Meistersinger (Character Kit)

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==Meistersinger==
Specialty: Pied Piper/Animal Charmer.
Qualifications: Standard ability scores. Elves can become Meistersingers and reach 15th level.
Introduction: Welcome to Great Wood. My name is Shellana and I will be guiding you through this beautiful forest. I've lived here for as long as I can remember. My father is a ranger who patrols the forest and my mother maintains a small cottage for us all.
My dearest friends are Simbiom, a red barn owl, and Moshma, a jet black panther. They accompany me wherever I go. And where is that? Well, I don't really have a job as most people would define it. I often help the rangers who patrol the Great Wood. They are concerned with the security of some kingdom or other and want to keep the forest free of spies and evil monsters. I help them by reporting any strange people or creatures I encounter.
But my real goal is to keep the forest and its animals safe from the encroachment of "civilization." Greedy furriers and loggers and wasteful travelers are my enemies. I have freed countless animals from live traps, have broken numerous logging saws, and have scared off several dozen city folk this year.
I secretly work with the druids. Together we have kept the forest and its creatures relatively safe from harm. But our jobs grow more and more difficult as new villages keep popping up near the forest's edge. And with that said, I must go and plant some more trees before Simbiom eats all of my nuts. 
Description: Meistersingers wander the woodlands, mountains, and deserts, seeking out those who will listen to their songs. Unlike other bards, Meistersingers rarely perform for humankind. They tailor their music to the tunes of nature. Their audiences are the birds, the bees, and the behemoths.
Meistersingers have wandered unsettled lands since the dawn of mankind. Loremasters tell tales about how the ancient dryads and nymphs would find lost human children and teach them the ways of the forest. Others were taken in by druids. Over the years, these children of nature have evolved into a definable class of character—the Meistersinger. Whether these tales are true or not, Meistersingers do exist.
The concerns of Meistersingers center around nature, especially animals. Lawful neutral, true neutral, and chaotic neutral Meistersingers see themselves as one with nature (although each views the structure of nature differently). They protect animals as humans protect those of their society. Neutral good Meistersingers look upon animals as innocent children who should be isolated and protected from the harsh and uncaring realms of civilization. Neutral evil Meistersingers see animals as subjects to be controlled and exploited. They use animals as some lords use slaves. True neutral Meistersingers are closest to druids in the way they look upon animals.
Role: Meistersingers are the mortal enemies of ruthless and profiteering hunters, trappers, and fishermen. They believe such activities should occur only when the game is needed for survival and no part of the animal is wasted.
Forests, deserts, and mountains are the typical arena for the adventuring Meistersinger. Rarely does a Meistersinger adventure any where unless animals are somehow involved—as mounts, as companions, or perhaps as captives who need to be set free.
Secondary Skills: Farmer, Forester, Groom, Hunter, Teamster/Freighter, Trapper/Furrier.
Weapon Proficiencies: The following weapons are forbidden to the Meistersinger: harpoon, lances, mancatcher, polearms, and trident.
As a hunter and woodsman, a Meistersinger must maintain a variety of weapons: those that are purely for melee, those that are purely missile weapons, and those that can be used in both melee and missile combat (hurled weapons). At 1st level, a Meistersinger must select one melee and one missile weapon. Each additional weapon proficiency slot must be spent in the following repetitive sequence: hurled, melee, missile.
Nonweapon Proficiencies:
* Bonuses: Animal Lore, Musical Instrument, Singing, Survival.
* Suggested: Agriculture, Animal Training, Blacksmithing, Craft Instrument, Dancing, Direction Sense, Fire-Building, Fishing, Herbalism, Hunting, Mountaineering, Riding (airborne), Riding (land-based), Rope Use, Set Snares, Swimming, Tracking, Weather Sense.
Armor/Equipment: Standard.
Special Benefits:
Song of Companionship: At 1st, 5th, and 10th levels, a Meistersinger can play the Song of Companionship, which lasts for 2d12 hours.
The DM and player should select six naturally occurring wild animals (not domesticated or fantasy-based) appropriate to the current terrain. A d6 is then rolled and the selected animal emerges from the nearby woods or over the next hill. The animal is a faithful companion to the Meistersinger from that day onward.
The Meistersinger and animal can communicate simple thoughts and desires. Such communication must be in the form of music or song by the Meistersinger, and a growl, caw, hiss, or some other appropriate sound by the animal. Others cannot understand the communication. The companion has hit points equal to those of the Meistersinger at his current level. The companion's hit points do not increase as the Meistersinger rises in level.
The companion gained at 1st level should be tiny or small (as per the "Size" entry in the Monstrous Compendia ). The animal transfers its primary sensory power onto the Meistersinger. This is much like the find familiar spell, but it is not identical and does not take the place of that spell.
The 5th-level companion should be small or medium in size. The Meistersinger gains the ability to polymorph his arms and head into those of this companion, for purposes of unarmed combat. Attacks are made using the Meis ter singer's THAC0, but successful attacks cause damage equal to that of the animal's natural weaponry. The Meis ter singer also receives multiple attacks, if the animal is entitled to them.
The 10th-level companion should be medium or large. The Meistersinger gains the ability to shape change (as the 9th-level wizard spell) into this companion's form once per day.
A Meistersinger's companions are his best friends. If one is slain, the mental strain of the loss forces the Meistersinger to roll a successful system shock check or die. (Likewise, if the Meistersinger is slain, the companion animals must roll system shock checks, at 80% + 1% per hit die.) If the check is successful, the Meistersinger goes into deep mourning for 101 days, during which he does not adventure. A Meistersinger can call for one replacement companion each time he advances in level (he is not required to call for a replacement). The replacement is the same size as the lost companion and confers the same abilities upon the Meistersinger.
Song of Sanction: This song envelops the Meistersinger, creating a nearly magical barrier of good will around him. Any attacking animal or monster must roll a saving throw vs. paralyzation with a -1 penalty per three levels of the Meistersinger or ignore the Meistersinger and those within one foot per level of him for as long as the song is played. The effect of the song is ended if the Meistersinger attempts to move or if anyone in the protected area attacks (including offensive spell use).
Animal Charm: Meistersingers know a number of songs that have special charm-like effects upon animals (including giant animals).
If the Meistersinger concentrates, he can attempt to charm one animal within view by his singing. Only an animal of Hit Dice equal to or less than the Meistersinger's level can be affected. Furthermore, the total Hit Dice of all such charmed animals accompanying the Meistersinger cannot exceed twice the Meistersinger's level.
The song takes 1d10 rounds, but the animal is held temporarily spellbound during the performance, as long as no hostile advances are made upon it by the Meistersinger or his allies. After 1d10 rounds, the monster rolls a saving throw vs. paralyzation with a -1 penalty per three levels of the Meistersinger. If it fails, it is under the effects of a charm spell. If it succeeds, it is unaffected and acts normally. If the roll was a natural 20, the animal is enraged and immediately attacks the Meistersinger.
Influence Reactions: Meistersingers can attempt to influence the reactions of animals that aren't attacking and that allow the Meistersinger to play for them. This ability is handled exactly as the True Bard's influence reactions ability (except that it affects only animals).
Special Hindrances: Meistersingers do not gain followers, nor do they build typical strongholds. Their animal companions serve as their followers, and they tend to build several small cottages or huts throughout the lands they patrol.