Class: Zodiac
The Zodiac
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| Bending | Maneuvers | ||||||||
| Level | Special | Flux Die | Stress Limit | Max Gift Grade | Suites | Gifts Known | Max Maneuver Grade | Schools | Maneuvers Known |
| 1 | Combat Style, Wildshape | d2 | 2 | Small | 1 | 2 | Basic | 1 | 2 |
| 2 | Variance | d2 | 3 | Small | 1 | 3 | Basic | 1 | 3 |
| 3 | d3 | 3 | Small | 1 | 4 | Basic | 1 | 4 | |
| 4 | Variance | d3 | 3 | Small | 1 | 5 | Basic | 1 | 5 |
| 5 | d3 | 4 | Modest | 2 | 6 | Lesser | 1 | 6 | |
| 6 | Variance | d3 | 4 | Modest | 2 | 6 | Lesser | 1 | 6 |
| 7 | d4 | 5 | Modest | 2 | 7 | Lesser | 1 | 7 | |
| 8 | Variance | d4 | 5 | Modest | 2 | 8 | Lesser | 1 | 8 |
| 9 | d4 | 5 | Modest | 2 | 9 | Lesser | 2 | 9 | |
| 10 | Zodiac Talent | d4 | 6 | Modest | 2 | 10 | Lesser | 2 | 10 |
| 11 | d6 | 6 | Modest | 3 | 11 | Lesser | 2 | 11 | |
| 12 | Zodiac Talent | d6 | 7 | Fair | 3 | 11 | Expert | 2 | 11 |
| 13 | d6 | 7 | Fair | 3 | 12 | Expert | 2 | 12 | |
| 14 | Zodiac Talent | d6 | 7 | Fair | 3 | 13 | Expert | 2 | 13 |
| 15 | d8 | 8 | Fair | 3 | 14 | Expert | 2 | 14 | |
| 16 | Zodiac Talent | d8 | 8 | Fair | 3 | 15 | Expert | 2 | 15 |
| 17 | d8 | 9 | Fair | 4 | 16 | Expert | 2 | 16 | |
| 18 | Zodiac Talent | d8 | 9 | Fair | 4 | 16 | Expert | 2 | 16 |
| 19 | d10 | 9 | Generous | 4 | 17 | Greater | 2 | 17 | |
| 20 | Zodiac Talent | d10 | 10 | Generous | 4 | 18 | Greater | 2 | 18 |
Contents
Zodiac
- "The energy within reflects the energy without: manipulate one, manipulate the other."
Among those who first investigated the mysteries of the Natural world were those who felt the movement of the elements within their souls. The first tribe of spoken so affected were attuned strongly to the moons, and when the moons waxed in power, at their strongest, some members of their tribe underwent a transformation into great wolves, retaining almost none of their memory and acting purely on instinct. When dawn came, they reverted back to their natural states, with little memory of what had passed.
The legend of these creatures - these "werewolves" - was passed down through history, and other stories similar became known: in instances of extreme elemental flux, where one element dominated all others, some people would seemingly spontaneously transform into great beasts. As knowledge of the elements - and Nature itself - grew, some investigated these strange happenings, and eventually a conclusion was reached. In some instances, those whose souls were reincarnated experienced a particularly strong "bath" of elemental energy on their return journey to the prime. These souls, marked by Gaia, would then - and forevermore - be intimately tied to that element, their soul echoing the ebb and flow of that element's presence in the prime.
As time passed, while some of these souls remained pure, others were exposed to other elemental energies on their eternal cycle between the prime and the Soulfont, mixing into unusual combinations and resulting in new "weres," as they were generically known. These individuals learned that while their response to a particular element's stimulus was reduced, they were much more able to control the power: at first only retaining memories of their actions, but - with further mental discipline - able to actually control it, and a very select few, to command it, voluntarily undergoing their transformation even when their elements were waning.
These touched individuals determined that extreme mental and physical control were necessary to understand and exploit their abilities to the fullest. Already somewhat attuned to Nature, they turned to shamans and callers to assist them in learning to calm the storm in their souls and listen to the song of the elements, but they also turned to martial masters, seeking teachers who would instill in them the discipline they needed to take full command of their faculties and unlock the power of controlling their transformations.
Those first individuals who learned to truly and completely harness the power within their souls learned that the form they took was not fixed: while the elemental powers influenced them, they did not control them, and with sufficient clarity of mind and soundness of body, they could transform themselves into any number of creatures. To demonstrate this, many of the first crop of this new breed of warrior took on forms resembling the constellations, and thus was their order named: the zodiac.
Today, this unusual effect on souls is relatively well-understood, and enclaves dot the worlds of Trinity that will take in those ancient souls who have been touched by Gaia in this fashion, to teach them to overcome, control, and harness their inner beast - as they have many times before, and will do many times again.
Game Rule Information
Zodiacs have the following game statistics.
Force Alignment: Nature.
Force Resistances: DI 5 + level, VI 5 + level.
Abilities: Depending upon their combat style, zodiacs can make good use of a physical attribute. As a bender, zodiacs also rely heavily upon Wisdom.
Hit Points at 1st Level: 15 + Con score.
Hit Points at Each Additional Level: 9 + Con modifier.
Healing Surges: 10 + Con modifier.
Defenses: Fort +2; Ref +2; Will +2; Det +2.
Skills: Zodiacs are trained in Nature (Int) and Tactics (Int), plus any four skills from the zodiac class skill list, below.
- Acrobatics (Dex)
- Athletics (Str)
- Endurance (Con)
- Insight (Wis)
- Intimidate (Cha)
- Notice (Per)
- Stealth (Dex)
Starting Age: Simple.
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the zodiac.
Proficiencies
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Weapons: Choose three.
Armor: Light, Mystic.
Implements: Essences, totems.
Combat Style
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At first level, the zodiac decides which combat style she will pursue. Choose one of the following; once you have made a selection, it cannot be changed later.
▶ Archer
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Archer stuff!
▶ Berserker
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Berserker stuff!
▶ Defender
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Defender stuff!
▶ Falconer
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Falconer stuff!
▶ Karateka
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Karateka stuff!
▶ Unfettered
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Unfettered stuff!
Wildshape
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The echoes of powerful elemental energy linger within the zodiac's soul. Through intense training and meditation, she has learned to control that power, and can tap into it when she requires it - for zodiacs, this is the power to change her shape into that of an animal.
Natural Weapons
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| Name | Key Stat | Defense | Damage Potency | Damage Type | Speed |
| Bite | Strength | Fortitude | 3 | Piercing | +0 |
| Claw | Strength | Reflex | 3 | Slashing | +0 |
| Hoof | Constitution | Reflex | 3 | Bludgeoning | +0 |
| Horn | Constitution | Fortitude | 4 | Piercing | -2 |
| Spine | Constitution | Reflex | 3 | Piercing | +0 |
| Sting | Dexterity | Reflex | 2 | Piercing | +2 |
| Tentacle | Dexterity | Fortitude | 2 | Bludgeoning | +0 |
| Wing | Dexterity | Reflex | 2 | Bludgeoning | +0 |
At first level, you choose a single aspect from the zodiac aspect list: bear, crab, deinonychus, horse, owl, spider, and wolf.
- Meta: Don't see an animal you want to be on the list? Ask, and it can probably be added. Keep in mind, though, that these are intended to be relatively broad categories: don't bother me about adding Clydesdales, for instance, we already have "horse" as an option.
As a move action, you can switch between your natural shape and any aspect you have access to, or from your current aspect into your natural shape. There is no limit on duration or on uses of this ability.
Each aspect has three different grades: kin, were, and true; when you use your wildshape ability, you choose which of the three you want to wildshape into. You can use your wildshape ability again to change between your natural form and the three forms for the aspect you are currently in, but cannot wildshape into a different aspect (for instance, if you are currently a wolfkin, you can wildshape into either your natural form or werewolf form, but not to your wereowl form).
While in a aspect, none of your statistics change other than those specified by the aspect itself. However, your appearance can change dramatically, depending on the grade of the aspect, and there are some other mechanical effects that occur regardless of the chosen aspect.
While in a kin aspect, you retain the majority of your natural features, but are noticeably "different" in several respects. Most people will probably not notice or comment, and the changes can mostly be passed off as quirks of your particular lineage.
While in a were aspect, you are roughly halfway between your natural form and the aspect in question. This typically means that at least your head and two of your limbs are noticeably different and significantly more like those of your chosen aspect than your natural form. While you can still communicate, it is more bestial-sounding than humanoid. In addition, because you have partially unleashed the elemental energies in your soul, your stress limit for all suites is halved, rounded down, minimum 1 (this halving is calculated after all other modifications to your stress limit, such as from feats). Unlike normal benders, this reduction in your stress limit does not automatically reduce your flux. Likewise, while your mind is still your own, martial disciplines were not developed by such creatures, and you suffer some penalties when using your maneuvers; see each combat style, above, for specifics.
While in a true aspect, you are entirely physically similar to an animal of the chosen aspect. While you may have superficial similarities to your natural form - your fur color may match your hair color, for instance - you are otherwise unremarkable and largely indistinguishable from a natural animal of that type. While in this form you have completely opened yourself to the elemental energies in your soul, and as such can no longer call upon Nature in any way: you cannot use gifts and your stress limit is reduced to 0. Unlike normal benders, this reduction in your stress limit does not automatically reduce your flux. Due to your completely animal nature you cannot use maneuvers while in this form.
However, while in a true aspect, you cannot communicate normally (you can still communicate via telepathy, if you have it), but you can communicate with normal animals of a similar kind to your own; nor can you make use of weapons, shields, armor, or tools, any of which that you were wearing or wielding fall to the ground in the square you are in when you use your wildshape ability to change into a true aspect. You are always proficient with the natural weapons you gain in a true aspect form. Kin aspects and were aspects do not have these restrictions.
You gain the shapeshifter descriptor.
Variance
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As the zodiac grows in power, her understanding of the elemental ebbs and flows within herself improves, and she gains increased control over these energies.
At 2nd, 4th, 6th, and 8th levels, choose one of the following abilities. Each ability can be taken only once unless otherwise specified.
▶ Absorbing Shape
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When you wildshape into a true aspect, your equipment fuses into your new form. While you cannot access your equipment, you do not lose it when you wildshape, and when you wildshape into your natural form, all of your gear reappears as it was before you used wildshape (for instance, if you were holding a weapon, when you return to your natural form, you are still holding that weapon).
▶ Infusing Shape
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Prerequisites: Absorbing Shape
When you wildshape into a true aspect, you can choose one item to which you are attuned: if a weapon, your natural attacks gain the properties of that item; if an armor, accessory, or implement, you retain the properties of that item.
You can take this ability multiple times. Each time you do, when you wildshape into an animal form, you can choose one additional item.
▶ Animal Speech
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When you wildshape into an animal form, you retain the ability to communicate normally.
▶ Extra Aspect
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You have attuned yourself to additional elemental energies within yourself.
Choose another aspect form from the zodiac morph list.
You can choose this ability multiple times. Each time you do, you select a different aspect from the zodiac aspect list.
▶ Feral Combat
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While in were form, you suffer no penalties when using maneuvers; while in true form, you can use maneuvers as though you were in were form.
You can take this ability twice. The second time you take it, you can use maneuvers in true and were forms as though you were in kin form.
▶ Nature's Child
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While in were form, you suffer no reduction to your stress limits. While in true form, your stress limits are halved, and you can continue to use gifts.
You can take this ability twice. The second time you take it, you suffer no reduction to your stress limit regardless of form, and can use gifts regardless of form.
▶ Quick Change
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You can use your wildshape ability as a swift action, rather than a move action.
▶ Animorph
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Prerequisites: Quick Change
When you wildshape, if you do so as a move action, you can change to a different aspect of the same grade.
Zodiac Talent
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Once you have reached tenth level as a zodiac, you can begin unlocking extreme mastery over the elemental forces within your soul.
At 10th level and every two levels thereafter, choose one of the following abilities. Unless otherwise specified, each ability can only be taken once.
▶ Attack of the Fifty-Foot Whatever
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When you use wildshape to turn into a true aspect, you can increase your size by one category.
▶ Evolution
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Choose another variance ability.
You can take this ability multiple times.
▶ Fun Size
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When you use wildshape to turn into a true aspect, you can reduce your size by one category.
▶ Multiaspect
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Prerequisites: At least two aspects
You have unlocked one of the deepest secrets of the zodiac: the ability to merge aspects together into a chimeric entity.
When you wildshape, you can choose one additional aspect. You gain the abilities granted by both aspects you choose, and your appearance changes appropriately. You must select the same grade for both aspects (kin, were, or true).
Any natural attacks you gain overlap and do not stack (for instance, if one aspect gives you two claw attacks, and another gives you two claw attacks, you only gain two claw attacks; if one grants two, while the other grants three, you gain three claw attacks). If you would be granted multiple types of armor, they do not stack, but overlap; for any given attack, use the most advantageous of the armor types you have, but you suffer the movement and speed penalties of both.
In the event of size category changes, add together the sum of changes. If the total sum of your size category changes from aspects is anything other than zero, your size changes that many categories or the most size category changes granted by one of your selected aspects, whichever is less.
- Example: Zara is a 12th-level human zodiac, and is using multiaspect to combine the true forms of bear, horse, and owl. Bear and horse both increase her size by one category, while owl decreases it by one. Owl and bear cancel out, while horse increases her size category by one. She is now Large. The fact that she is some kind of nightmarish combination of bear, horse, and owl traits is probably an image best left to the imagination.
While in a multiaspect form, you can wildshape to your natural form, wildshape all of your current aspects to another grade, or remove one aspect and replace it with another of the same grade. If you have the animorph variance, if you use wildshape as a move action, you can remove any number of aspects and replace them with an equal number of the same grade.
You can take this talent multiple times. Each time you do, when you wildshape, you can choose one additional aspect.
▶ Feat
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The zodiac may gain a bonus feat in place of a talent.
You can take this talent multiple times. Each time you do, you choose a new feat.
Gifts
The following are zodiac gifts, ordered by suite, then by grade.
Aspects
The following are zodiac aspects, which are the animal forms that zodiacs may undertake using their wildshape ability.
All benefits provided by an aspect are considered feat bonuses.
BEAR
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Your soul has been touched by the elemental powers associated with the bear. You are naturally powerful and territorial, with a strong protective instinct for those you consider family.
▶ Kin
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In this form, you are noticeably more physically robust than your size would otherwise suggest, and your face and hands might have some hint of ursine features.
You gain innate con up (1).
▶ Were
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In this form, your head and hands are almost completely bearlike, and you are covered in fur. Like so.
You gain innate con up (1), two claw attacks, and are treated as though wearing mail chainmail armor.
▶ True
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In this form, you are fully a bear. Like so.
You gain innate con up (1), a bite attack, two claw attacks, are treated as though wearing mail hauberk armor, and increase in size by one size category.
CRAB
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Your soul has been touched by the elemental powers associated with the crab. You are naturally territorial and mildly aggressive.
▶ Kin
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In this form, you may have hints of an exoskeleton, and your gait is significantly more crab-like.
When you shift, you can shift up to 10 feet.
▶ Were
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In this form, your head and hands are almost completely crablike, and you are covered in a hard exoskeleton. Like so.
When you shift, you can shift up to 10 feet, you gain two claw attacks, and are treated as though wearing mail chainmail.
▶ True
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In this form, you are fully a crab. Like so.
When you shift, you can shift up to 10 feet, you gain two claw attacks, are treated as though wearing mail chainmail, decrease in size by one category, and can breathe underwater.
DEINONYCHUS
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Your soul has been touched by the elemental powers associated with the deinonychus. You naturally fall into pack tactics, with a keen eye and hunting sense.
▶ Kin
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In this form, you have noticeably reptilian features, and your hands hide sharp talons.
You gain two claw attacks.
▶ Were
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In this form, your head and hands are almost completely deinonychus-like, and you are covered in scales.
You gain two claw attacks, a +2 bonus to Initiative, and a +10 bonus to your movement speed
▶ True
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In this form, you are fully a deinonychus. You may or may not have feathers, it's kind of up in the air at the moment.
You gain two claw attacks, a +4 bonus to Initiative, a +20 bonus to your movement speed, scent, and you benefit from the Spring Attack feat.
HORSE
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Your soul has been touched by the elemental powers associated with the horse. You are naturally somewhat flighty but have a strong back and can run for long periods of time without stopping.
▶ Kin
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In this form, your teeth are noticeably more flat than sharp, your laugh might sound just a bit more like a horse's whinny, and the nails on your feet are noticeably harder.
You gain a +10 bonus to your movement speed.
▶ Were
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In this form, your head is almost completely horselike, and your feet are now hooves. Like so.
You gain a +10 bonus to your movement speed, two hoof attacks, and a bonus to your healing surge value equal to your level.
▶ True
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In this form, you are fully a horse. Like so.
You gain +20 bonus to your movement speed, two hoof attacks, a bonus to your healing surge value equal to your level, are treated as though wearing leather jack armor, and increase in size by one size category.
OWL
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Your soul has been touched by the elemental powers associated with the owl. You have a tendency to cock your head at unusual angles and can be unnaturally stealthy.
▶ Kin
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In this form, your eyes are somewhat larger than they should be, and you make almost no sound as you move.
You gain a +4 bonus to Stealth checks.
▶ Were
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In this form, your head is almost completely owl-like, your feet are more like bird talons, and you have sprouted wings. Like so.
You gain a +4 bonus to Stealth checks, two claw attacks, and a fly speed of 10 feet.
▶ True
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In this form, you are fully an owl. Like so.
You gain a +8 bonus to Stealth checks, two claw attacks, a fly speed of 60 feet, darkvision, and decrease in size by one category.
SPIDER
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Your soul has been touched by the elemental powers associated with the spider. You are naturally really creepy, like claiming small areas as your personal domain, but are also somewhat more industrious.
▶ Kin
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In this form, you might have small bands of cilia on your hands and feet, and your pupils split, giving you two sets per eye.
You gain a climb speed of 20 feet.
▶ Were
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In this form, your head and hands are almost completely spiderlike, and you are covered in an exoskeleton.
You gain a climb speed of 20 feet, a bite attack, and you can use the web tech as a standard action.
▶ True
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In this form, you are fully a spider.
You gain a climb speed of 20 feet, a bite attack (if your attack exceeds the target's Fortitude by at least 5, the target also gains ongoing potency 2 poison damage [save ends]), you can use the web technic as a standard action, and decrease in size by one category.
WOLF
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Your soul has been touched by the elemental powers associated with the wolf. You might have a natural predilection for moving with a larger group, and have an intuitive understanding of social hierarchies and loyalty.
▶ Kin
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In this form, your ears might be a bit larger, your mouth and nose slightly more pronounced, your teeth a bit sharper than they should be, and you might have a tendency to hunch to have all your limbs closer to the ground.
You gain scent.
▶ Were
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In this form, your head is almost completely wolflike, and you are covered in fur. While you still have hands, they are noticeably more bestial in nature. Your feet are clearly paws, and your body structure has changed such that it can accommodate both being upright and on all fours. Like so.
You gain scent, a bite attack, and a +10 bonus to your movement speed.
▶ True
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In this form, you are fully a wolf. Like so.
You gain scent, low-light vision, a bite attack (if you also hit the target's Reflex, the target falls prone), a +20 bonus to your movement speed, and are treated as though wearing leather gear armor.
Feats
The following are a selection of feats that are relevant to zodiacs.
MULTIATTACK [General]
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| You are adept at wielding all of your natural weapons in tandem. |
| Benefit: When you make a physical attack with a natural weapon, if you have at least two natural weapons, you can declare one of them the primary and all others the secondaries. You use the primary weapon's attack bonuses and damage potency. If you hit, your attack only benefits from the properties of your primary weapon; you use the worse of the two weapon's speeds to determine any changes to your Initiative. In addition, when you declare your attack action, choose a number of the following equal to the number of secondary attacks you have; you can select the same option more than once, with the bonuses from this feat stacking with themselves. |
| You gain a +2 feat bonus to the attack roll. |
| If you hit, you gain a +1 feat bonus to your damage potency. This feat does not allow you to break the damage cap. |
| Your attack also gains the benefits of the properties of one of your secondary weapons. If you choose this option multiple times, you select a different secondary weapon each time. |
| Special: To benefit from this feat, the target of your attack must be within range of all of your natural weapons. |
| This feat counts as the Dual Wield feat for purposes of feat prerequisites. |
| If you have both this feat and Dual Wield, you can treat weapons you wield as secondary weapons for this feat, and natural attacks you have as secondary weapons for Dual Wield. Note that wielding a weapon may eclipse some of your natural attacks (for instance, if you have two claw attacks and are wielding a one-handed sword, you cannot make a claw attack with the hand wielding the sword). |
NATURE ADEPT CROSSTRAINING [Martial, Nature]
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| You study both of your chosen fields in tandem. |
| Prerequisites: Bender, Initiator. |
| Benefit: You gain knowledge of one additional gift of any grade you can access, of any suite you can access; and one additional maneuver of any grade you can access, of any school you can access. You can take this feat multiple times; its effect stacks. |
Design Notes
You know what I don't like? Rangers who cast spells. Never have, never will. So the ranger needs to go, but to replace it, we need a Nature adept.
Hence, I'm reviving the zodiac.
This class is intended to do two things: first, fill in the grid (Nature adept); and second, bring the metamorph back as a viable concept, albeit in a different form. The original metamorph was an attempt at making a class fully devoted to shapeshifting, or something akin to it. We... really can't reasonably do that in t20, as our grid (currently) doesn't allow for "force-aligned but non-casting" classes, which is what the metamorph would require.
Oh, and this fluff means that lycanthropy in Trinity is not transmittable via bite. It's literally a potential side-effect of reincarnation.
Oct 26, 2017: Apparently Paizo is doing a similar class in an upcoming book, so these mechanics are a bit up in the air while I wait for mechanics to... study.
Nov 5, 2017: ...and apparently Paizo completely and utterly failed at doing this properly. Idiots. I might mine it for ideas a bit, but ultimately, I basically need to do this myself.
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