WARRIOR-RANGER KIT Seeker Description: A Seeker is a Ranger who has dedicated him- or herself to the pursuit of spiritual awareness and self-enlightenment and striving to understand the relationship between the sentient humanoid races and the natural world. They view animals and humanoid creatures alike as fellow travelers on this spiritual journey, and they take as the symbol of their ideals a single natural animal type from their native terrain, seeking to demonstrate and exemplify the qualities of that animal in their life. Seekers can come from any cultural background. Those from wilderness backgrounds often follow a sort of shamanistic totem worship, while those from urban backgrounds may have begun their careers as students of priests or philosophers but who have become hungry for knowledge that cannot be learned from books. Regardless of their background, all Seekers feel compelled to embark upon a wilderness pilgrimage that may last the rest of their lives. No particular religion is common to all Seekers, but all are intensely spiritual in their outlook on life and most follow the path of deities who represent thought, philosophy, reason, or simply nature itself, but all Seekers share a reverence for life and a philosophy that embodies discipline, personal responsibility, and self-sacrifice. Like standard Rangers, Seekers must be of good alignment. They share the usual racial restrictions of Rangers, save that tieflings simply cannot manage the peaceful contemplation and communion with nature that a Seeker requires; however, halflings can and do become Seekers. In addition to normal ability score requirements, a Seeker must have a Wisdom score of at least 15. In addition, they must meet any ability score requirements and/or alignment restrictions appropriate for Clerics of the deity they worship. Weapons & Armor: In keeping with their desire to attune with nature, Seekers will only use armor and shields manufactured of 'natural' materials, such as leather, hide, cloth, wood, and bone (note that they can fashion or purchase studded leather or hide armor using bone or stone in place of metal studs). Less concerned with combat than other Rangers, Seekers often spend weapon proficiency slots to learn peaceful skills instead (see Special Benefits). All Seekers, though, must become proficient in staff or club (any) and one of the following weapons: axe (hand), bow (short), dagger or knife (any), light crossbow, sling, or staff sling. Special Benefits: Seekers are naturally very curious and studious and love to learn, favoring the study of peaceful arts over the study of war. Hence, they may use weapon proficiency slots to learn non-weapon proficiencies, and in fact at least half of a Seeker's weapon proficiency slots must be spent in this fashion. Animal Empathy: As a standard Ranger. In addition, since Seekers are very attuned to the animal world any attempt by a Seeker to use Animal Empathy forces affected animals to make two saving throws. If either fails, the animals have their reaction modified by one step in the direction desired by the Seeker. If both are failed, the reaction will be adjusted by two steps. In addition, a Seeker's Sacred Animal suffers double the usual saving throw penalty to resist his or her Animal Empathy power. Followers: As a standard Ranger. Pathfinding: As a standard Ranger. Primary Terrain: As a standard Ranger. Priestly Powers: Seekers are much more proficient at magic than are other Rangers, gaining access to any two of the following spheres: All, Divination, Elemental (if appropriate to their home terrain--check with the DM), Healing, or Protection. These bonus spheres are in addition to their normal Ranger spheres, but they must be chosen at the time the Seeker gains spellcasting ability at 6th level and cannot be changed thereafter. A Seeker can also choose to exchange any or all of these 'bonus' spheres and/or his or her normal Ranger spell spheres with other spheres usually granted by their deity, and a Seeker must take any 'obligatory' spheres (e.g., Sun for Pelor, Healing for Ilmatar). Like any Ranger, a Seeker can also cast any unique spells granted by their particular deity, even if such spells do not fall within their allowed spheres. Likewise, bonus spells for high Wisdom do not apply for a Seeker. Seekers have a much more favorable spell progression than other Rangers, as described on the table below: Ranger Casting Priest Spell Levels Level Level 1 2 3 4 6 1 1 - - - 7 2 2 - - - 8 3 2 1 - - 9 4 2 2 - - 10 5 2 2 1 - 11 6 3 2 1 - 12 7 3 2 2 - 13 8 3 3 2 1 14 9 3 3 3 1 15 10 4 4 3 1 16+ 11 4 4 3 2 In addition to their enhanced spellcasting abilities, Seekers gain the granted powers of a priest of their deity of a level equal to their 'casting level', up to a maximum of 11th level equivalency as a 16th level Seeker. Granted powers gained above this level can never be attained by a Seeker. Note that Seekers never gain the power to turn or command undead. Finally, Seekers can make use of any magical staff that is usable by priests of their religion, and a Seeker of 6th level or above can make use of priestly scroll spell scrolls as if he or she as a priest of equal level. Roguish Repertoire: As a standard Ranger. Sacred Animal: At 1st level, a Seeker must choose a particular natural animal native to their Primary Terrain as their Sacred Animal, the animal that exemplifies the natural virtues to which he or she aspires. A Seeker will usually carry some emblem or token that notes his or her 'totem' species, and a Seeker also gains certain powers with regard to their Sacred Animal (note that these powers apply to any animal of that species, not one specific animal). At 1st level, a Seeker can speak with animals with his or her Sacred Animal type at will. At 4th level, he or she gains the equivalent of the psionic animal affinity power, which can be used once per day for every four levels of experience (rounding down), with each use of the power lasting 1 round per level. At 8th level or higher the Seeker gains the ability to shape change into the form of his or her totem animal once per day, with the change lasting up to 1 turn per level. Finally, at 12th level or above the Seeker gains the power to embark on a 'spirit-journey'. Use of this power causes the Seeker to go into a deep trance and sends the Seeker's spirit forth in the form of his or her totem animal. During the spirit-journey the Seeker is not aware of what transpires around his or her body. One turn after entering the trance, the Seeker's spirit form appears within 100 yards of the character's body and can then move any distance from the character. The spirit form is an actual physical manifestation that appears to all observation short of true seeing to be a normal animal and that may function as normal. The spirit form has the hit points, saving throws, and THAC0 of the Seeker, an Armor Class of 0, and inflicts damage as appropriate to the creature type. In addition, the Seeker in spirit form gains a +2 bonus to saving throws vs. mental attacks of all types and may use all senses of the spirit form. Damage suffered by the spirit form is transferred to the Seeker's body. The spirit form cannot communicate with human or demi-human creatures not using speak with animals or similar magic, but it can communicate with other animals of the same type. The spirit form can be created only once per day, for a maximum of one turn per level of the Seeker. The power can be ended at any time, causing the spirit form to vanish and the Seeker to regain consciousness. The trance will also be ended if the Seeker's body is shaken, attacked, or otherwise roughly disturbed. At the end of the trance, the Seeker must make a save vs. death magic with a -4 penalty and no other modifiers. If successful, he or she suffers no special ill effects from using the power. If failed, however, he or she will be effectively stunned for 1 round for every turn spent in spirit form, and in addition will be weakened thereafter, suffering the effects of a ray of enfeeblement spell, until one turn is spent resting. As noted above, damage suffered when in spirit form is transferred to the Seeker's actual body; however, it is more easily healed than normal damage directly to the Seeker, and hit points lost in this fashion will be regained at a rate of 1 per hour after the Seeker returns to his or her own body. Magical curing works normally to cure this damage but does not gain any special enhancement. Finally, any spells cast by a Seeker to benefit a Sacred Animal have double the normal effect. If a Seeker uses any charm-type spell upon a Sacred Animal (e.g., animal friendship, hold animal, or charm person or mammal), it suffers a -4 penalty to its saving throw. A Seeker has double the normal chance to successfully bring Sacred Animals through the use of an animal summoning spell, but will never do so to use them in a combat situation (e.g., they might be summoned to carry a message, bear the Seeker and his or her party to safety, or any other noncombat use the Seeker might devise). A Sacred Animal aiding the Seeker (whether summoned, befriended, charmed, or whatever) will of course fight back if it is attacked, but a Seeker will never intentionally place a Sacred Animal in a dangerous situation, and he or she will always lend aid (and render healing) to a Sacred Animal in preference to other characters. Species Enemy: As a standard Ranger. In addition, because of their strong religious affiliation, Seekers may select a specific religious group or cult opposed to his or her faith as a Species Enemy (though he or she must be aware of their affiliation in order to gain the bonus). Tracking: As a standard Ranger. Special Hindrances: Seekers are contemplative by nature, and they must spend at least one hour each day in silent meditation. This hour must always be undertaken at the same time of day; this is decided when the character is created and may not be changed thereafter. If a Seeker is interrupted for more than one round per level while meditating, he or she suffers a -1 penalty to all attack rolls and ability checks and casts spells as if one level lower for the following day. Note that this may result reduce or eliminate the ability to cast spells of a given level (or at all), depending on the Seeker's level. If prevented from meditating at all, these penalties are doubled. Their contemplative nature leads to the study of peace and the search for truth, but it leaves relatively little time for study of the arts of war. Seekers do not gain the Missile Mastery of other Rangers, and they can never specialize in a weapon of any kind and can never take proficiency in a sword of any type. They also must spend at least half of their weapon proficiency slots to purchase non-weapon proficiencies. Seekers are also forbidden from learning non-weapon proficiencies from the Warrior list (unless they are Preferred Proficiencies), though they do retain access to the Priest, Rogue, and General lists. Finally, time spent in meditation and thought while becoming a Seeker precludes the Superior Conditioning enjoyed by other Rangers. In addition to the above, a Seeker's Sacred Animal applies certain restrictions. He or she is forbidden from intentionally or unintentionally inflicting harm on his or her Sacred Animal or from standing by while others do so, and in fact is required to care for injured or ailing members of the species that are encountered and must liberate captives of that species held against their will. This requirement excludes followers of other Rangers or domesticated animals serving as pets or mounts. However, it does include farm animals that are being raised for consumption. Seekers must also protect their Sacred Animal from hunters, trappers, and predators whenever possible. If a Seeker violates any of these requirements, he or she will be consumed with guilt and remorse, preventing spellcasting or the utilization of any class abilities for a full week. If his or her action or inaction directly results in the death of a Sacred Animal, he or she loses all powers for a full month. Completion of an atonement will reduce by half the amount of time that powers are lost in either case. Bonus Proficiencies: Survival (home terrain), Tracking Required Proficiencies: Animal Lore, Religion Preferred Proficiencies: Agriculture, Ancient History, Animal Handling, Animal Noise, Animal Training, Artistic Ability, Carpentry, Cobbling, Endurance, Healing, Herbalism, Language (Ancient), Medicine, Mountaineering, Navigation, Pottery, Reading/Writing, Riding (Land-based), Riding Specialization, Running, Spellcraft, Survival, Veterinary Healing, Weaving, Wickerwork