Animal

Animals are living vertebrates with no magic and no innate language or culture. Their identity comes from instinct, bodily adaptation and survival behavior: the body, senses, hunting style, home ground and reflexes of a natural beast.

Senses: normal (sight, hearing, smell, touch and taste) unless a trait says otherwise.

Subtypes

• Pack Hunter: defined by coordinated pursuit, group pressure and bringing down isolated prey.
• Great Beast: defined by size, raw force, stamina and a heavy physical presence.
• Burrowing: defined by digging, tunneling and surfacing from below.
• Climbing: defined by moving on walls and branches, leaping and ambushing from above.
• Flying: defined by diving attacks, aerial mobility and awkward angles of engagement.
• Aquatic: defined by moving through water, drowning pressure, currents and shoreline threat.
• Venomous: defined by poison, lingering bites and stings, and weakening contact.
• Territorial: defined by guarding ground, protecting young and lashing out at intruders.
• Nocturnal: defined by hunting in low light, comfort in darkness and night-adapted pursuit.

Traits & Maneuvers

Each subtype grants the trait listed under it; a trait and its maneuver are one Build Selection.

Pack Tactics (Pack Hunter)

Animal, Passive · Passive

Once per round, its attack against a target adjacent to one of its allies is rolled with Fortune.

Thick Hide (Great Beast)

Animal, Passive · Passive

+1 Soak (Weak Soak) against physical damage from attacks and effects without Armor Piercing.

Crafting tags: Essence none; Ingredients Animal, Preservative.

Tunnel Emergence (Burrowing)

Animal, Passive, Maneuver · 1 AP

Gains a burrow speed through yielding ground (can't end inside solid space). It may burrow up to its Speed toward an enemy, emerge adjacent and make 1 melee attack with 1 Advantage (Weak Step).

Crafting tags: Essence none; Ingredients Animal, Preservative.

Climber (Climbing)

Animal, Passive · Passive

Gains a climb speed equal to its Speed and ignores difficult terrain from branches, ledges, rough stone, roots and rubble.

Crafting tags: Essence none; Ingredients Animal, Preservative.

Flyby Hunter (Flying)

Animal, Passive · Passive

Gains a fly speed equal to its Speed. When it flies at least 10 feet and passes within reach of an enemy, it attacks that enemy with 1 Advantage (Weak Step).

Crafting tags: Essence none; Ingredients Animal, Preservative.

Aquatic (Aquatic)

Animal, Passive · Passive

Gains a swim speed equal to its Speed and holds its breath ten times as long (or breathes water). In water it has Fortune on attacks against creatures without a swim speed.

Crafting tags: Essence Motion; Ingredients none.

Venomous Bite (Venomous)

Animal, Maneuver · 1 AP

Make 1 melee attack with a natural weapon. On a success, roll damage; the target must succeed a Fortitude save (DC 10 + half damage taken) or be afflicted with Hunter's Venom.

Crafting tags: Essence none; Ingredients Organ, Toxic.

Territorial (Territorial)

Animal, Passive · Passive

While in its den or defended ground, or within Close of whatever it protects, it rolls its first attack each round with Fortune.

Nocturnal Hunter (Nocturnal)

Animal, Passive · Passive

Treats darkness as low light and low light as bright light.

Crafting tags: Essence none; Ingredients Animal, Preservative.

Afflictions

Hunter's Venom (affliction)

Delivered by an adversary ability. Save: Fortitude (DC per the delivering effect, or 15 + creature level). Stage interval 1 round.

1. Weakened Grip 1
2. Weakened Grip 2
3. Weakened Grip 2 and Slowed 5 (Weak Step / Weak Magnitude)