Totem Animals

Some classes gains a totem animal as a companion. The totem animal physically represents the character’s relationship with a spiritual force, be that a Valerian ancestor patron, a Sovereign deity, or the traditional spirits of an orcblooded tribe. The Totem Animals table, below, lists the benefits and abilities of several sample totems. The Judge can create additional totems at his discretion. The totem animal should be a creature appropriate to the character’s attributes. For example, a character with high STR might have a bear totem, while an character with high WIL might have an owl totem and one with high CHA might choose an eagle totem. At a minimum, the character must possess an attribute of at least 9 in his totem animal’s key attribute. Over time, the character will come to resemble his totem animal. A wolf character might develop yellow eyes and sharp canines, while a bear character might grow husky and hirsute.

Totem Animals

Totem Animal	Key Attribute	Totem Benefit	Characteristics
Bear	Str	Berserkergang	Spd 120’, AC 13, HD 4, #AT 3 (1d3/1d3/1d6), hug
Cheetah	Dex	Running	Spd 360’, AC 15, HD 2+2, #AT 3 (1d2/1d2/1d4), pounce
Crocodile	Con	Combat Ferocity	Spd 60’/90’ swim, AC 14, HD 2, #AT 1 (1d8)
Crow / Raven	Int	Divine Blessing	Spd 330’ fly, AC 11, HD ¼, # AT 1 (1d2-1)
Dog	Cha	Alertness	Spd 180’, AC 12, HD 1+1, # AT 1 (1d4)
Eagle / Hawk	Cha	Command	Spd 480’ fly, AC 11, HD 1, #AT 2 (1d3/1d3), dive
Elk	Con	Contemplation	Spd 180’, AC 12, HD 4, #AT 1 (1d10)
Goat	Wil	Climbing	Spd 150’, AC 12, HD 1, #AT 1 (1d4)
Horse	Con	Mounted Combat	Spd 210’, AC 12, HD 2, #AT 2 (1d4/1d4)
Hyena	Cha	Weapon Focus	Spd 150’, AC 12, HD 2+1, #AT 1 (1d8), bone crush
Jackal	Int	Combat Trickery	Spd 180’, AC 12, HD 1-1, #AT 1 (1d4)
Lion	Cha	Divine Health	Spd 150’, AC 13, HD 5, #AT 3 (1d4+1/1d4+1/1d10), pounce
Monkey	Dex	Prestidigitation	Spd 120’/120’ climb, AC 12, HD 1, #AT 1 (1d3)
Rat	Wil	Quiet Magic	Spd 120’/60’ swim, AC 12, HD ½, #AT 1 (1d3)
Owl	Wil	Sensing Power	Spd 300’ fly, AC 11, HD ½, #AT 2 (1d2/1d2), dive attack
Python	Str	Laying on Hands	Spd 90’, AC 13, HD 5, #AT 2 (1d4/2d8), constriction
Viper	Dex	Combat Reflexes	Spd 90’, AC 13, HD 2, #AT 1 (1d4), poison
Wolf	Wil	Ambushing	Spd 180’, AC 12, HD 2+2, #AT 1 (1d6)

The totem animal has human-like intelligence, with Intellect equal to half the character’s Intellect. It can understand the character’s speech, and the character can understand his totem animal’s speech, though no one else can without resorting to speak with beasts. So long as the character upholds his service to his patron spirit(s), the totem animal will be utterly loyal to the character and will fight for him, perform services, and obey his commands.

While the totem animal is alive and within 30’, the character receives the animal’s totem benefit. The totem benefit is a bonus proficiency related to the totem. For example, an character with a cobra totem animal has the Combat Reflexes proficiency so long as he is within 30’ of his totem animal.

Because it is partly a creature of the character’s own spirit, the totem animal always has a number of Hit Dice equal to one less than the character’s own (1/2 HD when the character is 1^st level) with 4 hp per HD. If a totem animal has fewer Hit Dice than those normally possessed by such an animal, it will appear as a smaller, younger creature of its type. If it has more HD, it will appear as a larger, fiercer variant. The animal’s baseline characteristics are adjusted based on its current Hit Dice relative to the Hit Dice of an ordinary animal of its type:

• Attack throws are as a monster of its HD, saving throws are as a fighter of half its HD.

• AC increases or decreases by 1 per 2 HD of difference, to a minimum of 0 and a maximum of its own ordinary HD.

• Average damage for its entire attack routine increases or decreases by 2 per HD of difference. The judge will determine specifics.

If the totem animal is ever killed, the character must save vs. Death or instantly take damage equal to its maximum HP. It cannot be restored to life or resurrected, but a creature of the same type will appear the next time the character gains a level of experience.