Houndmaster (3.5e Class)

Houndmaster

A tough and uncommonly compassionate ex-lawman, the Houndmaster and his faithful Wolfhound work in tandem to bring down their enemies and protect the innocent. Together they stalk the back ranks, bursting forth in a flurry of harrying bleeds, gnashing teeth, and stunning blows. Should the tide of battle turn, the pair can support an ailing party by protecting the weak, and rallying the stressed.

Making a Houndmaster

Abilities: Charisma, Wisdom.

Races: Any race, favors humans and tough races with lots of Charisma.

Alignment: Preferably any good, but can be any.

Starting Gold: 5d4 x 10

Starting Age: Depends on Race, preferably and older and wiser person.

Table: The Houndmaster

Hit Die: d8

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws			Special
		Fort	Ref	Will		1	2	3	4	5	6	7
1st	+1	+2	+2	+0		2	—	—	—	—	—	—
2nd	+2	+3	+3	+0		3	—	—	—	—	—	—
3rd	+3	+3	+3	+1		4	—	—	—	—	—	—
4th	+4	+4	+4	+1		5	—	—	—	—	—	—
5th	+5	+4	+4	+1		6	3	—	—	—	—	—
6th	+6	+5	+5	+2		7	4	—	—	—	—	—
7th	+7	+5	+5	+2		8	5	—	—	—	—	—
8th	+8/+1	+6	+6	+2		10	7	—	—	—	—	—
9th	+9/+2	+6	+6	+3		11	8	—	—	—	—	—
10th	+10/+3	+7	+7	+3		12	10	8	—	—	—	—
11th	+11/+4	+7	+7	+3		14	11	9	—	—	—	—
12th	+12/+5	+8	+8	+4		15	12	10	—	—	—	—
13th	+13/+6	+8	+8	+4	—	16	13	11	—	—	—	—
14th	+14/+7	+9	+9	+4		17	14	12	—	—	—	—
15th	+15/+8	+9	+9	+5		18	15	13	11	—	—	—
16th	+16/+9/+1	+10	+10	+5		19	16	14	12	—	—	—
17th	+17/+10/+2	+10	+10	+5	—	21	18	16	14	—	—	—
18th	+18/+11/+3	+11	+11	+6		23	20	18	15	—	—	—
19th	+19/+12/+4	+11	+11	+6		25	22	20	16	—	—	—
20th	+20/+13/+5	+12	+12	+6		26	23	21	18	16	—	—
Class Skills (<-number of skill points-> + Int modifier per level, ×4 at 1st level) Climb (Str), Concentration(Con), Handle Animal (Cha), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge Nature (Int), Lister (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Ride (Dex), Search (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str).

Class Features

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Must use a whip, can also use any one-handed sword and a bow.

Unique Ability: A houndmaster may gain control over a number of animal companions. Unlike a druid, they do not have any sort of telepathy with the animals they have trained. Therefore, it is a full round action to command all animal companions (Calling your commands to each individual one, NOT calling a command to a single target). The exception to this is if a houndmaster wields their whip, they may command one animal companion at no penalty as a free action. The Animal Awareness ability allows for increase in the number of animals controllable as a free action. All other animals roll a DC 4 (15 if in training or untrained) Training check (receives no bonuses from anything) before moving. Should they pass, they will follow their fellow companions and attack the same targets. Should they fail they will take no action that turn outside of attacking any enemy within melee range. If they critically fail, they will flee the battle. A houndmaster can stop a fleeing animal by using their full round action to control all animal companions, regardless of which equipment they wield, or by using the ability Obedience Schooled.

Unique Bonuses: Animal companions gain a +5 bonus against Charm Animal and Dominate Animal. Additionally, the houndmaster gain +1 Will Save for each nearby animal companion.

Class Abilities:

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Weapon Mastery - Whip: Allows the user to use their whip to lethally damage enemies with their whip. Additionally, adds class level to all whip damage. Starting at 5th level, Whip damage is changed from 1d3 to 1d10 when the target is within melee range of an animal companion. At level 10 this is further increased to 1d20.

Master Trainer: Decreases the DC requirement to train an animal by 3x the level of the bonus.

Animal Intimidate: During an encounter, a houndmaster can use a full round action to attempt to intimidate an animal (DC 12 + Hit Dice of animal). Should it succeed, the houndmaster has the chance to attempt to begin training the animal.

Favored Animal: A houndmaster can study and master fighting with and against specific types of animals (such as spiders, dinosaurs, etc.) every fourth level. They gain +1 on all attack and damage rolls, and +1 on AC checks and saves against any animal abilities times the level of this ability, as do any trained animal companions. Additionally, the DC on training these animals is decreased by 2 times the level of this ability.

Contempt for Wild: The evil houndmaster's contempt for that which they do not control allows them to gain +2 lethal damage against animals and magical animals.

Wartrainer: The houndmaster's training allows them to train animals much faster based on their rank. 1) 2 Weeks 2) 1 Week 3) 4 Days 4) 2 Days

Fearsome Whip: Each time a houndmaster successfully attacks a character with a whip, it must make a DC 5 + houndmasters level / 2 Will save or be feared. The base DC is increased to 10 against animals and magical animals.

Dogpile: If 2 animal companions successfully attack a target in a row during the same turn, you can treat those 2 and their target as knocked down.

Obedience Schooled: If an animal companion critically fails a roll while the houndmaster has their whip out, the houndmaster can force them to reroll. This can be used once per day.

Iron Whip: Using a whip no longer provokes attacks of opportunity at melee range. Additionally, lethal damage is increased by 1 while using a whip at melee range.

Animal Awareness: While holding a whip, a houndmaster can control additional companions without rolls as free actions equal to the bonus on this ability.

Mythical Beast Master: One of your animal companions may be a mythical beast.

Animal Parade: Once per target, when an animal companion makes a successful attack, each other animal companion in range of that target with a higher challenge rating than the companion that originally dealt damage may make an attack of opportunity on the target until one attack misses.

Ex-Houndmasters

If a houndmaster should change alignment, they lose the alignment based ability they gained at early levels. Should a houndmaster discard their whip, they will lose the ability to command any mystical beasts and all animal companions will be treated as untrained. Should a companion flee successfully, they will not return as a companion after the battle.

Epic <-class name->

Table: The Epic <-class name->

Hit Die: d<-Die size for Hit Die->

Level	Special
21st	<-any improvements to class features gained at this level, including any bonus feats->
22nd	<-any improvements to class features gained at this level, including any bonus feats->
23rd	<-any improvements to class features gained at this level, including any bonus feats->
24th	<-any improvements to class features gained at this level, including any bonus feats->
25th	<-any improvements to class features gained at this level, including any bonus feats->
26th	<-any improvements to class features gained at this level, including any bonus feats->
27th	<-any improvements to class features gained at this level, including any bonus feats->
28th	<-any improvements to class features gained at this level, including any bonus feats->
29th	<-any improvements to class features gained at this level, including any bonus feats->
30th	<-any improvements to class features gained at this level, including any bonus feats->
<-number of skill points-> + Int modifier skill points per level.

<-existing class feature->: <-how this class feature increases or accumulates at epic levels->

<-another existing class feature->: <-how this class feature increases or accumulates at epic levels->

<-Lather, rinse...->

<-... repeat.->

Bonus Feats: The epic <-class name-> gains a bonus feat (selected from the list of epic <-class name-> bonus feats) every <-number of feats per level-> levels after 20th.

Epic <-class name-> Bonus Feat List: <-list of bonus epic feats->.

<-Sample race of your choice-> <-class name-> Starting Package

Weapons: <-Weapon selection for starting at 1st level with this class.->.

Skill Selection: Pick a number of skills equal to 4 + Int modifier.

Skill	Ranks	Ability	Armor Check Penalty
<-Skill name->	<-4 for class skills and 2 for cross-class skills->	<-Abbreviated key ability->	<-armor check penalty based on starting armor. If inapplicable put "—"->
<-Skill name->	<-4 for class skills and 2 for cross-class skills->	<-Abbreviated key ability->	<-armor check penalty based on starting armor. If inapplicable put "—"-> <-copy and paste the rows as necessary.->

Feat: <-1st-level feat selection->.

Bonus Feats: <-1st-level feat bonus feats due to class or sample race. remove this section if this sample doesn't get any bonus feats at 1st level. ->.

Gear: <-Starting armor and other equipment outside of weapons.->.

Gold: <-Starting gold using this package.->.

Playing a <-class name->

Religion: <-description of how this class typically (but no exclusively) approaches religion including likely portfolios it would worship->.

Other Classes: <-How this class typically interacts with other classes and how characters of this class interact with characters of other classes->.

Combat: <-Typical role in combat->.

Advancement: <-Typical advancement options for characters with this class. Include desirable multiclass options->.

<-pluralized class name-> in the World

“	<-Some quote from a character of this class->	”
—<-NPC name->, <-race-> <-class->

<-Where characters of this class fit in a d20 world.->

Daily Life: <-day in the life of a character of this class->.

Notables: <-notable NPCs of this class->.

Organizations: <-info on what, where, when, and how characters of this class congregate and assemble->.

NPC Reactions: <-How NPCs react to PCs of this class->.

<-class name-> Lore

Characters with ranks in <-the appropriate skills-> can research <-pluralized class name-> to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.

<-the appropriate skills->

DC	Result
5	<-common knowledge->.
10	<-not so common knowledge->.
15	<-rare information->.
20	<-very rare information->.

<-pluralized class name-> in the Game

<-How characters of this class fit in the game (PC and NPC) and what roles they play.->

Adaptation: <-Possible variant conceptions of this class.->.

Sample Encounter: <-DM placement for NPCs of this class.->.

EL : <-Encounter scenario and character info on sample NPC including stat block. The CR of the NPC is typically the same as the EL for the encounter.->.

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