even if you do not meet the prerequisites.
Lion
Lions hunt in prides, cooperating to bring down large opponents and defend their territory. A lion’s alternate attack is bite (B, P, S).
Minor Form: You gain a +4 competence bonus on Intimidate checks. This bonus increases to +6 at 8th level and +8 at 15th level.
Major Form: Your shape changes to that of a dire lion (Bestiary 193). While in this form, you gain a base speed of 40 feet, low-light vision, and scent (30 feet). Once per day for every 2 shifter levels you have, you can utter a mighty roar, allowing you to attempt an Intimidate check with a +5 circumstance bonus to demoralize enemies within 30 feet. Allies gain a +1 morale bonus on attack and damage rolls against creatures affected by this ability. At 8th level, you gain one of the following teamwork feats as a bonus feat: OutflankAPG, Pack AttackUC, Paired OpportunistsAPG, or Shake It OffUC. You can grant allies within 30 feet the benefits of this feat as a swift action for a number of rounds equal to 3 + your Wisdom modifier. At 15th level, you provide a flanking bonus to any ally who threatens the same opponent as you do, and you can change places with an adjacent ally as a move action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity, as if using the Swap PlacesAPG feat.
Giant Wasp
The aspect of the wasp grants flight and a venomous sting, as well as great mental resistance. A giant wasp’s alternate attack is sting (P).
Minor Form: You gain a +4 bonus on Will saves against mind-affecting affects. This bonus increases to +6 at 8th level and +8 at 15th level.
Major Form: Your shape changes to that of a giant wasp (Bestiary 275). This ability uses the vermin shapeUM spell, rather than beast shape, for the purposes of wild shape. While in this form, you gain a fly speed of 40 feet (clumsy), and swarms and vermin do not attack you unless magically commanded to do so. At 8th level, this fly speed increases to 60 feet (average), and you gain a sting attack usable a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Wisdom modifier, which applies the following poison.
Wasp Venom (Ex): Sting—injury; save Fort DC = 10 + half your shifter level + your Constitution modifier; frequency 1/round for 4 rounds; effect 1d3 Dex damage; cure 2 consecutive saves. At 15th level, your fly speed increases to 80 feet (good), and you can attempt to gain control of a mindless swarm as a full-round action. To gain control of the swarm, you must succeed at a Charisma check against a DC of 10 + the swarm’s CR. You can direct the swarm to disperse, remain in a designated location, or attack an opponent. This control lasts for a number of rounds equal to half your shifter level.
Snapping Turtle
Long-lived and resilient, turtles embody wisdom and endurance in many cultures. Those who take this aspect gain profound insight as well as remarkable resilience. A snapping turtle’s alternate attack is bite (B, P, S).
Minor Form: You gain a +2 enhancement bonus to Wisdom. At 8th level, this bonus increases to +4, and at 15th level, it increases to +6.
Major Form: Your shape changes to that of a Large giant snapping turtle (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 2 273). While in this form, you gain low-light vision, scent (30 feet), a swim speed of 20 feet, and a bite attack (1d8 + 1-1/2 your Strength modifier damage). At 8th level, you gain an insight bonus equal to your Wisdom modifier to your CMD against bull rush, dragAPG, overrun, repositionAPG, and trip attempts. At 15th level, you gain DR 5/silver.