Noble Herdbeast

Herdbeasts are large, even-toed ungulates that include bison, buffalo, musk ox, oxen, yaks, wild cattle, gaur, and kouprey. Most species are grazers, with long tongues to twist the plant material they favor and large teeth to break up the plant material they ingest. They are ruminants, having a four-chambered stomach that allows them to break down plant material. Their most obvious weapons are the horns borne by both males and females, but their massive heads can be used as battering rams, effectively using the momentum produced by up to 2,000 lbs moving at speeds of 30 mph. The hind legs can also be used to kill or maim with devastating effect. In their prime, individually they only fear the grizzly bear, and as a group no other animal can stand up to them in a fight.


Species Descriptions

This species can be used to represent Noble Bison, Buffalo, Musk Ox, Oxen, and various other types of noble wild cattle.

The most gregarious of the species, herdbeasts form large communities (called “herds,” of course) for protection and companionship. With dozens, or even hundreds, of herdbeasts in a herd, they present a veritable forest of sharp, vicious horns to slash and gore at any potential predator; forcing would be carnivores to prey on only the stragglers.

Herds that include a noble have a decided edge against natural predators, but that doesn’t mean that they relax their vigilance one bit. Despite the perception that they are slow-witted, docile, and dim, there is no more observant creature than one who knows they are everyone else’s favorite meal.

Noble Herdbeast Species Traits
  • Ability Score Modifiers: +4 Strength, +2 Constitution, -2 Charisma.
  • Size: Medium.
  • Size Threshold: 2nd Hit Die.
  • Base Speed: 30 ft.
  • Natural Weapons: Slam (1d4).
  • Senses: Low-light vision (Ex), scent (Ex).
  • Natural Talent Track: Endurance, Improved Bull Rush, Power Attack.
  • Family: Mammal.
  • Noble Animal Type: Noble herdbeasts have the noble animal type except where superseded by other species traits and features.
  • Social Group: Herd.
  • Automatic Languages: Herdspeak and High Fauna.
  • Bonus Languages: Bat, Camel, Canine, Common, Crocodilian, Elephant, Equine, Feline, Hyena, Lizard, Monitor, Raptor, Rodent, Serpent, Simian, Songbird, Ursine, and Woodland.

Racial Feats

The following feats are available to a noble herdbeast character who meets the prerequisites.

  • Linked Feat

Noble Herdbeast Class

Hit Die: d8

Class Skills

The noble animal's class skills are Acrobatics (Dex), Perception (Wis), Survival (Wis).

Skill Ranks Per Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Table: Noble Herdbeast
Level Base Attack Bonus Fort Save Ref Save Will Save Special
1st +0 +2 +2 +0 Bonus feat
2nd +1 +3 +3 +0 Ability increase (Str +2, Con +2)
3rd +2 +3 +3 +1 Bonus feat, natural weapon (horns 1d8)
4th +3 +4 +4 +1 Ability increase (Str +2), natural armor +1, speed increase +10
5th +3 +4 +4 +1 Bonus feat, natural armor +2

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the noble herdbeast class.

Bonus Feat

At every odd level you gain a bonus feat from the following list: Alertness, Aggressive Attitude, Awesome Blow, Call Stampede, Cautious Attitude, Endurance, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Overrun, Power Attack, Sturdy Attitude, or Trampling Overrun.

Ability Increase

At 2nd level, your Constitution score increases by +2. At 2nd and 4th level, your Strength score increases by +2.

Natural Weapon

At 3rd level you gain horns that you can use to make a gore attack for 1d8 damage.

Natural Armor

At 4th level you gain a Natural Armor bonus of +1. This bonus increases to +2 at 5th.

Speed Increase

At 4th level your Base Speed increases by +10.

Alternative Racial Traits

You can exchange one or several of your character’s normal racial Traits, but of course you cannot exchange the same racial trait more than once.

As with any alternate or optional rule, you must first get the permission of your GM to exchange any of your character’s normal racial Traits for those listed here.

  • Ability: This is placeholder text.
  • Normal Speed: This is placeholder text.

Favored Class Alternatives

Instead of receiving an additional skill rank or hit point whenever they gain a level in a Favored Class, noble herdbeasts have the option of choosing from a number of other bonuses, depending upon their Favored Classes. The following options are available to all noble herdbeasts who have the listed Favored Class, and unless otherwise stated, the bonus applies each time you select the listed Favored Class reward.

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Section 15: Copyright Notice

The Noble Wild. Copyright 2009 by Lee Garvin and Skirmisher Publishing LLC.

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