Shifter: Garuda Disciple

Archetype Description

Garuda Disciples are shapeshifters who have committed themselves entirely to the Garuda Aspect, forsaking the versatility of other aspects in exchange for becoming true masters of avian transformation.

Class Features

Locked Aspect

At 1st level, a Garuda Disciple cannot choose any other aspects. They are permanently locked into the Garuda Aspect for the duration of their Shifter career. At 15th level, his Major Form works as Beast Shape III. This ability changes Shifter Aspect, Minor Form, Major Form and Final Form.

Aspect Abilities

A Garuda Disciple gains the standard Garuda Aspect abilities, with the major form improvements at 8th, and 15th levels. However, their dedication to the Garuda Aspect grants them additional bonuses:

Mastery of Flight (Ex)

At 4th level, the Garuda Disciple gains a +10-foot bonus to their fly speed when in their Garuda Major Form. This bonus increases to +20 feet at 8th level and +30 feet at 15th level.

Swift Strikes (Ex)

At 8th level, the Garuda Disciple gains the benefit of the Flyby Attack feat when attacking with their natural weapons during a flyby. Additionally, when making full attacks during a flyby, they can make one extra attack at their highest base attack bonus.

Eagle's Vision (Ex)

At 15th level, the Garuda Disciple's keen eyesight improves further. They gain the ability to see invisible creatures within 60 feet, as per the See Invisibility spell. Additionally, they gain a +4 bonus on Perception checks.

This ability replaces Wild Empathy, Woodland Stride and Trackless Step.

Expanded Minor Forms

To compensate for the limitation of being locked into the Garuda Aspect, the Garuda Disciple gains access to a few additional minor forms, representing various avian species. These forms grant the shifter unique abilities, such as the diving speed of a falcon or the enhanced swimming of a pelican. This ability changes Chimeric Aspect and Greater Chimeric Aspect.

Aspect Modifications

At 4th level and every 4 levels thereafter, a Shifter gains access to Aspect Modifications, which allow them to enhance and customize their chosen Aspect abilities. When a Shifter gains access to Aspect Modifications, they can choose from the following options specific to their chosen Aspect. The number of modifications they can select is determined by their Shifter level.

Garuda Aspect Modifications

Improved Flight: Increase your flight speed by 10 feet.

Aerial Maneuverability: Improve your maneuverability in flight by one step (e.g., from clumsy to poor, or from average to good).

Swooping Strike: While flying, you gain a +2 bonus on attack rolls for dive attacks.

Razor Talons: Your talon attacks gain a +1 enhancement bonus to attack and damage rolls.

Eagle Vision: Gain the benefit of the eagle's keen eyesight. You gain a +2 bonus on Perception checks and can see twice as far as a human in conditions of dim light.

Aerial Assault: Once per round when making a full attack in flight, you can make one additional attack at your highest base attack bonus.

Dive Bomber: When using the Swooping Strike modification, your dive attacks deal an additional 1d6 damage.

Wings of Shielding: You can use your wings to shield yourself or an ally, granting a +2 bonus to AC against one incoming attack.

Raptor's Focus: Your critical threat range with talon attacks increases by 1 (e.g., from 20 to 19-20).

Storm's Embrace: You gain resistance 10 against electricity damage and can cast the spell "call lightning" once per day as a spell-like ability.

Sonic Scream: Once per day, you can unleash a powerful sonic scream as a standard action. This scream affects all creatures in a 30-foot cone, dealing 1d6 points of sonic damage per Shifter level. A successful Fortitude save (DC 10 + half your Shifter level + your Charisma modifier) halves the damage. After using this ability, you must wait 1d4 rounds before using it again.

Aerial Acrobat: You gain a +4 bonus on Acrobatics checks made to avoid attacks of opportunity when moving through threatened squares during your flight.

Wings of Protection: When using your wings to shield yourself or an ally (as per Wings of Shielding modification), the bonus to AC against the incoming attack increases to +4.

Gale Force: Your fly speed increases by an additional 10 feet, and you gain the ability to hover in place without needing to make a Fly check.

Skyborne Ambush: While flying, you gain a +4 bonus on Stealth checks made to hide or sneak up on enemies from above.

Feathered Fury: Your talon and wing attacks gain the "feathered" special ability, allowing them to bypass damage reduction as though they were magic weapons.

Blinding Strike: Your talon attacks can temporarily blind opponents. When you score a critical hit with a talon attack, the target must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + half your Shifter level + your Charisma modifier) or be blinded for 1d4 rounds.

Zephyr's Grace: You gain a +2 bonus on Reflex saves and a +10-foot bonus to your base land speed.

Tornado Dive: You can perform a powerful dive attack as a full-round action. This attack deals double damage on a successful hit and allows you to make a free trip attempt against the target. If the trip attempt is successful, the target is knocked prone.

Ascendant Wings: You gain the ability to cast the "overland flight" spell once per day as a spell-like ability, with a caster level equal to your Shifter level.

This ability replaces Thousand Faces and Timeless body.

Garuda Aspect

Description

The Garuda Aspect grants shapeshifters the avian characteristics of the noble Garuda, enabling them to soar through the skies with ease and strike down foes with lightning-fast attacks.

Minor Form

You gain darkvision with a range of 60 feet. If you already have darkvision with this range or greater, the range of your darkvision increases by 30 feet.

Major Form (beast shape I)

At 4th level, your Garuda Major Form takes its initial shape:

Flight: You gain a fly speed of 60 feet with good maneuverability.

Natural Attacks: You gain the following natural attacks: Bite (1d6 damage), Claws (1d4 damage each), Talons (1d4 damage each), and Wings (1d4 damage each).

Talon or Wings: While in Garuda Form a shifter cannot use its wing attacks while flying, and cannot use its talon attacks while not flying.

Major Form (beast shape II)

At 8th level, your Garuda Major Form gains additional abilities:

Improved Flight: Your fly speed increases to 120 feet with a good maneuverability.

Improved Natural Attacks: Your natural attacks' damage dice increase as follows: Bite (1d8 damage), Claws (1d6 damage each), Talons (1d6 damage each), and Wings (1d6 damage each).

Swooping Pounce: When you make a diving aerial charge, you can make a full attack with your natural weapons.

Major Form (beast shape III)

At 15th level, your Garuda Major Form undergoes another transformation:

Greater Flight: Your fly speed increases to 180 feet with a perfect maneuverability.

Blindsense: You gain blindsense with a range of 30 feet.

Spells: You can cast spells as a 7th-level sorcerer.

Alternate Natural Attacks: Bite (B, P, S), Claws (B, P, S), Talons (B, P, S), Wings (B, P, S)