One of the areas that the Druid Warriors can focus on is their ability to transform into a powerful creature of nature. There are two forms available to the Druid Warrior, the first is a wolf-human hybrid form. The wolf form is stronger and tougher then the Druid Warrior's normal form, but its real strength lies in its speed and agility, making it a deadly combatant. The second form available to the Druid Warrior is a bear-human hybrid form. The bear form sacrifices the wolf form's speed for even greater strength and durability.
The transformation process is quick, requiring only a single melee attack to begin and by the next time the Druid Warrior can act, the transformation is complete. However, the transformation is not permanent and it does have some penalties. To transform, the Druid Warrior must expend 15 PPE, and it lasts for only 1 minute per level of experience. While transformed, the Druid Warrior cannot cast spells, speak any languages, or use any weapons other then their natural weapons and abilities. However, the transformed Druid Warrior can still command any summoned creatures and he still receives any bonuses and abilities that the summoned creatures provided him and he receives any bonuses or protection from spells or abilities used on him before he transformed. Also, the Druid Warriors do not become actual animals, so they retain their former intelligence, they can still read any languages that could read before, understand people speaking, and can make intelligent decisions, they simply cannot talk back, although they can still make gestures.
Once the transformation is complete, any armor and weapons the Druid Warrior was carrying or wearing are absorbed into the transformed body and become useless. However, any bonuses that the weapon, armor, or any other items worn by the Druid Warrior still apply. For example, if the Druid Warrior's weapon provided a bonus of +2 to save vs. lethal poisons, the transformed Druid Warrior would retain that bonus, but the armor could not be damaged and its Armor Rating is irrelevant after the Druid Warrior transforms. In addition, the Druid Warrior cannot activate any abilities on items or equipment that were absorbed, only permanent abilities and abilities used before the transform remain active.
One of the forms that the Druid Warrior can transform into is the Wolf form, which is reminiscent of a Wolfen, but is more feral looking. When the druid warrior transforms, he or she takes on the statistics listed below, which replace the Druid Warrior's old statistics.
One of the forms that the Druid Warrior can transform into is the Bear form, which is reminiscent of a Bearman of the North, but is far more feral looking. When the druid warrior transforms, he or she takes on the statistics listed below, which replace the Druid Warrior's old statistics.
In addition to transforming into the wolf and bear forms, a Druid Warrior that gains additional levels in the transformation category gains several special abilities that can be used in one of the forms or both forms. All of these special abilities require PPE to activate and remain active for only a limited duration. These are the only abilities and spells that the Druid Warrior can use while transformed.
Description: Once the Druid Warrior gains this ability, he can cast the elemental spells provided by the Elemental Magic area of specialization while he is in Wolf form or Bear form.
Description: While this ability is active, the Druid Warrior enters into a frenzied rage, viciously tearing into any nearby enemies, and becoming stronger and faster with each successful attack. Once this ability is activated, there is no discernible change in the Druid Warrior, but with each successful attack, the Druid Warrior begins to glow red, and each subsequent attack makes the druid glow brighter and brighter.
Each time the Druid Warrior hits a target, she gains a cumulative bonus of +1 to strike, +2 to damage, +1 to PP, and +1 to Spd, and the Druid Warrior is healed 2% of the damage inflicted (rounding up). At every other level of experience starting at level 7 (so at levels 7, 9, 11, etc.), the Druid warrior receives an additional bonus of +1 to strike, +2 to damage, +1 to PP, and +1 to Spd, and at levels 8, 11, and 14, the Druid Warrior receives a bonus of +1% to be healed a percentage of the damage inflicted.
For example, if a Druid Warrior with 9 levels in Transformation and using this ability hit targets four times in a row, then for her fifth attack she would receive a bonus of +12 to strike, +24 to damage, 12 to PP, and +12 to Spd, and would be healed +12% of the damage inflicted (rounding up). However, if her attack is dodged or parried, then she loses all of these bonuses and has to start from scratch with no bonuses on her first attack after her previous attack was dodged or parried. No matter what type of combat actions that the target may use, such as simultaneous attack or even roll with punch, impact, or fall, as long as the Druid Warrior's attack hit the target and it was not parried, then it counts as a hit for increasing the bonuses the Druid Warrior receives.
Description: While the Druid Warrior is attacking with a claw attack, she can activate this ability to gain a bonus to strike and to inflict magical fire damage on the target of the attack. Unlike some abilities that require a melee attack to activate, this ability can be activated at will, but only once for each attack. When activated, the Druid Warrior receives a bonus of +4 to strike at level 9 and an additional +1 to strike for each additional level above 9. If the attack hits the target, the attack inflicts an additional +1D6 points of magical fire damage per level of experience starting at level 9. For example, if a Druid Warrior with 12 levels in Transformation used this ability, she would receive a bonus of +7 to strike and would inflict an additional +4D6 points of magical fire damage from the attack.
Description: Anger and rage can be a great asset if harnessed properly. This ability allows the Druid Warrior to fly into a merciless rage, increasing both strength and speed. While in a rage, the Druid Warrior receives a bonus of +3D6 to PS attribute, +1D6 to PP and PE, and his Spd attribute triples, to a minimum of 40. The Druid Warrior also gains +3 attacks per melee +4 to initiative, +3 to strike, parry, and dodge, +2 to all other offensive combat actions, +5 to save vs. horror factor, and becomes immune to mind control, pain, and possession. Finally, all attacks by the Druid Warrior that hit the target automatically surpass any natural armor rating that target may possess and all attacks inflict double damage on living creatures, but not to armor, constructs, undead, or objects worn or held by living creatures.
Description: Nature is the provider of all life, but death is also very much a part of nature, and it can snatch life back in an instant. This ability allows the Druid Warrior, in either animal form, to drain the life force of the target to replenish his energies through a bite attack. Unlike some abilities that require a melee attack to activate, this ability can be activated at will, but only once for each bite attack. When activated, the Druid Warrior receives a bonus of +8 to strike at level 13 and an additional +1 to strike for each additional level above 13. If the bite attack hits the target, the attack inflicts only 50% of its normal damage after all damage bonus have been applied, rounding up, but the Druid Warrior is healed by that same amount and they regain PPE equal to twice that number, although they cannot hold more PPE then their normal maximum. For example, if a Druid Warrior with 14 levels in Transformation used this ability, he would receive a bonus of +9 to strike and if the damage the attack would inflict on a normal bite was 16, then an attack using this ability actually inflicts 8 points of damage, but the Druid Warrior is instantly healed 8 points of damage and regains 16 PPE.
Description: While this ability is active, the bear form's claws and fangs become longer and sharper and the form's muscles become larger, and the bear becomes stronger and more powerful with each successful attack. Once this ability is activated, there is no discernible change in the Druid Warrior, but with each successful attack, the Druid Warrior begins to glow green, and each subsequent attack makes the druid glow brighter and brighter.
Each time the Druid Warrior hits a target, he gains a cumulative bonus of +1 to strike, +4 to damage, and the target becomes shaken for 1 melee round. At every other level of experience starting at level 7 (so at levels 7, 9, 11, etc.), the Druid warrior receives an additional bonus of +1 to strike, +4 to damage, and at levels 8, 11, and 14, the target hit by the attack is shaken for an additional melee round. While shaken, the target loses one attack per melee, either the first attack in a melee or the attack immediately after being hit by the Maul attack, and the target receives a penalty of -2 to all combat roles. These penalties are not cumulative, but the duration is, so a target that is shaken for two rounds and is hit by another attack in the same melee will be shaken for an additional two rounds, for a total of four rounds, but the penalties remain the same, except for the loss of the target's next attack, which still happens.
For example, if a Druid Warrior with 9 levels in Transformation and using this ability hit targets four times in a row, then for his fifth attack he would receive a bonus of +12 to strike, +48 to damage, and the target would be shaken for 8 melee rounds. However, if his attack is dodged or parried, then he loses all of these bonuses and has to start from scratch with no bonuses on his first attack after his previous attack was dodged or parried. No matter what type of combat actions that the target may use, such as simultaneous attack or even roll with punch, impact, or fall, as long as the Druid Warrior's attack hits the target and it was not parried, then it counts as a hit for increasing the bonuses the Druid Warrior receives.
Description: While the Druid Warrior is attacking with a bite attack while in the Wolf form, he can activate this ability to transform his normal saliva into a deadly poison. This poison counts as a magical poison for creatures that are immune to non-magical poisons. Unlike some abilities that require a melee attack to activate, this ability can be activated at will, but only once for each attack. When activated, the Druid Warrior receives a bonus of +2 to strike at level 7 and an additional +1 to strike for each additional level above 7. If the attack hits the target, the target must roll to save vs. lethal poison. If the roll is successful, then the target takes only 1D6+2 points of poison damage. However, if the roll is failed, then the target takes 2D6 points of damage immediately and at the beginning of each melee for the next 2 melee rounds. Increase poison damage on a failed roll by +2 at levels 9, 11, 13, and 15, and increase the duration of poison by +1 melee round at levels 11 and and 15. For example, if a Druid Warrior with 12 levels in Transformation used this ability, he would receive a bonus of +7 to strike and if the target of the bite failed the save vs. lethal poison, the target would take 2D6+4 points of poison damage immediately and at the beginning of each melee for 3 melee rounds. If the Druid Warrior inflicts multiple bites on a single target and the target fails multiple rolls vs. lethal poison, then the durations are cumulative but the damage from the poison is not.
Description: This ability allows the Druid Warrior to let out an Earth shaking roar while in Bear form. This roar stuns nearby enemies, causing sonic damage, and has a chance of terrifying most subjects. When the Druid Warrior uses this ability, all non-allies within the area of effect must make a saving throw vs. magic spell or be shaken for 1D4 melee rounds. While shaken, the target loses one attack per melee, either the first attack in a melee or the attack immediately after being hit by the shock wave, and the target receives a penalty of -2 to all combat roles. In addition to being shaken, all targets within the area of effect will take 2D6 points of damage per level of experience, starting at level 11, although a successful save vs. magic spell will reduce this damage by half. Finally, all opponents must make a saving throw vs. horror factor of 15. Increase this horror factor by +1 at levels 13, 14, and 15.