So I've been working on a (3.5) class that is more primitive than even the Barbarian, and is based off of the 2ed Savage Warrior kit. I would like to get your opinions/suggestions.



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The Savage Warrior is a tribesman, who is technologically and culturally more primitive than even the Barbarian, who is very much in tune with the natural world. A Savage Warrior can be an honourable jungle vine swinger raised by animals, a very dirty and primitive warrior who lives in mud-wattle huts and fights with bone weapons, a breathtakingly beautiful native princess from a culture which the characters consider impossibly primitive and yet uncorrupted and very noble... and so on. In short the tribal culture from which the Savage Warrior comes can be as crude or civil, coarse or noble, nasty or admirable as the players and DM want them to be.

Adventures: The Savage Warrior can take to adventuring for any of the normal reasons, from a desire to see the world, to the simple risk of getting in a fight. If the Savage Warrior takes to the idea of money then the goal of acquiring it can be the driving force. (Savages don’t initially have an understanding of money.)
Characteristics:
Alignment: The Savage Warrior can be of any alignment; though tribes tend to hold to the same alignment, with little variation.
Religion: Savage Warriors revere nature above all. Sometimes they worship either Obad-Hai, or Ehlonna. Occasionally a tribe will have a patron deity, or a Dragon (or other powerful being) will hold sway with the tribe and be worshiped as a deity.
Background: Most Savage Warriors get their start as hunters; supplying food for the tribe. Sometimes the Savage Warrior gets their introduction to the ‘civilized’ lands because of the slave trade; they then breakout of slavery and try to live their life as best they can in this new world.
Races: Of the basic races Humans are most suited to being Savage Warrior, though it is not unreasonable to have savage elves, dwarves, etc. Also many of the monster races are aptly suited to being savage.
Other Classes: Savage Warriors find it easy to get along with Barbarians, Druids, and Rangers because of their affinity to the natural world. Like Barbarians, Savage Warriors have distrust for Wizards and only a little less so for Sorcerers, because of the unnatural magic they wield.

Role: In a campaign, the Savage Warrior has a couple of roles. His particular skills and benefits are of use to the average adventuring party. If he comes from a particularly noble tribe, he may choose to act as the “voice of conscience” for the adventuring party, asking why, if the other characters are supposed to be so much more civilized than his own people, their honour and ethics seem to drag so far behind? But for the most part, he is a role-playing challenge, and should be chosen only by players willing to devote the extra effort to portraying someone from such a different culture. This is an opportunity for a lot of humour and not a little tragedy in a campaign... but only if the player is willing to go to that effort.
Level Base
Attack Bonus Saving Throws Special
Fort Ref Will
1st +1 +2 +2 +0 Track, Wild Empathy, Nature Sense, Totemic Weapon Creation, Illiteracy,
2nd +2 +3 +3 +0 Woodland Stride, Totemic Tattoo Natural Armour +1
3rd +3 +3 +3 +1 Endurance, Totemic Weapon Creation +1
4th +4 +4 +4 +1 Totemic Tattoo Damage Reduction 1/-
5th +5 +4 +4 +1
6th +6/+1 +5 +5 +2 Totemic Weapon Creation +2, Totemic Tattoo Natural Armour +2
7th +7/+2 +5 +5 +2
8th +8/+3 +6 +6 +2 Swift Tracker, Totemic Tattoo Damage Reduction 2/-
9th +9/+4 +6 +6 +3 Evasion,
10th +10/+5 +7 +7 +3 Totemic Weapon Creation +3, Totemic Tattoo Natural Armour +3
11th +11/+6/+1 +7 +7 +3
12th +12/+7/+2 +8 +8 +4 Totemic Tattoo Damage Reduction 3/-
13th +13/+8/+3 +8 +8 +4 Camouflage
14th +14/+9/+4 +9 +9 +4 Totemic Tattoo Natural Armour +4
15th +15/+10/+5 +9 +9 +5 Totemic Weapon Creation +4
16th +16/+11/+6/+1 +10 +10 +5 Totemic Tattoo Damage Reduction 4/-
17th +17/+12/+7/+2 +10 +10 +5 Hide in Plain Sight
18th +18/+13/+8/+3 +11 +11 +6 Totemic Tattoo Natural Armour +5
19th +19/+14/+9/+4 +11 +11 +6
20th +20/+15/+10/+5 +12 +12 +6 Totemic Weapon Creation +5, Totemic Tattoo Damage Reduction 5/-

Alignment: Any.
Starting Age: Moderate.
Special Note: One cannot multiclass into the Savage Warrior class. It must be taken at first level or not at all.
Hit Die: d10

Class Skills (6 + Int modifier per level, ×4 at 1st level)
Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge (geography) (Int), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Search (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), Use Rope (Dex).
Bonus Language: Each tribe has its own “Tribal Language”
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Savage Warrior.

Weapon Proficiency: A Savage Warrior is proficient with: Blow gun, Bolas, Bows (Not X bows), Club, Dagger, Dart, Javelin (with Atlatl), Sling, Spear (all),

Armor Proficiency: A Savage Warrior is not proficient in any kind of armour. They are however proficient with heavy and light shields (but not tower shields). Wearing ‘civilized’ clothing causes a -1 modifier on all attack, and damage rolls, Skill checks, will, and reflex saves.
When wearing armour, the penalty increases to -3. If the character continues to wear armour, the penalty increases (no top end) -4 one week, -5 the second week, etc.

Equipment and Money: Unlike other classes which have an amount of money with which to purchase their starting equipment Savage Warriors have no concept of money. Instead he may select up to 4 weapons from the proficiency list for the class. And he may assemble a list of up to 10 additional items (subject to DM’s approval) which he will have accumulated during his years with the tribe. These items must be something that a savage tribe could have made (rope, pouches, fishing gear, etc. No iron pots, mirrors, etc.) If the tribe is a river, or riding tribe, the Savage Warrior may also have either a small canoe or a riding horse (with saddle blanket, halter, bit and bridal)
Also a new skill has been added which applies only to the Savage Warrior class; Craft Tribal. This skill encompasses all the basic aspects of tribal life, from the stone/bone weapons, to weaving grass mats, to fishing equipment, and other things that all tribesmen would know how to do. This does encompass a broad range of things, and it is not meant to be abused. It is up to the DM as to exactly what this skill covers.

Illiteracy: Savage Warriors are illiterate. Once having come in contact with someone who can read and write, or the ‘civilized’ world and can find someone to teach him... The Savage Warrior must spend a skill point each to become literate in the languages he knows.

Wild Empathy (Ex): A Savage Warrior can improve the attitude of an animal. This ability functions just like a Diplomacy check to improve the attitude of a person. The Savage Warrior rolls 1d20 and adds his Savage Warrior level and his Charisma bonus to determine the wild empathy check result. The typical domestic animal has a starting attitude of indifferent, while wild animals are usually unfriendly.
To use wild empathy, the Savage Warrior and the animal must be able to study each other, which means that they must be within 30 feet of one another under normal visibility conditions. Generally, influencing an animal in this way takes 1 minute, but, as with influencing people, it might take more or less time.
The ranger can also use this ability to influence a magical beast with an Intelligence score of 1 or 2, but he takes a –4 penalty on the check.

Totemic Weapon Creation: During character creation (pending DM approval) the player selects a weapon from the Savage Warrior weapon proficiencies, and a Totem for the tribe to specialise in. The Savage Warrior gains a +1 proficiency bonus to all attack and damage rolls with the selected weapon.
When the Savage Warrior crafts a masterwork version of this weapon he imparts the spirit of the tribe’s totem into the weapon granting it an enhancement bonus or ability. Though not magical in itself it is treated as magical for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
The crafted weapons only hold their enhancement bonus for the Savage Warrior. If the warrior sells or loses possession of the weapon it will lose its powers. (Another character can carry the weapons for the Savage so long as they don’t try to use them they will maintain their enhancement) If it loses its powers it becomes a mundane weapon (losing its masterwork quality).
To make any Totemic Weapons a Craft: Tribal will need to be made. At a DC of 20.
At level 1 the materials used to craft the weapon become hardened to the point of steel, negating penalties for using bone/stone weapons. (+2 competence bonus to craft tribal)
At level 3 A +1 enhancement bonus to attack and damage can be crafted.
At level 6 A +2 enhancement bonus to attack and damage can be crafted. (+4 competence bonus to craft tribal)
At level 10 A +3 enhancement bonus to attack and damage can be crafted. The acid, flaming, frost, or shocking feature can be added to the weapon as well as the enhancement bonus.
At level 15 A +4 enhancement bonus to attack and damage can be crafted. The acid, flaming, frost, or shocking feature can be added to the weapon as well as the enhancement bonus. (+6 competence bonus to craft tribal)
At level 20 A +5 enhancement bonus to attack and damage can be crafted. The corrosive burst, flaming burst, icy burst, or shocking burst feature can be added to the weapon as well as the enhancement bonus. (+8 competence bonus to craft tribal)

Totemic Tattoo: Starting at level 2 the Savage Warrior is able to impart the tribe’s totem spirit into his very skin by using tattoos, paint, and/or scaring. The totem spirit then protects the Savage Warrior and allows him to shrug off some damage. If paint is used instead of tattoos or scaring the benefits only last while the paint is in place.
To mark the tattoos a Craft: Tribal check needs to be made against DC 20. (DC 18 if you are tattooing another character) Only a member of the tribe can inscribe tattoos.
At level 2 and every 4 levels there after the tattoos impart a +1 Natural Armour Bonus to a maximum of +5 at level 18

Nature Sense (Ex): A Savage Warrior gains a +2 bonus on Knowledge (nature) and Survival checks.

Woodland Stride (Ex): Starting at 2nd level, a Savage Warrior may move through any sort of undergrowth (such as natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas, and similar terrain) at her normal speed and without taking damage or suffering any other impairment. However, thorns, briars, and overgrown areas that have been magically manipulated to impede motion still affect her.


Swift Tracker (Ex): Beginning at 8th level, a Savage Warrior can move at his normal speed while following tracks without taking the normal –5 penalty. He takes only a –10 penalty (instead of the normal –20) when moving at up to twice normal speed while tracking.

Evasion (Ex): At 9th level, a Savage Warrior can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If he makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, he instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if the ranger is wearing no armor. A helpless ranger does not gain the benefit of evasion.

Camouflage (Ex): A Savage Warrior of 13th level or higher can use the Hide skill in any sort of natural terrain, even if the terrain doesn’t grant cover or concealment.

Hide in Plain Sight (Ex): While in any sort of natural terrain, a Savage Warrior of 17th level or higher can use the Hide skill even while being observed.

Ex Savage Warriors: Savage warrior characters who multiclass can no longer gain levels as a Savage Warrior. If the character multiclass’ into a magic using class they lose the Savage Warrior abilities: Wild Empathy, Nature Sense, and Crafting Specialty. At which time they may also start to wear non-tribal garb without penalty.

Languages?

*evaporates*

Right Languages.


Tribal language, Common

...and this is just a thought where defining "savage" goes, at least in my mind...

Why not drop the "common" language as a given (and, perhaps, give the option of selecting a second language given vicinity of "population" centers to the tribe)? For example, Tribal Language and Gnoll to those "savages" that have (or have had) limited interaction with those beings that might more frequently make use of common?

Just seems to me that "common" wouldn't be all that common to a savage. *shrugs* Just my two coppers, really. Looks good, overall.

I said much the same.

*evaporates*

I'm just afraid that if you lose Common you would run into the problem of not being able to communicate with the other players...

And going from the other savage races when they are used for PC's they know common when the average member of that race don't...

I understand the rationale... Common is typically a granted language for all PCs for that very reason, I'm sure (makes it easy to ensure that the players are all able to communicate easily, etc)... in fact, I believe most 'game worlds' make reference to the fact that the "common tongue" is essentially something of a "trade pidgin" made up of bits and pieces of the particular world's most commonly spoken tongues. In that regard, I suppose, it makes sense that even "savages" would have at least a rudimentary grasp of Common.


Buuuuuut... for role-play purposes, I still like the idea of worlds in which the "Common tongue" doesn't exist and the PCs can't always be assured that everyone they'll meet will understand anything or everything they're saying. I'm sure some folks (GMs and Players alike) might find this sort of thing frustrating but, from my point of view, anyway, I think it's much more immersive/entertaining to have a simple "misunderstanding" possibly lead into an epic encounter, you know?

PC1: "What did you say to those orcs?!?!"

PC2: "I thought I asked where the bathroom was...*puffpuffpantpant*... when their shaman got all pinch faced and started snarling at me, though, I started to wonder if that gypsy woman that taught me orcish really taught me orcish..."

PC1: "Still need to know where the bathroom is?"

PC2: "Not after the whole tribe drew their swords and started chasing us, no... now I think I'm gonna need a dry cleaner..."

PC1: "Or an undertaker..."

PC2: "Shut up and keep running!"



Edit: Just remembered that our very own Audalis doesn't utilize a Common Tongue right out of the box.

I agree that it would be a better RPing experience to not have a common tongue... but for practical usage in all game situations... I think it is best to just stick to the norm... After all language is normally a racial thing not a professional thing.

Should I make it so that they are proficient with shields?

yeah I'd say heavy and light shields. Lots of savage races use wooden/leather shields.

Special Note: One cannot multiclass into the Savage Warrior class. It must be taken at first level or not at all.

Ex Savage Warriors: Savage warrior characters who multiclass can no longer gain levels as a Savage Warrior. If the character multiclass' into a magic using class they lose the Savage Warrior abilities: Wild Empathy, Nature Sense, Special Ability, and Crafting Specialty. At which time they may also start to wear non-tribal garb without penalty.

I feel like imposing a penalty for wearing armor greatly limits the class. I fail to see why a tribeman would not wear hide armor, or even just a rough version of leather armor, especially if he's going to be involved in melee combat from time to time. If you are dead-set on keeping the penalty for armor then give the class natural armor, DR like a Barbarian, the dodge feat, or even the monk's armor bonus, scaled down of course. I know giving bonus feats from the Fighter list does allow a player to take Dodge as a bonus feat, or even as a regular feat, but I feel like giving it to the class promotes the idea he's an agile hunter not weighed down by the heavy armor of the "civilized" warriors.

Also the whole idea of "no iron pots or mirrors", if the tribes have no concept of money they would trade with wanderers from civilized areas, like say Rangers, and something they cannot make themselves, like an iron pot, would appeal to them when trading, no?

I was wondering about an AC bonus too, Or adding to the crafting ability to make... say a pendant... that grants a deflection bonus.

IMO it is a fairly strong class (with the major weakness of AC) I didn't know if adding an ac benefit of some kind would throw the rest out of balance.

I'd drop the spell-like ability, it feels out of place for a "savage" honestly. Replacing it with a scaling Dodge bonus to AC.

OR

Handle armor like a druid, including shield choice, to where if they wear anything outide of what is allowed they not only suffer the penalty you have already imposed, but lose some of the class features as well.

OR

As I suggested previously, the Barbarian DR, doesn't make him any less likely to be hit, simply allows him to shrug off some of the damage, after all he's probably wrestled a bear or two out in the woods, or tackled a boar, or something like that and would be tougher than the average armored fighter who relies on his metal shell to protect his soft skin.

The theory is that the savage tribe is so far removed from society that there wouldn't even be trade routes from which to get the metal goods.