Be it a virulent plague, encroaching civilization, or a natural disaster, the harmony of the wilds is constantly under threat. The natural world will often reach out for aid: wizened hermits, agile hunters, and enigmatic shamans alike have all answered the call throughout the ages. Yet among them, few are as steadfast in their role as the warden. Both stalwart champion and contemplative sage, a warden is a devoted guardian of the land and its inhabitants. They immerse themselves in nature, acting as protectors of the wild and receiving protection in turn. Wardens hear the whispering lore among the trees to unlock veiled secrets of life and regrowth, and when threatened channel the facets of the wilds itself, blessing their allies and shielding them outsiders.
Role: Wardens are protectors, standing in the way of those that would harm nature. Their powerful wards serve as the cornerstone of defense for their allies, while the magics they harness give them the means to heal, navigate, and master their environment.
Alignment: Any
Hit Die: d10
Starting Age: Trained
Starting Wealth: 5d6 × 10 gp (average 175 gp). In addition, each character begins play with an outfit worth 10 gp or less.
CLASS SKILLS: The warden’s class skills are Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (dungeoneering) (Int), Knowledge (geography) (Int), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).
Skill Ranks Per Level: 4 + Int modifier.
CLASS FEATURES[]
| Level | BAB | Fort | Ref | Will | Special | Verdant Bonus | Facets Prepared |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | Insightful Defense, Nature Lore, Verdant Bonus, Ward | +1 | — |
| 2nd | +2 | 3 | 0 | 3 | Bonus Feat, Remedy, Secret | +1 | — |
| 3rd | +3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | Facets, Immunity | +1 | 2 |
| 4th | +4 | 4 | 1 | 4 | Protector's Sense | +2 | 2 |
| 5th | +5 | 4 | 1 | 4 | Secret | +2 | 3 |
| 6th | +6/+1 | 5 | 2 | 5 | Bonus Feat | +2 | 3 |
| 7th | +7/+2 | 5 | 2 | 5 | Natural Purity | +2 | 4 |
| 8th | +8/+3 | 6 | 2 | 6 | Secret | +3 | 4 |
| 9th | +9/+4 | 6 | 3 | 6 | Improved Ward | +3 | 5 |
| 10th | +10/+5 | 7 | 3 | 7 | Bonus Feat | +3 | 5 |
| 11th | +11/+6/+1 | 7 | 3 | 7 | Secret | +3 | 6 |
| 12th | +12/+7/+2 | 8 | 4 | 8 | Stalwart | +4 | 6 |
| 13th | +13/+8/+3 | 8 | 4 | 8 | Wild Step | +4 | 7 |
| 14th | +14/+9/+4 | 9 | 4 | 9 | Bonus Feat, Secret | +4 | 7 |
| 15th | +15/+10/+5 | 9 | 5 | 9 | Greater Ward | +4 | 8 |
| 16th | +16/+11/+6/+1 | 10 | 5 | 10 | Reverence | +5 | 8 |
| 17th | +17/+12/+7/+2 | 10 | 5 | 10 | Secret | +5 | 9 |
| 18th | +18/+13/+8/+3 | 11 | 6 | 11 | Bonus Feat | +5 | 9 |
| 19th | +19/+14/+9/+4 | 11 | 6 | 11 | Sentinel | +5 | 9 |
| 20th | +20/+15/+10/+5 | 12 | 6 | 12 | Eternal Guardian, Secret | +6 | 9 |
All of the following are class features of the warden.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency[]
Wardens are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with light and medium armor, and with shields (except tower shields).
Insightful Defense (Ex)[]
A warden’s awareness of his surroundings allows him to defend himself with focused perception rather than reflex. The warden may add his Wisdom modifier, instead of his Dexterity modifier, to his Armor Class and CMD. Any condition that would cause him to lose his Dexterity modifier to his AC instead causes him to lose his Wisdom modifier to his AC, and he cannot gain this bonus while wearing heavy armor. Additionally, his armor’s Maximum Dexterity Bonus still applies (limiting how much of his Wisdom modifier can be added to his AC), and the bonus he receives to his AC from his Wisdom score cannot exceed his warden level (+1 at 1st level, +2 at 2nd level, and so on).
Nature Lore (Ex)[]
At 1st level, a warden gains a bonus on all Handle Animal, Knowledge (dungeoneering), Knowledge (geography), Knowledge (nature), and Survival checks equal to 1/2 his warden level (minimum 1) and can make such checks untrained.
Verdant Bonus (Su)[]
A warden’s connection to the natural world is represented by his verdant bonus. A warden’s verdant bonus begins at +1 and increases by 1 at 4th level and every four warden levels obtained thereafter, as shown on Table: Warden under “Verdant Bonus”.
As long as he is not wearing heavy armor, the warden receives a bonus to his AC and CMD equal to his verdant bonus. The warden’s verdant bonus is also used to determine the strength of his ward, as well as the effects of many of his facets (see below).
Ward (Su)[]
A warden’s most powerful tool is his ward, a mystical barrier of natural energy that protects those within and grants them the strength of the wilds. Creating a ward is a swift action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity. The ward is a spherical emanation with a maximum radius of 10 feet; the warden can choose to manifest a ward with a radius of any multiple of 5 feet up to this maximum. The ward itself is faintly visible as a translucent barrier: the ward does not hinder sight in any way (or block line of sight or effect), nor does it produce light. The ward must be placed at a location within close range (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) that the warden can see and has line of effect to. The ward is stationary, and can only be “moved” by manifesting it again in a different location.
All allies inside the ward (including the warden) are protected from extreme temperatures, as if under the effects of an endure elements spell. Allies within the ward are also shielded from harm, gaining an insight bonus to their AC equal to the warden’s verdant bonus. The warden does not receive this bonus to his own AC, even from another warden, as he already has it inherently from the verdant bonus feature.
A manifested ward lasts indefinitely so long as the warden remains within close range of the ward (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels); if he moves outside of this range or if he is slain, the ward dissipates immediately. He can also dismiss an active ward as a swift action. There is no limit to the number of times each day a warden can manifest a ward, but he may only have one ward placed at a time. If he manifests a new ward, the previous one immediately dissipates.
Bonus Feat[]
At 2nd level, and every four levels thereafter, the warden receives a bonus feat in addition to those gained from normal advancement. These bonus feats must be selected from those listed as combat feats. He must meet the prerequisites of these feats as normal.
Remedy (Su)[]
Also at 2nd level, a warden gains the ability to infuse living creatures (either himself or others) with vital energy, rapidly healing them of injuries. As a standard action, the warden can use this power upon a single creature to grant it fast healing equal to half his warden level for 1 minute. If the warden targets himself, he can use remedy as a swift action, instead. Remedy can normally be used on any creature that is adjacent to the warden; however, if the creature is within a ward, remedy can instead target the creature from close range (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels). A creature cannot benefit from more than one use of remedy at a time, even from a different warden.
A warden can use this ability a number of times each day equal to 1/2 his warden level + his Wisdom modifier (minimum 1). Remedy has no effect on undead or constructs.
Secret[]
A warden’s devotion to nature is rewarded with knowledge of its hidden mysteries. When he reaches 2nd level and every three warden levels thereafter, he gains a single secret from the list below. A secret cannot be selected more than once. If a secret calls for a saving throw, the DC is equal to 10 + 1/2 the warden’s level + his Wisdom modifier unless otherwise noted.
A full list of secrets can be found here.
Facets (Su)[]
Beginning at 3rd level, the warden learns to call upon and embody the varied aspects of natural environments. Referred to as facets, each of these enigmatic forces act as the warden’s sword and shield, granting him the means to protect allies and strike at those that would oppose them. Once per day, the warden may select a number of facets to prepare as shown on Table: Warden under “Facets Prepared”. The full list of facets is located at the end of the class description. These facets remain prepared indefinitely until the warden chooses to prepare again.
Each facet comes in three levels: lesser, greater, and grand. At first, the warden may only prepare lesser facets. Upon reaching 9th level, he may prepare greater facets, and upon reaching 15th level he may prepare grand facets. However, facets must be prepared in ascending order of strength.
In order to prepare a facet, the warden must have prepared all versions of that facet of a lower level. For example, if the warden wants to prepare the River of Life grand facet, he must also prepare both the lesser and greater versions of River of Life. Each of these prepared facets counts separately (in the previous example, preparing the lesser, greater, and grand versions of River of Life counts as three of the warden’s prepared facets for the day).
The warden uses these facets to enhance his ward, infusing it with new powers. Whenever he creates a ward, the warden may select a single facet he has. The ward he creates gains additional benefits as described in that facet’s entry. The effects of a facet are cumulative with its lower-level versions: applying a grand facet to a ward, for example, also applies the effects of the lesser and greater versions of that facet unless otherwise specified. The warden may only apply one facet to his ward, but may make a different selection each time he creates a ward. He can always choose to apply a lower-level version of a facet he has prepared. If the effects of a facet call for a saving throw, the Difficulty Class for the save is equal to 10 + 1/2 the warden’s level + his Wisdom modifier.
A full list of facets can be found here.
Immunity (Ex)[]
At 3rd level, the warden becomes immune to diseases, including both magical and supernatural diseases.
Protector’s Sense (Ex)[]
Starting at 4th level, a warden taps into his instinctual awareness of threats. The warden adds his Wisdom modifier to initiative checks in addition to his Dexterity modifier. He can always act in the surprise round even if he fails to make a Perception roll to notice a foe, but he is still considered flat-footed until he takes an action.
Natural Purity (Ex)[]
At 7th level, a warden becomes immune to poisons of any kind.
Improved Ward (Su)[]
At 9th level, the warden’s ability to manifest wards improves. He can now manifest two separate wards, each with a maximum radius of 15 feet, which can be maintained so long as he remains within medium range (100 ft. + 10 ft./level). Each one must be manifested with a separate swift action. If he tries to manifest more than two wards, he chooses which of the current wards dissipates. He can apply a different facet to each ward he places. The areas of his wards are unable to overlap: if he attempts to place a ward to overlap a ward he already has placed, the older ward dissipates immediately.
The warden can also determine how healthy creatures within his wards are, as a status spell. This effect only applies to willing creatures, and the effect is removed if a creature leaves the area of the ward.
Stalwart (Ex)[]
At 12th level, a warden can use mental and physical resiliency to avoid certain attacks. If he makes a Fortitude or Will saving throw against an attack that has a reduced effect on a successful save, he instead avoids the effect entirely. This ability can only be used if the warden is wearing light armor, medium armor, or no armor. A helpless warden does not gain the benefit of the stalwart ability.
Wild Step (Su)[]
Starting at 13th level, the warden gains the ability to step across leylines to swiftly help those within his ward. As a move action, the warden can teleport a distance up to twice his normal movement speed. This movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity. The ending location of this teleportation must be an open location within the area of a ward he or another allied warden has manifested.
Greater Ward (Su)[]
At 15th level, the warden gains further strength for his wards. He can now manifest three separate wards, each with a maximum radius of 20 feet, which can be maintained so long as he remains within long range (400 ft. + 40 ft./level). As with improved ward, he can apply a separate facet to each ward he places and the wards cannot overlap.
Reverence (Su)[]
Upon reaching 16th level, the creatures of the wild come to respect the warden’s presence. Creatures of the animal, plant, or vermin type of Intelligence 2 or less never attack the warden or any of his allies within 20 feet of him unless magically compelled to do so. Creatures of these types with Intelligence 3 or higher can make a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 the warden’s level + his Wisdom modifier) to negate the effect for 24 hours. If the warden or his allies take any hostile action towards the creature or its allies, it becomes immune to this effect for 24 hours (even if they failed their saving throw earlier).
Sentinel (Ex)[]
Starting at 19th level, a warden gains a near-prescient sense of possible threats. The warden treats his initiative roll as always being a natural 20 and he is never surprised.
Eternal Guardian (Su)[]
At 20th level, the warden ascends, joining the guardian voices of nature to become one of its everlasting protectors. His type changes to outsider, and he can count as either an outsider or his original type for the purpose of spells and effects (whichever is more beneficial to him).
Additionally, the warden stops aging. Age bonuses still accrue, but he does not take any penalties for his age, any age penalties he previously had are removed, and he does not die from old age. Even if he dies from some other cause, he will spontaneously come back to life (as a resurrection spell) 24 hours later at a point of his choosing within 20 miles of the place he died. He must have visited the place he returns to life at least once.
Favored Class Bonuses[]
- Aasimar: Add +1/2 to the warden’s level for the purpose of determining the effects of one secret.
- Catfolk: Increase the warden’s effective level by +1/2 for the purpose of determining the maximum distance he can maintain his wards and use remedy.
- Changeling: The warden gains 1/6 of a new secret.
- Dhampir: Add +1/2 bonus to Stealth checks and to Survival checks to track aberrations and undead.
- Drow: Increase the Maximum Dexterity Bonus of armor the warden wears by +1/4 (max +3)
- Duergar: Add +1/3 to the number of times the warden can use remedy each day.
- Dwarf: Increase the number of facets the warden can prepare each day by 1/6.
- Elf: Increase the Maximum Dexterity Bonus of armor the warden wears by +1/4 (max +3).
- Fetchling: Add a +1 bonus on Knowledge (planes) checks made to identify creatures.
- Gillmen: Add +1 to the warden’s CMD when resisting two combat maneuvers of the character’s choice.
- Gnome: Increase the warden’s effective level by +1/2 for the purpose of determining the maximum distance he can maintain his wards and use remedy.
- Goblin: The warden gains fire resistance 1. Each time this is selected, increase the resistance by +1. This resistance stacks with the resistance from summer’s heat.
- Grippli: Add a +1 racial bonus on Swim skill checks. When this bonus reaches +8, the warden gains a swim speed of 15 feet (this does not grant the warden another +8 racial bonus on Swim checks).
- Half-Elf: The warden gains 1/6 of a new secret.
- Half-Orc: The warden gains 1/2 point of DR/– against nonlethal damage (maximum DR 10/–).
- Halfling: Add +1/3 to the number of times the warden can use remedy each day.
- Hobgoblin: Add +1 to the warden’s CMD when resisting two combat maneuvers of the character’s choice.
- Human: The warden gains 1/6 of a new secret.
- Ifrit: Add +1/2 bonus to Intimidate and Knowledge (planes) checks.
- Kitsune: The warden gains 1/6 of a new secret.
- Kobold: Increase the warden’s effective level by +1/2 for the purpose of determining the maximum distance he can maintain his wards and use remedy.
- Merfolk: The warden gains 1/6 of a new secret.
- Nagaji: Increase the saving throw bonus from the resistance racial trait by +1/4 (max +3).
- Orc: Add +1 to the warden’s CMD when resisting two combat maneuvers of the character’s choice.
- Oread: Add +1/2 bonus to Climb and Knowledge (planes) checks.
- Ratfolk: Add +1/3 to the number of times the warden can use remedy each day.
- Samsaran: Add +1/2 to Heal checks and Diplomacy checks to influence attitude or make requests.
- Strix: Add +1/4 to the attack roll bonus from the strix’s hatred racial trait.
- Suli: Add +1 to the warden’s acid resistance, cold resistance, electricity resistance, or fire resistance.
- Svirfneblin: Add +1/4 to the attack roll bonus from the svirfneblin’s hatred racial trait.
- Sylph: Add +1/2 bonus to Acrobatics and Knowledge (planes) checks.
- Tengu: The warden gains 1/6 of a new secret.
- Tiefling: Add +1/3 to the number of times the warden can use remedy each day.
- Undine: Add a +1/2 bonus to Escape Artist and Knowledge (planes) checks.
- Vanara: Add a +1/2 bonus on Acrobatics checks and Handle Animal checks.
- Vishkanya: Add +1/3 to the number of times the warden can use remedy each day.
- Wayang: Add +1/2 to Stealth checks and to Survival checks to track aberrations and undead.